The frontoparietal control system: a central role in mental health

A connectome-wide association study of altered functional connectivity in schizophrenia based on resting-state fMRI

BACKGROUND

Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity is a neuropathological feature of schizophrenia (SCZ). Prior investigations into functional connectivity abnormalities have primarily employed seed-based connectivity analysis, necessitating predefined seed locations. To address this limitation, a data-driven multivariate method known as connectome-wide association study (CWAS) has been proposed for exploring whole-brain functional connectivity.

METHODS

We conducted a CWAS analysis involving 46 patients with SCZ and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Multivariate distance matrix regression (MDMR) was utilized to identify key nodes in the brain. Subsequently, we conducted a follow-up seed-based connectivity analysis to elucidate specific connectivity patterns between regions of interest (ROIs). Additionally, we explored the spatial correlation between changes in functional connectivity and underlying molecular architectures by examining correlations between neurotransmitter/transporter distribution densities and functional connectivity.

RESULTS

MDMR revealed the right medial frontal gyrus and the left calcarine sulcus as two key nodes. Follow-up analysis unveiled hypoconnectivity between the right medial frontal superior gyrus and the right fusiform gyrus, as well as hypoconnectivity between the left calcarine sulcus and the right lingual gyrus in SCZ. Notably, a significant association between functional connectivity strength and positive symptom severity was identified. Furthermore, altered functional connectivity patterns suggested potential dysfunctions in the dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid systems.

CONCLUSIONS

This study elucidated reduced functional connectivity both within and between the medial frontal regions and the occipital cortex in patients with SCZ. Moreover, it indicated potential alterations in molecular architecture, thereby expanding current knowledge regarding neurobiological changes associated with SCZ.

Brain Functional Connectome Defines a Transdiagnostic Dimension Shared by Cognitive Function and Psychopathology in Preadolescents

BACKGROUND

Cognitive function and general psychopathology are two important classes of human behavior dimensions that are individually related to mental disorders across diagnostic categories. However, whether these two transdiagnostic dimensions are linked to common or distinct brain networks that convey resilience or risk for the development of psychiatric disorders remains unclear.

METHODS

The current study is a longitudinal investigation with 11,875 youths from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study at ages 9 to 10 years at the onset of the study. A machine learning approach based on canonical correlation analysis was used to identify latent dimensional associations of the resting-state functional connectome with multidomain behavioral assessments including cognitive functions and psychopathological measures. For the latent resting-state functional connectivity factor showing a robust behavioral association, its ability to predict psychiatric disorders was assessed using 2-year follow-up data, and its genetic association was evaluated using twin data from the same cohort.

RESULTS

A latent functional connectome pattern was identified that showed a strong and generalizable association with the multidomain behavioral assessments (5-fold cross-validation: ρ = 0.68-0.73 for the training set [n = 5096]; ρ = 0.56-0.58 for the test set [n = 1476]). This functional connectome pattern was highly heritable (h2 = 74.42%, 95% CI: 56.76%-85.42%), exhibited a dose-response relationship with the cumulative number of psychiatric disorders assessed concurrently and at 2 years post-magnetic resonance imaging scan, and predicted the transition of diagnosis across disorders over the 2-year follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide preliminary evidence for a transdiagnostic connectome-based measure that underlies individual differences in the development of psychiatric disorders during early adolescence.

Connectome-based Brain Marker Moderates the Relationship between Childhood Adversity and Transdiagnostic Psychopathology during Early Adolescence

Importance

Identifying brain-based markers of resiliency that reliably predict who is and is not at elevated risk for developing psychopathology among children who experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is important for improving our mechanistic understanding of these etiological links between child adversity and psychopathology and guiding precision medicine and prevention efforts for reducing psychiatric impact of ACEs.

Objective

To examine associations between ACEs and transdiagnostic psychopathology during the transition from preadolescence to early adolescence and test whether these associations are moderated by a hypothesized resilience factor, a previously identified connectome variate (CV) that is associated with higher cognitive function and lower psychopathology.

