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Fusco G, Scandola M, Lin H, Inzlicht M, Aglioti SM. Modulating preferences during intertemporal choices through exogenous midfrontal transcranial alternating current stimulation: A registered report. Cortex 2024; 171:435-464. [PMID: 38113613 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.09.019] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Decision conflicts may arise when the costs and benefits of choices are evaluated as a function of outcomes predicted along a temporal dimension. Electrophysiology studies suggest that during performance monitoring a typical oscillatory activity in the theta rhythm, named midfrontal theta, may index conflict processing and resolution. In the present within-subject, sham controlled, cross-over preregistered study, we delivered online midfrontal transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) to modulate electrocortical activity during intertemporal decisions. Participants were invited to select choice preference between economic offers at three different intermixed levels of conflict (i.e., low, medium, high) while receiving either theta -, gamma-, or sham tACS in separate blocks and sessions. At the end of each stimulation block, a Letter-Flanker task was also administered to measure behavioural aftereffects. We hypothesized that theta-tACS would have acted on the performance monitoring system inducing behavioural changes (i.e., faster decisions and more impulsive choices) in high conflicting trials, rather than gamma- and sham-tACS. Results very partially confirmed our predictions. Unexpectedly, both theta- and gamma-driven neuromodulation speeded-up decisions compared to sham. However, exploratory analyses revealed that such an effect was stronger in the high-conflict decisions during theta-tACS. These findings were independent from the influence of the sensations induced by the electrical stimulation. Moreover, further analyses highlighted a significant association during theta-tACS between the selection of immediate offers in high-conflict trials and attentional impulsiveness, suggesting that individual factors may account for the tACS effects during intertemporal decisions. Finally, we did not capture long-lasting behavioural changes following tACS in the Flanker task. Our findings may inform scholars to improve experimental designs and boost the knowledge toward a more effective application of tACS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Fusco
- Sapienza University of Rome and CLNS@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
| | - Michele Scandola
- NPSY Lab-Vr, Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Hause Lin
- Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael Inzlicht
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Salvatore Maria Aglioti
- Sapienza University of Rome and CLNS@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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2
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Moro AS, Saccenti D, Vergallito A, Scaini S, Malgaroli A, Ferro M, Lamanna J. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the orbitofrontal cortex reduces delay discounting. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1239463. [PMID: 37693283 PMCID: PMC10483138 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1239463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Delay discounting (DD) is a quantifiable psychological phenomenon that regulates decision-making. Nevertheless, the neural substrates of DD and its relationship with other cognitive domains are not well understood. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a potential candidate for supporting the expression of DD, but due to its wide involvement in several psychological functions and neural networks, its central role remains elusive. In this study, healthy subjects underwent transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) while performing an intertemporal choice task for the quantification of DD and a working memory task. To selectively engage the OFC, two electrode configurations have been tested, namely, anodal Fp1-cathodal Fp2 and cathodal Fp1-anodal Fp2. Our results show that stimulation of the OFC reduces DD, independently from electrode configuration. In addition, no relationship was found between DD measures and either working memory performance or baseline impulsivity assessed through established tests. Our work will direct future investigations aimed at unveiling the specific neural mechanisms underlying the involvement of the OFC in DD, and at testing the efficacy of OFC tDCS in reducing DD in psychological conditions where this phenomenon has been strongly implicated, such as addiction and eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Stefano Moro
- Department of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Communication (BNC), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Unit, Italian Psychotherapy Clinics, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Saccenti
- Department of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Unit, Italian Psychotherapy Clinics, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Simona Scaini
- Department of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
- Child and Youth Lab, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
- Child and Adolescent Unit, Italian Psychotherapy Clinics, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Malgaroli
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Communication (BNC), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- San Raffaele Turro, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Ferro
- Department of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Communication (BNC), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Unit, Italian Psychotherapy Clinics, Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lamanna
