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Ouerchefani R, Ouerchefani N, Ben Rejeb MR, Le Gall D. Pragmatic language comprehension: Role of theory of mind, executive functions, and the prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychologia 2024; 194:108756. [PMID: 38103682 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The specific contribution of focal damage of the prefrontal cortex and the cognitive mechanisms accounting for communicative-pragmatic disorders remains unclear. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of focal prefrontal cortex damage on the ability to understand indirect speech or hints and to identify the prefrontal neural mechanisms involved. We also examined the underlying cognitive mechanisms of disorders of indirect speech understanding particularly theory of mind and executive functions. Thirty patients with focal prefrontal cortex damage and 30 control subjects were compared on their performances on the Hinting task assessing pragmatic language skills, the "Faux-Pas" task and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task assessing Theory of Mind and a battery of executive tasks. Patients were significantly impaired compared with control subjects on all these abilities. Both deficits of executive functions and theory of mind were able to predict impaired ability of patients in understanding non-literal meanings on the Hinting task. Finally, using voxel-based lesion analysis we identified a partially shared neural prefrontal network involved in all these abilities centered on the dorsomedial and ventral regions of the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riadh Ouerchefani
- University of Tunis El Manar, High Institute of Human Sciences, Department of Psychology, 26 Boulevard Darghouth Pacha, Tunis, Tunisia; Univ Angers, Université de Nantes, LPPL, SFR Confluences, F-49000 Angers, France.
| | - Naoufel Ouerchefani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Foch Hospital, 40 Rue Worth, 92151 Suresnes, Paris, France.
| | - Mohamed Riadh Ben Rejeb
- University of Tunis I, Faculty of Human and Social Science of Tunisia, Department of Psychology, Boulevard 9 Avril, C.P. 1007, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Didier Le Gall
- Univ Angers, Université de Nantes, LPPL, SFR Confluences, F-49000 Angers, France.
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Márquez-García AV, Ng BK, Iarocci G, Moreno S, Vakorin VA, Doesburg SM. Atypical Associations between Functional Connectivity during Pragmatic and Semantic Language Processing and Cognitive Abilities in Children with Autism. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1448. [PMID: 37891816 PMCID: PMC10605927 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101448] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by both atypical functional brain connectivity and cognitive challenges across multiple cognitive domains. The relationship between task-dependent brain connectivity and cognitive abilities, however, remains poorly understood. In this study, children with ASD and their typically developing (TD) peers engaged in semantic and pragmatic language tasks while their task-dependent brain connectivity was mapped and compared. A multivariate statistical approach revealed associations between connectivity and psychometric assessments of relevant cognitive abilities. While both groups exhibited brain-behavior correlations, the nature of these associations diverged, particularly in the directionality of overall correlations across various psychometric categories. Specifically, greater disparities in functional connectivity between the groups were linked to larger differences in Autism Questionnaire, BRIEF, MSCS, and SRS-2 scores but smaller differences in WASI, pragmatic language, and Theory of Mind scores. Our findings suggest that children with ASD utilize distinct neural communication patterns for language processing. Although networks recruited by children with ASD may appear less efficient than those typically engaged, they could serve as compensatory mechanisms for potential disruptions in conventional brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amparo V. Márquez-García
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Bonnie K. Ng
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
- School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3, Canada
| | - Grace Iarocci
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada;
| | - Sylvain Moreno
- School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3, Canada
| | - Vasily A. Vakorin
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Sam M. Doesburg
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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Chakrabarty M, Klooster N, Biswas A, Chatterjee A. The scope of using pragmatic language tests for early detection of dementia: A systematic review of investigations using figurative language. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:4705-4728. [PMID: 37534671 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dementia cases are expected to rise to 81.1 million in 2040. Efforts are underway to develop diagnostic methods to facilitate early detection of the disease. Herein we review research findings focusing on pragmatic dysfunction in patients with dementia and evaluate the usefulness of assessing dementia and its progress with a battery of tests assessing figurative language skills. METHODS A total of 74,778 article titles were identified from EMBASE, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. After systematic screening, 51 journal articles were selected for the final review. RESULT The review suggests that impaired figurative language might be a marker for early cognitive decline. Different forms of figurative language may be impaired at different stages of the disease and in different types of dementia involving different neuropathologies. CONCLUSION The use of pragmatic tests in combination with the existing diagnostic protocols might increase the probability of early diagnosis. HIGHLIGHTS Pragmatic impairment could be a marker of early cognitive impairment. Figurative language-an important pragmatic aspect-is disrupted in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer's disease (AD). Figurative language impairment might precede literal language impairment. Pragmatic tests could be more sensitive than standard neuropsychological tests. Inclusion of pragmatic tests in diagnostic guidelines might bolster early detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhushree Chakrabarty
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Nathaniel Klooster
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Hope College, Holland, Michigan, USA
| | - Atanu Biswas
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, University of Pennsylvania, Goddard Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Alduais A, Trivkovic T, Allegretta S, Alfadda H. Neuropragmatics: A scientometric review. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023:1-31. [PMID: 37708841 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2023.2251634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Neuropragmatics investigates brain functions and neural activities responsible for pragmatic language abilities, often impaired in disorders such as hemisphere damage, autism, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative disorders. This study examined the development of neuropragmatics and existing neuroimaging evidence using bibliometric and scientometric indicators, analyzing 4,247 documents published between 1967 and 2022 with CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Our cluster analysis revealed key themes. 1) Language comprehension loss due to brain injury: Studies exploring the impact of brain injuries on language comprehension and underlying neural mechanisms. 2) Right hemisphere damage and pragmatic language skills: Research focusing on the relationship between right hemisphere damage and pragmatic language abilities, investigating impairments in social language use and potential neural correlates. 3) Traumatic brain injury and social communication assessment: Research on traumatic brain injury effects on social communication skills, using various assessment tools to evaluate communication effectiveness in social situations. These clusters provide valuable insights into the neuropragmatics field and serve as a framework for future investigations. By building upon existing knowledge, researchers can improve our understanding of brain functions, language behavior, and enhance rehabilitation for individuals with pragmatic language impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Alduais
- Department of Human Sciences (Psychology), University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Tamara Trivkovic
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, College of Social Work, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Hind Alfadda
- Department of Curriculum and Instruction, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Yoshioka A, Tanabe HC, Nakagawa E, Sumiya M, Koike T, Sadato N. The Role of the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus in Introspection during Verbal Communication. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13010111. [PMID: 36672092 PMCID: PMC9856826 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Conversation enables the sharing of our subjective experiences through verbalizing introspected thoughts and feelings. The mentalizing network represents introspection, and successful conversation is characterized by alignment through imitation mediated by the mirror neuron system (MNS). Therefore, we hypothesized that the interaction between the mentalizing network and MNS mediates the conversational exchange of introspection. To test this, we performed hyperscanning functional magnetic resonance imaging during structured real-time conversations between 19 pairs of healthy participants. The participants first evaluated their preference for and familiarity with a presented object and then disclosed it. The control was the object feature identification task. When contrasted with the control, the preference/familiarity evaluation phase activated the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, left hippocampus, right cerebellum, and orbital portion of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which represents introspection. The left IFG was activated when the two participants' statements of introspection were mismatched during the disclosure. Disclosing introspection enhanced the functional connectivity of the left IFG with the bilateral superior temporal gyrus and primary motor cortex, representing the auditory MNS. Thus, the mentalizing system and MNS are hierarchically linked in the left IFG during a conversation, allowing for the sharing of introspection of the self and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Yoshioka
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
| | - Hiroki C. Tanabe
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.C.T.); (N.S.); Tel.: +81-52-789-2256 (H.C.T.); +81-564-55-7841 (N.S.); Fax: +81-52-789-2256 (H.C.T.); +81-564-55-7843 (N.S.)
| | - Eri Nakagawa
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Motofumi Sumiya
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takahiko Koike
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sadato
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.C.T.); (N.S.); Tel.: +81-52-789-2256 (H.C.T.); +81-564-55-7841 (N.S.); Fax: +81-52-789-2256 (H.C.T.); +81-564-55-7843 (N.S.)
