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Kérébel A, Caille JA, Sackur J. Dynamics of spontaneous thoughts: Exploration, attentional profile and the segmentation of the stream of thoughts. Conscious Cogn 2024; 124:103735. [PMID: 39173572 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103735] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
For a long time, clinical knowledge and first-person reports have pointed to individual differences in the dynamics of spontaneous thoughts, in particular in the extreme case of psychiatric conditions (e.g. racing thoughts in Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD; rumination in depression). We used a novel procedure to investigate this individual variability by combining verbal fluency tasks and introspective reports of thought content. Our goal was twofold. First, we tested the hypothesis that a greater segmentation of the stream of thoughts would be associated with trait inattention, in line with subjective reports of ADHD patients. Second, we tested whether the segmentation of the stream of thoughts increased with an increased tendency for exploratory behavior, following recent theoretical claims on the mechanisms underpinning the generation of spontaneous thoughts. Our results support both hypotheses, shedding light on the factors contributing to the individual variability in the dynamics of the stream of thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Kérébel
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (LSCP), Département d'Études Cognitives de l'École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University, Paris, France.
| | - Jacques-Antoine Caille
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (LSCP), Département d'Études Cognitives de l'École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Sackur
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (LSCP), Département d'Études Cognitives de l'École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University, Paris, France; Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de l'X, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
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2
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Chen J, Bornstein AM. The causal structure and computational value of narratives. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:769-781. [PMID: 38734531 PMCID: PMC11305923 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.04.003] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Many human behavioral and brain imaging studies have used narratively structured stimuli (e.g., written, audio, or audiovisual stories) to better emulate real-world experience in the laboratory. However, narratives are a special class of real-world experience, largely defined by their causal connections across time. Much contemporary neuroscience research does not consider this key property. We review behavioral and neuroscientific work that speaks to how causal structure shapes comprehension of and memory for narratives. We further draw connections between this work and reinforcement learning, highlighting how narratives help link causes to outcomes in complex environments. By incorporating the plausibility of causal connections between classes of actions and outcomes, reinforcement learning models may become more ecologically valid, while simultaneously elucidating the value of narratives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Chen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Aaron M Bornstein
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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3
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Li H, Hills T. Time, valence, and imagination: a comparative study of thoughts in restricted and unrestricted mind wandering. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1510-1521. [PMID: 38767718 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01969-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
William James' "stream of thought" is a key component of human cognition. Such thoughts arise in both restricted and unrestricted contexts, either with or without the presence of a secondary task. This study examines the similarities and differences in thoughts produced in these two contexts, which we call restricted and unrestricted mind wandering. Participants performed a mindfulness task representing restricted mind wandering and an unrestricted thought task where they spontaneously explored thoughts, reporting them as they arose. Participants then self-rated their thoughts based on valence, temporal orientation (past/present/future), and reality orientation (imaginary vs. real). Participants' emotional states were also evaluated using the Emotion Recall Task (ERT) and the PANAS questionnaire. Unrestricted mind wandering generated more thoughts, which were more positive and future-oriented than those in restricted mind wandering. Additionally, participants' thought valence correlated with their PANAS and ERT scores. Approximately 1 out of 4 thoughts in both restricted and unrestricted mind wandering were imaginary, with increased future orientation linked to more imaginative thought. Despite the statistical differences separating restricted and unrestricted thought, effect sizes were predominantly small, indicating that the thoughts arise during these two types of mind wandering are largely of the same kind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halleyson Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
| | - Thomas Hills
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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4
