The role of dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the processing of emotional dimensions

Asynchronous Involvement of VLPFC and DLPFC During Negative Emotion Processing: An Online Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study

The ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) have been found to play important roles in negative emotion processing. However, the specific time window of their involvement remains unknown. This study addressed this issue in three experiments using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We found that TMS applied over the VLPFC at 400 ms after negative emotional exposure significantly enhanced negative feelings compared to the vertex condition. Furthermore, TMS applied over the DLPFC at both 0 ms and 600 ms after negative emotional exposure also resulted in deteriorated negative feelings. These findings provide potential evidence for the VLPFC-dependent semantic processing (∼400 ms) and the DLPFC-dependent attentional and cognitive control (∼0/600 ms) in negative emotion processing. The asynchronous involvement of these frontal cortices not only deepens our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying negative emotion processing but also provides valuable temporal parameters for neurostimulation therapy targeting patients with mood disorders.

New and emerging treatments for major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects a substantial portion of the population; however, much is still unknown about the pathophysiology of this disorder. Treatment resistance highlights the heterogeneous nature of MDD and the need for treatments to target more than monoamine neurotransmission. This review summarizes research into the new and emerging targets of MDD. These include drugs such as psychedelics, antibiotics, opioid modulators, neuropeptides, and onabotulinumtoxin. Neuromodulatory treatments such as light based therapies and neuromodulation involving either magnetic or electrical stimulation are also discussed. Almost all interventions, pharmacological and neuromodulation, were trialed as adjunctive treatments to an antidepressant. Most research has been conducted on psychedelics, with trials suggesting rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects. Trial findings, tolerability, study design limitations and quality of research have been considered throughout this review. There remains challenges in forming recommendations with the current research at present. With there being considerable interest into the research of new and emerging treatments-in particular, psychedelics-there may be scope in the future to form more robust recommendations.

A network meta-analysis of non-invasive brain stimulation interventions for autism spectrum disorder: evidence from randomized controlled trials

The efficacy and acceptability of various non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) interventions for autism spectrum disorder remain unclear. We carried out a systematic review for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding NIBS for reducing autistic symptoms (INPLASY202370003). Sixteen articles (N = 709) met the inclusion criteria for network meta-analysis. Effect sizes were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) or odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Fourteen active NIBS interventions, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and transcranial pulse stimulation were analyzed. Only anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex paired with cathodal tDCS over an extracephalic location (atDCS_F3+ctDCS_E) significantly improved autistic symptoms compared to sham controls (SMD = -1.40, 95%CIs = -2.67 to -0.14). None of the NIBS interventions markedly improved social-communication symptoms or restricted/repetitive behaviors in autistic participants. Moreover, no active NIBS interventions exhibited significant dropout rate differences compared to sham controls, and no serious adverse events were reported for any intervention.

Genetic polymorphisms and their association with neurobiological and psychological factors in anorexia nervosa: a systematic review

Background and aims

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from diverse studies to assess and investigate the association between gene polymorphisms and psychological and neurobiological factors in patients with AN.

Methods

A systematic search across PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, along with manual searching, was conducted. The review protocol was approved by PROSPERO (CRD42023452548). Out of 1,250 articles, 11 met the inclusion criteria. The quality of eligible articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tool. The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines.

Results

The serotoninergic system, particularly the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, is consistently linked to altered connectivity in the ventral attention network, impaired inhibitory control, and increased susceptibility to AN. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism affects reward processing, motivation, reasoning, working memory, inhibition, and outcome prediction in patients with AN. The dopaminergic system, involving genes like COMT, DRD2, DRD3, and DAT1, regulates reward, motivation, and decision-making. Genetic variations in these dopaminergic genes are associated with psychological manifestations and clinical severity in patients with AN. Across populations, the Val66Met polymorphism in the BDNF gene influences personality traits, eating behaviors, and emotional responses. Genes like OXTR, TFAP2B, and KCTD15 are linked to social cognition, emotional processing, body image concerns, and personality dimensions in patients with AN.

Conclusion

There was an association linking multiple genes to the susceptibly and/or severity of AN. This genetic factor contributes to the complexity of AN and leads to higher diversity of its clinical presentation. Therefore, conducting more extensive research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of anorexia nervosa pathology is imperative for advancing our understanding and potentially developing targeted therapeutic interventions for the disorder.Systematic review registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [CRD42023452548].

Transcranial electrical stimulation modulates emotional experience and metabolites in the prefrontal cortex in a donation task

Understanding the neural, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms underlying human altruism and decision-making is a complex and important topic both for science and society. Here, we investigated whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied to two prefrontal cortex regions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, anode) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, cathode) can induce changes in self-reported emotions and to modulate local metabolite concentrations. We employed in vivo quantitative MR Spectroscopy in healthy adult participants and quantified changes in GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) before and after five sessions of tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 min (active group) and 1 min (sham group) while participants were engaged in a charitable donation task. In the active group, we observed increased levels of GABA in vmPFC. Glx levels decreased in both prefrontal regions and self-reported happiness increased significantly over time in the active group. Self-reported guiltiness in both active and sham groups tended to decrease. The results indicate that self-reported happiness can be modulated, possibly due to changes in Glx concentrations following repeated stimulation. Therefore, local changes may induce remote changes in the reward network through interactions with other metabolites, previously thought to be unreachable with noninvasive stimulation techniques.

A prefrontal motor circuit initiates persistent movement

Persistence reinforces continuous action, which benefits animals in many aspects. Diverse external or internal signals may trigger animals to start a persistent movement. However, it is unclear how the brain decides to persist with current actions by selecting specific information. Using single-unit extracellular recordings and opto-tagging in awake mice, we demonstrated that a group of dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) motor cortex projecting (MP) neurons initiate a persistent movement by selectively encoding contextual information rather than natural valence. Inactivation of dmPFC MP neurons impairs the initiation and reduces neuronal activity in the insular and motor cortex. After the persistent movement is initiated, the dmPFC MP neurons are not required to maintain it. Finally, a computational model suggests that a successive sensory stimulus acts as an input signal for the dmPFC MP neurons to initiate a persistent movement. These results reveal a neural initiation mechanism on the persistent movement.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improves emotion regulation in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically exhibit difficulties in emotion regulation. It has been shown that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are crucially involved in these deficient processes. In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of electrical stimulation over the left dlPFC and right vmPFC on emotion regulation in children with ADHD. Twenty-four children with ADHD completed the Emotional Go/No-Go and Emotional 1-Back tasks while undergoing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in three separate sessions, each with a different electrode placement: anodal dlPFC (F3)/cathodal vmPFC (Fp2), anodal vmPFC (Fp2)/cathodal dlPFC (F3), and sham stimulation. During both real tDCS conditions, the accuracy of pre-potent inhibitory control and working memory performance improved, but not speed. This study provides evidence that the left dlPFC and the right vmPFC are involved in emotion regulation in ADHD.

Immediate and Differential Response to Emotional Stimuli Associated With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Depression: A Visual-Search Task Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

When administered in repeated daily doses, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) directed to the prefrontal cortex has cumulative efficacy for the treatment of depression. Depression can be marked by altered processing of emotionally salient information. An acute marker of response to tDCS may be measured as an immediate change in emotional information processing. Using an easily administered web-based task, we tested immediate changes in emotional information processing in acute response to tDCS in participants with and without depression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We enrolled n = 21 women with mild-to-moderate depression and n = 20 controls without depression to complete a web-based visual search task before and after 30 minutes of tDCS directed to the prefrontal cortex. The timed task required participants to identify a target face among arrays showing sad, neutral, or mixed (distractor) expressions.

