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Goda A, Shimura T, Murata S, Kodama T, Nakano H, Ohsugi H. Effects of Robot-Assisted Activity Using a Communication Robot on Neurological Activity in Older Adults with and without Cognitive Decline. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4818. [PMID: 37510933 PMCID: PMC10381845 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12144818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Robot-assisted activity (RAA) using a communication robot (RAA-CR) has been proposed as a tool for alleviating behavioral and psychological symptoms accompanying dementia (BPSD) in patients with cognitive decline. This study aimed to clarify the effects of differences in cognitive function among older adults on changes in active brain areas induced by RAA-CR. Twenty-nine older adults were divided into a cognitive decline group (n = 11) and a control group (n = 18). The participants individually received a 5-minute RAA session, and their resting EEG activity was measured before and after the session. Brain spatial analysis was performed on recorded EEG data using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. In addition, statistical comparisons of neural activity in the brain were made before and after RAA-CR and between the cognitively impaired and control groups. These results suggest that RAA-CR stimulates neural activity in the region centered on the posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus in cognitively healthy older adults but does not significantly alter brain neural activity in cognitively impaired older adults. Therefore, modifications to the implementation methods may be necessary to effectively implement RAA-CR in cognitively impaired individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akio Goda
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hokuriku University, 1-1 Taiyogaoka, Kanazawa 920-1180, Japan
| | - Takaki Shimura
- BME Research Laboratory, Sosei Ltd., Hamamatsu 432-8002, Japan
| | - Shin Murata
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kodama
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan
| | - Hideki Nakano
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan
| | - Hironori Ohsugi
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Work Studies, Josai International University, Togane 283-8555, Japan
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2
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Lawrence A, Carvajal M, Ormsby J. Beyond Broca's and Wernicke's: Functional Mapping of Ancillary Language Centers Prior to Brain Tumor Surgery. Tomography 2023; 9:1254-1275. [PMID: 37489468 PMCID: PMC10366753 DOI: 10.3390/tomography9040100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional MRI is a well-established tool used for pre-surgical planning to help the neurosurgeon have a roadmap of critical functional areas that should be avoided, if possible, during surgery to minimize morbidity for patients with brain tumors (though this also has applications for surgical resection of epileptogenic tissue and vascular lesions). This article reviews the locations of secondary language centers within the brain along with imaging findings to help improve our confidence in our knowledge on language lateralization. Brief overviews of these language centers and their contributions to the language networks will be discussed. These language centers include primary language centers of "Broca's Area" and "Wernicke's Area". However, there are multiple secondary language centers such as the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), frontal eye fields, pre- supplemental motor area (pre-SMA), Basal Temporal Language Area (BTLA), along with other areas of activation. Knowing these foci helps to increase self-assurance when discussing the nature of laterality with the neurosurgeon. By knowing secondary language centers for language lateralization, via fMRI, one can feel confident on providing neurosurgeon colleagues with appropriate information on the laterality of language in preparation for surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Lawrence
- Center for Neuropsychological Services, University of New Mexico, MSC 10 5530 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5001, USA
| | - Michael Carvajal
- Center for Neuropsychological Services, University of New Mexico, MSC 10 5530 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5001, USA
| | - Jacob Ormsby
- Department of Radiology, University of New Mexico, MSC 10 5530 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5001, USA
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3
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Wang L, Wu H, Dai C, Peng Z, Song T, Xu L, Xu M, Shao Y, Li S, Fu W. Dynamic hippocampal functional connectivity responses to varying working memory loads following total sleep deprivation. J Sleep Res 2022; 32:e13797. [PMID: 36528854 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sleep loss with work overload can impact human cognitive performance. However, the brain's response to an increased working memory load following total sleep deprivation (TSD) remains unclear. In the present study, we focussed on the dynamic response of the hippocampus to increased working memory load before and after total sleep deprivation of 36 h. A total of 16 male participants completed a verbal working memory task under functional magnetic resonance imaging. After whole-brain activation analysis and region of interest analysis of the hippocampus, the generalised form of context-dependent psychophysiological interactions (gPPI) was used to analyse the hippocampal functional connectivity with the whole brain. The results revealed that as the working memory load increased within a small range, from 0-back to 1-back task, the left hippocampal functional connectivity decreased with the left supplementary motor area, left pars opercularis, left rolandic operculum, right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral precentral gyrus, and left middle cingulate cortex following total sleep deprivation compared with that observed in resting wakefulness. When the working memory load further increased from 1-back to 2-back task, the connectivity increased between the left hippocampus and the left superior parietal lobule as well as between the left hippocampus and right lingual gyrus after total sleep deprivation compared with that observed in resting wakefulness. Moreover, the left hippocampus gPPI effect on the left middle cingulate cortex and left superior parietal lobule could predict the behavioural test accuracy in 1-back and 2-back task, respectively, following total sleep deprivation. These findings indicated that increased working memory load after total sleep deprivation disrupts working memory processes. The brain reacts to these disruptions in a dynamic and flexible manner, involving not only brain activation but also hippocampus-related functional network connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letong Wang
