1
|
Mora Álvarez MG, Hölzel BK, Bremer B, Wilhelm M, Hell E, Tavacioglu EE, Koch K, Torske A. Effects of web-based mindfulness training on psychological outcomes, attention, and neuroplasticity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22635. [PMID: 38114554 PMCID: PMC10730881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48706-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation training (MMT) reliably reduces stress and anxiety while also improving attention. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between MMT, stress and anxiety reduction, and its impact upon improvements in attention on the behavioral and neuronal levels. As a second aim, we sought to explore any relationship between MMT, attention, and modified states of mind such as flow. 118 healthy, meditation-naïve, participants were either assigned to a 31-day, web-based, MMT or an active control, health training (HT). Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing the attention network test (ANT) to assess functional and behavioural attentional changes, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess microstructural neuronal changes and completed relevant questionnaires to explore changes in psychological outcomes. Results confirmed a reduction in perceived stress and anxiety levels in the MMT group and significant improvements in the overall reaction time during the ANT, albeit no specific effects on the attentional components were observed. No statistically significant changes were found in the HT group. Interestingly, a significant group-by-time interaction was seen in flow experience. Functional data exhibited an increased activity in the superior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, and right hippocampus during the alerting condition of the ANT after the MMT; decreased stress and trait anxiety were significantly correlated with the activation in the right hippocampus, and increased flow was also significantly correlated with all the aforementioned areas. DTI data showed increased fractional anisotropy values in the right uncinate fasciculus indicating white matter microarchitecture improvement between the right hippocampus and frontal areas of the brain. This study, therefore, demonstrates the effectiveness of web-based MMT on overall well-being and attentional performance, while also providing insight into the relationship between psychological outcomes, attention, and neuroplastic changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Guadalupe Mora Álvarez
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Britta Karen Hölzel
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Benno Bremer
- Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maximilian Wilhelm
- Center for Psychotherapy Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elena Hell
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ebru Ecem Tavacioglu
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Koch
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alyssa Torske
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Capitão LP, Chapman R, Filippini N, Wright L, Murphy SE, James A, Cowen PJ, Harmer CJ. Acute neural effects of fluoxetine on emotional regulation in depressed adolescents. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4799-4810. [PMID: 35903009 PMCID: PMC10388313 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722001805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with disrupted processing of emotional stimuli and difficulties in cognitive reappraisal. Little is known however about how current pharmacotherapies act to modulate the neural mechanisms underlying these key processes. The current study therefore investigated the neural effects of fluoxetine on emotional reactivity and cognitive reappraisal in adolescent depression. METHODS Thirty-one adolescents with MDD were randomised to acute fluoxetine (10 mg) or placebo. Seventeen healthy adolescents were also recruited but did not receive any treatment for ethical reasons. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), participants viewed aversive images and were asked to either experience naturally the emotional state elicited ('Maintain') or to reinterpret the content of the pictures to reduce negative affect ('Reappraise'). Significant activations were identified using whole-brain analysis. RESULTS No significant group differences were seen when comparing Reappraise and Maintain conditions. However, when compared to healthy controls, depressed adolescents on placebo showed reduced visual activation to aversive pictures irrespective of the condition. The depressed adolescent group on fluoxetine showed the opposite pattern, i.e. increased visuo-cerebellar activity in response to aversive pictures, when compared to depressed adolescents on placebo. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that depression in adolescence may be associated with reduced visual processing of aversive imagery and that fluoxetine may act to reduce avoidance of such cues. This could reflect a key mechanism whereby depressed adolescents engage with negative cues previously avoided. Future research combining fMRI with eye-tracking is nonetheless needed to further clarify these effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liliana P. Capitão
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Robert Chapman
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Lucy Wright
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Susannah E. Murphy
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Anthony James
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip J. Cowen
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine J. Harmer
- Oxford University Department of Psychiatry and Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Learning induces coordinated neuronal plasticity of metabolic demands and functional brain networks. Commun Biol 2022; 5:428. [PMID: 35534605 PMCID: PMC9085889 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03362-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurobiological basis of learning is reflected in adaptations of brain structure, network organization and energy metabolism. However, it is still unknown how different neuroplastic mechanisms act together and if cognitive advancements relate to general or task-specific changes. Therefore, we tested how hierarchical network interactions contribute to improvements in the performance of a visuo-spatial processing task by employing simultaneous PET/MR neuroimaging before and after a 4-week learning period. We combined functional PET and metabolic connectivity mapping (MCM) to infer directional interactions across brain regions. Learning altered the top-down regulation of the salience network onto the occipital cortex, with increases in MCM at resting-state and decreases during task execution. Accordingly, a higher divergence between resting-state and task-specific effects was associated with better cognitive performance, indicating that these adaptations are complementary and both required for successful visuo-spatial skill learning. Simulations further showed that changes at resting-state were dependent on glucose metabolism, whereas those during task performance were driven by functional connectivity between salience and visual networks. Referring to previous work, we suggest that learning establishes a metabolically expensive skill engram at rest, whose retrieval serves for efficient task execution by minimizing prediction errors between neuronal representations of brain regions on different hierarchical levels. Brain network analyses reveal coupled changes between functional connectivity and metabolic demands that relate to cognitive performance improvements induced by learning a challenging visuo-spatial task for four weeks.
