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Ward C, Sjulson L, Batista-Brito R. The function of Mef2c toward the development of excitatory and inhibitory cortical neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1465821. [PMID: 39376213 PMCID: PMC11456456 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1465821] [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: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are caused by abnormal brain development, leading to altered brain function and affecting cognition, learning, self-control, memory, and emotion. NDDs are often demarcated as discrete entities for diagnosis, but empirical evidence indicates that NDDs share a great deal of overlap, including genetics, core symptoms, and biomarkers. Many NDDs also share a primary sensitive period for disease, specifically the last trimester of pregnancy in humans, which corresponds to the neonatal period in mice. This period is notable for cortical circuit assembly, suggesting that deficits in the establishment of brain connectivity are likely a leading cause of brain dysfunction across different NDDs. Regulators of gene programs that underlie neurodevelopment represent a point of convergence for NDDs. Here, we review how the transcription factor MEF2C, a risk factor for various NDDs, impacts cortical development. Cortical activity requires a precise balance of various types of excitatory and inhibitory neuron types. We use MEF2C loss-of-function as a study case to illustrate how brain dysfunction and altered behavior may derive from the dysfunction of specific cortical circuits at specific developmental times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Ward
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Lucas Sjulson
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Renata Batista-Brito
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
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Grootjans Y, Harrewijn A, Fornari L, Janssen T, de Bruijn ERA, van Atteveldt N, Franken IHA. Getting closer to social interactions using electroencephalography in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101391. [PMID: 38759529 PMCID: PMC11127236 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101391] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of developmental cognitive neuroscience is advancing rapidly, with large-scale, population-wide, longitudinal studies emerging as a key means of unraveling the complexity of the developing brain and cognitive processes in children. While numerous neuroscientific techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have proved advantageous in such investigations, this perspective proposes a renewed focus on electroencephalography (EEG), leveraging underexplored possibilities of EEG. In addition to its temporal precision, low costs, and ease of application, EEG distinguishes itself with its ability to capture neural activity linked to social interactions in increasingly ecologically valid settings. Specifically, EEG can be measured during social interactions in the lab, hyperscanning can be used to study brain activity in two (or more) people simultaneously, and mobile EEG can be used to measure brain activity in real-life settings. This perspective paper summarizes research in these three areas, making a persuasive argument for the renewed inclusion of EEG into the toolkit of developmental cognitive and social neuroscientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette Grootjans
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Anita Harrewijn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Fornari
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tieme Janssen
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Nienke van Atteveldt
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ingmar H A Franken
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Chung H, Wilkinson CL, Job Said A, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Evaluating early EEG correlates of restricted and repetitive behaviors for toddlers with or without autism. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3871138. [PMID: 38313269 PMCID: PMC10836096 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3871138/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Background Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) are among the primary characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite the potential impact on later developmental outcomes, our understanding of the neural underpinnings of RRBs is limited. Alterations in EEG alpha activity have been observed in ASD and implicated in RRBs, however, developmental changes within the alpha band requires careful methodological considerations when studying its role in brain-behavior relationships during infancy and early childhood. Novel approaches now enable the parameterization of the power spectrum into periodic and aperiodic components. This study aimed to characterize the neural correlates of RRBs in infancy by (1) comparing infant resting-state measures (periodic alpha and aperiodic activity) between infants who develop ASD, elevated likelihood infants without ASD, and low likelihood infants without ASD, and (2) evaluate whether these infant EEG measures are associated with frequency of RRBs measured at 24 months. Methods Baseline non-task related EEG data were collected from 12-to-14-month-old infants with and without elevated likelihood of autism (N=160), and periodic alpha activity (periodic alpha power, individual peak alpha frequency and amplitude), and aperiodic activity measures (aperiodic exponent) were calculated. Parent-reported RRBs were obtained at 24 months using the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised questionnaire. Group differences in EEG measures were evaluated using ANCOVA, and multiple linear regressions were conducted to assess relationships between EEG and RRB measures. Results No group-level differences in infant EEG measures were observed. Marginal effects analysis of linear regressions revealed significant associations within the ASD group, such that higher periodic alpha power, lower peak alpha frequency, and lower aperiodic exponent, were associated with elevated RRBs at 24 months. No significant associations were observed for non-ASD outcome groups. Limitations The sample size for ASD (N=19) was modest for examining brain-behavior relations. Larger sample sizes are needed to increase statistical power. Conclusion For infants with later ASD diagnoses, measures of alpha and aperiodic activity measured at 1-year of age were associated with later manifestation of RRBs at 2-years. Longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate whether the early trajectory of these EEG measures and their dynamic relations in development influence manifestations of RRBs in ASD.