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Morese R, Brasso C, Stanziano M, Parola A, Valentini MC, Bosco FM, Rocca P. Efforts for the Correct Comprehension of Deceitful and Ironic Communicative Intentions in Schizophrenia: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study on the Role of the Left Middle Temporal Gyrus. Front Psychol 2022; 13:866160. [PMID: 35774960 PMCID: PMC9237627 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.866160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in social cognition and more specifically in communication have an important impact on the real-life functioning of people with schizophrenia (SZ). In particular, patients have severe problems in communicative-pragmatics, for example, in correctly inferring the speaker's communicative intention in everyday conversational interactions. This limit is associated with morphological and functional alteration of the left middle temporal gyrus (L-MTG), a cerebral area involved in various communicative processes, in particular in the distinction of ironic communicative intention from sincere and deceitful ones. We performed an fMRI study on 20 patients with SZ and 20 matched healthy controls (HCs) while performing a pragmatic task testing the comprehension of sincere, deceitful, and ironic communicative intentions. We considered the L-MTG as the region of interest. SZ patients showed difficulties in the correct comprehension of all types of communicative intentions and, when correctly answering to the task, they exhibited a higher activation of the L-MTG, as compared to HC, under all experimental conditions. This greater involvement of the L-MTG in the group of patients could depend on different factors, such as the increasing inferential effort required in correctly understanding the speaker's communicative intentions, and the higher integrative semantic processes involved in sentence processing. Future studies with a larger sample size and functional connectivity analysis are needed to study deeper the specific role of the L-MTG in pragmatic processes in SZ, also in relation to other brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Morese
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - C. Brasso
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Struttura Complessa di Psichiatria Universitaria, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Salute Mentale, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, Turin, Italy
| | - M. Stanziano
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - A. Parola
- Research Group on Inferential Processes in Social Interaction (GIPSI), Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - M. C. Valentini
- Struttura Complessa di Neuroradiologia, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini e Radiologia interventistica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, Turin, Italy
| | - F. M. Bosco
- Research Group on Inferential Processes in Social Interaction (GIPSI), Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - P. Rocca
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Struttura Complessa di Psichiatria Universitaria, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Salute Mentale, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, Turin, Italy
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7
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Foster PH, Russell LL, Peakman G, Convery RS, Bouzigues A, Greaves CV, Bocchetta M, Cash DM, van Swieten JC, Jiskoot LC, Moreno F, Sanchez-Valle R, Laforce R, Graff C, Masellis M, Tartaglia C, Rowe JB, Borroni B, Finger E, Synofzik M, Galimberti D, Vandenberghe R, de Mendonça A, Butler CR, Gerhard A, Ducharme S, Le Ber I, Tagliavini F, Santana I, Pasquier F, Levin J, Danek A, Otto M, Sorbi S, Rohrer JD. Examining empathy deficits across familial forms of frontotemporal dementia within the GENFI cohort. Cortex 2022; 150:12-28. [PMID: 35325762 PMCID: PMC9067453 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reduced empathy is a common symptom in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Although empathy deficits have been extensively researched in sporadic cases, few studies have explored the differences in familial forms of FTD. METHODS Empathy was examined using a modified version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (mIRI) in 676 participants from the Genetic FTD Initiative: 216 mutation-negative controls, 192 C9orf72 expansion carriers, 193 GRN mutation carriers and 75 MAPT mutation carriers. Using global scores from the CDR® plus NACC FTLD, mutation carriers were divided into three groups, asymptomatic (0), very mildly symptomatic/prodromal (.5), or fully symptomatic (1 or more). The mIRI Total score, as well as the subscores of Empathic Concern (EC) and Perspective Taking (PT) were assessed. Linear regression models with bootstrapping were used to assess empathy ratings across genetic groups, as well as across phenotypes in the symptomatic carriers. Neural correlates of empathy deficits were examined using a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. RESULTS All fully symptomatic groups scored lower on the mIRI Total, EC, and PT when compared to controls and their asymptomatic or prodromal counterparts (all p < .001). Prodromal C9orf72 expansion carriers also scored significantly lower than controls on the mIRI Total score (p = .046). In the phenotype analysis, all groups (behavioural variant FTD, primary progressive aphasia and FTD with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) scored significantly lower than controls (all p < .007). VBM revealed an overlapping neural correlate of the mIRI Total score across genetic groups in the orbitofrontal lobe but with additional involvement in the temporal lobe, insula and basal ganglia in both the GRN and MAPT groups, and uniquely more posterior regions such as the parietal lobe and thalamus in the GRN group, and medial temporal structures in the MAPT group. CONCLUSIONS Significant empathy deficits present in genetic FTD, particularly in symptomatic individuals and those with a bvFTD phenotype, while prodromal deficits are only seen using the mIRI in C9orf72 expansion carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe H Foster
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Lucy L Russell
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Georgia Peakman
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Rhian S Convery
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Arabella Bouzigues
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Caroline V Greaves
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Martina Bocchetta
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - David M Cash
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Lize C Jiskoot
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fermin Moreno
- Cognitive Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Donostia Universitary Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain; Neuroscience Area, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Raquel Sanchez-Valle
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacións Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Robert Laforce
- Clinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Département des Sciences Neurologiques, CHU de Québec, and Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Caroline Graff
- Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Bioclinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Unit for Hereditary Dementias, Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Mario Masellis
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James B Rowe
- University of Cambridge Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and University of Cambridge Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Galimberti
- Fondazione Ca' Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Rik Vandenberghe
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Neurology Service, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Chris R Butler
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Alex Gerhard
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Departments of Geriatric Medicine and Nuclear Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
| | - Simon Ducharme
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada; McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Le Ber
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau - ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP - Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Centre de référence des démences rares ou précoces, IM2A, Département de Neurologie, AP-HP - Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Département de Neurologie, AP-HP - Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Reference Network for Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND)
| | | | - Isabel Santana
- University Hospital of Coimbra (HUC), Neurology Service, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Florence Pasquier
- Univ Lille, France; Inserm 1172, Lille, France; CHU, CNR-MAJ, Labex Distalz, LiCEND Lille, France
| | - Johannes Levin
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Adrian Danek
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandro Sorbi
- Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
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Nakamura T, Matsui T, Utsumi A, Sumiya M, Nakagawa E, Sadato N. Context-prosody interaction in sarcasm comprehension: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Neuropsychologia 2022; 170:108213. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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9
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Frontotemporal dementia, music perception and social cognition share neurobiological circuits: A meta-analysis. Brain Cogn 2021; 148:105660. [PMID: 33421942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2020.105660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease that presents with profound changes in social cognition. Music might be a sensitive probe for social cognition abilities, but underlying neurobiological substrates are unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies in FTD patients and functional MRI studies for music perception and social cognition tasks in cognitively normal controls to identify robust patterns of atrophy (FTD) or activation (music perception or social cognition). Conjunction analyses were performed to identify overlapping brain regions. In total 303 articles were included: 53 for FTD (n = 1153 patients, 42.5% female; 1337 controls, 53.8% female), 28 for music perception (n = 540, 51.8% female) and 222 for social cognition in controls (n = 5664, 50.2% female). We observed considerable overlap in atrophy patterns associated with FTD, and functional activation associated with music perception and social cognition, mostly encompassing the ventral language network. We further observed overlap across all three modalities in mesolimbic, basal forebrain and striatal regions. The results of our meta-analysis suggest that music perception and social cognition share neurobiological circuits that are affected in FTD. This supports the idea that music might be a sensitive probe for social cognition abilities with implications for diagnosis and monitoring.
