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Nippert KE, Rowland CP, Vazey EM, Moorman DE. Alcohol, flexible behavior, and the prefrontal cortex: Functional changes underlying impaired cognitive flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2024; 260:110114. [PMID: 39134298 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110114] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility enables individuals to alter their behavior in response to changing environmental demands, facilitating optimal behavior in a dynamic world. The inability to do this, called behavioral inflexibility, is a pervasive behavioral phenotype in alcohol use disorder (AUD), driven by disruptions in cognitive flexibility. Research has repeatedly shown that behavioral inflexibility not only results from alcohol exposure across species but can itself be predictive of future drinking. Like many high-level executive functions, flexible behavior requires healthy functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The scope of this review addresses two primary themes: first, we outline tasks that have been used to investigate flexibility in the context of AUD or AUD models. We characterize these based on the task features and underlying cognitive processes that differentiate them from one another. We highlight the neural basis of flexibility measures, focusing on the PFC, and how acute or chronic alcohol in humans and non-human animal models impacts flexibility. Second, we consolidate findings on the molecular, physiological and functional changes in the PFC elicited by alcohol, that may contribute to cognitive flexibility deficits seen in AUD. Collectively, this approach identifies several key avenues for future research that will facilitate effective treatments to promote flexible behavior in the context of AUD, to reduce the risk of alcohol related harm, and to improve outcomes following AUD. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Nippert
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Courtney P Rowland
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Elena M Vazey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - David E Moorman
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
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2
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Hickman LJ, Sowden-Carvalho SL, Fraser DS, Schuster BA, Rybicki AJ, Galea JM, Cook JL. Dopaminergic manipulations affect the modulation and meta-modulation of movement speed: Evidence from two pharmacological interventions. Behav Brain Res 2024; 474:115213. [PMID: 39182625 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115213] [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: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
A body of research implicates dopamine in the average speed of simple movements. However, naturalistic movements span a range of different shaped trajectories and rarely proceed at a single constant speed. Instead, speed is reduced when drawing "corners" compared to "straights" (i.e., speed modulation), and the extent of this slowing down is dependent upon the global shape of the movement trajectory (i.e., speed meta-modulation) - for example whether the shape is an ellipse or a rounded square. At present, it is not known how (or whether) dopaminergic function controls continuous changes in speed during movement execution. The current paper reports effects on these kinematic features of movement following two forms of dopamine manipulation: Study One highlights movement differences in individuals with PD both ON and OFF their dopaminergic medication (N = 32); Study Two highlights movement differences in individuals from the general population on haloperidol (a dopamine receptor blocker, or "antagonist") and placebo (N = 43). Evidence is presented implicating dopamine in speed, speed modulation and speed meta-modulation, whereby low dopamine conditions are associated with reductions in these variables. These findings move beyond vigour models implicating dopamine in average movement speed, and towards a conceptualisation that involves the modulation of speed as a function of contextual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia J Hickman
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, CB2 7EF, United Kingdom.
| | - Sophie L Sowden-Carvalho
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Dagmar S Fraser
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Bianca A Schuster
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Alicia J Rybicki
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph M Galea
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer L Cook
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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3
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Strommer N, Okon-Singer H, Gabay S. The subcortical role in executive functions: Neural mechanisms of executive inhibition in the flanker task. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024:10.3758/s13415-024-01215-7. [PMID: 39237776 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
While executive functions (EFs) have traditionally been linked to the cerebral cortex, our understanding of EFs has evolved with increasing evidence pointing to the involvement of cortico-subcortical networks. Despite the importance of investigating EFs within this broader context, the functional contributions of subcortical regions to these processes remain largely unexplored. This study addresses this gap by specifically examining the involvement of subcortical regions in executive inhibition, as measured by the classic Eriksen flanker task. In this study, we used a stereoscope to differentiate between subcortical (monocular) and cortical (mostly binocular) visual pathways in EF processes. Our findings indicate that monocular visual pathways play a crucial role in representing executive conflict, which necessitates cortical involvement. The persistence of a monoptic advantage in conflict representation highlights the substantial contribution of subcortical regions to these executive processes. This exploration of subcortical involvement in executive inhibition provides valuable insights into the intricate relationships between cortical and subcortical regions in EFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nofar Strommer
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | | | - Shai Gabay
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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4
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Osvath M, Němec P, Brusatte SL, Witmer LM. Thought for food: the endothermic brain hypothesis. Trends Cogn Sci 2024:S1364-6613(24)00201-8. [PMID: 39242238 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.08.002] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of whole-body endothermy occurred independently in dinosaurs and mammals and was associated with some of the most significant neurocognitive shifts in life's history. These included a 20-fold increase in neurons and the evolution of new brain structures, supporting similar functions in both lineages. We propose the endothermic brain hypothesis, which holds that elaborations in endotherm brains were geared towards increasing caloric intake through efficient foraging. The hypothesis is grounded in the intrinsic coupling of cognition and organismic self-maintenance. We argue that coevolution of increased metabolism and new forms of cognition should be jointly investigated in comparative studies of behaviors and brain anatomy, along with studies of fossil species. We suggest avenues for such research and highlight critical open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Osvath
- Department of Philosophy, Division of Cognitive Science, The Cognitive Zoology Group, Lund University, Box 192, 221 00, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Pavel Němec
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stephen L Brusatte
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Lawrence M Witmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
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5
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Zhang X, Pines A, Stetz P, Goldstein-Piekarski AN, Xiao L, Lv N, Tozzi L, Lavori PW, Snowden MB, Venditti EM, Smyth JM, Suppes T, Ajilore O, Ma J, Williams LM. Adaptive cognitive control circuit changes associated with problem-solving ability and depression symptom outcomes over 24 months. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadh3172. [PMID: 39231241 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh3172] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Mechanistically targeted behavioral interventions are a much-needed strategy for improving outcomes in depression, especially for vulnerable populations with comorbidities such as obesity. Such interventions may change behavior and outcome by changing underlying neural circuit function. However, it is unknown how these circuit-level modifications unfold over intervention and how individual differences in early circuit-level modifications may explain the heterogeneity of treatment effects. We addressed this need within a clinical trial of problem-solving therapy for participants with depression symptoms and comorbid obesity, focusing on the cognitive control circuit as a putative neural mechanism of action. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied to measure the cognitive control circuit activity at five time points over 24 months. Compared with participants who received usual care, those receiving problem-solving therapy showed that attenuations in cognitive control circuit activity were associated with enhanced problem-solving ability, which suggests that this circuit plays a key role in the mechanisms of problem-solving therapy. Attenuations in circuit activity were also associated with improved depression symptoms. Changes in cognitive control circuit activity at 2 months better predicted changes in problem-solving ability and depression symptoms at 6, 12, and 24 months, with predictive improvements ranging from 17.8 to 104.0%, exceeding baseline demographic and symptom characteristics. Our findings suggest that targeting the circuit mechanism of action could enhance the prediction of treatment outcomes, warranting future model refinement and improvement to pave the way for its clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Adam Pines
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Patrick Stetz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrea N Goldstein-Piekarski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Nan Lv
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, USA
| | - Leonardo Tozzi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Philip W Lavori
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mark B Snowden
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Venditti
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Joshua M Smyth
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Trisha Suppes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Olusola Ajilore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Jun Ma
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, USA
| | - Leanne M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
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Cheng S, Wang J, Luo R, Hao N. Brain to brain musical interaction: A systematic review of neural synchrony in musical activities. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 164:105812. [PMID: 39029879 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105812] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
The use of hyperscanning technology has revealed the neural mechanisms underlying multi-person interaction in musical activities. However, there is currently a lack of integration among various research findings. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the social dynamics and brain synchronization in music activities through the analysis of 32 studies. The findings illustrate a strong correlation between inter-brain synchronization (IBS) and various musical activities, with the frontal, central, parietal, and temporal lobes as the primary regions involved. The application of hyperscanning not only advances theoretical research but also holds practical significance in enhancing the effectiveness of music-based interventions in therapy and education. The review also utilizes Predictive Coding Models (PCM) to provide a new perspective for interpreting neural synchronization in music activities. To address the limitations of current research, future studies could integrate multimodal data, adopt novel technologies, use non-invasive techniques, and explore additional research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shate Cheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui Province on Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intelligence Intervention, Hefei Normal University, Hefei 200062, China.
| | - Jiayi Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui Province on Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intelligence Intervention, Hefei Normal University, Hefei 200062, China.
| | - Ruiyi Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui Province on Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intelligence Intervention, Hefei Normal University, Hefei 200062, China.
| | - Ning Hao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science of Anhui Province on Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intelligence Intervention, Hefei Normal University, Hefei 200062, China.
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7
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Burgoyne AP, Seeburger DT, Engle RW. Modality matters: Three auditory conflict tasks to measure individual differences in attention control. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:5959-5985. [PMID: 38366119 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02328-6] [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] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Early work on selective attention used auditory-based tasks, such as dichotic listening, to shed light on capacity limitations and individual differences in these limitations. Today, there is great interest in individual differences in attentional abilities, but the field has shifted towards visual-modality tasks. Furthermore, most conflict-based tests of attention control lack reliability due to low signal-to-noise ratios and the use of difference scores. Critically, it is unclear to what extent attention control generalizes across sensory modalities, and without reliable auditory-based tests, an answer to this question will remain elusive. To this end, we developed three auditory-based tests of attention control that use an adaptive response deadline (DL) to account for speed-accuracy trade-offs: Auditory Simon DL, Auditory Flanker DL, and Auditory Stroop DL. In a large sample (N = 316), we investigated the psychometric properties of the three auditory conflict tasks, tested whether attention control is better modeled as a unitary factor or modality-specific factors, and estimated the extent to which unique variance in modality-specific factors contributed incrementally to the prediction of dichotic listening and multitasking performance. Our analyses indicated that the auditory conflict tasks have strong psychometric properties and demonstrate convergent validity with visual tests of attention control. Auditory and visual attention control factors were highly correlated (r = .81)-even after controlling for perceptual processing speed (r = .75). Modality-specific attention control factors accounted for unique variance in modality-matched criterion measures, but the majority of the explained variance was modality-general. The results suggest an interplay between modality-general attention control and modality-specific processing.