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Zhu J, Hammond BM, Zhou XM, Constantinidis C. Laminar pattern of adolescent development changes in working memory neuronal activity. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:980-989. [PMID: 37703490 PMCID: PMC10649837 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00294.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescent development is characterized by an improvement in cognitive abilities, such as working memory. Neurophysiological recordings in a nonhuman primate model of adolescence have revealed changes in neural activity that mirror improvement in behavior, including higher firing rate during the delay intervals of working memory tasks. The laminar distribution of these changes is unknown. By some accounts, persistent activity is more pronounced in superficial layers, so we sought to determine whether changes are most pronounced there. We therefore analyzed neurophysiological recordings from the young and adult stage of male monkeys, at different cortical depths. Superficial layers exhibited an increased baseline firing rate in the adult stage. Unexpectedly, we also detected substantial increases in delay period activity in the middle layers after adolescence, which was confirmed even after excluding penetrations near sulci. Finally, improved discriminability around the saccade period was most evident in the deeper layers. These results reveal the laminar pattern of neural activity maturation that is associated with cognitive improvement.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Structural brain changes are evident during adolescent development particularly in the cortical thickness of the prefrontal cortex, at a time when working memory ability increases markedly. The depth distribution of neurophysiological changes during adolescence is not known. Here, we show that neurophysiological changes are not confined to superficial layers, which have most often been implicated in the maintenance of working memory. Contrary to expectations, substantial changes were evident in intermediate layers of the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junda Zhu
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Benjamin M Hammond
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Xin Maizie Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Christos Constantinidis
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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Zhu J, Hammond BM, Zhou XM, Constantinidis C. Laminar pattern of adolescent development changes in working memory neuronal activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.550982. [PMID: 37546979 PMCID: PMC10402138 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.550982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent development is characterized by an improvement in cognitive abilities, such as working memory. Neurophysiological recordings in a non-human primate model of adolescence have revealed changes in neural activity that mirror improvement in behavior, including higher firing rate during the delay intervals of working memory tasks. The laminar distribution of these changes is unknown. By some accounts, persistent activity is more pronounced in superficial layers, so we sought to determine whether changes are most pronounced there. We therefore analyzed neurophysiological recordings from neurons recorded in the young and adult stage, at different cortical depths. Superficial layers exhibited increased baseline firing rate in the adult stage. Unexpectedly, changes in persistent activity were most pronounced in the middle layers. Finally, improved discriminability of stimulus location was most evident in the deeper layers. These results reveal the laminar pattern of neural activity maturation that is associated with cognitive improvement. NEW AND NOTEWORTHY Structural brain changes are evident during adolescent development particularly in the cortical thickness of the prefrontal cortex, at a time when working memory ability increases markedly. The depth distribution of neurophysiological changes during adolescence is not known. Here we show that neurophysiological changes are not confined to superficial layers, which have most often been implicated in the maintenance of working memory. Contrary to expectations, greatest changes were evident in intermediate layers of the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junda Zhu
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
| | | | - Xin Maizie Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
| | - Christos Constantinidis
- Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212
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Wang C, Zeng L, Cao X, Dai J, Liu Y, Gao Z, Qin Y, Yang L, Wang H, Wen Z. Synergistic effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation and inhibitory control training on electrophysiological performance in healthy adults. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1123860. [PMID: 36968500 PMCID: PMC10033592 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1123860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a non-invasive nerve stimulation technique that exerts a positive “exogenous” online neuromodulatory effect on inhibitory control (IC). Additionally, IC training (ICT) is an effective approach for enhancing IC via the “endogenous” activation of brain regions implicated in this process. The aim of the present study was to examine the synergistic effects of tVNS and ICT on IC enhancement. For this, we measured the changes in neural activity in frontal, fronto-central, and central regions in the time domain of the N2 component and the frequency domain of alpha power during the stop signal task. A total of 58 participants were randomly divided into four groups that received five sessions of either ICT or sham ICT with either online tVNS or sham tVNS. No differences in N2 amplitude were detected after any of the interventions. However, N2 latency shortened after tVNS + ICT in frontal, fronto-central, and central regions. N2 latency shortened after the intervention of sham tVNS + ICT in frontal region. Moreover, alpha power after tVNS + ICT intervention was larger than those of the other interventions in frontal, fronto-central, and central regions. The obtained electrophysiological data suggested that combining tVNS with ICT has synergistic ameliorative effects on IC, and provide evidence supporting the IC-enhancing potential of tVNS combined with ICT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunchen Wang
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lingwei Zeng
- Department of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xinsheng Cao
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jing Dai
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhijun Gao
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yilong Qin
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Lin Yang,
| | - Hang Wang
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Hang Wang,
| | - Zhihong Wen
- Department of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Zhihong Wen,
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Ravindranath O, Calabro FJ, Foran W, Luna B. Pubertal development underlies optimization of inhibitory control through specialization of ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 58:101162. [PMID: 36308857 PMCID: PMC9618767 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control improves into young adulthood after specialization of relevant brain systems during adolescence. However, the biological mechanisms supporting this unique transition are not well understood. Given that adolescence is defined by puberty, we examined relative contributions of chronological age and pubertal maturation to inhibitory control development. 105 8-19-year-olds completed 1-5 longitudinal visits (227 visits total) in which pubertal development was assessed via self-reported Tanner stage and inhibitory control was assessed with an in-scanner antisaccade task. As expected, percentage and latency of correct antisaccade responses improved with age and pubertal stage. When controlling for pubertal stage, chronological age was distinctly associated with correct response rate. In contrast, pubertal stage was uniquely associated with antisaccade latency even when controlling for age. Chronological age was associated with fMRI task activation in several regions including the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while puberty was associated with right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) activation. Furthermore, task-related connectivity between VLPFC and cingulate was associated with both pubertal stage and response latency. These results suggest that while age-related developmental processes may support maturation of brain systems underlying the ability to inhibit a response, puberty may play a larger role in the effectiveness of generating cognitive control responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orma Ravindranath
- Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
| | - Finnegan J Calabro
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA
| | | | - Beatriz Luna
- Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, USA
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8
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Gerván P, Bunford N, Utczás K, Tróznai Z, Oláh G, Szakács H, Kriston P, Gombos F, Kovács I. Maturation-dependent vulnerability of emotion regulation as a response to COVID-19 related stress in adolescents. J Pediatr Nurs 2022; 67:132-138. [PMID: 36116346 PMCID: PMC9475295 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2022.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic created unpredictable circumstances resulting in increased psychological strain. Here we investigate pandemic-related alterations in emotion regulation in adolescents assessed before and during the pandemic. We also take biological age into account in the response to the pandemic. METHODS Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to compare baseline data on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) total scores of a pre-pandemic adolescent cohort (n = 241) with those obtained during the second wave of the pandemic (n = 266). We estimated biological age based on an ultrasonic boneage assessment procedure in a subgroup of males, including grammar school and vocational school students in the 9th and 10th grades, and analyzed their data independently. FINDINGS There is a gender difference in the timing of vulnerability for pandemic-related stress in grammar school students: females are affected a year earlier than males. Vocational school male students mature faster than grammar school male students, and the timing of emotional vulnerability also precedes that of the grammar school students'. DISCUSSION We interpret our findings within a developmental model suggesting that there might be a window of highest vulnerability in adolescent emotion regulation. The timing of the window is determined by both chronological and biological age, and it is different for females and males. APPLICATION TO PRACTICE Defining the exact temporal windows of vulnerability for different adolescent cohorts allows for the timely integration of preventive actions into adolescent care to protect mental health during future chronic stressful situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Gerván
- Institute of Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary; Adolescent Development Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary.
| | - Nóra Bunford
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Res. Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Katinka Utczás
- Research Centre for Sport Physiology, University of Physical Education, Budapest 1123, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Tróznai
- Research Centre for Sport Physiology, University of Physical Education, Budapest 1123, Hungary
| | - Gyöngyi Oláh
- Adolescent Development Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary; Doctoral School of Mental Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest 1089, Hungary; Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary
| | - Hanna Szakács
- Doctoral School of Mental Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest 1089, Hungary; Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary
| | - Pálma Kriston
- Doctoral School of Education University of Szeged, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, 6722, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Gombos
- Adolescent Development Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary; Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary
| | - Ilona Kovács
- Adolescent Development Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Res. Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest 1088, Hungary
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9
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Kang W, Hernández SP, Rahman MS, Voigt K, Malvaso A. Inhibitory Control Development: A Network Neuroscience Perspective. Front Psychol 2022; 13:651547. [PMID: 36300046 PMCID: PMC9588931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.651547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the core executive functions, inhibition plays an important role in human life through development. Inhibitory control is defined as the ability to suppress actions when they are unlikely to accomplish valuable results. Contemporary neuroscience has investigated the underlying neural mechanisms of inhibitory control. The controversy started to arise, which resulted in two schools of thought: a modulatory and a network account of inhibitory control. In this systematic review, we survey developmental mechanisms in inhibitory control as well as neurodevelopmental diseases related to inhibitory dysfunctions. This evidence stands against the modulatory perspective of inhibitory control: the development of inhibitory control does not depend on a dedicated region such as the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) but relies on a more broadly distributed network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixi Kang
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Katharina Voigt
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Antonio Malvaso
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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10
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Waldthaler J, Stock L, Student J, Sommerkorn J, Dowiasch S, Timmermann L. Antisaccades in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2021; 31:628-642. [PMID: 33742354 PMCID: PMC8592977 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09489-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The usefulness of eye-tracking tasks as potential biomarkers for motor or cognitive disease burden in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been subject of debate for many years. Several studies suggest that the performance in the antisaccade task may be altered in patients with PD and associated with motor disease severity or executive dysfunction. In this meta-analysis, random effects models were used to synthesize the existing evidence on antisaccade error rates and latency in PD. Furthermore, meta-regressions were performed to assess the role of motor and cognitive disease severity, dopaminergic medication and methodological factors. Additionally, the impact of acute levodopa administration and activation of deep brain stimulation was evaluated in two separate sub-analyses.This meta-analysis confirms that antisaccade latency and error rate are significantly increased in PD. Disease duration, Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale score and Hoehn and Yahr stage mediate the effect of PD on antisaccade latency with higher motor burden being associated with increased antisaccade latency.Acute administration of levodopa had no significant effects on antisaccade performance in a small number of eligible studies. Deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus, on the other hand, may alter the speed accuracy trade-off supporting an increase of impulsivity following deep brain stimulation in PD.According to the results of the meta-analysis, antisaccade latency may provide a potential marker for disease severity and progression in PD which needs further confirmation in longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Waldthaler
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Marburg, 35033, Marburg, Germany.
