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Morningstar M, Hughes C, French RC, Grannis C, Mattson WI, Nelson EE. Functional connectivity during facial and vocal emotion recognition: Preliminary evidence for dissociations in developmental change by nonverbal modality. Neuropsychologia 2024; 202:108946. [PMID: 38945440 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The developmental trajectory of emotion recognition (ER) skills is thought to vary by nonverbal modality, with vocal ER becoming mature later than facial ER. To investigate potential neural mechanisms contributing to this dissociation at a behavioural level, the current study examined whether youth's neural functional connectivity during vocal and facial ER tasks showed differential developmental change across time. Youth ages 8-19 (n = 41) completed facial and vocal ER tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, at two timepoints (1 year apart; n = 36 for behavioural data, n = 28 for neural data). Partial least squares analyses revealed that functional connectivity during ER is both distinguishable by modality (with different patterns of connectivity for facial vs. vocal ER) and across time-with changes in connectivity being particularly pronounced for vocal ER. ER accuracy was greater for faces than voices, and positively associated with age; although task performance did not change appreciably across a 1-year period, changes in latent functional connectivity patterns across time predicted participants' ER accuracy at Time 2. Taken together, these results suggest that vocal and facial ER are supported by distinguishable neural correlates that may undergo different developmental trajectories. Our findings are also preliminary evidence that changes in network integration may support the development of ER skills in childhood and adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Morningstar
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Canada.
| | - C Hughes
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada
| | - R C French
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
| | - C Grannis
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - W I Mattson
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - E E Nelson
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University Wexner College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
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2
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Hu X, Wang X, Long C, Lei X. Loneliness and brain rhythmic activity in resting state: an exploratory report. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae052. [PMID: 39096513 PMCID: PMC11374414 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging have shown that loneliness is associated with altered blood oxygenation in several brain regions. However, the relationship between loneliness and changes in neuronal rhythm activity in the brain remains unclear. To evaluate brain rhythm, we conducted an exploratory resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) study of loneliness. We recorded resting-state EEG signals from 139 participants (94 women; mean age = 19.96 years) and analyzed power spectrum density (PSD) and functional connectivity (FC) in both the electrode and source spaces. The PSD analysis revealed significant correlations between loneliness scores and decreased beta-band powers, which may indicate negative emotion, attention, reward, and/or sensorimotor processing. The FC analysis revealed a trend of alpha-band FC associated with individuals' loneliness scores. These findings provide new insights into the neural basis of loneliness, which will facilitate the development of neurobiologically informed interventions for loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Rd., Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xufang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Rd., Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Changquan Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Rd., Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xu Lei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Rd., Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
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3
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Cattarinussi G, Meda N, Miola A, Sambataro F. The functional connectivity of the right superior temporal gyrus is associated with psychological risk and resilience factors for suicidality. J Affect Disord 2024; 357:51-59. [PMID: 38653349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.04.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Suicide attempters show increased activation in the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG). Here, we investigated the rSTG functional connectivity (FC) to identify a functional network involved in suicidality and its associations with psychological suicidality risk and resilience factors. METHODS The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 151 healthy individuals from the Human Connectome Project Young Adult database were used to explore the FC of the rSTG with itself and with the rest of the brain. The correlation between the rSTG FC and loneliness and purpose in life scores was assessed with the NIH Toolbox. The effect of sex was also investigated. RESULTS The rSTG had a positive FC with bilateral cortical and subcortical regions, including frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, limbic, and cerebellar regions, and a negative FC with the medulla oblongata. The FC of the rSTG with itself and with the left central operculum were associated with loneliness scores. The within rSTG FC was also negatively correlated with purpose in life scores, although at a trend level. We did not find any effect of sex on FC and its associations with psychological factors. LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional design, the limited age range, and the lack of measures of suicidality limit the generalizability of our findings. CONCLUSIONS The rSTG functional network is associated with loneliness and purpose in life. Together with the existing literature on suicide, this supports the idea that the neural activity of rSTG may contribute to suicidality by modulating risk and resilience factors associated with suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cattarinussi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Nicola Meda
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Padova University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandro Miola
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Casa di Cura Parco dei Tigli, Padova, Italy
| | - Fabio Sambataro
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Padova University Hospital, Padua, Italy.
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Vaidya N, Marquand AF, Nees F, Siehl S, Schumann G. The impact of psychosocial adversity on brain and behaviour: an overview of existing knowledge and directions for future research. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02556-y. [PMID: 38658773 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02556-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Environmental experiences play a critical role in shaping the structure and function of the brain. Its plasticity in response to different external stimuli has been the focus of research efforts for decades. In this review, we explore the effects of adversity on brain's structure and function and its implications for brain development, adaptation, and the emergence of mental health disorders. We are focusing on adverse events that emerge from the immediate surroundings of an individual, i.e., microenvironment. They include childhood maltreatment, peer victimisation, social isolation, affective loss, domestic conflict, and poverty. We also take into consideration exposure to environmental toxins. Converging evidence suggests that different types of adversity may share common underlying mechanisms while also exhibiting unique pathways. However, they are often studied in isolation, limiting our understanding of their combined effects and the interconnected nature of their impact. The integration of large, deep-phenotyping datasets and collaborative efforts can provide sufficient power to analyse high dimensional environmental profiles and advance the systematic mapping of neuronal mechanisms. This review provides a background for future research, highlighting the importance of understanding the cumulative impact of various adversities, through data-driven approaches and integrative multimodal analysis techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilakshi Vaidya
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andre F Marquand
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Siehl
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-Inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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5
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Sidik SM. Why loneliness is bad for your health. Nature 2024; 628:22-24. [PMID: 38570713 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-00900-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
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Zhang Y, Ma S, Liu Y, Kong F, Zhen Z. Functional integration of anterior insula related to meaning in life and loneliness. J Affect Disord 2023; 338:10-16. [PMID: 37244540 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meaning in life (MIL), defined as people's feelings of life's meaningfulness, plays a vital role in buffering loneliness - an important indicator of depression and other psychological disorders. Considerable evidence shows that MIL arises from widely distributed brain activity; however, how such activity is functionally integrated and how it influences loneliness is still understudied. METHODS We here examined how the functional integration of brain regions is related to individual MIL based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from the Human Connectome Project (N = 970). RESULTS We found that the global brain connectivity (GBC) of the right anterior insula (rAI) can significantly predict individual MIL. Moreover, mediation analyses were conducted to investigate how the brain influences loneliness with MIL's mediation, which revealed that MIL fully mediates the effect of this hub on loneliness. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the rAI is a key hub for MIL and loneliness. Its functional integration can be used as a biomarker to predict individual MIL and loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Sai Ma
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Youyi Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Kong
- Department of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Zonglei Zhen
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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Franco-O'Byrne D, Sepúlveda JPM, Gonzalez-Gomez R, Ibáñez A, Huepe-Artigas D, Matus C, Manen R, Ayala J, Fittipaldi S, Huepe D. The neurocognitive impact of loneliness and social networks on social adaptation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12048. [PMID: 37491346 PMCID: PMC10368735 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38244-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Social adaptation arises from the interaction between the individual and the social environment. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between social contact and social adaptation. We propose that loneliness and social networks are key factors explaining social adaptation. Sixty-four healthy subjects with no history of psychiatric conditions participated in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires about loneliness, social network, and social adaptation. On a separate day, subjects underwent a resting state fMRI recording session. A hierarchical regression model on self-report data revealed that loneliness and social network were negatively and positively associated with social adaptation. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis showed that loneliness was associated with decreased FC between the fronto-amygdalar and fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the social network was positively associated with FC between the fronto-temporo-parietal network. Finally, an integrative path model examined the combined effects of behavioral and brain predictors of social adaptation. The model revealed that social networks mediated the effects of loneliness on social adaptation. Further, loneliness-related abnormal brain FC (previously shown to be associated with difficulties in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and sociocognitive processes) emerged as the strongest predictor of poor social adaptation. Findings offer insights into the brain indicators of social adaptation and highlight the role of social networks as a buffer against the maladaptive effects of loneliness. These findings can inform interventions aimed at minimizing loneliness and promoting social adaptation and are especially relevant due to the high prevalence of loneliness around the globe. These findings also serve the study of social adaptation since they provide potential neurocognitive factors that could influence social adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Franco-O'Byrne
