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Coray RC, Zimmermann J, Haugg A, Baumgartner MR, Steuer AE, Seifritz E, Stock AK, Beste C, Cole DM, Quednow BB. The functional connectome of 3,4-methyldioxymethamphetamine-related declarative memory impairments. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:5079-5094. [PMID: 37530403 PMCID: PMC10502674 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26438] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The chronic intake of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") bears a strong risk for sustained declarative memory impairments. Although such memory deficits have been repeatedly reported, their neurofunctional origin remains elusive. Therefore, we here investigate the neuronal basis of altered declarative memory in recurrent MDMA users at the level of brain connectivity. We examined a group of 44 chronic MDMA users and 41 demographically matched controls. Declarative memory performance was assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and a visual associative learning test. To uncover alterations in the whole brain connectome between groups, we employed a data-driven multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) approach on participants' resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Recent MDMA use was confirmed by hair analyses. MDMA users showed lower performance in delayed recall across tasks compared to well-matched controls with moderate-to-strong effect sizes. MVPA revealed a large cluster located in the left postcentral gyrus of global connectivity differences between groups. Post hoc seed-based connectivity analyses with this cluster unraveled hypoconnectivity to temporal areas belonging to the auditory network and hyperconnectivity to dorsal parietal regions belonging to the dorsal attention network in MDMA users. Seed-based connectivity strength was associated with verbal memory performance in the whole sample as well as with MDMA intake patterns in the user group. Our findings suggest that functional underpinnings of MDMA-related memory impairments encompass altered patterns of multimodal sensory integration within auditory processing regions to a functional heteromodal connector hub, the left postcentral gyrus. In addition, hyperconnectivity in regions of a cognitive control network might indicate compensation for degraded sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Coray
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Josua Zimmermann
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Amelie Haugg
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus R Baumgartner
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea E Steuer
- Department of Forensic Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - David M Cole
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Altered attentional processing (automatically attending to negative or illness-relevant information) and interpretative biases (interpreting ambiguous information as negative or illness relevant) may be mechanistically involved in functional neurological disorder (FND). Common mechanisms between FND and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have been proposed but not compared experimentally. METHODS We compared the cognitive task performance of FND, CFS, and healthy control (HC) groups. The tasks assessed attentional bias toward illness-relevant stimuli (visual probe task), attentional control (attention network task), and somatic interpretations (interpretative bias task), alongside self-reported depression, anxiety, fatigue, and general health. RESULTS Thirty-seven participants diagnosed with FND, 52 participants diagnosed with CFS, and 51 HC participants were included. Although participants with CFS showed attentional bias for illness-relevant stimuli relative to HC (t = -3.13, p = .002, d = 0.624), individuals with FND did not (t = -1.59, p = .118, d = 0.379). Both the FND (t = 3.08, p = .003, d = 0.759) and CFS (t = 2.74, p = .007, d = 0.548) groups displayed worse attentional control than did the HC group. Similarly, the FND (t = 3.63, p < .001, d = 0.801) and CFS groups (t = 4.58, p < .001, d = 0.909) showed more somatic interpretative bias than did the HC group. CONCLUSIONS Similar attentional control deficits and somatic interpretative bias in individuals with FND and CFS support potential shared mechanisms underlying symptoms. Interpretative bias toward somatic and illness-relevant stimuli in functional disorders may prove a therapeutic target.
