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Dubinsky JM, Hamid AA. The neuroscience of active learning and direct instruction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105737. [PMID: 38796122 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105737] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Throughout the educational system, students experiencing active learning pedagogy perform better and fail less than those taught through direct instruction. Can this be ascribed to differences in learning from a neuroscientific perspective? This review examines mechanistic, neuroscientific evidence that might explain differences in cognitive engagement contributing to learning outcomes between these instructional approaches. In classrooms, direct instruction comprehensively describes academic content, while active learning provides structured opportunities for learners to explore, apply, and manipulate content. Synaptic plasticity and its modulation by arousal or novelty are central to all learning and both approaches. As a form of social learning, direct instruction relies upon working memory. The reinforcement learning circuit, associated agency, curiosity, and peer-to-peer social interactions combine to enhance motivation, improve retention, and build higher-order-thinking skills in active learning environments. When working memory becomes overwhelmed, additionally engaging the reinforcement learning circuit improves retention, providing an explanation for the benefits of active learning. This analysis provides a mechanistic examination of how emerging neuroscience principles might inform pedagogical choices at all educational levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Arif A Hamid
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Levinson LH, Sun S, Paschall CJ, Perks KM, Weaver KE, Perlmutter SI, Ko AL, Ojemann JG, Herron JA. Data processing techniques impact quantification of cortico-cortical evoked potentials. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 408:110130. [PMID: 38653381 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110130] [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: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) are a common tool for probing effective connectivity in intracranial human electrophysiology. As with all human electrophysiology data, CCEP data are highly susceptible to noise. To address noise, filters and re-referencing are often applied to CCEP data, but different processing strategies are used from study to study. NEW METHOD We systematically compare how common average re-referencing and filtering CCEP data impacts quantification. RESULTS We show that common average re-referencing and filters, particularly filters that cut out more frequencies, can significantly impact the quantification of CCEP magnitude and morphology. We identify that high cutoff high pass filters (> 0.5 Hz), low cutoff low pass filters (< 200 Hz), and common average re-referencing impact quantification across subjects. However, we also demonstrate that the presence of noise may impact CCEP quantification, and preprocessing is necessary to mitigate this. We show that filtering is more effective than re-referencing or averaging across trials for reducing most common types of noise. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS These results suggest that existing CCEP processing methods must be applied with care to maximize noise reduction and minimize changes to the data. We do not test every available processing strategy; rather we demonstrate that processing can influence the results of CCEP studies. We emphasize the importance of reporting all processing methods, particularly re-referencing methods. CONCLUSIONS We propose a general framework for choosing an appropriate processing pipeline for CCEP data, taking into consideration the noise levels of a specific dataset. We suggest that minimal gentle filtering is preferable.
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Affiliation(s)
- L H Levinson
- University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience, 1959 NE Pacific Street, T-47, Seattle, WA 98195-7270, United States.
| | - S Sun
- University of Washington Department of Bioengineering, Box 355061, Seattle, WA 98195-5061, United States
| | - C J Paschall
- University of Washington Department of Bioengineering, Box 355061, Seattle, WA 98195-5061, United States
| | - K M Perks
- University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience, 1959 NE Pacific Street, T-47, Seattle, WA 98195-7270, United States
| | - K E Weaver
- University of Washington Department of Radiology, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - S I Perlmutter
- University of Washington Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 1705 NE Pacific Street, HSB Room G424, Box 357290, Seattle, WA 98195-7290, United States
| | - A L Ko
- University of Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, Box 356470, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195-6470, United States
| | - J G Ojemann
- University of Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, Box 356470, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195-6470, United States
| | - J A Herron
- University of Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, Box 356470, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195-6470, United States