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Morales Sepúlveda
- University of Sydney Business School, Darlington, Australia
- Facultad de Educación Psicología y Familia, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raúl Gonzalez-Gomez
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity college , Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Huepe-Artigas
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Cristián Matus
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ruth Manen
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Jaime Ayala
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
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Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Setton R, Bzdok D, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Age differences in functional brain networks associated with loneliness and empathy. Netw Neurosci 2023; 7:496-521. [PMID: 37397888 PMCID: PMC10312262 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00293] [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: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Loneliness is associated with differences in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within and between large-scale networks in early- and middle-aged adult cohorts. However, age-related changes in associations between sociality and brain function into late adulthood are not well understood. Here, we examined age differences in the association between two dimensions of sociality-loneliness and empathic responding-and RSFC of the cerebral cortex. Self-report measures of loneliness and empathy were inversely related across the entire sample of younger (mean age = 22.6y, n = 128) and older (mean age = 69.0y, n = 92) adults. Using multivariate analyses of multi-echo fMRI RSFC, we identified distinct functional connectivity patterns for individual and age group differences associated with loneliness and empathic responding. Loneliness in young and empathy in both age groups was related to greater visual network integration with association networks (e.g., default, fronto-parietal control). In contrast, loneliness was positively related to within- and between-network integration of association networks for older adults. These results extend our previous findings in early- and middle-aged cohorts, demonstrating that brain systems associated with loneliness, as well as empathy, differ in older age. Further, the findings suggest that these two aspects of social experience engage different neurocognitive processes across human life-span development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Roni Setton
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Mila–Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
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Pedersen R, Johansson J, Salami A. Dopamine D1-signaling modulates maintenance of functional network segregation in aging. AGING BRAIN 2023; 3:100079. [PMID: 37408790 PMCID: PMC10318303 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2023.100079] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Past research has shown that as individuals age, there are decreases in within-network connectivity and increases in between-network connectivity, a pattern known as functional dedifferentiation. While the mechanisms behind reduced network segregation are not fully understood, evidence suggests that age-related differences in the dopamine (DA) system may play a key role. The DA D1-receptor (D1DR) is the most abundant and age-sensitive receptor subtype in the dopaminergic system, known to modulate synaptic activity and enhance the specificity of the neuronal signals. In this study from the DyNAMiC project (N = 180, 20-79y), we set out to investigate the interplay among age, functional connectivity, and dopamine D1DR availability. Using a novel application of multivariate Partial Least squares (PLS), we found that older age, and lower D1DR availability, were simultaneously associated with a pattern of decreased within-network and increased between-network connectivity. Individuals who expressed greater distinctiveness of large-scale networks exhibited more efficient working memory. In line with the maintenance hypotheses, we found that older individuals with greater D1DR in caudate exhibited less dedifferentiation of the connectome, and greater working memory, compared to their age-matched counterparts with less D1DR. These findings suggest that dopaminergic neurotransmission plays an important role in functional dedifferentiation in aging with consequences for working memory function at older age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Pedersen
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jarkko Johansson
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alireza Salami
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Burrow AL. Beyond Finding Purpose: Motivating a Translational Science of Purpose Acquisition. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6091. [PMID: 37372678 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
A broad interest in finding purpose is understandable, as having purpose is situated in notions of "the good life" and is linked in studies to greater health and wellbeing. Yet, the empirical basis for whether purpose is truly findable is inadequate, lacking guidance from theories predicting behavioral capacities that drive its acquisition. If feeling purposeful is as favorable as studies suggest, then more transparent and precise explanations of how it is derived are needed; otherwise, the field risks illuminating this resource while leaving the pathways to it unlit. Here, I call for a translational science of purpose acquisition directed at gathering and disseminating evidence of the processes by which this sense can be cultivated. I introduce a minimal viable framework for integrating basic and applied investigations into purpose by bridging laboratory research, intervention and implementation efforts, community-engaged practices, and policies to accelerate testing and strategies for enhancing this salubrious sense in people's lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L Burrow
- Department of Psychology, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Bateman JR, Krishnamurthy S, Quillen EE, Waugh CE, Kershaw KN, Lockhart SN, Hughes TM, Seeman TE, Cole SW, Craft S. Social genomics, cognition, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.31.23290618. [PMID: 37333113 PMCID: PMC10274989 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.23290618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adverse psychosocial exposure is associated with increased proinflammatory gene expression and reduced type-1 interferon gene expression, a profile known as the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA). Little is known about CTRA activity in the context of cognitive impairment, although chronic inflammatory activation has been posited as one mechanism contributing to late-life cognitive decline. METHODS We studied 171 community-dwelling older adults from the Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center who answered questions via a telephone questionnaire battery about their perceived stress, loneliness, well-being, and impact of COVID-19 on their life, and who provided a self-collected dried blood spot sample. Of those, 148 had adequate samples for mRNA analysis, and 143 were included in the final analysis, which including participants adjudicated as having normal cognition (NC, n = 91) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 52) were included in the analysis. Mixed effect linear models were used to quantify associations between psychosocial variables and CTRA gene expression. RESULTS In both NC and MCI groups, eudaimonic well-being (typically associated with a sense of purpose) was inversely associated with CTRA gene expression whereas hedonic well-being (typically associated with pleasure seeking) was positively associated. In participants with NC, coping through social support was associated with lower CTRA gene expression, whereas coping by distraction and reframing was associated with higher CTRA gene expression. CTRA gene expression was not related to coping strategies for participants with MCI, or to either loneliness or perceived stress in either group. DISCUSSION Eudaimonic and hedonic well-being remain important correlates of molecular markers of stress, even in people with MCI. However, prodromal cognitive decline appears to moderate the significance of coping strategies as a correlate of CTRA gene expression. These results suggest that MCI can selectively alter biobehavioral interactions in ways that could potentially affect the rate of future cognitive decline and may serve as targets for future intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R. Bateman
- Department of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Salisbury VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC, USA
| | - Sudarshan Krishnamurthy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ellen E. Quillen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Christian E. Waugh
- Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kiarri N. Kershaw
- Department of Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Samuel N. Lockhart
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Timothy M. Hughes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Teresa E. Seeman
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steve W. Cole
- Department of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne Craft
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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Lin FV, Zuo Y, Conwell Y, Wang KH. New horizons in emotional well-being and brain aging: Potential lessons from cross-species research. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 38:e5936. [PMID: 37260057 PMCID: PMC10652707 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Emotional wellbeing (EWB) is a multi-faceted concept of immediate relevance to human health. NIH recently initiated a series of research networks to advance understanding of EWB. Our network (NEW Brain Aging) focuses on mechanistic understanding of EWB in relation to brain aging. Here, by synthesizing the literature on emotional processing and the underlying brain circuit mechanisms in human and non-human animals, we propose a reactivity and reappraisal model for understanding EWB and its age-related changes. This model emphasizes the dynamic interactions between affective stimuli, behavioral/physiological responses, brain emotional states, and subjective feelings. It also aims to integrate the unique emotional processes involved in explaining EWB in aging humans with the emerging mechanistic insight of topologically conserved emotional brain networks from cross-species studies. We also highlight the research opportunities and challenges in EWB and brain aging research and the potential application of the model in addressing these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Vankee Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Yeates Conwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
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13
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Kieckhaefer C, Schilbach L, Bzdok D. Social belonging: brain structure and function is linked to membership in sports teams, religious groups, and social clubs. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:4405-4420. [PMID: 36161309 PMCID: PMC10110433 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human behavior across the life span is driven by the psychological need to belong, right from kindergarten to bingo nights. Being part of social groups constitutes a backbone for communal life and confers many benefits for the physical and mental health. Capitalizing on the neuroimaging and behavioral data from ∼40,000 participants from the UK Biobank population cohort, we used structural and functional analyses to explore how social participation is reflected in the human brain. Across 3 different types of social groups, structural analyses point toward the variance in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex as structural substrates tightly linked to social participation. Functional connectivity analyses not only emphasized the importance of default mode and limbic network but also showed differences for sports teams and religious groups as compared to social clubs. Taken together, our findings establish the structural and functional integrity of the default mode network as a neural signature of social belonging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Kieckhaefer
- LVR Klinikum Düsseldorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- LVR Klinikum Düsseldorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, Bavariaring 19, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, 3801 rue University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3775 rue University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, 6666 rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, Quebec H2S 3H1, Canada
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14