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology Sichuan Cancer Hospital Chengdu China
| | - Cimin Dai
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Ziyi Peng
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Tao Song
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Lin Xu
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Mengmeng Xu
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
| | - Yongcong Shao
- School of Psychology Beijing Sport University Beijing China
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou China
| | - Shijun Li
- Department of Radiology, First Medical Center Chinese PLA General Hospital Beijing China
| | - Weiwei Fu
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou China
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4
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Xu X, Yu H, Gao X, Shen B, Feng W, Zhou X. Understanding an implicated causality: The brain network for processing concessive relations. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 234:105177. [PMID: 36084367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2022.105177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Concessive relations, often indicated by conjunction words such as although, are semantically and pragmatically more complex than causal relations (expressed using because), as they involve more semantic features such as implicated meaning and negation. However, it remains unclear how linguistic-level complexity is manifested through different brain activities and functional connectivities. This fMRI study investigated how the neural underpinnings of concessive relations differ from those of causal relations. Pragmatically congruent and incongruent words were embedded in causal as well as concessive sentences. The whole-brain analysis revealed that relative to because-congruent sentences, although-congruent sentences evoked increased activations in a left network including IFG, bilateral MFG, mPFC, pMTG, and TPJ. DCM analysis showed that while the functional connectivity from IFG to MFG was commonly involved in processing concessive and causal relations, functional connectivities from pMTG to IFG and from pMTG to TPJ were involved in processing causal and concessive relations, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Xu
- School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China
| | - Hongbo Yu
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA
| | - Xiaoxue Gao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Wangshu Feng
- Artificial Intelligence and Human Languages Lab, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai 200083, China.
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5
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De Looze C, Dehsarvi A, Suleyman N, Crosby L, Hernández B, Coen RF, Lawlor BA, Reilly RB. Structural Correlates of Overt Sentence Reading in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2022; 19:606-617. [PMID: 35929622 DOI: 10.2174/1567205019666220805110248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overt sentence reading in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild-tomoderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been associated with slowness of speech, characterized by a higher number of pauses, shorter speech units and slower speech rate and attributed to reduced working memory/ attention and language capacity. OBJECTIVE This preliminary case-control study investigates whether the temporal organization of speech is associated with the volume of brain regions involved in overt sentence reading and explores the discriminative ability of temporal speech parameters and standard volumetric MRI measures for the classification of MCI and AD. METHODS Individuals with MCI, mild-to-moderate AD, and healthy controls (HC) had a structural MRI scan and read aloud sentences varying in cognitive-linguistic demand (length). The association between speech features and regional brain volumes was examined by linear mixed-effect modeling. Genetic programming was used to explore the discriminative ability of temporal and MRI features. RESULTS Longer sentences, slower speech rate, and a higher number of pauses and shorter interpausal units were associated with reduced volumes of the reading network. Speech-based classifiers performed similarly to the MRI-based classifiers for MCI-HC (67% vs. 68%) and slightly better for AD-HC (80% vs. 64%) and AD-MCI (82% vs. 59%). Adding the speech features to the MRI features slightly improved the performance of MRI-based classification for AD-HC and MCI-HC but not HC-MCI. CONCLUSION The temporal organization of speech in overt sentence reading reflects underlying volume reductions. It may represent a sensitive marker for early assessment of structural changes and cognitive- linguistic deficits associated with healthy aging, MCI, and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline De Looze
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Gerontology, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amir Dehsarvi
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Narin Suleyman
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa Crosby
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Aging, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Belinda Hernández
- Department of Gerontology, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Robert F Coen
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Aging, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brian A Lawlor
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Aging, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Richard B Reilly
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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6
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Fitzhugh MC, LaCroix AN, Rogalsky C. Distinct Contributions of Working Memory and Attentional Control to Sentence Comprehension in Noise in Persons With Stroke. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:3230-3241. [PMID: 34284642 PMCID: PMC8740654 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Sentence comprehension deficits are common following a left hemisphere stroke and have primarily been investigated under optimal listening conditions. However, ample work in neurotypical controls indicates that background noise affects sentence comprehension and the cognitive resources it engages. The purpose of this study was to examine how background noise affects sentence comprehension poststroke using both energetic and informational maskers. We further sought to identify whether sentence comprehension in noise abilities are related to poststroke cognitive abilities, specifically working memory and/or attentional control. Method Twenty persons with chronic left hemisphere stroke completed a sentence-picture matching task where they listened to sentences presented in three types of maskers: multispeakers, broadband noise, and silence (control condition). Working memory, attentional control, and hearing thresholds were also assessed. Results A repeated-measures analysis of variance identified participants to have the greatest difficulty with the multispeakers condition, followed by broadband noise and then silence. Regression analyses, after controlling for age and hearing ability, identified working memory as a significant predictor of listening engagement (i.e., mean reaction time) in broadband noise and multispeakers and attentional control as a significant predictor of informational masking effects (computed as a reaction time difference score where broadband noise is subtracted from multispeakers). Conclusions The results from this study indicate that background noise impacts sentence comprehension abilities poststroke and that these difficulties may arise due to deficits in the cognitive resources supporting sentence comprehension and not other factors such as age or hearing. These findings also highlight a relationship between working memory abilities and sentence comprehension in background noise. We further suggest that attentional control abilities contribute to sentence comprehension by supporting the additional demands associated with informational masking. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14984511.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C. Fitzhugh
- Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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7
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Chen C, Zhang Y, Zhen Z, Song Y, Hu S, Liu J. Quantifying the variability of neural activation in working memory: A functional probabilistic atlas. Neuroimage 2021; 239:118301. [PMID: 34171499 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory is a fundamental cognitive ability that allows the maintenance and manipulation of information for a brief period of time. Previous studies found a set of brain regions activated during working memory tasks, such as the prefrontal and parietal cortex. However, little is known about the variability of neural activation in working memory. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to quantify individual, hemispheric, and sex differences of working memory activation in a large cohort of healthy adults (N = 477). We delineated subject-specific activated regions in each individual, including the frontal pole, middle frontal gyrus, frontal eye field, superior parietal lobule, insular, precuneus, and anterior cingulate cortex. A functional probabilistic atlas was created to quantify individual variability in working memory regions. More than 90% of the participants activated all seven regions in both hemispheres, but the intersection of regions across participants was markedly less (50%), indicating significant individual differences in working memory activations. Moreover, we found hemispheric and sex differences in activation location, extent, and magnitude. Most activation regions were larger in the right than in the left hemisphere, but the magnitude of activation did not follow a similar pattern. Men showed more extensive and stronger activations than women. Taken together, our functional probabilistic atlas quantified variabilities of neural activation in working memory, providing a robust spatial reference for standardization of functional localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zonglei Zhen
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiying Song
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Siyuan Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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8
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De Looze C, Dehsarvi A, Crosby L, Vourdanou A, Coen RF, Lawlor BA, Reilly RB. Cognitive and Structural Correlates of Conversational Speech Timing in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: Relevance for Early Detection Approaches. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:637404. [PMID: 33986656 PMCID: PMC8110716 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.637404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Increasing efforts have focused on the establishment of novel biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and prediction of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)-to-AD conversion. Behavioral changes over the course of healthy ageing, at disease onset and during disease progression, have been recently put forward as promising markers for the detection of MCI and AD. The present study examines whether the temporal characteristics of speech in a collaborative referencing task are associated with cognitive function and the volumes of brain regions involved in speech production and known to be reduced in MCI and AD pathology. We then explore the discriminative ability of the temporal speech measures for the classification of MCI and AD. Method: Individuals with MCI, mild-to-moderate AD and healthy controls (HCs) underwent a structural MRI scan and a battery of neuropsychological tests. They also engaged in a collaborative referencing task with a caregiver. The associations between the conversational speech timing features, cognitive function (domain-specific) and regional brain volumes were examined by means of linear mixed-effect modeling. Genetic programming was used to explore the discriminative ability of the conversational speech features. Results: MCI and mild-to-moderate AD are characterized by a general slowness of speech, attributed to slower speech rate and slower turn-taking in conversational settings. The speech characteristics appear to be reflective of episodic, lexico-semantic, executive functioning and visuospatial deficits and underlying volume reductions in frontal, temporal and cerebellar areas. Conclusion: The implementation of conversational speech timing-based technologies in clinical and community settings may provide additional markers for the early detection of cognitive deficits and structural changes associated with MCI and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline De Looze
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amir Dehsarvi
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa Crosby
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aisling Vourdanou
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Robert F Coen
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brian A Lawlor
- Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Richard B Reilly