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Yeung RC, Fernandes MA. Recurrent involuntary memories and mind wandering are related but distinct. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1483-1498. [PMID: 38652302 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01961-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Spontaneous thought is common in daily life, and includes recurrent involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs; memories retrieved unintentionally and repetitively) and mind wandering (MW). Both recurrent IAMs and MW are often unintentional or unconstrained, and both predict symptoms of mental health disorders. However, not all MW is unintentional, and not all IAMs are unconstrained. To what extent do recurrent IAMs and MW converge versus diverge? Undergraduates (N = 2,701) completed self-report measures of recurrent IAMs, trait MW, and psychopathology (i.e., PTSD, depression, anxiety). Regressions indicated that recurrent IAMs were significantly associated with spontaneous MW, but not deliberate MW. Further, both spontaneous MW and recurrent IAMs had unique relationships with disorder symptoms. Results suggest that recurrent IAMs are related to MW to the extent that recurrent IAMs are spontaneous. Conversely, recurrent IAMs are distinct from MW to the extent that recurrent IAMs' associations with disorder symptoms could not be solely explained by trait MW (and vice versa). This work highlights related, but distinguishable, forms of spontaneous thought and their transdiagnostic links with psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Yeung
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, 3560 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Myra A Fernandes
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
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5
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Mildner JN, Tamir DI. Why do we think? The dynamics of spontaneous thought reveal its functions. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae230. [PMID: 38939015 PMCID: PMC11210302 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Spontaneous thought-mind wandering, daydreaming, and creative ideation-makes up most of everyday cognition. Is this idle thought, or does it serve an adaptive function? We test two hypotheses about the functions of spontaneous thought: First, spontaneous thought improves memory efficiency. Under this hypothesis, spontaneous thought should prioritize detailed, vivid episodic simulations. Second, spontaneous thought helps us achieve our goals. Under this hypothesis, spontaneous thought should prioritize content relevant to ongoing goal pursuits, or current concerns. We use natural language processing and machine learning to quantify the dynamics of thought in a large sample (N = 3,359) of think aloud data. Results suggest that spontaneous thought both supports memory optimization and keeps us focused on current concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith N Mildner
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Diana I Tamir
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
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6
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Choucry A, Nomoto M, Inokuchi K. Engram mechanisms of memory linking and identity. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:375-392. [PMID: 38664582 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00814-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Memories are thought to be stored in neuronal ensembles referred to as engrams. Studies have suggested that when two memories occur in quick succession, a proportion of their engrams overlap and the memories become linked (in a process known as prospective linking) while maintaining their individual identities. In this Review, we summarize the key principles of memory linking through engram overlap, as revealed by experimental and modelling studies. We describe evidence of the involvement of synaptic memory substrates, spine clustering and non-linear neuronal capacities in prospective linking, and suggest a dynamic somato-synaptic model, in which memories are shared between neurons yet remain separable through distinct dendritic and synaptic allocation patterns. We also bring into focus retrospective linking, in which memories become associated after encoding via offline reactivation, and discuss key temporal and mechanistic differences between prospective and retrospective linking, as well as the potential differences in their cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Choucry
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Masanori Nomoto
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaoru Inokuchi
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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7
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Coulter ME, Gillespie AK, Chu J, Denovellis EL, Nguyen TTK, Liu DF, Wadhwani K, Sharma B, Wang K, Deng X, Eden UT, Kemere C, Frank LM. Closed-loop modulation of remote hippocampal representations with neurofeedback. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593085. [PMID: 38766135 PMCID: PMC11100667 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Humans can remember specific events without acting on them and can influence which memories are retrieved based on internal goals. However, current animal models of memory typically present sensory cues to trigger retrieval and assess retrieval based on action 1-5 . As a result, it is difficult to determine whether measured patterns of neural activity relate to the cue(s), the retrieved memory, or the behavior. We therefore asked whether we could develop a paradigm to isolate retrieval-related neural activity in animals without retrieval cues or the requirement of a behavioral report. To do this, we focused on hippocampal "place cells." These cells primarily emit spiking patterns that represent the animal's current location (local representations), but they can also generate representations of previously visited locations distant from the animal's current location (remote representations) 6-13 . It is not known whether animals can deliberately engage specific remote representations, and if so, whether this engagement would occur during specific brain states. So, we used a closed-loop neurofeedback system to reward expression of remote representations that corresponded to uncued, experimenter-selected locations, and found that rats could increase the prevalence of these specific remote representations over time; thus, demonstrating memory retrieval modulated by internal goals in an animal model. These representations occurred predominately during periods of immobility but outside of hippocampal sharp-wave ripple (SWR) 13-15 events. This paradigm enables future direct studies of memory retrieval mechanisms in the healthy brain and in models of neurological disorders.