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Kaur A, Basavanagowda DM, Rathod B, Mishra N, Fuad S, Nosher S, Alrashid ZA, Mohan D, Heindl SE. Structural and Functional Alterations of the Temporal lobe in Schizophrenia: A Literature Review. Cureus 2020; 12:e11177. [PMID: 33262914 PMCID: PMC7689947 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.11177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe chronic mental illness leading to social and occupational dysfunction. Our primary focus in this review article was to analyze further the structural and functional alterations of the temporal lobe in patients with schizophrenia, which might contribute to the associated manifestations we often see in this illness. Our goal was to see if there was any correlation between temporal lobe abnormalities, more specifically, alterations in brain volume and specific symptoms such as auditory and language processing, etc. There is a positive correlation between volume alterations and thoughts disorders in the temporal lobe in the majority of studies. However, superior temporal gyrus volume has also been correlated negatively with the severity of hallucinations and thought disorders in some studies. We utilized Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) search strategy via PubMed database in our articles search yielding 241 papers. After the application of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, a final number of 30 was reviewed. The involvement of the temporal lobe and its gray and white matter volume alterations in schizophrenia is quite apparent from our research; however, the exact mechanism of the underlying biological process is not thoroughly studied yet. Therefore, further research on larger cohorts combining different imaging modalities including volumetry, diffusion tensor, and functional imaging is required to explain how the progressive brain changes affect the various structural, functional, and metabolic activities of the temporal lobe in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arveen Kaur
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Deepak M Basavanagowda
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Bindu Rathod
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Nupur Mishra
- Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Sehrish Fuad
- Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Sadia Nosher
- Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Zaid A Alrashid
- Neurology, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Devyani Mohan
- Surgery, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Stacey E Heindl
- Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
- Medicine, Avalon University School of Medicine, Willemstad, CUW
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11
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Abstract
The processing of emotional nonlinguistic information in speech is defined as emotional prosody. This auditory nonlinguistic information is essential in the decoding of social interactions and in our capacity to adapt and react adequately by taking into account contextual information. An integrated model is proposed at the functional and brain levels, encompassing 5 main systems that involve cortical and subcortical neural networks relevant for the processing of emotional prosody in its major dimensions, including perception and sound organization; related action tendencies; and associated values that integrate complex social contexts and ambiguous situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Grandjean
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences and Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Yang X, Li H, Lin N, Zhang X, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Zuo X, Yang Y. Uncovering cortical activations of discourse comprehension and their overlaps with common large-scale neural networks. Neuroimage 2019; 203:116200. [PMID: 31536803 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a meta-analysis of 78 task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies (1976 total participants) to reveal underlying brain activations and their overlap with large-scale neural networks in the brain during general discourse comprehension and its sub-processes. We found that discourse comprehension involved a neural system consisting of widely distributed brain regions that comprised not only the bilateral perisylvian language zones, but also regions in the superior and medial frontal cortex and the medial temporal lobe. Moreover, this neural system can be categorized into several sub-systems representing various sub-processes of discourse comprehension, with the left inferior frontal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus serving as core regions across all sub-processes. At a large-scale network level, we found that discourse comprehension relied most heavily on the default network, particularly on its dorsal medial subsystem. The pattern associated with large-scale network cooperation varied according to the respective sub-processes required. Our results reveal the functional dissociation within the discourse comprehension neural system and highlight the flexible involvements of large-scale networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoHong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - HuiJie Li
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - XiuPing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - YinShan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - XiNian Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - YuFang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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13
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What is the difference between irony and sarcasm? An fMRI study. Cortex 2019; 115:112-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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14
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Briggs RG, Pryor DP, Conner AK, Nix CE, Milton CK, Kuiper JK, Palejwala AH, Sughrue ME. The Artery of Aphasia, A Uniquely Sensitive Posterior Temporal Middle Cerebral Artery Branch that Supplies Language Areas in the Brain: Anatomy and Report of Four Cases. World Neurosurg 2019; 126:e65-e76. [PMID: 30735868 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.01.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arterial disruption during brain surgery can cause devastating injuries to wide expanses of white and gray matter beyond the tumor resection cavity. Such damage may occur as a result of disrupting blood flow through en passage arteries. Identification of these arteries is critical to prevent unforeseen neurologic sequelae during brain tumor resection. In this study, we discuss one such artery, termed the artery of aphasia (AoA), which when disrupted can lead to receptive and expressive language deficits. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing an awake craniotomy for resection of a glioma by the senior author from 2012 to 2018. Patients were included if they experienced language deficits secondary to postoperative infarction in the left posterior temporal lobe in the distribution of the AoA. The gross anatomy of the AoA was then compared with activation likelihood estimations of the auditory and semantic language networks using coordinate-based meta-analytic techniques. RESULTS We identified 4 patients with left-sided posterior temporal artery infarctions in the distribution of the AoA on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. All 4 patients developed substantial expressive and receptive language deficits after surgery. Functional language improvement occurred in only 2/4 patients. Activation likelihood estimations localized parts of the auditory and semantic language networks in the distribution of the AoA. CONCLUSIONS The AoA is prone to blood flow disruption despite benign manipulation. Patients seem to have limited capacity for speech recovery after intraoperative ischemia in the distribution of this artery, which supplies parts of the auditory and semantic language networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Briggs
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Dillon P Pryor
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Andrew K Conner
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Cameron E Nix
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Camille K Milton
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Joseph K Kuiper
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Ali H Palejwala
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Michael E Sughrue
- Department of Neurosurgery, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
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15
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Kieckhäfer C, Felsenheimer AK, Rapp AM. A New Test for Irony Detection: The Influence of Schizotypal, Borderline, and Autistic Personality Traits. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:28. [PMID: 30837899 PMCID: PMC6382691 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00028] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Irony has repeatedly been suggested as a language based social cognition task. It has been argued to show specific variances in psychiatric disorders and healthy adults with certain personality traits. Above that, irony comprehension is based on a complex interplay of the informational context, the relationship of the conversational partners, and the personality of the recipient. The present study developed a video-based German language test for a systematic examination of irony detection accuracy (Tuerony). The test includes (i) a stereotypical conversation partner (doctor, actor) in (ii) different perspectives (direct interaction, neutral observer) and (iii) a bilateral chat history on a conventional messenger service interface with ironic criticism, ironic praise, literal criticism, and literal praise. Based on the continuous approach of psychiatric symptoms, schizotypal, borderline, and autistic personality traits were associated with irony detection accuracy in a healthy sample. Given the often reported role of mentalization in irony detection, these associations were also investigated. First, a broad variance of irony comprehension in our healthy sample could be shown. Second, schizotypal and borderline, but not autistic traits were significantly negatively associated with irony detection accuracy. Finally, in the current healthy sample, neither variation of the conversational context nor mentalization characteristics were significantly associated with performance beyond personality traits. The current results therefore highlight two aspects for future research in irony comprehension: the importance of ecological valid tests and the role of the individual personality of the recipient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Kieckhäfer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, LVR-Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anne K Felsenheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Michael Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Fliedner Klinik Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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16