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Arsalidou M, Vijayarajah S, Sharaev M. Basal ganglia lateralization in different types of reward. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:2618-2646. [PMID: 31927758 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reward processing is a fundamental human activity. The basal ganglia are recognized for their role in reward processes; however, specific roles of the different nuclei (e.g., nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen and globus pallidus) remain unclear. Using quantitative meta-analyses we assessed whole-brain and basal ganglia specific contributions to money, erotic, and food reward processing. We analyzed data from 190 fMRI studies which reported stereotaxic coordinates of whole-brain, within-group results from healthy adult participants. Results showed concordance in overlapping and distinct cortical and sub-cortical brain regions as a function of reward type. Common to all reward types was concordance in basal ganglia nuclei, with distinct differences in hemispheric dominance and spatial extent in response to the different reward types. Food reward processing favored the right hemisphere; erotic rewards favored the right lateral globus pallidus and left caudate body. Money rewards engaged the basal ganglia bilaterally including its most anterior part, nucleus accumbens. We conclude by proposing a model of common reward processing in the basal ganglia and separate models for money, erotic, and food rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Arsalidou
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. .,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Sagana Vijayarajah
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maksim Sharaev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russian Federation
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4
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Sen ZD, Danyeli LV, Woelfer M, Lamers F, Wagner G, Sobanski T, Walter M. Linking atypical depression and insulin resistance-related disorders via low-grade chronic inflammation: Integrating the phenotypic, molecular and neuroanatomical dimensions. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 93:335-352. [PMID: 33359233 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin resistance (IR) and related disorders, such as T2DM, increase the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and vice versa. Current evidence indicates that psychological stress and overeating can induce chronic low-grade inflammation that can interfere with glutamate metabolism in MDD as well as insulin signaling, particularly in the atypical subtype. Here we first review the interactive role of inflammatory processes in the development of MDD, IR and related metabolic disorders. Next, we describe the role of the anterior cingulate cortex in the pathophysiology of MDD and IR-related disorders. Furthermore, we outline how specific clinical features of atypical depression, such as hyperphagia, are more associated with inflammation and IR-related disorders. Finally, we examine the regional specificity of the effects of inflammation on the brain that show an overlap with the functional and morphometric brain patterns activated in MDD and IR-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zümrüt Duygu Sen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tuebingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Lena Vera Danyeli
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany; Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Leipziger Str. 44, Building 65, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Marie Woelfer
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Leipziger Str. 44, Building 65, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Femke Lamers
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Oldenaller 1, 1081 HJ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gerd Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Sobanski
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Thueringen-Kliniken "Georgius Agricola" GmbH, Rainweg 68, 07318 Saalfeld, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tuebingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany; Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Leipziger Str. 44, Building 65, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany.
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Sparks DW, Tian MK, Sargin D, Venkatesan S, Intson K, Lambe EK. Opposing Cholinergic and Serotonergic Modulation of Layer 6 in Prefrontal Cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 11:107. [PMID: 29354034 PMCID: PMC5758509 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex is a hub for attention processing and receives abundant innervation from cholinergic and serotonergic afferents. A growing body of evidence suggests that acetylcholine (ACh) and serotonin (5-HT) have opposing influences on tasks requiring attention, but the underlying neurophysiology of their opposition is unclear. One candidate target population is medial prefrontal layer 6 pyramidal neurons, which provide feedback modulation of the thalamus, as well as feed-forward excitation of cortical interneurons. Here, we assess the response of these neurons to ACh and 5-HT using whole cell recordings in acute brain slices from mouse cortex. With application of exogenous agonists, we show that individual layer 6 pyramidal neurons are bidirectionally-modulated, with ACh and 5-HT exerting opposite effects on excitability across a number of concentrations. Next, we tested the responses of layer 6 pyramidal neurons to optogenetic release of endogenous ACh or 5-HT. These experiments were performed in brain slices from transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin in either ChAT-expressing cholinergic neurons or Pet1-expressing serotonergic neurons. Light-evoked endogenous neuromodulation recapitulated the effects of exogenous neurotransmitters, showing opposing modulation of layer 6 pyramidal neurons by ACh and 5-HT. Lastly, the addition of 5-HT to either endogenous or exogenous ACh significantly suppressed the excitation of pyramidal neurons in prefrontal layer 6. Taken together, this work suggests that the major corticothalamic layer of prefrontal cortex is a substrate for opposing modulatory influences on neuronal activity that could have implications for regulation of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Sparks
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael K Tian
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Katheron Intson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evelyn K Lambe