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8
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Ding K, He R, Wang X, Chen Q, Kenett YN. Recognizing ideas generated in a creative task: the roles of the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in facilitating self-generated learning. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae219. [PMID: 38798002 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae219] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Creative idea generation plays an important role in promoting successful memory formation. Yet, its underlying neural correlates remain unclear. We investigated the self-generated learning of creative ideas motivated by the schema-linked interactions between medial prefrontal and medial temporal regions framework. This was achieved by having participants generate ideas in the alternative uses task, self-evaluating their ideas based on novelty and source (i.e. new or old), and then later being tested on the recognition performance of the generated ideas. At the behavioral level, our results indicated superior performances in discriminating novel ideas, highlighting the novelty effect on memory. At the neural level, the regions-of-interest analyses revealed that successful recognition of novel ideas was associated with greater activations in the hippocampus (HPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during ideation. However, only activation in the right HPC was positively related to the successful recognition of novel ideas. Importantly, the weaker the connection between the right HPC and left mPFC, the higher the recognition accuracy of novel ideas. Moreover, activations in the right HPC and left mPFC were both effective predictors of successful recognition of novel ideas. These findings uniquely highlight the role of novelty in promoting self-generated learning of creative ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ding
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Technicon City, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ruizhi He
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Faculty of Medicine, Dresden University of Technology, No. 10, Helmholtzstr, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, 400715, Chongqing, China
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Technicon City, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
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9
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Kim HJ, Lux BK, Lee E, Finn ES, Woo CW. Brain decoding of spontaneous thought: Predictive modeling of self-relevance and valence using personal narratives. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401959121. [PMID: 38547065 PMCID: PMC10998624 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401959121] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The contents and dynamics of spontaneous thought are important factors for personality traits and mental health. However, assessing spontaneous thoughts is challenging due to their unconstrained nature, and directing participants' attention to report their thoughts may fundamentally alter them. Here, we aimed to decode two key content dimensions of spontaneous thought-self-relevance and valence-directly from brain activity. To train functional MRI-based predictive models, we used individually generated personal stories as stimuli in a story-reading task to mimic narrative-like spontaneous thoughts (n = 49). We then tested these models on multiple test datasets (total n = 199). The default mode, ventral attention, and frontoparietal networks played key roles in the predictions, with the anterior insula and midcingulate cortex contributing to self-relevance prediction and the left temporoparietal junction and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex contributing to valence prediction. Overall, this study presents brain models of internal thoughts and emotions, highlighting the potential for the brain decoding of spontaneous thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ji Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
| | - Byeol Kim Lux
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, NH03755
| | - Eunjin Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
| | - Emily S. Finn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, NH03755
| | - Choong-Wan Woo
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon16419, South Korea
- Life-inspired Neural Network for Prediction and Optimization Research Group, Suwon16419, South Korea
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10
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Li S, Li Z, Liu Q, Ren P, Sun L, Cui Z, Liang X. Predictable navigation through spontaneous brain states with cognitive-map-like representations. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 233:102570. [PMID: 38232783 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102570] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Just as navigating a physical environment, navigating through the landscapes of spontaneous brain states may also require an internal cognitive map. Contemporary computation theories propose modeling a cognitive map from a reinforcement learning perspective and argue that the map would be predictive in nature, representing each state as its upcoming states. Here, we used resting-state fMRI to test the hypothesis that the spaces of spontaneously reoccurring brain states are cognitive map-like, and may exhibit future-oriented predictivity. We identified two discrete brain states of the navigation-related brain networks during rest. By combining pattern similarity and dimensional reduction analysis, we embedded the occurrences of each brain state in a two-dimensional space. Successor representation modeling analysis recognized that these brain state occurrences exhibit place cell-like representations, akin to those observed in a physical space. Moreover, we observed predictive transitions of reoccurring brain states, which strongly covaried with individual cognitive and emotional assessments. Our findings offer a novel perspective on the cognitive significance of spontaneous brain activity and support the theory of cognitive map as a unifying framework for mental navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Research Center for Human-Machine Augmented Intelligence, Research Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311100, China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Qiuyi Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Peng Ren
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Lili Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Xia Liang
- Laboratory for Space Environment and Physical Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; Frontiers Science Center for Matter Behave in Space Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