RESULTS

At baseline, as predicted, the participants with depression differed from those without in emotional processing speed (mean z score difference -0.66 ± 0.27, p = 0.022) and accuracy in identifying sad stimuli (error rate: 4.4% vs 1.8%, p = 0.039). In response to tDCS, the participants with depression became significantly faster on the distractor condition (pre- vs post-tDCS z scores: -0.45 ± 0.65 vs -0.85 ± 0.65, p = 0.009), suggesting a specific reduction in bias toward negative emotional information. In response to tDCS, the depressed group also had significant improvements in self-reported mood (increased happy, decreased sad and anxious mood).

CONCLUSIONS

Participants with depression vs those without were differentiated by their performance of the visual search task at baseline and in response to tDCS. Given that measurable effects on depression scales may require weeks of tDCS treatments, acute change in emotional information processing can serve as an easily obtainable marker of depression and its response to tDCS.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is NCT05188248.

The efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life-threatening disease with a low effectiveness of treatment. The high relapse and mortality rate indicate new treatment approaches are needed. Here, we represent the protocol for randomized clinical trial (RCT) of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) efficiency in the AN treatment. The main purpose of the 3-week RCT is to determine the effect of tDCS on the mental state and advances in nutritional rehabilitation in patients with AN.

Methods

50 female inpatients (13-25 years old, body mass index (BMI) 17.5 kg/m2 or less) will be randomly allocated into groups: active (n=25) and sham (n=25) tDCS. Thirty 25-minute tDCS sessions (applied current at 2mA) will be given to DLPFC (F3 anode/F4 cathode) twice a day for 3 weeks on working days parallel to treatment as usual. The primary outcome measures include changes in symptoms related to eating disorders, as assessed by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), following tDCS sessions over a 3-week trial period. The secondary outcome measures include changes in: brain bioelectric activity, anthropometric measurements, mood, nutritional status, neurocognition, psychological symptoms, selected biological markers related to stress, food intake, inflammation and neurotrophins.

Discussion

This paper describes the evaluation of a 3-week tDCS-based intervention for AN patients. The study design was developed by a multidisciplinary research team to assess the treatment effect, taking into account various types of variables. This approach could help in better understanding the potential therapeutic tDCS strategy in AN.

Clinical trial registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05814458.

The relationship between the resting state functional connectivity and social cognition in schizophrenia: Results from the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses

Deficits in social cognition (SC) interfere with recovery in schizophrenia (SZ) and may be related to resting state brain connectivity. This study aimed at assessing the alterations in the relationship between resting state functional connectivity and the social-cognitive abilities of patients with SZ compared to healthy subjects. We divided the brain into 246 regions of interest (ROI) following the Human Healthy Volunteers Brainnetome Atlas. For each participant, we calculated the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in terms of degree centrality (DC), which evaluates the total strength of the most powerful coactivations of every ROI with all other ROIs during rest. The rs-DC of the ROIs was correlated with five measures of SC assessing emotion processing and mentalizing in 45 healthy volunteers (HVs) chosen as a normative sample. Then, controlling for symptoms severity, we verified whether these significant associations were altered, i.e., absent or of opposite sign, in 55 patients with SZ. We found five significant differences between SZ patients and HVs: in the patients' group, the correlations between emotion recognition tasks and rsFC of the right entorhinal cortex (R-EC), left superior parietal lobule (L-SPL), right caudal hippocampus (R-c-Hipp), and the right caudal (R-c) and left rostral (L-r) middle temporal gyri (MTG) were lost. An altered resting state functional connectivity of the L-SPL, R-EC, R-c-Hipp, and bilateral MTG in patients with SZ may be associated with impaired emotion recognition. If confirmed, these results may enhance the development of non-invasive brain stimulation interventions targeting those cerebral regions to reduce SC deficit in SZ.

Identification and Connectomic Profiling of Concussion Using Bayesian Machine Learning

Accurate early diagnosis of concussion is useful to prevent sequelae and improve neurocognitive outcomes. Early after head impact, concussion diagnosis may be doubtful in persons whose neurological, neuroradiological, and/or neurocognitive examinations are equivocal. Such individuals can benefit from novel accurate assessments that complement clinical diagnostics. We introduce a Bayesian machine learning classifier to identify concussion through cortico-cortical connectome mapping from magnetic resonance imaging in persons with quasi-normal cognition and without neuroradiological findings. Classifier features are generated from connectivity matrices specifying the mean fractional anisotropy of white matter connections linking brain structures. Each connection's saliency to classification was quantified by training individual classifier instantiations using a single feature type. The classifier was tested on a discovery sample of 92 healthy controls (HCs; 26 females, age μ ± σ: 39.8 ± 15.5 years) and 471 adult mTBI patients (158 females, age μ ± σ: 38.4 ± 5.9 years). Results were replicated in an independent validation sample of 256 HCs (149 females, age μ ± σ: 55.3 ± 12.1 years) and 126 patients with concussion (46 females, age μ ± σ: 39.0 ± 17.7 years). Classifier accuracy exceeds 99% in both samples, suggesting robust generalizability to new samples. Notably, 13 bilateral cortico-cortical connection pairs predict diagnostic status with accuracy exceeding 99% in both discovery and validation samples. Many such connection pairs are between prefrontal cortex structures, fronto-limbic and fronto-subcortical structures, and occipito-temporal structures in the ventral ("what") visual stream. This and related connectivity form a highly salient network of brain connections that is particularly vulnerable to concussion. Because these connections are important in mediating cognitive control, memory, and attention, our findings explain the high frequency of cognitive disturbances after concussion. Our classifier was trained and validated on concussed participants with cognitive profiles very similar to those of HCs. This suggests that the classifier can complement current diagnostics by providing independent information in clinical contexts where patients have quasi-normal cognition but where concussion diagnosis stands to benefit from additional evidence.

Neural signatures of imaginary motivational states: desire for music, movement and social play

The literature has demonstrated the potential for detecting accurate electrical signals that correspond to the will or intention to move, as well as decoding the thoughts of individuals who imagine houses, faces or objects. This investigation examines the presence of precise neural markers of imagined motivational states through the combining of electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods. 20 participants were instructed to vividly imagine the desire to move, listen to music or engage in social activities. Their EEG was recorded from 128 scalp sites and analysed using individual standardized Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomographies (LORETAs) in the N400 time window (400-600 ms). The activation of 1056 voxels was examined in relation to the 3 motivational states. The most active dipoles were grouped in eight regions of interest (ROI), including Occipital, Temporal, Fusiform, Premotor, Frontal, OBF/IF, Parietal, and Limbic areas. The statistical analysis revealed that all motivational imaginary states engaged the right hemisphere more than the left hemisphere. Distinct markers were identified for the three motivational states. Specifically, the right temporal area was more relevant for "Social Play", the orbitofrontal/inferior frontal cortex for listening to music, and the left premotor cortex for the "Movement" desire. This outcome is encouraging in terms of the potential use of neural indicators in the realm of brain-computer interface, for interpreting the thoughts and desires of individuals with locked-in syndrome.

Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) improves hot and cold executive functions in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired hot and cold executive functions, which is thought to be related to impaired ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (vmPFC and dlPFC) functions. The present study aimed to assess the impact concurrent stimulation of dlPFC and vmPFC through transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a non-invasive brain stimulation tool which enhances cortical excitability via application of alternating sinusoidal currents with random frequencies and amplitudes over the respective target regions on hot and cold executive functions. Eighteen children with ADHD received real and sham tRNS over the left dlPFC and the right vmPFC in two sessions with one week interval. The participants performed Circle Tracing, Go/No-Go, Wisconsin Card Sorting, and Balloon Analogue Risk Tasks during stimulation in each session. The results showed improved ongoing inhibition, prepotent inhibition, working memory, and decision making, but not set-shifting performance, during real, as compared to sham stimulation. This indicates that simultaneous stimulation of the dlPFC and the vmPFC improves hot and cold executive functions in children with ADHD.