Collapse
|
4
|
Lambert AJ, Ryckman NA, Qian Y. Landmark cueing and exogenous (onset) cueing: How are they related? Brain Cogn 2021; 153:105787. [PMID: 34403884 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Attentional consequences of (i) mere onset of a peripheral visual cue, and (ii)encoding spatially predictive, landmark features of that cue were studied in two experiments. Target location was associated with landmark features of peripheral cues. Cue onset elicited both attention capture (Experiment Two) and inhibition of return (Experiment One) effects. In both experiments, attentional effects of landmark features of the cues were observed early in practice, and diminished with time on task. Contrary to hypotheses based on models that liken attention to a moving spotlight or zoom lens, in both experiments attentional effects of landmark features were confined to the location where the cue was presented. To explain this, we enlist the concept of attentional priority maps, and propose that visual encoding causes attentional priorities to be updated via alternative input routes and mechanisms. We suggest that onset cueing effects are associated with retinotectal 'spatial indexing', which registers the location, but not the attributes of new stimuli, while landmark cueing effects are associated with interaction between spatial indexing and dorsal stream visual processing of attentionally relevant landmark features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Lambert
- School of Psychology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Nathan A Ryckman
- School of Psychology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yichen Qian
- School of Psychology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Constanthin PE, Gondar R, Fellrath J, Wyttenbach IM, Tizi K, Weman L, Vayssière P, Schaller K, Meling TR. Neuropsychological Outcomes after Surgery for Olfactory Groove Meningiomas. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2520. [PMID: 34063924 PMCID: PMC8196649 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, several studies have reported abnormal pre- and postoperative neuropsychological functioning in patients with meningiomas located in the prefrontal cortex (notably the ventromedial region). In the case of olfactory groove meningiomas, the tumor is in direct contact with the inferior aspect of the prefrontal cortex, a cortical region with crucial roles in decision-making, cognition and memory functions, potentially negatively impacting neuropsychological functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively compared pre- and post-operative neuropsychological testing of 17 patients undergoing surgical removal of olfactory groove meningiomas in our institution between January 2013 and December 2018. Neuropsychological results were obtained from the patients' medical history and normalized as z-scores of their respective cognitive functions. RESULTS Assessment of cognitive follow-up showed an important heterogeneity among patients. Pre-operative cognitive impairment was observed in most patients, particularly in cognitive flexibility (mean z-score: -1.35). Immediate post-operative cognitive status showed an overall impairment in all domains of cognition, significant for the domains of attention (p = 0.0273) and flexibility (p = 0.0234) and almost significant for the domain of language (p = 0.0547). The late follow-up at one year showed a trend towards general improvement, although attention and flexibility remained impaired. DISCUSSION Olfactory groove meningiomas impact pre-frontal cortex cognitive functions, particularly in the domain of cognitive flexibility. After an initial postoperative worsening, patients tended to improve in most aspects after one year, aside from cognitive flexibility and attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Constanthin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
| | - Renato Gondar
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
| | - Julia Fellrath
- Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (J.F.); (I.M.W.)
| | - Isaline Mottet Wyttenbach
- Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (J.F.); (I.M.W.)
