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Halonen R, Kuula L, Selin M, Suutari A, Antila M, Pesonen AK. REM Sleep Preserves Affective Response to Social Stress-Experimental Study. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0453-23.2024. [PMID: 38802242 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0453-23.2024] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep's contribution to affective regulation is insufficiently understood. Previous human research has focused on memorizing or rating affective pictures and less on physiological affective responsivity. This may result in overlapping definitions of affective and declarative memories and inconsistent deductions for how rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and slow-wave sleep (SWS) are involved. Literature associates REMS theta (4-8 Hz) activity with emotional memory processing, but its contribution to social stress habituation is unknown. Applying selective sleep stage suppression and oscillatory analyses, we investigated how sleep modulated affective adaptation toward social stress and retention of neutral declarative memories. Native Finnish participants (N = 29; age, M = 25.8 years) were allocated to REMS or SWS suppression conditions. We measured physiological (skin conductance response, SCR) and subjective stress response and declarative memory retrieval thrice: before laboratory night, the next morning, and after 3 d. Linear mixed models were applied to test the effects of condition and sleep parameters on emotional responsivity and memory retrieval. Greater overnight increase in SCR toward the stressor emerged after suppressed SWS (intact REMS) relative to suppressed REMS (20.1% vs 6.1%; p = 0.016). The overnight SCR increase was positively associated with accumulated REMS theta energy irrespective of the condition (r = 0.601; p = 0.002). Subjectively rated affective response and declarative memory recall were comparable between the conditions. The contributions of REMS and SWS to habituation of social stress are distinct. REMS theta activity proposedly facilitates the consolidation of autonomic affective responses. Declarative memory consolidation may not have greater dependence on intact SWS relative to intact REMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risto Halonen
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Liisa Kuula
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Maikki Selin
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Alma Suutari
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Minea Antila
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Anu-Katriina Pesonen
- SleepWell Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
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2
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Negrón-Oyarzo I, Dib T, Chacana-Véliz L, López-Quilodrán N, Urrutia-Piñones J. Large-scale coupling of prefrontal activity patterns as a mechanism for cognitive control in health and disease: evidence from rodent models. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1286111. [PMID: 38638163 PMCID: PMC11024307 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1286111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control of behavior is crucial for well-being, as allows subject to adapt to changing environments in a goal-directed way. Changes in cognitive control of behavior is observed during cognitive decline in elderly and in pathological mental conditions. Therefore, the recovery of cognitive control may provide a reliable preventive and therapeutic strategy. However, its neural basis is not completely understood. Cognitive control is supported by the prefrontal cortex, structure that integrates relevant information for the appropriate organization of behavior. At neurophysiological level, it is suggested that cognitive control is supported by local and large-scale synchronization of oscillatory activity patterns and neural spiking activity between the prefrontal cortex and distributed neural networks. In this review, we focus mainly on rodent models approaching the neuronal origin of these prefrontal patterns, and the cognitive and behavioral relevance of its coordination with distributed brain systems. We also examine the relationship between cognitive control and neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex, and its role in normal cognitive decline and pathological mental conditions. Finally, based on these body of evidence, we propose a common mechanism that may underlie the impaired cognitive control of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Tatiana Dib
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Lorena Chacana-Véliz
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Nélida López-Quilodrán
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jocelyn Urrutia-Piñones
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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3
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Shah SN, Dounavi ME, Malhotra PA, Lawlor B, Naci L, Koychev I, Ritchie CW, Ritchie K, O’Brien JT. Dementia risk and thalamic nuclei volumetry in healthy midlife adults: the PREVENT Dementia study. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae046. [PMID: 38444908 PMCID: PMC10914447 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
A reduction in the volume of the thalamus and its nuclei has been reported in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and asymptomatic individuals with risk factors for early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Some studies have reported thalamic atrophy to occur prior to hippocampal atrophy, suggesting thalamic pathology may be an early sign of cognitive decline. We aimed to investigate volumetric differences in thalamic nuclei in middle-aged, cognitively unimpaired people with respect to dementia family history and apolipoprotein ε4 allele carriership and the relationship with cognition. Seven hundred participants aged 40-59 years were recruited into the PREVENT Dementia study. Individuals were stratified according to dementia risk (approximately half with and without parental dementia history). The subnuclei of the thalamus of 645 participants were segmented on T1-weighted 3 T MRI scans using FreeSurfer 7.1.0. Thalamic nuclei were grouped into six regions: (i) anterior, (ii) lateral, (iii) ventral, (iv) intralaminar, (v) medial and (vi) posterior. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the computerized assessment of the information-processing battery. Robust linear regression was used to analyse differences in thalamic nuclei volumes and their association with cognitive performance, with age, sex, total intracranial volume and years of education as covariates and false discovery rate correction for multiple comparisons. We did not find significant volumetric differences in the thalamus or its subregions, which survived false discovery rate correction, with respect to first-degree family history of dementia or apolipoprotein ε4 allele status. Greater age was associated with smaller volumes of thalamic subregions, except for the medial thalamus, but only in those without a dementia family history. A larger volume of the mediodorsal medial nucleus (Pfalse discovery rate = 0.019) was associated with a faster processing speed in those without a dementia family history. Larger volumes of the thalamus (P = 0.016) and posterior thalamus (Pfalse discovery rate = 0.022) were associated with significantly worse performance in the immediate recall test in apolipoprotein ε4 allele carriers. We did not find significant volumetric differences in thalamic subregions in relation to dementia risk but did identify an interaction between dementia family history and age. Larger medial thalamic nuclei may exert a protective effect on cognitive performance in individuals without a dementia family history but have little effect on those with a dementia family history. Larger volumes of posterior thalamic nuclei were associated with worse recall in apolipoprotein ε4 carriers. Our results could represent initial dysregulation in the disease process; further study is needed with functional imaging and longitudinal analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sita N Shah
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Maria-Eleni Dounavi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Paresh A Malhotra
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Brian Lawlor
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PX31, Ireland
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 X9W9, Ireland
| | - Lorina Naci
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PX31, Ireland
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 X9W9, Ireland
| | - Ivan Koychev
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK
| | - Craig W Ritchie
- Centre for Dementia Prevention, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Institute de Neurosciences de Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier 34093, France
| | - John T O’Brien
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
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Jaster AM, González-Maeso J. Mechanisms and molecular targets surrounding the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3595-3612. [PMID: 37759040 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02274-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics, also known as classical hallucinogens, have been investigated for decades due to their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders. The results from clinical trials have shown promise for the use of psychedelics to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as to promote substantial decreases in the use of nicotine and alcohol. While these studies provide compelling evidence for the powerful subjective experience and prolonged therapeutic adaptations, the underlying molecular reasons for these robust and clinically meaningful improvements are still poorly understood. Preclinical studies assessing the targets and circuitry of the post-acute effects of classical psychedelics are ongoing. Current literature is split between a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR)-dependent or -independent signaling pathway, as researchers are attempting to harness the mechanisms behind the sustained post-acute therapeutically relevant effects. A combination of molecular, behavioral, and genetic techniques in neuropharmacology has begun to show promise for elucidating these mechanisms. As the field progresses, increasing evidence points towards the importance of the subjective experience induced by psychedelic-assisted therapy, but without further cross validation between clinical and preclinical research, the why behind the experience and its translational validity may be lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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Guo D, Chen H, Wang L, Yang J. Effects of prior knowledge on brain activation and functional connectivity during memory retrieval. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13650. [PMID: 37608065 PMCID: PMC10444832 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40966-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays an important role in schema-related memory. However, there is an intensive debate to what extent the activation of subregions of the hippocampus is involved in retrieving schema-related memory. In addition, it is unclear how the functional connectivity (FC) between the vmPFC and the hippocampus, as well as the connectivity of the vmPFC with other regions, are modulated by prior knowledge (PK) during memory retrieval over time. To address these issues, participants learned paragraphs that described features of each unfamiliar word from familiar and unfamiliar categories (i.e., high and low PK conditions) 20 min, 1 day, and 1 week before the test. They then performed a recognition task to judge whether the sentences were old in the scanner. The results showed that the activation of the anterior-medial hippocampus (amHPC) cluster was stronger when the old sentences with high (vs. low) PK were correctly retrieved. The activation of the posterior hippocampus (pHPC) cluster, as well as the vmPFC, was stronger when the new sentences with high (vs. low) PK were correctly rejected (i.e., CR trials), whereas the cluster of anterior-lateral hippocampus (alHPC) showed the opposite. The FC of the vmPFC with the amHPC and perirhinal cortex/inferior temporal gyrus was stronger in the high (vs. low) PK condition, whereas the FC of the vmPFC with the alHPC, thalamus and frontal regions showed the opposite for the CR trials. This study highlighted that different brain networks, which were associated with the vmPFC, subregions of the hippocampus and cognitive control regions, were responsible for retrieving the information with high and low PK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingrong Guo
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Haoyu Chen
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Lingwei Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jiongjiong Yang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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6