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FoMO and the brain: Loneliness and problematic social networking site use mediate the association between the topology of the resting-state EEG brain network and fear of missing out. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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15
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Abellaneda-Pérez K, Cattaneo G, Cabello-Toscano M, Solana-Sánchez J, Mulet-Pons L, Vaqué-Alcázar L, Perellón-Alfonso R, Solé-Padullés C, Bargalló N, Tormos JM, Pascual-Leone A, Bartrés-Faz D. Purpose in life promotes resilience to age-related brain burden in middle-aged adults. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:49. [PMID: 36915148 PMCID: PMC10009845 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01198-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disease-modifying agents to counteract cognitive impairment in older age remain elusive. Hence, identifying modifiable factors promoting resilience, as the capacity of the brain to maintain cognition and function with aging and disease, is paramount. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), education and occupation are typical cognitive reserve proxies. However, the importance of psychological factors is being increasingly recognized, as their operating biological mechanisms are elucidated. Purpose in life (PiL), one of the pillars of psychological well-being, has previously been found to reduce the deleterious effects of AD-related pathological changes on cognition. However, whether PiL operates as a resilience factor in middle-aged individuals and what are the underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown. METHODS Data was obtained from 624 middle-aged adults (mean age 53.71 ± 6.9; 303 women) from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative cohort. Individuals with lower (LP; N = 146) and higher (HP; N = 100) PiL rates, according to the division of this variable into quintiles, were compared in terms of cognitive status, a measure reflecting brain burden (white matter lesions; WMLs), and resting-state functional connectivity, examining system segregation (SyS) parameters using 14 common brain circuits. RESULTS Neuropsychological status and WMLs burden did not differ between the PiL groups. However, in the LP group, greater WMLs entailed a negative impact on executive functions. Subjects in the HP group showed lower SyS of the dorsal default-mode network (dDMN), indicating lesser segregation of this network from other brain circuits. Specifically, HP individuals had greater inter-network connectivity between specific dDMN nodes, including the frontal cortex, the hippocampal formation, the midcingulate region, and the rest of the brain. Greater functional connectivity in some of these nodes positively correlated with cognitive performance. CONCLUSION Expanding previous findings on AD pathology and advanced age, the present results suggest that higher rates of PiL may promote resilience against brain changes already observable in middle age. Furthermore, having a purposeful life implies larger functional integration of the dDMN, which may potentially reflect greater brain reserve associated to better cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. .,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain. .,Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Gabriele Cattaneo
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Cabello-Toscano
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Solana-Sánchez
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lídia Mulet-Pons
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau-Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ruben Perellón-Alfonso
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Solé-Padullés
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Bargalló
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Department, Diagnostic Image Center, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Magnetic Resonance Image Core Facility (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Tormos
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.,Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Bartrés-Faz
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Casanova, 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.
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16
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Pluim CF, Anzai JAU, Martinez JE, Munera D, Garza-Naveda AP, Vila-Castelar C, Guzmán-Vélez E, Ramirez-Gomez L, Bustin J, Serrano CM, Babulal GM, Okada de Oliveira M, Quiroz YT. Associations Among Loneliness, Purpose in Life and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Ethnoracially Diverse Older Adults Living in the United States. J Appl Gerontol 2023; 42:376-386. [PMID: 36396599 PMCID: PMC9679324 DOI: 10.1177/07334648221139479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which precedes Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia, may be affected by purpose in life (PiL) and loneliness in older adults. We investigated associations among PiL, loneliness, and SCD in US Latino (n = 126), Black (n = 74), Asian (n = 33), and White (n = 637) adults. Higher PiL predicted lower SCD in all groups (p-values < .012), except Black participants. Lower loneliness predicted lower SCD in Latino and White groups (p-values < .05), and PiL moderated this association in White adults. PiL and loneliness may play important roles in cognitive decline. Differential predictors of SCD suggest differential targets for preventing cognitive decline and dementia across ethnoracial groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina F. Pluim
- Department of Psychological and
Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Juliana A. U. Anzai
- Department of Psychological and
Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jairo E. Martinez
- Department of Psychological and
Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diana Munera
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Paola Garza-Naveda
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clara Vila-Castelar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liliana Ramirez-Gomez
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Cecilia M. Serrano
- Department of Neurology, Cesar Milstein Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Maira Okada de Oliveira
- Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Santa Marcelina, São
Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Yakeel T. Quiroz, Departments of Psychiatry
and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 391st
Ave., Suite #101, Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
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17
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de Vries LP, van de Weijer MP, Bartels M. A systematic review of the neural correlates of well-being reveals no consistent associations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105036. [PMID: 36621584 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Findings from behavioral and genetic studies indicate a potential role for the involvement of brain structures and brain functioning in well-being. We performed a systematic review on the association between brain structures or brain functioning and well-being, including 56 studies. The 11 electroencephalography (EEG) studies suggest a larger alpha asymmetry (more left than right brain activation) to be related to higher well-being. The 18 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, 26 resting-state functional MRI studies and two functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies identified a wide range of brain regions involved in well-being, but replication across studies was scarce, both in direction and strength of the associations. The inconsistency could result from small sample sizes of most studies and a possible wide-spread network of brain regions with small effects involved in well-being. Future directions include well-powered brain-wide association studies and innovative methods to more reliably measure brain activity in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne P de Vries
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Margot P van de Weijer
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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18
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Setton R, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Girn M, Lockrow AW, Baracchini G, Hughes C, Lowe AJ, Cassidy BN, Li J, Luh WM, Bzdok D, Leahy RM, Ge T, Margulies DS, Misic B, Bernhardt BC, Stevens WD, De Brigard F, Kundu P, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Age differences in the functional architecture of the human brain. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:114-134. [PMID: 35231927 PMCID: PMC9758585 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrinsic functional organization of the brain changes into older adulthood. Age differences are observed at multiple spatial scales, from global reductions in modularity and segregation of distributed brain systems, to network-specific patterns of dedifferentiation. Whether dedifferentiation reflects an inevitable, global shift in brain function with age, circumscribed, experience-dependent changes, or both, is uncertain. We employed a multimethod strategy to interrogate dedifferentiation at multiple spatial scales. Multi-echo (ME) resting-state fMRI was collected in younger (n = 181) and older (n = 120) healthy adults. Cortical parcellation sensitive to individual variation was implemented for precision functional mapping of each participant while preserving group-level parcel and network labels. ME-fMRI processing and gradient mapping identified global and macroscale network differences. Multivariate functional connectivity methods tested for microscale, edge-level differences. Older adults had lower BOLD signal dimensionality, consistent with global network dedifferentiation. Gradients were largely age-invariant. Edge-level analyses revealed discrete, network-specific dedifferentiation patterns in older adults. Visual and somatosensory regions were more integrated within the functional connectome; default and frontoparietal control network regions showed greater connectivity; and the dorsal attention network was more integrated with heteromodal regions. These findings highlight the importance of multiscale, multimethod approaches to characterize the architecture of functional brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Setton
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Manesh Girn
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Amber W Lockrow
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Giulia Baracchini
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Colleen Hughes
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Jian Li
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wen-Ming Luh
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard M Leahy
- Department of Electrical Engineering-Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tian Ge
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel S Margulies
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center (UMR 8002), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - W Dale Stevens
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Prantik Kundu
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
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19
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Greenblatt-Kimron L, Kagan M, Zychlinski E. Meaning in Life among Older Adults: An Integrative Model. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192416762. [PMID: 36554641 PMCID: PMC9779067 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Meaning in life (MIL) among older adults has a significant physical and mental health impact. This study aimed to present an integrative model of factors that contribute to variability in MIL among older adults, including background characteristics (gender, age, employment status, religiosity), personality characteristics (locus of control, self-efficacy, optimism), and psycho-social factors (psychological distress and loneliness). Participants (751 older adults, Mage = 72.27, SD = 6.28; 446 female, 305 male) responded to a questionnaire in-person or online. Measures included: demographic variables, Short Scale for the Assessment of Locus of Control, New General Self-Efficacy Scale, Life Orientation Test-Revised, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Hughes Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness. Hierarchical regression revealed that younger and religious older adults reported higher MIL levels than older and non-religious older adults. Internal locus of control, higher self-efficacy, and higher optimism were linked to higher MIL levels. Higher psychological distress and loneliness were associated with lower MIL levels, with psychological distress contributing the most of all variables in the study model to explain the variance in MIL among older adults. Employed older old adults reported lower MIL levels than those unemployed. The study emphasizes the importance of an integrative approach in the examination of MIL among older adults.