| | - Karima Tizi
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
| | - Leo Weman
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Pia Vayssière
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
| | - Karl Schaller
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Torstein R. Meling
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (P.E.C.); (R.G.); (K.T.); (P.V.); (K.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Devaney KJ, Levin EJ, Tripathi V, Higgins JP, Lazar SW, Somers DC. Attention and Default Mode Network Assessments of Meditation Experience during Active Cognition and Rest. Brain Sci 2021; 11:566. [PMID: 33946661 PMCID: PMC8144977 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation experience has previously been shown to improve performance on behavioral assessments of attention, but the neural bases of this improvement are unknown. Two prominent, strongly competing networks exist in the human cortex: a dorsal attention network, that is activated during focused attention, and a default mode network, that is suppressed during attentionally demanding tasks. Prior studies suggest that strong anti-correlations between these networks indicate good brain health. In addition, a third network, a ventral attention network, serves as a "circuit-breaker" that transiently disrupts and redirects focused attention to permit salient stimuli to capture attention. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to contrast cortical network activation between experienced focused attention Vipassana meditators and matched controls. Participants performed two attention tasks during scanning: a sustained attention task and an attention-capture task. Meditators demonstrated increased magnitude of differential activation in the dorsal attention vs. default mode network in a sustained attention task, relative to controls. In contrast, there were no evident attention network differences between meditators and controls in an attentional reorienting paradigm. A resting state functional connectivity analysis revealed a greater magnitude of anticorrelation between dorsal attention and default mode networks in the meditators as compared to both our local control group and a n = 168 Human Connectome Project dataset. These results demonstrate, with both task- and rest-based fMRI data, increased stability in sustained attention processes without an associated attentional capture cost in meditators. Task and resting-state results, which revealed stronger anticorrelations between dorsal attention and default mode networks in experienced mediators than in controls, are consistent with a brain health benefit of long-term meditation practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J. Devaney
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (E.J.L.); (V.T.); (J.P.H.)
| | - Emily J. Levin
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (E.J.L.); (V.T.); (J.P.H.)
- Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Vaibhav Tripathi
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (E.J.L.); (V.T.); (J.P.H.)
| | - James P. Higgins
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (E.J.L.); (V.T.); (J.P.H.)
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
| | - Sara W. Lazar
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - David C. Somers
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (E.J.L.); (V.T.); (J.P.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pennock IML, Schmidt TT, Zorbek D, Blankenburg F. Representation of visual numerosity information during working memory in humans: An fMRI decoding study. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:2778-2789. [PMID: 33694232 PMCID: PMC8127141 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Both animal and human studies on numerosity have shown the importance of the parietal cortex for numerosity processing. However, most studies have focused on the perceptual processing of numerosity. Still, it is unclear how and where numerosity information is coded when this information is retained during a working memory delay phase. Such temporal storage could be realized by the same structures as perceptual processes, or be transformed to a more abstract representation, potentially involving prefrontal regions. FMRI decoding studies allow the identification of brain areas that exhibit multi‐voxel activation patterns specific to the content of working memory. Here, we used an assumption‐free searchlight‐decoding approach to test where numerosity‐specific codes can be found during a 12 s retention period. Participants (n = 24) performed a retro‐cue delayed match‐to‐sample task, in which numerosity information was presented as visual dot arrays. We found mnemonic numerosity‐specific activation in the right lateral portion of the intraparietal sulcus; an area well‐known for perceptual processing of numerosity. The applied retro‐cue design dissociated working memory delay activity from perceptual processes and showed that the intraparietal sulcus also maintained working memory representation independent of perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Morgan Leo Pennock
- Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit (NNU), Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Timo Torsten Schmidt
- Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit (NNU), Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Dilara Zorbek
- Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit (NNU), Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Blankenburg
- Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit (NNU), Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pragya SU, Mehta ND, Abomoelak B, Uddin P, Veeramachaneni P, Mehta N, Moore S, Jean-Francois M, Garcia S, Pragya SC, Mehta DI. Effects of Combining Meditation Techniques on Short-Term Memory, Attention, and Affect in Healthy College Students. Front Psychol 2021; 12:607573. [PMID: 33746830 PMCID: PMC7973112 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.607573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation refers to a family of self-regulation practices that focuses on training attention and awareness to foster psycho-emotional well-being and to develop specific capacities such as calmness, clarity, and concentration. We report a prospective convenience-controlled study in which we analyzed the effect of two components of Preksha Dhyāna – buzzing bee sound meditation (Mahapran dhvani) and color meditation (leśyā dhyāna) on healthy college students. Mahapran and leśya dhyāna are two Preksha Dhyāna practices that are based on sound and green color, respectively. The study population represents a suitable target as college students experience different stress factors during the school year. This study measures the individual and combined effects of two techniques (one focusing on sound and one focusing on color), on short-term memory, attention, and affect, in novice meditators. We used a battery of cognitive, performance, and compared results with baseline and control values. We found improved cognition, especially attention, short-term memory, and affect in terms of positivity and reduced negativity. Overall, the two techniques produced variable benefits and subjects showed improved scores over baseline for short-term memory, cognitive function, and overall wellbeing. Further studies are required to understand underlying mechanisms for the observed differences between the two techniques and to elucidate mechanisms underlying the more pronounced and global benefits observed with the combined techniques. These results underscore a need to examine individual components of meditation practices in order to individualize treatment approaches for attention disorders in young adults. Clinical Trail Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03779269.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samani Unnata Pragya
- Department of Religions and Philosophies, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neelam D Mehta
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Bassam Abomoelak
- Gastrointestinal Translational Laboratory, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Parvin Uddin
- College of Arts, Sciences and Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Naina Mehta
- Gastrointestinal Translational Laboratory, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie Moore
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Melissa Jean-Francois
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie Garcia
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Devendra I Mehta
- Gastrointestinal Translational Laboratory, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Visual fixation prediction with incomplete attention map based on brain storm optimization. Appl Soft Comput 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.asoc.2020.106653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
10
|
Devaney KJ, Rosen ML, Levin EJ, Somers DC. Identification of Visual Attentional Regions of the Temporoparietal Junction in Individual Subjects using a Vivid, Novel Oddball Paradigm. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:424. [PMID: 31920587 PMCID: PMC6917576 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ) of the cerebral cortex is a functionally heterogeneous region that also exhibits substantial anatomical variability across individuals. As a result, the precise functional organization of TPJ remains controversial. One or more regions within TPJ support visual attention processes, but the "attention TPJ" is difficult to functionally observe in individual subjects, and thus is typically identified by averaging across a large group of subjects. However, group-averaging also blurs localization and can obscure functional organization. Here, we develop and test an individual-subject approach to identifying attentional TPJ. This paradigm employs novel oddball images with a strong visual drive to produce robust TPJ responses in individuals. Vivid, novel oddballs drive responses in two TPJ regions bilaterally, a posterior region centered in posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus (TPJSTS) and an anterior region in ventral Supramarginal Gyrus (TPJSMG). Although an attentional reorienting task fails to drive TPJ activation in individuals, group analysis of the attentional reorienting contrast reveals recruitment of right TPJSTS, but not right TPJSMG. Similarly, right TPJSTS, as identified in individual subjects by the vivid, novel oddball contrast, is activated by attentional reorienting, but right TPJSMG is not. These findings advance an individual-subject based approach to understanding the functional organization of TPJ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J Devaney
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Health and Human Performance, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Maya L Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Emily J Levin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - David C Somers
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Atypical language representation is unfavorable for language abilities following childhood stroke. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2019; 23:102-116. [PMID: 30314763 PMCID: PMC6339521 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Brain plasticity has often been quoted as a reason for the more favorable outcome in childhood stroke compared to adult stroke. We investigated the relationship between language abilities and language localization in childhood stroke. Seventeen children and adolescents with left- or right-sided ischemic stroke and 18 healthy controls were tested with a comprehensive neurolinguistic test battery, and the individual neural representation of language was measured with an fMRI language paradigm. Overall, 12 of 17 stroke patients showed language abilities below average, and five patients exhibited impaired language performance. fMRI revealed increased activity in right hemisphere areas homotopic to left hemisphere language regions. In sum, seven stroke patients revealed atypical, i.e. bilateral or right lateralized language representation. Typical left hemispheric language lateralization was associated with better performance in naming and word fluency, whereas increased involvement of right homologues was accompanied by worse language outcome. In contrast, lesion lateralization or lesion volume did not correlate with language outcome or atypical language lateralization. Thus, atypical language lateralization is unfavorable for language outcome, and right homologues do not have the same cognitive capacity, even in young children.
