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Taskan HS, Yararbas G, Hassoy H. Investigating the selective attention, attentional bias and smoking among Turkish University students: A cross-sectional study. J Ethn Subst Abuse 2024:1-19. [PMID: 39073341 DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2024.2383344] [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: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between selective attention, attentional bias and smoking in Turkish university students. The study was conducted with 64 individuals with an average age of 20.3 ± 0.83 years. While the d2 Test of Attention was used to measure various aspects of attention including processing speed, accuracy and selective attention; the Smoking Stroop Test evaluated the attentional bias toward smoking-related stimuli by comparing reaction times to smoking-related and neutral words. Also, the Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test and Questionnaire of Smoking Urges assessed the level of nicotine dependence and cravings of participants. Findings showed that smoking status (B: 0.05, 95%CI:0.03,0.07) was statistically explanatory of attentional bias, but there was no significant difference in selective attention performance in terms of smoking status. These results are important for the development of intervention methods targeting cognitive processes associated with smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Selkan Taskan
- Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gorkem Yararbas
- Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Hur Hassoy
- Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
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2
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Ma J, Chen B, Wang K, Hu Y, Wang X, Zhan H, Wu W. Emotional contagion and cognitive empathy regulate the effect of depressive symptoms on empathy-related brain functional connectivity in patients with chronic back pain. J Affect Disord 2024; 362:459-467. [PMID: 39013522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic pain and depression share common neural mechanisms, but their impacts on empathy are different. It is unclear how comorbid depressive symptoms affect empathy-related brain function in patients with chronic pain. METHODS A total of 29 healthy participants and 107 patients with chronic back pain (CBP) were included in this study. All subjects underwent a functional MRI scan with concurrent empathic stimulation. Multiple linear regression, moderation analysis, and mediation analysis were used to explore the impacts of chronic pain and comorbid depression on empathy. RESULTS The interaction between the pain intensity and the depressive symptoms affected the functional connectivity (FC) of the insula-middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and the severity of the self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores moderated the effect of the pain on the left insula-left MFG FC. Within the CBP group, the emotional contagion (EC) scores served as a mediator in the association between the SDS scores and the FC of the left middle cingulate cortex (MCC)-inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), and the level of cognitive empathy (CE) moderated the effect of the SDS scores on the left MCC-ITG FC. LIMITATIONS There is a lack of research on the effects of depressive symptoms on empathy in individuals with different types of chronic pain. CONCLUSION Depressive symptoms were strongly associated with the emotional contagion in patients with chronic back pain. Furthermore, the emotional contagion and the cognitive empathy regulated the effect of the comorbid depressive symptoms on the MCC-ITG connectivity in patients with chronic back pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqin Ma
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Bingmei Chen
- Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Kangling Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Yingxuan Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Xianglong Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Hongrui Zhan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
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da Silva-Sauer L, Garcia RB, Ehrich de Moura A, Fernández-Calvo B. Does the d2 Test of Attention only assess sustained attention? Evidence of working memory processes involved. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024; 31:339-347. [PMID: 35001742 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2021.2023152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The d2 Test of Attention (d2) is widely used for assessing sustained attention and we aimed at verifying whether working memory may be a secondary construct measured by d2. 70 university students were assessed using d2 conventional paper-and-pencil and computational version. The experimental group and control group performed the task with or without target key, respectively. Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and N-back (1 and 2-back) tasks were used to measure sustained attention and working memory, respectively. Computational d2 performance was predicted by CPT (p < .05; R2 = .15) in the experimental group, and it was predicted by 2-back (p < .05; R2 = .28) in the control group. Conventional d2 performance was predicted by 2-back for both control group (p = .01; R2 = .20) and experimental group (p = .02, R2 = .17). Results suggest the involvement of working memory in d2, possibly a secondary construct assessed by this instrument.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro da Silva-Sauer
- Laboratory of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder, Department of Psychology, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Basso Garcia
- Laboratory of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder, Department of Psychology, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Alan Ehrich de Moura
- Laboratory of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder, Department of Psychology, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Bernardino Fernández-Calvo
- Laboratory of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder, Department of Psychology, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil
- Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Huang Y, Zhan L, Zhong S, Sun M, Wang C, Yang C, Wu X. Sustaining attention in visuomotor timing is associated with location-based binding. Vision Res 2024; 219:108405. [PMID: 38569222 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2024.108405] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Maintaining focus of attention over prolonged periods can be challenging, especially when the target stimulus is absent from the temporal sequence. Prior research has shown that a temporal attentional cue filling in the temporal blank can improve sustained attention: in a sustained visual attention task requiring synchronizing finger tapping with a temporally regular sequence composed of brief flash disks interleaved with blank periods, task performance was improved when a continuous fixation point that served as a temporal attentional cue was presented superimposed on the disk stimulus. To test the hypothesis that binding the temporal attentional cue with the target temporal sequence by spatial overlapping is crucial for enhancing sustained attention, the present study conducted a series of three experiments that deconstructed the bound connection between the cue and the sequence stimulus. In Experiment 1, the cue was placed above or below a flash disk. In Experiment 2, the cue was between two vertically arranged flash disks. In Experiment 3, the cue was in a flash ring. No significant effect of sustained attention improvement was found in any of the three experiments. Experiment 4 further replicated these null results and the previously observed effect of sustained attention improvement when the temporal cue was superimposed on the sequence stimulus. Our finding demonstrates that binding by spatial overlapping during the temporal blank when the sequence stimulus is absent is critical for enhancing sustained attention, which should be beneficial for improving performance across a broader range of tasks that require prolonged maintenance of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyu Huang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Liying Zhan
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; School of Education, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China
| | - Shengqi Zhong
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mi Sun
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaolun Wang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengbin Yang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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5
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Zhu Q, Wada H, Ueda Y, Onuki K, Miyakawa M, Sato S, Kameda Y, Matsumoto F, Inoshita A, Nakano H, Tanigawa T. Association between habitual snoring and vigilant attention in elementary school children. Sleep Med 2024; 118:9-15. [PMID: 38579378 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2024.03.033] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Vigilant attention (VA) is a fundamental neurocognitive function. However, the association between habitual snoring (HS) and VA in community-based children remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the association. METHODS The study included 2014 children from grades 1-6 across six elementary schools. Snoring frequency was evaluated using a questionnaire administered to parents. VA was assessed using a brief 3-min psychomotor vigilance test (PVT-B). Generalized linear models and multivariate logistic regression analysis were utilized to examine the association between snoring frequency and PVT-B performance. Impaired PVT-B performance was defined as the worst quartile of PVT-B metrics. RESULTS The PVT-B performance significantly improved with advancing school grade level (p trend < 0.0001). A significant negative correlation was observed between snoring frequency and PVT-B performance. Particularly, in grade 1, HS was associated with a higher risk of impaired PVT-B performance, including response speed (mean reciprocal reaction time) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-5.50), more slowest 10% RT (aOR 3.28, 95% CI: 1.51-6.88), and more lapse500 (number of lapse of reaction time ≥ 500 ms) (aOR 3.18, 95% CI: 1.45-6.80) compared to children without snoring. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that VA rapidly improves throughout elementary school. Additionally, younger children with HS are at risk of VA deficits, emphasizing the importance of early intervention for HS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinye Zhu
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroo Wada
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuito Ueda
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Onuki
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Miyakawa
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Setsuko Sato
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yosihito Kameda
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Matsumoto
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayako Inoshita
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakano
- Sleep Disorders Centre, National Hospital Organization Fukuoka National Hospital, Yakatabaru, Minami-Ku, Fukuoka City, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tanigawa
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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Caravati E, Barbeni F, Chiarion G, Raggi M, Mesin L. Closed-Loop Transcranial Electrical Neurostimulation for Sustained Attention Enhancement: A Pilot Study towards Personalized Intervention Strategies. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:467. [PMID: 38790334 PMCID: PMC11118513 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11050467] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Sustained attention is pivotal for tasks like studying and working for which focus and low distractions are necessary for peak productivity. This study explores the effectiveness of adaptive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in either the frontal or parietal region to enhance sustained attention. The research involved ten healthy university students performing the Continuous Performance Task-AX (AX-CPT) while receiving either frontal or parietal tDCS. The study comprised three phases. First, we acquired the electroencephalography (EEG) signal to identify the most suitable metrics related to attention states. Among different spectral and complexity metrics computed on 3 s epochs of EEG, the Fuzzy Entropy and Multiscale Sample Entropy Index of frontal channels were selected. Secondly, we assessed how tDCS at a fixed 1.0 mA current affects attentional performance. Finally, a real-time experiment involving continuous metric monitoring allowed personalized dynamic optimization of the current amplitude and stimulation site (frontal or parietal). The findings reveal statistically significant improvements in mean accuracy (94.04 vs. 90.82%) and reaction times (262.93 vs. 302.03 ms) with the adaptive tDCS compared to a non-stimulation condition. Average reaction times were statistically shorter during adaptive stimulation compared to a fixed current amplitude condition (262.93 vs. 283.56 ms), while mean accuracy stayed similar (94.04 vs. 93.36%, improvement not statistically significant). Despite the limited number of subjects, this work points out the promising potential of adaptive tDCS as a tailored treatment for enhancing sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Luca Mesin
- Mathematical Biology and Physiology, Department Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (E.C.); (F.B.); (G.C.); (M.R.)