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20
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Setton R, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Sheldon S, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Hippocampus and temporal pole functional connectivity is associated with age and individual differences in autobiographical memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203039119. [PMID: 36191210 PMCID: PMC9564102 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203039119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recollection of one's personal past, or autobiographical memory (AM), varies across individuals and across the life span. This manifests in the amount of episodic content recalled during AM, which may reflect differences in associated functional brain networks. We take an individual differences approach to examine resting-state functional connectivity of temporal lobe regions known to coordinate AM content retrieval with the default network (anterior and posterior hippocampus, temporal pole) and test for associations with AM. Multiecho resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and autobiographical interviews were collected for 158 younger and 105 older healthy adults. Interviews were scored for internal (episodic) and external (semantic) details. Age group differences in connectivity profiles revealed that older adults had lower connectivity within anterior hippocampus, posterior hippocampus, and temporal pole but greater connectivity with regions across the default network compared with younger adults. This pattern was positively related to posterior hippocampal volumes in older adults, which were smaller than younger adult volumes. Connectivity associations with AM showed two significant patterns. The first dissociated connectivity related to internal vs. external AM across participants. Internal AM was related to anterior hippocampus and temporal pole connectivity with orbitofrontal cortex and connectivity within posterior hippocampus. External AM was related to temporal pole connectivity with regions across the lateral temporal cortex. In the second pattern, younger adults displayed temporal pole connectivity with regions throughout the default network associated with more detailed AMs overall. Our findings provide evidence for discrete ensembles of brain regions that scale with systematic variation in recollective styles across the healthy adult life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Setton
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138
| | - Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
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21
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Sutin AR, Luchetti M, Aschwanden D, Lee JH, Sesker AA, Stephan Y, Terracciano A. Sense of purpose in life and concurrent loneliness and risk of incident loneliness: An individual-participant meta-analysis of 135,227 individuals from 36 cohorts. J Affect Disord 2022; 309:211-220. [PMID: 35483500 PMCID: PMC9133197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sense of purpose, the feeling that one's life is goal-oriented and driven, tends to be protective for psychological health. Less is known about its relation with social health, particularly loneliness. We test whether the cross-sectional association between purpose and loneliness is replicable and whether purpose protects against the development of incident loneliness over time. METHODS Participants from 36 cohorts (total N = 135,227; age range 18-109) reported on their sense of purpose, loneliness, and psychological distress. Follow-up measures of loneliness were available in 28 cohorts that ranged from six weeks to 15 years. Prospective, random-effect meta-analysis was used to summarize the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations from each cohort. RESULTS Sense of purpose was associated significantly with less loneliness in all 36 cohorts, controlling for sociodemographic factors (meta-analytic mean effect estimate = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.34, -0.29, p < .001). This association was stronger among participants experiencing concurrent severe psychological distress. Sense of purpose was protective against the development of new incident loneliness (meta-analytic mean hazard ratio estimate = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.82, 0.87, p < .001). Age did not moderate any of the associations. LIMITATIONS Limitations include the lack of lower-income countries. The mechanisms that explain this association also need to be identified in future research. CONCLUSIONS Sense of purpose is associated with less loneliness and with protection against developing loneliness over time, associations that replicated across cohorts from North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Sense of purpose may be a useful target of intervention to prevent or reduce loneliness, especially among individuals suffering from psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ji Hyun Lee
- Florida State University College of Medicine, United States
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22
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Beadle JN, Gifford A, Heller A. A Narrative Review of Loneliness and Brain Health in Older Adults: Implications of COVID-19. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2022; 9:73-83. [PMID: 35729992 PMCID: PMC9187924 DOI: 10.1007/s40473-021-00237-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review This narrative review highlights important factors contributing to loneliness in older adults prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic and effects on brain health. Recent Findings We characterize risk factors for loneliness in older adulthood and the impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of loneliness for older adults’ brain health. Summary Understanding the multifactorial causes of loneliness in different subpopulations of older adults both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic will provide insights for the development of interventions targeted to reduce loneliness in older adults based on their specific risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle N. Beadle
- Department of Gerontology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, CPACS Room 211, Omaha, NE USA
| | - Angela Gifford
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE USA
| | - Abi Heller
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA
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23
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Brilliant T D, Takeuchi H, Nouchi R, Yokoyama R, Kotozaki Y, Nakagawa S, Hanawa S, Sekiguchi A, Ikeda S, Sakaki K, Kawata KHDS, Nozawa T, Yokota S, Magistro D, Kawashima R. Loneliness inside of the brain: evidence from a large dataset of resting-state fMRI in young adult. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7856. [PMID: 35550564 PMCID: PMC9098468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11724-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although loneliness itself is a natural emotion, prolonged loneliness is detrimental to human health. Despite its detrimental effect, few loneliness-related neuroimaging studies have been published and some have limitations on the sample size number. This study aims to find the difference in resting-state functional connectivity associated with loneliness within a big sample size via the seed-based approach. Functional connectivity analysis was performed on a large cohort of young adults (N = 1336) using the seed-based functional connectivity approach to address the concern from previous studies. The analysis yielded statistically significant positive correlations between loneliness and functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus, and superior parietal lobule. Additionally, the analysis replicated a finding from a previous study, which is increased functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area. In conclusion, greater loneliness is reflected by stronger functional connectivity of the visual attention brain area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denilson Brilliant T
- Department of Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Hikaru Takeuchi
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Rui Nouchi
- Smart-Aging Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Departments of Cognitive Health Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Yuka Kotozaki
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical-Industry Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Seishu Nakagawa
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Division of Psychiatry, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Sugiko Hanawa
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Ikeda
- RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohei Sakaki
- Department of Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Takayuki Nozawa
- Research Institute for the Earth Inclusive Sensing, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Yokota
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Daniele Magistro
- Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Department of Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Smart-Aging Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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24
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Krendl AC, Betzel RF. Social cognitive network neuroscience. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2022; 17:510-529. [PMID: 35352125 PMCID: PMC9071476 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past three decades, research from the field of social neuroscience has identified a constellation of brain regions that relate to social cognition. Although these studies have provided important insights into the specific neural regions underlying social behavior, they may overlook the broader neural context in which those regions and the interactions between them are embedded. Network neuroscience is an emerging discipline that focuses on modeling and analyzing brain networks-collections of interacting neural elements. Because human cognition requires integrating information across multiple brain regions and systems, we argue that a novel social cognitive network neuroscience approach-which leverages methods from the field of network neuroscience and graph theory-can advance our understanding of how brain systems give rise to social behavior. This review provides an overview of the field of network neuroscience, discusses studies that have leveraged this approach to advance social neuroscience research, highlights the potential contributions of social cognitive network neuroscience to understanding social behavior and provides suggested tools and resources for conducting network neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Krendl