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Guo D, Yang J. Reactivation of schema representation in lateral occipital cortex supports successful memory encoding. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:5968-5980. [PMID: 36520467 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Schemas provide a scaffold onto which we can integrate new memories. Previous research has investigated the brain activity and connectivity underlying schema-related memory formation. However, how schemas are represented and reactivated in the brain, in order to enhance memory, remains unclear. To address this issue, we used an object–location spatial schema that was learned over multiple sessions, combined with similarity analyses of neural representations, to investigate the reactivation of schema representations of object–location memories when a new object–scene association is learned. In addition, we investigated how this reactivation affects subsequent memory performance under different strengths of schemas. We found that reactivation of a schema representation in the lateral occipital cortex (LOC) during object–scene encoding affected subsequent associative memory performance only in the schema-consistent condition and increased the functional connectivity between the LOC and the parahippocampal place area. Taken together, our findings provide new insight into how schema acts as a scaffold to support the integration of novel information into existing cortical networks and suggest a neural basis for schema-induced rapid cortical learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingrong Guo
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behaviour and Mental Health, Peking University , 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiongjiong Yang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behaviour and Mental Health, Peking University , 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China
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7
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Folvik L, Sneve MH, Ness HT, Vidal-Piñeiro D, Raud L, Geier OM, Walhovd KB, Fjell AM. Sustained upregulation of widespread hippocampal-neocortical coupling following memory encoding. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:4844-4858. [PMID: 36190442 PMCID: PMC10110434 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Systems consolidation of new experiences into lasting episodic memories involves hippocampal-neocortical interactions. Evidence of this process is already observed during early post-encoding rest periods, both as increased hippocampal coupling with task-relevant perceptual regions and reactivation of stimulus-specific patterns following intensive encoding tasks. We investigate the spatial and temporal characteristics of these hippocampally anchored post-encoding neocortical modulations. Eighty-nine adults participated in an experiment consisting of interleaved memory task- and resting-state periods. We observed increased post-encoding functional connectivity between hippocampus and individually localized neocortical regions responsive to stimuli encountered during memory encoding. Post-encoding modulations were manifested as a nearly system-wide upregulation in hippocampal coupling with all major functional networks. The configuration of these extensive modulations resembled hippocampal-neocortical interaction patterns estimated from active encoding operations, suggesting hippocampal post-encoding involvement exceeds perceptual aspects. Reinstatement of encoding patterns was not observed in resting-state scans collected 12 h later, nor when using other candidate seed regions. The similarity in hippocampal functional coupling between online memory encoding and offline post-encoding rest suggests reactivation in humans involves a spectrum of cognitive processes engaged during the experience of an event. There were no age effects, suggesting that upregulation of hippocampal-neocortical connectivity represents a general phenomenon seen across the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Folvik
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Markus H Sneve
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Hedda T Ness
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Didac Vidal-Piñeiro
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Liisa Raud
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Oliver M Geier
- Department of Diagnostic Physics, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Rikshospitalet, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine B Walhovd
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway.,Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Rikshospitalet, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway.,Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, OUS, Rikshospitalet, 0424 Oslo, Norway
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8
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Escitalopram modulates learning content-specific neuroplasticity of functional brain networks. Neuroimage 2021; 247:118829. [PMID: 34923134 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning-induced neuroplastic changes, further modulated by content and setting, are mirrored in brain functional connectivity (FC). In animal models, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to facilitate neuroplasticity. This is especially prominent during emotional relearning, such as fear extinction, which may translate to clinical improvements in patients. To investigate a comparable modulation of neuroplasticity in humans, 99 healthy subjects underwent three weeks of emotional (matching faces) or non-emotional learning (matching Chinese characters to unrelated German nouns). Shuffled pairings of the original content were subsequently relearned for the same time. During relearning, subjects received either a daily dose of the SSRI escitalopram or placebo. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and after the (re-)learning phases. FC changes in a network comprising Broca's area, the medial prefrontal cortex, the right inferior temporal and left lingual gyrus were modulated by escitalopram intake. More specifically, it increased the bidirectional connectivity between medial prefrontal cortex and lingual gyrus for non-emotional and the connectivity from medial prefrontal cortex to Broca's area for emotional relearning. The context dependence of these effects together with behavioral correlations supports the assumption that SSRIs in clinical practice improve neuroplasticity rather than psychiatric symptoms per se. Beyond expanding the complexities of learning, these findings emphasize the influence of external factors on human neuroplasticity.