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Salmon C, Li S, Burrows EL, Johnson KA. Translational validity of neuropsychological tasks of sustained attention between rodents and humans: A systematic review of three rodent tasks. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38690648 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Atypical sustained attention is a symptom in a number of neurological and psychological conditions. Investigations into its neural underpinnings are required for improved management and treatment. Rodents are useful in investigating the neurobiology underlying atypical sustained attention and several rodent tasks have been developed for use in touchscreen testing platforms that mimic methodology used in human clinical attention assessment. This systematic review was conducted to assess how translatable these rodent tasks are to equivalent clinical human tasks. Studies using the rodent Continuous Performance Task (rCPT), Sustained Attention Task (SAT), and 5-choice CPT (5C-CPT) were sought and screened. Included in the review were 138 studies, using the rCPT (n = 21), SAT (n = 90), and 5C-CPT (n = 27). Translatability between rodent and human studies was assessed based on (1) methodological similarity, (2) performance similarity, and (3) replication of results. The 5C-CPT was found to be the most translatable cross-species paradigm with good utility, while the rCPT and SAT require adaptation and further development to meet these translatability benchmarks. With greater replication and more consistent results, greater confidence in the translation of sustained attention results between species will be engendered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Salmon
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shuting Li
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emma L Burrows
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine A Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Hemmerich K, Lupiáñez J, Martín-Arévalo E. HD-tDCS mitigates the executive vigilance decrement only under high cognitive demands. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7865. [PMID: 38570619 PMCID: PMC10991279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57917-y] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Maintaining vigilance is essential for many everyday tasks, but over time, our ability to sustain it inevitably decreases, potentially entailing severe consequences. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has proven to be useful for studying and improving vigilance. This study explores if/how cognitive load affects the mitigatory effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement. Participants (N = 120) completed a modified ANTI-Vea task (single or dual load) while receiving either sham or anodal HD-tDCS over the right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC). This data was compared with data from prior studies (N = 120), where participants completed the standard ANTI-Vea task (triple load task), combined with the same HD-tDCS protocol. Against our hypotheses, both the single and dual load conditions showed a significant executive vigilance (EV) decrement, which was not affected by the application of rPPC HD-tDCS. On the contrary, the most cognitively demanding task (triple task) showed the greatest EV decrement; importantly, it was also with the triple task that a significant mitigatory effect of the HD-tDCS intervention was observed. The present study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the specific effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement considering cognitive demands. This can ultimately contribute to reconciling heterogeneous effects observed in past research and fine-tuning its future clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Hemmerich
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
| | - Juan Lupiáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Elisa Martín-Arévalo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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9
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Jones HM, Yoo K, Chun MM, Rosenberg MD. Edge-Based General Linear Models Capture Moment-to-Moment Fluctuations in Attention. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1543232024. [PMID: 38316565 PMCID: PMC10993033 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1543-23.2024] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Although we must prioritize the processing of task-relevant information to navigate life, our ability to do so fluctuates across time. Previous work has identified fMRI functional connectivity (FC) networks that predict an individual's ability to sustain attention and vary with attentional state from 1 min to the next. However, traditional dynamic FC approaches typically lack the temporal precision to capture moment-to-moment network fluctuations. Recently, researchers have "unfurled" traditional FC matrices in "edge cofluctuation time series" which measure timepoint-by-timepoint cofluctuations between regions. Here we apply event-based and parametric fMRI analyses to edge time series to capture moment-to-moment fluctuations in networks related to attention. In two independent fMRI datasets examining young adults of both sexes in which participants performed a sustained attention task, we identified a reliable set of edges that rapidly deflects in response to rare task events. Another set of edges varies with continuous fluctuations in attention and overlaps with a previously defined set of edges associated with individual differences in sustained attention. Demonstrating that edge-based analyses are not simply redundant with traditional regions-of-interest-based approaches, up to one-third of reliably deflected edges were not predicted from univariate activity patterns alone. These results reveal the large potential in combining traditional fMRI analyses with edge time series to identify rapid reconfigurations in networks across the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M Jones
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Kwangsun Yoo
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
- Department of Digital Health, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Korea
- Data Science Research Institute, Research Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, Korea
| | - Marvin M Chun
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Monica D Rosenberg
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
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10
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Leung J, Go H, Kruger TB, Dixon MJ. Force modulation: A behavioural marker of mind-wandering. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024; 86:897-908. [PMID: 38443621 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-024-02868-9] [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] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
It is known that the Metronome Response Task (MRT)-one of the most used mind-wandering sampling paradigms, struggles to differentiate between spontaneous mind-wandering (wherein one's attention is uncontrollably shifted away from the task at hand) and deliberate mind-wandering (wherein one's attention is purposefully shifted away). Thus, we endeavoured to design and test a new mind-wandering measure, called the In Sync Task (IST), that can achieve such differentiation more readily. Unlike the MRT, which involves having participants click in sync (using a mouse) with rhythmically presented, auditory monotones, the IST requires participants to (1) click in sync with tone triplets that increase incrementally in loudness and (2) modulate their clicking force to the presented tone's loudness. Here, we measured (1) participants' variabilities in their rhythmic response times (as is the MRT) and (2) their consistency in appropriately modulating their clicking force. Across two separate samples of university students (n = 119 and n = 121) collected between June 2022 to February 2023, we showed performance differences between the mind-wandering subtypes. Specifically, participants were better able to modulate their clicking force during epochs of spontaneous, compared with deliberate, mind-wandering, whereas the MRT was unable to differentiate between these conditions. In sum, we show that there appear to be greater costs to performance when one deliberately mind-wanders, as opposed to spontaneously mind-wandering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Leung
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Hanbin Go
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Tyler B Kruger
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mike J Dixon
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
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11
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Waldren LH, Leung FYN, Hargitai LD, Burgoyne AP, Liceralde VRT, Livingston LA, Shah P. Unpacking the overlap between Autism and ADHD in adults: A multi-method approach. Cortex 2024; 173:120-137. [PMID: 38387375 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The overlap between Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely observed in clinical settings, with growing interest in their co-occurrence in neurodiversity research. Until relatively recently, however, concurrent diagnoses of Autism and ADHD were not possible. This has limited the scope for large-scale research on their cross-condition associations, further stymied by a dearth of open science practices in the neurodiversity field. Additionally, almost all previous research linking Autism and ADHD has focused on children and adolescents, despite them being lifelong conditions. Tackling these limitations in previous research, 5504 adults - including a nationally representative sample of the UK (Study 1; n = 504) and a large pre-registered study (Study 2; n = 5000) - completed well-established self-report measures of Autism and ADHD traits. A series of network analyses unpacked the associations between Autism and ADHD at the individual trait level. Low inter-item connectivity was consistently found between conditions, supporting the distinction between Autism and ADHD as separable constructs. Subjective social enjoyment and hyperactivity-impulsivity traits were most condition-specific to Autism and ADHD, respectively. Traits related to attention control showed the greatest Bridge Expected Influence across conditions, revealing a potential transdiagnostic process underlying the overlap between Autism and ADHD. To investigate this further at the cognitive level, participants completed a large, well-powered, and pre-registered study measuring the relative contributions of Autism and ADHD traits to attention control (Study 3; n = 500). We detected age- and sex-related effects, however, attention control did not account for the covariance between Autism and ADHD traits. We situate our findings and discuss future directions in the cognitive science of Autism, ADHD, and neurodiversity, noting how our open datasets may be used in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Van Rynald T Liceralde
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lucy A Livingston
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Punit Shah
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
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12
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Nan W, Yang W, Gong A, Kadosh RC, Ros T, Fu Y, Wan F. Successful learning of alpha up-regulation through neurofeedback training modulates sustained attention. Neuropsychologia 2024; 195:108804. [PMID: 38242318 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108804] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
As a fundamental attention function, sustained attention plays a critical role in general cognitive abilities and is closely linked to EEG alpha oscillations. Neurofeedback training (NFT) of alpha activity on different aspects of attention has been studied previously. However, it remains unclear how NFT with up- or down-regulation directions modulates sustained attention. Here we employed a counterbalanced single-blind sham-controlled crossover design, in which healthy young adults underwent one NFT session of alpha up-regulation, one NFT session of alpha down-regulation, and one sham-control NFT session over the posterior area. The session order was counterbalanced with a 7-day interval between each session. After each NFT session, the participants completed a visual continuous temporal expectancy task (vCTET) to assess their sustained attention performance. The results showed that compared to sham-control NFT, successful learning of alpha up-regulation resulted in increased reaction time at the beginning of the attention task but a slower increase over vCTET blocks. On the other hand, successful learning of alpha down-regulation had no impact on attention performance compared to sham-control NFT. These findings suggest that successful learning of alpha up-regulation through NFT could impair initial attention performance but slow down visual attention deterioration over time, i.e., alpha enhancement by NFT stabilizing visual attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Nan
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wenjie Yang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Anmin Gong
- School of Information Engineering, Engineering University of People's Armed Police, Xi'an, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Tomas Ros
- Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yunfa Fu
- School of Automation and Information Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.