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Richard F Betzel
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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25
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McDaniels B, Subramanian I. Social isolation, loneliness and mental health sequelae of the Covid-19 pandemic in Parkinson's disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 165:197-227. [PMID: 36208901 PMCID: PMC9034749 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
People living with Parkinson Disease (PwP) have been at risk for the negative effects of loneliness even before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Despite some similarities with previous outbreaks, the Covid-19 pandemic is significantly more wide-spread, long-lasting, and deadly, which likely means demonstrably more negative mental health issues. Although PwP are not any more likely to contract Covid-19 than those without, the indirect negative sequelae of isolation, loneliness, mental health issues, and worsening motor and non-motor features remains to be fully realized. Loneliness is not an isolated problem; the preliminary evidence indicates that loneliness associated with the Covid-19 restrictions has dramatically increased in nearly all countries around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley McDaniels
- Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Indu Subramanian
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Department of Neurology, Los Angeles, CA, United States; PADRECC, West Los Angeles, Veterans Administration, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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26
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Udochi AL, Blain SD, Sassenberg TA, Burton PC, Medrano L, DeYoung CG. Activation of the default network during a theory of mind task predicts individual differences in agreeableness and social cognitive ability. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:383-402. [PMID: 34668171 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00955-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Social cognitive processes, such as emotion perception and empathy, allow humans to navigate complex social landscapes and are associated with specific neural systems. In particular, theory of mind (ToM), which refers to our ability to decipher the mental states of others, is related to the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction, which include portions of the default network. Both social cognition and the default network have been linked to the personality trait Agreeableness. We hypothesized that default network activity during a ToM task would positively predict social cognitive abilities and Agreeableness. In a 3T fMRI scanner, participants (N = 1050) completed a ToM task in which they observed triangles displaying random or social (i.e., human-like) movement. Participants also completed self-report measures of Agreeableness and tests of intelligence and social cognitive ability. In each participant, average blood oxygen level dependent responses were calculated for default network regions associated with social cognition, and structural equation modeling was used to test associations of personality and task performance with activation in those brain regions. Default network activation in the dorsal medial subsystem was greater for social versus random animations. Default network activation in response to social animations predicted better performance on social cognition tasks and, to a lesser degree, higher Agreeableness. Neural response to social stimuli in the default network may be associated with effective social processing and could have downstream effects on social interactions. We discuss theoretical and methodological implications of this work for social and personality neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha L Udochi
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States.
| | - Scott D Blain
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States.
| | - Tyler A Sassenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Philip C Burton
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Leroy Medrano
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Colin G DeYoung
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Elliott Hall, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
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27
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The association between purpose/meaning in life and verbal fluency and episodic memory: a meta-analysis of >140,000 participants from up to 32 countries. Int Psychogeriatr 2022; 34:263-273. [PMID: 33612145 PMCID: PMC8380267 DOI: 10.1017/s1041610220004214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Feelings of purpose and meaning in life are protective against consequential cognitive outcomes, including reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Purpose and meaning are likely to also be associated with cognitive functions on the pathway to dementia. The objective of the current research was to test whether both purpose in life and meaning in life are associated with higher verbal fluency and better episodic memory and whether these associations varied by sociodemographic characteristics or economic characteristics of the country. DESIGN Prospective meta-analysis of cross-sectional associations based on individual participant data. SETTING Established cohort studies with measures of either purpose in life or meaning in life and verbal fluency and episodic memory. PARTICIPANTS Across the cohorts, there were over 140,000 participants from 32 countries from North and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. RESULTS The meta-analysis indicated that purpose and meaning were associated with better performance on both the verbal fluency (meta-analytic partial r = .098, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .080, .116, p < .001) and episodic memory (r = .117, 95% CI = .100, .135, p < .001) task and that these associations were similar across measures of purpose in life and meaning in life. There was modest evidence that these associations were slightly stronger in relatively lower-income countries, and there was less consistent evidence that they varied by age, gender, or education. DISCUSSION These findings indicate a robust association between purpose/meaning and both verbal fluency and episodic memory across demographic groups and cultural context. Purpose/meaning may be a useful target of intervention for healthier cognitive aging.
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28
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Affective Neuroscience of Loneliness: Potential Mechanisms underlying the Association between Perceived Social Isolation, Health, and Well-Being. JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND BRAIN SCIENCE 2022; 7:e220011. [PMID: 36778655 PMCID: PMC9910279 DOI: 10.20900/jpbs.20220011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness, or the subjective feeling of social isolation, is an important social determinant of health. Loneliness is associated with poor physical health, including higher rates of cardiovascular disease and dementia, faster cognitive decline, and increased risk of mortality, as well as disruptions in mental health, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, and negative affect. Theoretical accounts suggest loneliness is a complex cognitive and emotional state characterized by increased levels of inflammation and affective disruptions. This review examines affective neuroscience research on social isolation in animals and loneliness in humans to better understand the relationship between perceptions of social isolation and the brain. Loneliness associated increases in inflammation and neural changes consistent with increased sensitivity to social threat and disrupted emotion regulation suggest interventions targeting maladaptive social cognitions may be especially effective. Work in animal models suggests the neural changes associated with social isolation may be reversible. Therefore, ameliorating loneliness may be an actionable social determinant of health target. However, more research is needed to understand how loneliness impacts healthy aging, explore the role of inflammation as a potential mechanism in humans, and determine the best time to deliver interventions to improve physical health, mental health, and well-being across a diverse array of populations.
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29
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Chen YW, Wengler K, He X, Canli T. Individual Differences in Cerebral Perfusion as a Function of Age and Loneliness. Exp Aging Res 2022; 48:1-23. [PMID: 34036895 PMCID: PMC8617054 DOI: 10.1080/0361073x.2021.1929748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is defined as the subjective feeling that one's social needs are not satisfied by both quantity and quality of one's social relationships. Loneliness has been linked to a broad range of adverse physical and mental health consequences. There is an interest in identifying the neural and molecular processes by which loneliness adversely affects health. Prior imaging studies reported divergent networks involved in cognitive, emotional, and social processes associated with loneliness. Although loneliness is common among both younger and older adults, it is experienced differently across the lifespan and has different antecedents and consequences. The current study measured regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) using pulsed arterial spin labeling imaging. Forty-five older (Mage = 63.4) and forty-four younger adults (Mage = 20.9) with comparable degrees of loneliness were included. Whole-brain voxel-wise analysis revealed a main effect of age (in superior temporal and supramarginal gyri), but no main effect of loneliness. Furthermore, the age effect was only observed among people who reported higher level of loneliness. These regions have previously been implicated in social- and attention-related functions. The moderation of loneliness on age and regional CBF suggests that younger and older individuals present differential neural manifestations in response to loneliness, even with comparable levels of loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Wen Chen
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY,Corresponding author: Yen-Wen Chen, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Psychology B Building, Room 325, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA.