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11
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Deperrois N, Petrovici MA, Senn W, Jordan J. Learning beyond sensations: How dreams organize neuronal representations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105508. [PMID: 38097096 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105508] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Semantic representations in higher sensory cortices form the basis for robust, yet flexible behavior. These representations are acquired over the course of development in an unsupervised fashion and continuously maintained over an organism's lifespan. Predictive processing theories propose that these representations emerge from predicting or reconstructing sensory inputs. However, brains are known to generate virtual experiences, such as during imagination and dreaming, that go beyond previously experienced inputs. Here, we suggest that virtual experiences may be just as relevant as actual sensory inputs in shaping cortical representations. In particular, we discuss two complementary learning principles that organize representations through the generation of virtual experiences. First, "adversarial dreaming" proposes that creative dreams support a cortical implementation of adversarial learning in which feedback and feedforward pathways engage in a productive game of trying to fool each other. Second, "contrastive dreaming" proposes that the invariance of neuronal representations to irrelevant factors of variation is acquired by trying to map similar virtual experiences together via a contrastive learning process. These principles are compatible with known cortical structure and dynamics and the phenomenology of sleep thus providing promising directions to explain cortical learning beyond the classical predictive processing paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Walter Senn
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Jordan
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Electrical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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12
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Yamada T, Watanabe T, Sasaki Y. Plasticity-stability dynamics during post-training processing of learning. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:72-83. [PMID: 37858389 PMCID: PMC10842181 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Learning continues beyond the end of training. Post-training learning is supported by changes in plasticity and stability in the brain during both wakefulness and sleep. However, the lack of a unified measure for assessing plasticity and stability dynamics during training and post-training periods has limited our understanding of how these dynamics shape learning. Focusing primarily on procedural learning, we integrate work using behavioral paradigms and a recently developed measure, the excitatory-to-inhibitory (E/I) ratio, to explore the delicate balance between plasticity and stability and its relationship to post-training learning. This reveals plasticity-stability cycles during both wakefulness and sleep that enhance learning and protect it from new learning during post-training processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Yamada
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Takeo Watanabe
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Yuka Sasaki
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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13
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Kucyi A, Kam JWY, Andrews-Hanna JR, Christoff K, Whitfield-Gabrieli S. Recent advances in the neuroscience of spontaneous and off-task thought: implications for mental health. NATURE MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 1:827-840. [PMID: 37974566 PMCID: PMC10653280 DOI: 10.1038/s44220-023-00133-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
People spend a remarkable 30-50% of awake life thinking about something other than what they are currently doing. These experiences of being "off-task" can be described as spontaneous thought when mental dynamics are relatively flexible. Here we review recent neuroscience developments in this area and consider implications for mental wellbeing and illness. We provide updated overviews of the roles of the default mode network and large-scale network dynamics, and we discuss emerging candidate mechanisms involving hippocampal memory (sharp-wave ripples, replay) and neuromodulatory (noradrenergic and serotonergic) systems. We explore how distinct brain states can be associated with or give rise to adaptive and maladaptive forms of thought linked to distinguishable mental health outcomes. We conclude by outlining new directions in the neuroscience of spontaneous and off-task thought that may clarify mechanisms, lead to personalized biomarkers, and facilitate therapy developments toward the goals of better understanding and improving mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Kucyi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University
| | - Julia W. Y. Kam
- Department of Psychology and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary
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14
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Servais A, Hurter C, Barbeau EJ. Attentional switch to memory: An early and critical phase of the cognitive cascade allowing autobiographical memory retrieval. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1707-1721. [PMID: 37118526 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02270-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Remembering and mentally reliving yesterday's lunch is a typical example of episodic autobiographical memory retrieval. In the present review, we reappraised the complex cascade of cognitive processes involved in memory retrieval, by highlighting one particular phase that has received little interest so far: attentional switch to memory (ASM). As attention cannot be simultaneously directed toward external stimuli and internal memories, there has to be an attentional switch from the external to the internal world in order to initiate memory retrieval. We formulated hypotheses and developed hypothetical models of both the cognitive and brain processes that accompany ASM. We suggest that gaze aversion could serve as an objective temporal marker of the point at which people switch their attention to memory, and highlight several fields (neuropsychology, neuroscience, social cognition, comparative psychology) in which ASM markers could be essential. Our review thus provides a new framework for understanding the early stages of autobiographical memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Servais
- CerCo, CNRS UMR5549-Université de Toulouse, CHU Purpan, Pavillon Baudot, 31052, Toulouse, France.
- ENAC, 7, avenue Edouard Belin, 31055, Toulouse, France.