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Deldar Z, Gevers-Montoro C, Khatibi A, Ghazi-Saidi L. The interaction between language and working memory: a systematic review of fMRI studies in the past two decades. AIMS Neurosci 2020; 8:1-32. [PMID: 33490370 PMCID: PMC7815476 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2021001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Language processing involves other cognitive domains, including Working Memory (WM). Much detail about the neural correlates of language and WM interaction remains unclear. This review summarizes the evidence for the interaction between WM and language obtained via functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in the past two decades. The search was limited to PubMed, Google Scholar, Science direct and Neurosynth for working memory, language, fMRI, neuroimaging, cognition, attention, network, connectome keywords. The exclusion criteria consisted of studies including children, older adults, bilingual or multilingual population, clinical cases, music, sign language, speech, motor processing, review papers, meta-analyses, electroencephalography/event-related potential, and positron emission tomography. A total of 20 articles were included and discussed in four categories: language comprehension, language production, syntax, and networks. Studies on neural correlates of WM and language interaction are rare. Language tasks that involve WM activate common neural systems. Activated areas can be associated with cognitive concepts proposed by Baddeley and Hitch (1974), including the phonological loop of WM (mainly Broca and Wernicke's areas), other prefrontal cortex and right hemispheric regions linked to the visuospatial sketchpad. There is a clear, dynamic interaction between language and WM, reflected in the involvement of subcortical structures, particularly the basal ganglia (caudate), and of widespread right hemispheric regions. WM involvement is levered by cognitive demand in response to task complexity. High WM capacity readers draw upon buffer memory systems in midline cortical areas to decrease the WM demands for efficiency. Different dynamic networks are involved in WM and language interaction in response to the task in hand for an ultimate brain function efficiency, modulated by language modality and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoha Deldar
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
- Language and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Communication Disorders, College of Education, University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA
| | - Carlos Gevers-Montoro
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
- Madrid College of Chiropractic, Real Centro Universitario María Cristina, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ali Khatibi
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ladan Ghazi-Saidi
- Language and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Communication Disorders, College of Education, University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA
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10
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LaCroix AN, Blumenstein N, Tully M, Baxter LC, Rogalsky C. Effects of prosody on the cognitive and neural resources supporting sentence comprehension: A behavioral and lesion-symptom mapping study. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 203:104756. [PMID: 32032865 PMCID: PMC7064294 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Non-canonical sentence comprehension impairments are well-documented in aphasia. Studies of neurotypical controls indicate that prosody can aid comprehension by facilitating attention towards critical pitch inflections and phrase boundaries. However, no studies have examined how prosody may engage specific cognitive and neural resources during non-canonical sentence comprehension in persons with left hemisphere damage. Experiment 1 examines the relationship between comprehension of non-canonical sentences spoken with typical and atypical prosody and several cognitive measures in 25 persons with chronic left hemisphere stroke and 20 matched controls. Experiment 2 explores the neural resources critical for non-canonical sentence comprehension with each prosody type using region-of-interest-based multiple regressions. Lower orienting attention abilities and greater inferior frontal and parietal damage predicted lower comprehension, but only for sentences with typical prosody. Our results suggest that typical sentence prosody may engage attention resources to support non-canonical sentence comprehension, and this relationship may be disrupted following left hemisphere stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna N LaCroix
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; College of Health Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | | | - McKayla Tully
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | - Corianne Rogalsky
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
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11
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Tholen MG, Trautwein FM, Böckler A, Singer T, Kanske P. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) item analysis of empathy and theory of mind. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:2611-2628. [PMID: 32115820 PMCID: PMC7294056 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to conventional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis across participants, item analysis allows generalizing the observed neural response patterns from a specific stimulus set to the entire population of stimuli. In the present study, we perform an item analysis on an fMRI paradigm (EmpaToM) that measures the neural correlates of empathy and Theory of Mind (ToM). The task includes a large stimulus set (240 emotional vs. neutral videos to probe empathic responding and 240 ToM or factual reasoning questions to probe ToM), which we tested in two large participant samples (N = 178, N = 130). Both, the empathy‐related network comprising anterior insula, anterior cingulate/dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, and dorsal temporoparietal junction/supramarginal gyrus (TPJ) and the ToM related network including ventral TPJ, superior temporal gyrus, temporal poles, and anterior and posterior midline regions, were observed across participants and items. Regression analyses confirmed that these activations are predicted by the empathy or ToM condition of the stimuli, but not by low‐level features such as video length, number of words, syllables or syntactic complexity. The item analysis also allowed for the selection of the most effective items to create optimized stimulus sets that provide the most stable and reproducible results. Finally, reproducibility was shown in the replication of all analyses in the second participant sample. The data demonstrate (a) the generalizability of empathy and ToM related neural activity and (b) the reproducibility of the EmpaToM task and its applicability in intervention and clinical imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias G Tholen
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Anne Böckler