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Xiang He
- Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Turhan Canli
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY,Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
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30
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Kantarovich K, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Fernández-Cabello S, Setton R, Baracchini G, Lockrow AW, Spreng RN, Turner GR. White matter lesion load is associated with lower within- and greater between- network connectivity across older age. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:170-180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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31
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Huang S, Faul L, Sevinc G, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Setton R, Lockrow AW, Ebner NC, Turner GR, Spreng RN, De Brigard F. Age differences in intuitive moral decision-making: Associations with inter-network neural connectivity. Psychol Aging 2021; 36:902-916. [PMID: 34472915 PMCID: PMC9170131 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Positions of power involving moral decision-making are often held by older adults (OAs). However, little is known about age differences in moral decision-making and the intrinsic organization of the aging brain. In this study, younger adults (YAs; n = 117, Mage = 22.11) and OAs (n = 82, Mage = 67.54) made decisions in hypothetical moral dilemmas and completed resting-state multi-echo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Relative to YAs, OAs were more likely to endorse deontological decisions (i.e., decisions based on adherence to a moral principle or duty), but only when the choice was immediately compelling or intuitive. By contrast, there was no difference between YAs and OAs in utilitarian decisions (i.e., decisions aimed at maximizing collective well-being) when the utilitarian choice was intuitive. Enhanced connections between the posterior medial core of the default network (pmDN) and the dorsal attention network, and overall reduced segregation of pmDN from the rest of the brain, were associated with this increased deontological-intuitive moral decision-making style in OAs. The present study contributes to our understanding of age differences in decision-making styles by taking into account the intuitiveness of the moral choice, and it offers further insights as to how age differences in intrinsic brain connectivity relate to these distinct moral decision-making styles in YAs and OAs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenyang Huang
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Leonard Faul
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gunes Sevinc
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, USA
| | | | - Roni Setton
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amber W. Lockrow
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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32
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Lieberz J, Shamay‐Tsoory SG, Saporta N, Esser T, Kuskova E, Stoffel‐Wagner B, Hurlemann R, Scheele D. Loneliness and the Social Brain: How Perceived Social Isolation Impairs Human Interactions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2102076. [PMID: 34541813 PMCID: PMC8564426 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202102076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is a painful condition associated with increased risk for premature mortality. The formation of new, positive social relationships can alleviate feelings of loneliness, but requires rapid trustworthiness decisions during initial encounters and it is still unclear how loneliness hinders interpersonal trust. Here, a multimodal approach including behavioral, psychophysiological, hormonal, and neuroimaging measurements is used to probe a trust-based mechanism underlying impaired social interactions in loneliness. Pre-stratified healthy individuals with high loneliness scores (n = 42 out of a screened sample of 3678 adults) show reduced oxytocinergic and affective responsiveness to a positive conversation, report less interpersonal trust, and prefer larger social distances compared to controls (n = 40). Moreover, lonely individuals are rated as less trustworthy compared to controls and identified by the blinded confederate better than chance. During initial trust decisions, lonely individuals exhibit attenuated limbic and striatal activation and blunted functional connectivity between the anterior insula and occipitoparietal regions, which correlates with the diminished affective responsiveness to the positive social interaction. This neural response pattern is not mediated by loneliness-associated psychological symptoms. Thus, the results indicate compromised integration of trust-related information as a shared neurobiological component in loneliness, yielding a reciprocally reinforced trust bias in social dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Lieberz
- Division of Medical PsychologyDepartment of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Hospital Bonn53105BonnGermany
| | | | - Nira Saporta
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of HaifaHaifa3498838Israel
| | - Timo Esser
- Division of Medical PsychologyDepartment of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Hospital Bonn53105BonnGermany
| | - Ekaterina Kuskova
- Division of Medical PsychologyDepartment of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Hospital Bonn53105BonnGermany
| | - Birgit Stoffel‐Wagner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical PharmacologyUniversity of Bonn53105BonnGermany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of Oldenburg26129OldenburgGermany
- Research Center Neurosensory ScienceUniversity of Oldenburg26129OldenburgGermany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Division of Medical PsychologyDepartment of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Hospital Bonn53105BonnGermany
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of Oldenburg26129OldenburgGermany
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Lam JA, Murray ER, Yu KE, Ramsey M, Nguyen TT, Mishra J, Martis B, Thomas ML, Lee EE. Neurobiology of loneliness: a systematic review. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1873-1887. [PMID: 34230607 PMCID: PMC8258736 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01058-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Deeper understanding of neurobiological mechanisms underlying loneliness is needed to identify potential intervention targets. We did not find any systematic review of neurobiology of loneliness. Using MEDLINE and PsycINFO online databases, we conducted a search for peer-reviewed publications examining loneliness and neurobiology. We identified 41 studies (n = 16,771 participants) that had employed various methods including computer tomography (CT), structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and post-mortem brain tissue RNA analysis or pathological analysis. Our synthesis of the published findings shows abnormal structure (gray matter volume or white matter integrity) and/or activity (response to pleasant versus stressful images in social versus nonsocial contexts) in the prefrontal cortex (especially medial and dorsolateral), insula (particularly anterior), amygdala, hippocampus, and posterior superior temporal cortex. The findings related to ventral striatum and cerebellum were mixed. fMRI studies reported links between loneliness and differential activation of attentional networks, visual networks, and default mode network. Loneliness was also related to biological markers associated with Alzheimer's disease (e.g., amyloid and tau burden). Although the published investigations have limitations, this review suggests relationships of loneliness with altered structure and function in specific brain regions and networks. We found a notable overlap in the regions involved in loneliness and compassion, the two personality traits that are inversely correlated in previous studies. We have offered recommendations for future research studies of neurobiology of loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A. Lam
- grid.40263.330000 0004 1936 9094Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Emily R. Murray
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Kasey E. Yu
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Marina Ramsey
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Tanya T. Nguyen
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Jyoti Mishra
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Brian Martis
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Michael L. Thomas
- grid.47894.360000 0004 1936 8083Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - Ellen E. Lee
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
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34
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Sutin AR, Aschwanden D, Luchetti M, Stephan Y, Terracciano A. Sense of Purpose in Life Is Associated with Lower Risk of Incident Dementia: A Meta-Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:249-258. [PMID: 34275900 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A sense of purpose in life has been associated with healthier cognitive outcomes across adulthood, including risk of dementia. The robustness and replicability of this association, however, has yet to be evaluated systematically. OBJECTIVE To test whether a greater sense of purpose in life is associated with lower risk of dementia in four population-based cohorts and combined with the published literature. METHODS Random-effect meta-analysis of prospective studies (individual participant data and from the published literature identified through a systematic review) that examined sense of purpose and risk of incident dementia. RESULTS In six samples followed up to 17 years (four primary data and two published; total N = 53,499; n = 5,862 incident dementia), greater sense of purpose in life was associated with lower dementia risk (HR = 0.77, 95%CI = 0.73-0.81, p < 0.001). The association was generally consistent across cohorts (I2 = 47%), remained significant controlling for clinical (e.g., depression) and behavioral (e.g., physical inactivity) risk factors, and was not moderated by age, gender, or education. CONCLUSION Sense of purpose is a replicable and robust predictor of lower risk of incident dementia and is a promising target of intervention for cognitive health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina R Sutin
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | | | - Martina Luchetti
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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35