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A Quantitative Meta-analysis of Neuroimaging Studies of Pragmatic Language Comprehension: In Search of a Universal Neural Substrate. Neuroscience 2018; 395:60-88. [PMID: 30414881 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Pragmatics may be defined as the ability to communicate by expressing and recognizing intentions. The objective of this meta-analysis was to identify neural substrates for comprehension of pragmatic content in general, as well as the differences between pragmatic forms, and to describe if there is differential recruitment of brain areas according to natural language. This meta-analysis included 48 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies that reported pragmatic versus literal language contrasts. The pragmatic forms were speech acts, metaphors, idioms, and irony. Effect Size-Signed Differential Mapping software was used to calculate the mean for all contrasts as well as for each pragmatic form, and make comparisons among all forms. Due to variations in pragmatic content configuration such as natural language, stimulus modality, and writing systems, these variations were also analyzed with subgroups' analyses. The analyses found a highly reproducible bilateral fronto-temporal and medial prefrontal cortex network for pragmatic comprehension. Each pragmatic form showed a specific convergence pattern within this bilateral network. Natural language analyses showed that fronto-temporal regions were recruited by Germanic languages, while only left frontal areas were recruited by Romance languages, and right medial prefrontal cortex by Japanese. In conclusion, pragmatic language comprehension involves classical language areas in bilateral perisylvian regions, along with the medial prefrontal cortex, an area involved in social cognition. Together, these areas could represent the "pragmatic language network". Nonetheless, when proposing a universal neural substrate for all forms of pragmatic language, the diversity among studies in terms of pragmatic form, and configuration, must be taken into consideration.
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17
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Ardila A, Bernal B, Rosselli M. Executive Functions Brain System: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-analytic Study. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2018; 33:379-405. [PMID: 28961762 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acx066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objective To characterize commonalities and differences between two executive functions: reasoning and inhibitory control. Methods A total of 5,974 participants in 346 fMRI experiments of inhibition or reasoning were selected. First level analysis consisted of Analysis of Likelihood Estimation (ALE) studies performed in two pooled data groups: (a) brain areas involved in reasoning and (b) brain areas involved in inhibition. Second level analysis consisted of two contrasts: (i) brain areas involved in reasoning but not in inhibition and (ii) brain areas involved in inhibition but not in reasoning. Lateralization Indexes were calculated. Results Four brain areas appear as the most critical: the dorsolateral aspect of the frontal lobes, the superior parietal lobules, the mesial aspect of the premotor area (supplementary motor area), and some subcortical areas, particularly the putamen and the thalamus. ALE contrasts showed significant differentiation of the networks, with the reasoning > inhibition-contrast showing a predominantly leftward participation, and the inhibition > reasoning-contrast, a clear right advantage. Conclusion Executive functions are mediated by sizable brain areas including not only cortical, but also involving subcortical areas in both hemispheres. The strength of activation shows dissociation between the hemispheres for inhibition (rightward) and reasoning (leftward) functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Ardila
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Byron Bernal
- Department of Radiology/Brain Institute, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Monica Rosselli
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, USA
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18
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Herold R, Varga E, Hajnal A, Hamvas E, Berecz H, Tóth B, Tényi T. Altered Neural Activity during Irony Comprehension in Unaffected First-Degree Relatives of Schizophrenia Patients-An fMRI Study. Front Psychol 2018; 8:2309. [PMID: 29375430 PMCID: PMC5767266 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Irony is a type of figurative language in which the literal meaning of the expression is the opposite of what the speaker intends to communicate. Even though schizophrenic patients are known as typically impaired in irony comprehension and in the underlying neural functions, to date no one has explored the neural correlates of figurative language comprehension in first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients. In the present study, we examined the neural correlates of irony understanding in schizophrenic patients and in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients compared to healthy adults with functional MRI. Our aim was to investigate if possible alterations of the neural circuits supporting irony comprehension in first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia would fulfill the familiality criterion of an endophenotype. We examined 12 schizophrenic patients, 12 first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients and 12 healthy controls with functional MRI while they were performing irony and control tasks. Different phases of irony processing were examined, such as context processing and ironic statement comprehension. Patients had significantly more difficulty understanding irony than controls or relatives. Patients also showed markedly different neural activation pattern compared to controls in both stages of irony processing. Although no significant differences were found in the performance of the irony tasks between the control group and the relative group, during the fMRI analysis, the relatives showed stronger brain activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the context processing phase of irony tasks than the control group. However, the controls demonstrated higher activations in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and in the right inferior frontal gyrus during the ironic statement phase of the irony tasks than the relative group. Our results show that despite good task performance, first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients had alterations in the neural circuits during irony processing. Thus, we suggest that neural alteration of irony comprehension could be a potential endophenotypic marker of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Róbert Herold
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Eszter Varga
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - András Hajnal
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Edina Hamvas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Hajnalka Berecz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Borbála Tóth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tamás Tényi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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Akimoto Y, Takahashi H, Gunji A, Kaneko Y, Asano M, Matsuo J, Ota M, Kunugi H, Hanakawa T, Mazuka R, Kamio Y. Alpha band event-related desynchronization underlying social situational context processing during irony comprehension: A magnetoencephalography source localization study. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2017; 175:42-46. [PMID: 28963910 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Irony comprehension requires integration of social contextual information. Previous studies have investigated temporal aspects of irony processing and its neural substrates using psychological/electroencephalogram or functional magnetic resonance imaging methods, but have not clarified the temporospatial neural mechanisms of irony comprehension. Therefore, we used magnetoencephalography to investigate the neural generators of alpha-band (8-13Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) occurring from 600 to 900ms following the onset of a critical sentence at which social situational contexts activated ironic representation. We found that the right anterior temporal lobe, which is involved in processing social knowledge and evaluating others' intentions, exhibited stronger alpha ERD following an ironic statement than following a literal statement. We also found that alpha power in the left anterior temporal lobe correlated with the participants' communication abilities. These results elucidate the temporospatial neural mechanisms of language comprehension in social contexts, including non-literal processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoritaka Akimoto
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Hidetoshi Takahashi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Atsuko Gunji
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; College of Education and Human Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-2 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8502, Japan
| | - Yuu Kaneko
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Michiko Asano
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Junko Matsuo
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Miho Ota
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kunugi
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Takashi Hanakawa
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Reiko Mazuka
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yoko Kamio
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashicho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan
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20