- Department of Psychology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Max Planck Society, Social Neuroscience Lab, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Research Group Social Stress and Family Health, Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Linguistic networks associated with lexical, semantic and syntactic predictability in reading: A fixation-related fMRI study. Neuroimage 2019; 189:224-240. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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13
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Walenski M, Europa E, Caplan D, Thompson CK. Neural networks for sentence comprehension and production: An ALE-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:2275-2304. [PMID: 30689268 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehending and producing sentences is a complex endeavor requiring the coordinated activity of multiple brain regions. We examined three issues related to the brain networks underlying sentence comprehension and production in healthy individuals: First, which regions are recruited for sentence comprehension and sentence production? Second, are there differences for auditory sentence comprehension vs. visual sentence comprehension? Third, which regions are specifically recruited for the comprehension of syntactically complex sentences? Results from activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analyses (from 45 studies) implicated a sentence comprehension network occupying bilateral frontal and temporal lobe regions. Regions implicated in production (from 15 studies) overlapped with the set of regions associated with sentence comprehension in the left hemisphere, but did not include inferior frontal cortex, and did not extend to the right hemisphere. Modality differences between auditory and visual sentence comprehension were found principally in the temporal lobes. Results from the analysis of complex syntax (from 37 studies) showed engagement of left inferior frontal and posterior temporal regions, as well as the right insula. The involvement of the right hemisphere in the comprehension of these structures has potentially important implications for language treatment and recovery in individuals with agrammatic aphasia following left hemisphere brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Walenski
- Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Eduardo Europa
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
| | - David Caplan
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Cynthia K Thompson
- Center for the Neurobiology of Language Recovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
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14
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The Effect of Frontal Lobe Traumatic Brain Injury on Sentence Comprehension and Working Memory. Trauma Mon 2018. [DOI: 10.5812/traumamon.74353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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15
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Subject preference emerges as cross-modal strategy for linguistic processing. Brain Res 2018; 1691:105-117. [PMID: 29627484 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Research on spoken languages has identified a "subject preference" processing strategy for tackling input that is syntactically ambiguous as to whether a sentence-initial NP is a subject or object. The present study documents that the "subject preference" strategy is also seen in the processing of a sign language, supporting the hypothesis that the "subject"-first strategy is universal and not dependent on the language modality (spoken vs. signed). Deaf signers of Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) were shown videos of locally ambiguous signed sentences in SOV and OSV word orders. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data indicated higher cognitive load in response to OSV stimuli (i.e. a negativity for OSV compared to SOV), indicative of syntactic reanalysis cost. A finding that is specific to the visual modality is that the ERP (event-related potential) effect reflecting linguistic reanalysis occurred earlier than might have been expected, that is, before the time point when the path movement of the disambiguating sign was visible. We suggest that in the visual modality, transitional movement of the articulators prior to the disambiguating verb position or co-occurring non-manual (face/body) markings were used in resolving the local ambiguity in ÖGS. Thus, whereas the processing strategy of "subject preference" is cross-modal at the linguistic level, the cues that enable the processor to apply that strategy differ in signing as compared to speech.
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16
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Nazlidou EI, Moraitou D, Natsopoulos D, Papaliagkas V, Masoura E, Papantoniou G. Inefficient understanding of non-factive mental verbs with social aspect in adults: comparison to cognitive factive verb processing. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:2617-2631. [PMID: 30349260 PMCID: PMC6188106 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s165893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mental verbs denote inner mental states and are an important link between language and Theory of Mind ability conceptualized as mental state understanding. Non-factive mental verbs denote an obligation or intention and constitute a discrete class of mental verbs which are characterized by their social aspect. This study aimed to examine adults' ability to understand non-factive mental verbs with the social aspect as compared to cognitive factive mental verbs which denote a true event. METHODS A total of 94 participants, aged 18-95 years, were examined using two tasks measuring non-factive and factive verb processing, respectively, and a working memory test. RESULTS The results indicated that non-factive verbs process is at a significantly lower level than those of cognitive factives. CONCLUSION The inspection of the way adapted to process the non-factive verbs denoting obligation or intention, as well as the confirmation of a unifactorial structure of the task developed to measure non-factives' processing, showed that adults have a common pattern of non-factive mental verb understanding, which is based on heuristic ways of thinking and is not affected by working memory capacity and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena-Ioanna Nazlidou
- Lab of Psychology, Department of Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hellas, Greece,
| | - Despina Moraitou
- Lab of Psychology, Department of Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hellas, Greece,
| | | | - Vasileios Papaliagkas
- Lab of Psychology, Department of Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hellas, Greece,
| | - Elvira Masoura
- Lab of Psychology, Department of Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hellas, Greece,