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Communication (BNC), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Zhou P, Li W, Zhao J, Chen S, Chen Y, Shen X, Xu D. Modulated effectiveness of rehabilitation motivation by reward strategies combined with tDCS in stroke: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1200741. [PMID: 37396764 PMCID: PMC10310965 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1200741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stroke survivors often exhibit low motivation for rehabilitation, hindering their ability to effectively complete rehabilitation training task effectively and participate in daily activities actively. Reward strategies have been identified as an effective method for boosting rehabilitation motivation, but their long-term efficacy remains uncertain. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been recognized as a technique that facilitates plastic changes and functional reorganization of cortical areas. Particularly, tDCS can improve the functional connectivity between brain regions associated with goal-directed behavior when applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Combing reward strategies with tDCS (RStDCS) has been shown to motivate healthy individuals to exert more effort in task performance. However, research exploring the combined and sustained effects of these strategies on rehabilitation motivation in stroke survivors is lacking. Methods and design Eighty-seven stroke survivors with low motivation and upper extremity dysfunction will be randomized to receive either conventional treatment, RS treatment, or RStDCS treatment. The RStDCS group will receive reward strategies combined with anodal tDCS stimulation of the left dlPFC. The RS group will receive reward strategies combined with sham stimulation. The conventional group will receive conventional treatment combined with sham stimulation. tDCS stimulation is performed over 3 weeks of hospitalization, 20 min/time, five times a week. Reward strategies refers to personalized active exercise programs for patients during hospitalization and at home. Patients can voluntarily choose tasks for active exercise and self-report to the therapist so as to punch a card for points and exchange gifts. The conventional group will receive home rehabilitation instructions prior to discharge. Rehabilitation motivation, measured using RMS. RMS, FMA, FIM, and ICF activity and social engagement scale will be compared at baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months post-enrollment to evaluate patients' multifaceted health condition based on the ICF framework. Discussion This study integrates knowledge from social cognitive science, economic behavioral science, and other relevant fields. We utilize straightforward and feasible reward strategies, combined with neuromodulation technology, to jointly improve patients' rehabilitation motivation. Behavioral observations and various assessment tools will be used to monitor patients' rehabilitation motivation and multifaceted health condition according to the ICF framework. The aim is to provide a preliminary exploration path for professionals to develop comprehensive strategies for improving patient rehabilitation motivation and facilitating a complete "hospital-home-society" rehabilitation process. Clinical trial registration https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=182589, ChiCTR2300069068.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhou
- Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxi Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingwang Zhao
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyun Chen
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufeng Chen
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xia Shen
- Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongsheng Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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4
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Nejati V, Mirikaram F, Rad JA. Transcranial direct current stimulation alters the process of reward processing in children with ADHD: Evidence from cognitive modeling. Neurophysiol Clin 2023; 53:102884. [PMID: 37224617 DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2023.102884] [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: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) are the neural underpinnings of reward processing, which is impaired in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In the present study, we aimed to explore the impact of the vmPFC and the dlPFC regulation on reward processing. METHODS Twenty-six children with ADHD performed the balloon analogue risk-taking task (BART) and chocolate delay discounting task (CDDT) during five different sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), separated by a one-week interval: anodal left dlPFC/cathodal right vmPFC, the reversed electrode positioning, anodal left dlPFC stimulation with extracranial return electrode, anodal right vmPFC stimulation with extracranial return electrodes, and sham stimulation. Four-parameter and constant-sensitivity models were used to model the data. RESULTS In the BART, anodal dlPFC/cathodal vmPFC stimulation facilitated conservative decision making, anodal tDCS over dlPFC with extracranial return electrode increased positive beliefs about the explosion of a balloon, and anodal vmPFC/cathodal dlPFC stimulation reduced ongoing learning in the process of decision making. In the CDDT, anodal vmPFC stimulation with extracranial return electrode decreased impatience in the process of the task. CONCLUSION These results suggest a role of the left dlPFC and right vmPFC in the outcome of decision making and the process of risky decision making and delay discounting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Fateme Mirikaram
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamal Amani Rad
- Department of Cognitive Modeling, Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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5
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Reyna VF, Müller SM, Edelson SM. Critical tests of fuzzy trace theory in brain and behavior: uncertainty across time, probability, and development. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:746-772. [PMID: 36828988 PMCID: PMC9957613 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01058-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Uncertainty permeates decisions from the trivial to the profound. Integrating brain and behavioral evidence, we discuss how probabilistic (varied outcomes) and temporal (delayed outcomes) uncertainty differ across age and individuals; how critical tests adjudicate between theories of uncertainty (prospect theory and fuzzy-trace theory); and how these mechanisms might be represented in the brain. The same categorical gist representations of gains and losses account for choices and eye-tracking data in both value-allocation (add money to gambles) and risky-choice tasks, disconfirming prospect theory and confirming predictions of fuzzy-trace theory. The analysis is extended to delay discounting and disambiguated choices, explaining hidden-zero effects that similarly turn on categorical distinctions between some gain and no gain, certain gain and uncertain gain, gain and loss, and now and later. Bold activation implicates dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices in gist strategies that are not just one tool in a grab-bag of cognitive options but rather are general strategies that systematically predict behaviors across many different tasks involving probabilistic and temporal uncertainty. High valuation (e.g., ventral striatum; ventromedial prefrontal cortex) and low executive control (e.g., lateral prefrontal cortex) contribute to risky and impatient choices, especially in youth. However, valuation in ventral striatum supports reward-maximizing and gist strategies in adulthood. Indeed, processing becomes less "rational" in the sense of maximizing gains and more noncompensatory (eye movements indicate fewer tradeoffs) as development progresses from adolescence to adulthood, as predicted. Implications for theoretically predicted "public-health paradoxes" are discussed, including gist versus verbatim thinking in drug experimentation and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silke M. Müller
- Department General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
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6
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Stanković M, Bjekić J, Filipović SR. Effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation on Gambling and Gaming: A Systematic Review of Studies on Healthy Controls, Participants with Gambling/Gaming Disorder, and Substance Use Disorder. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12103407. [PMID: 37240512 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12103407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Gambling disorder (GD) and internet gaming disorder (IGD) are formally recognized behavioral addictions with a rapidly growing prevalence and limited treatment options. Recently, transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) techniques have emerged as potentially promising interventions for improving treatment outcomes by ameliorating cognitive functions implicated in addictive behaviors. To systematize the current state of evidence and better understand whether and how tES can influence gambling and gaming-related cognitive processes, we conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review of the literature, focusing on tES effects on gaming and gambling in a diverse range of population samples, including healthy participants, participants with GD and IGD, as well as participants with substance abuse addictions. Following the literature search in three bibliographic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus), 40 publications were included in this review, with 26 conducted on healthy participants, 6 focusing on GD and IGD patients, and 8 including participants with other addictions. Most of the studies targeted the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and assessed the effects on cognition, using gaming and gambling computerized cognitive tasks measuring risk taking and decision making, e.g., balloon analogue risk task, Iowa gambling task, Cambridge gambling task, etc. The results indicated that tES could change gambling and gaming task performances and positively influence GD and IGD symptoms, with 70% of studies showing neuromodulatory effects. However, the results varied considerably depending on the stimulation parameters, sample characteristics, as well as outcome measures used. We discuss the sources of this variability and provide further directions for the use of tES in the context of GD and IGD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Stanković
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jovana Bjekić
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Saša R Filipović
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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7
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Lenglin V, Wong S, O'Callaghan C, Erzinçlioğlu S, Hornberger M, Lebouvier T, Piguet O, Bourgeois-Gironde S, Bertoux M. Zero the hero: Evidence for involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in affective bias for free items. Cortex 2023; 160:24-42. [PMID: 36680922 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.009] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence from psycho-economics shows that when the price of an item decreases to the extent that it becomes available for free, one can observe a remarkable increase of subjective utility toward this item. This phenomenon, which is not observed for any other price but zero, has been termed the zero-price effect (ZPE). The ZPE is attributed to an affective heuristic where the positive affect elicited by the free status of an item provides a mental shortcut biasing choice towards that item. Given that the ZPE relies on affective processing, a key role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been proposed, yet neuroscientific studies of the ZPE remain scarce. This study aimed to explore the role of the vmPFC in the ZPE using a novel, within-subject assessment in participants with either an acquired (lesion patients) or degenerative (behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia patients) lesion of the vmPFC, and age-matched healthy controls. All participants were asked to make a series of choices between pairs of items that varied in price. One choice trial involved an equal decrease of both item prices, such that one of the items was priced zero. In contrast to controls, patients with both vmPFC-lesion and behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia showed marked reductions in zero-related changes of preference in pairs of gift-cards, but not for pairs of food items. Our findings suggest that affective evaluations driving the ZPE are altered in patients with focal or degenerative damage to the vmPFC. This supports the notion of a key role of the vmPFC in the ZPE and, more generally, the importance of this region in value-based affective decision-making. Our findings also highlight the potential utility of affective heuristic tasks in future clinical assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Lenglin
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & DistALZ, Lille, France; ETHICS EA7446, Lille Catholic University, Lille, France
| | - S Wong
- The University of Sydney, School of Psychology and Brain & Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia; Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology & Social Work, Adelaide, Australia