| | - Feng Wan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau, China
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13
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Wooten T, Esterman M, Brunyé TT, Taylor HA, Ward N. The relationship between sustained attention and parasympathetic functioning. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 197:112298. [PMID: 38199297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Sustained attention (SA) is an important cognitive ability that plays a crucial role in successful cognitive control. Resting vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) has emerged as an informative index of parasympathetic nervous system activity and a sensitive correlate of individual differences in cognitive control. However, it is unclear how resting vmHRV is associated with individual differences in sustained attention. The primary aim of the current study was to assess if resting vmHRV was associated with individual differences in performance on a neuropsychological assessment of sustained attention. We further aimed to characterize the relationship between resting vmHRV and dispositional factors related to sustained attention, specifically attentional errors in daily life, self-regulation, mindfulness and media-multitasking. Based on previous work, we hypothesized higher resting vmHRV would be associated with better sustained attention across task-based and self-report measures. We did not find resting vmHRV to be significantly associated with performance measures on a task-based assessment of sustained attention. Further, resting vmHRV was not significantly associated with attention errors, self-regulation, mindfulness, or media-multitasking. This work stands to expand the current understanding between parasympathetic functioning, cognition, and behavior, investigating the unexplored domain of sustained attention and related dispositional factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wooten
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
| | - Michael Esterman
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory, VA Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tad T Brunyé
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; U.S. Army DEVCOM, Natick, MA, USA
| | - Holly A Taylor
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Nathan Ward
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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14
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Huang WA, Zhou ZC, Stitt IM, Ramasamy NS, Radtke-Schuller S, Frohlich F. Causal oscillations in the visual thalamo-cortical network in sustained attention in ferrets. Curr Biol 2024; 34:727-739.e5. [PMID: 38262418 PMCID: PMC10922762 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.067] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Sustained visual attention allows us to process and react to unpredictable, behaviorally relevant sensory input. Sustained attention engages communication between the higher-order visual thalamus and its connected cortical regions. However, it remains unclear whether there is a causal relationship between oscillatory circuit dynamics and attentional behavior in these thalamo-cortical circuits. By using rhythmic optogenetic stimulation in the ferret, we provide causal evidence that higher-order visual thalamus coordinates thalamo-cortical and cortico-cortical functional connectivity during sustained attention via spike-field phase locking. Increasing theta but not alpha power in the thalamus improved accuracy and reduced omission rates in a sustained attention task. Further, the enhancement of effective connectivity by stimulation was correlated with improved behavioral performance. Our work demonstrates a potential circuit-level causal mechanism for how the higher-order visual thalamus modulates cortical communication through rhythmic synchronization during sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei A Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zhe C Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Iain M Stitt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Nivetha S Ramasamy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Susanne Radtke-Schuller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Flavio Frohlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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15
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Seeburger DT, Xu N, Ma M, Larson S, Godwin C, Keilholz SD, Schumacher EH. Time-varying functional connectivity predicts fluctuations in sustained attention in a serial tapping task. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:111-125. [PMID: 38253775 PMCID: PMC10979291 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01156-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The mechanisms for how large-scale brain networks contribute to sustained attention are unknown. Attention fluctuates from moment to moment, and this continuous change is consistent with dynamic changes in functional connectivity between brain networks involved in the internal and external allocation of attention. In this study, we investigated how brain network activity varied across different levels of attentional focus (i.e., "zones"). Participants performed a finger-tapping task, and guided by previous research, in-the-zone performance or state was identified by low reaction time variability and out-of-the-zone as the inverse. In-the-zone sessions tended to occur earlier in the session than out-of-the-zone blocks. This is unsurprising given the way attention fluctuates over time. Employing a novel method of time-varying functional connectivity, called the quasi-periodic pattern analysis (i.e., reliable, network-level low-frequency fluctuations), we found that the activity between the default mode network (DMN) and task positive network (TPN) is significantly more anti-correlated during in-the-zone states versus out-of-the-zone states. Furthermore, it is the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) switch that differentiates the two zone states. Activity in the dorsal attention network (DAN) and DMN were desynchronized across both zone states. During out-of-the-zone periods, FPCN synchronized with DMN, while during in-the-zone periods, FPCN switched to synchronized with DAN. In contrast, the ventral attention network (VAN) synchronized more closely with DMN during in-the-zone periods compared with out-of-the-zone periods. These findings demonstrate that time-varying functional connectivity of low frequency fluctuations across different brain networks varies with fluctuations in sustained attention or other processes that change over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolly T Seeburger
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Nan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marcus Ma
- College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sam Larson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christine Godwin
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shella D Keilholz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric H Schumacher
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Welhaf MS, Kane MJ. A Nomothetic Span Approach to the Construct Validation of Sustained Attention Consistency: Re-Analyzing Two Latent-Variable Studies of Performance Variability and Mind-Wandering Self-Reports. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:39-80. [PMID: 37314574 PMCID: PMC10805875 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01820-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sustain attention consistency is frequently assessed using either objective behavioral measures, such as reaction time (RT) variability, or subjective self-report measures, such as rates of task-unrelated thought (TUT). The current studies examined whether the individual-difference covariation in these measures provides a more construct valid assessment of attention consistency than does either alone. We argue that performance and self-report measures mutually validate each other; each measurement approach has its own sources of error, so their shared variance should best reflect the attention consistency construct. We reanalyzed two latent-variable studies where RT variability and TUTs were measured in multiple tasks (Kane et al. in J Exp Psychol Gen 145:1017-1048, 2016; Unsworth et al. in J Exp Psychol Gen 150:1303-1331, 2021), along with several nomological network constructs to test the convergent and discriminant validity of a general attention consistency factor. Confirmatory factor analyses assessing bifactor (preregistered) and hierarchical (non-preregistered) models suggested that attention consistency can be modeled as the shared variance among objective and subjective measures. This attention consistency factor was related to working memory capacity, attention (interference) control, processing speed, state motivation and alertness, and self-reported cognitive failures and positive schizotypy. Although bifactor models of general attention consistency provide the most compelling construct validity evidence for a specific ability to sustain attention, multiverse analyses of outlier decisions suggested they are less robust than hierarchical models. The results provide evidence for the general ability to sustain attention consistency and suggestions for improving its measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Welhaf
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, CB 1125 One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130-4899, USA.
| | - Michael J Kane
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA
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17
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Yang S, Dong H, Albitos PJ, Wang Y, Fang Y, Cao L, Wang J, Sun L, Zhang H. Low-frequency variability in theta activity modulates the attention-fluctuation across task and resting states. Neuropsychologia 2024; 193:108757. [PMID: 38103680 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108757] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Sustained attention is not constant but fluctuates influencing our task performance. Albeit intensive investigations, it remains unclear whether the attention-fluctuation during tasks is derived from its spontaneous fluctuation in the resting state. Here, we addressed this issue by investigating the attention-fluctuation in both task and resting states, through the EEG measurement of theta-variability. We found significant rest-task modulation of theta-variability, i.e., reduced theta-variability in the task state compared to the resting state. This task and rest modulation was manifested in the low-frequency of theta-variability (<0.1 Hz). Furthermore, the low-frequency theta-variability exhibited a significant rest-task correlation, however, only the low-frequency theta-variability in the task state but not in the resting state was correlated with the behavioral performance. These findings shed light on the low-frequency feature of attention-fluctuation, and advanced our understanding of sustained attention by suggesting that the theta-variability in low-frequencies was relevant to attention level in task state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyou Yang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Huimei Dong
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Princess Jane Albitos
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yaoyao Wang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yantong Fang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Longfei Cao
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinghua Wang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Department of Neurology the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Hang Zhang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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18
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Johns MA, Calloway RC, Karunathilake IMD, Decruy LP, Anderson S, Simon JZ, Kuchinsky SE. Attention Mobilization as a Modulator of Listening Effort: Evidence From Pupillometry. Trends Hear 2024; 28:23312165241245240. [PMID: 38613337 PMCID: PMC11015766 DOI: 10.1177/23312165241245240] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Listening to speech in noise can require substantial mental effort, even among younger normal-hearing adults. The task-evoked pupil response (TEPR) has been shown to track the increased effort exerted to recognize words or sentences in increasing noise. However, few studies have examined the trajectory of listening effort across longer, more natural, stretches of speech, or the extent to which expectations about upcoming listening difficulty modulate the TEPR. Seventeen younger normal-hearing adults listened to 60-s-long audiobook passages, repeated three times in a row, at two different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) while pupil size was recorded. There was a significant interaction between SNR, repetition, and baseline pupil size on sustained listening effort. At lower baseline pupil sizes, potentially reflecting lower attention mobilization, TEPRs were more sustained in the harder SNR condition, particularly when attention mobilization remained low by the third presentation. At intermediate baseline pupil sizes, differences between conditions were largely absent, suggesting these listeners had optimally mobilized their attention for both SNRs. Lastly, at higher baseline pupil sizes, potentially reflecting overmobilization of attention, the effect of SNR was initially reversed for the second and third presentations: participants initially appeared to disengage in the harder SNR condition, resulting in reduced TEPRs that recovered in the second half of the story. Together, these findings suggest that the unfolding of listening effort over time depends critically on the extent to which individuals have successfully mobilized their attention in anticipation of difficult listening conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Johns
- Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - R. C. Calloway
- Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - I. M. D. Karunathilake
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - L. P. Decruy
- Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - S. Anderson
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - J. Z. Simon
- Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - S. E. Kuchinsky
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- National Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
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19