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8
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Miller JA, Constantinidis C. Timescales of learning in prefrontal cortex. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:597-610. [PMID: 38937654 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00836-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) in humans and other primates is critical for immediate, goal-directed behaviour and working memory, which are classically considered distinct from the cognitive and neural circuits that support long-term learning and memory. Over the past few years, a reconsideration of this textbook perspective has emerged, in that different timescales of memory-guided behaviour are in constant interaction during the pursuit of immediate goals. Here, we will first detail how neural activity related to the shortest timescales of goal-directed behaviour (which requires maintenance of current states and goals in working memory) is sculpted by long-term knowledge and learning - that is, how the past informs present behaviour. Then, we will outline how learning across different timescales (from seconds to years) drives plasticity in the primate lateral PFC, from single neuron firing rates to mesoscale neuroimaging activity patterns. Finally, we will review how, over days and months of learning, dense local and long-range connectivity patterns in PFC facilitate longer-lasting changes in population activity by changing synaptic weights and recruiting additional neural resources to inform future behaviour. Our Review sheds light on how the machinery of plasticity in PFC circuits facilitates the integration of learned experiences across time to best guide adaptive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Miller
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christos Constantinidis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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9
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Webb TW, Frankland SM, Altabaa A, Segert S, Krishnamurthy K, Campbell D, Russin J, Giallanza T, O'Reilly R, Lafferty J, Cohen JD. The relational bottleneck as an inductive bias for efficient abstraction. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:829-843. [PMID: 38729852 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.04.001] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
A central challenge for cognitive science is to explain how abstract concepts are acquired from limited experience. This has often been framed in terms of a dichotomy between connectionist and symbolic cognitive models. Here, we highlight a recently emerging line of work that suggests a novel reconciliation of these approaches, by exploiting an inductive bias that we term the relational bottleneck. In that approach, neural networks are constrained via their architecture to focus on relations between perceptual inputs, rather than the attributes of individual inputs. We review a family of models that employ this approach to induce abstractions in a data-efficient manner, emphasizing their potential as candidate models for the acquisition of abstract concepts in the human mind and brain.
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Forrer S, Delavari F, Sandini C, Rafi H, Preti MG, Van De Ville D, Eliez S. Longitudinal Analysis of Brain Function-Structure Dependencies in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome and Psychotic Symptoms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:882-895. [PMID: 38849032 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared with conventional unimodal analysis, understanding how brain function and structure relate to one another opens a new biologically relevant assessment of neural mechanisms. However, how function-structure dependencies (FSDs) evolve throughout typical and abnormal neurodevelopment remains elusive. The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) offers an important opportunity to study the development of FSDs and their specific association with the pathophysiology of psychosis. METHODS Previously, we used graph signal processing to combine brain activity and structural connectivity measures in adults, quantifying FSD. Here, we combined FSD with longitudinal multivariate partial least squares correlation to evaluate FSD alterations across groups and among patients with and without mild to moderate positive psychotic symptoms. We assessed 391 longitudinally repeated resting-state functional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images from 194 healthy control participants and 197 deletion carriers (ages 7-34 years, data collected over a span of 12 years). RESULTS Compared with control participants, patients with 22q11.2DS showed a persistent developmental offset from childhood, with regions of hyper- and hypocoupling across the brain. Additionally, a second deviating developmental pattern showed an exacerbation during adolescence, presenting hypocoupling in the frontal and cingulate cortices and hypercoupling in temporal regions for patients with 22q11.2DS. Interestingly, the observed aggravation during adolescence was strongly driven by the group with positive psychotic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm a central role of altered FSD maturation in the emergence of psychotic symptoms in 22q11.2DS during adolescence. The FSD deviations precede the onset of psychotic episodes and thus offer a potential early indication for behavioral interventions in individuals at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas Forrer
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland; Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Farnaz Delavari
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland; Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Sandini
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Halima Rafi
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland; Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, University of Geneva Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maria Giulia Preti
- Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Van De Ville
- Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Eliez
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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Zhuo L, Pang K, Dai J, Wu B, Wang J, Xu H, Yang S, Liu Z, Niu R, Yu P, Wang W. The neurophysiological mechanisms of medial prefrontal-perirhinal cortex circuit mediating temporal order memory decline in early stage of AD rats. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 199:106584. [PMID: 38945496 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The temporal component of episodic memory has been recognized as a sensitive behavioral marker in early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, parallel studies in AD animals are currently lacking, and the underlying neural circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using a novel AppNL-G-F knock-in (APP-KI) rat model, the developmental changes of temporal order memory (TOM) and the relationship with medial prefrontal cortex and perirhinal cortex (mPFC-PRH) circuit were determined through in vivo electrophysiology and microimaging technique. We observed a deficit in TOM performance during the object temporal order memory task (OTOMT) in APP-KI rats at 6 month old, which was not evident at 3 or 4 months of age. Alongside behavioral changes, we identified a gradually extensive and aggravated regional activation and functional alterations in the mPFC and PRH during the performance of OTOMT, which occurred prior to the onset of TOM deficits. Moreover, coherence analysis showed that the functional connectivity between the mPFC and PRH could predict the extent of future behavioral performance. Further analysis revealed that the aberrant mPFC-PRH interaction mainly attributed to the progressive deterioration of synaptic transmission, information flow and network coordination from mPFC to PRH, suggesting the mPFC dysfunction maybe the key area of origin underlying the early changes of TOM. These findings identify a pivotal role of the mPFC-PRH circuit in mediating the TOM deficits in the early stage of AD, which holds promising clinical translational value and offers potential early biological markers for predicting AD memory progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linan Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Keliang Pang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Aging and Longevity Institute & Institute of Biological Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiajie Dai
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Jiesi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shuming Yang
- Division of Clinical Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510062, China
| | - Ziao Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Rongrong Niu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Ping Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Weiwen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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12
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Martín-Signes M, Paz-Alonso PM, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Chica AB. Integrating brain function and structure in the study of the human attentional networks: a functionnectome study. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:1665-1679. [PMID: 38969933 PMCID: PMC11374869 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02824-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Attention is a heterogeneous function theoretically divided into different systems. While functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has extensively characterized their functioning, the role of white matter in cognitive function has gained recent interest due to diffusion-weighted imaging advancements. However, most evidence relies on correlations between white matter properties and behavioral or cognitive measures. This study used a new method that combines the signal from distant voxels of fMRI images using the probability of structural connection given by high-resolution normative tractography. We analyzed three fMRI datasets with a visual perceptual task and three attentional manipulations: phasic alerting, spatial orienting, and executive attention. The phasic alerting network engaged temporal areas and their communication with frontal and parietal regions, with left hemisphere dominance. The orienting network involved bilateral fronto-parietal and midline regions communicating by association tracts and interhemispheric fibers. The executive attention network engaged a broad set of brain regions and white matter tracts connecting them, with a particular involvement of frontal areas and their connections with the rest of the brain. These results partially confirm and extend previous knowledge on the neural substrates of the attentional system, offering a more comprehensive understanding through the integration of structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Martín-Signes
- Experimental Psychology Department, and Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain.
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33000, France.