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Graf H, Wiegers M, Metzger CD, Walter M, Grön G, Abler B. Noradrenergic modulation of neural erotic stimulus perception. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:845-853. [PMID: 28683981 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We recently investigated neuromodulatory effects of the noradrenergic agent reboxetine and the dopamine receptor affine amisulpride in healthy subjects on dynamic erotic stimulus processing. Whereas amisulpride left sexual functions and neural activations unimpaired, we observed detrimental activations under reboxetine within the caudate nucleus corresponding to motivational components of sexual behavior. However, broadly impaired subjective sexual functioning under reboxetine suggested effects on further neural components. We now investigated the same sample under these two agents with static erotic picture stimulation as alternative stimulus presentation mode to potentially observe further neural treatment effects of reboxetine. 19 healthy males were investigated under reboxetine, amisulpride and placebo for 7 days each within a double-blind cross-over design. During fMRI static erotic picture were presented with preceding anticipation periods. Subjective sexual functions were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. Neural activations were attenuated within the caudate nucleus, putamen, ventral striatum, the pregenual and anterior midcingulate cortex and in the orbitofrontal cortex under reboxetine. Subjective diminished sexual arousal under reboxetine was correlated with attenuated neural reactivity within the posterior insula. Again, amisulpride left neural activations along with subjective sexual functioning unimpaired. Neither reboxetine nor amisulpride altered differential neural activations during anticipation of erotic stimuli. Our results verified detrimental effects of noradrenergic agents on neural motivational but also emotional and autonomic components of sexual behavior. Considering the overlap of neural network alterations with those evoked by serotonergic agents, our results suggest similar neuromodulatory effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic agents on common neural pathways relevant for sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Graf
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Maike Wiegers
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Coraline Danielle Metzger
- Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Georg Grön
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Birgit Abler
- Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Li S, Demenescu LR, Sweeney-Reed CM, Krause AL, Metzger CD, Walter M. Novelty seeking and reward dependence-related large-scale brain networks functional connectivity variation during salience expectancy. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:4064-4077. [PMID: 28513104 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A salience network (SN) anchored in the anterior insula (AI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) plays a key role in switching between brain networks during salience detection and attention regulation. Previous fMRI studies have associated expectancy behaviors and SN activation with novelty seeking (NS) and reward dependence (RD) personality traits. To address the question of how functional connectivity (FC) in the SN is modulated by internal (expectancy-related) salience assignment and different personality traits, 68 healthy participants performed a salience expectancy task using functional magnetic resonance imaging, and psychophysiological interaction analysis (PPI) was conducted to determine salience-related connectivity changes during these anticipation periods. Correlation was then evaluated between PPI and personality traits, assessed using the temperament and character inventory of 32 male participants. During high salience expectancy, SN-seed regions showed reduced FC to visual areas and parts of the default mode network, but increased FC to the central executive network. With increasing NS, participants showed significantly increasing disconnection between right AI and middle cingulate cortex when expecting high-salience pictures as compared to low-salience pictures, while increased RD also predicted decreased right dACC and caudate FC for high salience expectancy. Our findings suggest a direct link between personality traits and internal salience processing mediated by differential network integration of the SN. SN activity and coordination may therefore be moderated by novelty seeking and reward dependency personality traits, which are associated with risk of addiction. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4064-4077, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijia Li
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Shanghai, China.,Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department for Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Liliana Ramona Demenescu
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department for Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Catherine M Sweeney-Reed
- Neurocybernetics and Rehabilitation, University Clinic for Neurology and Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anna Linda Krause
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Coraline D Metzger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Magdeburg, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department for Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Functional insights into aberrant brain responses and integration in patients with lifelong premature ejaculation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:460. [PMID: 28352072 PMCID: PMC5428429 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00421-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) is highly prevalent, few studies have investigated the neural mechanisms underlying PE. The extent and pattern of brain activation can be determined through a version of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with erotic picture stimuli (task fMRI) and a resting-state fMRI (rs fMRI). We showed that the brain activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus and left insula was decreased both during the task and in the resting state, while there was higher activation in the right middle temporal gyrus during the task. Higher functional connectivity was found in PE between those three brain areas and the bilateral middle cingulate cortex, right middle frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area. Moreover, the brain activity had positive correlation with clinical rating scales, such as intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE). These findings revealed that brain responses and functional integration in certain brain areas are impaired in cases of PE, which was consistently supported by multiple measurements obtained using a task and rs fMRI approach.
