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Xia X, Li Y, Song Y, Dong Y, Chen R, Zhang J, Tan X. Modulation of intracortical circuits in primary motor cortex during automatic action tendencies. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:909-918. [PMID: 38483581 PMCID: PMC11003908 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02783-7] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Humans display automatic action tendencies toward emotional stimuli, showing faster automatic behavior (i.e., approaching a positive stimulus and avoiding a negative stimulus) than regulated behavior (i.e., avoiding a positive stimulus and approaching a negative stimulus). Previous studies have shown that the primary motor cortex is involved in the processing of automatic actions, with higher motor evoked potential amplitudes during automatic behavior elicited by single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. However, it is unknown how intracortical circuits are involved with automatic action tendencies. Here, we measured short-interval intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation within the primary motor cortex by using paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols during a manikin task, which has been widely used to explore approaching and avoiding behavior. Results showed that intracortical facilitation was stronger during automatic behavior than during regulated behavior. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between reaction times and intracortical facilitation effect during automatic behavior: individuals with short reaction times had stronger faciliatory activity, as shown by higher intracortical facilitation. By contrast, no significant difference was found for short-interval intracortical inhibition between automatic behavior and regulated behavior. The results indicated that the intracortical facilitation circuit, mediated by excitatory glutamatergic neurons, in the primary motor cortex, plays an important role in mediating automatic action tendencies. This finding further supports the link between emotional perception and the action system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xia
- School of Social Development and Health Management, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yansong Li
- School of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuyu Song
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanjun Dong
- School of Social Development and Health Management, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Robert Chen
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoying Tan
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Rua de Luis Gonzaga Gomes, Macao S.A.R., China.
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Xia X, Wang D, Li Y, Zhu X, Tan X, Wu Y. The trial-by-trial fluctuations in primary motor cortex excitability during attentional bias among smokers: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2024; 24:100468. [PMID: 38803683 PMCID: PMC11129100 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background A relatively new computational approach called trial-level bias score (TL-BS) has shown that attentional bias to smoking-related stimuli in smokers fluctuates temporally, trial by trial, during attention tasks. Here, we investigated the reliability of using TL-BS values to assess attentional bias and the electrophysiology mechanisms undergirding fluctuations in attentional bias among smokers. Method In total, 26 male smokers and 26 male non-smokers performed a dot-probe task in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, an additional 23 male smokers and 23 male non-smokers performed the same task while undergoing single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation, which was used to investigate corticospinal excitability. Results It showed that assessing TL-BS parameters for reaction time (RT) was more reliable than calculating the traditional mean attentional bias score; however, this superior reliability was no longer apparent after controlling for general RT variability. There was a significant difference between smokers and non-smokers in TL-BS parameters calculated for both RT and motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude. However, TL-BS parameters for RT and MEP amplitude were strongly correlated with general RT variability and general MEP variability, respectively. Conclusions Our findings indicated that TL-BS parameters may not be ideal for measuring attentional bias at either the behavioral or electrophysiology level; however, larger general RT and MEP amplitude variabilities in non-smokers may indicate dysregulation of cognitive processing in smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xia
- School of Social Development and Health Management, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yansong Li
- School of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoyun Zhu
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoying Tan
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
| | - Yin Wu
- School of Economics and Management, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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Chen Y, Zhao Q, Ding Y, Lu Y. Task relevance alters the effect of emotion on congruency judgments during action understanding. Conscious Cogn 2024; 120:103682. [PMID: 38554524 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103682] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The congruency judgments in action understanding helps individuals make timely adjustments to unexpected occurrence, and this process may be influenced by emotion. Previous research has showed contradictory effect of emotion on conflict processing, possibly due to the degree of relevance between emotion and task. However, to date, no study has systematically manipulated the relevance to explore how emotion affects congruency judgments in action understanding. We employed a cue-target paradigm and controlled the way emotional stimuli were presented on the target interface, setting up three experiments: emotion served as task-irrelevant distractor, task-irrelevant target and task-relevant target. The results showed that when emotion was irrelevant to the task, it impaired congruency judgements performance, regardless of a distractor or a target, while task-relevant emotion facilitated this process. These findings indicate that the impact of emotion on congruency judgements during action understanding depends on the degree of emotion-task relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiheng Chen
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, China
| | - Qiwei Zhao
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, China
| | - Yueyi Ding
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, China
| | - Yingzhi Lu
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, China; Research Center for Exercise and Brain Science, Shanghai University of Sport, China; Key Laboratory of Sports Cognition Assessment and Regulation of the General Administration of Sport of China, Shanghai University of Sport, China.