| | - Pedro M Paz-Alonso
- BCBL. Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Donostia-San Sebastian, 20009, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48013, Spain
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 33000, France
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France
| | - Ana B Chica
- Experimental Psychology Department, and Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain
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Mei Q, Li W, Feng H, Zhang J, Li J, Yin J, Lukacs-Kornek V, Kurts C, Dai S, Zhao X, Ai Q, Yu C, Xu F, Xi X, Liu F, Song D, Wang Y, Zhong L, Ashford JW, Ashford C, Liu X, Wang H. Chinese hospital staff in anxiety and depression: Not only comfort patients but also should be comforted - A nationwide cross-sectional study. J Affect Disord 2024; 360:126-136. [PMID: 38815757 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.143] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Healthcare professionals are in short supply worldwide, especially in China, which can result in increased stress in the work environment and allostatic load for Chinese hospital staff. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and their relationship with total stress, allostatic overload, sleep quality, and episodic memory among Chinese hospital staff. METHOD In this cross-sectional study, self-assessments including Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), PsychoSocial Index (PSI), Pittsburgh Sleeping Quality Index (PSQI), and MemTrax test were used to evaluate participants' anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, total stress, allostatic load/overload, sleep quality, and episodic memory. RESULTS A total of 9433 hospital staff from 304 cities participated. Anxiety prevalence was 21.0 % (95 % confidential interval (CI) 20.2 %, 21.8 %), while the prevalence of depressive symptoms was at 21.4 % (95 % CI 20.5 %, 22.2 %). 79.8 % (95 % CI 79.0 %, 80.6 %) of the hospital staff had allostatic overload. Poor sleep quality affected 50.4 % of participants, and 32.1 % experienced poor episodic memory. LIMITATIONS This study utilized a convenience sampling approach, relying on an online survey as its data collection method. CONCLUSIONS Hospital staff in China are facing a stressful environment with a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, significant allostatic overload, poor sleep quality, and compromised episodic memory. It is imperative that local management and community structures enhance their support and care for these essential workers, enabling them to manage and withstand the stresses of their professional roles effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Mei
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanling Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huijing Feng
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Junyan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-based Medicine, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jian Li
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Clinic of Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Junping Yin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Clinic of Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Veronika Lukacs-Kornek
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Clinic of Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Kurts
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Clinic of Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Shujuan Dai
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Qinglong Ai
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Chunlei Yu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Anning First People's Hospital, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Department of Public Health, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoting Xi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - DaoYuan Song
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | | | - Lianmei Zhong
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Kunming, China
| | - John Wesson Ashford
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto HCS, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Xiaolei Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China; Yunnan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Neurological Disease, Kunming, China; Division of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatics, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Hongxing Wang
- Division of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatics, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Carbone GA, Imperatori C, Adenzato M, Presti AL, Farina B, Ardito RB. Is parental overcontrol a specific form of child maltreatment? Insights from a resting state EEG connectivity study. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 155:106962. [PMID: 39068738 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent studies suggest that parental overcontrol could be considered a specific form of childhood trauma (CT). Although previous research has shown that CT alters the functional and structural architecture of large-scale networks in the brain, the neural basis associated with parental overcontrol has not been sufficiently explored. Therefore, the main aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between parental overcontrol and electroencephalography (EEG) triple network (TN) functional connectivity during the resting state (RS) condition in a non-clinical sample (N = 71; 39 females, mean age 23.94 ± 5.89 SD). METHODS EEG was recorded during 5 min of RS with eyes closed. All participants were asked to self-report maternal and paternal overcontrol, CT and general psychopathology. All EEG analyses were performed using the exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography software (eLORETA). RESULTS Our results showed a significant positive correlation between maternal overcontrol and theta connectivity between the salience network and the central executive network. This connectivity pattern was independently associated with maternal overcontrol even when controlling for relevant confounding variables, including the severity of CT and the general level of psychopathology. This neurophysiological pattern may reflect a predisposition to detect and respond to potentially threatening stimuli in the environment, which is typically associated with excessive overcontrol. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis that parental overcontrol should be considered a form of CT in all respects independent of the forms traditionally studied in the literature (i.e., emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and physical and emotional neglect).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudio Imperatori
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Adenzato
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | | | - Benedetto Farina
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita B Ardito
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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15
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Sütçübaşı B, Bayram A, Metin B, Demiralp T. Neural correlates of approach-avoidance behavior in healthy subjects: Effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 203:112392. [PMID: 39002638 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is implicated in top-down regulation of emotion, but the detailed network mechanisms require further elucidation. To investigate network-level functions of the dlPFC in emotion regulation, this study measured changes in task-based activation, resting-state and task-based functional connectivity (FC) patterns following suppression of dlPFC excitability by 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). In a sham-controlled within-subject design, 1-Hz active or sham rTMS was applied to the right dlPFC of 19 healthy volunteers during two separate counterbalanced sessions. Following active and sham rTMS, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted in the resting state (rs-fMRI) and during approach-avoidance task responses to pictures with positive and negative emotional content (task-based fMRI). Activation and generalized psychophysiological interaction analyses were performed on task-based fMRI, and seed-based FC analysis was applied to rs-fMRI data. Task-based fMRI revealed greater and more lateralized activation in the right hemisphere during negative picture responses compared to positive picture responses. After active rTMS, greater activation was observed in the left middle prefrontal cortex compared to sham rTMS. Further, rTMS reduced response times and error rates in approach to positive pictures compared to negative pictures. Significant FC changes due to rTMS were observed predominantly in the frontoparietal network (FPN) and visual network (VN) during the task, and in the default mode network (DMN) and VN at rest. Suppression of right dlPFC activity by 1-Hz rTMS alters large-scale neural networks and modulates emotion, supporting potential applications for the treatment of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernis Sütçübaşı
- Acibadem University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ali Bayram
- Istanbul University, Aziz Sancar Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Barış Metin
- Uskudar University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Tamer Demiralp
- Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
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16
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Schmaußer M, Raab M, Laborde S. The dynamic role of the left dlPFC in neurovisceral integration: Differential effects of theta burst stimulation on vagally mediated heart rate variability and cognitive-affective processing. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14606. [PMID: 38867447 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14606] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Adapting to the ever-changing demands of the environment requires a complex interplay between cognitive-affective, neuronal, and autonomic processes. Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is positively associated with both cognitive-affective functioning and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity. Accordingly, the Neurovisceral Integration Model has posited a shared role of the PFC in the regulation of cognitive-affective processes and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. While there are numerous correlational findings in this regard, no study so far has investigated whether the manipulation of PFC activity induces changes in vmHRV and cognitive-affective processing in an inter-dependent manner. In a sample of 64 participants, we examined the effects of continuous (cTBS; n = 21) and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS; n = 20) compared to sham stimulation (n = 23) over the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) on vmHRV and cognitive-affective processing within an emotional stop-signal task (ESST). Our results revealed that both resting vmHRV and vmHRV reactivity predicted cognitive-affective processing. Furthermore, we found a dampening effect of cTBS on resting and on-task vmHRV, as well as an enhancing effect of iTBS on ESST performance. Our results show no direct association between vmHRV changes and ESST performance alterations following stimulation. We interpret our results in the light of a hierarchical model of neurovisceral integration, suggesting a dynamical situation-dependent recruitment of higher-order cortical areas like the dlPFC in the regulation of the ANS. In conclusion, our results highlight the complex interplay between PFC activity, autonomic regulation, and cognitive-affective processing, emphasizing the need for further research to understand the causal dynamics of the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Schmaußer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus Raab
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sylvain Laborde
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
- UFR STAPS, Université de Caen Normandie, Caen, France
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17
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Sun Y, Hu W, Hu Y, Qiu Y, Chen Y, Xu Q, Wei H, Dai Y, Zhou Y. Exploring cognitive related microstructural alterations in normal appearing white matter and deep grey matter for small vessel disease: A quantitative susceptibility mapping study. Neuroimage 2024; 298:120790. [PMID: 39147292 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120790] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain microstructural alterations possibly occur in the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and grey matter of small vessel disease (SVD) patients, and may contribute to cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to explore cognitive related microstructural alterations in white matter and deep grey matter nuclei in SVD patients using magnetic resonance (MR) quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). 170 SVD patients, including 103 vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI) and 67 no cognitive impairment (NCI), and 21 healthy control (HC) subjects were included, all underwent a whole-brain QSM scanning. Using a white matter and a deep grey matter atlas, subregion-based QSM analysis was conducted to identify and characterize microstructural alterations occurring within white matter and subcortical nuclei. Significantly different susceptibility values were revealed in NAWM and in several specific white matter tracts including anterior limb of internal capsule, corticospinal tract, medial lemniscus, middle frontal blade, superior corona radiata and tapetum among VaMCI, NCI and HC groups. However, no difference was found in white matter hyperintensities between VaMCI and NCI. A trend toward higher susceptibility in the caudate nucleus and globus pallidus of VaMCI patients compared to HC, indicating elevated iron deposition in these areas. Interestingly, some of these QSM parameters were closely correlated with both global and specific cognitive function scores, controlling age, gender and education level. Our study suggested that QSM may serve as a useful imaging tool for monitoring cognitive related microstructural alterations in brain. This is especially meaningful for white matter which previously lacks of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawen Sun
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wentao Hu
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Hu
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yage Qiu
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuewei Chen
- Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Renji-UNSW CHeBA Neurocognitive Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Renji-UNSW CHeBA Neurocognitive Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Department of Health Manage Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongjiang Wei
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongming Dai
- School of Biomedical Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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18
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Boucher-Routhier M, Szanto J, Nair V, Thivierge JP. A high-density multi-electrode platform examining the effects of radiation on in vitro cortical networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20143. [PMID: 39210021 PMCID: PMC11362598 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71038-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are common treatments for brain malignancies. However, the impact of radiation on underlying neuronal circuits is poorly understood. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC), neurons communicate via action potentials that control cognitive processes, thus it is important to understand the impact of radiation on these circuits. Here we present a novel protocol to investigate the effect of radiation on the activity and survival of PFC networks in vitro. Escalating doses of radiation were applied to PFC slices using a robotic radiosurgery platform at a standard dose rate of 10 Gy/min. High-density multielectrode array recordings of radiated slices were collected to capture extracellular activity across 4,096 channels. Radiated slices showed an increase in firing rate, functional connectivity, and complexity. Graph-theoretic measures of functional connectivity were altered following radiation. These results were compared to pharmacologically induced epileptic slices where neural complexity was markedly elevated, and functional connections were strong but remained spatially focused. Finally, propidium iodide staining revealed a dose-dependent effect of radiation on apoptosis. These findings provide a novel assay to investigate the impacts of clinically relevant doses of radiation on brain circuits and highlight the acute effects of escalating radiation doses on PFC neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Boucher-Routhier
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 156 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Janos Szanto
- Department of Medical Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Vimoj Nair
- Department of Medical Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Thivierge
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 156 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, Canada.