- CMBB - Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Lena Stock
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Marburg, 35033, Marburg, Germany
| | - Justus Student
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Marburg, 35033, Marburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Sommerkorn
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Marburg, 35033, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Dowiasch
- CMBB - Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Neurophysics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Thomas RECORDING GmbH, Giessen, Germany
| | - Lars Timmermann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Marburg, 35033, Marburg, Germany
- CMBB - Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities Gießen and Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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11
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Camacho MC, Quiñones-Camacho LE, Perlman SB. Does the child brain rest?: An examination and interpretation of resting cognition in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Neuroimage 2020; 212:116688. [PMID: 32114148 PMCID: PMC7190083 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In cognitive neuroscience, measurements of "resting baseline" are often considered stable across age and used as a reference point against which to judge cognitive state. The task-based approach-comparing resting baseline to task conditions-implies that resting baseline is an equalizer across participants and-in the case of studies of developmental changes in cognition-across age groups. In contrast, network neuroscience explicitly examines the development of "resting state" networks across age, at odds with the idea of a consistent resting baseline. Little attention has been paid to how cognition during rest may shift across development, particularly in children under the age of eight. Childhood is marked by striking maturation of neural systems, including a protracted developmental period for cognitive control systems. To grow and shape these cognitive systems, children have a developmental imperative to engage their neural circuitry at every possible opportunity. Thus, periods of "rest" without specific instructions may require additional control for children as they fight against developmental expectation to move, speak, or otherwise engage. We therefore theorize that the child brain does not rest in a manner consistent with the adult brain as longer rest periods may represent increased cognitive control. To shape this theory, we first review the extant literature on neurodevelopment across early childhood within the context of cognitive development. Next, we present nascent evidence for a destabilized baseline for comparisons across age. Finally, we present recommendations for designing, analyzing, and interpreting tasks conducted with young children as well as for resting state. Future work must aim to tease apart the cognitive context under which we examine functional brain development in young children and take considerations into account unique to each age.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Catalina Camacho
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (Neurosciences), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | | | - Susan B Perlman
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (Neurosciences), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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12
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Spanoudis G, Demetriou A. Mapping Mind-Brain Development: Towards a Comprehensive Theory. J Intell 2020; 8:E19. [PMID: 32357452 PMCID: PMC7713015 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence8020019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The relations between the developing mind and developing brain are explored. We outline a theory of intellectual development postulating that the mind comprises four systems of processes (domain-specific, attention and working memory, reasoning, and cognizance) developing in four cycles (episodic, realistic, rule-based, and principle-based representations, emerging at birth, 2, 6, and 11 years, respectively), with two phases in each. Changes in reasoning relate to processing efficiency in the first phase and working memory in the second phase. Awareness of mental processes is recycled with the changes in each cycle and drives their integration into the representational unit of the next cycle. Brain research shows that each type of processes is served by specialized brain networks. Domain-specific processes are rooted in sensory cortices; working memory processes are mainly rooted in hippocampal, parietal, and prefrontal cortices; abstraction and alignment processes are rooted in parietal, frontal, and prefrontal and medial cortices. Information entering these networks is available to awareness processes. Brain networks change along the four cycles, in precision, connectivity, and brain rhythms. Principles of mind-brain interaction are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Spanoudis
- Psychology Department, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andreas Demetriou
- Department of Psychology, University of Nicosia, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus;
- Cyprus Academy of Science, Letters, and Arts, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
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13
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Troller-Renfree SV, Buzzell GA, Fox NA. Changes in working memory influence the transition from reactive to proactive cognitive control during childhood. Dev Sci 2020; 23:e12959. [PMID: 32141641 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control develops rapidly over the first decade of life, with one of the dominant changes being a transition from reliance on 'as-needed' control (reactive control) to a more planful, sustained form of control (proactive control). Although the emergence of proactive control is important for mature behavior, we know little about how this transition takes place, the neural correlates of this transition, and whether development of executive functions influences the ability to adopt a proactive control strategy. This study addresses these questions, focusing on the transition from reactive to proactive control in a cross-sectional sample of 79 children-forty-one 5-year-olds and thirty-eight 9-year-olds. Children completed an adapted version of the AX-Continuous Performance Task while electroencephalography was recorded and a standardized executive function battery was administered. Results revealed 5-year-olds predominantly employed reactive strategies, whereas 9-year-olds used proactive strategies. Use of proactive control was predicted by working memory ability, above and beyond other executive functions. Moreover, when enacting proactive control, greater increases in neural activity underlying working memory updating were observed; links between working memory ability and proactive control strategy use were mediated by such neural activity. These results provide convergent evidence that the transition from reactive to proactive control may be dependent on age-related changes in neurocognitive indices of working memory and that working memory may influence adopting a proactive control strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya V Troller-Renfree