A prefrontal motor circuit initiates persistent movement

Persistence reinforces continuous action, which benefits animals in many aspects. Diverse information may trigger animals to start a persistent movement. However, it is unclear how the brain decides to persist with current actions by selecting specific information. Using single-unit extracellular recordings and opto-tagging in awake mice, we demonstrated that a group of dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) motor cortex projecting (MP) neurons initiate a persistent movement selectively encoding contextual information rather than natural valence. Inactivation of dmPFC MP neurons impairs the initiation and reduces neuronal activity in the insular and motor cortex. Finally, a computational model suggests that a successive sensory stimulus acts as an input signal for the dmPFC MP neurons to initiate a persistent movement. These results reveal a neural initiation mechanism on the persistent movement.

Lack of effects of eight-week left dorsolateral prefrontal theta burst stimulation on white matter macro/microstructure and connection in autism

Whether brain stimulation could modulate brain structure in autism remains unknown. This study explored the impact of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on white matter macro/microstructure in intellectually able children and emerging adults with autism. Sixty autistic participants were randomized (30 active) and received active or sham cTBS for eight weeks twice per week, 16 total sessions using a double-blind (participant-, rater-, analyst-blinded) design. All participants received high-angular resolution diffusion MR imaging at baseline and week 8. Twenty-eight participants in the active group and twenty-seven in the sham group with good imaging quality entered the final analysis. With longitudinal fixel-based analysis and network-based statistics, we found no significant difference between the active and sham groups in changes of white matter macro/microstructure and connections following cTBS. In addition, we found no association between baseline white matter macro/microstructure and autistic symptom changes from baseline to week 8 in the active group. In conclusion, we did not find a significant impact of left DLPFC cTBS on white matter macro/microstructure and connections in children and emerging adults with autism. These findings need to be interpreted in the context that the current intellectually able cohort in a single university hospital site limits the generalizability. Future studies are required to investigate if higher stimulation intensities and/or doses, other personal factors, or rTMS parameters might confer significant brain structural changes visible on MRI in ASD.

Disentangling empathy impairment along Alzheimer's disease continuum: From subjective cognitive decline to Alzheimer's dementia

Little is known about empathy changes from the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) continuum. The aim of this study is to investigate empathy across AD spectrum from Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD dementia (AD-d). Forty-five SCD, 83 MCI and 80 AD-d patients were included. Empathy was assessed by Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) (Perspective Taking - PT, Fantasy - FT, Empathic Concern - EC, and Personal Distress - PD), rated by caregivers before (T0) and after (T1) cognitive symptoms' onset. IRI was also administered to SCD patients to have a self-reported empathy evaluation. Facial emotion recognition was assessed by Ekman-60 Faces Test. Twenty-two SCD, 54 MCI and 62 AD-d patients underwent CSF biomarkers analysis and were classified as carriers of AD pathology (AP+) when they were A+/T+ (regardless of N), or non-carriers (AP-) when they were A- (regardless of T and N), or A+/T-/N-, or A+/T-/N+ according to the A/T(N) system. Cerebral FDG-PET SPM analysis was used to explore neural correlates underlying empathy deficits. PD scores significantly increased from T0 to T1 in SCD, MCI and AD-d (p < .001), while PT scores decreased in MCI and in AD-d (p < .001). SCD AP+ showed a greater increase in PD scores over time (ΔPD T0 - T1) than SCD AP- (p < .001). SCD self-reported PT scores were lower than those of general Italian population (14.94 ± 3.94, 95% C.I. [13.68-16.20] vs 17.70 ± 4.36, 95% C.I. [17.30-18.10]). In AD continuum (SCD AP+, MCI AP+, AD-d), a positive correlation was detected between PT-T1 and brain metabolism in left posterior cingulate gyrus, precuneus and right frontal gyri; a negative correlation was found between ΔPT and brain metabolism in bilateral posterior cingulate gyri. PT may be subtly involved since the preclinical phase of AD. Changes over time of PD are influenced by the underlying Alzheimer's pathology and could potentially serve as an early AD neuropsychological marker.

Sex differences in the effects of individual anxiety state on regional responses to negative emotional scenes

BACKGROUND

Men and women are known to show differences in the incidence and clinical manifestations of mood and anxiety disorders. Many imaging studies have investigated the neural correlates of sex differences in emotion processing. However, it remains unclear how anxiety might impact emotion processing differently in men and women.

METHOD

We recruited 119 healthy adults and assessed their levels of anxiety using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) State score. With functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined regional responses to negative vs. neutral (Neg-Neu) picture matching in the Hariri task. Behavioral data were analyzed using regression and repeated-measures analysis of covariance with age as a covariate, and fMRI data were analyzed using a full-factorial model with sex as a factor and age as a covariate.

RESULTS

Men and women did not differ in STAI score, or accuracy rate or reaction time (RT) (Neg-Neu). However, STAI scores correlated positively with RT (Neg-Neu) in women but not in men. Additionally, in women, STAI score correlated positively with lingual gyrus (LG) and negatively with medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) activity during Neg vs. Neu trials. The parameter estimates (βs) of mPFC also correlated with RT (Neg-Neu) in women but not in men. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis in women revealed mPFC connectivity with the right inferior frontal gyrus, right SFG, and left parahippocampal gyrus during Neg vs. Neu trials in positive correlation with both STAI score and RT (Neg-Neu). In a mediation analysis, mPFC gPPI but not mPFC activity fully mediated the association between STAI scores and RT (Neg-Neu).

CONCLUSION

With anxiety affecting the behavioral and neural responses to negative emotions in women but not in men and considering the known roles of the mPFC in emotion regulation, we discussed heightened sensitivity and regulatory demands during negative emotion processing as neurobehavioral markers of anxiety in women.

Testing the modulation of self-related automatic and others-related controlled processing by chronotype and time-of-day

We assessed whether self-related automatic and others-related controlled processes are modulated by chronotype and time-of-day. Here, a shape-label matching task composed of three geometrical shapes arbitrarily associated with you, friend, and stranger was used. Twenty Morning-types, and twenty Evening-types performed the task at the optimal and non-optimal times of day (i.e., 8 AM, or 8:30 PM). Morning-types did not exhibit noticeable synchrony effects, thus proving the better adaptation of these participants to non-optimal moments of the day as compared to Evening-types. Contrary to our predictions regarding the absence of automatic-processing modulation and the presence of controlled-processing influences by time-of-day, we found an influence on self-related but not others-related processing only in Evening-type participants. Although brain structures are not directly tackled, we argue that such modulation may be due to the dependence of the activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), an essential component of the self-attention network on circadian rhythms.

Theta burst stimulation add on to dialectical behavioral therapy in borderline-personality-disorder: methods and design of a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial

Specialized psychotherapeutic treatments like dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) are recommended as first treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD). In recent years, studies have emerged that focus on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in BPD. Both have independently demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of BPD. Intermitted theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a modified design of rTMS, is thought to increase the excitability of neurons and could be a supplement to psychotherapy in addition to being a standalone treatment. However, no studies to date have investigated the combination of DBT and rTMS/iTBS. This study protocol describes the methods and design of a randomized, single-blinded, sham-controlled clinical pilot study in which BPD patients will be randomly assigned to either iTBS or sham during four consecutive weeks (20 sessions in total) in addition to standardized DBT treatment. The stimulation will focus on the unilateral stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which plays an important role in the control of impulsivity and risk-taking. Primary outcome is the difference in borderline symptomatology, while secondary target criteria are depressive symptoms, general functional level, impulsivity and self-compassion. Statistical analysis of therapy response will be conducted by Mixed Model Repeated Measurement using a 2 × 2-factorial between-subjects design with the between-subject factor stimulation (TMS vs. Sham) and the within-subject factor time (T0 vs. T1). Furthermore, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be conducted and analyzed. The study will provide evidence and insight on whether iTBS has an enhancing effect as add-on to DBT in BPD.Trial registration: drks.de (DRKS00020413) registered 13/01/2020.