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19
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Liegel N, Schneider D, Wascher E, Klatt LI, Arnau S. The effect of performance contingent reward prospects flexibly adapts to more versus less specific task goals. Psychophysiology 2024:e14678. [PMID: 39210245 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14678] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
In some situations, for example, when we expect to gain a reward in case of good performance, goal-driven top-down attention is particularly strong. Little is known about the task specificity of such increases of top-down attention due to environmental factors. To understand to what extent performance-contingent reward prospects can result in specific and unspecific changes in cognitive processing, we here investigate reward effects under different levels of task specification. Thirty-two participants performed a visual or an auditory discrimination task cued by two consecutive visual stimuli: First, a reward cue indicated if good performance was rewarded. Second, a task cue announced either which of the two tasks would follow (precise cue) or that both tasks would follow equally likely (imprecise cue). Reward and task cue preciseness both significantly improved performance. Moreover, the response time difference between precisely and imprecisely cued trials was significantly stronger in rewarded than in unrewarded trials. These effects were reflected in event-related potential (ERP) slow wave amplitudes: Reward and preciseness both significantly enhanced the contingent negative variation (CNV) prior to the task stimulus. In an early CNV time interval, both factors also showed an interaction. A negative slow wave prior to the task cue was also significantly enhanced for rewarded trials. This effect correlated with the reward difference in response times. These results indicate that reward prospects trigger task-specific changes in preparatory top-down attention which can flexibly adapt over time and across different task requirements. This highlights that a reward-induced increase of cognitive control can occur on different specificity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Liegel
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel Schneider
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Edmund Wascher
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Laura-Isabelle Klatt
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Stefan Arnau
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
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20
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Stoll FM, Rudebeck PH. Dissociable Representations of Decision Variables within Subdivisions of the Macaque Orbital and Ventrolateral Frontal Cortex. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0464242024. [PMID: 38991790 PMCID: PMC11358530 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0464-24.2024] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The ventral frontal cortex (VFC) in macaques is involved in many affective and cognitive processes and has a key role in flexibly guiding reward-based decision-making. VFC is composed of a set of anatomically distinct subdivisions that are within the orbitofrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and anterior insula. In part, because prior studies have lacked the resolution to test for differences, it is unclear if neural representations related to decision-making are dissociable across these subdivisions. Here we recorded the activity of thousands of neurons within eight anatomically defined subdivisions of VFC in male macaque monkeys performing a two-choice probabilistic task for different fruit juice outcomes. We found substantial variation in the encoding of decision variables across these eight subdivisions. Notably, ventrolateral Area 12l was unique relative to the other areas that we recorded from as the activity of single neurons integrated multiple attributes when monkeys evaluated the different choice options. Activity within Area 12o, in contrast, more closely represented reward probability and whether reward was received on a given trial. Orbitofrontal Area 11m/l contained more specific representations of the quality of the outcome that could be earned later on. We also found that reward delivery encoding was highly distributed across all VFC subdivisions, while the properties of the reward, such as its flavor, were more strongly represented in Areas 11m/l and 13m. Taken together, our work reveals the diversity of encoding within the various anatomically distinct subdivisions of VFC in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic M Stoll
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Peter H Rudebeck
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
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21
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Vasta N, Xu S, Verguts T, Braem S. A shared temporal window of integration across cognitive control and reinforcement learning paradigms: A correlational study. Mem Cognit 2024:10.3758/s13421-024-01626-4. [PMID: 39198341 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-024-01626-4] [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: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive control refers to the ability to override prepotent response tendencies to achieve goal-directed behavior. On the other hand, reinforcement learning refers to the learning of actions through feedback and reward. Although cognitive control and reinforcement learning are often viewed as opposing forces in driving behavior, recent theories have emphasized possible similarities in their underling processes. With this study, we aimed to investigate whether a similar time window of integration could be observed during the learning of control on the one hand, and the learning rate in reinforcement learning paradigms on the other. To this end, we performed a correlational analysis on a large public dataset (n = 522) including data from two reinforcement learning tasks, i.e., a probabilistic selection task and a probabilistic Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), and data from a classic conflict task (i.e., the Stroop task). Results showed expected correlations between the time scale of control indices and learning rate in the probabilistic WCST. Moreover, the learning-rate parameters of the two reinforcement learning tasks did not correlate with each other. Together, these findings suggest a reliance on a shared learning mechanism between these two traditionally distinct domains, while at the same time emphasizing that value updating processes can still be very task-specific. We speculate that updating processes in the Stroop and WCST may be more related because both tasks require task-specific updating of stimulus features (e.g., color, word meaning, pattern, shape), as opposed to stimulus identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Vasta
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 31, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
| | - Shengjie Xu
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Verguts
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Senne Braem
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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22
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Martinez MX, Alizo Vera V, Ruiz CM, Floresco SB, Mahler SV. Adolescent THC impacts on mPFC dopamine-mediated cognitive processes in male and female rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06676-9. [PMID: 39190156 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06676-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Adolescent cannabis use is linked to later-life changes in cognition, learning, and memory. Rodent experimental studies suggest Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) influences development of circuits underlying these processes, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which matures during adolescence. OBJECTIVE We determined how 14 daily THC injections (5 mg/kg) during adolescence persistently impacts medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) dopamine-dependent cognition. METHODS In adult Long Evans rats treated as adolescents with THC (AdoTHC), we quantify performance on two mPFC dopamine-dependent reward-based tasks-strategy set shifting and probabilistic discounting. We also determined how acute dopamine augmentation with amphetamine (0, 0.25, 0.5 mg/kg), or specific chemogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and their projections to mPFC impact probabilistic discounting. RESULTS AdoTHC sex-dependently impacts acquisition of cue-guided instrumental reward seeking, but has minimal effects on set-shifting or probabilistic discounting in either sex. When we challenged dopamine circuits acutely with amphetamine during probabilistic discounting, we found reduced discounting of improbable reward options, with AdoTHC rats being more sensitive to these effects than controls. In contrast, neither acute chemogenetic stimulation of VTA dopamine neurons nor pathway-specific chemogenetic stimulation of their projection to mPFC impacted probabilistic discounting in control rats, although stimulation of this cortical dopamine projection slightly disrupted choices in AdoTHC rats. CONCLUSIONS These studies confirm a marked specificity in the cognitive processes impacted by AdoTHC exposure. They also suggest that some persistent AdoTHC effects may alter amphetamine-induced cognitive changes in a manner independent of VTA dopamine neurons or their projections to mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maricela X Martinez
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, 1132 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Vanessa Alizo Vera
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, 1132 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christina M Ruiz
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, 1132 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stephen V Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, 1132 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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23
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Mas-Cuesta L, Baltruschat S, Cándido A, Catena A. Brain signatures of catastrophic events: Emotion, salience, and cognitive control. Psychophysiology 2024:e14674. [PMID: 39169571 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14674] [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] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Anticipatory brain activity makes it possible to predict the occurrence of expected situations. However, events such as traffic accidents are statistically unpredictable and can generate catastrophic consequences. This study investigates the brain activity and effective connectivity associated with anticipating and processing such unexpected, unavoidable accidents. We asked 161 participants to ride a motorcycle simulator while recording their electroencephalographic activity. Of these, 90 participants experienced at least one accident while driving. We conducted both within-subjects and between-subjects comparisons. During the pre-accident period, the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and right insula showed higher activity in the accident condition. In the post-accident period, the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, right IPL, bilateral ACC, and middle and superior frontal gyrus also showed increased activity in the accident condition. We observed greater effective connectivity within the nodes of the limbic network (LN) and between the nodes of the attentional networks in the pre-accident period. In the post-accident period, we also observed greater effective connectivity between networks, from the ventral attention network (VAN) to the somatomotor network and from nodes in the visual network, VAN, and default mode network to nodes in the frontoparietal network, LN, and attentional networks. This suggests that activating salience-related processes and emotional processing allows the anticipation of accidents. Once an accident has occurred, integration and valuation of the new information takes place, and control processes are initiated to adapt behavior to the new demands of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mas-Cuesta
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Sabina Baltruschat
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Cándido
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Andrés Catena
- School of Psychology, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada, Spain
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24
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Qiu S, Wang Z. The influence of home environment on 2-year-old Chinese children's language development: the mediating effect of executive function and the moderating effect of temperament. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1443419. [PMID: 39233886 PMCID: PMC11372419 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1443419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Prior research highlighted the effect of home environment on the language development of young children. Recent research has mainly discussed the moderating effect of personality traits like temperament. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism about the relationship between home environments to children's language development remains incompletely understood. This study explored how home environment impacts the language development of 2-year-old toddlers and the role of temperament and executive function in this relationship. We used the Chinese Child Adaptive Behavior Scale, the Temperament Scale for 1-3 years old of toddlers and the Home Environment Scale for Infants' and Toddlers' families to assess children's language development, temperament, and home environment. Simultaneously, the research used the Stroop-like day-night task and the multiple location search task to evaluate children's executive function. A total of 117 2-year-old children as well as their parents were involved in the study. The results revealed that home environment significantly predicts children's language ability with executive function as a mediating role. Temperament dimensions including extraversion, independence, reactivity, and social inhibition play a moderating role between home environment and executive function. The findings contributed to the improved implementation of home education tailored to children with different temperament traits, offering effective support for the cognitive and language development of young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyao Qiu
- School of Education Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zhidan Wang
- School of Education Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
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25
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Nigro M, Tortorelli LS, Yang H. Distinct roles of prefrontal cortex neurons in set shifting. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.20.608808. [PMID: 39229035 PMCID: PMC11370324 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.20.608808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility, the ability to adjust behavioral strategies in response to changing environmental contingencies, requires adaptive processing of internal states and contextual cues to guide goal-oriented behavior, and is dependent on prefrontal cortex (PFC) functions. However, the neurophysiological underpinning of how the PFC supports cognitive flexibility is not well understood and has been under active investigation. We recorded spiking activity from single PFC neurons in mice performing the attentional set-shifting task, where mice learned to associate different contextually relevant sensory stimuli to reward. We identified subgroups of PFC neurons encoding task context, choice and trial outcome. Putative fast-spiking neurons were more involved in representing outcome and choice than putative regular-spiking neurons. Regression model further revealed that task context and trial outcome modulated the activity of choice-encoding neurons in rule-dependent and cell type-dependent manners. Together, our data provide new evidence to elucidate PFC's role in cognitive flexibility, suggesting differential cell type-specific engagement during set shifting, and that both contextual rule representation and trial outcome monitoring underlie PFC's unique capacity to support flexible behavioral switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Nigro