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - George A Buzzell
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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14
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Constantinidis C, Luna B. Neural Substrates of Inhibitory Control Maturation in Adolescence. Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:604-616. [PMID: 31443912 PMCID: PMC6721973 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory control matures through adolescence and into early adulthood, impacting decision-making. Impairments in inhibitory control are associated with various psychopathologies, many of which emerge during adolescence. In this review, we examine the neural basis of developmental improvements in inhibitory control by integrating findings from humans and non-human primates, identifying the structural and functional specialization of executive brain systems that mediates cognitive maturation. Behavioral manifestations of response inhibition suggest that adolescents are capable of producing adult level responses on occasion, but lack the ability to engage systems mediating response inhibition in a consistent fashion. Maturation is associated with changes in structural anatomy as well as local and systems-level connectivity. Functional changes revealed by neuroimaging and neurophysiology indicate that maturation of inhibitory control is achieved through improvements in response preparation, error processing, and planned responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Constantinidis
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, and The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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15
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Bowers ME, Buzzell GA, Salo V, Troller-Renfree SV, Hodgkinson CA, Goldman D, Gorodetsky E, Martin McDermott J, Henderson HA, Fox NA. Relations between catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met genotype and inhibitory control development in childhood. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 62:181-190. [PMID: 31372986 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The Val158Met rs4680 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, primarily involved in dopamine breakdown within prefrontal cortex, has shown relations with inhibitory control (IC) in both adults and children. However, little is known about how COMT genotype relates to developmental trajectories of IC throughout childhood. Here, our study explored the effects of the COMT genotype (Val/Val, Val/Met, and Met/Met) on IC trajectories between the ages of 5 and 10 years. Children (n = 222) completed a Go/Nogo task at ages 5, 7, and 10; IC was characterized using signal detection theory to examine IC performance (d') and response strategy (RS) (criterion). COMT genotype was not related to initial levels of IC performance and RS at age 5 or change in RS from ages 5 to 10. In contrast, COMT genotype was related to change in IC performance between 5 and 10 years. While Val/Val children did not differ from Val/Met children in development of IC performance, children with the Met/Met genotype exhibited more rapid development of IC performance when compared with Val/Met peers. These results suggest that COMT genotype modulates the development of IC performance in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen E Bowers
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - George A Buzzell
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Virginia Salo
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Sonya V Troller-Renfree
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Colin A Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Intramural Research Program, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Intramural Research Program, The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elena Gorodetsky
- Office of Research on Women's Health, The National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Nathan A Fox
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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16
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Deep brain stimulation of the internal capsule enhances human cognitive control and prefrontal cortex function. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1536. [PMID: 30948727 PMCID: PMC6449385 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09557-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a circuit-oriented treatment for mental disorders. Unfortunately, even well-conducted psychiatric DBS clinical trials have yielded inconsistent symptom relief, in part because DBS’ mechanism(s) of action are unclear. One clue to those mechanisms may lie in the efficacy of ventral internal capsule/ventral striatum (VCVS) DBS in both major depression (MDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). MDD and OCD both involve deficits in cognitive control. Cognitive control depends on prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions that project into the VCVS. Here, we show that VCVS DBS’ effect is explained in part by enhancement of PFC-driven cognitive control. DBS improves human subjects’ performance on a cognitive control task and increases theta (5–8Hz) oscillations in both medial and lateral PFC. The theta increase predicts subjects’ clinical outcomes. Our results suggest a possible mechanistic approach to DBS therapy, based on tuning stimulation to optimize these neurophysiologic phenomena. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment for psychiatric disorders, but its mechanism in relieving symptoms is unclear. Here, the authors show that DBS of ventral internal capsule/ventral striatum (VCVS) may act by enhancing prefrontal cortex oscillations that in turn enhance cognitive control.