| | - C O'Callaghan
- The University of Sydney, Brain & Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - S Erzinçlioğlu
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK
| | - M Hornberger
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - T Lebouvier
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & DistALZ, Lille, France
| | - O Piguet
- The University of Sydney, School of Psychology and Brain & Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - S Bourgeois-Gironde
- Department of Economics, Université Paris 2 - Panthéon-Assas, Paris, France; Institut Jean-Nicod, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| | - M Bertoux
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & DistALZ, Lille, France; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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8
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Neural Correlates of Delay Discounting in the Light of Brain Imaging and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: What We Know and What Is Missed. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13030403. [PMID: 36979213 PMCID: PMC10046576 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In decision making, the subjective value of a reward declines with the delay to its receipt, describing a hyperbolic function. Although this phenomenon, referred to as delay discounting (DD), has been extensively characterized and reported in many animal species, still, little is known about the neuronal processes that support it. Here, after drawing a comprehensive portrait, we consider the latest neuroimaging and lesion studies, the outcomes of which often appear contradictory among comparable experimental settings. In the second part of the manuscript, we focus on a more recent and effective route of investigation: non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). We provide a comprehensive review of the available studies that applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to affect subjects’ performance in DD tasks. The aim of our survey is not only to highlight the superiority of NIBS in investigating DD, but also to suggest targets for future experimental studies, since the regions considered in these studies represent only a fraction of the possible ones. In particular, we argue that, based on the available neurophysiological evidence from lesion and brain imaging studies, a very promising and underrepresented region for future neuromodulation studies investigating DD is the orbitofrontal cortex.
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9
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Murray NWG, Graham PL, Sowman PF, Savage G. Theta tACS impairs episodic memory more than tDCS. Sci Rep 2023; 13:716. [PMID: 36639676 PMCID: PMC9839727 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27190-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Episodic memory deficits are a common consequence of aging and are associated with a number of neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease). Given the importance of episodic memory, a great deal of research has investigated how we can improve memory performance. Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) represents a promising tool for memory enhancement but the optimal stimulation parameters that reliably boost memory are yet to be determined. In our double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled study, 42 healthy adults (36 females; 23.3 ± 7.7 years of age) received anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), theta transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and sham stimulation during a list-learning task, over three separate sessions. Stimulation was applied over the left temporal lobe, as encoding and recall of information is typically associated with mesial temporal lobe structures (e.g., the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex). We measured word recall within each stimulation session, as well as the average number of intrusion and repetition errors. In terms of word recall, participants recalled fewer words during tDCS and tACS, compared to sham stimulation, and significantly fewer words recalled during tACS compared with tDCS. Significantly more memory errors were also made during tACS compared with sham stimulation. Overall, our findings suggest that TES has a deleterious effect on memory processes when applied to the left temporal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W G Murray
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Australian Hearing Hub, Level 3, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
| | - Petra L Graham
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul F Sowman
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Australian Hearing Hub, Level 3, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Greg Savage
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Australian Hearing Hub, Level 3, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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10
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Noninvasive stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex modulates rationality of human decision-making. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20213. [PMID: 36418381 PMCID: PMC9684418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24526-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The framing-effect is a bias that affects decision-making depending on whether the available options are presented with positive or negative connotations. Even when the outcome of two choices is equivalent, people have a strong tendency to avoid the negatively framed option. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is crucial for rational decision-making, and dysfunctions in this region have been linked to cognitive biases, impulsive behavior and gambling addiction. Using a financial decision-making task in combination with magnetoencephalographic neuroimaging, we show that excitatory compared to inhibitory non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the vmPFC reduces framing-effects while improving the assessment of loss-probabilities, ultimately leading to increased overall gains. Behavioral and neural data consistently suggest that this improvement in rational decision-making is predominately due to an attenuation of biases towards negative affect (loss-aversion and risk-aversion). These findings recommend further research towards clinical applications of vmPFC-tDCS as in addictive disorders.