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Battaglia S, Nazzi C, Di Fazio C, Borgomaneri S. The role of pre-supplementary motor cortex in action control with emotional stimuli: A repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:151-166. [PMID: 38751225 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15145] [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] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Swiftly halting ongoing motor actions is essential to react to unforeseen and potentially perilous circumstances. However, the neural bases subtending the complex interplay between emotions and motor control have been scarcely investigated. Here, we used an emotional stop signal task (SST) to investigate whether specific neural circuits engaged by action suppression are differently modulated by emotional signals with respect to neutral ones. Participants performed an SST before and after the administration of one session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the pre-supplementary motor cortex (pre-SMA), the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), and the left primary motor cortex (lM1). Results show that rTMS over the pre-SMA improved the ability to inhibit prepotent action (i.e., better action control) when emotional stimuli were presented. In contrast, action control in a neutral context was fostered by rTMS over the rIFG. No changes were observed after lM1 stimulation. Intriguingly, individuals with higher impulsivity traits exhibited enhanced motor control when facing neutral stimuli following rIFG stimulation. These results further our understanding of the interplay between emotions and motor functions, shedding light on the selective modulation of neural pathways underpinning these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Battaglia
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Claudio Nazzi
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Fazio
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
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Algahtani H, Shirah B, Algahtani S, Abdelgaffar N. Laughter-Induced Seizures: A Rare Type of Reflex Epilepsy. J Epilepsy Res 2024; 14:50-51. [PMID: 38978530 PMCID: PMC11227924 DOI: 10.14581/jer.24009] [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] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
This research explores the rare occurrence of laughter-induced seizures, a form of reflex epilepsy documented in only one previous case in the literature. The patient, free from prior medical or neuropsychiatric history, exhibited seizures triggered solely by laughter. Electroencephalography and neuroimaging revealed normal results. Despite declining medical therapy, lifestyle modifications enabled seizure management. The study emphasizes the dearth of data on laughter-induced seizures, prompting the consideration of multimodal strategies for treatment. Further research is imperative to unveil the precise pathophysiology and establish standardized therapeutic approaches for this uncommon epileptic manifestation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bader Shirah
- Department of Neuroscience, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Algahtani
- Department of Medicine, Ibn Sina National College For Medical Studies, Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia
| | - Nawal Abdelgaffar
- Department of Medicine, Aseer Central Hospital, Abha,
Saudi Arabia
- Department of Neurology, Kasr Al Ainy Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo,
Egypt
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Mithani K, Richards OL, Ebden M, Malik N, Greuter L, Suresh H, Niazi F, Gouveia FV, Widjaja E, Weiss S, Donner E, Otsubo H, Ochi A, Jain P, Yau I, Kerr EN, Rutka JT, Drake JM, Weil AG, Ibrahim GM. Intraoperative changes in large-scale thalamic circuitry following laser ablation of hypothalamic hamartomas. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 42:103613. [PMID: 38714093 PMCID: PMC11098953 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103613] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Gelastic seizures due to hypothalamic hamartomas (HH) are challenging to treat, in part due to an incomplete understanding of seizure propagation pathways. Although magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a promising intervention to disconnect HH from ictal propagation networks, the optimal site of ablation to achieve seizure freedom is not known. In this study, we investigated intraoperative post-ablation changes in resting-state functional connectivity to identify large-scale networks associated with successful disconnection of HH. METHODS Children who underwent MRgLITT for HH at two institutions were consecutively recruited and followed for a minimum of one year. Seizure freedom was defined as Engel score of 1A at the last available follow-up. Immediate pre- and post- ablation resting-state functional MRI scans were acquired while maintaining a constant depth of general anesthetic. Multivariable generalized linear models were used to identify intraoperative changes in large-scale connectivity associated with seizure outcomes. RESULTS Twelve patients underwent MRgLITT for HH, five of whom were seizure-free at their last follow-up. Intraprocedural changes in thalamocortical circuitry involving the anterior cingulate cortex were associated with seizure-freedom. Children who were seizure-free demonstrated an increase and decrease in connectivity to the pregenual and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices, respectively. In addition, children who became seizure-free demonstrated increased thalamic connectivity to the periaqueductal gray immediately following MRgLITT. DISCUSSION Successful disconnection of HH is associated with intraoperative, large-scale changes in thalamocortical connectivity. These changes provide novel insights into the large-scale basis of gelastic seizures and may represent intraoperative biomarkers of treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Mithani
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Oliver L Richards
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Ebden
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noor Malik
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ladina Greuter
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hrishikesh Suresh
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Farbod Niazi
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Elysa Widjaja
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shelly Weiss
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Donner
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Otsubo