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Rodriguez-Thompson AM, Miller AB, Wade M, Meyer KN, Machlin L, Bonar AS, Patel KK, Giletta M, Hastings PD, Nock MK, Rudolph KD, Slavich GM, Prinstein MJ, Sheridan MA. Neural Correlates of the p Factor in Adolescence: Cognitive Control With and Without Enhanced Positive Affective Demands. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:30-40. [PMID: 37062361 PMCID: PMC10576014 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research has aimed to characterize processes underlying general liability toward psychopathology, termed the p factor. Given previous research linking the p factor with difficulties in both executive functioning and affective regulation, the present study investigated nonaffective and positive affective inhibition in the context of a sustained attention/inhibition paradigm in adolescents exhibiting mild to severe psychopathology. METHODS Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected during an integrated reward conditioning and go/no-go task in 138 adolescents assigned female at birth. We modeled the p factor using hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis. Positive affective inhibition was measured by examining responses to no-go stimuli with a history of reward conditioning. We examined associations between p factor scores and neural function and behavioral performance. RESULTS Consistent with nonaffective executive function as a primary risk factor, p factor scores were associated with worse behavioral performance and hypoactivation in the left superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus during response initiation (go trials). The p factor scores were additionally associated with increased error-related signaling in the temporal cortex during incorrect no-go trials. CONCLUSIONS During adolescence, a period characterized by heightened risk for emergent psychopathology, we observed unique associations between p factor scores and neural and behavioral indices of response initiation, which relies primarily on sustained attention. These findings suggest that shared variation in mental disorder categories is characterized in part by sustained attention deficits. While we did not find evidence that the p factor was associated with inhibition in this study, this observation is consistent with our hypothesis that the p factor would be related to nonaffective control processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs M Rodriguez-Thompson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Adam Bryant Miller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Mental Health Risk and Resilience Research Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario, Canada
| | - Kristin N Meyer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Laura Machlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Adrienne S Bonar
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kinjal K Patel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Matteo Giletta
- Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul D Hastings
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Matthew K Nock
- Psychology Department and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Karen D Rudolph
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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20
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Meeker TJ, Saffer MI, Frost J, Chien JH, Mullins RJ, Cooper S, Bienvenu OJ, Lenz FA. Vigilance to Painful Laser Stimuli is Associated with Increased State Anxiety and Tense Arousal. J Pain Res 2023; 16:4151-4164. [PMID: 38058982 PMCID: PMC10697823 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s412782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pain is frequently accompanied by enhanced arousal and hypervigilance to painful sensations. Here, we describe our findings in an experimental vigilance task requiring healthy participants to indicate when randomly timed moderately painful stimuli occur in a long train of mildly painful stimuli. Methods During a continuous performance task with painful laser stimuli (CPTpain), 18 participants rated pain intensity, unpleasantness, and salience. We tested for a vigilance decrement over time using classical metrics including correct targets (hits), incorrectly identified non-targets (false alarms), hit reaction time, and false alarm reaction time. We measured state anxiety and tense arousal before and after the task. Results We found a vigilance decrement across four 12.5-minute blocks of painful laser stimuli in hits [F3,51=2.91; p=0.043; time block 1>block 4 (t=2.77; p=0.035)]. Both self-report state anxiety (tpaired,17=3.34; p=0.0039) and tense arousal (tpaired,17=3.20; p=0.0053) increased after the task. We found a vigilance decrement during our laser pain vigilance task consistent with vigilance decrements found in other stimulus modalities. Furthermore, state anxiety positively correlated with tense arousal. Discussion CPTpain acutely increased tense arousal and state anxiety, consistent with previous results implicating the reciprocal interaction of state anxiety and acute painful sensations and the role of pain in augmenting tense arousal. These results may indicate a psychological process which predisposes the hypervigilant to developing greater acute pain, resulting in positive feedback, greater pain and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Meeker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark I Saffer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jodie Frost
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jui-Hong Chien
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roger J Mullins
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean Cooper
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - O Joseph Bienvenu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fred A Lenz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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21
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Decker AL, Duncan K, Finn AS. Fluctuations in Sustained Attention Explain Moment-to-Moment Shifts in Children's Memory Formation. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:1377-1389. [PMID: 37930955 DOI: 10.1177/09567976231206767] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Why do children's memories often differ from adults' after the same experience? Whereas prior work has focused on children's immature memory mechanisms to answer this question, here we focus on the costs of attentional lapses for learning. We track sustained attention and memory formation across time in 7- to 10-year-old children and adults (n = 120) to show that sustained attention causally shapes the fate of children's individual memories. Moreover, children's attention lapsed twice as frequently as adults', and attention fluctuated with memory formation more closely in children than adults. In addition, although attentional lapses impaired memory for expected events in both children and adults, they impaired memory for unexpected events in children only. Our work reveals that sustained attention is an important cognitive factor that controls access to children's long-term memory stores. Our work also raises the possibility that developmental differences in cognitive performance stem from developmental shifts in the ability to sustain attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L Decker
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
| | | | - Amy S Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
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22
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Lynch JD, Tamm L, Garner AA, Avion AA, Fisher DL, Kiefer AW, Peugh J, Simon JO, Epstein JN. Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Adverse Driving Outcomes in Teen Drivers With ADHD. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:1650-1661. [PMID: 37688481 PMCID: PMC10879659 DOI: 10.1177/10870547231197210] [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: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study examined the association between executive functioning (EF) and risky driving behaviors in teens with ADHD. METHOD Teens diagnosed with ADHD (n = 179; Mage = 17.4 years) completed two 15-min drives in a fixed-base driving simulator. EF was assessed using parent- and self-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-2), a temporal reproduction task, and a Go/No-Go task (GNG). Driving outcomes included known predictors of crashes: count of long (>2 s) off-road glances, standard deviation (SD) of lane position (SDLP), mean speed, and SD speed. Generalized linear mixed models, controlling for intelligence and driving experience, were conducted. RESULTS Higher rates of GNG commission errors predicted higher rates of long off-road glances. Lower parent-rated EF and increased rates of GNG omission errors predicted SDLP. Higher rates of GNG commission errors also predicted faster average driving speed. CONCLUSION Heterogeneity in EF is associated with differences in teen ADHD risky driving behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Lynch
- University of Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Leanne Tamm
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Donald L. Fisher
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
- Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, U.S. Department of Transportation, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - James Peugh
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH, USA
| | - John O. Simon
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Jeffery N. Epstein
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH, USA
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23
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Patino LR, Tallman MJ, Wen H, Adler CM, Welge JA, DelBello MP. Deficits in sustained attention in adolescents with bipolar disorder during their first manic episode. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:43-51. [PMID: 37380109 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Evaluate differences in sustained attention (SAT) and associated neurofunctional profiles between bipolar disorder type I (BD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and healthy comparison (HC) youth. METHODS Adolescent participants, aged 12-17 years, with BD (n = 30) and ADHD (n = 28) and HC adolescents (n = 26) underwent structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while completing a modified Continuous Performance Task-Identical Pairs task. Attentional load was modifying in this task using three levels of image distortion (0 %, 25 % and 50 % image distortion). Task related fMRI activation and performance measures: perceptual sensitivity index (PSI); response bias (RB) and response time (RT); were calculated and compared between groups. RESULTS BD participants displayed lower perceptual sensitivity index (0 % p = 0.012; 25 % p = 0.015; 50 % p = 0.036) and higher values of response bias across levels of distortion (0 % p = 0.002, 25 % p = 0.001, and 50 % p = 0.008) as compared to HC. No statistically significant differences were observed for PSI and RB between BD and ADHD groups. No difference in RT were detected. Between-group and within-group differences in task related fMRI measures were detected in several clusters. In a region of interest (ROI) analysis of these clusters comparing BD and ADHD confirmed differences between these two groups. CONCLUSIONS Compared with HC, BD participants displayed SAT deficits. Increased attentional load revealed that BD participants had lower activation in brain regions associated with performance and integration of neural processes in SAT. ROI analysis between BD and ADHD participants shows that the differences were likely not attributable to ADHD comorbidity, suggesting SAT deficits were distinct to the BD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis R Patino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Maxwell J Tallman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Hongbo Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Caleb M Adler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Welge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Melissa P DelBello
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Verschooren S, Egner T. When the mind's eye prevails: The Internal Dominance over External Attention (IDEA) hypothesis. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1668-1688. [PMID: 36988893 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02272-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the 20th century, the psychological literature has considered attention as being primarily directed at the outside world. More recent theories conceive attention as also operating on internal information, and mounting evidence suggests a single, shared attentional focus between external and internal information. Such sharing implies a cognitive architecture where attention needs to be continuously shifted between prioritizing either external or internal information, but the fundamental principles underlying this attentional balancing act are currently unknown. Here, we propose and evaluate one such principle in the shape of the Internal Dominance over External Attention (IDEA) hypothesis: Contrary to the traditional view of attention as being primarily externally oriented, IDEA asserts that attention is inherently biased toward internal information. We provide a theoretical account for why such an internal attention bias may have evolved and examine findings from a wide range of literatures speaking to the balancing of external versus internal attention, including research on working memory, attention switching, visual search, mind wandering, sustained attention, and meditation. We argue that major findings in these disparate research lines can be coherently understood under IDEA. Finally, we consider tentative neurocognitive mechanisms contributing to IDEA and examine the practical implications of more deliberate control over this bias in the context of psychopathology. It is hoped that this novel hypothesis motivates cross-talk between the reviewed research lines and future empirical studies directly examining the mechanisms that steer attention either inward or outward on a moment-by-moment basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Verschooren
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Tobias Egner
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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25
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Neal J, Song I, Katz B, Lee TH. Association of Intrinsic Functional Connectivity between the Locus Coeruleus and Salience Network with Attentional Ability. J Cogn Neurosci 2023; 35:1557-1569. [PMID: 37584586 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is a brainstem region associated with broad neural arousal because of norepinephrine production, but it has increasingly been associated with specific cognitive processes. These include sustained attention, with deficits associated with various neuropsychological disorders. Neural models of attention deficits have focused on interrupted dynamics between the salience network (SAL) with the frontoparietal network, which has been associated with task-switching and processing of external stimuli, respectively. Conflicting findings for these regions suggest the possibility of upstream signaling leading to attention dysfunction, and recent research suggests LC involvement. In this study, resting-state functional connectivity and behavioral performance on an attention task was examined within 584 individuals. Analysis revealed significant clusters connected to LC activity in the SAL. Given previous findings that attention deficits may be caused by SAL network switching dysfunctions, findings here further suggest that dysfunction in LC-SAL connectivity may impair attention.