Design Setting and Participants

This study was conducted in a longitudinal design based on multicenter data from a community cohort of U.S. youth aged of 9-11 at baseline, who participated in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (N=7,382 at baseline and 6,813 at 2-year follow-up). Linear regression models and moderation analyses were used to characterize concurrent and prospective associations between lifetime ACEs and number of DSM-5 psychiatric disorders (indexing transdiagnostic psychopathology) and to determine if individual variations in these associations were moderated by the CV derived from resting-state fMRI at baseline.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Cumulative number of current DSM-5 psychiatric disorders assessed using the computerized self-admin version Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS-5) and lifetime ACEs assessed from child and parent reports at baseline (9-10 years) and 2-year-follow-up (11-12 years).

Results

ACE total scores correlated positively with the cumulative number of current DSM-5 psychiatric disorders at both baseline (r =.258, p < .001) and 2-year follow-up (r =.257, p < .001). The baseline CV score moderated the ACE-disorder associations at baseline (B = -0.021, p < .001) and at 2-year follow-up (B = -0.018, p = .008), as well as the association between the changes in ACE and in the number of disorders from baseline to year 2 (B = -0.012, p = .045). Post-hoc analyses further showed that the moderation effect of CV on ACE-psychopathology associations was specific to the threat-related ACEs and to female youth.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings provide preliminary evidence for a connectome-based resiliency marker and suggest that functional connectivity strength in a broad system including frontal-parietal cortices and subcortical nuclei relevant to cognitive control may protect preadolescents who have experienced lifetime ACEs--especially females and those experiencing threat-related ACEs--from developing transdiagnostic psychopathology.

Heterogeneity in functional connectivity: Dimensional predictors of individual variability during rest and task fMRI in psychosis

BACKGROUND

Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) often demonstrate cognitive impairments, associated with poor functional outcomes. While neurobiological heterogeneity has posed challenges when examining social cognition in SSD, it provides a unique opportunity to explore brain-behavior relationships. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual variability in functional connectivity during resting state and the performance of a social task and social and non-social cognition in a large sample of controls and individuals diagnosed with SSD.

METHODS

Neuroimaging and behavioral data were analyzed for 193 individuals with SSD and 155 controls (total n = 348). Individual variability was quantified through mean correlational distance (MCD) of functional connectivity between participants; MCD was defined as a global 'variability score'. Pairwise correlational distance was calculated as 1 - the correlation coefficient between a given pair of participants, and averaging distance from one participant to all other participants provided the mean correlational distance metric. Hierarchical regressions were performed on variability scores derived from resting state and Empathic Accuracy (EA) task functional connectivity data to determine potential predictors (e.g., age, sex, neurocognitive and social cognitive scores) of individual variability.

RESULTS

Group comparison between SSD and controls showed greater SSD MCD during rest (p = 0.00038), while no diagnostic differences were observed during task (p = 0.063). Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated the persistence of a significant diagnostic effect during rest (p = 0.008), contrasting with its non-significance during the task (p = 0.50), after social cognition was added to the model. Notably, social cognition exhibited significance in both resting state and task conditions (both p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic differences were more prevalent during unconstrained resting scans, whereas the task pushed participants into a more common pattern which better emphasized transdiagnostic differences in cognitive abilities. Focusing on variability may provide new opportunities for interventions targeting specific cognitive impairments to improve functional outcomes.

Age-related differences in network controllability are mitigated by redundancy in large-scale brain networks

The aging brain undergoes major changes in its topology. The mechanisms by which the brain mitigates age-associated changes in topology to maintain robust control of brain networks are unknown. Here we use diffusion MRI data from cognitively intact participants (n = 480, ages 40-90) to study age-associated differences in the average controllability of structural brain networks, topological features that could mitigate these differences, and the overall effect on cognitive function. We find age-associated declines in average controllability in control hubs and large-scale networks, particularly within the frontoparietal control and default mode networks. Further, we find that redundancy, a hypothesized mechanism of reserve, quantified via the assessment of multi-step paths within networks, mitigates the effects of topological differences on average network controllability. Lastly, we discover that average network controllability, redundancy, and grey matter volume, each uniquely contribute to predictive models of cognitive function. In sum, our results highlight the importance of redundancy for robust control of brain networks and in cognitive function in healthy-aging.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy evidence of cognitive-motor interference in different dual tasks