| | | | - Emmanuel J Barbeau
- CerCo, CNRS UMR5549-Université de Toulouse, CHU Purpan, Pavillon Baudot, 31052, Toulouse, France
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15
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Beaty RE, Kenett YN. Associative thinking at the core of creativity. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:671-683. [PMID: 37246025 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Creativity has long been thought to involve associative processes in memory: connecting concepts to form ideas, inventions, and artworks. However, associative thinking has been difficult to study due to limitations in modeling memory structure and retrieval processes. Recent advances in computational models of semantic memory allow researchers to examine how people navigate a semantic space of concepts when forming associations, revealing key search strategies associated with creativity. Here, we synthesize cognitive, computational, and neuroscience research on creativity and associative thinking. This Review highlights distinctions between free- and goal-directed association, illustrates the role of associative thinking in the arts, and links associative thinking to brain systems supporting both semantic and episodic memory - offering a new perspective on a longstanding creativity theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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16
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Kalivas PW, Gourley SL, Paulus MP. Intrusive thinking: Circuit and synaptic mechanisms of a transdiagnostic psychiatric symptom. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105196. [PMID: 37094741 PMCID: PMC10249786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105196] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous thought is an adaptive cognitive process that can produce novel and insightful thought sequences useful in guiding future behavior. In many psychiatric disorders, spontaneous thinking becomes intrusive and uncontrolled, and can trigger symptoms such as craving, repetitive negative thinking and trauma-related memories. We link studies using clinical imaging and rodent modeling towards understanding the neurocircuitry and neuroplasticity of intrusive thinking. We propose a framework in which drugs or stress change the homeostatic set point of brain reward circuitry, which then impacts subsequent plasticity induced by drug/stress conditioned cues (metaplastic allostasis). We further argue for the importance of examining not only the canonical pre- and postsynapse, but also the adjacent astroglial protrusions and extracellular matrix that together form the tetrapartite synapse and that plasticity throughout the tetrapartite synapse is necessary for cue-induced drug or stress behaviors. This analysis reveals that drug use or trauma cause long-lasting allostatic brain plasticity that sets the stage for subsequent drug/trauma-associated cues to induce transient plasticity that can lead to intrusive thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Department of Pediatrics and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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17
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Lomas T, VanderWeele TJ. The Mental Illness-Health Matrix and the Mental State Space Matrix: Complementary meta-conceptual frameworks for evaluating psychological states. J Clin Psychol 2023. [PMID: 36916858 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23512] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It is increasingly appreciated that mental health may not just involve a relative absence of mental illness, but the active presence of positive psychological desiderata. However, research attention on mental illness and health has tended to remain siloed and disconnected-proceeding along parallel tracks-with their potential relationship underexplored and undertheorized. As such, we sought to develop theoretical models to help us better understand the interaction of these two domains of experience. METHODS Through extensive engagement with relevant literature, we created two complementary meta-conceptual frameworks to represent and evaluate states of mental illness and health. RESULTS The Mental Illness-Health Matrix allows different forms of mental illness and health to be situated and assessed within a common framework. The Mental State Space Matrix further enables these various forms to be conceptualized and appraised in terms of numerous common parameters (e.g., valence and arousal). CONCLUSION It is hoped that these frameworks will stimulate and support further research on the inter-relational dynamics of illness and health. Indeed, the matrices themselves are provisional works-in-progress, with their articulation here intended as a foundation for their further development as understanding of these topics evolves and improves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lomas
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tyler J VanderWeele
- Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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18
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Li HX, Lu B, Wang YW, Li XY, Chen X, Yan CG. Neural representations of self-generated thought during think-aloud fMRI. Neuroimage 2023; 265:119775. [PMID: 36455761 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119775] [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: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Is the brain at rest during the so-called resting state? Ongoing experiences in the resting state vary in unobserved and uncontrolled ways across time, individuals, and populations. However, the role of self-generated thoughts in resting-state fMRI remains largely unexplored. In this study, we collected real-time self-generated thoughts during "resting-state" fMRI scans via the think-aloud method (i.e., think-aloud fMRI), which required participants to report whatever they were currently thinking. We first investigated brain activation patterns during a think-aloud condition and found that significantly activated brain areas included all brain regions required for speech. We then calculated the relationship between divergence in thought content and brain activation during think-aloud and found that divergence in thought content was associated with many brain regions. Finally, we explored the neural representation of self-generated thoughts by performing representational similarity analysis (RSA) at three neural scales: a voxel-wise whole-brain searchlight level, a region-level whole-brain analysis using the Schaefer 400-parcels, and at the systems level using the Yeo seven-networks. We found that "resting-state" self-generated thoughts were distributed across a wide range of brain regions involving all seven Yeo networks. This study highlights the value of considering ongoing experiences during resting-state fMRI and providing preliminary methodological support for think-aloud fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Xian Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Wei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Ying Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao-Gan Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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19
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Kim B, Andrews-Hanna JR, Han J, Lee E, Woo CW. When self comes to a wandering mind: Brain representations and dynamics of self-generated concepts in spontaneous thought. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn8616. [PMID: 36044582 PMCID: PMC9432827 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn8616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Self-relevant concepts are major building blocks of spontaneous thought, and their dynamics in a natural stream of thought are likely to reveal one's internal states that are important for mental health. Here, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment (n = 62) to examine brain representations and dynamics of self-generated concepts in the context of spontaneous thought using a newly developed free association-based thought sampling task. The dynamics of conceptual associations were predictive of individual differences in general negative affectivity, replicating across multiple datasets (n = 196). Reflecting on self-generated concepts strongly engaged brain regions linked to autobiographical memory, conceptual processes, emotion, and autonomic regulation, including the medial prefrontal and medial temporal subcortical structures. Multivariate pattern-based predictive modeling revealed that the neural representations of valence became more person-specific as the level of perceived self-relevance increased. Overall, this study sheds light on how self-generated concepts in spontaneous thought construct inner affective states and idiosyncrasies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeol Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Jessica R. Andrews-Hanna