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ayako Ochi
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Puneet Jain
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ivanna Yau
- Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth N Kerr
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James T Rutka
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James M Drake
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander G Weil
- Division of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - George M Ibrahim
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Chen C, Li B, Zhang S, Liu Z, Wang Y, Xu M, Ji Y, Wang S, Sun G, Liu K. Aberrant structural and functional alterations in postpartum depression: a combined voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity study. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1138561. [PMID: 37304034 PMCID: PMC10249609 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1138561] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Postpartum depression (PPD) is a severe postpartum psychiatric disorder with unclear pathogenesis. Previous neuroimaging studies have reported structural or functional alterations in areas associated with emotion regulation, cognitive disorder, and parenting behaviors of PPD. The primary goal of this investigation was to explore the presence of brain structural alterations and relevant functional changes in PPD patients. Methods A total of 28 patients and 30 matched healthy postnatal women (HPW) underwent both three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI. Structural analysis was performed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM), followed by resting-state functional analysis using a seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) approach with abnormal gray matter volume (GMV) regions as seed. Results Compared with HPW, the PPD patients showed increased GMV in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC.L), the right precentral gyrus (PrCG.R), and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In the PPD group, the DLPFC.L showed increased FC with the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG.R) and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG.R); the FC between the PrCG.R and the right median cingulate and paracingulate gyri (DCG.R) exhibited enhanced; the OFC showed increased FC with MFG.R and the left inferior occipital gyrus (IOG.L). In PPD, GMV of DLPFC.L was positively correlated with EDPS scores (r = 0.409 p = 0.031), and FC of PrCG.R-DCG.R was positively correlated with EDPS scores (r = 0.483 p = 0.020). Conclusion Structural and functional damage of the DLPFC.L and OFC is associated with cognitive disorders and parenting behaviors in PPD, while structural abnormalities of the DLPFC.L and PrCG.R are involved in impaired executive function. The increased GMV of DLPFC.L may be a unique structural pathological mechanism of PPD related to the inability of PPD patients to withstand long-term parenting stress. These findings have important implications for understanding neural mechanisms in PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shufen Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Minghe Xu
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuqing Ji
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Gang Sun
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Department of Radiology, The 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Caruana F, Palagi E, de Waal FBM. Cracking the laugh code: laughter through the lens of biology, psychology and neuroscience. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20220159. [PMID: 36126666 PMCID: PMC9489298 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fausto Caruana
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Volturno 39/E, 43125 Parma, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via A. Volta 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy
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Palagi E, Caruana F, de Waal FBM. The naturalistic approach to laughter in humans and other animals: towards a unified theory. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210175. [PMID: 36126670 PMCID: PMC9489289 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This opinion piece aims to tackle the biological, psychological, neural and cultural underpinnings of laughter from a naturalistic and evolutionary perspective. A naturalistic account of laughter requires the revaluation of two dogmas of a longstanding philosophical tradition, that is, the quintessential link between laughter and humour, and the uniquely human nature of this behaviour. In the spirit of Provine's and Panksepp's seminal studies, who firstly argued against the anti-naturalistic dogmas, here we review compelling evidence that (i) laughter is first and foremost a social behaviour aimed at regulating social relationships, easing social tensions and establishing social bonds, and that (ii) homologue and homoplasic behaviours of laughter exist in primates and rodents, who also share with humans the same underpinning neural circuitry. We make a case for the hypothesis that the contagiousness of laughter and its pervasive social infectiousness in everyday social interactions is mediated by a specific mirror mechanism. Finally, we argue that a naturalistic account of laughter should not be intended as an outright rejection of classic theories; rather, in the last part of the piece we argue that our perspective is potentially able to integrate previous viewpoints-including classic philosophical theories-ultimately providing a unified evolutionary explanation of laughter. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cracking the laugh code: laughter through the lens of biology, psychology and neuroscience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Fausto Caruana
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Volturno 39/E, Parma 43125, Italy
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