Mind over mood: exploring the executive function's role in downregulation

Emotion regulation plays a key role in well adapted behaviour, however, factors influencing individual differences in ER are still under investigation. Across two studies we investigate the complex relationship between executive functions (EFs) and emotional downregulation through two complementary research designs. The focus lies on key components of EFs-working memory, inhibitory control, and switching-and their relationship with effective emotional regulation. Surprisingly, switching emerged as the sole significant predictor in two multiple linear regression models, challenging the conventional belief that all major EFs broadly contribute to emotional downregulation. The first study, involving 248 Ecuadorian adults between 18 and 60 years old, used experimental tasks to assess the association between EFs and emotional regulation, aligning with existing literature that posits a link between EFs and emotional control. The second study, involving 180 Ecuadorian adults between 18 and 43 years old, added depth by incorporating self-report measures, providing a broader, ecologically valid perspective. However, these measures did not significantly predict downregulation, highlighting a gap between self-perception and actual cognitive abilities. Additionally, demographic predictors varied between the two studies, urging future research to consider methodological design and task selection carefully. The study also raises questions about the validity of commonly used measures, emphasising the need for more nuanced tools to capture the complexity of EFs and emotional regulation. Our findings suggest a targeted research avenue focusing on EFs for both future research and clinical interventions. Attention is called to the methodological decisions that can influence the observed associations, and the need for broader demographic representation in future studies.

A neural network underlying cognitive strategies related to eating, weight and body image concerns

Concerns about food intake, weight and body shape can trigger negatively loaded emotions, which may prompt the use of cognitive strategies to regulate these emotional states. A novel fMRI task was developed to assess the neurobehavioral correlates of cognitive strategies related to eating, weight and body image concerns, such as self-criticism, avoidance, rumination, and self-reassurance. Fourteen healthy females were presented audio sentences referring to these conditions and instructed to repeat these internally while engaging their thoughts with the content of food or body images. Participants were asked to report the elicited emotion and rate their performance. All cognitive strategies recruited a network including the inferior and superior frontal gyri, orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsal striatum. These brain regions are involved in emotional, reward and inhibitory control processing. Representational similarity analysis revealed distinct patterns of neural responses for each cognitive strategy. Additionally, self-report measures showed that self-criticism was positively associated with superior frontal gyrus (SFG) activation. Self-compassion scores were negatively correlated with activations in the insula and right putamen, while self-reassurance scores were negatively associated with activity in the orbitofrontal cortex. These findings identify a neural network underlying cognitive strategies related to eating, weight and body image concerns, where neurobehavioral correlation patterns depend on the cognitive strategy.

Shared Minds, Shared Feedback: tracing the influence of parental feedback on shared neural patterns

Parental feedback affects children in multiple ways. However, little is known about how children, family, and feedback types affect parental feedback neural mechanisms. The current study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based hyperscanning to observe 47 mother-daughter pairs's (mean age of mothers: 35.95 ± 3.99 yr old; mean age of daughters: 6.97 ± 0.75 yr old) brain synchronization in a jigsaw game under various conditions. Between parental negative feedback and praise conditions, mother-daughter brain in supramarginal gyrus, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right inferior frontal gyrus, and right primary somatic (S1) differed. When criticized, conformity family-communication-patterned families had much worse brain synchronization in S1, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and right Wernicke's region than conversational families. Resilient children had better mother-child supramarginal gyrus synchronicity under negative feedback. This study supports the importance of studying children's neurological development in nurturing environments to assess their psychological development.

Dark triad personality traits are associated with decreased grey matter volumes in 'social brain' structures

Introduction

Personality traits and the degree of their prominence determine various aspects of social interactions. Some of the most socially relevant traits constitute the Dark Triad - narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism - associated with antisocial behaviour, disregard for moral norms, and a tendency to manipulation. Sufficient data point at the existence of Dark Triad 'profiles' distinguished by trait prominence. Currently, neuroimaging studies have mainly concentrated on the neuroanatomy of individual dark traits, while the Dark Triad profile structure has been mostly overlooked.

Methods

We performed a clustering analysis of the Dirty Dozen Dark Triad questionnaire scores of 129 healthy subjects using the k-means method. The variance ratio criterion (VRC) was used to determine the optimal number of clusters for the current data. The two-sample t-test within the framework of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was performed to test the hypothesised differences in grey matter volume (GMV) for the obtained groups.

Results

Clustering analysis revealed 2 groups of subjects, both with low-to-mid and mid-to-high levels of Dark Triad traits prominence. A further VBM analysis of these groups showed that a higher level of Dark Triad traits may manifest itself in decreased grey matter volumes in the areas related to emotional regulation (the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the cingulate cortex), as well as those included in the reward system (the ventral striatum, the orbitofrontal cortex).

Discussion

The obtained results shed light on the neurobiological basis underlying social interactions associated with the Dark Triad and its profiles.

A transdiagnostic and translational framework for delineating the neuronal mechanisms of compulsive exercise in anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE

The development of novel treatments for anorexia nervosa (AN) requires a detailed understanding of the biological underpinnings of specific, commonly occurring symptoms, including compulsive exercise. There is considerable bio-behavioral overlap between AN and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), therefore it is plausible that similar mechanisms underlie compulsive behavior in both populations. While the association between these conditions is widely acknowledged, defining the shared mechanisms for compulsive behavior in AN and OCD requires a novel approach.

METHODS

We present an argument that a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underpin compulsive exercise in AN can be achieved in two critical ways. First, by applying a framework of the neuronal control of OCD to exercise behavior in AN, and second, by taking better advantage of the activity-based anorexia (ABA) rodent model to directly test this framework in the context of feeding pathology.

RESULTS

A cross-disciplinary approach that spans preclinical, neuroimaging, and clinical research as well as compulsive neurocircuitry and behavior can advance our understanding of when, why, and how compulsive exercise develops in the context of AN and provide targets for novel treatment strategies.

DISCUSSION

In this article, we (i) link the expression of compulsive behavior in AN and OCD via a transition between goal-directed and habitual behavior, (ii) present disrupted cortico-striatal circuitry as a key substrate for the development of compulsive behavior in both conditions, and (iii) highlight the utility of the ABA rodent model to better understand the mechanisms of compulsive behavior relevant to AN.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Individuals with AN who exercise compulsively are at risk of worse health outcomes and have poorer responses to standard treatments. However, when, why, and how compulsive exercise develops in AN remains inadequately understood. Identifying whether the neural circuitry underlying compulsive behavior in OCD also controls hyperactivity in the activity-based anorexia model will aid in the development of novel eating disorder treatment strategies for this high-risk population.

Lateral prefrontal cortex thickness is associated with stress but not cognitive fatigue in exhaustion disorder

Introduction

Impaired executive functioning, including cognitive fatigue, is a core feature of the long-term stress-related condition exhaustion disorder (ED). Recent research suggests that a key area for executive control, the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), may be mechanistically linked to cognitive fatigue due to stress. Here, we therefore asked if and how stress, the LPFC and cognitive fatigue may be related in ED.

Methods

We used a multimodal cross-sectional study design with high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), self-reported measures, and path analysis modeling in 300 participants with ED.

Results

We found positive associations between stress and cognitive fatigue, and stress and LPFC thickness,but no association between LPFC thickness and cognitive fatigue. Furthermore, LPFC thickness did not mediate or moderate the association between stress and cognitive fatigue.

Discussion

These findings suggest that LPFC brain morphology is related to perceived stress levels but not cognitive fatigue, expanding previous research on the role of the LPFC in executive functioning. Moreover, the results support the notion that the LPFC may be mechanistically involved in stress-related executive function impairment but prompt further research into if and how this may be related to cognitive symptoms in ED.

Sex differences in the effects of individual anxiety state on regional responses to negative emotional scenes

Background

Men and women are known to show differences in the incidence and clinical manifestations of mood and anxiety disorders. Many imaging studies have investigated the neural correlates of sex differences in emotion processing. However, it remains unclear how anxiety might impact emotion processing differently in men and women.