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9
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Poeppl TB, Langguth B, Rupprecht R, Safron A, Bzdok D, Laird AR, Eickhoff SB. The neural basis of sex differences in sexual behavior: A quantitative meta-analysis. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 43:28-43. [PMID: 27742561 PMCID: PMC5123903 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 10/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Sexuality as to its etymology presupposes the duality of sexes. Using quantitative neuroimaging meta-analyses, we demonstrate robust sex differences in the neural processing of sexual stimuli in thalamus, hypothalamus, and basal ganglia. In a narrative review, we show how these relate to the well-established sex differences on the behavioral level. More specifically, we describe the neural bases of known poor agreement between self-reported and genital measures of female sexual arousal, of previously proposed male proneness to affective sexual conditioning, as well as hints of unconscious activation of bonding mechanisms during sexual stimulation in women. In summary, our meta-analytic review demonstrates that neurofunctional sex differences during sexual stimulation can account for well-established sex differences in sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timm B Poeppl
- University of Regensburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitaetsstrasse 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Berthold Langguth
- University of Regensburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitaetsstrasse 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Rupprecht
- University of Regensburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitaetsstrasse 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Adam Safron
- Northwestern University, Department of Psychology, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, United States
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), JARA Brain, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany; INRIA, Neurospin - CEA, Parietal Team, Bât 145, Point Courrier 156, 91191 Gif/Yvette, France
| | - Angela R Laird
- Florida International University, Department of Physics, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany; Heinrich Heine University, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Gola M, Wordecha M, Marchewka A, Sescousse G. Visual Sexual Stimuli-Cue or Reward? A Perspective for Interpreting Brain Imaging Findings on Human Sexual Behaviors. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:402. [PMID: 27574507 PMCID: PMC4983547 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing number of neuroimaging studies using visual sexual stimuli (VSS), especially within the emerging field of research on compulsive sexual behaviors (CSB). A central question in this field is whether behaviors such as excessive pornography consumption share common brain mechanisms with widely studied substance and behavioral addictions. Depending on how VSS are conceptualized, different predictions can be formulated within the frameworks of Reinforcement Learning or Incentive Salience Theory, where a crucial distinction is made between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (related to reward anticipation vs. reward consumption, respectively). Surveying 40 recent human neuroimaging studies we show existing ambiguity about the conceptualization of VSS. Therefore, we feel that it is important to address the question of whether VSS should be considered as conditioned stimuli (cue) or unconditioned stimuli (reward). Here we present our own perspective, which is that in most laboratory settings VSS play a role of reward, as evidenced by: (1) experience of pleasure while watching VSS, possibly accompanied by genital reaction; (2) reward-related brain activity correlated with these pleasurable feelings in response to VSS; (3) a willingness to exert effort to view VSS similarly as for other rewarding stimuli such as money; and (4) conditioning for cues predictive of VSS. We hope that this perspective article will initiate a scientific discussion on this important and overlooked topic and increase attention for appropriate interpretations of results of human neuroimaging studies using VSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Gola
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computations, University of California San DiegoSan Diego, CA, USA; Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wordecha
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw, Poland
| | - Guillaume Sescousse
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
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11
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Metzger CD, Wiegers M, Walter M, Abler B, Graf H. Local and Global Resting State Activity in the Noradrenergic and Dopaminergic Pathway Modulated by Reboxetine and Amisulpride in Healthy Subjects. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 19:pyv080. [PMID: 26209860 PMCID: PMC4772816 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various psychiatric populations are currently investigated with resting state fMRI, with the aim of individualizing diagnostics and treatment options and improving treatment outcomes. Many of these studies are conducted in large naturalistic samples, providing rich insights regarding disease-related neural alterations, but with the common psychopharmacological medication limiting interpretations of the results. We therefore investigated the effects of common noradrenergic and anti-dopaminergic medications on local and global resting state activity (rs-activity) in healthy volunteers to further the understanding of the respective effects independent from disease-related alterations. METHODS Within a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, we investigated 19 healthy male subjects by resting state fMRI after the intake of reboxetine (4 mg/d), amisulpride (200mg/d), and placebo for 7 days each. Treatment-related differences in local and global rs-activity were measured by the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC). RESULTS fALFF revealed alterations of local rs-activity within regions of the core noradrenergic pathway, including the locus coeruleus under reboxetine, correlated with its plasma levels. Moreover, reboxetine led to increased rs-FC between regions within this pathway, i.e. the locus coeruleus, tectum, thalamus, and amygdala. Amisulpride modulated local rs-activity of regions within the dopaminergic pathway, with the altered signal in the putamen correlating with amisulpride plasma levels. Correspondingly, amisulpride increased rs-FC between regions of the dopaminergic pathway comprising the substantia nigra and putamen. CONCLUSION Our data provide evidence of how psychopharmacological agents alter local and global rs-activity within the respective neuroanatomical pathways in healthy subjects, which may help with interpreting data in psychiatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraline D Metzger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany (Drs Metzger and Walter); Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Germany (Drs Wiegers, Abler, and Graf); Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany (Drs Metzger and Walter); Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany (Dr Metzger); German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany (Dr Metzger).