Collapse
|
12
|
Visual attention spreads broadly but selects information locally. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35513. [PMID: 27759056 PMCID: PMC5069499 DOI: 10.1038/srep35513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual attention spreads over a range around the focus as the spotlight metaphor describes. Spatial spread of attentional enhancement and local selection/inhibition are crucial factors determining the profile of the spatial attention. Enhancement and ignorance/suppression are opposite effects of attention, and appeared to be mutually exclusive. Yet, no unified view of the factors has been provided despite their necessity for understanding the functions of spatial attention. This report provides electroencephalographic and behavioral evidence for the attentional spread at an early stage and selection/inhibition at a later stage of visual processing. Steady state visual evoked potential showed broad spatial tuning whereas the P3 component of the event related potential showed local selection or inhibition of the adjacent areas. Based on these results, we propose a two-stage model of spatial attention with broad spread at an early stage and local selection at a later stage.
Collapse
|
13
|
Battelli L, Grossman ED, Plow EB. Local Immediate versus Long-Range Delayed Changes in Functional Connectivity Following rTMS on the Visual Attention Network. Brain Stimul 2016; 10:263-269. [PMID: 27838275 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2016.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interhemispheric competition hypothesis attributes the distribution of selective attention to a balance of mutual inhibition between homotopic, interhemispheric connections in parietal cortex (Kinsbourne 1977; Battelli et al., 2009). In support of this hypothesis, repetitive inhibitory TMS over right parietal cortex in healthy individuals rapidly induces interhemispheric imbalance in cortical activity that spreads beyond the site of stimulation (Plow et al., 2014). Behaviorally, the impacts of inhibitory rTMS may be long delayed from the onset of stimulation, as much as 30 minutes (Agosta et al., 2014; Hubl et al., 2008). OBJECTIVE In this study, we examine the temporal dynamics of inhibitory rTMS on cortical network integrity that supports sustained visual attention. METHODS Healthy individuals received 15 min of 1 Hz offline, inhibitory rTMS (or sham) over left parietal cortex, and then immediately engaged in a bilateral visual tracking task while we recorded brain activity with fMRI. We computed functional connectivity (FC) between three nodes of the attention network engaged by visual tracking: the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), frontal eye fields (FEF) and human MT+ (hMT+). RESULTS FC immediately and significantly decreased between the stimulation site (left IPS) and all other regions, then recovered to normal levels within 30 minutes. rTMS increased FC between left and right FEF at approximately 36 min following stimulation, and between sites in the unstimulated hemisphere approximately 48 min after stimulation. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate large-scale changes in cortical organization following inhibitory rTMS. The immediate impact of rTMS on connectivity to the stimulation site dovetails with the putative role of interhemispheric balance for bilateral visual sustained attention. The delayed, compensatory increases in functional connectivity have implications for models of dynamic reorganization in networks supporting spatial and nonspatial selective attention, and compensatory mechanisms within these networks that may be stabilized in chronic stroke.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Battelli
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems@UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Emily D Grossman
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ela B Plow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li Q, Bai J, Zhang J, Gong Q, Liu L. Assessment of Cortical Dysfunction in Patients with Intermittent Exotropia: An fMRI Study. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160806. [PMID: 27501391 PMCID: PMC4976854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural imaging studies have found the connection between strabismus and brain cortex. However, the pathological mechanisms of intermittent exotropia are still not fully understood. In the present study, changes of binocular fusion related cortices in intermittent exotropia were investigated with blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Activated cortices induced by fusion stimulus were found to be distributed in several regions such as bilateral middle occipital gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule and so on. Compared with normal subjects, the increased activation intensity was observed in bilateral superior parietal lobule and inferior parietal lobule in subjects with intermittent exotropia. These findings indicate that binocular fusion involves a complicated brain network including several regions. And cortical activities of bilateral superior parietal lobule and inferior parietal lobule compensate for the binocular fusion dysfunction in intermittent exotropia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Junxing Bai
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
- Department of Ophthalmology, MEM Eye Care System, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Junran Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Nardo D, Console P, Reverberi C, Macaluso E. Competition between Visual Events Modulates the Influence of Salience during Free-Viewing of Naturalistic Videos. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:320. [PMID: 27445760 PMCID: PMC4923118 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In daily life the brain is exposed to a large amount of external signals that compete for processing resources. The attentional system can select relevant information based on many possible combinations of goal-directed and stimulus-driven control signals. Here, we investigate the behavioral and physiological effects of competition between distinctive visual events during free-viewing of naturalistic videos. Nineteen healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while viewing short video-clips of everyday life situations, without any explicit goal-directed task. Each video contained either a single semantically-relevant event on the left or right side (Lat-trials), or multiple distinctive events in both hemifields (Multi-trials). For each video, we computed a salience index to quantify the lateralization bias due to stimulus-driven signals, and a gaze index (based on eye-tracking data) to quantify the efficacy of the stimuli in capturing attention to either side. Behaviorally, our results showed that stimulus-driven salience influenced spatial orienting only in presence of multiple competing events (Multi-trials). fMRI results showed that the processing of competing events engaged the ventral attention network, including the right temporoparietal junction (R TPJ) and the right inferior frontal cortex. Salience was found to modulate activity in the visual cortex, but only in the presence of competing events; while the orienting efficacy of Multi-trials affected activity in both the visual cortex and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). We conclude that in presence of multiple competing events, the ventral attention system detects semantically-relevant events, while regions of the dorsal system make use of saliency signals to select relevant locations and guide spatial orienting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Nardo
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia FoundationRome, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Paola Console
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Reverberi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-BicoccaMilan, Italy; NeuroMi-Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-BicoccaMilan, Italy
| | - Emiliano Macaluso
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia FoundationRome, Italy; Impact Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyon, France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Schroeder JB, Ritt JT. Selection of head and whisker coordination strategies during goal-oriented active touch. J Neurophysiol 2016; 115:1797-809. [PMID: 26792880 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00465.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the rodent whisker system, a key model for neural processing and behavioral choices during active sensing, whisker motion is increasingly recognized as only part of a broader motor repertoire employed by rodents during active touch. In particular, recent studies suggest whisker and head motions are tightly coordinated. However, conditions governing the selection and temporal organization of such coordinated sensing strategies remain poorly understood. We videographically reconstructed head and whisker motions of freely moving mice searching for a randomly located rewarded aperture, focusing on trials in which animals appeared to rapidly "correct" their trajectory under tactile guidance. Mice orienting after unilateral contact repositioned their whiskers similarly to previously reported head-turning asymmetry. However, whisker repositioning preceded head turn onsets and was not bilaterally symmetric. Moreover, mice selectively employed a strategy we term contact maintenance, with whisking modulated to counteract head motion and facilitate repeated contacts on subsequent whisks. Significantly, contact maintenance was not observed following initial contact with an aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to make a large corrective head motion to the front of the aperture, but only following contact by the same whisker field with the opposite aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to precisely align its head with the reward spout. Together these results suggest that mice can select from a diverse range of sensing strategies incorporating both knowledge of the task and whisk-by-whisk sensory information and, moreover, suggest the existence of high level control (not solely reflexive) of sensing motions coordinated between multiple body parts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Schroeder
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jason T Ritt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Structural Variability within Frontoparietal Networks and Individual Differences in Attentional Functions: An Approach Using the Theory of Visual Attention. J Neurosci 2015. [PMID: 26224851 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0210-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Visuospatial attention allows us to select and act upon a subset of behaviorally relevant visual stimuli while ignoring distraction. Bundesen's theory of visual attention (TVA) (Bundesen, 1990) offers a quantitative analysis of the different facets of attention within a unitary model and provides a powerful analytic framework for understanding individual differences in attentional functions. Visuospatial attention is contingent upon large networks, distributed across both hemispheres, consisting of several cortical areas interconnected by long-association frontoparietal pathways, including three branches of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF I-III) and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF). Here we examine whether structural variability within human frontoparietal networks mediates differences in attention abilities as assessed by the TVA. Structural measures were based on spherical deconvolution and tractography-derived indices of tract volume and hindrance-modulated orientational anisotropy (HMOA). Individual differences in visual short-term memory (VSTM) were linked to variability in the microstructure (HMOA) of SLF II, SLF III, and IFOF within the right hemisphere. Moreover, VSTM and speed of information processing were linked to hemispheric lateralization within the IFOF. Differences in spatial bias were mediated by both variability in microstructure and volume of the right SLF II. Our data indicate that the microstructural and macrostrucutral organization of white matter pathways differentially contributes to both the anatomical lateralization of frontoparietal attentional networks and to individual differences in attentional functions. We conclude that individual differences in VSTM capacity, processing speed, and spatial bias, as assessed by TVA, link to variability in structural organization within frontoparietal pathways.