Dual tasks (DTs) combining walking with a cognitive task can cause various levels of cognitive-motor interference, depending on which brain resources are recruited in each case. However, the brain activation and functional connectivity underlying cognitive-motor interferences remain to be elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the neural correlation during different DT conditions in 40 healthy young adults (mean age: 27.53 years, 28 women). The DTs included walking during subtraction or N-Back tasks. Cognitive-motor interference was calculated, and brain activation and functional connectivity were analysed. Portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy was utilized to monitor haemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex and parietal cortex during each task. Walking interference (decrease in walking speed during DT) was greater than cognitive interference (decrease in cognitive performance during DT), regardless of the type of task. Brain activation in the bilateral PFC and parietal cortex was greater for walking during subtraction than for standing subtraction. Furthermore, brain activation was higher in the bilateral motor and parietal and PFCs for walking during subtraction than for walking alone, but only increased in the PFC for walking during N-Back. Coherence between the bilateral lateral PFC and between the left lateral PFC and left motor cortex was significantly greater for walking during 2-Back than for walking. The PFC, a critical brain region for organizing cognitive and motor functions, played a crucial role in integrating information coming from multiple brain networks required for completing DTs. Therefore, the PFC could be a potential target for the modulation and improvement of cognitive-motor functions during neurorehabilitation.

Locus coeruleus integrity and left frontoparietal connectivity provide resilience against attentional decline in preclinical alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Autopsy work reported that neuronal density in the locus coeruleus (LC) provides neural reserve against cognitive decline in dementia. Recent neuroimaging and pharmacological studies reported that left frontoparietal network functional connectivity (LFPN-FC) confers resilience against beta-amyloid (Aβ)-related cognitive decline in preclinical sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as against LC-related cognitive changes. Given that the LFPN and the LC play important roles in attention, and attention deficits have been observed early in the disease process, we examined whether LFPN-FC and LC structural health attenuate attentional decline in the context of AD pathology.

METHODS

142 participants from the Harvard Aging Brain Study who underwent resting-state functional MRI, LC structural imaging, PiB(Aβ)-PET, and up to 5 years of cognitive follow-ups were included (mean age = 74.5 ± 9.9 years, 89 women). Cross-sectional robust linear regression associated LC integrity (measured as the average of five continuous voxels with the highest intensities in the structural LC images) or LFPN-FC with Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) performance at baseline. Longitudinal robust mixed effect analyses examined associations between DSST decline and (i) two-way interactions of baseline LC integrity (or LFPN-FC) and PiB or (ii) the three-way interaction of baseline LC integrity, LFPN-FC, and PiB. Baseline age, sex, and years of education were included as covariates.

RESULTS

At baseline, lower LFPN-FC, but not LC integrity, was related to worse DSST performance. Longitudinally, lower baseline LC integrity was associated with a faster DSST decline, especially at PiB > 10.38 CL. Lower baseline LFPN-FC was associated with a steeper decline on the DSST but independent of PiB. At elevated PiB levels (> 46 CL), higher baseline LFPN-FC was associated with an attenuated decline on the DSST, despite the presence of lower LC integrity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that the LC can provide resilience against Aβ-related attention decline. However, when Aβ accumulates and the LC's resources may be depleted, the functioning of cortical target regions of the LC, such as the LFPN-FC, can provide additional resilience to sustain attentional performance in preclinical AD. These results provide critical insights into the neural correlates contributing to individual variability at risk versus resilience against Aβ-related cognitive decline.

Complementary benefits of multivariate and hierarchical models for identifying individual differences in cognitive control

Understanding individual differences in cognitive control is a central goal in psychology and neuroscience. Reliably measuring these differences, however, has proven extremely challenging, at least when using standard measures in cognitive neuroscience such as response times or task-based fMRI activity. While prior work has pinpointed the source of the issue - the vast amount of cross-trial variability within these measures - no study has rigorously evaluated potential solutions. Here, we do so with one potential way forward: an analytic framework that combines hierarchical Bayesian modeling with multivariate decoding of trial-level fMRI data. Using this framework and longitudinal data from the Dual Mechanisms of Cognitive Control project, we estimated individuals' neural responses associated with cognitive control within a color-word Stroop task, then assessed the reliability of these individuals' responses across a time interval of several months. We show that in many prefrontal and parietal brain regions, test-retest reliability was near maximal, and that only hierarchical models were able to reveal this state of affairs. Further, when compared to traditional univariate contrasts, multivariate decoding enabled individual-level correlations to be estimated with significantly greater precision. We specifically link these improvements in precision to the optimized suppression of cross-trial variability in decoding. Together, these findings not only indicate that cognitive control-related neural responses individuate people in a highly stable manner across time, but also suggest that integrating hierarchical and multivariate models provides a powerful approach for investigating individual differences in cognitive control, one that can effectively address the issue of high-variability measures.