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17
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Alpha Oscillations Modulate Preparatory Activity in Marmoset Area 8Ad. J Neurosci 2019; 39:1855-1866. [PMID: 30651331 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2703-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control often requires suppression of prepotent stimulus-driven responses in favor of less potent alternatives. Suppression of prepotent saccades has been shown to require proactive inhibition in the frontoparietal saccade network. Electrophysiological evidence in macaque monkeys has revealed neural correlates of such inhibition in this network; however, the interlaminar instantiation of inhibitory processes remains poorly understood because these areas lie deep within sulci in macaques, rendering them inaccessible to laminar recordings. Here, we addressed this gap by exploiting the mostly lissencephalic cortex of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). We inserted linear electrode arrays into areas 8Ad-the putative marmoset frontal eye field-and the lateral intraparietal area of two male marmosets and recorded neural activity during performance of a task comprised of alternating blocks of trials requiring a saccade either toward a large, high-luminance stimulus or the inhibition of this prepotent response in favor of a saccade toward a small, low-luminance stimulus. We observed prominent task-dependent activity in both alpha/gamma bands of the LFP and discharge rates of single neurons in area 8Ad during a prestimulus task epoch in which the animals had been instructed which of these two tasks to perform but before peripheral stimulus onset. These data are consistent with a model in which rhythmic alpha-band activity in deeper layers inhibits spiking in upper layers to support proactive inhibitory saccade control.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Failures to inhibit automatic saccadic responses are a hallmark of many neuropsychiatric disorders, but how this process is implemented across the cortical layers in the frontoparietal saccade network remains unknown because many of the areas are inaccessible to laminar recordings in macaques. Here, we investigated laminar neural activity in marmoset monkeys, which have a smooth cortex. Monkeys were required either to generate or inhibit a prepotent saccade response. In area 8Ad, the putative frontal eye field in marmosets, rhythmic alpha-band activity (9-14 Hz) was higher in deeper layers and spiking activity was lower in upper layers when the animals were instructed to suppress a saccade toward a peripheral stimulus. Reduced alpha power during task preparation may be the underlying common neural basis of a saccade suppression deficit.
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18
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Larsen B, Luna B. Adolescence as a neurobiological critical period for the development of higher-order cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 94:179-195. [PMID: 30201220 PMCID: PMC6526538 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is characterized by improvements in higher-order cognitive abilities and corresponding refinements of the structure and function of the brain regions that support them. Whereas the neurobiological mechanisms that govern early development of sensory systems are well-understood, the mechanisms that drive developmental plasticity of association cortices, such as prefrontal cortex (PFC), during adolescence remain to be explained. In this review, we synthesize neurodevelopmental findings at the cellular, circuit, and systems levels in PFC and evaluate them through the lens of established critical period (CP) mechanisms that guide early sensory development. We find remarkable correspondence between these neurodevelopmental processes and the mechanisms driving CP plasticity, supporting the hypothesis that adolescent development is driven by CP mechanisms that guide the rapid development of neurobiology and cognitive ability during adolescence and their subsequent stability in adulthood. Critically, understanding adolescence as a CP not only provides a mechanism for normative adolescent development, it provides a framework for understanding the role of experience and neurobiology in the emergence of psychopathology that occurs during this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Larsen
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
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19
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Bluschke A, Friedrich J, Schreiter ML, Roessner V, Beste C. A comparative study on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying effects of methylphenidate and neurofeedback on inhibitory control in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 20:1191-1203. [PMID: 30390574 PMCID: PMC6214870 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD(H)D), treatments using methylphenidate (MPH) and behavioral interventions like neurofeedback (NF) reflect major therapeutic options. These treatments also ameliorate executive dysfunctions in AD(H)D. However, the mechanisms underlying effects of MPH and NF on executive functions in AD(H)D (e.g. the ability to inhibit prepotent responses) are far from understood. It is particularly unclear whether these interventions affect similar or dissociable neural mechanisms and associated functional neuroanatomical structures. This, however, is important when aiming to further improve these treatments. We compared the neurophysiological mechanisms of MPH and theta/beta NF treatments on inhibitory control on the basis of EEG recordings and source localization analyses. The data show that MPH and theta/beta NF both increase the ability to inhibit pre-potent responses to a similar extent. However, the data suggest that MPH and NF target different neurophysiological mechanisms, especially when it comes to functional neuroanatomical structures associated with these effects. Both treatments seem to affect neurophysiological correlates of a ‘braking function’ in medial frontal areas. However, in case of the NF intervention, inferior parietal areas are also involved. This likely reflects the updating and stabilisation of efficient internal representations in order to initiate appropriate actions. No effects were seen in correlates of perceptual and attentional selection processes. Notably, reliable effects were only obtained after accounting for intra-individual variability in the neurophysiological data, which may also explain the diversity of findings in studies on treatment effects in AD(H)D, especially concerning neurofeedback. Neurophysiological mechanisms of methylphenidate (MPH) and neurofeedback (NF) in ADHD are compared. Both treatments improve inhibition, but have different underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. Both treatments affect the neurophysiological correlates of a ‘breaking function’ in medial frontal areas. NF also affects inferior parietal areas and likely the updating of internal representations. Distinctive effects are only seen when accounting for intra-individual variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annet Bluschke
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany.