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Neural correlates underlying the comprehension of deceitful and ironic communicative intentions. Cortex 2017; 94:73-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Obert A, Gierski F, Calmus A, Flucher A, Portefaix C, Pierot L, Kaladjian A, Caillies S. Neural Correlates of Contrast and Humor: Processing Common Features of Verbal Irony. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166704. [PMID: 27851821 PMCID: PMC5113059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Irony is a kind of figurative language used by a speaker to say something that contrasts with the context and, to some extent, lends humor to a situation. However, little is known about the brain regions that specifically support the processing of these two common features of irony. The present study had two main aims: (i) investigate the neural basis of irony processing, by delivering short ironic spoken sentences (and their literal counterparts) to participants undergoing fMRI; and (ii) assess the neural effect of two irony parameters, obtained from normative studies: degree of contrast and humor appreciation. Results revealed activation of the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), posterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus, medial frontal cortex, and left caudate during irony processing, suggesting the involvement of both semantic and theory-of-mind networks. Parametric models showed that contrast was specifically associated with the activation of bilateral frontal and subcortical areas, and that these regions were also sensitive to humor, as shown by a conjunction analysis. Activation of the bilateral IFG is consistent with the literature on humor processing, and reflects incongruity detection/resolution processes. Moreover, the activation of subcortical structures can be related to the reward processing of social events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Obert
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Fabien Gierski
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Arnaud Calmus
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sébastopol Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Aurélie Flucher
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Christophe Portefaix
- Department of Medical Imaging, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
- CReSTIC Laboratory (EA 3804), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Laurent Pierot
- Department of Medical Imaging, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Arthur Kaladjian
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Stéphanie Caillies
- C2S Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
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Matsui T, Nakamura T, Utsumi A, Sasaki AT, Koike T, Yoshida Y, Harada T, Tanabe HC, Sadato N. The role of prosody and context in sarcasm comprehension: Behavioral and fMRI evidence. Neuropsychologia 2016; 87:74-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Abstract
The primary motor cortex (M1) is traditionally implicated in voluntary movement control. In order to test the hypothesis that there is a functional topography of M1 activation in studies where it has been implicated in higher cognitive tasks we performed activation-likelihood-estimation (ALE) meta-analyses of functional neuroimaging experiments reporting M1 activation in relation to six cognitive functional categories for which there was a sufficient number of studies to include, namely motor imagery, working memory, mental rotation, social/emotion/empathy, language, and auditory processing. The six categories activated different sub-sectors of M1, either bilaterally or lateralized to one hemisphere. Notably, the activations found in the M1 of the left or right hemisphere detected in our study were unlikely due to button presses. In fact, all contrasts were selected in order to eliminate M1 activation due to activity related to the finger button press. In addition, we identified the M1 sub-region of Area 4a commonly activated by 4/6 categories, namely motor imagery and working memory, emotion/empathy, and language. Overall, our findings lend support to the idea that there is a functional topography of M1 activation in studies where it has been found activated in higher cognitive tasks and that the left Area 4a can be involved in a number of cognitive processes, likely as a product of implicit mental simulation processing.
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Schuh JM, Eigsti IM, Mirman D. Discourse comprehension in autism spectrum disorder: Effects of working memory load and common ground. Autism Res 2016; 9:1340-1352. [PMID: 27091496 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M. Schuh
- Division of Neuropsychology; Department of Neurology-FWC; Medical College of Wisconsin 9200 West Wisconsin Ave; Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Inge-Marie Eigsti
- Division of Neuropsychology; Department of Neurology-FWC; Medical College of Wisconsin 9200 West Wisconsin Ave; Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Department of Psychology; University of Connecticut; 406 Babbidge Road U-1020 Storrs Connecticut
| | - Daniel Mirman
- Department of Psychology; 3141 Chestnut St., Drexel University; Philadelphia Pennsylvania
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25
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The highest form of intelligence: Sarcasm increases creativity for both expressers and recipients. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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26
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AbdulSabur NY, Xu Y, Liu S, Chow HM, Baxter M, Carson J, Braun AR. Neural correlates and network connectivity underlying narrative production and comprehension: A combined fMRI and PET study. Cortex 2014; 57:107-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Kantrowitz JT, Hoptman MJ, Leitman DI, Silipo G, Javitt DC. The 5% difference: early sensory processing predicts sarcasm perception in schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder. Psychol Med 2014; 44:25-36. [PMID: 23611263 PMCID: PMC3855910 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291713000834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intact sarcasm perception is a crucial component of social cognition and mentalizing (the ability to understand the mental state of oneself and others). In sarcasm, tone of voice is used to negate the literal meaning of an utterance. In particular, changes in pitch are used to distinguish between sincere and sarcastic utterances. Schizophrenia patients show well-replicated deficits in auditory function and functional connectivity (FC) within and between auditory cortical regions. In this study we investigated the contributions of auditory deficits to sarcasm perception in schizophrenia. METHOD Auditory measures including pitch processing, auditory emotion recognition (AER) and sarcasm detection were obtained from 76 patients with schizophrenia/schizo-affective disorder and 72 controls. Resting-state FC (rsFC) was obtained from a subsample and was analyzed using seeds placed in both auditory cortex and meta-analysis-defined core-mentalizing regions relative to auditory performance. RESULTS Patients showed large effect-size deficits across auditory measures. Sarcasm deficits correlated significantly with general functioning and impaired pitch processing both across groups and within the patient group alone. Patients also showed reduced sensitivity to alterations in mean pitch and variability. For patients, sarcasm discrimination correlated exclusively with the level of rsFC within primary auditory regions whereas for controls, correlations were observed exclusively within core-mentalizing regions (the right posterior superior temporal gyrus, anterior superior temporal sulcus and insula, and left posterior medial temporal gyrus). CONCLUSIONS These findings confirm the contribution of auditory deficits to theory of mind (ToM) impairments in schizophrenia, and demonstrate that FC within auditory, but not core-mentalizing, regions is rate limiting with respect to sarcasm detection in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Kantrowitz
- Schizophrenia Research Center, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
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28
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Everyday conversation requires cognitive inference: Neural bases of comprehending implicated meanings in conversations. Neuroimage 2013; 81:61-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Revised: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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Straube B, He Y, Steines M, Gebhardt H, Kircher T, Sammer G, Nagels A. Supramodal neural processing of abstract information conveyed by speech and gesture. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:120. [PMID: 24062652 PMCID: PMC3772311 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstractness and modality of interpersonal communication have a considerable impact on comprehension. They are relevant for determining thoughts and constituting internal models of the environment. Whereas concrete object-related information can be represented in mind irrespective of language, abstract concepts require a representation in speech. Consequently, modality-independent processing of abstract information can be expected. Here we investigated the neural correlates of abstractness (abstract vs. concrete) and modality (speech vs. gestures), to identify an abstractness-specific supramodal neural network. During fMRI data acquisition 20 participants were presented with videos of an actor either speaking sentences with an abstract-social [AS] or concrete-object-related content [CS], or performing meaningful abstract-social emblematic [AG] or concrete-object-related tool-use gestures [CG]. Gestures were accompanied by a foreign language to increase the comparability between conditions and to frame the communication context of the gesture videos. Participants performed a content judgment task referring to the person vs. object-relatedness of the utterances. The behavioral data suggest a comparable comprehension of contents communicated by speech or gesture. Furthermore, we found common neural processing for abstract information independent of modality (AS > CS ∩ AG > CG) in a left hemispheric network including the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), temporal pole, and medial frontal cortex. Modality specific activations were found in bilateral occipital, parietal, and temporal as well as right inferior frontal brain regions for gesture (G > S) and in left anterior temporal regions and the left angular gyrus for the processing of speech semantics (S > G). These data support the idea that abstract concepts are represented in a supramodal manner. Consequently, gestures referring to abstract concepts are processed in a predominantly left hemispheric language related neural network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Straube
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg Marburg, Germany
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30