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lucas Silva Tortorelli
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Hongdian Yang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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26
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Gong X, Wang L, Guo Y, Ma Y, Li W, Zhang J, Chen M, Wang J, Meng Q, Chen K, Tian Y. Abnormal large-scale resting-state functional networks in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1455131. [PMID: 39224578 PMCID: PMC11366611 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1455131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis often experience severe symptoms. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has revealed widespread impairment of functional networks in patients. However, the changes in information flow remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) both within and between resting-state networks (RSNs), as well as the alterations in effective connectivity (EC) between these networks. Methods Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected from 25 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and educational level. Changes in the intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) within and between RSNs were analyzed using independent component analysis (ICA). The functional interaction between RSNs was identified by granger causality analysis (GCA). Results Compared to HCs, patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis exhibited lower performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), both in terms of correct numbers and correct categories. Additionally, these patients demonstrated decreased scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Neuroimaging studies revealed abnormal intra-FC within the default mode network (DMN), increased intra-FC within the visual network (VN) and dorsal attention network (DAN), as well as increased inter-FC between VN and the frontoparietal network (FPN). Furthermore, aberrant effective connectivity (EC) was observed among the DMN, DAN, FPN, VN, and somatomotor network (SMN). Conclusion Patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis displayed noticeable deficits in both memory and executive function. Notably, these patients exhibited widespread impairments in intra-FC, inter-FC, and EC. These results may help to explain the pathophysiological mechanism of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiarong Gong
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- Department of MR, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Libo Wang
- The Second People’s Hospital of Yuxi, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yingzi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, China
| | - Juanjuan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Meiling Chen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, China
| | - Qiang Meng
- Department of Neurology, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Kexuan Chen
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yanghua Tian
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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27
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Chen J, Zhang C, Hu P, Min B, Wang L. Flexible control of sequence working memory in the macaque frontal cortex. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00569-5. [PMID: 39178858 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.07.024] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
To memorize a sequence, one must serially bind each item to its rank order. How the brain controls a given input to bind its associated order in sequence working memory (SWM) remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the neural representations underlying SWM control using electrophysiological recordings in the frontal cortex of macaque monkeys performing forward and backward SWM tasks. Separate and generalizable low-dimensional subspaces for sensory and memory information were found within the same frontal circuitry, and SWM control was reflected in these neural subspaces' organized dynamics. Each item at each rank was sequentially entered into a common sensory subspace and, depending on forward or backward task requirement, flexibly and timely sent into rank-selective SWM subspaces. Neural activity in these SWM subspaces faithfully predicted the recalled item and order information in single error trials. Thus, compositional neural population codes with well-orchestrated dynamics in frontal cortex support the flexible control of SWM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Peiyao Hu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Bin Min
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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28
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Fang Z, Dang Y, Li X, Zhao Q, Zhang M, Zhao H. Intracranial neural representation of phenomenal and access consciousness in the human brain. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120699. [PMID: 38944172 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120699] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
After more than 30 years of extensive investigation, impressive progress has been made in identifying the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC). However, the functional role of spatiotemporally distinct consciousness-related neural activity in conscious perception is debated. An influential framework proposed that consciousness-related neural activities could be dissociated into two distinct processes: phenomenal and access consciousness. However, though hotly debated, its authenticity has not been examined in a single paradigm with more informative intracranial recordings. In the present study, we employed a visual awareness task and recorded the local field potential (LFP) of patients with electrodes implanted in cortical and subcortical regions. Overall, we found that the latency of visual awareness-related activity exhibited a bimodal distribution, and the recording sites with short and long latencies were largely separated in location, except in the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC). The mixture of short and long latencies in the lPFC indicates that it plays a critical role in linking phenomenal and access consciousness. However, the division between the two is not as simple as the central sulcus, as proposed previously. Moreover, in 4 patients with electrodes implanted in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, early awareness-related activity was confined to the contralateral side, while late awareness-related activity appeared on both sides. Finally, Granger causality analysis showed that awareness-related information flowed from the early sites to the late sites. These results provide the first LFP evidence of neural correlates of phenomenal and access consciousness, which sheds light on the spatiotemporal dynamics of NCC in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zepeng Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Division of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yuanyuan Dang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Division of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qianchuan Zhao
- Center for Intelligent and Networked Systems, Department of Automation, TNLIST, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingsha Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Division of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Hulin Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
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29
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Wei L, Chen Y, Chen X, Baeken C, Wu GR. Cardiac vagal activity changes moderated the association of cognitive and cerebral hemodynamic variations in the prefrontal cortex. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120725. [PMID: 38977040 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phasic cardiac vagal activity (CVA), reflecting ongoing, moment-to-moment psychophysiological adaptations to environmental changes, can serve as a predictor of individual difference in executive function, particularly executive performance. However, the relationship between phasic CVA and executive function demands requires further validation because of previous inconsistent findings. Moreover, it remains unclear what types of phasic changes of CVA may be adaptive in response to heightened executive demands. This study used the standard N-back task to induce different levels of working memory (WM) load and combined functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) with a multipurpose polygraph to investigate the variations of CVA and its interactions with cognitive and prefrontal responses as executive demands increased in fifty-two healthy young subjects. Our results showed phasic decreases in CVA as WM load increased (t (51) = -3.758, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.526). Furthermore, phasic changes of CVA elicited by increased executive demands moderated the association of cognitive and cerebral hemodynamic variations in the prefrontal cortex (B = 0.038, SE = 0.014, p < 0.05). Specifically, as executive demands increased, individuals with larger phasic CVA withdrawal showed a positive relationship between cognitive and hemodynamic variations in the prefrontal cortex (β = 0.281, p = 0.031). No such significant relationship was observed in individuals with smaller phasic CVA withdrawal. The current findings demonstrate a decrease in CVA with increasing executive demands and provide empirical support for the notion that a larger phasic CVA withdrawal can be considered adaptive in situations requiring high executive function demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqing Wei
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China.
| | - Yuchun Chen
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Xiuwen Chen
- Huizhou Second People's Hospital, Huizhou, PR China
| | - Chris Baeken
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital (UZBrussel), Brussels, Belgium; Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Guo-Rong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, PR China.
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30
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Wang Z, Irving BA, Spielmann G, Johannsen N, Greenway F, Dalecki M. A single exposure to 100% normo-baric oxygen therapy appears to improve sequence learning processes by increasing prefrontal cortex oxygen saturation. Brain Res 2024; 1837:148962. [PMID: 38670479 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148962] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that a normo-baric 100 % oxygen treatment (NbOxTr) enhances motor learning processes, e.g., visuomotor adaptation (VMA) and sequence learning (SL). However, this work was limited to behavioral outcomes and did not identify the physiological mechanistic underpinnings of these improvements. Here, we expand on this research to investigate the effects of a NbOxTr on the oxygen tissue saturation index (TSI) level of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) when performing a SL task and whether potential SL improvements relate to increased TSI levels in the PFC. Twenty four right-handed young, healthy adults were randomly assigned to a NbOxTr group (normo-baric 100 % oxygen, n = 12) or a control group (normal air, n = 12). They received their respective treatments via a nasal cannula during the experiment. Oxygen TSI levels of the right and left PFC were measured via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) throughout different SL task phases (Baseline, Training, Testing). The NbOxTr increased the TSI of the PFC in the Training phase (p < 0.01) and positively affected SL retention in the Testing phase (p < 0.05). We also found a positive correlation between TSI changes in the right PFC during the gas treatment phase (3.4 % increase) and response time (RT) improvements in the SL task training and retention phase (all p < 0.05). Our results suggest that a simple NbOxTr increases the oxygenated hemoglobin availability in the PFC, which appears to mediate the retention of acquired SL improvements in healthy young adults. Future studies should examine treatment-related oxygenation changes in other brain areas involved and their relation to enhanced learning processes. Whether this NbOxTr improves SL in neurologically impaired populations should also be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Brian A Irving
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Guillaume Spielmann
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Neil Johannsen
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Frank Greenway
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Marc Dalecki
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; German University of Health and Sports, Berlin, Germany
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31
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Miura H, Ono Y, Suzuki T, Ogihara Y, Imai Y, Watanabe A, Tokikuni Y, Sakuraba S, Sawamura D. Regional brain activity and neural network changes in cognitive-motor dual-task interference: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120714. [PMID: 38950665 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120714] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous neuroimaging studies have reported dual-task interference (DTi) and deterioration of task performance in a cognitive-motor dual task (DT) compared to that in a single task (ST). Greater frontoparietal activity is a neural signature of DTi; nonetheless, the underlying mechanism of cortical network in DTi still remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the regional brain activity and neural network changes during DTi induced by highly demanding cognitive-motor DT. Thirty-four right-handed healthy young adults performed the spiral-drawing task. They underwent a paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) simultaneously or independently while their cortical activity was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Motor performance was determined using the balanced integration score (BIS), a balanced index of drawing speed and precision. The cognitive task of the PASAT was administered with two difficulty levels defined by 1 s (PASAT-1 s) and 2 s (PASAT-2 s) intervals, allowing for the serial addition of numbers. Cognitive performance was determined using the percentage of correct responses. These motor and cognitive performances were significantly reduced during DT, which combined a drawing and a cognitive task at either difficulty level, compared to those in the corresponding ST conditions. The DT conditions were also characterized by significantly increased activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) compared to that in the ST conditions. Multivariate Granger causality (GC) analysis of cortical activity in the selected frontoparietal regions of interest further revealed selective top-down causal connectivity from the right DLPFC to the right inferior parietal cortex during DTs. Furthermore, changes in the frontoparietal GC connectivity strength between the PASAT-2 s DT and ST conditions significantly correlated negatively with changes in the percentage of correct responses. Therefore, DTi can occur even in cognitively proficient young adults, and the right DLPFC and frontoparietal network being crucial neural mechanisms underlying DTi. These findings provide new insights into DTi and its underlying neural mechanisms and have implications for the clinical utility of cognitive-motor DTs applied to clinical populations with cognitive decline, such as those with psychiatric and brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Miura
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Department of Rehabilitation, Higashinaebo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yumie Ono
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Suzuki
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan; Electrical Engineering Program, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Yuji Ogihara
- Department of Rehabilitation, Higashinaebo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuna Imai
- Department of Rehabilitation, Higashinaebo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Watanabe
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Yukina Tokikuni
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Satoshi Sakuraba
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Ishikari, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sawamura
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan.