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26
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Kondo HM, Terashima H, Kihara K, Kochiyama T, Shimada Y, Kawahara JI. Prefrontal GABA and glutamate-glutamine levels affect sustained attention. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10441-10452. [PMID: 37562851 PMCID: PMC10545440 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad294] [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: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention levels fluctuate during the course of daily activities. However, factors underlying sustained attention are still unknown. We investigated mechanisms of sustained attention using psychological, neuroimaging, and neurochemical approaches. Participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing gradual-onset, continuous performance tasks (gradCPTs). In gradCPTs, narrations or visual scenes gradually changed from one to the next. Participants pressed a button for frequent Go trials as quickly as possible and withheld responses to infrequent No-go trials. Performance was better for the visual gradCPT than for the auditory gradCPT, but the 2 were correlated. The dorsal attention network was activated during intermittent responses, regardless of sensory modality. Reaction-time variability of gradCPTs was correlated with signal changes (SCs) in the left fronto-parietal regions. We also used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure levels of glutamate-glutamine (Glx) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the left prefrontal cortex (PFC). Glx levels were associated with performance under undemanding situations, whereas GABA levels were related to performance under demanding situations. Combined fMRI-MRS results demonstrated that SCs of the left PFC were positively correlated with neurometabolite levels. These findings suggest that a neural balance between excitation and inhibition is involved in attentional fluctuations and brain dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohito M Kondo
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
| | - Hiroki Terashima
- Human Information Science Laboratory, NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan
| | - Ken Kihara
- Department of Information Technology and Human Factors, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Takanori Kochiyama
- Brain Activity Imaging Center, ATR-Promotions, Seika-cho, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Shimada
- Brain Activity Imaging Center, ATR-Promotions, Seika-cho, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan
| | - Jun I Kawahara
- Department of Psychology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
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Dutterer J, Bansal S, Robinson B, Gold JM. Sustained attention deficits in schizophrenia: Effect of memory load on the Identical Pairs Continuous Performance Test. Schizophr Res Cogn 2023; 33:100288. [PMID: 37273835 PMCID: PMC10239014 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2023.100288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Sustained attention and vigilance impairments are well documented in people with schizophrenia (PSZ). The processes implicated in this impairment remain unclear. Here we investigated whether vigilance performance varied as a function of working memory load, and also examined the role of attentional lapsing that might arise from a loss of task set resulting in mind wandering. Method We examined Continuous Performance Test Identical Pairs (CPT-IP) data from a cumulative sample of 247 (PSZ) and 238 healthy control (HC) participants collected over a series of studies. Results PSZ performed more poorly that HC across conditions with signal/noise discrimination (d') decreasing with increasing working memory load across both groups However, there was a significant interaction of group and load suggesting that performance of PSZ was more negatively impacted by increasing load. We also found that PSZ has a significantly higher rate of attention lapsing than did HC. Discussion Our results suggest that difficulties maintaining task set and working memory limitations are implicated in the impairments observed on the Identical Pairs CPT. Difficulties with task set maintenance appear to explain the majority of between-group variance, with a more subtle impact of increasing working memory load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Dutterer
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, USA
| | - Sonia Bansal
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, USA
| | - Benjamin Robinson
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, USA
| | - James M. Gold
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, USA
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28
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Smith DD, Meca A, Bottenhorn KL, Bartley JE, Riedel MC, Salo T, Peraza JA, Laird RW, Pruden SM, Sutherland MT, Brewe E, Laird AR. Task-based attentional and default mode connectivity associated with science and math anxiety profiles among university physics students. Trends Neurosci Educ 2023; 32:100204. [PMID: 37689430 PMCID: PMC10501206 DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2023.100204] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Attentional control theory (ACT) posits that elevated anxiety increases the probability of re-allocating cognitive resources needed to complete a task to processing anxiety-related stimuli. This process impairs processing efficiency and can lead to reduced performance effectiveness. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students frequently experience anxiety about their coursework, which can interfere with learning and performance and negatively impact student retention and graduation rates. The objective of this study was to extend the ACT framework to investigate the neurobiological associations between science and math anxiety and cognitive performance among 123 physics undergraduate students. PROCEDURES Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified four profiles of science and math anxiety among STEM students, including two profiles that represented the majority of the sample (Low Science and Math Anxiety; 59.3% and High Math Anxiety; 21.9%) and two additional profiles that were not well represented (High Science and Math Anxiety; 6.5% and High Science Anxiety; 4.1%). Students underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session in which they performed two tasks involving physics cognition: the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) task and the Physics Knowledge (PK) task. FINDINGS No significant differences were observed in FCI or PK task performance between High Math Anxiety and Low Science and Math Anxiety students. During the three phases of the FCI task, we found no significant brain connectivity differences during scenario and question presentation, yet we observed significant differences during answer selection within and between the dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), and default mode network (DMN). Further, we found significant group differences during the PK task were limited to the DAN, including DAN-VAN and within-DAN connectivity. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight the different cognitive processes required for physics conceptual reasoning compared to physics knowledge retrieval, provide new insight into the underlying brain dynamics associated with anxiety and physics cognition, and confirm the relevance of ACT theory for science and math anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donisha D Smith
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America.
| | - Alan Meca
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, United States of America
| | - Katherine L Bottenhorn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Jessica E Bartley
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Michael C Riedel
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Taylor Salo
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Julio A Peraza
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Robert W Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Shannon M Pruden
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Matthew T Sutherland
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Eric Brewe
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
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29
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Jones HM, Yoo K, Chun MM, Rosenberg MD. Edge-based general linear models capture high-frequency fluctuations in attention. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.06.547966. [PMID: 37503244 PMCID: PMC10369861 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.06.547966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Although we must prioritize the processing of task-relevant information to navigate life, our ability to do so fluctuates across time. Previous work has identified fMRI functional connectivity (FC) networks that predict an individual's ability to sustain attention and vary with attentional state from one minute to the next. However, traditional dynamic FC approaches typically lack the temporal precision to capture moment-by-moment network fluctuations. Recently, researchers have 'unfurled' traditional FC matrices in 'edge cofluctuation time series' which measure time point-by-time point cofluctuations between regions. Here we apply event-based and parametric fMRI analyses to edge time series to capture high-frequency fluctuations in networks related to attention. In two independent fMRI datasets in which participants performed a sustained attention task, we identified a reliable set of edges that rapidly deflects in response to rare task events. Another set of edges varies with continuous fluctuations in attention and overlaps with a previously defined set of edges associated with individual differences in sustained attention. Demonstrating that edge-based analyses are not simply redundant with traditional regions-of-interest based approaches, up to one-third of reliably deflected edges were not predicted from univariate activity patterns alone. These results reveal the large potential in combining traditional fMRI analyses with edge time series to identify rapid reconfigurations in networks across the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marvin M Chun
- Department of Psychology, Yale University
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University
| | - Monica D Rosenberg
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago
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30
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Zhao W, Zhu DM, Li Q, Xu X, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Zhu J, Yu Y. Brain function mediates the association between low vitamin D and neurocognitive status in female patients with major depressive disorder. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4032-4045. [PMID: 35362398 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722000708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D is engaged in various neural processes, with low vitamin D linked to depression and cognitive dysfunction. There are gender differences in depression and vitamin D level. However, the relationship between depression, gender, vitamin D, cognition, and brain function has yet to be determined. METHODS One hundred and twenty-two patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 119 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional MRI and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) was calculated to assess brain function. Serum concentration of vitamin D (SCVD) and cognition (i.e. prospective memory and sustained attention) were also measured. RESULTS We found a significant group-by-gender interaction effect on SCVD whereby MDD patients showed a reduction in SCVD relative to controls in females but not males. Concurrently, there was a female-specific association of SCVD with cognition and MDD-related fALFF alterations in widespread brain regions. Remarkably, MDD- and SCVD-related fALFF changes mediated the relation between SCVD and cognition in females. CONCLUSION Apart from providing insights into the neural mechanisms by which low vitamin D contributes to cognitive impairment in MDD in a gender-dependent manner, these findings might have clinical implications for assignment of female patients with MDD and cognitive dysfunction to adjuvant vitamin D supplementation therapy, which may ultimately advance a precision approach to personalized antidepressant choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenming Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Dao-Min Zhu
- Department of Sleep Disorders, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China
- Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xiaotao Xu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Sleep Disorders, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China
- Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Cun Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
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Lee Y, Lee Y, Yoo S, Shin S, Park H, Kim D. The Psychomotor Cognition Test for Measurement of Sleepiness/Fatigue on a Touch Screen . ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023; 2023:1-4. [PMID: 38083744 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is a simple and reliable performance test that measures sustained attention, alertness level, and fatigue level. The PVT is a convenient tool that can be used in real time in situ through a mobile device without the assistance of experts and therefore can be used to improve safety and prevent accidents. However, the original PVT is vulnerable to the subject's intentional concentration on the test, and the variance range among tests is narrow; these factors limit its usefulness in classifying the level of fatigue. This study overcome these limitations and develop the Psychomotor Cognition Test (PCT) by transforming the PVT into a tool that stably classifies fatigue levels, still requiring a short period of time. In the PCT, compared to the PVT, reaction time is significantly longer, and success rate is significantly lower (both p<0.0001). Whereas reaction time and success rate of the PVT do not show a significant correlation with fatigue level, those of the PCT show significant correlations with fatigue level, respectively (p<0.001). This study suggests that the PCT can be used in real time in situ as a risk management tool for workers performing dangerous tasks and can become an even more powerful tool when combined with other physiological indicators.