Cortical thickness of the inferior parietal lobule as a potential predictor of relapse in men with alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence is a disorder with a high recurrence rate that leads to a considerable public health burden. The risk of relapse appears to be related to a complex interplay of multiple factors. Herein, we aimed to explore the potential neural predictors of relapse in Chinese male patients with alcohol dependence. This study enrolled 58 male patients with alcohol dependence who had undergone acute detoxification. General demographic information and clinical features were collected. Magnetic resonance imaging data were used to measure cortical thickness across 34 regions of the brain. Patients were followed up at six months, and 51 patients completed the follow-up visit. These patients were divided into a relapser and an abstainer group. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the potential risk factors of relapse. Compared to abstainers, relapsers showed higher inattention and non-planning impulsivity on the 11th version of the Barratt Impulsive Scale. The cortical thicknesses of the inferior-parietal lobules were significantly higher in abstainers compared with those in relapsers. Furthermore, binary logistic regression analysis showed that the thickness of the inferior parietal lobule predicted relapse, and lower non-planning impulse was a protective factor against relapse. Relapsers show poorer impulse control than abstainers, and structural magnetic resonance imaging revealed a decreased thickness of the inferior parietal lobule in relapsers. Our results indicate the thickness of the inferior parietal lobule as a potential relapse predictor in male patients with alcohol dependence.

Effortful Control Protects Against Familial Liability for ADHD: Longitudinal Results from the ABCD Study in the United States

Effortful control, the ability to regulate complex and goal-directed behavior, may protect individuals from developing mental health symptoms. This study tested the potential for child effortful control and executive functioning to buffer the effects of familial liability for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) problems across a one-year timeframe. Data from the prospectively-collected Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD)® study were used to examine whether caregiver-rated child effortful control and executive functioning moderated the association between familial ADHD risk and later ADHD symptoms in a sample of children (N = 6,133; ages 9-10 years at baseline). Two independent variables were considered to compare the predictive powers of specific (family ADHD) and broad (family psychopathology) risk factors. Two additional moderating variables (surgency, negative affect) were tested to examine specificity of effortful control and executive functioning as moderators. All variables of interest were measured on a continuum and via caregiver report. At high levels of effortful control and executive functioning, there was no association between familial liability for ADHD or broad psychopathology and later child ADHD problems. The moderator effects were specific to effortful control and executive functioning domains. Etiological models of heritable psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, should consider the risk and protective contributions of individual traits, such as effortful control and executive functioning. Clinical prevention and intervention efforts may target self-regulation skills in children to buffer against familial liability for ADHD problems.

Brain Circuit-Derived Biotypes for Treatment Selection in Mood Disorders: A Critical Review and Illustration of a Functional Neuroimaging Tool for Clinical Translation

Although the lifetime burden due to major depressive disorder is increasing, we lack tools for selecting the most effective treatments for each patient. One-third to one-half of patients with major depressive disorder do not respond to treatment, and we lack strategies for selecting among available treatments or expediting access to new treatment options. This critical review concentrates on functional neuroimaging as a modality of measurement for precision psychiatry. We begin by summarizing the current landscape of how functional neuroimaging-derived circuit predictors can forecast treatment outcomes in depression. Then, we outline the opportunities and challenges in integrating circuit predictors into clinical practice. We highlight one standardized and reproducible approach for quantifying brain circuit function at an individual level, which could serve as a model for clinical translation. We conclude by evaluating the prospects and practicality of employing neuroimaging tools, such as the one that we propose, in routine clinical practice.

Enhancing cognitive control with transcranial magnetic stimulation in subject-specific frontoparietal networks

BACKGROUND

Cognitive control processes, including those involving frontoparietal networks, are highly variable between individuals, posing challenges to basic and clinical sciences. While distinct frontoparietal networks have been associated with specific cognitive control functions such as switching, inhibition, and working memory updating functions, there have been few basic tests of the role of these networks at the individual level.