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32
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Kang DW, Wang SM, Um YH, Kim S, Kim T, Kim D, Lee CU, Lim HK. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cognition in MCI with Alzheimer's disease risk factors using Bayesian analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18818. [PMID: 39138281 PMCID: PMC11322558 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67664-9] [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] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the growing interest in precision medicine-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD), little research has been conducted on how individual AD risk factors influence changes in cognitive function following transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This study evaluates the cognitive effects of sequential tDCS on 63 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, considering AD risk factors such as amyloid-beta deposition, APOE ε4, BDNF polymorphism, and sex. Using both frequentist and Bayesian methods, we assessed the interaction of tDCS with these risk factors on cognitive performance. Notably, we found that amyloid-beta deposition significantly interacted with tDCS in improving executive function, specifically Stroop Word-Color scores, with strong Bayesian support for this finding. Memory enhancements were differentially influenced by BDNF Met carrier status. However, sex and APOE ε4 status did not show significant effects. Our results highlight the importance of individual AD risk factors in modulating cognitive outcomes from tDCS, suggesting that precision medicine may offer more effective tDCS treatments tailored to individual risk profiles in early AD stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Woo Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng-Min Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 10, 63-Ro, Yeongdeungpo-Gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Hyun Um
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghwan Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 10, 63-Ro, Yeongdeungpo-Gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - TaeYeong Kim
- Research Institute, NEUROPHET Inc., Seoul, 06247, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghyeon Kim
- Research Institute, NEUROPHET Inc., Seoul, 06247, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Uk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Kook Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 10, 63-Ro, Yeongdeungpo-Gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.
- Research Institute, NEUROPHET Inc., Seoul, 06247, Republic of Korea.
- CMC Institute for Basic Medical Science, The Catholic Medical Center of The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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33
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Ährlund-Richter S, Osako Y, Jenks KR, Odom E, Huang H, Arnold DB, Sur M. Prefrontal Cortex subregions provide distinct visual and behavioral feedback modulation to the Primary Visual Cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.06.606894. [PMID: 39149348 PMCID: PMC11326267 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.06.606894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) has been suggested to modulate sensory information processing across multiple cortical regions via long-range axonal projections. These axonal projections arise from PFC subregions with unique brain-wide connectivity and functional repertoires, which may provide the architecture for modular feedback intended to shape sensory processing. Here, we used axonal tracing, axonal and somatic 2-photon calcium imaging, and chemogenetic manipulations in mice to delineate how projections from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACA) and ventrolateral Orbitofrontal Cortex (ORB) of the PFC modulate sensory processing in the primary Visual Cortex (VISp) across behavioral states. Structurally, we found that ACA and ORB have distinct patterning of projections across both cortical regions and layers. ACA axons in VISp had a stronger representation of visual stimulus information than ORB axons, but both projections showed non-visual, behavior-dependent activity. ACA input to VISp enhanced the encoding of visual stimuli by VISp neurons, and modulation of visual responses scaled with arousal. On the other hand, ORB input shaped movement and arousal related modulation of VISp visual responses, but specifically reduced the encoding of high-contrast visual stimuli. Thus, ACA and ORB feedback have separable projection patterns and encode distinct visual and behavioral information, putatively providing the substrate for their unique effects on visual representations and behavioral modulation in VISp. Our results offer a refined model of cortical hierarchy and its impact on sensory information processing, whereby distinct as opposed to generalized properties of PFC projections contribute to VISp activity during discrete behavioral states.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ährlund-Richter
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Y Osako
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - K R Jenks
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - E Odom
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - H Huang
- Department of Biology, Division of Molecular and Computational Biology, Dornsife College, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - D B Arnold
- Department of Biology, Division of Molecular and Computational Biology, Dornsife College, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - M Sur
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Periáñez JA, Viejo-Sobera R, Lubrini G, Álvarez-Linera J, Rodríguez Toscano E, Moreno MD, Arango C, Redolar-Ripoll D, Muñoz Marrón E, Ríos-Lago M. New functional dissociations between prefrontal and parietal cortex during task switching: A combined fMRI and TMS study. Cortex 2024; 179:91-102. [PMID: 39163787 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.012] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Preparatory control in task-switching has been suggested to rely upon a set of distributed regions within a frontoparietal network, with frontal and parietal cortical areas cooperating to implement switch-specific preparation processes. Although recent causal evidence using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have generally supported this model, alternative results from both functional neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have questioned the switch-specific role of both frontal and parietal cortices. The aim of the present study was to clarify the involvement of prefrontal and parietal areas in preparatory cognitive control. With this purpose, an fMRI study was conducted to identify the brain areas activated during cue events in a task-switching paradigm, indicating whether to switch or to repeat among numerical tasks. Then, TMS was applied over the specific coordinates previously identified through fMRI, that is, the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Results revealed that TMS over the right IFG disrupted performance in both switch and repeat trails in terms of delayed responses as compared to Sham condition. In contrast, TMS over the right IPS selectively interfered performance in switch trials. These findings support a multi-component model of executive control with the IFG being involved in more general switch-unspecific process such as the episodic retrieval of goals, and the IPS being related to the implementation of switch-specific preparation mechanisms for activating stimulus-response mappings. The results are discussed within the framework of contemporary hierarchical models of prefrontal cortex organization, suggesting that distinct prefrontal areas may carry out coordinated functions in preparatory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Periáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Genny Lubrini
- Department of Basic Psychology II, UNED, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Elisa Rodríguez Toscano
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - María D Moreno
- Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Redolar-Ripoll
- Cognitive NeuroLab, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain; Brain360 Neuroscience Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Marcos Ríos-Lago
- Department of Basic Psychology II, UNED, Madrid, Spain; Brain Damage Service, Beata Maria Ana Hospital, Madrid, Spain
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Stieger JR, Pinheiro-Chagas P, Fang Y, Li J, Lusk Z, Perry CM, Girn M, Contreras D, Chen Q, Huguenard JR, Spreng RN, Edlow BL, Wagner AD, Buch V, Parvizi J. Cross-regional coordination of activity in the human brain during autobiographical self-referential processing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316021121. [PMID: 39078679 PMCID: PMC11317603 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316021121] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
For the human brain to operate, populations of neurons across anatomical structures must coordinate their activity within milliseconds. To date, our understanding of such interactions has remained limited. We recorded directly from the hippocampus (HPC), posteromedial cortex (PMC), ventromedial/orbital prefrontal cortex (OFC), and the anterior nuclei of the thalamus (ANT) during two experiments of autobiographical memory processing that are known from decades of neuroimaging work to coactivate these regions. In 31 patients implanted with intracranial electrodes, we found that the presentation of memory retrieval cues elicited a significant increase of low frequency (LF < 6 Hz) activity followed by cross-regional phase coherence of this LF activity before select populations of neurons within each of the four regions increased high-frequency (HF > 70 Hz) activity. The power of HF activity was modulated by memory content, and its onset followed a specific temporal order of ANT→HPC/PMC→OFC. Further, we probed cross-regional causal effective interactions with repeated electrical pulses and found that HPC stimulations cause the greatest increase in LF-phase coherence across all regions, whereas the stimulation of any region caused the greatest LF-phase coherence between that particular region and ANT. These observations support the role of the ANT in gating, and the HPC in synchronizing, the activity of cortical midline structures when humans retrieve self-relevant memories of their past. Our findings offer a fresh perspective, with high temporal fidelity, about the dynamic signaling and underlying causal connections among distant regions when the brain is actively involved in retrieving self-referential memories from the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R. Stieger
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Intracranial Cognitive Electrophysiology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Pedro Pinheiro-Chagas
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Intracranial Cognitive Electrophysiology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Ying Fang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510631, China
| | - Jian Li
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Zoe Lusk
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Intracranial Cognitive Electrophysiology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Claire M. Perry
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Intracranial Cognitive Electrophysiology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Manesh Girn
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Diego Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Qi Chen
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510631, China
| | - John R. Huguenard
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA94305
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Brian L. Edlow
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Anthony D. Wagner
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Vivek Buch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Josef Parvizi
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Intracranial Cognitive Electrophysiology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
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Leung BK, Chieng B, Becchi S, Balleine BW. A ventral pallidal-thalamocortical circuit mediates the cognitive control of instrumental action. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3315-3326.e6. [PMID: 38936365 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Predictive learning can engage a selective form of cognitive control that biases choice between actions based on information about future outcomes that the learning provides. This influence has been hypothesized to depend on a feedback circuit in the brain through which the basal ganglia modulate activity in the prefrontal cortex; however, direct evidence for this functional circuit has proven elusive. Here, using an animal model of cognitive control, we found that the influence of predictive learning on decision making is mediated by an inhibitory feedback circuit linking the medial ventral pallidum and the mediodorsal thalamus, the activation of which causes disinhibition of the orbitofrontal cortex via reduced activation of inhibitory parvalbumin interneurons during choice. Thus, we found that, for this function, the mediodorsal thalamus serves as a pallidal-cortical relay through which predictive learning controls action selection, which has important implications for understanding cognitive control and its vicissitudes in various psychiatric disorders and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice K Leung
- Decision Neuroscience Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Billy Chieng
- Decision Neuroscience Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Serena Becchi
- Decision Neuroscience Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Bernard W Balleine