| | - Georgia Papantoniou
- Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Hellas, Greece
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17
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Raz G, Shpigelman L, Jacob Y, Gonen T, Benjamini Y, Hendler T. Psychophysiological whole-brain network clustering based on connectivity dynamics analysis in naturalistic conditions. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 37:4654-4672. [PMID: 27477592 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We introduce a novel method for delineating context-dependent functional brain networks whose connectivity dynamics are synchronized with the occurrence of a specific psychophysiological process of interest. In this method of context-related network dynamics analysis (CRNDA), a continuous psychophysiological index serves as a reference for clustering the whole-brain into functional networks. We applied CRNDA to fMRI data recorded during the viewing of a sadness-inducing film clip. The method reliably demarcated networks in which temporal patterns of connectivity related to the time series of reported emotional intensity. Our work successfully replicated the link between network connectivity and emotion rating in an independent sample group for seven of the networks. The demarcated networks have clear common functional denominators. Three of these networks overlap with distinct empathy-related networks, previously identified in distinct sets of studies. The other networks are related to sensorimotor processing, language, attention, and working memory. The results indicate that CRNDA, a data-driven method for network clustering that is sensitive to transient connectivity patterns, can productively and reliably demarcate networks that follow psychologically meaningful processes. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4654-4672, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Raz
- Tel Aviv Center For Brain Functions, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,IBM Research, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Yael Jacob
- Tel Aviv Center For Brain Functions, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Gonen
- Tel Aviv Center For Brain Functions, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yoav Benjamini
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Talma Hendler
- Tel Aviv Center For Brain Functions, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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18
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Aboud KS, Bailey SK, Petrill SA, Cutting LE. Comprehending text versus reading words in young readers with varying reading ability: distinct patterns of functional connectivity from common processing hubs. Dev Sci 2016; 19:632-56. [PMID: 27147257 PMCID: PMC4945471 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Skilled reading depends on recognizing words efficiently in isolation (word-level processing; WL) and extracting meaning from text (discourse-level processing; DL); deficiencies in either result in poor reading. FMRI has revealed consistent overlapping networks in word and passage reading, as well as unique regions for DL processing; however, less is known about how WL and DL processes interact. Here we examined functional connectivity from seed regions derived from where BOLD signal overlapped during word and passage reading in 38 adolescents ranging in reading ability, hypothesizing that even though certain regions support word- and higher-level language, connectivity patterns from overlapping regions would be task modulated. Results indeed revealed that the left-lateralized semantic and working memory (WM) seed regions showed task-dependent functional connectivity patterns: during DL processes, semantic and WM nodes all correlated with the left angular gyrus, a region implicated in semantic memory/coherence building. In contrast, during WL, these nodes coordinated with a traditional WL area (left occipitotemporal region). In addition, these WL and DL findings were modulated by decoding and comprehension abilities, respectively, with poorer abilities correlating with decreased connectivity. Findings indicate that key regions may uniquely contribute to multiple levels of reading; we speculate that these connectivity patterns may be especially salient for reading outcomes and intervention response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephen K. Bailey
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Laurie E. Cutting
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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19
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Cahana-Amitay D, Spiro A, Sayers JT, Oveis AC, Higby E, Ojo EA, Duncan S, Goral M, Hyun J, Albert ML, Obler LK. How older adults use cognition in sentence-final word recognition. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2015; 23:418-44. [PMID: 26569553 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2015.1111291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effects of executive control and working memory on older adults' sentence-final word recognition. The question we addressed was the importance of executive functions to this process and how it is modulated by the predictability of the speech material. To this end, we tested 173 neurologically intact adult native English speakers aged 55-84 years. Participants were given a sentence-final word recognition test in which sentential context was manipulated and sentences were presented in different levels of babble, and multiple tests of executive functioning assessing inhibition, shifting, and efficient access to long-term memory, as well as working memory. Using a generalized linear mixed model, we found that better inhibition was associated with higher accuracy in word recognition, while increased age and greater hearing loss were associated with poorer performance. Findings are discussed in the framework of semantic control and are interpreted as supporting a theoretical view of executive control which emphasizes functional diversity among executive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Cahana-Amitay
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Avron Spiro
- b Department of Epidemiology , School of Public Health, Boston University , Boston , MA , USA.,c Department of Psychiatry , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Jesse T Sayers
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Abigail C Oveis
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Eve Higby
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,e The Graduate Center, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA
| | - Emmanuel A Ojo
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Susan Duncan
- e The Graduate Center, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA.,g Department of Cognitive Sciences and Neurology , University of California , Irvine , CA , USA