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Kong R, Yang Q, Gordon E, Xue A, Yan X, Orban C, Zuo XN, Spreng N, Ge T, Holmes A, Eickhoff S, Yeo BTT. Individual-Specific Areal-Level Parcellations Improve Functional Connectivity Prediction of Behavior. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4477-4500. [PMID: 33942058 PMCID: PMC8757323 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) allows estimation of individual-specific cortical parcellations. We have previously developed a multi-session hierarchical Bayesian model (MS-HBM) for estimating high-quality individual-specific network-level parcellations. Here, we extend the model to estimate individual-specific areal-level parcellations. While network-level parcellations comprise spatially distributed networks spanning the cortex, the consensus is that areal-level parcels should be spatially localized, that is, should not span multiple lobes. There is disagreement about whether areal-level parcels should be strictly contiguous or comprise multiple noncontiguous components; therefore, we considered three areal-level MS-HBM variants spanning these range of possibilities. Individual-specific MS-HBM parcellations estimated using 10 min of data generalized better than other approaches using 150 min of data to out-of-sample rs-fMRI and task-fMRI from the same individuals. Resting-state functional connectivity derived from MS-HBM parcellations also achieved the best behavioral prediction performance. Among the three MS-HBM variants, the strictly contiguous MS-HBM exhibited the best resting-state homogeneity and most uniform within-parcel task activation. In terms of behavioral prediction, the gradient-infused MS-HBM was numerically the best, but differences among MS-HBM variants were not statistically significant. Overall, these results suggest that areal-level MS-HBMs can capture behaviorally meaningful individual-specific parcellation features beyond group-level parcellations. Multi-resolution trained models and parcellations are publicly available (https://github.com/ThomasYeoLab/CBIG/tree/master/stable_projects/brain_parcellation/Kong2022_ArealMSHBM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Kong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Evan Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Aihuiping Xue
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Xiaoxuan Yan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
| | - Csaba Orban
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Xi-Nian Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning/IDG McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- National Basic Public Science Data Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Nathan Spreng
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 2B4, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 2B4, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Tian Ge
- Psychiatric & Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Avram Holmes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Simon Eickhoff
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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Abstract
According to the social brain hypothesis, the human brain includes a network designed for the processing of social information. This network includes several brain regions that elaborate social cues, interactions and contexts, i.e. prefrontal paracingulate and parietal cortices, amygdala, temporal lobes and the posterior superior temporal sulcus. While current literature suggests the importance of this network from both a psychological and evolutionary perspective, little is known about its neurobiological bases. Specifically, only a paucity of studies explored the neural underpinnings of constructs that are ascribed to the social brain network functioning, i.e. objective social isolation and perceived loneliness. As such, this review aimed to overview neuroimaging studies that investigated social isolation in healthy subjects. Social isolation correlated with both structural and functional alterations within the social brain network and in other regions that seem to support mentalising and social processes (i.e. hippocampus, insula, ventral striatum and cerebellum). However, results are mixed possibly due to the heterogeneity of methods and study design. Future neuroimaging studies with longitudinal designs are needed to measure the effect of social isolation in experimental v. control groups and to explore its relationship with perceived loneliness, ultimately helping to clarify the neural correlates of the social brain.
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Loneliness and Neurocognitive Aging. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 3. [PMID: 33880462 PMCID: PMC8055264 DOI: 10.20900/agmr20210009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness imposes significant risks to physical, mental and brain health in older adulthood. With the social distancing regimes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is even greater urgency to understand the human health costs of social isolation. In this viewpoint we describe how the experience of loneliness may alter the structure and function of the human brain, and how these discoveries may guide public health policy to reduce the burden of loneliness in later life.
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Anderson KM, Ge T, Kong R, Patrick LM, Spreng RN, Sabuncu MR, Yeo BTT, Holmes AJ. Heritability of individualized cortical network topography. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2016271118. [PMID: 33622790 PMCID: PMC7936334 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016271118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cortex is patterned by a complex and interdigitated web of large-scale functional networks. Recent methodological breakthroughs reveal variation in the size, shape, and spatial topography of cortical networks across individuals. While spatial network organization emerges across development, is stable over time, and is predictive of behavior, it is not yet clear to what extent genetic factors underlie interindividual differences in network topography. Here, leveraging a nonlinear multidimensional estimation of heritability, we provide evidence that individual variability in the size and topographic organization of cortical networks are under genetic control. Using twin and family data from the Human Connectome Project (n = 1,023), we find increased variability and reduced heritability in the size of heteromodal association networks (h2 : M = 0.34, SD = 0.070), relative to unimodal sensory/motor cortex (h2 : M = 0.40, SD = 0.097). We then demonstrate that the spatial layout of cortical networks is influenced by genetics, using our multidimensional estimation of heritability (h2-multi; M = 0.14, SD = 0.015). However, topographic heritability did not differ between heteromodal and unimodal networks. Genetic factors had a regionally variable influence on brain organization, such that the heritability of network topography was greatest in prefrontal, precuneus, and posterior parietal cortex. Taken together, these data are consistent with relaxed genetic control of association cortices relative to primary sensory/motor regions and have implications for understanding population-level variability in brain functioning, guiding both individualized prediction and the interpretation of analyses that integrate genetics and neuroimaging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tian Ge
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Ru Kong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- Institute for Digital Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
| | | | - R Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Mert R Sabuncu
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129
- National University of Singapore Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
| | - Avram J Holmes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
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39
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Spreng RN, Dimas E, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Dagher A, Koellinger P, Nave G, Ong A, Kernbach JM, Wiecki TV, Ge T, Li Y, Holmes AJ, Yeo BTT, Turner GR, Dunbar RIM, Bzdok D. The default network of the human brain is associated with perceived social isolation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6393. [PMID: 33319780 PMCID: PMC7738683 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20039-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans survive and thrive through social exchange. Yet, social dependency also comes at a cost. Perceived social isolation, or loneliness, affects physical and mental health, cognitive performance, overall life expectancy, and increases vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease-related dementias. Despite severe consequences on behavior and health, the neural basis of loneliness remains elusive. Using the UK Biobank population imaging-genetics cohort (n = ~40,000, aged 40-69 years when recruited, mean age = 54.9), we test for signatures of loneliness in grey matter morphology, intrinsic functional coupling, and fiber tract microstructure. The loneliness-linked neurobiological profiles converge on a collection of brain regions known as the 'default network'. This higher associative network shows more consistent loneliness associations in grey matter volume than other cortical brain networks. Lonely individuals display stronger functional communication in the default network, and greater microstructural integrity of its fornix pathway. The findings fit with the possibility that the up-regulation of these neural circuits supports mentalizing, reminiscence and imagination to fill the social void.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Nathan Spreng
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, HRH 1R3, Canada.
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Emile Dimas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alain Dagher
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Philipp Koellinger
- School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gideon Nave
- Marketing Department, the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, PA, USA
| | - Anthony Ong
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julius M Kernbach
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Aachen (NAILA), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Tian Ge
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Yue Li
- School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Avram J Holmes
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CA, 06520, USA
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Centre for Sleep & Cognition, Clinical Imaging Research Centre, N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robin I M Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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40
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Zalsman G. Neurobiology of suicide in times of social isolation and loneliness. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 40:1-3. [PMID: 33161991 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gil Zalsman
- Chair, Psychiatry Department, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tiqwa, Israel; Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, US.