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Passiatore R, Antonucci LA, Bierstedt S, Saranathan M, Bertolino A, Suchan B, Pergola G. How recent learning shapes the brain: Memory-dependent functional reconfiguration of brain circuits. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118636. [PMID: 34637904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of storing recently encoded episodic mnestic traces so that they are available for subsequent retrieval is accompanied by specific brain functional connectivity (FC) changes. In this fMRI study, we examined the early processing of memories in twenty-eight healthy participants performing an episodic memory task interposed between two resting state sessions. Memory performance was assessed through a forced-choice recognition test after the scanning sessions. We investigated resting state system configuration changes via Independent Component Analysis by cross-modeling baseline resting state spatial maps onto the post-encoding resting state, and post-encoding resting state spatial maps onto baseline. We identified both persistent and plastic components of the overall brain functional configuration between baseline and post-encoding. While FC patterns within executive, default mode, and cerebellar circuits persisted from baseline to post-encoding, FC within the visual circuit changed. A significant session × performance interaction characterized medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex FC with the visual circuit, as well as thalamic FC within the executive control system. Findings reveal early-stage FC changes at the system-level subsequent to a learning experience and associated with inter-individual variation in memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Passiatore
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, IT 70124, Italy; Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30303, United States
| | - Linda A Antonucci
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, IT 70124, Italy; Department of Education, Psychology and Communication Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, IT 70121, Italy
| | - Sabine Bierstedt
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Neuropsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, DE 44801, Germany
| | - Manojkumar Saranathan
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85724, United States
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, IT 70124, Italy
| | - Boris Suchan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Neuropsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, DE 44801, Germany
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, IT 70124, Italy; Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore MD 21205, United States.
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10
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van de Mortel LA, Thomas RM, van Wingen GA. Grey Matter Loss at Different Stages of Cognitive Decline: A Role for the Thalamus in Developing Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:705-720. [PMID: 34366336 PMCID: PMC8543264 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive impairment and large loss of grey matter volume and is the most prevalent form of dementia worldwide. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage that precedes the AD dementia stage, but individuals with MCI do not always convert to the AD dementia stage, and it remains unclear why. Objective: We aimed to assess grey matter loss across the brain at different stages of the clinical continuum of AD to gain a better understanding of disease progression. Methods: In this large-cohort study (N = 1,386) using neuroimaging data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, voxel-based morphometry analyses were performed between healthy controls, individuals with early and late and AD dementia stage. Results: Clear patterns of grey matter loss in mostly hippocampal and temporal regions were found across clinical stages, though not yet in early MCI. In contrast, thalamic volume loss seems one of the first signs of cognitive decline already during early MCI, whereas this volume loss does not further progress from late MCI to AD dementia stage. AD dementia stage converters already show grey matter loss in hippocampal and mid-temporal areas as well as the posterior thalamus (pulvinar) and angular gyrus at baseline. Conclusion: This study confirms the role of temporal brain regions in AD development and suggests additional involvement of the thalamus/pulvinar and angular gyrus that may be linked to visuospatial, attentional, and memory related problems in both early MCI and AD dementia stage conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Ansem van de Mortel
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Universityof Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rajat Mani Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Universityof Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guido Alexander van Wingen
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Universityof Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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11
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Troyner F, Bertoglio LJ. Nucleus reuniens of the thalamus controls fear memory reconsolidation. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 177:107343. [PMID: 33242589 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens has been shown to support the acquisition, consolidation, maintenance, destabilization upon retrieval, and extinction of aversive memories. However, the direct participation of this thalamic subregion in memory reconsolidation is yet to be examined. The present study addressed this question in contextually fear-conditioned rats. Post-reactivation infusion of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol, the glutamate N2A-containing NMDA receptor antagonist TCN-201, or the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin into the NR induced significant impairments in memory reconsolidation. Administering muscimol or TCN-201 and anisomycin locally, or associating locally infused muscimol or TCN-201 with systemically administered clonidine, an α2-receptor adrenergic agonist that attenuates the noradrenergic tonus associated with memory reconsolidation, produced no further reduction in freezing times when compared with the muscimol-vehicle, TCN-201-vehicle, vehicle-anisomycin, and vehicle-clonidine groups. This pattern of results indicates that such treatment combinations produced no additive/synergistic effects on reconsolidation. It is plausible that NR inactivation and antagonism of glutamate N2A-containing NMDA receptors weakened/prevented the subsequent action of anisomycin and clonidine because they disrupted the early stages of signal transduction pathways involved in memory reconsolidation. It is noteworthy that these pharmacological interventions, either alone or combined, induced no contextual memory specificity changes, as assessed in a later test in a novel and unpaired context. Besides, omitting memory reactivation precluded the impairing effects of muscimol, TCN-201, anisomycin, and clonidine on reconsolidation. Together, the present findings demonstrate interacting mechanisms through which the NR can regulate contextual fear memory restabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Troyner
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Leandro Jose Bertoglio
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil.