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Huang H, Li R, Zhang J. A review of visual sustained attention: neural mechanisms and computational models. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15351. [PMID: 37334118 PMCID: PMC10274610 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained attention is one of the basic abilities of humans to maintain concentration on relevant information while ignoring irrelevant information over extended periods. The purpose of the review is to provide insight into how to integrate neural mechanisms of sustained attention with computational models to facilitate research and application. Although many studies have assessed attention, the evaluation of humans' sustained attention is not sufficiently comprehensive. Hence, this study provides a current review on both neural mechanisms and computational models of visual sustained attention. We first review models, measurements, and neural mechanisms of sustained attention and propose plausible neural pathways for visual sustained attention. Next, we analyze and compare the different computational models of sustained attention that the previous reviews have not systematically summarized. We then provide computational models for automatically detecting vigilance states and evaluation of sustained attention. Finally, we outline possible future trends in the research field of sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Huang
- National Engineering Research Center for E-learning, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Rui Li
- National Engineering Research Center for E-learning, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junsong Zhang
- Brain Cognition and Intelligent Computing Lab, Department of Artificial Intelligence, School of Informatics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
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Dietze N, Recker L, Poth CH. Warning signals only support the first action in a sequence. Cogn Res Princ Implic 2023; 8:29. [PMID: 37171646 PMCID: PMC10182231 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-023-00484-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Acting upon target stimuli from the environment becomes faster when the targets are preceded by a warning (alerting) cue. Accordingly, alerting is often used to support action in safety-critical contexts (e.g., honking to alert others of a traffic situation). Crucially, however, the benefits of alerting for action have been established using laboratory tasks assessing only simple choice reactions. Real-world actions are considerably more complex and mainly consist of sensorimotor sequences of several sub-actions. Therefore, it is still unknown if the benefits of alerting for action transfer from simple choice reactions to such sensorimotor sequences. Here, we investigated how alerting affected performance in a sequential action task derived from the Trail-Making-Test, a well-established neuropsychological test of cognitive action control (Experiment 1). In addition to this task, participants performed a classic alerting paradigm including a simple choice reaction task (Experiment 2). Results showed that alerting sped up responding in both tasks, but in the sequential action task, this benefit was restricted to the first action of a sequence. This was the case, even when multiple actions were performed within a short time (Experiment 3), ruling out that the restriction of alerting to the first action was due to its short-lived nature. Taken together, these findings reveal the existence of an interface between phasic alertness and action control that supports the next action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Dietze
- Department of Psychology, Neuro-Cognitive Psychology and Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology, Bielefeld University, P.O. box 10 01 31, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Lukas Recker
- Department of Psychology, Neuro-Cognitive Psychology and Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology, Bielefeld University, P.O. box 10 01 31, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Christian H Poth
- Department of Psychology, Neuro-Cognitive Psychology and Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology, Bielefeld University, P.O. box 10 01 31, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
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Martínez-Pérez V, Andreu A, Sandoval-Lentisco A, Tortajada M, Palmero LB, Castillo A, Campoy G, Fuentes LJ. Vigilance decrement and mind-wandering in sustained attention tasks: Two sides of the same coin? Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1122406. [PMID: 37056308 PMCID: PMC10086236 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1122406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundDecrements in performance and the propensity for increased mind-wandering (i.e., task-unrelated thoughts) across time-on-task are two pervasive phenomena observed when people perform vigilance tasks. In the present study, we asked whether processes that lead to vigilance decrement and processes that foster the propensity for mind-wandering (MW) can be dissociated or whether they share a common mechanism. In one experiment, we introduced two critical manipulations: increasing task demands and applying anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.MethodSeventy-eight participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups resulting from the factorial combination of task demand (low, high) and stimulation (anodal, sham). Participants completed the sustained attention to response task (SART), which included thought probes on intentional and unintentional MW. In addition, we investigated the crucial role of alpha oscillations in a novel approach. By assessing pre-post resting EEG, we explored whether participants’ variability in baseline alpha power predicted performance in MW and vigilance decrement related to tDCS or task demands, respectively, and whether such variability was a stable characteristic of participants.ResultsOur results showed a double dissociation, such that task demands exclusively affected vigilance decrement, while anodal tDCS exclusively affected the rate of MW. Furthermore, the slope of the vigilance decrement function and MW rate (overall, intentional and unintentional) did not correlate. Critically, resting state alpha-band activity predicted tDCS-related gains in unintentional MW alone, but not in vigilance decrement, and remained stable after participants completed the task.ConclusionThese results show that when a sustained attention task involving executive vigilance, such as the SART, is designed to elicit both vigilance decrement effects and MW, the processes leading to vigilance decrement should be differentiated from those responsible for MW, a claim that is supported by the double dissociation observed here and the lack of correlation between the measures chosen to assess both phenomena. Furthermore, the results provide the first evidence of how individual differences in alpha power at baseline may be of crucial importance in predicting the effects of tDCS on MW propensity.
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35
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Bond IG, Machida K, Johnson KA. Daily arousal variation has little effect on sustained attention performance. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37359667 PMCID: PMC10022567 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04473-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Sustaining attention is an important cognitive process for everyday functioning and arousal is thought to underpin its performance. Primate studies depict an inverted-u relation between sustained attention and arousal, in which sustained attention performance is most affected at the extreme levels of arousal and peak performance aligns with moderate arousal. Human research findings are, however, inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the effects of arousal on sustained attention performance in humans using two approaches-a small-N study with an inbuilt replication to test within-participant variation, and a larger sample assessing between-participant variation. The Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) was used to measure sustained attention performance and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) was used to measure arousal. In the small-N study five participants completed the SART and KSS once an hour between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., repeated two weeks later. Significant, curvilinear variation in KSS across time-of-day was found. A linear association between SART response time variability (sigma) and KSS was noted, however no other consistent associations between the SART and KSS were found. In the large-N study, 161 participants completed the SART and KSS once, at a time of day of their choosing. There were no significant relations between SART measures and the KSS, indicating that subjective sleepiness was not related to sustained attention performance. Overall, the hypothesized inverted-u relation between arousal and sustained attention performance was not found. The results suggested that diurnal arousal variation does not modify sustained attention performance in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isobel G. Bond
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Keitaro Machida
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Katherine A. Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
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Liu H, Zhao X, Xue G, Chen C, Dong Q, Gao X, Yang L, Chen C. TTLL11 gene is associated with sustained attention performance and brain networks: A genome-wide association study of a healthy Chinese sample. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12835. [PMID: 36511133 PMCID: PMC9994169 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Genetic studies on attention have mainly focused on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), so little systematic research has been conducted on genetic correlates of attention performance and their potential brain mechanisms among healthy individuals. The current study included a genome-wide association study (GWAS, N = 1145 healthy young adults) aimed to identify genes associated with sustained attention and an imaging genetics study (an independent sample of 483 healthy young adults) to examine any identified genes' influences on brain function. The GWAS found that TTLL11 showed genome-wide significant associations with sustained attention, with rs13298112 as the most significant SNP and the GG homozygotes showing more impulsive but also more focused responses than the A allele carriers. A retrospective examination of previously published ADHD GWAS results confirmed an un-reported, small but statistically significant effect of TTLL11 on ADHD. The imaging genetics study replicated this association and showed that the TTLL11 gene was associated with resting state activity and connectivity of the somatomoter network, and can be predicted by dorsal attention network connectivity. Specifically, the GG homozygotes showed lower brain activity, weaker brain network connectivity, and non-significant brain-attention association compared to the A allele carriers. Expression database showed that expression of this gene is enriched in the brain and that the G allele is associated with lower expression level than the A allele. These results suggest that TTLL11 may play a major role in healthy individuals' attention performance and may also contribute to the etiology of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Gui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuping Gao
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Li Yang
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Chunhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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EEG source derived salience network coupling supports real-world attention switching. Neuropsychologia 2023; 178:108445. [PMID: 36502931 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
While the brain mechanisms underlying selective attention have been studied in great detail in controlled laboratory settings, it is less clear how these processes function in the context of a real-world self-paced task. Here, we investigated engagement on a real-world computerized task equivalent to a standard academic test that consisted of solving high-school level problems in a self-paced manner. In this task, we used EEG-source derived estimates of effective coupling between brain sources to characterize the neural mechanisms underlying switches of sustained attention from the attentive on-task state to the distracted off-task state. Specifically, since the salience network has been implicated in sustained attention and attention switching, we conducted a hypothesis-driven analysis of effective coupling between the core nodes of the salience network, the anterior insula (AI) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). As per our hypothesis, we found an increase in AI - > ACC effective coupling that occurs during the transitions of attention from on-task focused to off-task distracted state. This research may inform the development of future neural function-targeted brain-computer interfaces to enhance sustained attention.