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Varga E, Simon M, Tényi T, Schnell Z, Hajnal A, Orsi G, Dóczi T, Komoly S, Janszky J, Füredi R, Hamvas E, Fekete S, Herold R. Irony comprehension and context processing in schizophrenia during remission--a functional MRI study. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2013; 126:231-242. [PMID: 23867921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2013.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2012] [Revised: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/26/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenic patients have Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits even during remission, but it is yet unknown whether this could be influenced. We examined the neural correlates of irony understanding in schizophrenic patients, as an indicator of ToM capacity, and evaluated how linguistic help inserted into the context phase could affect irony comprehension. Schizophrenic patients in remission and healthy controls were subjected to event-related functional MRI scanning while performing irony, 'irony with linguistic help', and control tasks. Patients understood irony significantly worse than healthy controls. The patients showed stronger brain activity in the parietal and frontal areas in the early phase of irony task, however the healthy controls exhibited higher activation in frontal, temporal and parietal regions in the latter phase of the irony task. Interestingly the linguistic help not only improved the patients' ToM performance, but it also evoked similar activation pattern to healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Varga
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Pécs, Hungary
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31
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Mathersul D, McDonald S, Rushby JA. Understanding advanced theory of mind and empathy in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2013; 35:655-68. [PMID: 23799244 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2013.809700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
It has been argued that higher functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have specific deficits in advanced but not simple theory of mind (ToM), yet the questionable ecological validity of some tasks reduces the strength of this assumption. The present study employed The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT), which uses video vignettes to assess comprehension of subtle conversational inferences (sarcasm, lies/deception). Given the proposed relationships between advanced ToM and cognitive and affective empathy, these associations were also investigated. As expected, the high-functioning adults with ASDs demonstrated specific deficits in comprehending the beliefs, intentions, and meaning of nonliteral expressions. They also had significantly lower cognitive and affective empathy. Cognitive empathy was related to ToM and group membership whereas affective empathy was only related to group membership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Mathersul
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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32
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Xi C, Zhu Y, Zhu C, Song D, Wang Y, Wang K. Deficit of theory of mind after temporal lobe cerebral infarction. Behav Brain Funct 2013; 9:15. [PMID: 23607361 PMCID: PMC3646669 DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-9-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have indicated that the temporal lobe is involved in theory of mind (ToM). However, little attention has been paid to ToM in patients with cerebral infarction. In this study, we investigated the ability of ToM in patients with temporal lobe cerebral infarction (TLCI) using a variety of tests. METHODS In the study, 19 patients with TLCI and 20 healthy controls (HC) were examined using the Recognition of faux pas and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RME) tasks, to assess their ability of ToM. RESULTS The results of the study indicated that the TLCI group performed significantly worse compared with the HC group as revealed in the total faux pas-related score and in emotion recognition (Mind Reading). CONCLUSIONS Our results implied that patients with TLCI had difficulty in ToM. Our data provided new evidence that the temporal lobe may be involved in processing ToM inferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhua Xi
- Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Anhui Province, Hefei 230022, China
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Akimoto Y, Sugiura M, Yomogida Y, Miyauchi CM, Miyazawa S, Kawashima R. Irony comprehension: social conceptual knowledge and emotional response. Hum Brain Mapp 2013; 35:1167-78. [PMID: 23408440 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Verbal irony conveys various emotional messages, from criticism to humor, that differ from the meaning of the actual words. To understand irony, we need conceptual knowledge of irony in addition to an understanding of context. We investigated the neural mechanism of irony comprehension, focusing on two overlooked issues: conceptual knowledge and emotional response. We studied 35 healthy subjects who underwent functional MRI. During the scan, the subject examined first-person-view stories describing verbal interactions, some of which included irony directed toward the subject. After MRI, the subject viewed the stories again and rated the degree of irony, humor, and negative emotion evoked by the statements. We identified several key findings about irony comprehension: (1) the right anterior superior temporal gyrus may be responsible for representing social conceptual knowledge of irony, (2) activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and the right anterior inferior temporal gyrus might underlie the understanding of context, (3) modulation of activity in the right amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus is associated with the degree of irony perceived, and (4) modulation of activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex varies with the degree of humor perceived. Our results clarified the differential contributions of the neural loci of irony comprehension, enriching our understanding of pragmatic language communication from a social behavior point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoritaka Akimoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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34
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Ioannidis AE, Kimiskidis VK, Loukopoulou E, Geroukis T, Vlaikidis N, Kosmidis MH. Apathy, cognitive dysfunction and impaired social cognition in a patient with bilateral thalamic infarction. Neurocase 2013; 19:513-20. [PMID: 22816313 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2012.701645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We describe the case of a patient with bilateral thalamic lesions due to brain infarcts in the paramedian thalamic artery territories. The patient demonstrated symptoms of apathy (e.g., loss of initiative and interest in others, poor motivation, flattened affect). Neuropsychological assessment 3 and 5 years post-infarct revealed severe deficits in verbal and non-verbal immediate and delayed memory, attention, and executive functioning, with minimal improvement over time. Also, he demonstrated difficulties in social cognition (i.e., perception of facial expressions of others and of sarcasm). These findings are discussed and interpreted in light of current theories regarding the neurobiological substrate of apathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anestis E Ioannidis
- a Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
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35
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Rapp AM, Mutschler DE, Erb M. Where in the brain is nonliteral language? A coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Neuroimage 2012; 63:600-10. [PMID: 22759997 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2011] [Revised: 06/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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36
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Spotorno N, Koun E, Prado J, Van Der Henst JB, Noveck IA. Neural evidence that utterance-processing entails mentalizing: The case of irony. Neuroimage 2012; 63:25-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2012] [Revised: 05/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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37
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Bohrn IC, Altmann U, Jacobs AM. Looking at the brains behind figurative language—A quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on metaphor, idiom, and irony processing. Neuropsychologia 2012; 50:2669-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2012] [Revised: 05/28/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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38
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Distinction between the literal and intended meanings of sentences: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of metaphor and sarcasm. Cortex 2012; 48:563-83. [PMID: 21333979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2011.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Revised: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 01/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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39
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Gernsbacher MA, Pripas-Kapit SR. Who's Missing the Point? A Commentary on Claims that Autistic Persons Have a Specific Deficit in Figurative Language Comprehension. METAPHOR AND SYMBOL 2012; 27:93-105. [PMID: 25339845 PMCID: PMC4203428 DOI: 10.1080/10926488.2012.656255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
It's become a caricature of autistic persons that they don't understand figurative language. Despite empirical evidence to the contrary, three of the four contributions to this special issue endorse this stereotype without question. And all four contributions attribute this supposed deficit to even shakier fallacies, such as the controversial claim that autistic people lack empathy or a 'theory of mind.' In this commentary, we begin by reviewing the literature more exhaustively than the other contributions, and we highlight a point that they missed: Autistic persons are likely to have difficulty comprehending figurative language if they also have difficulty comprehending language in general. There doesn't seem to be a specific deficit in figurative language unique to autism. We also tackle the claim that autistic people lack empathy. And we question the existence of a 'theory of mind area,' while demonstrating the pitfalls that ensnarl researchers when they strain to interpret differences between autistic and non-autistic brain activity as solely autistic deficits.