Method

We recruited 119 healthy adults and assessed their levels of anxiety using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) State score. With functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined regional responses to negative vs. neutral (Neg-Neu) picture matching in the Hariri task. Behavioral data were analyzed using regression and repeated-measures analysis of covariance with age as a covariate, and fMRI data were analyzed using a full-factorial model with sex as a factor and age as a covariate.

Results

Men and women did not differ in STAI score, or accuracy rate or reaction time (RT) (Neg-Neu). However, STAI scores correlated positively with RT (Neg-Neu) in women but not in men. Additionally, in women, STAI score correlated positively with lingual gyrus (LG) and negatively with medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) activity during Neg vs. Neu trials. The parameter estimates (β's) of mPFC also correlated with RT (Neg-Neu) in women but not in men. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis in women revealed mPFC connectivity with the right inferior frontal gyrus, right SFG, and left parahippocampal gyrus during Neg vs. Neu trials in positive correlation with both STAI score and RT (Neg-Neu). In a mediation analysis, mPFC gPPI but not mPFC activity fully mediated the association between STAI scores and RT (Neg-Neu).

Conclusion

With anxiety affecting the behavioral and neural responses to negative emotions in women but not in men and considering the known roles of the mPFC in emotion regulation, we discussed heightened sensitivity and regulatory demands during negative emotion processing as neurobehavioral markers of anxiety in women.

Brief Myofascial Intervention Modulates Visual Event-Related Potential Response to Emotional Photographic Contents: A Pilot Study

The use of touch for the treatment of psychiatric disorders is increasingly investigated, as it is shown that cognitive symptoms can be improved by various forms of massage. To investigate if the effect of massage is measurable using classical visual event-related potential components (P1, P2, late positive potential (LPP)), we performed a preliminary study on six participants using myofascial induction massage. Participants were shown emotionally valenced or neutral images before and after a 20 min myofascial massage. We found general increases in P2 amplitude following the intervention across all conditions (both neutral and affective), indicating increased attention or salience to visual stimuli. The magnitude of change was visibly larger for unpleasant stimuli, suggesting that visual perception and attention were modulated specifically in response to unpleasant visual images. The LPP showed reductions in amplitude after myofascial massage, suggesting increased emotional modulation following intervention, as a result of possible DMN alterations, consistent with region and function. We conclude that brief myofascial intervention supports other research in the field, finding that physical touch and massage techniques can alter cognition and perception. We posit further research to investigate its future use as an intervention for both physical and cognitive modulation. Importantly, we provide preliminary evidence that the neural processes that resonate with this type of massage involve complex feedforward and backward cortical pathways, of which a significant portion participate in modulating the visual perception of external stimuli.

The role of prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction in interpersonal comfort and emotional approach

Our perception of physical distance to individuals and stimuli is influenced by our mental distance and relatedness. The present study aimed to investigate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) in interpersonal comfortable distance and approach behaviors towards emotional stimuli. Twenty healthy volunteers received brain stimulation in four separate sessions with a one-week interval, including anodal left dlPFC, anodal right vmPFC, anodal rTPJ, and sham condition, with an extracranial return electrode. Our results revealed an increase in interpersonal distance during anodal rTPJ stimulation and a decrease in distance to positive pictures during anodal vmPFC stimulation. These findings suggest that the rTPJ plays a role in the perceptual component of self-other distancing, while the vmPFC is involved in approaching positive emotions.

An MR spectroscopy study of temporal areas excluding primary auditory cortex and frontal regions in subjective bilateral and unilateral tinnitus

Previous studies indicate changes in neurotransmission along the auditory pathway in subjective tinnitus. Most authors, however, investigated brain regions including the primary auditory cortex, whose physiology can be affected by concurrent hearing deficits. In the present MR spectroscopy study we assumed increased levels of glutamate and glutamine (Glx), and other Central Nervous System metabolites in the temporal lobe outside the primary auditory cortex, in a region involved in conscious auditory perception and memory. We studied 52 participants with unilateral (n = 24) and bilateral (n = 28) tinnitus, and a control group without tinnitus (n = 25), all with no severe hearing losses and a similar hearing profile. None of the metabolite levels in the temporal regions of interest were found related to tinnitus status or laterality. Unexpectedly, we found a tendency of increased concentration of Glx in the control left medial frontal region in bilateral vs unilateral tinnitus. Slightly elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms were also shown in participants with tinnitus, as compared to healthy individuals, with the bilateral tinnitus group marginally more affected. We discuss no apparent effect in the temporal lobes, as well as the role of frontal brain areas, with respect to hearing loss, attention and psychological well-being in chronic tinnitus. We furthermore elaborate on the design-related and technical obstacles of MR spectroscopy.

Neural symphony of risky decision making in children with ADHD: Insights from transcranial alternating current stimulation and cognitive modeling

BACKGROUND

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) are key brain regions involved in risky decision making, affected in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aims to examine how entrainment of these areas impacts the process and outcome of risky decision making in children with ADHD.

METHODS

Eighteen children with ADHD performed the balloon analogue risk-taking task (BART) during five different sessions of tACS (1.5 mA, 6 Hz), separated by one-week intervals, via (1) two channels with synchronized stimulation over the left dlPFC and right vmPFC, (2) the same electrode placement with anti-phase stimulation, (3) stimulation over the left dlPFC only, (4) stimulation over right vmPFC only, and (5) sham stimulation. Four-parameter and constant-sensitivity models were used to model the data.

RESULTS

The study showed that synchronized stimulation was associated with a reduction in positive prior belief, risk propensity, and deterministic selection. Desynchronized stimulation was associated with accelerated learning from initial selections. Isolated stimulation of the dlPFC leads to riskier decision enhanced learning updates and risk propensity, whereas isolated stimulation of the vmPFC facilitated faster learning and increased probabilistic selection.

CONCLUSION

The results highlight the important roles of the dlPFC and vmPFC and their communication in decision making, showcasing their impact on various aspects of the decision-making process. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between cognitive and emotional factors in shaping our choices.

Tactile estimation of hedonic and sensory properties during active touch: An electroencephalography study

Perceptual judgements about our physical environment are informed by somatosensory information. In real-world exploration, this often involves dynamic hand movements to contact surfaces, termed active touch. The current study investigated cortical oscillatory changes during active exploration to inform the estimation of surface properties and hedonic preferences of two textured stimuli: smooth silk and rough hessian. A purpose-built touch sensor quantified active touch, and oscillatory brain activity was recorded from 129-channel electroencephalography. By fusing these data streams at a single trial level, oscillatory changes within the brain were examined while controlling for objective touch parameters (i.e., friction). Time-frequency analysis was used to quantify changes in cortical oscillatory activity in alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (16-24 Hz) frequency bands. Results reproduce findings from our lab, whereby active exploration of rough textures increased alpha-band event-related desynchronisation in contralateral sensorimotor areas. Hedonic processing of less preferred textures resulted in an increase in temporoparietal beta-band and frontal alpha-band event-related desynchronisation relative to most preferred textures, suggesting that higher order brain regions are involved in the hedonic processing of texture. Overall, the current study provides novel insight into the neural mechanisms underlying texture perception during active touch and how this process is influenced by cognitive tasks.

The efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation in the treatment of children and adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: study protocol of a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Current psychological and pharmacological treatments for Anorexia Nervosa (AN) provide only moderate effective support, and there is an urgent need for research to improve therapies, especially in developing age. Non-invasive brain stimulation has suggested to have the potential to reducing AN symptomatology, via targeting brain alterations, such as hyperactivity of right prefrontal cortex (PFC). We suppose that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the PFC may be effective in children and adolescents with AN.