- Decision Neuroscience Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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Stalnaker TA. Neuroscience: A bottom-up mechanism for cognitive control? Curr Biol 2024; 34:R744-R746. [PMID: 39106835 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive control is often conceived of as occurring top-down, with prefrontal cortical areas exerting control over other parts of the brain. A new study demonstrates what might be considered a 'bottom-up' mechanism for cognitive control, involving the disinhibition of orbitofrontal cortex by subcortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Stalnaker
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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38
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Skolasinska P, Qin S, Voss M, Lee HK, Basak C. Brain activations elicited during task-switching generalize beyond the task: A partial least squares correlation approach to combine fMRI signals and cognition. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26804. [PMID: 39126346 PMCID: PMC11316247 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26804] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
An underlying hypothesis for broad transfer from cognitive training is that the regional brain signals engaged during the training task are related to the transfer tasks. However, it is unclear whether the brain activations elicited from a specific cognitive task can generalize to performance of other tasks, esp. in normal aging where cognitive training holds much promise. In this large dual-site functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we aimed to characterize the neurobehavioral correlates of task-switching in normal aging and examine whether the task-switching-related fMRI-blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signals, engaged during varieties of cognitive control, generalize to other tasks of executive control and general cognition. We therefore used a hybrid blocked and event-related fMRI task-switching paradigm to investigate brain regions associated with multiple types of cognitive control on 129 non-demented older adults (65-85 years). This large dataset provided a unique opportunity for a data-driven partial least squares-correlation approach to investigate the generalizability of multiple fMRI-BOLD signals associated with task-switching costs to other tasks of executive control, general cognition, and demographic characteristics. While some fMRI signals generalized beyond the scanned task, others did not. Results indicate right middle frontal brain activation as detrimental to task-switching performance, whereas inferior frontal and caudate activations were related to faster processing speed during the fMRI task-switching, but activations of these regions did not predict performance on other tasks of executive control or general cognition. However, BOLD signals from the right lateral occipital cortex engaged during the fMRI task positively predicted performance on a working memory updating task, and BOLD signals from the left post-central gyrus that were disengaged during the fMRI task were related to slower processing speed in the task as well as to lower general cognition. Together, these results suggest generalizability of these BOLD signals beyond the scanned task. The findings also provided evidence for the general slowing hypothesis of aging as most variance in the data were explained by low processing speed and global low BOLD signal in older age. As processing speed shared variance with task-switching and other executive control tasks, it might be a possible basis of generalizability between these tasks. Additional results support the dedifferentiation hypothesis of brain aging, as right middle frontal activations predicted poorer task-switching performance. Overall, we observed that the BOLD signals related to the fMRI task not only generalize to the performance of other executive control tasks, but unique brain predictors of out-of-scanner performance can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Skolasinska
- Center for Vital Longevity, Department of PsychologyThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTexasUSA
| | - Shuo Qin
- Center for Sleep and CognitionYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Michelle Voss
- Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | | | - Chandramallika Basak
- Center for Vital Longevity, Department of PsychologyThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTexasUSA
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Liu Y, Wang XJ. Flexible gating between subspaces in a neural network model of internally guided task switching. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6497. [PMID: 39090084 PMCID: PMC11294624 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50501-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: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility relies on the brain's ability to switch rapidly between multiple tasks, even when the task rule is not explicitly cued but must be inferred through trial and error. The underlying neural circuit mechanism remains poorly understood. We investigated recurrent neural networks (RNNs) trained to perform an analog of the classic Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. The networks consist of two modules responsible for rule representation and sensorimotor mapping, respectively, where each module is comprised of a circuit with excitatory neurons and three major types of inhibitory neurons. We found that rule representation by self-sustained persistent activity across trials, error monitoring and gated sensorimotor mapping emerged from training. Systematic dissection of trained RNNs revealed a detailed circuit mechanism that is consistent across networks trained with different hyperparameters. The networks' dynamical trajectories for different rules resided in separate subspaces of population activity; the subspaces collapsed and performance was reduced to chance level when dendrite-targeting somatostatin-expressing interneurons were silenced, illustrating how a phenomenological description of representational subspaces is explained by a specific circuit mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
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40
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Chong JS, Zhang W, Zhang X, McIntyre RS, Li Z, Ho RCM, Tang TB, Lim LG. Altered functional connectivity subserving expressed emotion environments in schizophrenia: An fNIRS study. Schizophr Res 2024; 270:178-187. [PMID: 38917555 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.06.019] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Living in high-expressed emotion (EE) environments, characterized by critical, hostile, or over-involved family attitudes, has been linked to increased relapse rates among individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). In our previous work (Wang et al., 2023), we conducted the first feasibility study of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) with our developed EE stimuli to examine cortical hemodynamics in SZ. To better understand the neural mechanisms underlying EE environmental factors in SZ, we extended our investigation by employing functional connectivity (FC) analysis with a graph theory approach to fNIRS signals. Relative to healthy controls (N=40), individuals with SZ (N=37) exhibited altered connectivity across the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and left superior temporal gyrus (STG) while exposed to EE environments. Notably, while individuals with SZ were exposed to high-EE environments, (i) reduced connectivity was observed in these brain regions and (ii) the left vlPFC-STG coupling was found to be associated with the negative symptom severity. Taken together, our FC findings suggest individuals with SZ experience a more extensive disruption in neural functioning and coordination, particularly indicating an increased susceptibility to high-EE environments. This further supports the potential utility of integrating fNIRS with the created EE stimuli for assessing EE environmental influences, paving the way for more targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jie Sheng Chong
- Centre for Intelligent Signal and Imaging Research (CISIR), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
| | | | - Xi Zhang
- Huaibei Mental Health Center, China
| | - Roger S McIntyre
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, Poul Hansen Family Centre for Depression, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zhifei Li
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Roger C M Ho
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, 119077, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228, Singapore; Division of Life Science (LIFS), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Tong Boon Tang
- Centre for Intelligent Signal and Imaging Research (CISIR), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Lam Ghai Lim
- Department of Electrical and Robotics Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; Medical Engineering & Technology Hub, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Dubinsky JM, Hamid AA. The neuroscience of active learning and direct instruction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105737. [PMID: 38796122 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Throughout the educational system, students experiencing active learning pedagogy perform better and fail less than those taught through direct instruction. Can this be ascribed to differences in learning from a neuroscientific perspective? This review examines mechanistic, neuroscientific evidence that might explain differences in cognitive engagement contributing to learning outcomes between these instructional approaches. In classrooms, direct instruction comprehensively describes academic content, while active learning provides structured opportunities for learners to explore, apply, and manipulate content. Synaptic plasticity and its modulation by arousal or novelty are central to all learning and both approaches. As a form of social learning, direct instruction relies upon working memory. The reinforcement learning circuit, associated agency, curiosity, and peer-to-peer social interactions combine to enhance motivation, improve retention, and build higher-order-thinking skills in active learning environments. When working memory becomes overwhelmed, additionally engaging the reinforcement learning circuit improves retention, providing an explanation for the benefits of active learning. This analysis provides a mechanistic examination of how emerging neuroscience principles might inform pedagogical choices at all educational levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Arif A Hamid
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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He Y, Wang J, Zhao P, Wang R, Li M. Correlations of The Central Sensitization Inventory, conditioned pain modulation, cognitions and psychological factors in individuals with chronic neck pain: A cross-sectional study. Pain Ther 2024; 13:843-856. [PMID: 38789828 PMCID: PMC11254877 DOI: 10.1007/s40122-024-00601-w] [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] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a global public health problem, with high prevalence and absenteeism rates. Central sensitization (CS) as a basis for chronic pain may play an essential role in its development and progression. It is often comorbid with low conditioned pain modulation (CPM) effects, cognitions, and psychological problems. OBJECTIVES The purposes of this study were to (1) explore the relationship between pain-related cognitions and psychological factors, CPM effects, and the central sensitization inventory (CSI) scores; and (2) determine whether cognitions and psychological factors can predict CSI scores and CPM effects in individuals with CNP. METHODS Fifty-four individuals with CNP were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The following outcome measures were evaluated: The CSI (screening tool) was compared with the cold pressor test (CPT), which was the psychophysical test used to assess the CPM; neck pain intensity using the visual analogue scale (VAS), as well as pain-related cognitions (including kinesiophobia and pain catastrophization) and psychological states (including anxiety and depression) using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS CSI score was not associated with the CPM effect (r = 0.257, p > 0.05), and no cognitions or psychological factors were associated with CPM (p > 0.05), but CSI score was moderately positively correlated with kinesiophobia (r = 0.554, p < 0.01), lowly positively correlated with pain catastrophization (r = 0.332, p = 0.017) and anxiety (r = 0.492, p < 0.01), but not depression (r = 0.207, p = 0.132). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that kinesiophobia (B = 1.308, p < 0.01) and anxiety (B = 1.806, p = 0.02) were significant positive predictors of CSI score. CONCLUSIONS The findings confirm some of our hypotheses. Accordingly, the findings inferred that the CSI does not seem to respond to CPM effect in patients with CNP effectively. In addition, CSI score was associated with cognitions and psychological factors, of which kinesiophobia and anxiety were effective predictors. In clinical practice, pain-related cognitions and psychological factors should be fully considered to manage neck pain efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei He
- College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, 48 Information Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jialin Wang
- China Institute of Sports Science, General Administration of Sport, 11 Gymnasium Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100061, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- China Institute of Sports Science, General Administration of Sport, 11 Gymnasium Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100061, China.