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40
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Colich NL, Wang AT, Rudie JD, Hernandez LM, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Atypical Neural Processing of Ironic and Sincere Remarks in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. METAPHOR AND SYMBOL 2012; 27:70-92. [PMID: 24497750 PMCID: PMC3909704 DOI: 10.1080/10926488.2012.638856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with ASD show consistent impairment in processing pragmatic language when attention to multiple social cues (e.g., facial expression, tone of voice) is often needed to navigate social interactions. Building upon prior fMRI work examining how facial affect and prosodic cues are used to infer a speaker's communicative intent, the authors examined whether children and adolescents with ASD differ from typically developing (TD) controls in their processing of sincere versus ironic remarks. At the behavioral level, children and adolescents with ASD and matched TD controls were able to determine whether a speaker's remark was sincere or ironic equally well, with both groups showing longer response times for ironic remarks. At the neural level, for both sincere and ironic scenarios, an extended cortical network-including canonical language areas in the left hemisphere and their right hemisphere counterparts-was activated in both groups, albeit to a lesser degree in the ASD sample. Despite overall similar patterns of activity observed for the two conditions in both groups, significant modulation of activity was detected when directly comparing sincere and ironic scenarios within and between groups. While both TD and ASD groups showed significantly greater activity in several nodes of this extended network when processing ironic versus sincere remarks, increased activity was largely confined to left language areas in TD controls, whereas the ASD sample showed a more bilateral activation profile which included both language and "theory of mind" areas (i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex). These findings suggest that, for high-functioning individuals with ASD, increased activity in right hemisphere homologues of language areas in the left hemisphere, as well as regions involved in social cognition, may reflect compensatory mechanisms supporting normative behavioral task performance.
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41
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Abstract
This study examines the processing of prosodic cues to linguistic structure and to affect, drawing on fMRI and behavioral data from 16 high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 11 typically developing controls. Stimuli were carefully matched on pitch, intensity, and duration, while varying systematically in conditions of affective prosody (angry versus neutral speech) and grammatical prosody (questions versus statement). To avoid conscious attention to prosody, which normalizes responses in young people with ASD, the implicit comprehension task directed attention to semantic aspects of the stimuli. Results showed that when perceiving prosodic cues, both affective and grammatical, activation of neural regions was more generalized in ASD than in typical development, and areas recruited reflect heightened reliance on cognitive control, reading of intentions, attentional management, and visualization. This broader recruitment of executive and "mind-reading" brain areas for a relative simple language-processing task may be interpreted to suggest that speakers with high-functioning autism (HFA) have developed less automaticity in language processing and may also suggest that "mind-reading" or theory of mind deficits are intricately bound up in language processing. Data provide support for both a right-lateralized as well as a bilateral model of prosodic processing in typical individuals, depending upon the function of the prosodic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge-Marie Eigsti
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06250, USA.
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42
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Rapp AM, Erb M, Grodd W, Bartels M, Markert K. Neural correlates of metonymy resolution. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2011; 119:196-205. [PMID: 21889196 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2011.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2010] [Revised: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Metonymies are exemplary models for complex semantic association processes at the sentence level. We investigated processing of metonymies using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During an 1.5Tesla fMRI scan, 14 healthy subjects (12 female) read 124 short German sentences with either literal (like "Africa is arid"), metonymic ("Africa is hungry"), or nonsense ("Africa is woollen") content. Sentences were constructed so that they obey certain grammatical, semantic, and plausibility conditions and were matched for word frequency, semantic association, length and syntactic structure. We concentrated on metonymies that were not yet fossilised; we also examined a wide variety of metonymic readings. Reading metonymies relative to literal sentences revealed signal changes in a predominantly left-lateralised fronto-temporal network with maxima in the left and right inferior frontal as well as left middle temporal gyri. Left inferior frontal activation may reflect both inference processes and access to world knowledge during metonymy resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tuebingen, Osianderstrasse 26, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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43
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Shibata M, Abe JI, Itoh H, Shimada K, Umeda S. Neural processing associated with comprehension of an indirect reply during a scenario reading task. Neuropsychologia 2011; 49:3542-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Revised: 07/27/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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44
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Shany-Ur T, Poorzand P, Grossman SN, Growdon ME, Jang JY, Ketelle RS, Miller BL, Rankin KP. Comprehension of insincere communication in neurodegenerative disease: lies, sarcasm, and theory of mind. Cortex 2011; 48:1329-41. [PMID: 21978867 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2011] [Revised: 07/16/2011] [Accepted: 08/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Comprehension of insincere communication is an important aspect of social cognition requiring visual perspective taking, emotion reading, and understanding others' thoughts, opinions, and intentions. Someone who is lying intends to hide their insincerity from the listener, while a sarcastic speaker wants the listener to recognize they are speaking insincerely. We investigated whether face-to-face testing of comprehending insincere communication would effectively discriminate among neurodegenerative disease patients with different patterns of real-life social deficits. We examined ability to comprehend lies and sarcasm from a third-person perspective, using contextual cues, in 102 patients with one of four neurodegenerative diseases (behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia [bvFTD], Alzheimer's disease [AD], progressive supranuclear palsy [PSP], and vascular cognitive impairment) and 77 healthy older adults (normal controls--NCs). Participants answered questions about videos depicting social interactions involving deceptive, sarcastic, or sincere speech using The Awareness of Social Inference Test. All subjects equally understood sincere remarks, but bvFTD patients displayed impaired comprehension of lies and sarcasm compared with NCs. In other groups, impairment was not disease-specific but was proportionate to general cognitive impairment. Analysis of the task components revealed that only bvFTD patients were impaired on perspective taking and emotion reading elements and that both bvFTD and PSP patients had impaired ability to represent others' opinions and intentions (i.e., theory of mind). Test performance correlated with informants' ratings of subjects' empathy, perspective taking and neuropsychiatric symptoms in everyday life. Comprehending insincere communication is complex and requires multiple cognitive and emotional processes vulnerable across neurodegenerative diseases. However, bvFTD patients show uniquely focal and severe impairments at every level of theory of mind and emotion reading, leading to an inability to identify obvious examples of deception and sarcasm. This is consistent with studies suggesting this disease targets a specific neural network necessary for perceiving social salience and predicting negative social outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Shany-Ur
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco 94143-1207, USA
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45
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate theory of mind and the understanding of nonliteral language in patients with Tourette syndrome (TS). BACKGROUND In TS, striatal dysfunction could affect the functioning of the frontal cortex. Changes in frontal functioning could lead to impairments in theory of mind: the understanding of mental states, such as beliefs, emotions, and intentions. Poor understanding of a speaker's mental state may also impair interpretation of their nonliteral remarks. METHOD In this study, patients with TS and healthy controls completed tasks to assess their understanding of sarcasm, metaphor, indirect requests, and theory of mind. These tasks were the Pragmatic Story Comprehension Task, the Hinting task, and a faux pas task. Inhibitory ability was also assessed through the use of the Hayling task and a black and white Stroop test. RESULTS Patients with TS exhibited significant impairment on the faux pas task and Pragmatic Story Comprehension Task despite limited evidence of inhibitory impairment. CONCLUSION TS may be associated with changes in theory of mind.