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12
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Graf H, Wiegers M, Metzger CD, Walter M, Grön G, Abler B. Erotic stimulus processing under amisulpride and reboxetine: a placebo-controlled fMRI study in healthy subjects. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu004. [PMID: 25612894 PMCID: PMC4368880 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired sexual function is increasingly recognized as a side effect of psychopharmacological treatment. However, underlying mechanisms of action of the different drugs on sexual processing are still to be explored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we previously investigated effects of serotonergic (paroxetine) and dopaminergic (bupropion) antidepressants on sexual functioning (Abler et al., 2011). Here, we studied the impact of noradrenergic and antidopaminergic medication on neural correlates of visual sexual stimulation in a new sample of subjects. METHODS Nineteen healthy heterosexual males (mean age 24 years, SD 3.1) under subchronic intake (7 days) of the noradrenergic agent reboxetine (4 mg/d), the antidopaminergic agent amisulpride (200mg/d), and placebo were included and studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging within a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design during an established erotic video-clip task. Subjective sexual functioning was assessed using the Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire. RESULTS Relative to placebo, subjective sexual functioning was attenuated under reboxetine along with diminished neural activations within the caudate nucleus. Altered neural activations correlated with decreased sexual interest. Under amisulpride, neural activations and subjective sexual functioning remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS In line with previous interpretations of the role of the caudate nucleus in the context of primary reward processing, attenuated caudate activation may reflect detrimental effects on motivational aspects of erotic stimulus processing under noradrenergic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Graf
- Department of Psychiatry III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (Drs Graf, Wiegers, Grön, and Abler); Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany (Drs Metzger and Walter); Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany (Drs Metzger and Walter).
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Metzger CD, Walter M, Graf H, Abler B. SSRI-related modulation of sexual functioning is predicted by pre-treatment resting state functional connectivity in healthy men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2013; 42:935-947. [PMID: 23771550 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-013-0103-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction related to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is a common reason for discontinuation of otherwise effective antidepressant treatment regimens. Thus, identification of subjects at risk for this side effect remains a crucial challenge. After demonstrating task-related neural correlates of impaired sexual functioning under treatment with the SSRI paroxetine (Abler et al., 2011), we studied (1) if resting state brain function before treatment predicts subsequent development of treatment-related modulation of sexual function, and (2) which neural circuits relate to different aspects of the impairment. Effects of paroxetine and bupropion administration over 1 week on subjective sexual functioning were investigated in 17 healthy male volunteers in a placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over design using the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Function Questionnaire. Data from a 10 min eyes-closed resting state scan were used to analyze functional connectivity under placebo in previously identified brain regions, focussing on the sublenticular extended amygdala (SLEA), dopaminergic midbrain, and anterior cingulate cortex. Resting state functional connectivities of the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), midbrain, and insula to the SLEA sufficiently predicted the development of subjective SSRI-related decreased sexual functioning and distinguished vulnerable from resilient subjects. Furthermore, connectivity with the midbrain particularly predicted orgasm-related deficits, while connectivity with pgACC predicted sexual satisfaction. Linking SSRI-related subjective sexual functioning to pre-treatment resting state connectivities in cortico-subcortical network of sexual processing, we demonstrated the potential of novel, non-invasive and passive brain imaging techniques to guide therapeutic decisions and adjust treatment protocols in psychiatric disorders and sexual medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraline D Metzger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Centre for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
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