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Song Y, Pi Y, Tan X, Xia X, Liu Y, Zhang J. Approach-avoidance behavior and motor-specific modulation towards smoking-related cues in smokers. Addiction 2023; 118:1895-1907. [PMID: 37400937 DOI: 10.1111/add.16285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS By performing three transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) experiments, we measured the motor-specific modulatory mechanisms in the primary motor cortex (M1) at both the intercortical and intracortical levels when smokers actively approach or avoid smoking-related cues. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS For all experiments, the design was group (smokers versus non-smokers) × action (approach versus avoidance) × image type (neutral versus smoking-related). The study was conducted at the Shanghai University of Sport, CHN, TMS Laboratory. For experiment 1, 30 non-smokers and 30 smokers; for experiment 2, 16 non-smokers and 16 smokers; for experiment 3, 16 non-smokers and 16 smokers. MEASUREMENTS For all experiments, the reaction times were measured using the smoking stimulus-response compatibility task. While performing the task, single-pulse TMS was applied to the M1 in experiment 1 to measure the excitability of the corticospinal pathways, and paired-pulse TMS was applied to the M1 in experiments 2 and 3 to measure the activity of intracortical facilitation (ICF) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) circuits, respectively. FINDINGS Smokers had faster responses when approaching smoking-related cues (F1,58 = 36.660, P < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.387), accompanied by higher excitability of the corticospinal pathways (F1,58 = 10.980, P = 0.002, η p 2 = 0.159) and ICF circuits (F1,30 = 22.187, P < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.425), while stronger SICI effects were observed when they avoided these cues (F1,30 = 10.672, P = 0.003, η p 2 = 0.262). CONCLUSIONS Smokers appear to have shorter reaction times, higher motor-evoked potentials and stronger intracortical facilitation effects when performing approach responses to smoking-related cues and longer reaction times, a lower primary motor cortex descending pathway excitability and a stronger short-interval intracortical inhibition effect when avoiding them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyu Song
- Center for Exercise and Brain Science, School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Pi
- Shanghai Punan Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoying Tan
- School of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
| | - Xue Xia
- Center for Exercise and Brain Science, School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- School of Social Development and Health Management, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Liu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Center for Exercise and Brain Science, School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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Xia X, Pi Y, Xia J, Li Y, Shi Q, Zhang J, Tan X. Bilateral motor cortex functional differences in left-handed approaching-avoiding behavior. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14194. [PMID: 36250797 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14194] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Automatic action tendencies occur at behavioral and neurophysiological levels during task performance with the dominant right hand, with shorter reaction times (RTs) and higher excitability of the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1) during automatic vs. regulated behavior. However, effects associated with the non-dominant left-hand in approaching-avoiding behavior remain unclear. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation during the performance by 18 participants of an approaching-avoiding task using the non-dominant left hand. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied over left or right M1 at 150 and 300 ms after the onset of an emotional stimulus. RTs and motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded. Significant automatic action tendencies were observed at the behavioral level. Higher MEP amplitudes were detected 150 ms after stimulus onset from the right hand (non-task hand, corresponding to left M1) during regulated behavior compared with during automatic behavior. However, no significant modulation was found for MEP amplitudes from the left hand (task hand, corresponding to right M1). These findings suggested that left M1 may play a principal role in the early phase of mediating left-handed movement toward an emotional stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xia
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.,Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yanling Pi
- Shanghai Punan Hospital of Pudong New District, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Xia
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yansong Li
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingde Shi
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoying Tan
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
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Li D, Zhang L, Wang X. The Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Approach-Avoidance Behaviors in Women: Evidence from Conscious and Unconscious Processes. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101417. [PMID: 36291350 PMCID: PMC9599574 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The menstrual cycle affects women’s emotional states, with estrogen and progesterone having predominant roles. However, it remains unclear whether the phases of the menstrual cycle also affect women’s motivational behaviors. In this study, the main aim was to investigate how the menstrual cycle influences approach–avoidance behavior under conditions of conscious versus unconscious processing of emotions. Briefly, after recruitment by advertisement and screening with a menstrual cycle survey questionnaire, 27 naturally cycling, healthy women participated in an improved “manikin task” and were presented both positive and negative emotional stimuli during early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases. Estrogen and progesterone levels were measured. Women in the late follicular phase exhibited the shortest response times for approaching positive stimuli, while women in the mid-luteal phase exhibited the shortest response times for avoiding negative stimuli. Estrogen and progesterone levels significantly correlated with the speed of the approach–avoidance responses observed for the women, indicating the important role that sex hormones have in mediating emotionally motivated behavior. Overall, these findings suggest that the menstrual cycle has strong and specific influences on women’s approach–avoidance behaviors that are in part mediated by estrogen and progesterone. By identifying characteristics of these behaviors in the late follicular and mid-luteal phases, greater insight can be provided to women regarding the physiological influences of the menstrual cycle on their personal growth and security.