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46
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Xi C, Zhu Y, Niu C, Zhu C, Lee TMC, Tian Y, Wang K. Contributions of subregions of the prefrontal cortex to the theory of mind and decision making. Behav Brain Res 2010; 221:587-93. [PMID: 20934455 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2010] [Revised: 07/21/2010] [Accepted: 09/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent works have suggested an association between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPC) and social cognition or decision making. The aim of this study is to investigate the theory of mind and decision making in patients with VMPC lesions and in those with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPC) lesions. Patients with VMPC lesions (n=16) and those with DLPC lesions (n=14) were compared with healthy controls (HC) on faux pas recognition and 2 decision-making tasks. Consistent with previous data, patients with VMPC lesions performed worse on the theory of mind and decision making. Patients with DLPC lesions showed impairments of the theory of mind but performed at control levels on the 2 decision-making tasks. The results supported the view that a separation of function of 2 distinct subregions of the prefrontal cortex is important to the theory of mind and decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhua Xi
- Department of Neurology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China
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47
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Rapp AM, Mutschler DE, Wild B, Erb M, Lengsfeld I, Saur R, Grodd W. Neural correlates of irony comprehension: the role of schizotypal personality traits. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2010; 113:1-12. [PMID: 20071019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2009.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2009] [Revised: 10/06/2009] [Accepted: 11/21/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
To detect that a conversational turn is intended to be ironic is a difficult challenge in everyday language comprehension. Most authors suggested a theory of mind deficit is crucial for irony comprehension deficits in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia; however, the underlying pathophysiology and neurobiology are unknown and recent research highlights the possible role of language comprehension abnormalities. Fifteen female right-handed subjects completed personality testing as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and neuropsychology. Subjects were recruited from the general population. No subject had a lifetime history of relevant psychiatric disorder; however, subjects differed in their score on the German version of the schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ). During fMRI scans, the subjects silently read 44 short text vignettes that ended in either an ironic or a literal statement. Imaging was performed using a 3 T Siemens scanner. The influence of schizotypy on brain activation was investigated by using an SPM5 regression analysis with the SPQ total score and the SPQ cognitive-perceptual score as regressors. Reading ironic in contrast to literal sentences activated a bilateral network including left medial prefrontal and left inferior parietal gyri. During reading of ironic sentences, brain activation in the middle temporal gyrus of both hemispheres showed a significant negative association with the SPQ total score and the SPQ cognitive-perceptual score. Significant positive correlation with the SPQ total score was present in the left inferior frontal gyrus. We conclude schizotypal personality traits are associated with a dysfunctional lateral temporal language rather than a theory of mind network.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tuebingen, Osianderstrasse 26, Tuebingen, Germany.
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48
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Ross LA, Olson IR. Social cognition and the anterior temporal lobes. Neuroimage 2010; 49:3452-62. [PMID: 19931397 PMCID: PMC2818559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Revised: 10/22/2009] [Accepted: 11/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Two distinct literatures have emerged on the functionality of the anterior temporal lobes (ATL): in one field, the ATLs are conceived of as a repository for semantic or conceptual knowledge. In another field, the ATLs are thought to play some undetermined role in social-emotional functions such as Theory of Mind. Here we attempted to reconcile these distinct functions by assessing whether social semantic processing can explain ATL activation in other social cognitive tasks. Social semantic functions refer to knowledge about social concepts and rules. In a first experiment we tested the idea that social semantic representations can account for activations in the ATL to social attribution stimuli such as Heider and Simmel animations. Left ATL activations to Heider and Simmel stimuli overlapped with activations to social words. In a second experiment we assessed the putative roles of the ATLs in the processing of narratives and theory of mind content and found evidence for a role of the ATLs in the processing of theory of mind but not narrative per se. These findings indicate that the ATLs are part of a neuronal network supporting social cognition and that they are engaged when tasks demand access to social conceptual knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars A Ross
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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Shibata M, Toyomura A, Itoh H, Abe JI. Neural substrates of irony comprehension: A functional MRI study. Brain Res 2010; 1308:114-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2009] [Revised: 10/12/2009] [Accepted: 10/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Kipps CM, Nestor PJ, Acosta-Cabronero J, Arnold R, Hodges JR. Understanding social dysfunction in the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia: the role of emotion and sarcasm processing. Brain 2009; 132:592-603. [PMID: 19126572 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awn314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interaction is profoundly affected in the behavioural form of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) yet there are few means of objectively assessing this. Diagnosis of bvFTD is based on informant report, however a number of individuals with a clinical profile consistent with the disease have no imaging abnormality and seem to remain stable, with doubt about the presence of underlying neurodegenerative pathology. We aimed to quantify aspects of the behavioural disorder and link it to the underlying level of atrophy in socially relevant brain regions. We tested individuals with either bvFTD (N = 26) or Alzheimer's disease (N = 9) and 16 controls using The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) to assess their ability to identify emotion and sarcasm in video vignettes. A subset of bvFTD patients (N = 21) and controls (N = 12) were scanned using MRI within 6 months of assessment. There was marked impairment in the ability of bvFTD patients whose scans showed abnormalities to recognize sarcastic, but not sincere statements. Their capacity to interpret negative emotion was also impaired, and this appeared to be a major factor underlying the deficit in sarcasm recognition. Clinically diagnosed bvFTD patients whose scans were normal, Alzheimer's disease patients and controls had no difficulty in appreciating both types of statement. In a multivariate imaging analysis it was shown that the sarcasm (and emotion recognition) deficit was dependent on a circuit involving the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, insula, amygdala and temporal pole, particularly on the right. Performance on a more global test of cognitive function, the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination did not have a unique association with these regions. The TASIT is an objective test of social dysfunction in bvFTD which indexes the frontotemporal volume loss in bvFTD patients and provides an objective measure for separating behavioural patients who are likely to decline from those who may remain stable. These results provide additional evidence for the role of the orbitofrontal cortex and related structures in the processing of socially relevant signals, particularly those where negative emotion recognition is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Kipps
- Cognitive Disorders Group, Wessex Neurological Centre, Southampton University NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
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