| | - Ruirui Wang
- College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, 48 Information Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Meng Li
- College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, 48 Information Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China
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Martins LA, Schiavo A, Paz LV, Xavier LL, Mestriner RG. Neural underpinnings of fine motor skills under stress and anxiety: A review. Physiol Behav 2024; 282:114593. [PMID: 38782244 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
This review offers a comprehensive examination of how stress and anxiety affect motor behavior, particularly focusing on fine motor skills and gait adaptability. We explore the role of several neurochemicals, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine, in modulating neural plasticity and motor control under these affective states. The review highlights the importance of developing therapeutic strategies that enhance motor performance by leveraging the interactions between key neurochemicals. Additionally, we investigate the complex interplay between emotional-cognitive states and sensorimotor behaviors, showing how stress and anxiety disrupt neural integration, leading to impairments in skilled movements and negatively impacting quality of life. Synthesizing evidence from human and rodent studies, we provide a detailed understanding of the relationships among stress, anxiety, and motor behavior. Our findings reveal neurophysiological pathways, behavioral outcomes, and potential therapeutic targets, emphasizing the intricate connections between neurobiological mechanisms, environmental factors, and motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Athaydes Martins
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aniuska Schiavo
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lisiê Valéria Paz
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Léder Leal Xavier
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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44
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Ngetich R, Villalba-García C, Soborun Y, Vékony T, Czakó A, Demetrovics Z, Németh D. Learning and memory processes in behavioural addiction: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105747. [PMID: 38870547 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Similar to addictive substances, addictive behaviours such as gambling and gaming are associated with maladaptive modulation of key brain areas and functional networks implicated in learning and memory. Therefore, this review sought to understand how different learning and memory processes relate to behavioural addictions and to unravel their underlying neural mechanisms. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically searched four databases - PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using the agreed-upon search string. Findings suggest altered executive function-dependent learning processes and enhanced habit learning in behavioural addiction. Whereas the relationship between working memory and behavioural addiction is influenced by addiction type, working memory aspect, and task nature. Additionally, long-term memory is incoherent in individuals with addictive behaviours. Consistently, neurophysiological evidence indicates alterations in brain areas and networks implicated in learning and memory processes in behavioural addictions. Overall, the present review argues that, like substance use disorders, alteration in learning and memory processes may underlie the development and maintenance of behavioural addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Ngetich
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | | | - Yanisha Soborun
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | - Teodóra Vékony
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France; Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Andrea Czakó
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Demetrovics
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Dezső Németh
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France; Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; BML-NAP Research Group, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University & Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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45
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Schmidt SNL, Sehrig S, Wolber A, Rockstroh B, Mier D. Nothing to lose? Neural correlates of decision, anticipation, and feedback in the balloon analog risk task. Psychophysiology 2024:e14660. [PMID: 39090795 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14660] [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] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the subprocesses of risky decision making is a prerequisite for understanding (dys-)functional decisions. For the present fMRI study, we designed a novel variant of the balloon-analog-risk task (BART) that measures three phases: decision making, reward anticipation, and feedback processing. Twenty-nine healthy young adults completed the BART. We analyzed neural activity and functional connectivity. Parametric modulation allowed assessing changes in brain functioning depending on the riskiness of the decision. Our results confirm involvement of nucleus accumbens, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in all subprocesses of risky decision-making. In addition, subprocesses were differentiated by the strength of activation in these regions, as well as by changes in activity and nucleus accumbens-connectivity by the riskiness of the decision. The presented fMRI-BART variant allows distinguishing activity and connectivity during the subprocesses of risky decision making and shows how activation and connectivity patterns relate to the riskiness of the decision. Hence, it is a useful tool for unraveling impairments in subprocesses of risky decision making in people with high risk behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Sehrig
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Alexander Wolber
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Daniela Mier
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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46
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Kotla R, Andhale A, Patil T, Dudhe SS, Nimodia D. Unravelling the Silence: A Case Report on the Late Diagnosis of Language-Predominant Frontotemporal Dementia in a Rural Tertiary Hospital. Cureus 2024; 16:e66183. [PMID: 39233976 PMCID: PMC11374134 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.66183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the significant neurological disorders that mostly affects over-60-year-old adults. In essence, FTD, which results from frontal and temporal lobe damages, manifests itself in several ways that include behavioral modifications as well as linguistic loss. These are behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), or various movement disorders with genetic links. FTD takes, on average, three years to be diagnosed since there are no definitive diagnostic tests for this disease. MRI and PET scans use brain imaging techniques to observe damaged parts of the brain. The case study shows a lot of deep-seated language deficits and memory impairments, which ultimately point to the involvement of the temporal lobe. Understanding about FTD and early detection are crucial in enhancing intervention as well as management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishitha Kotla
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Amol Andhale
- Department of Neurology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Tushar Patil
- Department of Neurology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Sakshi S Dudhe
- Department of Radiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Devyansh Nimodia
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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47
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Schantell M, John JA, Coutant AT, Okelberry HJ, Horne LK, Glesinger R, Springer SD, Mansouri A, May‐Weeks PE, Wilson TW. Chronic cannabis use alters the spontaneous and oscillatory gamma dynamics serving cognitive control. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26787. [PMID: 39023178 PMCID: PMC11256138 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26787] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Regular cannabis use is associated with cortex-wide changes in spontaneous and oscillatory activity, although the functional significance of such changes remains unclear. We hypothesized that regular cannabis use would suppress spontaneous gamma activity in regions serving cognitive control and scale with task performance. Participants (34 cannabis users, 33 nonusers) underwent an interview regarding their substance use history and completed the Eriksen flanker task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain and virtual sensors were extracted from the peak voxels of the grand-averaged oscillatory interference maps to quantify spontaneous gamma activity during the pre-stimulus baseline period. We then assessed group-level differences in spontaneous and oscillatory gamma activity, and their relationship with task performance and cannabis use metrics. Both groups exhibited a significant behavioral flanker interference effect, with slower responses during incongruent relative to congruent trials. Mixed-model ANOVAs indicated significant gamma-frequency neural interference effects in the left frontal eye fields (FEF) and left temporoparietal junction (TPJ). Further, a group-by-condition interaction was detected in the left FEF, with nonusers exhibiting stronger gamma oscillations during incongruent relative to congruent trials and cannabis users showing no difference. In addition, spontaneous gamma activity was sharply suppressed in cannabis users relative to nonusers in the left FEF and TPJ. Finally, spontaneous gamma activity in the left FEF and TPJ was associated with task performance across all participants, and greater cannabis use was associated with weaker spontaneous gamma activity in the left TPJ of the cannabis users. Regular cannabis use was associated with weaker spontaneous gamma in the TPJ and FEF. Further, the degree of use may be proportionally related to the degree of suppression in spontaneous activity in the left TPJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)OmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Jason A. John
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Anna T. Coutant
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Hannah J. Okelberry
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Lucy K. Horne
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Ryan Glesinger
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | - Seth D. Springer
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)OmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Amirsalar Mansouri
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
| | | | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalBoys TownNebraskaUSA
- College of MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)OmahaNebraskaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology and NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
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48
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Zhou Z, Yan Y, Gu H, Sun R, Liao Z, Xue K, Tang C. Dopamine in the prefrontal cortex plays multiple roles in the executive function of patients with Parkinson's disease. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1759-1767. [PMID: 38103242 PMCID: PMC10960281 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389631] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease can affect not only motor functions but also cognitive abilities, leading to cognitive impairment. One common issue in Parkinson's disease with cognitive dysfunction is the difficulty in executive functioning. Executive functions help us plan, organize, and control our actions based on our goals. The brain area responsible for executive functions is called the prefrontal cortex. It acts as the command center for the brain, especially when it comes to regulating executive functions. The role of the prefrontal cortex in cognitive processes is influenced by a chemical messenger called dopamine. However, little is known about how dopamine affects the cognitive functions of patients with Parkinson's disease. In this article, the authors review the latest research on this topic. They start by looking at how the dopaminergic system, is altered in Parkinson's disease with executive dysfunction. Then, they explore how these changes in dopamine impact the synaptic structure, electrical activity, and connection components of the prefrontal cortex. The authors also summarize the relationship between Parkinson's disease and dopamine-related cognitive issues. This information may offer valuable insights and directions for further research and improvement in the clinical treatment of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Zhou
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yalong Yan
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Heng Gu
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ruiao Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zihan Liao
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ke Xue
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chuanxi Tang
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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49
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Kabanova A, Fedorov L, Eschenko O. The Projection-Specific Noradrenergic Modulation of Perseverative Spatial Behavior in Adult Male Rats. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0063-24.2024. [PMID: 39160074 PMCID: PMC11334950 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0063-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Adaptive behavior relies on efficient cognitive control. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a key node within the executive prefrontal network. The reciprocal connectivity between the locus ceruleus (LC) and ACC is thought to support behavioral reorganization triggered by the detection of an unexpected change. We transduced LC neurons with either excitatory or inhibitory chemogenetic receptors in adult male rats and trained rats on a spatial task. Subsequently, we altered LC activity and confronted rats with an unexpected change of reward locations. In a new spatial context, rats with decreased noradrenaline (NA) in the ACC entered unbaited maze arms more persistently which was indicative of perseveration. In contrast, the suppression of the global NA transmission reduced perseveration. Neither chemogenetic manipulation nor inactivation of the ACC by muscimol affected the rate of learning, possibly due to partial virus transduction of the LC neurons and/or the compensatory engagement of other prefrontal regions. Importantly, we observed behavioral deficits in rats with LC damage caused by virus injection. The latter finding highlights the importance of careful histological assessment of virus-transduced brain tissue as inadvertent damage of the targeted cell population due to virus neurotoxicity or other factors might cause unwanted side effects. Although the specific role of ACC in the flexibility of spatial behavior has not been convincingly demonstrated, our results support the beneficial role of noradrenergic transmission for an optimal function of the ACC. Overall, our findings suggest the LC exerts the projection-specific modulation of neural circuits mediating the flexibility of spatial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kabanova
- Department of Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Leonid Fedorov
- Department of Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oxana Eschenko
- Department of Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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50
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Scott DN, Mukherjee A, Nassar MR, Halassa MM. Thalamocortical architectures for flexible cognition and efficient learning. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:739-756. [PMID: 38886139 PMCID: PMC11305962 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.05.006] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The brain exhibits a remarkable ability to learn and execute context-appropriate behaviors. How it achieves such flexibility, without sacrificing learning efficiency, is an important open question. Neuroscience, psychology, and engineering suggest that reusing and repurposing computations are part of the answer. Here, we review evidence that thalamocortical architectures may have evolved to facilitate these objectives of flexibility and efficiency by coordinating distributed computations. Recent work suggests that distributed prefrontal cortical networks compute with flexible codes, and that the mediodorsal thalamus provides regularization to promote efficient reuse. Thalamocortical interactions resemble hierarchical Bayesian computations, and their network implementation can be related to existing gating, synchronization, and hub theories of thalamic function. By reviewing recent findings and providing a novel synthesis, we highlight key research horizons integrating computation, cognition, and systems neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel N Scott
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Arghya Mukherjee
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew R Nassar
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Michael M Halassa
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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