METHODS

We will conduct a randomized, double blind, add-on, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of tDCS treatment on clinical improvement. We will also investigate brain mechanisms and biomarkers changes acting in AN after tDCS treatment. Eighty children or adolescent with AN (age range 10-18 years) will undergo treatment-as-usual including psychiatric, nutritional and psychological support, plus tDCS treatment (active or sham) to PFC (F3 anode/F4 cathode), for six weeks, delivered three times a week. Psychological, neurophysiological and physiological measures will be collected at baseline and at the end of treatment. Participants will be followed-up one, three, six months and one year after the end of treatment. Psychological measures will include parent- and self-report questionnaires on AN symptomatology and other psychopathological symptoms. Neurophysiological measures will include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography and paired pulse TMS and repetitive TMS to investigate changes in PFC connectivity, reactivity and plasticity after treatment. Physiological measures will include changes in the functioning of the endogenous stress response system, body mass index (BMI) and nutritional state.

DISCUSSION

We expect that tDCS treatment to improve clinical outcome by reducing the symptoms of AN assessed as changes in Eating Disorder Risk composite score of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3. We also expect that at baseline there will be differences between the right and left hemisphere in some electrophysiological measures and that such differences will be reduced after tDCS treatment. Finally, we expect a reduction of endogenous stress response and an improvement in BMI and nutritional status after tDCS treatment. This project would provide scientific foundation for new treatment perspectives in AN in developmental age, as well as insight into brain mechanisms acting in AN and its recovery. Trial registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05674266) and ethical approval for the study was granted by the local research ethics committee (process number 763_OPBG_2014).

An fNIRS investigation of novel expressed emotion stimulations in schizophrenia

Living in high expressed emotion (EE) environments tends to increase the relapse rate in schizophrenia (SZ). At present, the neural substrates responsible for high EE in SZ remain poorly understood. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) may be of great use to quantitatively assess cortical hemodynamics and elucidate the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. In this study, we designed novel low- (positivity and warmth) and high-EE (criticism, negative emotion, and hostility) stimulations, in the form of audio, to investigate cortical hemodynamics. We used fNIRS to measure hemodynamic signals while participants listened to the recorded audio. Healthy controls (HCs, [Formula: see text]) showed increased hemodynamic activation in the major language centers across EE stimulations, with stronger activation in Wernicke's area during the processing of negative emotional language. Compared to HCs, people with SZ ([Formula: see text]) exhibited smaller hemodynamic activation in the major language centers across EE stimulations. In addition, people with SZ showed weaker or insignificant hemodynamic deactivation in the medial prefrontal cortex. Notably, hemodynamic activation in SZ was found to be negatively correlated with the negative syndrome scale score at high EE. Our findings suggest that the neural mechanisms in SZ are altered and disrupted, especially during negative emotional language processing. This supports the feasibility of using the designed EE stimulations to assess people who are vulnerable to high-EE environments, such as SZ. Furthermore, our findings provide preliminary evidence for future research on functional neuroimaging biomarkers for people with psychiatric disorders.

Effects of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation on network topological attributes in young individuals with high-level perceived stress: A randomized controlled trial

Individuals with high-level perceived stress are at higher risk of developing a psychiatric disorder. While repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective for improving emotional symptoms, there is little evidence of its effect on perceived stress. This randomized sham-controlled trial investigated the effect of rTMS on ameliorating high-level stress and explored the associated changes in brain network activity. Fifty participants with high-level perceived stress were randomly assigned to either the active or sham rTMS group and received 12 active/sham rTMS sessions over four weeks (three per week). Perceived stress score (PSS), Chinese affective scale (CAS) normal and now statuses, and functional network topology were measured. Our results showed greater improvements in PSS and CAS_Normal scores, and reduced path length in the default mode network after active rTMS. Functional activations of the angular gyrus, posterior insula, and prefrontal cortex were also modulated in the active group. There were significant associations between posterior insula efficiency and PSS scores, and between angular efficiency and CAS_Now scores in the active group. These cumulative findings suggest rTMS as a promising intervention for recovery from high-level perceived stress.

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Techniques for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated intervention for depression; it is currently approved for treatment-resistant depression. This article summarizes the mechanism of action, evidence of clinical efficacy, and the clinical aspects of this intervention, including patient evaluation, stimulation parameters selection, and safety considerations. Transcranial direct current stimulation is another neuromodulation treatment for depression; although promising, the technique is not currently approved for clinical use in the United States. The final section outlines the open challenges and future directions of the field.

Transcranial direct current stimulation alters the process of reward processing in children with ADHD: Evidence from cognitive modeling

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.

The day-of-week (DOW) effect on liberalism-conservatism: Evidence from a large-scale online survey in China

Introduction

Past research has shown that psychological states tend to fluctuate across the days of a week, which is referred to as the day-of-week (DOW) effect. This study investigated the DOW effect on liberalism-conservatism among Chinese people by testing two competing hypotheses. According to the cognitive states hypothesis, it was predicted that liberalism would be high on Mondays but gradually decrease to Fridays due to the depletion of cognitive resources over the weekdays. In contrast, the affective states hypothesis predicted the opposite, considering the more positive affect brought by the approaching weekends. Both hypotheses predicted the level of liberalism would peak at weekends.

Methods

Data (n = 171,830) were collected via an online questionnaire, the Chinese Political Compass (CPC) survey, which includes 50 items to measure people' liberalism-conservatism in three domains (i.e., political, economic, and social).

Results

The results showed the level of liberalism decreased gradually from Mondays until Wednesdays, rebounded from Wednesdays to Fridays, and peaked at weekends.

Discussion

The V-shaped pattern suggested that the DOW fluctuation in liberalism-conservatism could derive from the synergy of both cognitive and affective processes, instead of either one alone. The findings have important implications for practice and policy-making, including the recent pilot scheme of 4-day workweek.

Differences and Similarities in Empathy Deficit and Its Neural Basis between Logopenic and Amnesic Alzheimer's Disease

The aims of the study were to assess empathy deficit and neuronal correlates in logopenic primary progressive aphasia (lv-PPA) and compare these data with those deriving from amnesic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Eighteen lv-PPA and thirty-eight amnesic AD patients were included. Empathy in both cognitive and affective domains was assessed by Informer-rated Interpersonal Reactivity Index (perspective taking, PT, and fantasy, FT, for cognitive empathy; empathic concern, EC, and personal distress, PD, for affective empathy) before (T0) and after (T1) cognitive symptoms' onset. Emotion recognition was explored through the Ekman 60 Faces Test. Cerebral FDG-PET was used to explore neural correlates underlying empathy deficits. From T0 to T1, PT scores decreased, and PD scores increased in both lv-PPA (PT z = -3.43, p = 0.001; PD z = -3.62, p < 0.001) and in amnesic AD (PT z = -4.57, p < 0.001; PD z = -5.20, p < 0.001). Delta PT (T0-T1) negatively correlated with metabolic disfunction of the right superior temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus (MFG) in amnesic AD and of the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), insula, MFG, and bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG) in lv-PPA (p < 0.005). Delta PD (T0-T1) positively correlated with metabolic disfunction of the right inferior frontal gyrus in amnesic AD (p < 0.001) and of the left IPL, insula, and bilateral SFG in lv-PPA (p < 0.005). Lv-PPA and amnesic AD share the same empathic changes, with a damage of cognitive empathy and a heightening of personal distress over time. The differences in metabolic disfunctions correlated with empathy deficits might be due to a different vulnerability of specific brain regions in the two AD clinical presentations.