METHODS

To examine the role of cognitive control at the individual level, we conducted a within-subject excitatory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study in 19 healthy individuals that targeted intrinsic ("resting") frontoparietal networks. Person-specific intrinsic networks were identified with resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to determine TMS targets. The participants performed three cognitive control tasks: an adapted Navon figure-ground task (requiring set switching), n-back (working memory), and Stroop color-word (inhibition).

OBJECTIVE

Hypothesis: We predicted that stimulating a network associated with externally oriented control [the "FPCN-B" (fronto-parietal control network)] would improve performance on the set switching and working memory task relative to a network associated with attention (the Dorsal Attention Network, DAN) and cranial vertex in a full within-subjects crossover design.

RESULTS

We found that set switching performance was enhanced by FPCN-B stimulation along with some evidence of enhancement in the higher-demand n-back conditions.

CONCLUSION

Higher task demands or proactive control might be a distinguishing role of the FPCN-B, and personalized intrinsic network targeting is feasible in TMS designs.

The interference of negative emotional stimuli on semantic vigilance performance in a dual-task setting

A large body of previous research has shown that emotional stimuli have an advantage in a wide variety of cognitive processes. This was mainly observed in visual search and working memory tasks. Emotionally charged objects draw and hold attention, are remembered better, and interfere more with the completion of the primary task than neutral ones. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that emotional stimuli also greatly affect sustained attention and vigilance decrement. In the present research, we investigated whether emotional stimuli demand more attentional resources than neutral ones in a dual-task paradigm. We adopted the abbreviated semantic discrimination vigilance task and measured participants' (N = 49) performance in a single-task and two dual-task settings. In the dual-task conditions, the visual semantic vigilance paradigm was combined with an auditory word recall task (with neutral or emotional stimuli). We found reduced vigilance and improved word recall performance in the emotional dual-task condition compared to the neutral dual-task and single-task conditions. The reduced performance was apparent throughout the task, while in the neutral conditions, participants' performance first increased and then dropped as time progressed. To conclude, our results indicate that emotional stimuli not only have an advantage in cognitive processing but also demand more attentional resources continuously while it is present compared to neutral stimuli. These results are consistent with the emotionality effect theory and evolutionary accounts of the neural circuits underlying motivated behaviors associated with critical survival needs.

Spatio-molecular profiles shape the human cerebellar hierarchy along the sensorimotor-association axis

Cerebellar involvement in both motor and non-motor functions manifests in specific regions of the human cerebellum, revealing the functional heterogeneity within it. One compelling theory places the heterogeneity within the cerebellar functional hierarchy along the sensorimotor-association (SA) axis. Despite extensive neuroimaging studies, evidence for the cerebellar SA axis from different modalities and scales was lacking. Thus, we establish a significant link between the cerebellar SA axis and spatio-molecular profiles. Utilizing the gene set variation analysis, we find the intermediate biological principles the significant genes leveraged to scaffold the cerebellar SA axis. Interestingly, we find these spatio-molecular profiles notably associated with neuropsychiatric dysfunction and recent evolution. Furthermore, cerebello-cerebral interactions at genetic and functional connectivity levels mirror the cerebral cortex and cerebellum's SA axis. These findings can provide a deeper understanding of how the human cerebellar SA axis is shaped and its role in transitioning from sensorimotor to association functions.

Penalized canonical correlation analysis reveals a relationship between temperament traits and brain oscillations during mind wandering

INTRODUCTION

There has been a growing interest in studying brain activity under naturalistic conditions. However, the relationship between individual differences in ongoing brain activity and psychological characteristics is not well understood. We investigated this connection, focusing on the association between oscillatory activity in the brain and individually characteristic dispositional traits. Given the variability of unconstrained resting states among individuals, we devised a paradigm that could harmonize the state of mind across all participants.

METHODS

We constructed task contrasts that included focused attention (FA), self-centered future planning, and rumination on anxious thoughts triggered by visual imagery. Magnetoencephalography was recorded from 28 participants under these 3 conditions for a duration of 16 min. The oscillatory power in the alpha and beta bands was converted into spatial contrast maps, representing the difference in brain oscillation power between the two conditions. We performed permutation cluster tests on these spatial contrast maps. Additionally, we applied penalized canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to study the relationship between brain oscillation patterns and behavioral traits.