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Cognitive Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jihoon Han
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Eunjin Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Choong-Wan Woo
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
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20
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Narrative thinking lingers in spontaneous thought. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4585. [PMID: 35933422 PMCID: PMC9357042 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32113-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Some experiences linger in mind, spontaneously returning to our thoughts for minutes after their conclusion. Other experiences fall out of mind immediately. It remains unclear why. We hypothesize that an input is more likely to persist in our thoughts when it has been deeply processed: when we have extracted its situational meaning rather than its physical properties or low-level semantics. Here, participants read sequences of words with different levels of coherence (word-, sentence-, or narrative-level). We probe participants’ spontaneous thoughts via free word association, before and after reading. By measuring lingering subjectively (via self-report) and objectively (via changes in free association content), we find that information lingers when it is coherent at the narrative level. Furthermore, and an individual’s feeling of transportation into reading material predicts lingering better than the material’s objective coherence. Thus, our thoughts in the present moment echo prior experiences that have been incorporated into deeper, narrative forms of thinking. Some experiences linger in our minds, while others quickly fade. Here, the authors show that the extent to which our recent experiences linger into subsequent thought increases as a function of processing depth.
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21
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Lee H, Chen J. A generalized cortical activity pattern at internally generated mental context boundaries during unguided narrative recall. eLife 2022; 11:e73693. [PMID: 35635753 PMCID: PMC9177147 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current theory and empirical studies suggest that humans segment continuous experiences into events based on the mismatch between predicted and actual sensory inputs; detection of these 'event boundaries' evokes transient neural responses. However, boundaries can also occur at transitions between internal mental states, without relevant external input changes. To what extent do such 'internal boundaries' share neural response properties with externally driven boundaries? We conducted an fMRI experiment where subjects watched a series of short movies and then verbally recalled the movies, unprompted, in the order of their choosing. During recall, transitions between movies thus constituted major boundaries between internal mental contexts, generated purely by subjects' unguided thoughts. Following the offset of each recalled movie, we observed stereotyped spatial activation patterns in the default mode network, especially the posterior medial cortex, consistent across different movie contents and even across the different tasks of movie watching and recall. Surprisingly, the between-movie boundary patterns did not resemble patterns at boundaries between events within a movie. Thus, major transitions between mental contexts elicit neural phenomena shared across internal and external modes and distinct from within-context event boundary detection, potentially reflecting a cognitive state related to the flushing and reconfiguration of situation models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmi Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Janice Chen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
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22
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Abstract
Memories of the past help us adaptively respond to similar situations in the future. Originally described by Schacter & Addis in 2007, the "constructive episodic simulation" hypothesis proposes that waking thought combines fragments of various past episodes into imagined simulations of events that may occur in the future. This same framework may be useful for understanding the function of dreaming. N = 48 college students were asked to identify waking life sources for a total of N = 469 dreams. Participants frequently traced dreams to at least one past or future episodic source (53.5% and 25.7% of dreams, respectively). Individual dreams were very often traced to multiple waking sources (43.9% of all dreams with content), with fragments of past memory incorporated into scenarios that anticipated future events. Waking-life dream sources are described in terms of their phenomenology and distribution across time and sleep stage, providing new evidence that dreams not only reflect the past, but also utilize memory in simulating potential futures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin J. Wamsley
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, United States of America
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23
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Kirberg M. Neurocognitive dynamics of spontaneous offline simulations: Re-conceptualizing (dream)bizarreness. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2022.2042231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Kirberg
- Department of Philosophy, Cognition and Philosophy Lab, M3CS, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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24
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Tomescu MI, Papasteri CC, Sofonea A, Boldasu R, Kebets V, Pistol CAD, Poalelungi C, Benescu V, Podina IR, Nedelcea CI, Berceanu AI, Carcea I. Spontaneous thought and microstate activity modulation by social imitation. Neuroimage 2022; 249:118878. [PMID: 34999201 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The human mind wanders spontaneously and frequently, revisiting the past and imagining the future of self and of others. External and internal factors can influence wandering spontaneous thoughts, whose content predicts subsequent emotional states. We propose that social imitation, an action that increases well-being and closeness by poorly understood mechanisms, impacts behavioural states in part by modulating post-imitation mind-wandering. In 43 young subjects, we find that imitating the arm movements of an actor alters the dynamics and the content of subsequent resting-state spontaneous thoughts. Imitation-sensitive features of spontaneous thoughts correlate with behavioural states and personality traits. EEG microstate analysis reveals that global patterns of correlated neuronal activity predict imitation-induced changes in spontaneous thoughts. Exploratory analyses indicate a possible modulatory effect of social imitation via the endogenous release of oxytocin. Thus, social imitation can induce selective modulations of ongoing activity in specific neural networks to change spontaneous thought patterns as a function of personality traits, and to ultimately orchestrate behavioural states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miralena I Tomescu
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Educational Sciences, University "Stefan cel Mare" of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Claudiu C Papasteri
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandra Sofonea
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Romina Boldasu
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Valeria Kebets
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Constantin A D Pistol
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalina Poalelungi
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Vlad Benescu
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana R Podina
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalin I Nedelcea
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandru I Berceanu
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Carcea
- CINETic Center, National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers Brain Health Institute, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA.