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Li Y, Chen X, Zhang Q, Xu W, Li J, Ji F, Dong Q, Chen C, Li J. Effects of working memory span training on top-down attentional asymmetry at both neural and behavioral levels. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5937-5946. [PMID: 36617305 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The leftward asymmetry of the visual field and posterior brain regions, a feature of the normal attention process, can be strengthened by brain stimulation, e.g. administering alpha frequency stimulation to the left posterior cortex. However, whether it can be strengthened by cognitive training, especially with nonlateralized tasks, is unknown. We used a dataset from a 2-month-long randomized controlled trial and compared the control group with 2 training groups trained with backward or forward memory span tasks. A lateralized change detection task with varied memory loads was administered as the pre-, mid-, and post-tests with simultaneous electroencephalographic recording. Intrasubject response variability (IRV) and the alpha modulation index (MI) were calculated. Analysis of IRV showed more enhanced leftward attentional bias in the backward group than in the other groups. Consistently, analysis of MI found that its enhancements in the left hemisphere (but not the right hemisphere) of the backward group were significantly higher than those of the other groups. Further analysis revealed that left MI changes predicted left IRV improvement. All of these results indicated that backward memory span training enhanced leftward attentional asymmetry at both the behavioral and neural levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Xiongying Chen
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital & the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, No.5, Ankang Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, P.R. China
| | - Qiumei Zhang
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, 45# Jianshe South Road, Jining, Shandong 272013, P.R. China
| | - Wending Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Jin Li
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 95 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, P.R. China.,National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 95 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Feng Ji
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, 45# Jianshe South Road, Jining, Shandong 272013, P.R. China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4201 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway,CA 92697, United States
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No.19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
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Leisman G. Neuroscience in Education: A Bridge Too Far or One That Has Yet to Be Built: Introduction to the "Brain Goes to School". Brain Sci 2022; 13:brainsci13010040. [PMID: 36672022 PMCID: PMC9856849 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010040] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been numerous detractors and supporters relating to attempts to merge the neurosciences and the knowledge base of related contributing disciplines with the field of education. Some have argued that this is a "bridge too far". The predominant view is that the relationship between neuroscience and the classroom has been neither significantly examined, nor applied. What is needed is a specially trained class of professionals whose role it would be to guide the introduction of cognitive neuroscience into educational practice in a sensible and ethical manner. Neuroeducators would play a pivotal role in assessing the quality of evidence purporting to be relevant to education, assessing who is best placed to employ newly developed knowledge, as well as with what safeguards, in addition to investigating how to deal with unexpected consequences of implemented research findings. This special issue of the "The Brain Goes to School" aims to provide support for the development of training programs that truly integrate curriculum design and classroom instruction with the developmental cognitive neurosciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerry Leisman
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, 19 Abba Khoushy Avenue, Eshkol Tower, Rm. 910, Haifa 3498838, Israel; ; Tel.: +972-52-420-5643
- Department of Neurology, University of the Medical Sciences of Havana, Havana 11600, Cuba
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Pay attention and you might miss it: Greater learning during attentional lapses. Psychon Bull Rev 2022:10.3758/s13423-022-02226-6. [PMID: 36510094 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02226-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Attentional lapses have been found to impair everything from basic perception to learning and memory. Yet, despite the well-documented costs of lapses on cognition, recent work suggests that lapses might unexpectedly confer some benefits. One potential benefit is that lapses broaden our learning to integrate seemingly irrelevant content that could later prove useful-a benefit that prior research focusing only on goal-relevant memory would miss. Here, we measure how fluctuations in sustained attention influence the learning of seemingly goal-irrelevant content that competes for attention with target content. Participants completed a correlated flanker task in which they categorized central targets (letters or numbers) while ignoring peripheral flanking symbols that shared hidden probabilistic relationships with the targets. We found that across participants, higher rates of attentional lapses correlated with greater learning of the target-flanker relationships. Moreover, within participants, learning was more evident during attentional lapses. These findings address long-standing theoretical debates and reveal a benefit of attentional lapses: they expand the scope of learning and decisions beyond the strictly relevant.
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Chebolu S, Dayan P, Lloyd K. Vigilance, arousal, and acetylcholine: Optimal control of attention in a simple detection task. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010642. [PMID: 36315594 PMCID: PMC9648841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Paying attention to particular aspects of the world or being more vigilant in general can be interpreted as forms of ‘internal’ action. Such arousal-related choices come with the benefit of increasing the quality and situational appropriateness of information acquisition and processing, but incur potentially expensive energetic and opportunity costs. One implementational route for these choices is widespread ascending neuromodulation, including by acetylcholine (ACh). The key computational question that elective attention poses for sensory processing is when it is worthwhile paying these costs, and this includes consideration of whether sufficient information has yet been collected to justify the higher signal-to-noise ratio afforded by greater attention and, particularly if a change in attentional state is more expensive than its maintenance, when states of heightened attention ought to persist. We offer a partially observable Markov decision-process treatment of optional attention in a detection task, and use it to provide a qualitative model of the results of studies using modern techniques to measure and manipulate ACh in rodents performing a similar task. Paying attention to a stimulus is costly, both in terms of energy and the lost opportunity to pay attention to something else. It is also beneficial, providing more information about its target. Thus, whether and when we pay more or less attention may best be considered as a choice of internal action that responds to this trade-off. Furthermore, measurements and manipulation of the neuromodulator acetylcholine have suggested that it is one of the instruments of attention, providing us with a window onto this choice. Here, we build an abstract model of a task in which an animal must look out for a brief visual stimulus that may or may not occur on each trial. We show that optimal attentional choices in the model depend on many factors, including how likely a signal is to occur across time, the balance between the improvement in information possible by paying greater attention and its increased cost, and whether there are also costs associated with switching between different attentional states. We also show that our model can qualitatively match results from experiments involving acetylcholine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahiti Chebolu
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, Tübingen, Germany
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, India
| | - Peter Dayan
- Department for Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kevin Lloyd
- Department for Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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42
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Misgav K, Shachnai R, Abramson L, Knafo-Noam A, Daniel E. Personal Values and Sustained Attention as Predictors of Children's Helping Behavior in Middle Childhood. J Pers 2022; 91:773-788. [PMID: 36074016 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12773] [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: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study tested the effect of personal values (motivation) and sustained attention (cognitive ability) on children's helping behavior. METHOD Children (N = 162, age range 8-9 years, mean = 8.81, SD =.43) completed value ranking and go/no-go tasks, and their helping behavior was examined. RESULTS Children who valued self-transcendence over self-enhancement helped more than others. Surprisingly, children's lack of sustained attention was associated with more helping among those who valued self-transcendence over self-enhancement or openness-to-change over conservation values. Valuing both self-transcendence and openness-to-change was also associated with more helping. CONCLUSIONS Children are more likely to help others if they value self-transcendence and openness to change. Notably, children's tendency to act upon these values may be facilitated (rather than obstructed by) low attention skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinneret Misgav
- Department of School Counseling and Special Education, Tel-Aviv University
| | | | - Lior Abramson
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
| | | | - Ella Daniel
- Department of School Counseling and Special Education, Tel-Aviv University
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Sanchez-Lara E, Lozano-Ruiz A, Perez-Garcia M, Caracuel A. Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in cognitive function in the elderly people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:1699-1709. [PMID: 34587844 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1976724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The main objective was to determine the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in improving the cognitive function of older adults (healthy adults or adults with mild cognitive impairment). METHODS A search was conducted in 4 databases. The effect sizes were extracted to perform a meta-analysis of the cognitive functions, as well as subgroup meta-analyses according to each domain: attention, memory and executive function. RESULTS The meta-analysis of cognitive functions showed an average effect size of g = .07, 95% CI [-.013; .160], p = .09, with the following values for each domain: g = .02, 95% CI [-.167; .204] for attention; g = .06, 95% CI [-.148; .262] for memory; and g = .14, 95% CI [-.042; .329] for executive function. CONCLUSION The MBI had a null global effect. The attention and memory results showed a null effect size and a small effect size was found for executive function. The methodological quality of the studies, however, was poor, so the results need to be interpreted with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alvaro Lozano-Ruiz
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Personality, Evaluation, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel Perez-Garcia
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Personality, Evaluation, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Alfonso Caracuel
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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Zhao W, Zhu DM, Li S, Cui S, Jiang P, Wang R, Zhang Y, Zhu J, Yu Y. The reduction of vitamin D in females with major depressive disorder is associated with worse cognition mediated by abnormal brain functional connectivity. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 118:110577. [PMID: 35605842 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Low vitamin D is linked to major depressive disorder (MDD) through affecting the brain. Gender difference is apparent in MDD and vitamin D level. We aimed to examine the association between gender, vitamin D, clinical presentations, and brain functional connectivity in a large cohort of MDD patients and comparison subjects. Resting-state functional MRI data from 122 patients and 119 controls were collected to perform a combined analysis of functional connectivity density (FCD) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC). Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained to measure serum concentration of vitamin D (SCVD). Clinical presentations (symptoms profiles and cognition) were also assessed. We found an interaction of group and gender on SCVD in which MDD patients demonstrated lower SCVD than controls in females rather than males. Concurrently, lower SCVD was associated with worse cognitive performance (prospective memory and sustained attention). Compared with controls, female MDD patients showed reduced FCD and FC of the left middle frontal gyrus, which were related to lower SCVD. Importantly, these FCD and FC changes mediated the relationship between lower SCVD and cognitive dysfunction. Our findings suggest that functional connectivity abnormalities may serve as neural substrates underlying the associations between low vitamin D and cognitive impairments in female MDD patients, providing unique insight into treatment and prevention of MDD and its related cognitive dysfunction from the perspective of regulating circulating vitamin D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenming Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Dao-Min Zhu
- Department of Sleep Disorders, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Shoubin Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Shunshun Cui
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Sleep Disorders, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