Neurophysiological and emotional influences on team communication and metacognitive cyber situational awareness during a cyber engineering exercise

Background: Cyber operations unfold at superhuman speeds where cyber defense decisions are based on human-to-human communication aiming to achieve a shared cyber situational awareness. The recently proposed Orient, Locate, Bridge (OLB) model suggests a three-phase metacognitive approach for successful communication of cyber situational awareness for good cyber defense decision-making. Successful OLB execution implies applying cognitive control to coordinate self-referential and externally directed cognitive processes. In the brain, this is dependent on the frontoparietal control network and its connectivity to the default mode network. Emotional reactions may increase default mode network activity and reduce attention allocation to analytical processes resulting in sub-optimal decision-making. Vagal tone is an indicator of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal node of the frontoparietal control network and is associated with functional connectivity between the frontoparietal control network and the default mode network. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess whether indicators of neural activity relevant to the processes outlined by the OLB model were related to outcomes hypothesized by the model. Methods: Cyber cadets (N = 36) enrolled in a 3-day cyber engineering exercise organized by the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy participated in the study. Differences in prospective metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, communication demands, and mood were compared between cyber cadets with high and low vagal tone. Vagal tone was measured at rest prior to the exercise. Affective states, communication demands, cyber situational awareness, and metacognitive accuracy were measured on each day of the exercise. Results: We found that cyber cadets with higher vagal tone had better metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, imposed fewer communication demands on their teams, and had more neutral moods compared to cyber cadets with lower vagal tone. Conclusion: These findings provide neuroergonomic support for the OLB model and suggest that it may be useful in education and training. Future studies should assess the effect of OLB-ing as an intervention on communication and performance.

Spatial Mapping of Genes Implicated in SARS-CoV-2 Neuroinvasion to Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Gray Matter

Introduction

SARS-CoV-2 is the newest beta coronavirus family member to demonstrate neuroinvasive capability in severe cases of infection. Despite much research activity in the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 space, the gene-level biology of this phenomenon remains poorly understood. In the present analysis, we leveraged spatial transcriptomics methodologies to examine relevant gene heterogeneity in tissue retrieved from the human prefrontal cortex.

Methods

Expression profiles of genes with established relations to the SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion process were spatially resolved in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissue (N = 4). Spotplots were generated with mapping to six (6) previously defined gray matter layers.

Results

Docking gene BSG, processing gene CTSB, and viral defense gene LY6E demonstrated similar spatial enrichment. Docking gene ACE2 and transmembrane series proteases involved in spike protein processing were lowly expressed across DLPFC samples. Numerous other findings were obtained.

Conclusion

Efforts to spatially represent expression levels of key SARS-CoV-2 brain infiltration genes remain paltry to date. Understanding the sobering history of beta coronavirus neuroinvasion represents a weak point in viral research. Here we provide the first efforts to characterize a motley of such genes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Preliminary Evidence for the Sequentially Mediated Effect of Racism-Related Stress on Pain Sensitivity Through Sleep Disturbance and Corticolimbic Opioid Receptor Function

Sleep disturbance predicts worse pain outcomes. Because sleep disturbance inequitably impacts Black adults - with racism as the upstream cause - understanding how racism-related stress impacts pain through sleep might help minimize racialized pain inequities. This preliminary study examined sequential mediation of the effect of racism-related stress on experimental pain through sleep disturbance and corticolimbic μOR function in pain-free non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and White (NHW) adults. Participants completed questionnaires, actigraphy, positron emission tomography, and sensory testing. We reproduced findings showing greater sleep disturbance and pain sensitivity among NHB participants; greater sleep disturbance (r = .35) and lower pain tolerance (r=-.37) were significantly associated with greater racism-related stress. In a sequential mediation model, the total effect of racism-related stress on pain tolerance (β=-.38, P = .005) weakened after adding sleep disturbance and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) μOR binding potential (BPND) as mediators (β = -.18, P = .16). The indirect effect was statistically significant [point estimate = -.003, (-.007, -.0003). Findings showed a potential sequentially mediated effect of racism-related stress on pain sensitivity through sleep disturbance and vmPFC μOR BPND. As policy efforts are enacted to eliminate the upstream cause of systemic racism, these results cautiously suggest that sleep interventions within racism-based trauma informed therapy might help prevent downstream effects on pain. PERSPECTIVE: This preliminary study identified the effect of racism-related stress on pain through sleep disturbance and mu-opioid receptor binding potential in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Findings cautiously support the application of sleep interventions within racism-based trauma-informed therapy to prevent pain inequities as policy changes function to eliminate all levels of racism.

Functional networks in prolonged disorders of consciousness

Prolonged disorders of consciousness (DoC) are characterized by extended disruptions of brain activities that sustain wakefulness and awareness and are caused by various etiologies. During the past decades, neuroimaging has been a practical method of investigation in basic and clinical research to identify how brain properties interact in different levels of consciousness. Resting-state functional connectivity within and between canonical cortical networks correlates with consciousness by a calculation of the associated temporal blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal process during functional MRI (fMRI) and reveals the brain function of patients with prolonged DoC. There are certain brain networks including the default mode, dorsal attention, executive control, salience, auditory, visual, and sensorimotor networks that have been reported to be altered in low-level states of consciousness under either pathological or physiological states. Analysis of brain network connections based on functional imaging contributes to more accurate judgments of consciousness level and prognosis at the brain level. In this review, neurobehavioral evaluation of prolonged DoC and the functional connectivity within brain networks based on resting-state fMRI were reviewed to provide reference values for clinical diagnosis and prognostic evaluation.

Brain Serotonin Release Is Reduced in Patients With Depression: A [11C]Cimbi-36 Positron Emission Tomography Study With a d-Amphetamine Challenge

BACKGROUND

The serotonin hypothesis of depression proposes that diminished serotonergic (5-HT) neurotransmission is causal in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Although the hypothesis is over 50 years old, there is no firm in vivo evidence for diminished 5-HT neurotransmission. We recently demonstrated that the 5-HT_2A receptor agonist positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand [¹¹C]Cimbi-36 is sensitive to increases in extracellular 5-HT induced by an acute d-amphetamine challenge. Here we applied [¹¹C]Cimbi-36 PET to compare brain 5-HT release capacity in patients experiencing a major depressive episode (MDE) to that of healthy control subjects (HCs) without depression.

METHODS

Seventeen antidepressant-free patients with MDE (3 female/14 male, mean age 44 ± 13 years, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score 21 ± 4 [range 16-30]) and 20 HCs (3 female/17 male, mean age 32 ± 9 years) underwent 90-minute dynamic [¹¹C]Cimbi-36 PET before and 3 hours after a 0.5-mg/kg oral dose of d-amphetamine. Frontal cortex (main region of interest) 5-HT_2A receptor nondisplaceable binding was calculated from kinetic analysis using the multilinear analysis-1 approach with the cerebellum as the reference region.

RESULTS

Following d-amphetamine administration, frontal nondisplaceable binding potential (BP_ND) was significantly reduced in the HC group (1.04 ± 0.31 vs. 0.87 ± 0.24, p < .001) but not in the MDE group (0.97 ± 0.25 vs. 0.92 ± 0.22, not significant). ΔBP_ND of the MDE group was significantly lower than that of the HC group (HC: 15% ± 14% vs. MDE: 6.5% ± 20%, p = .041).

CONCLUSIONS

This first direct assessment of 5-HT release capacity in people with depression provides clear evidence for dysfunctional serotonergic neurotransmission in depression by demonstrating reduced 5-HT release capacity in patients experiencing an MDE.

Shared brain and genetic architectures between mental health and physical activity

Physical activity is correlated with, and effectively treats various forms of psychopathology. However, whether biological correlates of physical activity and psychopathology are shared remains unclear. Here, we examined the extent to which the neural and genetic architecture of physical activity and mental health are shared. Using data from the UK Biobank (N = 6389), we applied canonical correlation analysis to estimate associations between the amplitude and connectivity strength of subnetworks of three major neurocognitive networks (default mode, DMN; salience, SN; central executive networks, CEN) with accelerometer-derived measures of physical activity and self-reported mental health measures (primarily of depression, anxiety disorders, neuroticism, subjective well-being, and risk-taking behaviors). We estimated the genetic correlation between mental health and physical activity measures, as well as putative causal relationships by applying linkage disequilibrium score regression, genomic structural equational modeling, and latent causal variable analysis to genome-wide association summary statistics (GWAS N = 91,105-500,199). Physical activity and mental health were associated with connectivity strength and amplitude of the DMN, SN, and CEN (r's ≥ 0.12, p's < 0.048). These neural correlates exhibited highly similar loading patterns across mental health and physical activity models even when accounting for their shared variance. This suggests a largely shared brain network architecture between mental health and physical activity. Mental health and physical activity (including sleep) were also genetically correlated (|rg| = 0.085-0.121), but we found no evidence for causal relationships between them. Collectively, our findings provide empirical evidence that mental health and physical activity have shared brain and genetic architectures and suggest potential candidate subnetworks for future studies on brain mechanisms underlying beneficial effects of physical activity on mental health.