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11
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McIntyre-Wood C, Madan C, Owens M, Amlung M, Sweet LH, MacKillop J. Neuroanatomical foundations of delayed reward discounting decision making II: Evaluation of sulcal morphology and fractal dimensionality. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119309. [PMID: 35598732 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119309] [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: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is a form of decision-making reflecting valuation of smaller immediate rewards versus larger delayed rewards, and high DRD has been linked to several health behaviors, including substance use disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and obesity. Elucidating the underlying neuroanatomical factors may offer important insights into the etiology of these conditions. We used structural MRI scans of 1038 Human Connectome Project participants (Mage = 28.86, 54.7% female) to explore two novel measures of neuroanatomy related to DRD: 1) sulcal morphology (SM; depth and width) and 2) fractal dimensionality (FD), or cortical morphometric complexity, of parcellated cortical and subcortical regions. To ascertain unique contributions to DRD preferences, indicators that displayed significant partial correlations with DRD after family-wise error correction were entered into iterative mixed-effect models guided by the association magnitude. When considering only SM indicators, the depth of the right inferior and width of the left central sulci were uniquely associated with DRD preferences. When considering only FD indicators, the FD of the left middle temporal gyrus, right lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and left lateral occipital and entorhinal cortices uniquely contributed DRD. When considering SM and FD indicators simultaneously, the right inferior frontal sulcus depth and left central sulcus width; and the FD of the left middle temporal gyrus, lateral occipital cortex and entorhinal cortex were uniquely associated with DRD. These results implicate SM and FD as features of the brain that underlie variation in the DRD decision-making phenotype and as promising candidates for understanding DRD as a biobehavioral disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly McIntyre-Wood
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University & St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher Madan
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Max Owens
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University & St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Amlung
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, Lawrence, KS, United States of America; Department of Applied Behavioural Sciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States of America
| | - Lawrence H Sweet
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University & St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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12
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Applications of open-source software ROAST in clinical studies: A review. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:1002-1010. [PMID: 35843597 PMCID: PMC9378654 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) is broadly investigated as a therapeutic technique for a wide range of neurological disorders. The electric fields induced by TES in the brain can be estimated by computational models. A realistic and volumetric approach to simulate TES (ROAST) has been recently released as an open-source software package and has been widely used in TES research and its clinical applications. Rigor and reproducibility of TES studies have recently become a concern, especially in the context of computational modeling. Methods: Here we reviewed 94 clinical TES studies that leveraged ROAST for computational modeling. When reviewing each study, we pay attention to details related to the rigor and reproducibility as defined by the locations of stimulation electrodes and the dose of stimulating current. Specifically, we compared across studies the electrode montages, stimulated brain areas, achieved electric field strength, and the relations between modeled electric field and clinical outcomes. Results: We found that over 1800 individual heads have been modeled by ROAST for more than 30 different clinical applications. Similar electric field intensities were found to be reproducible by ROAST across different studies at the same brain area under same or similar stimulation montages. Conclusion: This article reviews the use cases of ROAST and provides an overview of how ROAST has been leveraged to enhance the rigor and reproducibility of TES research and its applications.
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Panitz M, Deserno L, Kaminski E, Villringer A, Sehm B, Schlagenhauf F. OUP accepted manuscript. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac006. [PMID: 35233532 PMCID: PMC8874878 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is thought to be central for flexible behavioral adaptation. However, the causal relationship between mPFC activity and this behavior is incompletely understood. We investigated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the mPFC alters flexible behavioral adaptation during reward-based decision-making, targeting Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) coordinates X = −8, Y = 62, Z = 12, which has previously been associated with impaired behavioral adaptation in alcohol-dependent patients. Healthy human participants (n = 61) received either anodal (n = 30) or cathodal (n = 31) tDCS versus sham tDCS while performing a reversal learning task. To assess the mechanisms of reinforcement learning (RL) underlying our behavioral observations, we applied computational models that varied with respect to the updating of the unchosen choice option. We observed that anodal stimulation over the mPFC induced increased choice switching after punishments compared with sham stimulation, whereas cathodal stimulation showed no effect on participants’ behavior compared with sham stimulation. RL revealed increased updating of the unchosen choice option under anodal as compared with sham stimulation, which accounted well for the increased tendency to switch after punishments. Our findings provide a potential model for tDCS interventions in conditions related to flexible behavioral adaptation, such as addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Panitz
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Corresponding author: Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Lorenz Deserno
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Kaminski
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Movement Neurosciences, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04109, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- MindBrainBody Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Sehm
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Florian Schlagenhauf
- Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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Konicar L, Prillinger K, Klöbl M, Lanzenberger R, Antal A, Plener PL. Brain Stimulation for Emotion Regulation in Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Study Protocol for a Clinical-Transdiagnostical, Randomized, Triple-Blinded and Sham-Controlled Neurotherapeutic Trial. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:840836. [PMID: 35546931 PMCID: PMC9082670 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.840836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety, conduct and depressive disorders represent three highly prevalent psychiatric conditions in adolescents. A shared underpinning of these disorders is a shortcoming in emotion regulation, connected to the functioning of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Thus, an intervention able to target the suggested neural correlate seems to be highly desirable, aiming to hinder a maladaptive development of emotion regulation abilities and chronification of associated psychiatric disorders. As transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was repeatedly demonstrated as a safe and non-invasive method to modulate specific brain activity, research is in demand to evaluate neurotherapeutic applications in adolescents with psychiatric disorders. METHOD This transdiagnostic, randomized, triple-blind and sham-controlled clinical neurostimulation trial primary aims to investigate if emotion regulation abilities are increased after tDCS in adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Secondly, disorder-specific changes in the anxiety, depression or conduct disorder will be investigated, as well as changes in quality of life, and cognitive and emotional functioning after tDCS intervention. We will include 108 adolescents with psychiatric disorders, displaying a substantial deficit in emotion regulation. Of these, one third each has to be primarily diagnosed with a depressive, anxiety or conduct disorder, respectively. Participants will be randomized to the experimental group (n = 54) receiving real anodal tDCS, or to the control group (n = 54) receiving sham tDCS. Brain stimulation will be applied for 20 min on five consecutive days twice targeting the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Changes in emotion regulation, together with changes in disorder-specific clinical symptoms will be recorded by multi-informant psychological ratings. To inspect changes in behavior and gaze, computerized tasks and an eye tracker system will be used. Changes in brain responses to emotional and cognitive stimuli will be examined with three functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms. In addition, a resting state MRI will be acquired to investigate possible changes in brain connectivity. DISCUSSION By investigating "emotion regulation" as transdiagnostic treatment target, this project is oriented toward the Research Domain Criteria framework with a dimensional view on mental illness. The study aims at investigating the potential of tDCS as non-invasive intervention for depressive, anxiety and conduct disorders in adolescents and broadening the scientific foundation for its clinical application. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The study is ongoing and has been registered in the German Registry of Clinical Trials (DRKS-ID: DRKS00025601X) on the 28.06.2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Konicar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Prillinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Antal
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Paul L Plener
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Child and Adolescents Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Is value-based choice repetition susceptible to medial frontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)? A preregistered study. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:747-762. [PMID: 33796986 PMCID: PMC8354960 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00889-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In value-based decision making, people have to weigh different options based on their subjective value. This process, however, also is influenced by choice biases, such as choice repetition: in a series of choices, people are more likely to repeat their decision than to switch to a different choice. Previously, it was shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can affect such choice biases. We applied tDCS over the medial prefrontal cortex to investigate whether tDCS can alter choice repetition in value-based decision making. In a preregistered study, we applied anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS stimulation to 52 participants. While we found robust choice repetition effects, we did not find support for an effect of tDCS stimulation. We discuss these findings within the larger scope of the tDCS literature and highlight the potential roles of interindividual variability and current density strength.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a significant public health problem. Understanding the behavioral and personal factors that influence risk and incidence of SRC is critically important for appropriate care and management. Sensation-seeking and impulsivity have been posited to be two such factors that may be significantly associated with SRC. We performed a focused review of recent evidence of the relationships between sensation-seeking and impulsivity in athletes with SRC. RECENT FINDINGS While the research is relatively limited, extant findings demonstrate a significant relationship between sensation-seeking and contact sport participation and risk of prior and future SRC. Impulsivity appears to be common among athletes competing in high contact sports and may contribute to neural and functional brain changes following SRC; however, causal relationships between impulsivity, contact sport participation, and SRC have not been demonstrated. Both sensation-seeking and impulsivity are significantly associated with SRC in collegiate athletes. Interventions designed to ameliorate high levels of these constructs may prove to be beneficial avenues to reducing SRC risk and improving patient care and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer W Liebel
- Neuropsychology Section, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Michigan Concussion Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Katherine A M Edwards
- Neuropsychology Section, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Steven P Broglio