| | - Mira Goral
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,e The Graduate Center, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA.,f Lehman College, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA
| | - Jungmoon Hyun
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,e The Graduate Center, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA
| | - Martin L Albert
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Loraine K Obler
- a Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA.,d Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,e The Graduate Center, City University of New York , New York , NY , USA
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20
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Moss J, Schunn CD. Comprehension through explanation as the interaction of the brain's coherence and cognitive control networks. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:562. [PMID: 26557066 PMCID: PMC4615809 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Discourse comprehension processes attempt to produce an elaborate and well-connected representation in the reader’s mind. A common network of regions including the angular gyrus, posterior cingulate, and dorsal frontal cortex appears to be involved in constructing coherent representations in a variety of tasks including social cognition tasks, narrative comprehension, and expository text comprehension. Reading strategies that require the construction of explicit inferences are used in the present research to examine how this coherence network interacts with other brain regions. A psychophysiological interaction analysis was used to examine regions showing changed functional connectivity with this coherence network when participants were engaged in either a non-inferencing reading strategy, paraphrasing, or a strategy requiring coherence-building inferences, self-explanation. Results of the analysis show that the coherence network increases in functional connectivity with a cognitive control network that may be specialized for the manipulation of semantic representations and the construction of new relations among these representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarrod Moss
- Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Christian D Schunn
- Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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21
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Hrkać M, Wurm MF, Kühn AB, Schubotz RI. Objects Mediate Goal Integration in Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex during Action Observation. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26218102 PMCID: PMC4517841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Actions performed by others are mostly not observed in isolation, but embedded in sequences of actions tied together by an overarching goal. Therefore, preceding actions can modulate the observer's expectations in relation to the currently perceived action. Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in particular, is suggested to subserve the integration of episodic as well as semantic information and memory, including action scripts. The present fMRI study investigated if activation in IFG varies with the effort to integrate expected and observed action, even when not required by the task. During an fMRI session, participants were instructed to attend to short videos of single actions and to deliver a judgment about the actor’s current goal. We manipulated the strength of goal expectation induced by the preceding action, implementing the parameter "goal-relatedness" between the preceding and the currently observed action. Moreover, since objects point to the probability of certain actions, we also manipulated whether the current and the preceding action shared at least one object or not. We found an interaction between the two factors goal-relatedness and shared object: IFG activation increased the weaker the goal-relatedness between the preceding and the current action was, but only when they shared at least one object. Here, integration of successive action steps was triggered by the re-appearing (shared) object but hampered by a weak goal-relatedness between the actually observed manipulation. These findings foster the recently emerging view that IFG is enhanced by goal-related conflicts during action observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Hrkać
- University of Münster, Institute of Psychology, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Moritz F. Wurm
- Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- University of Trento, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, Via delle Regole, 101, 38100, Mattarello (TN), Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne B. Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ricarda I. Schubotz
- University of Münster, Institute of Psychology, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, 50931, Cologne, Germany
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22
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Successful Working Memory Processes and Cerebellum in an Elderly Sample: A Neuropsychological and fMRI Study. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131536. [PMID: 26132286 PMCID: PMC4488500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Imaging studies help to understand the evolution of key cognitive processes related to aging, such as working memory (WM). This study aimed to test three hypotheses in older adults. First, that the brain activation pattern associated to WM processes in elderly during successful low load tasks is located in posterior sensory and associative areas; second, that the prefrontal and parietal cortex and basal ganglia should be more active during high-demand tasks; third, that cerebellar activations are related to high-demand cognitive tasks and have a specific lateralization depending on the condition. Methods We used a neuropsychological assessment with functional magnetic resonance imaging and a core N-back paradigm design that was maintained across the combination of four conditions of stimuli and two memory loads in a sample of twenty elderly subjects. Results During low-loads, activations were located in the visual ventral network. In high loads, there was an involvement of the basal ganglia and cerebellum in addition to the frontal and parietal cortices. Moreover, we detected an executive control role of the cerebellum in a relatively symmetric fronto-parietal network. Nevertheless, this network showed a predominantly left lateralization in parietal regions associated presumably with an overuse of verbal storage strategies. The differential activations between conditions were stimuli-dependent and were located in sensory areas. Conclusion Successful WM processes in the elderly population are accompanied by an activation pattern that involves cerebellar regions working together with a fronto-parietal network.