A comparison of uni- and multi-variate methods for identifying brain networks activated by cognitive tasks using intracranial EEG

Cognitive tasks are commonly used to identify brain networks involved in the underlying cognitive process. However, inferring the brain networks from intracranial EEG data presents several challenges related to the sparse spatial sampling of the brain and the high variability of the EEG trace due to concurrent brain processes. In this manuscript, we use a well-known facial emotion recognition task to compare three different ways of analyzing the contrasts between task conditions: permutation cluster tests, machine learning (ML) classifiers, and a searchlight implementation of multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) for intracranial sparse data recorded from 13 patients undergoing presurgical evaluation for drug-resistant epilepsy. Using all three methods, we aim at highlighting the brain structures with significant contrast between conditions. In the absence of ground truth, we use the scientific literature to validate our results. The comparison of the three methods’ results shows moderate agreement, measured by the Jaccard coefficient, between the permutation cluster tests and the machine learning [0.33 and 0.52 for the left (LH) and right (RH) hemispheres], and 0.44 and 0.37 for the LH and RH between the permutation cluster tests and MVPA. The agreement between ML and MVPA is higher: 0.65 for the LH and 0.62 for the RH. To put these results in context, we performed a brief review of the literature and we discuss how each brain structure’s involvement in the facial emotion recognition task.

A framework for application of consumer neuroscience in pro-environmental behavior change interventions

Most consumers are aware that climate change is a growing problem and admit that action is needed. However, research shows that consumers' behavior often does not conform to their value and orientations. This value-behavior gap is due to contextual factors such as price, product design, and social norms as well as individual factors such as personal and hedonic values, environmental beliefs, and the workload capacity an individual can handle. Because of this conflict of interest, consumers have a hard time identifying the true drivers of their behavior, as they are either unaware of or unwilling to acknowledge the processes at play. Therefore, consumer neuroscience methods might provide a valuable tool to uncover the implicit measurements of pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Several studies have already defined neurophysiological differences between green and non-green individuals; however, a behavior change intervention must be developed to motivate PEB among consumers. Motivating behavior with reward or punishment will most likely get users engaged in climate change action via brain structures related to the reward system, such as the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and (pre)frontal cortex, where the reward information and subsequent affective responses are encoded. The intensity of the reward experience can be increased when the consumer is consciously considering the action to achieve it. This makes goal-directed behavior the potential aim of behavior change interventions. This article provides an extensive review of the neuroscientific evidence for consumer attitude, behavior, and decision-making processes in the light of sustainability incentives for behavior change interventions. Based on this review, we aim to unite the current theories and provide future research directions to exploit the power of affective conditioning and neuroscience methods for promoting PEB engagement.

The impact of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on theory of mind, emotion regulation and emotional-behavioral functions in children with autism disorder: A randomized, sham-controlled, and parallel-group study

Advances in our knowledge about the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying core deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have produced several novel treatment modalities. One of these approaches is modulation of activity of the brain regions involved in ASD symptoms. This study examined the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on autism symptom severity, theory of mind, emotion regulation strategies, and emotional-behavioral functions in children with ASD. Thirty-two children (M_age  = 10.16, SD = 1.93, range 7-12 years) diagnosed with ASD were randomly assigned to active (N = 17) or sham stimulation (N = 15) groups in a randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-group design. Participants underwent 10 sessions of active (1.5 mA, 15 min, bilateral left anodal/right cathodal DLPFC, 2 sessions per week) or sham tDCS. Autism symptom severity, theory of mind, emotion regulation strategies, and emotional-behavioral functioning of the patients were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 1 month after the intervention. A significant improvement of autism symptom severity (i.e., communication), theory of mind (i.e., ToM 3), and emotion regulation strategies was observed for the active as compared to the sham stimulation group at the end of the intervention, and these effects were maintained at the one-month follow-up. The results suggest that repeated tDCS with anodal stimulation of left and cathodal stimulation of right DLPFC improves autism symptom severity as well as social cognition and emotion regulation in ASD.

Recognition of Emotion by Brain Connectivity and Eye Movement

Simultaneous activation of brain regions (i.e., brain connection features) is an essential mechanism of brain activity in emotion recognition of visual content. The occipital cortex of the brain is involved in visual processing, but the frontal lobe processes cranial nerve signals to control higher emotions. However, recognition of emotion in visual content merits the analysis of eye movement features, because the pupils, iris, and other eye structures are connected to the nerves of the brain. We hypothesized that when viewing video content, the activation features of brain connections are significantly related to eye movement characteristics. We investigated the relationship between brain connectivity (strength and directionality) and eye movement features (left and right pupils, saccades, and fixations) when 47 participants viewed an emotion-eliciting video on a two-dimensional emotion model (valence and arousal). We found that the connectivity eigenvalues of the long-distance prefrontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and center are related to cognitive activity involving high valance. In addition, saccade movement was correlated with long-distance occipital-frontal connectivity. Finally, short-distance connectivity results showed emotional fluctuations caused by unconscious stimulation.

Environmental risks to humans, the first database of valence and arousal ratings for images of natural hazards

Due to their relevance for the entire society, environmental hazards have largely been investigated in terms of their psychological effects. However, a complete image database comprising different categories of catastrophes has not been proposed yet. We selected 200 photographs of the most frequent natural disasters with the aim to collect the emotional reactions of observers. In particular, 20 stimuli were selected for each of the following 10 categories: earthquake, volcanic activity, lightning, hailstorm, drought, fire, landslide, epidemic, and neutral and positive images as control categories. A sample of 605 participants completed an online survey, in which they were asked to rate either the valence or the arousal of each stimulus, by using a Self-Assessment Manikin. The Environmental Risk to Humans database associates the emotional reactions to these visual stimuli, together with the demographics of the sample (e.g., gender, age, marital status, income, previous experience of natural disasters). The database constitutes a tool to explore human reactions to natural hazards, providing a controlled set of stimuli for different types of catastrophes.

Measurement(s)	valence and arousal
Technology Type(s)	human ratings
Factor Type(s)	natural hazards
Sample Characteristic - Organism	Homo sapiens
Sample Characteristic - Environment	anthropogenic environment

ADV at the Time of COVID-19 Brain Effect between Emotional Engagement and Purchase Intention

In pandemic times, taking advantage of COVID-19-elicited emotions in commercials has been a popular tactic employed by corporations to build successful consumer engagement and, hopefully, increase sales. The present study investigates whether COVID-19-related emotional communication affects the consumer’s emotional response and the approach/avoidance motivation toward the brand—measured as a function of brain hemodynamic changes—as well as the purchase intentions. The functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was employed to record neural correlates from the prefrontal cortex while the experimental and control groups were observing respectively COVID-19-related and unrelated advertisements (ads). The hemodynamic patterns suggest that COVID-19-related ads may promote deeper emotional elaboration, shifting consumers’ attention from the semantic meaning to the affective features and perhaps supporting a more favorable brand evaluation. Conversely, purchase intentions were only related to the pre-existing level of brand engagement. The findings suggest that leveraging the negative emotional potential of COVID-19 may not shift the explicit purchase intentions but could nonetheless boost emotional engagement, benefitting the final evaluation of the brand at an implicit level.