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25
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Rubin-McGregor J, Zhao Z, Tamir DI. Simulation induces durable, extensive changes to self-knowledge. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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26
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Chaieb L, Hoppe C, Fell J. Mind wandering and depression: A status report. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 133:104505. [PMID: 34929225 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
While many clinical studies and overviews on the contribution of rumination to depression exist, relatively little information regarding the role of mind wandering (MW) in general is available. Therefore, it remains an open question whether patterns of MW are altered in depression and, if so, how these alterations are related to rumination. Here, we review and discuss studies investigating MW in cohorts, showing either a clinically significant depression or with clinically significant disorders accompanied by depressive symptoms. These studies yield first tentative insights into major issues. However, further investigations are required, specifically studies which: i) compare patients with a primary diagnosis of major depression with healthy and appropriately matched controls, ii) implement measures of both MW and rumination, iii) are based on experience sampling (in combination with other key approaches), iv) compare experience sampling during daily life, resting state and attentional tasks, v) explore possible biases in the assessment of MW, vi) acquire data not only related to the propensity and contents of MW, but also regarding meta-awareness and intentionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Chaieb
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Christian Hoppe
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Juergen Fell
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
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27
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Abstract
The distinction between a semantic memory system, encompassing conceptual knowledge, and an episodic memory system, characterized by specific episodes, is one of the most important theoretical proposals in cognitive science. However, the distinction between systems has rarely been discussed in relation to spontaneous thought that comes to mind with reduced cognitive effort and intentionality. In this review, we propose that the growing research on spontaneous thought can contribute to current discussions on the interaction between the episodic and semantic systems. Firstly, we review research that shows that, as in deliberate retrieval, spontaneous thoughts are influenced by both episodic and semantic memory, as reflected by the mix of semantic and episodic elements in descriptions of spontaneous thoughts, as well as semantic priming effects in spontaneous thoughts. We integrate the current evidence based on the interplay between cues and semantic activation. Namely, we suggest that cues are key to access episodic memory and modulate the frequency of spontaneous thought, while semantic activation modulates the content of spontaneous thought. Secondly, we propose that spontaneous retrieval is a privileged area to explore the question of functional independence between systems, because it provides direct access to the episodic system. We review the evidence for spontaneous thought in semantic dementia, which suggests that episodic and semantic systems are functionally independent. We acknowledge the scarcity of evidence and suggest that future studies examine the contents of spontaneous thought descriptions and their neural correlates to test the functional relationship and inform the interaction between episodic and semantic systems.
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28
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Testing the construct validity of competing measurement approaches to probed mind-wandering reports. Behav Res Methods 2021; 53:2372-2411. [PMID: 33835393 PMCID: PMC8613094 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Psychology faces a measurement crisis, and mind-wandering research is not immune. The present study explored the construct validity of probed mind-wandering reports (i.e., reports of task-unrelated thought [TUT]) with a combined experimental and individual-differences approach. We examined laboratory data from over 1000 undergraduates at two U.S. institutions, who responded to one of four different thought-probe types across two cognitive tasks. We asked a fundamental measurement question: Do different probe types yield different results, either in terms of average reports (average TUT rates, TUT-report confidence ratings), or in terms of TUT-report associations, such as TUT rate or confidence stability across tasks, or between TUT reports and other consciousness-related constructs (retrospective mind-wandering ratings, executive-control performance, and broad questionnaire trait assessments of distractibility–restlessness and positive-constructive daydreaming)? Our primary analyses compared probes that asked subjects to report on different dimensions of experience: TUT-content probes asked about what they’d been mind-wandering about, TUT-intentionality probes asked about why they were mind-wandering, and TUT-depth probes asked about the extent (on a rating scale) of their mind-wandering. Our secondary analyses compared thought-content probes that did versus didn’t offer an option to report performance-evaluative thoughts. Our findings provide some “good news”—that some mind-wandering findings are robust across probing methods—and some “bad news”—that some findings are not robust across methods and that some commonly used probing methods may not tell us what we think they do. Our results lead us to provisionally recommend content-report probes rather than intentionality- or depth-report probes for most mind-wandering research.