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41
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Cummins RA. Loneliness through the Lens of Psychology, Neurology and Philosophy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY WELL-BEING 2020; 3:273-276. [PMID: 34723101 PMCID: PMC7416990 DOI: 10.1007/s42413-020-00072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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42
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Bzdok D, Dunbar RIM. The Neurobiology of Social Distance. Trends Cogn Sci 2020; 24:717-733. [PMID: 32561254 PMCID: PMC7266757 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Never before have we experienced social isolation on such a massive scale as we have in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, we know that the social environment has a dramatic impact on our sense of life satisfaction and well-being. In times of distress, crisis, or disaster, human resilience depends on the richness and strength of social connections, as well as on active engagement in groups and communities. Over recent years, evidence emerging from various disciplines has made it abundantly clear: perceived social isolation (i.e., loneliness) may be the most potent threat to survival and longevity. We highlight the benefits of social bonds, the choreographies of bond creation and maintenance, as well as the neurocognitive basis of social isolation and its deep consequences for mental and physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Bzdok
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre (BIC), Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila), Montreal, Canada.
| | - Robin I M Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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43
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Gilissen SR, Arckens L. Posterior parietal cortex contributions to cross-modal brain plasticity upon sensory loss. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 67:16-25. [PMID: 32777707 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Sensory loss causes compensatory behavior, like echolocation upon vision loss or improved visual motion detection upon deafness. This is enabled by recruitment of the deprived cortical area by the intact senses. Such cross-modal plasticity can however hamper rehabilitation via sensory substitution devices. To steer rehabilitation towards the desired outcome for the patient, having control over the cross-modal take-over is essential. Evidence accumulates to support a role for the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in multimodal plasticity. This area shows increased activity after sensory loss, keeping similar functions but driven by other senses. Patient-specific factors like stress, social situation, age and attention, have a significant influence on the PPC and on cross-modal plasticity. We propose that understanding the response of the PPC to sensory loss and context is extremely important for determining the best possible implant-based therapies, and that mouse research holds potential to help unraveling the underlying anatomical, cellular and neuromodulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rj Gilissen
- KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- KU Leuven, Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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44
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Haugan G, Kuven BM, Eide WM, Taasen SE, Rinnan E, Xi Wu V, Drageset J, André B. Nurse-patient interaction and self-transcendence: assets for a meaningful life in nursing home residents? BMC Geriatr 2020; 20:168. [PMID: 32381032 PMCID: PMC7203905 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01555-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Due to the shift to an older population worldwide and an increased need for 24-h care, finding new and alternative approaches to increase wellbeing among nursing home (NH) residents is highly warranted. To guide clinical practice in boosting wellbeing among NH residents, knowledge about nurse-patient interaction (NPI), inter- (ST1) and intra-personal (ST2) self-transcendence and meaning-in-life (PIL) seems vital. This study tests six hypotheses of the relationships between NPI, ST1, ST2 and PIL among cognitively intact NH residents. Methods In a cross-sectional design, 188 (92% response rate) out of 204 long-term NH residents representing 27 NHs responded to NPI, ST, and the PIL scales. Inclusion criteria were: (1) municipality authority’s decision of long-term NH care; (2) residential time 3 months or longer; (3) informed consent competency recognized by responsible doctor and nurse; and (4) capable of being interviewed. The hypothesized relations between the latent constructs were tested through structural equation modeling (SEM) using Stata 15.1. Results The SEM-model yielded a good fit (χ2 = 146.824, p = 0.021, df = 114, χ2/df = 1.29 RMSEA = 0.040, p-close 0.811, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.063), supporting five of the six hypothesized relationships between the constructs of NPI, ST1, ST2 and PIL. Conclusion NPI significantly relates to both ST1, ST2 and PIL in NH residents. ST revealed a fundamental influence on perceived PIL, while NPI demonstrated a significant indirect influence on PIL, mediated by ST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gørill Haugan
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. .,NORD University, Faculty of Nursing and Health Science, Levanger, Norway.
| | - Britt Moene Kuven
- Faculty of Health and Social Science, Western University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway
| | - Wenche Mjanger Eide
- Faculty of Health and Social Science, Western University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway
| | - Siv Eriksen Taasen
- Faculty of Health and Social Science, Western University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eva Rinnan
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Trondheim Municiaplity, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vivien Xi Wu
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, The National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jorunn Drageset
- Faculty of Health and Social Science, Western University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Global Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Beate André
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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45
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Haugan G, Eide WM, André B, Wu VX, Rinnan E, Taasen SE, Kuven BM, Drageset J. Joy-of-life in cognitively intact nursing home residents: the impact of the nurse-patient interaction. Scand J Caring Sci 2020; 35:208-219. [PMID: 32200564 DOI: 10.1111/scs.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nursing-home population is at a high risk of declined well-being and quality of life. Finding approaches to increase well-being among older adults in nursing-homes is highly warranted. Responding to this need, the approach framed 'Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes' (JoLNH) was developed in Norway. AIM To investigate the association between nurse-patient interaction and joy-of-life in the nursing-home population. METHODS Cross-sectional data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale and the Joy-of-Life Scale. A total of 204 cognitively intact nursing-home residents met the inclusion criteria and 188 (92%) participated. A structural equation model (SEM) of the relationship between nurse-patient interaction and joy-of-life was tested by means of STATA/MP 15.1. Ethical approval was given and each participant provided voluntarily written informed consent. RESULTS The SEM-model yielded a good fit with the data (χ2 = 162.418, p = 0.004, df = 118, χ2 /df = 1.38, RMSEA = 0.046, p-close 0.652, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.054). As hypothesised, nurse-patient interaction related significantly with joy-of-life (γ1,1 = 0.61, t = 7.07**). LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional design does not allow for conclusions on causality. The fact that the researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaire might have introduced some bias into the respondents' reporting. CONCLUSION Relational qualities of the nurse-patient interaction should be essential integral aspects of nursing-home care. Consequently, such qualities should be emphasised in clinical practice, and research and education should pay more attention to nurse-patient interaction as an important, integral part of the caring process promoting joy-of-life and thereby well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gørill Haugan
- NTNU Center for Health Promotion Research, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | - Wenche Mjanger Eide
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Beate André
- NTNU Center for Health Promotion Research, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vivien Xi Wu
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eva Rinnan
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Siv Eriksen Taasen
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Britt Moene Kuven
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jorunn Drageset
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.,University of Bergen, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Bergen, Norway
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46
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Towards a Universal Taxonomy of Macro-scale Functional Human Brain Networks. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:926-942. [PMID: 31707621 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00744-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 311] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a proliferation of studies aimed at characterizing the human connectome. These projects map the brain regions comprising large-scale systems underlying cognition using non-invasive neuroimaging approaches and advanced analytic techniques adopted from network science. While the idea that the human brain is composed of multiple macro-scale functional networks has been gaining traction in cognitive neuroscience, the field has yet to reach consensus on several key issues regarding terminology. What constitutes a functional brain network? Are there "core" functional networks, and if so, what are their spatial topographies? What naming conventions, if universally adopted, will provide the most utility and facilitate communication amongst researchers? Can a taxonomy of functional brain networks be delineated? Here we survey the current landscape to identify six common macro-scale brain network naming schemes and conventions utilized in the literature, highlighting inconsistencies and points of confusion where appropriate. As a minimum recommendation upon which to build, we propose that a scheme incorporating anatomical terminology should provide the foundation for a taxonomy of functional brain networks. A logical starting point in this endeavor might delineate systems that we refer to here as "occipital", "pericentral", "dorsal frontoparietal", "lateral frontoparietal", "midcingulo-insular", and "medial frontoparietal" networks. We posit that as the field of network neuroscience matures, it will become increasingly imperative to arrive at a taxonomy such as that proposed here, that can be consistently referenced across research groups.
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47
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Giovagnoli AR, Smith ML. Investigating the social cognition phenotypes in children, adolescents, and adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2019; 100:106438. [PMID: 31575474 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, clinical and neuropsychological assessment of patients with epilepsy has dedicated increasing attention to social cognition (SC), which is relevant to interpersonal relations, psychological well-being, and autonomy. The components of SC are supported by distinct but interlinked brain regions that may be affected by focal and generalized epilepsy. This special issue sought to describe some of the societal, clinical, and pathophysiological correlates of SC in patients with epilepsy and healthy subjects, highlighting some of the questions key to clinical care and research. This article is part of the Special Issue "Epilepsy and social cognition across the lifespan".
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rita Giovagnoli
- Department of Diagnostics and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Mary Lou Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
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