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Schumann F, Steinborn MB, Flehmig HC, Kürten J, Langner R, Huestegge L. On doing multi-act arithmetic: A multitrait-multimethod approach of performance dimensions in integrated multitasking. Front Psychol 2022; 13:946626. [PMID: 36059769 PMCID: PMC9433926 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.946626] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present a systematic plan to the experimental study of test–retest reliability in the multitasking domain, adopting the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) approach to evaluate the psychometric properties of performance in Düker-type speeded multiple-act mental arithmetic. These form of tasks capacitate the experimental analysis of integrated multi-step processing by combining multiple mental operations in flexible ways in the service of the overarching goal of completing the task. A particular focus was on scoring methodology, particularly measures of response speed variability. To this end, we present data of two experiments with regard to (a) test–retest reliability, (b) between-measures correlational structure, (c) and stability (test–retest practice effects). Finally, we compared participants with high versus low performance variability to assess ability-related differences in measurement precision (typically used as proxy to “simulate” patient populations), which is especially relevant in the applied fields of clinical neuropsychology. The participants performed two classic integrated multi-act arithmetic tasks, combining addition and verification (Exp. 1) and addition and comparison (Exp. 2). The results revealed excellent test–retest reliability for the standard and the variability measures. The analysis of between-measures correlational structure revealed the typical pattern of convergent and discriminant relationships, and also, that absolute response speed variability was highly correlated with average speed (r > 0.85), indicating that these measures mainly deliver redundant information. In contrast, speed-adjusted (relativized) variability revealed discriminant validity being correlated to a much lesser degree with average speed, indicating that this measure delivers additional information not already provided by the speed measure. Furthermore, speed-adjusted variability was virtually unaffected by test–retest practice, which makes this measure interesting in situations with repeated testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Schumann
- Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Mittweida, Germany
- *Correspondence: Frank Schumann,
| | | | | | - Jens Kürten
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Langner
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lynn Huestegge
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Evans TC, Alonso MR, Jagger-Rickels A, Rothlein D, Zuberer A, Bernstein J, Fortier CB, Fonda JR, Villalon A, Jorge R, Milberg W, McGlinchey R, DeGutis J, Esterman M. PTSD symptomatology is selectively associated with impaired sustained attention ability and dorsal attention network synchronization. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103146. [PMID: 36055063 PMCID: PMC9437905 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology is associated with dysregulated sustained attention, which produces functional impairments. Performance on sustained attention paradigms such as continuous performance tasks are influenced by both the ability to sustain attention and response strategy. However, previous studies have not dissociated PTSD-related associations with sustained attention ability and strategy, which limits characterization of neural circuitry underlying PTSD-related attentional impairments. Therefore, we characterized and replicated PTSD-related associations with sustained attention ability and response strategy in trauma-exposed Veterans, which guided characterization of PTSD-related differences in neural circuit function. In Study 1, PTSD symptoms were selectively associated with reduced sustained attention ability, but not more impulsive response strategies. In Study 2, we utilized task and resting-state fMRI to characterize neural circuitry underlying PTSD-related differences in sustained attention ability. Both PTSD symptomatology and sustained attention ability exhibited converging associations with reduced dorsal attention network (DAN) synchronization to endogeneous attentional fluctuations. Post-hoc time course analyses demonstrated that PTSD symptoms were most accurately characterized by delayed, rather than globally reduced, DAN synchronization to endogenous attentional fluctuations. Together, these findings suggest that PTSD symptomatology may selectively impair sustained attention ability by disrupting proactive engagement of attentional control circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis C. Evans
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA,Corresponding author at: VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
| | | | - Audreyana Jagger-Rickels
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - David Rothlein
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Agnieszka Zuberer
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Germany,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - John Bernstein
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Catherine B. Fortier
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Fonda
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA,Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Audri Villalon
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA,Beth K. and Stuart C. Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Ricardo Jorge
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA,Beth K. and Stuart C. Yudofsky Division of Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - William Milberg
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Regina McGlinchey
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Joseph DeGutis
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Michael Esterman
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab (BALLAB), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA,National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA,Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
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47
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Madore KP, Wagner AD. Readiness to remember: predicting variability in episodic memory. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:707-723. [PMID: 35786366 PMCID: PMC9622362 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Learning and remembering are fundamental to our lives, so what causes us to forget? Answers often highlight preparatory processes that precede learning, as well as mnemonic processes during the act of encoding or retrieval. Importantly, evidence now indicates that preparatory processes that precede retrieval attempts also have powerful influences on memory success or failure. Here, we review recent work from neuroimaging, electroencephalography, pupillometry, and behavioral science to propose an integrative framework of retrieval-period dynamics that explains variance in remembering in the moment and across individuals as a function of interactions among preparatory attention, goal coding, and mnemonic processes. Extending this approach, we consider how a 'readiness to remember' (R2R) framework explains variance in high-level functions of memory and mnemonic disruptions in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P Madore
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Anthony D Wagner
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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48
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Zhang H, Yang S, Qiao Y, Ge Q, Tang Y, Northoff G, Zang Y. Default mode network mediates low-frequency fluctuations in brain activity and behavior during sustained attention. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5478-5489. [PMID: 35903957 PMCID: PMC9704793 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The low-frequency (<0.1 Hz) fluctuation in sustained attention attracts enormous interest in cognitive neuroscience and clinical research since it always leads to cognitive and behavioral lapses. What is the source of the spontaneous fluctuation in sustained attention in neural activity, and how does the neural fluctuation relate to behavioral fluctuation? Here, we address these questions by collecting and analyzing two independent fMRI and behavior datasets. We show that the neural (fMRI) fluctuation in a key brain network, the default-mode network (DMN), mediate behavioral (reaction time) fluctuation during sustained attention. DMN shows the increased amplitude of fluctuation, which correlates with the behavioral fluctuation in a similar frequency range (0.01-0.1 Hz) but not in the lower (<0.01 Hz) or higher (>0.1 Hz) frequency range. This was observed during both auditory and visual sustained attention and was replicable across independent datasets. These results provide a novel insight into the neural source of attention-fluctuation and extend the former concept that DMN was deactivated in cognitive tasks. More generally, our findings highlight the temporal dynamic of the brain-behavior relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zhang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Psychological ScienceHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive ImpairmentHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Shi‐You Yang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Psychological ScienceHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive ImpairmentHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yang Qiao
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Psychological ScienceHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive ImpairmentHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Qiu Ge
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Psychological ScienceHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive ImpairmentHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yi‐Yuan Tang
- College of Health SolutionsArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Georg Northoff
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Mental Health ResearchUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Yu‐Feng Zang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain DisordersThe Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Institute of Psychological ScienceHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive ImpairmentHangzhouZhejiangChina
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49
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Tari B, Edgar C, Persaud P, Dalton C, Heath M. The unidirectional prosaccade switch-cost: no evidence for the passive dissipation of an oculomotor task-set inertia. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2061-2071. [PMID: 35727365 PMCID: PMC9211787 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06394-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a core component of executive function and supports the ability to ‘switch’ between different tasks. Our group has examined the cost associated with switching between a prosaccade (i.e., a standard task requiring a saccade to veridical target location) and an antisaccade (i.e., a non-standard task requiring a saccade mirror-symmetrical to veridical target) in predictable (i.e., AABB) and unpredictable (e.g., AABAB…) switching paradigms. Results have shown that reaction times (RTs) for a prosaccade preceded by an antisaccade (i.e., task-switch trial) are longer than when preceded by its same task-type (i.e., task-repeat trial), whereas RTs for antisaccade task-switch and task-repeat trials do not differ. The asymmetrical switch-cost has been attributed to an antisaccade task-set inertia that proactively delays a subsequent prosaccade (i.e., the unidirectional prosaccade switch-cost). A salient question arising from previous work is whether the antisaccade task-set inertia passively dissipates or persistently influences prosaccade RTs. Accordingly, participants completed separate AABB (i.e., A = prosaccade, B = antisaccade) task-switching conditions wherein the preparation interval for each trial was ‘short’ (1000–2000 ms; i.e., the timeframe used in previous work), ‘medium’ (3000–4000 ms) and ‘long’ (5000–6000 ms). Results demonstrated a reliable prosaccade switch-cost for each condition (ps < 0.02) and two one-sided test statistics indicated that switch cost magnitudes were within an equivalence boundary (ps < 0.05). Hence, null and equivalence tests demonstrate that an antisaccade task-set inertia does not passively dissipate and represents a temporally persistent feature of oculomotor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Tari
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Chloe Edgar
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Priyanka Persaud
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Connor Dalton
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Matthew Heath
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada. .,Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, The University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Rd, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada. .,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
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50
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Di Muccio F, Ruggeri P, Brandner C, Barral J. Electrocortical correlates of the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and sustained attention in young adults. Neuropsychologia 2022; 172:108271. [PMID: 35595065 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108271] [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: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cardiorespiratory fitness is thought to be positively related to sustained attention. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship have yet to be fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to i) explore the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and sustained attention in 72 young adults (18-37 years old) and ii) provide insight on the electrocortical dynamics supporting sustained attention performance in individuals differing in cardiorespiratory fitness by means of EEG topographic analyses and source localization. Behaviorally, cardiorespiratory fitness was related to faster response times and higher accuracy in the psychomotor vigilance task even when adjusting the model with confounding variables such as age, body mass index and chronic physical activity. However, there was no relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and the classic vigilance decrement observed in the sustained attention task. At the electrocortical level, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was related to increased global field power (310-333 ms poststimulus) localized in the posterior cingulate cortex (BA 30) followed by changes in scalp topographies around the P3b ERP component (413-501 ms poststimulus), which corresponded to earlier activation of the supplementary motor areas (BA 6). This is the first study using high-density EEG, which harnesses the whole spatiotemporal dynamics of the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and sustained attention in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Di Muccio
- Brain Electrophysiology Attention Movement Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Paolo Ruggeri
- Brain Electrophysiology Attention Movement Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Brandner
- Brain Electrophysiology Attention Movement Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jérôme Barral
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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