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23
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Malaia E, Newman S. Neural bases of syntax-semantics interface processing. Cogn Neurodyn 2015; 9:317-29. [PMID: 25972980 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-015-9328-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The binding problem-question of how information between the modules of the linguistic system is integrated during language processing-is as yet unresolved. The remarkable speed of language processing and comprehension (Pulvermüller et al. 2009) suggests that at least coarse semantic information (e.g. noun animacy) and syntactically-relevant information (e.g. verbal template) are integrated rapidly to allow for coarse comprehension. This EEG study investigated syntax-semantics interface processing during word-by-word sentence reading. As alpha-band neural activity serves as an inhibition mechanism for local networks, we used topographical distribution of alpha power to help identify the timecourse of the binding process. We manipulated the syntactic parameter of verbal event structure, and semantic parameter of noun animacy in reduced relative clauses (RRCs, e.g. "The witness/mansion seized/protected by the agent was in danger"), to investigate the neural bases of interaction between syntactic and semantic networks during sentence processing. The word-by-word stimulus presentation method in the present experiment required manipulation of both syntactic structure and semantic features in the working memory. The results demonstrated a gradient distribution of early components (biphasic posterior P1-N2 and anterior N1-P2) over function words "by" and "the", and the verb, corresponding to facilitation or conflict resulting from the syntactic (telicity) and semantic (animacy) cues in the preceding portion of the sentence. This was followed by assimilation of power distribution in the α band at the second noun. The flattened distribution of α power during the mental manipulation with high demand on working memory-thematic role re-assignment-demonstrates a state of α equilibrium with strong functional coupling between posterior and anterior regions. These results demonstrate that the processing of semantic and syntactic features during sentence comprehension proceeds in highly integrated fashion using gating of attentional resources to facilitate rapid comprehension, with attentional suppression of global alpha power to facilitate interaction of local networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evguenia Malaia
- University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19545, Planetarium Place, Hammond Hall #417, Arlington, TX 76019 USA
| | - Sharlene Newman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
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24
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Abstract
Comprehension of complex sentences is necessarily supported by both syntactic and semantic knowledge, but what linguistic factors trigger a readers' reliance on a specific system? This functional neuroimaging study orthogonally manipulated argument plausibility and verb event type to investigate cortical bases of the semantic effect on argument comprehension during reading. The data suggest that telic verbs facilitate online processing by means of consolidating the event schemas in episodic memory and by easing the computation of syntactico-thematic hierarchies in the left inferior frontal gyrus. The results demonstrate that syntax-semantics integration relies on trade-offs among a distributed network of regions for maximum comprehension efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie Malaia
- a Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Center for Mind, Brain, and Education , University of Texas at Arlington , Arlington , TX , USA
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25
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Malaia E, Talavage TM, Wilbur RB. Functional connectivity in task-negative network of the Deaf: effects of sign language experience. PeerJ 2014; 2:e446. [PMID: 25024915 PMCID: PMC4081178 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior studies investigating cortical processing in Deaf signers suggest that life-long experience with sign language and/or auditory deprivation may alter the brain’s anatomical structure and the function of brain regions typically recruited for auditory processing (Emmorey et al., 2010; Pénicaud et al., 2013 inter alia). We report the first investigation of the task-negative network in Deaf signers and its functional connectivity—the temporal correlations among spatially remote neurophysiological events. We show that Deaf signers manifest increased functional connectivity between posterior cingulate/precuneus and left medial temporal gyrus (MTG), but also inferior parietal lobe and medial temporal gyrus in the right hemisphere- areas that have been found to show functional recruitment specifically during sign language processing. These findings suggest that the organization of the brain at the level of inter-network connectivity is likely affected by experience with processing visual language, although sensory deprivation could be another source of the difference. We hypothesize that connectivity alterations in the task negative network reflect predictive/automatized processing of the visual signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie Malaia
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Education, University of Texas at Arlington , TX , USA
| | - Thomas M Talavage
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University , IN , USA ; School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University , IN , USA
| | - Ronnie B Wilbur
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and Linguistics Program, Purdue University , IN , USA
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26
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Newman S, Malaia E, Seo R. Does degree of handedness in a group of right-handed individuals affect language comprehension? Brain Cogn 2014; 86:98-103. [PMID: 24607732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Revised: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The impact of handedness on language processing has been studied extensively and the results indicate that there is a relationship between the two variables; however, the nature of the relationship is not at all clear. In the current study we explored degree of handedness (DH) opposed to direction in a group of right-handed individuals. fMRI was used to explore the impact of DH on the sentence comprehension network. The results revealed that during sentence comprehension activation in regions linked to semantic memory (e.g., anterior temporal cortex) were modulated by DH. Also, unexpectedly the precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus which has been linked to episodic memory was also affected by DH. These results extend those reported previously by showing that the neural architecture that supports sentence comprehension is modulated by DH. More specifically, together the results presented here support the hypothesis proposed by Townsend, Carrithers, and Bever (2001) that DH interacts with the language system and impacts the strategy used during sentence comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharlene Newman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN, United States.
| | - Evie Malaia
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Education, University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19545, Planetarium Place, Hammond Hall #416, United States
| | - Roy Seo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN, United States
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