Collapse
|
18
|
Brötzner CP, Klimesch W, Kerschbaum HH. Progesterone-associated increase in ERP amplitude correlates with an improvement in performance in a spatial attention paradigm. Brain Res 2015; 1595:74-83. [PMID: 25446456 PMCID: PMC4302164 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian sex hormones modulate neuronal circuits not directly involved in reproductive functions. In the present study, we investigated whether endogenous fluctuations of estradiol and progesterone during the menstrual cycle are associated with early cortical processing stages in a cued spatial attention paradigm. EEG was monitored while young women responded to acoustically cued visual stimuli. Women with large mean amplitude of the event-related potential (ERP) (80-120 ms following visual stimuli) responded faster to visual stimuli. In luteal women, mean amplitude of the ERP as well as alpha amplitude, an indicator of attentional modulation, correlated positively with progesterone. Further, cerebral asymmetry in ERP amplitude in the alpha frequency band following target presentation was restricted to luteal women. Critically, early follicular women responded slower to right hemifield compared to left hemifield targets. In late follicular or luteal women, we did not detect a right hemifield disadvantage. Progesterone correlated negatively with RTs in luteal women. Therefore, whereas our behavioral data indicate a functional cerebral asymmetry in early follicular women, EEG recording reveal a physiological cerebral hemisphere asymmetry in the alpha frequency band in luteal women. We assume that a progesterone-associated enhancement in synchronization of synaptic activity in the alpha frequency band in luteal women improves early categorization of visual targets in a cued spatial attention paradigm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina P Brötzner
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Klimesch
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Center for Neurocognitive, Research, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Hubert H Kerschbaum
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Center for Neurocognitive, Research, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Schwitzer T, Schwan R, Angioi-Duprez K, Ingster-Moati I, Lalanne L, Giersch A, Laprevote V. The cannabinoid system and visual processing: a review on experimental findings and clinical presumptions. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 25:100-12. [PMID: 25482685 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis is one of the most prevalent drugs used worldwide. Regular cannabis use is associated with impairments in highly integrative cognitive functions such as memory, attention and executive functions. To date, the cerebral mechanisms of these deficits are still poorly understood. Studying the processing of visual information may offer an innovative and relevant approach to evaluate the cerebral impact of exogenous cannabinoids on the human brain. Furthermore, this knowledge is required to understand the impact of cannabis intake in everyday life, and especially in car drivers. Here we review the role of the endocannabinoids in the functioning of the visual system and the potential involvement of cannabis use in visual dysfunctions. This review describes the presence of the endocannabinoids in the critical stages of visual information processing, and their role in the modulation of visual neurotransmission and visual synaptic plasticity, thereby enabling them to alter the transmission of the visual signal. We also review several induced visual changes, together with experimental dysfunctions reported in cannabis users. In the discussion, we consider these results in relation to the existing literature. We argue for more involvement of public health research in the study of visual function in cannabis users, especially because cannabis use is implicated in driving impairments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Schwitzer
- EA7298, INGRES, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy F-54000, France; Maison des Addictions, CHU Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Raymund Schwan
- EA7298, INGRES, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy F-54000, France; Maison des Addictions, CHU Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; Centre d׳Investigation Clinique CIC-INSERM 9501, CHU Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France
| | | | | | - Laurence Lalanne
- Clinique Psychiatrique, CHRU Strasbourg, FTMS, Strasbourg, F-67000, France; INSERM U1114, Physiopathologie et Psychopathologie Cognitive de la Schizophrénie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Anne Giersch
- INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Vincent Laprevote
- EA7298, INGRES, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy F-54000, France; Maison des Addictions, CHU Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; Centre d׳Investigation Clinique CIC-INSERM 9501, CHU Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France; Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Nancy F-54000, France.
| |
Collapse
|