| | - Julia Friedrich
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie Luise Schreiter
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
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20
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Voorhies W, Dajani DR, Vij SG, Shankar S, Turan TO, Uddin LQ. Aberrant functional connectivity of inhibitory control networks in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2018; 11:1468-1478. [PMID: 30270514 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Development of inhibitory control is a core component of executive function processes and a key aspect of healthy development. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show impairments in performance on inhibitory control tasks. Nevertheless, the research on the neural correlates of these impairments is inconclusive. Here, we explore the integrity of inhibitory control networks in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children using resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imagaing (MRI). In a large multisite sample, we find evidence for significantly greater functional connectivity (FC) of the right inferior frontal junction (rIFJ) with the posterior cingulate gyrus, and left and right frontal poles in children with ASD compared with TD children. Additionally, TD children show greater FC of rIFJ with the superior parietal lobule (SPL) compared with children with ASD. Furthermore, although higher rIFJ-SPL and rIFJ-IPL FC was related to better inhibitory control behaviors in both ASD and TD children, rIFJ-dACC FC was only associated with inhibitory control behaviors in TD children. These results provide preliminary evidence of differences in intrinsic functional networks supporting inhibitory control in children with ASD, and provide a basis for further exploration of the development of inhibitory control in children with the disorder. Autism Research 2018, 11: 1468-1478. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Inhibitory control is an important process in healthy cognitive development. Behavioral studies suggest that inhibitory control is impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, research examining the neural correlates underlying inhibitory control differences in children with ASD is inconclusive. This study reveals differences in functional connectivity of brain networks important for inhibitory control in children with ASD compared with typically developing children. Furthermore, it relates brain network differences to parent-reported inhibitory control behaviors in children with ASD. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that differences in brain connectivity may underlie observable behavioral deficits in inhibitory control in children with the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willa Voorhies
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Dina R Dajani
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Shruti G Vij
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Sahana Shankar
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida
| | | | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
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21
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Bluschke A, von der Hagen M, Novotna B, Roessner V, Beste C. Executive Function Deficits in Seriously Ill Children-Emerging Challenges and Possibilities for Clinical Care. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:92. [PMID: 29721487 PMCID: PMC5915456 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The past years have seen an incredible increase in the quality and success rates of treatments in pediatric medicine. One of the resulting major challenges refers to the management of primary or secondary residual executive function deficits in affected children. These deficits lead to problems in the ability to acquire, understand, and apply abstract and complex knowledge and to plan, direct, and control actions. Executive functions deficits are important to consider because they are highly predictive of functioning in social and academic aspects of daily life. We argue that current clinical practice does not sufficiently account for the complex cognitive processes in this population. This is because widely applied pharmacological interventions only rarely account for the complexity of the underlying neuronal mechanisms and do not fit well into possibly powerful "individualized medicine" approaches. Novel treatment approaches targeting deficits in executive functions in seriously ill children could focus on neuronal oscillations, as these have some specific relations to different aspects of executive function. Importantly, such treatment approaches can be individually tailored to the individuals' deficits and can be transferred into home-treatment or e-health solutions. These approaches are easy-to-use, can be easily integrated into daily life, and are becoming increasingly cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annet Bluschke
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maja von der Hagen
- Abteilung Neuropädiatrie, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Novotna
- Abteilung Neuropädiatrie, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Prague, Czechia.,Institute of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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22
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Weiss EM, Gschaidbauer B, Kaufmann L, Fink A, Schulter G, Mittenecker E, Papousek I. Age-related differences in inhibitory control and memory updating in boys with Asperger syndrome. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 267:651-659. [PMID: 28025692 PMCID: PMC5610201 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-016-0756-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in specific executive domains are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder; however, age-related improvements in executive functions (reflecting prefrontal maturational changes) have been reported even in individuals diagnosed with autism. The current study examined two components of cognitive flexibility (inhibition of prepotent responses and memory monitoring/updating) by using a random-motor-generation task (MPT) in a group of 23 boys with Asperger syndrome (AS) and 23 matched healthy controls. We found poorer inhibition and more repetitive responses in younger AS children solely, but comparable memory monitoring/updating skills across groups. Overall, our findings correspond well with previous studies and reveal that even in AS specific EFs may improve with age and, thus, call for a more differentiated view of executive (dys) function profiles in children diagnosed with AS. Tests such as the random-motor-generation task may help to disentangle more specific processes of executive deficits in autism spectrum disorder as compared to the more classical tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth M Weiss
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| | - Bianca Gschaidbauer
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Liane Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy A, General Hospital Hall, Tirol, Austria
| | - Andreas Fink
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Günter Schulter
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Erich Mittenecker
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Ilona Papousek
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
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23
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Holland AK, Mitchell GA, Steele A, Bunting J, Harrison DW. Hostility and cognitive control: Evidence of increased cardiovascular reactivity as a function of exposure to affective stress using a dichotic listening paradigm. Int J Psychophysiol 2017; 131:57-66. [PMID: 28890181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Indices of cognitive control were examined in men with high and low levels of trait hostility as a function of exposure to affective and cognitive stress. A dual concurrent task paradigm was used whereby participants intentionally directed focus to the left or right ear under dichotic listening conditions before and after exposure to angry infant vocalizations. Analysis of the behavioral data supports the prediction of reduced right frontal regulatory control in men with high levels of hostility as indicated by diminished capacity to suppress report of phonemes presented to the language dominant left hemisphere (right ear) in the Focus Left condition. This diminishment in the capacity to suppress report of phonemes presented to the right ear in the Focus Left condition is suggestive of reduced cognitive control. With respect to the neurophysiological data, heart rate increased for only men with high levels of hostility in the Focus Left condition, and this was especially evident in the post-affective stress condition. This increase in right hemisphere arousal provides additional evidence of reduced cognitive control and support for the capacity model of hostility by implicating poor right frontal regulatory control over right posterior cerebral regions under dual task conditions. The results are discussed in terms of integrating the construct of cognitive control into the capacity model as well as providing implications regarding reductions in the capacity to suppress predominant aggressive responses in domestic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa K Holland
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Lancaster, 476 Hubbard Drive, Lancaster, SC 29720, USA.