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29
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O'Callaghan C, Walpola IC, Shine JM. Neuromodulation of the mind-wandering brain state: the interaction between neuromodulatory tone, sharp wave-ripples and spontaneous thought. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 376:20190699. [PMID: 33308063 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mind-wandering has become a captivating topic for cognitive neuroscientists. By now, it is reasonably well described in terms of its phenomenology and the large-scale neural networks that support it. However, we know very little about what neurobiological mechanisms trigger a mind-wandering episode and sustain the mind-wandering brain state. Here, we focus on the role of ascending neuromodulatory systems (i.e. acetylcholine, noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine) in shaping mind-wandering. We advance the hypothesis that the hippocampal sharp wave-ripple (SWR) is a compelling candidate for a brain state that can trigger mind-wandering episodes. This hippocampal rhythm, which occurs spontaneously in quiescent behavioural states, is capable of propagating widespread activity in the default network and is functionally associated with recollective, associative, imagination and simulation processes. The occurrence of the SWR is heavily dependent on hippocampal neuromodulatory tone. We describe how the interplay of neuromodulators may promote the hippocampal SWR and trigger mind-wandering episodes. We then identify the global neuromodulatory signatures that shape the evolution of the mind-wandering brain state. Under our proposed framework, mind-wandering emerges due to the interplay between neuromodulatory systems that influence the transitions between brain states, which either facilitate, or impede, a wandering mind. This article is part of the theme issue 'Offline perception: voluntary and spontaneous perceptual experiences without matching external stimulation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ishan C Walpola
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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30
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Déli E, Kisvárday Z. The thermodynamic brain and the evolution of intellect: the role of mental energy. Cogn Neurodyn 2020; 14:743-756. [PMID: 33101528 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-020-09637-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The living state is low entropy, highly complex organization, yet it is part of the energy cycle of the environment. Due to the recurring presence of the resting state, stimulus and its response form a thermodynamic cycle of perception that can be modeled by the Carnot engine. The endothermic reversed Carnot engine relies on energy from the environment to increase entropy (i.e., the synaptic complexity of the resting state). High entropy relies on mental energy, which represents intrinsic motivation and focuses on the future. It increases freedom of action. The Carnot engine can model exothermic, negative emotional states, which direct the focus on the past. The organism dumps entropy and energy to its environment, in the form of aggravation, anxiety, criticism, and physical violence. The loss of mental energy curtails freedom of action, forming apathy, depression, mental diseases, and immune problems. Our improving intuition about the brain's intelligent computations will allow the development of new treatments for mental disease and novel find applications in robotics and artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zoltán Kisvárday
- MTA-DE Neuroscience Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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31
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Sripada C, Taxali A. Structure in the stream of consciousness: Evidence from a verbalized thought protocol and automated text analytic methods. Conscious Cogn 2020; 85:103007. [PMID: 32977240 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.103007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
A key question about the spontaneous stream of thought (SST), often called the stream of consciousness, concerns its serial structure: How are thoughts in an extended sequence related to each other? In this study, we used a verbalized thought protocol to investigate "clump-and-jump" structure in SST-clusters of related thoughts about a topic followed by a jump to a new topic, in a repeating pattern. Several lines of evidence convergently supported the presence of clump-and-jump structure: high interrater agreement in identifying jumps, corroboration of rater-assigned jumps by automated text analytic methods, identification of clumps and jumps by a data-driven algorithm, and the inferred presence of clumps and jumps in unverbalized SST. We also found evidence that jumps involve a discontinuous shift in which a new clump is only modestly related to the previous one. These results illuminate serial structure in SST and invite research into the processes that generate the clump-and-jump pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Sripada
- Department of Philosophy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
| | - Aman Taxali
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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32
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Abstract
Although many simulations draw upon only one level of abstraction, the process for generating rich simulations requires a dynamic interplay between abstract and concrete knowledge. A complete model of simulation must account for a mind and brain that can bridge the perceptual with the conceptual, the episodic with the semantic, and the concrete with the abstract.
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Lee H, Bellana B, Chen J. What can narratives tell us about the neural bases of human memory? Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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