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Nebe S, Reutter M, Baker DH, Bölte J, Domes G, Gamer M, Gärtner A, Gießing C, Gurr C, Hilger K, Jawinski P, Kulke L, Lischke A, Markett S, Meier M, Merz CJ, Popov T, Puhlmann LMC, Quintana DS, Schäfer T, Schubert AL, Sperl MFJ, Vehlen A, Lonsdorf TB, Feld GB. Enhancing precision in human neuroscience. eLife 2023; 12:e85980. [PMID: 37555830 PMCID: PMC10411974 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neuroscience has always been pushing the boundary of what is measurable. During the last decade, concerns about statistical power and replicability - in science in general, but also specifically in human neuroscience - have fueled an extensive debate. One important insight from this discourse is the need for larger samples, which naturally increases statistical power. An alternative is to increase the precision of measurements, which is the focus of this review. This option is often overlooked, even though statistical power benefits from increasing precision as much as from increasing sample size. Nonetheless, precision has always been at the heart of good scientific practice in human neuroscience, with researchers relying on lab traditions or rules of thumb to ensure sufficient precision for their studies. In this review, we encourage a more systematic approach to precision. We start by introducing measurement precision and its importance for well-powered studies in human neuroscience. Then, determinants for precision in a range of neuroscientific methods (MRI, M/EEG, EDA, Eye-Tracking, and Endocrinology) are elaborated. We end by discussing how a more systematic evaluation of precision and the application of respective insights can lead to an increase in reproducibility in human neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Nebe
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Mario Reutter
- Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-UniversityWürzburgGermany
| | - Daniel H Baker
- Department of Psychology and York Biomedical Research Institute, University of YorkYorkUnited Kingdom
| | - Jens Bölte
- Institute for Psychology, University of Münster, Otto-Creuzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral NeuroscienceMünsterGermany
| | - Gregor Domes
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of TrierTrierGermany
- Institute for Cognitive and Affective NeuroscienceTrierGermany
| | - Matthias Gamer
- Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-UniversityWürzburgGermany
| | - Anne Gärtner
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Carsten Gießing
- Biological Psychology, Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of OldenburgOldenburgGermany
| | - Caroline Gurr
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe UniversityFrankfurtGermany
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Kirsten Hilger
- Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-UniversityWürzburgGermany
- Department of Psychology, Psychological Diagnostics and Intervention, Catholic University of Eichstätt-IngolstadtEichstättGermany
| | - Philippe Jawinski
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Louisa Kulke
- Department of Developmental with Educational Psychology, University of BremenBremenGermany
| | - Alexander Lischke
- Department of Psychology, Medical School HamburgHamburgGermany
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Medical School HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Sebastian Markett
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Maria Meier
- Department of Psychology, University of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- University Psychiatric Hospitals, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department (UPKKJ), University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Christian J Merz
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University BochumBochumGermany
| | - Tzvetan Popov
- Department of Psychology, Methods of Plasticity Research, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Lara MC Puhlmann
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience ResearchMainzGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Daniel S Quintana
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders & Disabilities, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Tim Schäfer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe UniversityFrankfurtGermany
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | | | - Matthias FJ Sperl
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of GiessenGiessenGermany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Antonia Vehlen
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of TrierTrierGermany
| | - Tina B Lonsdorf
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfHamburgGermany
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, University of BielefeldBielefeldGermany
| | - Gordon B Feld
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Department of Addiction Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
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Inflammation shapes neural processing of interoceptive fear predictors during extinction learning in healthy humans. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 108:328-339. [PMID: 36535608 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation could impact on the formation and persistence of interoceptive fear and hypervigilance, with relevance to psychiatric disorders and chronic pain. To systematically analyze effects of inflammation on fear learning and extinction, we performed two complementary randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies combining experimental endotoxemia as a translational model of acute systemic inflammation with a two-day multiple-threat fear conditioning paradigm involving interoceptive and exteroceptive unconditioned stimuli (US). Healthy volunteers (N = 95) were randomized to receive intravenous injections of either endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS; 0.4 ng/kg) or placebo prior to fear acquisition (study 1) or extinction training (study2). Treatment effects on behavioral and neural responses to conditioned stimuli (CS) predicting interoceptive or exteroceptive threat were assessed during fear learning and extinction phases, along with US valence ratings. Despite robust inflammatory and emotional responses triggered by LPS, no direct effects of inflammation on US ratings or on the formation or extinction of conditioned fear, as assessed with CS valence ratings, were observed. However, in the group treated with LPS prior to acquisition (i.e., study 1), we found enhanced neural responses to the interoceptive but not the exteroceptive CS in key regions of the central fear circuitry during extinction learning. After extinction, this group further showed enhanced negative valence ratings selectively for the interoceptive US during unexpected US re-exposure when compared to the placebo group. Together, inflammation during fear acquisition may promote the establishment of a more robust neural signature of the interoceptive fear memory trace, which may contribute to altered interoceptive pain perception. The fear extinction circuitry engaged during interoceptive fear memory processing may be particularly vulnerable to inflammation, with transdiagnostic implications for gut-brain mechanisms underlying disturbed interoception in psychiatric conditions and chronic visceral pain.
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