| | - Gina A Mitchell
- Department of Psychology, Adams State College, 208 Edgemont Blvd, Alamosa, CO 81102, USA.
| | - Angela Steele
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Lancaster, 476 Hubbard Drive, Lancaster, SC 29720, USA.
| | - Jessica Bunting
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Lancaster, 476 Hubbard Drive, Lancaster, SC 29720, USA.
| | - David W Harrison
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 925 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
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24
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Alamian G, Hincapié AS, Pascarella A, Thiery T, Combrisson E, Saive AL, Martel V, Althukov D, Haesebaert F, Jerbi K. Measuring alterations in oscillatory brain networks in schizophrenia with resting-state MEG: State-of-the-art and methodological challenges. Clin Neurophysiol 2017; 128:1719-1736. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.06.246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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25
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Proactive Control: Neural Oscillatory Correlates of Conflict Anticipation and Response Slowing. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0061-17. [PMID: 28560315 PMCID: PMC5446487 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0061-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Proactive control allows us to anticipate environmental changes and adjust behavioral strategy. In the laboratory, investigators have used a number of different behavioral paradigms, including the stop-signal task (SST), to examine the neural processes of proactive control. Previous functional MRI studies of the SST have demonstrated regional responses to conflict anticipation-the likelihood of a stop signal or P(stop) as estimated by a Bayesian model-and reaction time (RT) slowing and how these responses are interrelated. Here, in an electrophysiological study, we investigated the time-frequency domain substrates of proactive control. The results showed that conflict anticipation as indexed by P(stop) was positively correlated with the power in low-theta band (3-5 Hz) in the fixation (trial onset)-locked interval, and go-RT was negatively correlated with the power in delta-theta band (2-8 Hz) in the go-locked interval. Stimulus prediction error was positively correlated with the power in the low-beta band (12-22 Hz) in the stop-locked interval. Further, the power of the P(stop) and go-RT clusters was negatively correlated, providing a mechanism relating conflict anticipation to RT slowing in the SST. Source reconstruction with beamformer localized these time-frequency activities close to brain regions as revealed by functional MRI in earlier work. These are the novel results to show oscillatory electrophysiological substrates in support of trial-by-trial behavioral adjustment for proactive control.
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26
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Murty VP, Calabro F, Luna B. The role of experience in adolescent cognitive development: Integration of executive, memory, and mesolimbic systems. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 70:46-58. [PMID: 27477444 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence marks a time of unique neurocognitive development, in which executive functions reach adult levels of maturation. While many core facets of executive function may reach maturation in childhood, these processes continue to be refined and stabilized during adolescence. We propose that this is mediated, in part, by interactions between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Specifically, we propose that development of this circuit refines adolescents' ability to extract relevant information from prior experience to support task-relevant behavior. In support of this model, we review evidence for protracted structural and functional development both within and across the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. We describe emerging research demonstrating the refinement of adolescents' ability to integrate prior experiences to support goal-oriented behavior, which parallel hippocampal-prefrontal integration. Finally, we speculate that the development of this circuit is mediated by increases in dopaminergic neuromodulation present in adolescence, which may underlie memory processing, plasticity, and circuit integration. This model provides a novel characterization of how memory and executive systems integrate throughout adolescence to support adaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu P Murty
- Psychiatry Departments, University of Pittsburgh, United States.
| | | | - Beatriz Luna
- Psychiatry Departments, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Psychology Departments, University of Pittsburgh, United States
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