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Geier KT, Buchsbaum BR, Parimoo S, Olsen RK. The role of anterior and medial dorsal thalamus in associative memory encoding and retrieval. Neuropsychologia 2020; 148:107623. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Dolleman-van der Weel MJ, Witter MP. The thalamic midline nucleus reuniens: potential relevance for schizophrenia and epilepsy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 119:422-439. [PMID: 33031816 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Anatomical, electrophysiological and behavioral studies in rodents have shown that the thalamic midline nucleus reuniens (RE) is a crucial link in the communication between hippocampal formation (HIP, i.e., CA1, subiculum) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), important structures for cognitive and executive functions. A common feature in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative brain diseases is a dysfunctional connectivity/communication between HIP and mPFC, and disturbances in the cognitive domain. Therefore, it is assumed that aberrant functioning of RE may contribute to behavioral/cognitive impairments in brain diseases characterized by cortico-thalamo-hippocampal circuit dysfunctions. In the human brain the connections of RE are largely unknown. Yet, recent studies have found important similarities in the functional connectivity of HIP-mPFC-RE in humans and rodents, making cautious extrapolating experimental findings from animal models to humans justifiable. The focus of this review is on a potential involvement of RE in schizophrenia and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Dolleman-van der Weel
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway.
| | - M P Witter
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway.
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Abstract
While in the past much of our knowledge about memory representations in the brain has relied on loss-of-function studies in which whole brain regions were temporarily inactivated or permanently lesioned, the recent development of new methods has ushered in a new era of downright "engram excitement." Animal research is now able to specifically label, track, and manipulate engram cells in the brain. While early studies have mostly focused on single brain regions like the hippocampus, recently more and more evidence for brain-wide distributed engram networks is emerging. Memory research in humans has also picked up pace, fueled by promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based methods like diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and brain decoding. In this review, we will outline recent advancements in engram research, with a focus on human data and neocortical representations. We will illustrate the available noninvasive methods for the detection of engrams in different neocortical regions like the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal cortex and discuss evidence for systems consolidation and parallel memory encoding. Finally, we will explore how reactivation and prior knowledge can lead to and enhance engram formation in the neocortex.
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16
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Barker GRI, Warburton EC. Multi-level analyses of associative recognition memory: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020; 32:80-87. [PMID: 32617383 PMCID: PMC7323598 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Associative recognition memory depends on the integration of information concerning an item and the spatio-temporal context in which it was encountered. Such an integration depends on dynamic interactions across a brain-wide memory network. Here we discuss evidence from multiple levels of analysis, behavioural, cellular and synaptic which demonstrating the existence of multiple overlapping, subnetworks embedded within these large-scale networks. Recent advances have revealed that of these subnetworks, a distinct hippocampal-prefrontal networks are engaged by different representations (object-spatial or object temporal). Other subnetworks are recruited by distinct processing demands, such as encoding and retrieval which are supported by distinct cellular and synaptic processes. One challenge to multi-level investigations of memory continues to be that conclusions are drawn from correlations of effects rather than from direct evidence of causation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth RI Barker
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology andNeuroscience University of Bristol University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Clea Warburton
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology andNeuroscience University of Bristol University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
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Alonso A, van der Meij J, Tse D, Genzel L. Naïve to expert: Considering the role of previous knowledge in memory. Brain Neurosci Adv 2020; 4:2398212820948686. [PMID: 32954007 PMCID: PMC7479862 DOI: 10.1177/2398212820948686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, most of our new memories are in some way or another related to what we have already experienced. However, in memory research, especially in non-human animal research, subjects are often mostly naïve to the world. But we know that previous knowledge will change how memories are processed and which brain areas are critical at which time point. Each process from encoding, consolidation, to memory retrieval will be affected. Here, we summarise previous knowledge effects on the neurobiology of memory in both humans and non-human animals, with a special focus on schemas - associative network structures. Furthermore, we propose a new theory on how there may be a continuous gradient from naïve to expert, which would modulate the importance and role of brain areas, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Alonso
- Donders Centre for Brain,
Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jacqueline van der Meij
- Donders Centre for Brain,
Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dorothy Tse
- Center for Discovery Brain
Sciences, Edinburgh Neuroscience, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh,
UK
| | - Lisa Genzel
- Donders Centre for Brain,
Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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