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Qiu F, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Zhang J, Liu H. Gender dimorphic M1 excitability during emotional processing: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13987. [PMID: 36061749 PMCID: PMC9438768 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is widely held that emotions prime the body for action. However, the influence of gender on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability during emotional processing is not well explored. Methods Using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we stimulated the right or left M1 at 150 ms and 300 ms after emotional stimulation onset (presentation of negative, neutral, and positive pictures to male and female subjects). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) ratio induced by single-pulse TMS was used to assess changes in corticospinal excitability. Results In response to right M1 stimulation, males demonstrated higher MEP ratios following presentation of negative pictures at 150 ms while MEP ratios in response to presentation of positive pictures were greater at 300 ms. Furthermore, male subjects showed larger MEP ratios in right M1 versus left M1 at 300 ms after initiation of positive pictures, indicating lateralization of motor excitability in male subjects. Conclusions The current study thus provides neurophysiological evidence to support gender differences and functional lateralization of motor excitability in response to emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanghui Qiu
- Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, China
| | - Lanlan Zhang
- Department of Leisure Sports and Management, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Shanghai Punan Hospital of Pudong New District, Shanghai, China
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Mao X, Li A. Unconscious priming shares a common resource pool with the manipulation subsystem. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13312. [PMID: 35462759 PMCID: PMC9029430 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Working memory can be subdivided into two relatively independent subordinate systems, the maintenance subsystem and the manipulation subsystem. Although the two subsystems are quite heterogeneous, research thus far has not adequately distinguished the resource pools of the two subsystems. Additionally, previous research on the relationship between working memory and unconscious priming is paradoxical. Different subsystems leading to different effects on unconscious priming might be the reason for the paradoxical research. Therefore, the current article aimed to distinguish the resource pools among two working-memory subsystems and to investigate the relationship between the two subsystems and unconscious priming. Methods To address these issues, a maintenance dual-task and a manipulation dual-task program were developed. Each participant had to separately perform the two dual tasks in a balanced order. In each dual task, participants first completed a masked priming task accompanied by working-memory load. As a control, participants completed a prime identification test to confirm that the processing of the masked prime was at the unconscious level. The maintenance dual task comprised sandwich masking trials accompanied by Sternberg trials, while the manipulation dual task comprised sandwich masking trials accompanied by N-back trials. Results The results of the prime identification test indicated that the participants could not consciously perceive the masked prime of both dual tasks. The results of the working-memory task of both dual tasks indicated that the load manipulation was successful for both dual tasks. Most importantly, the results of the masking task of both dual tasks showed that an increase in working-memory load decreased the magnitude of unconscious priming in the manipulation dual task, whereas an increase in working-memory load did not decrease unconscious priming in the maintenance dual task. These observations demonstrate that the manipulation subsystem, rather than the maintenance subsystem, interferes with unconscious priming. Together with previous research, we propose a two-pool attention resource model to explain the modulation of working memory on unconscious priming by dissociating the executive resource pool of the manipulation system from the retention resource pool of the maintenance system. Thus, the current work confirms and extends the extant literature about the dependence of unconscious processing on attention resources by suggesting that unconscious priming shares a common resource pool with the manipulation subsystem.
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Li Y, Xia X, Yu A, Xu H, Zhang C. Duration of an acute moderate-intensity exercise session affects approach bias toward high-calorie food among individuals with obesity. Appetite 2022; 172:105955. [PMID: 35122877 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.105955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is partly driven by unhealthy eating behaviors underpinned by an approach bias toward high-calorie food. Although exercise is a useful strategy for weight loss among individuals with obesity, whether exercise modulates this approach bias is unclear. This study assessed whether the duration of an acute moderate-intensity exercise altered the approach bias toward high-calorie food among individuals with obesity. In total, 24 individuals with obesity were included in this study with a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design. Participants completed three sessions of 30, 45, or 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (40%-59% of heart rate reserve) on an elliptical trainer or completed a control rest session for 55 minutes. Food approach bias was evaluated using a joystick-based approach-avoidance task immediately before and after each session. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. We found that compared with that before exercise, the approach bias score toward high-calorie food was significantly decreased only in the 45-minute exercise session (p = .015) and that this score was also significantly lower than that after both the 60-minute exercise session (p = .002) and the control session (p = .024). These findings suggest a dose-response relationship between exercise duration and approach bias, with 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise being an effective strategy for decreasing the approach bias toward high-calorie food among individuals with obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yansong Li
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Xia
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Anqi Yu
- Shanghai Dianfeng Institute of Fat Lose, Shanghai, China
| | - Huangmei Xu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunhua Zhang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
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