- Michigan Concussion Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Kim SJ, Kim MK, Shin YB, Kim HE, Kwon JH, Kim JJ. Differences in resting-state functional connectivity according to the level of impulsiveness in patients with internet gaming disorder. J Behav Addict 2021; 10:88-98. [PMID: 33625381 PMCID: PMC8969862 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2021.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Impulsiveness is an important factor in the pathophysiology of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and regional brain functions can be different depending on the level of impulsiveness. This study aimed to demonstrate that different brain mechanisms are involved depending on the level of impulsiveness among patients with IGD. METHODS Resting-state functional MRI data were obtained from 23 IGD patients with high impulsivity, 27 IGD patients with low impulsivity, and 22 healthy controls, and seed-based functional connectivity was compared among the three groups. The seed regions were the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and amygdala. RESULTS Connectivity of the vmPFC with the left temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) and NAcc-left insula connectivity were significantly decreased in the patients with high impulsivity, compared with the patients with low impulsivity and healthy controls. On the other hand, amygdala-based connectivity with the left inferior frontal gyrus showed decreases in both patient groups, compared with the healthy controls. CONCLUSION These findings may suggest a potential relationship between impulsivity and deficits in reward-related social cognition processes in patients with IGD. In particular, certain interventions targeted at vmPFC-TPJ connectivity, found to be impulsivity-specific brain connectivity, are likely to help with addiction recovery among impulsive patients with IGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Jeong Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Kyeong Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Bin Shin
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hesun Erin Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Hee Kwon
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Jin Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Salehinejad MA, Ghanavati E, Rashid MHA, Nitsche MA. Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network. Brain Neurosci Adv 2021; 5:23982128211007769. [PMID: 33997292 PMCID: PMC8076773 DOI: 10.1177/23982128211007769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions, or cognitive control, are higher-order cognitive functions needed for adaptive goal-directed behaviours and are significantly impaired in majority of neuropsychiatric disorders. Different models and approaches are proposed for describing how executive functions are functionally organised in the brain. One popular and recently proposed organising principle of executive functions is the distinction between hot (i.e. reward or affective-related) versus cold (i.e. purely cognitive) domains of executive functions. The prefrontal cortex is traditionally linked to executive functions, but on the other hand, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices are hugely involved in executive functions as well. In this review, we first define executive functions, their domains, and the appropriate methods for studying them. Second, we discuss how hot and cold executive functions are linked to different areas of the prefrontal cortex. Next, we discuss the association of hot versus cold executive functions with the cingulate cortex, focusing on the anterior and posterior compartments. Finally, we propose a functional model for hot and cold executive function organisation in the brain with a specific focus on the fronto-cingular network. We also discuss clinical implications of hot versus cold cognition in major neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism) and attempt to characterise their profile according to the functional dominance or manifest of hot-cold cognition. Our model proposes that the lateral prefrontal cortex along with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex are more relevant for cold executive functions, while the medial-orbital prefrontal cortex along with the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and the posterior cingulate cortex are more closely involved in hot executive functions. This functional distinction, however, is not absolute and depends on several factors including task features, context, and the extent to which the measured function relies on cognition and emotion or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Salehinejad
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Elham Ghanavati
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Neuropsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Md Harun Ar Rashid
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Michael A. Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
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Manuel AL, Roquet D, Landin-Romero R, Kumfor F, Ahmed RM, Hodges JR, Piguet O. Interactions between decision-making and emotion in behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:681-694. [PMID: 32613246 PMCID: PMC7393308 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative and positive emotions are known to shape decision-making toward more or less impulsive responses, respectively. Decision-making and emotion processing are underpinned by shared brain regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the amygdala. How these processes interact at the behavioral and brain levels is still unclear. We used a lesion model to address this question. Study participants included individuals diagnosed with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD, n = 18), who typically present deficits in decision-making/emotion processing and atrophy of the vmPFC, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n = 12) who present with atrophy in limbic structures and age-matched healthy controls (CTRL, n = 15). Prior to each choice on the delay discounting task participants were cued with a positive, negative or neutral picture and asked to vividly imagine witnessing the event. As hypothesized, our findings showed that bvFTD patients were more impulsive than AD patients and CTRL and did not show any emotion-related modulation of delay discounting rate. In contrast, AD patients showed increased impulsivity when primed by negative emotion. This increased impulsivity was associated with reduced integrity of bilateral amygdala in AD but not in bvFTD. Altogether, our results indicate that decision-making and emotion interact at the level of the amygdala supporting findings from animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie L Manuel
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging LREN, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Roquet
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ramon Landin-Romero
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona Kumfor
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebekah M Ahmed
- Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Clinical Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - John R Hodges
- Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Clinical Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Olivier Piguet
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
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