RESULTS

The data revealed that the FA condition, as compared to the other conditions, was associated with higher alpha and beta power in the temporal areas of the left hemisphere and lower alpha and beta power in the parietal areas of the right hemisphere. Interestingly, the penalized CCA indicated that behavioral inhibition was positively correlated, whereas anxiety was negatively correlated, with a pattern of high oscillatory power in the bilateral precuneus and low power in the bilateral temporal regions. This unique association was found in the anxious-thoughts condition when contrasted with the focused-attention condition.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest individual temperament traits significantly affect brain engagement in naturalistic conditions. This research underscores the importance of considering individual traits in neuroscience and offers an effective method for analyzing brain activity and psychological differences.

Neural activation, cognitive control, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Evaluating three competing etiological models

BACKGROUND

Cognitive control impairments are observed across several psychiatric conditions, highlighting their role as a transdiagnostic marker. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with inhibition, working memory, processing speed, and attention regulation. These cognitive control impairments may either mediate or moderate the association between neurobiological vulnerabilities and phenotypic presentation in neurodevelopmental disorders. Alternately, neurocognitive vulnerabilities in ADHD may be additive, akin to a multiple deficit model. We tested the mediation, moderation, and additive models using neurocognitive data in youth with ADHD.

METHODS

7-11 year-old children diagnosed with ADHD (n = 75) and control children (n = 29) completed EEG recordings and neuropsychological testing (full scale IQ; cognitive control). Caregivers provided ADHD symptom ratings. Correlations and linear regression analyses were completed to examine the associations among cortical functioning (aperiodic slope), cognitive control, and ADHD symptoms.

RESULTS

We found support for an additive model wherein vulnerabilities in aperiodic slope, event-related potentials, and cognitive control each explained unique variance in ADHD symptoms. There was some evidence that cognitive control moderates the effect of atypical cortical development on ADHD symptoms. There was no support for the mediation model.

CONCLUSIONS

The etiology of ADHD symptoms is multifaceted and involves multiple "hits" across neurological and cognitive-behavioral factors.

White matter tracts and executive functions: a review of causal and correlation evidence

Executive functions are high-level cognitive processes involving abilities such as working memory/updating, set-shifting and inhibition. These complex cognitive functions are enabled by interactions among widely distributed cognitive networks, supported by white matter tracts. Executive impairment is frequent in neurological conditions affecting white matter; however, whether specific tracts are crucial for normal executive functions is unclear. We review causal and correlation evidence from studies that used direct electrical stimulation during awake surgery for gliomas, voxel-based and tract-based lesion-symptom mapping, and diffusion tensor imaging to explore associations between the integrity of white matter tracts and executive functions in healthy and impaired adults. The corpus callosum was consistently associated with all executive processes, notably its anterior segments. Both causal and correlation evidence showed prominent support of the superior longitudinal fasciculus to executive functions, notably to working memory. More specifically, strong evidence suggested that the second branch of the superior longitudinal fasciculus is crucial for all executive functions, especially for flexibility. Global results showed left lateralization for verbal tasks and right lateralization for executive tasks with visual demands. The frontal aslant tract potentially supports executive functions, however, additional evidence is needed to clarify whether its involvement in executive tasks goes beyond the control of language. Converging evidence indicates that a right-lateralized network of tracts connecting cortical and subcortical grey matter regions supports the performance of tasks assessing response inhibition, some suggesting a role for the right anterior thalamic radiation. Finally, correlation evidence suggests a role for the cingulum bundle in executive functions, especially in tasks assessing inhibition. We discuss these findings in light of current knowledge about the functional role of these tracts, descriptions of the brain networks supporting executive functions and clinical implications for individuals with brain tumours.

White matter fiber integrity and structural brain network topology: implications for balance function in postischemic stroke patients

Previous studies have suggested that ischemic stroke can result in white matter fiber injury and modifications in the structural brain network. However, the relationship with balance function scores remains insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study aims to explore the alterations in the microstructural properties of brain white matter and the topological characteristics of the structural brain network in postischemic stroke patients and their potential correlations with balance function. We enrolled 21 postischemic stroke patients and 21 age, sex, and education-matched healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent balance function assessment and brain diffusion tensor imaging. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to compare the fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity of white matter fibers between the two groups. The white matter structural brain network was constructed based on the automated anatomical labeling atlas, and we conducted a graph theory-based analysis of its topological properties, including global network properties and local node properties. Additionally, the correlation between the significant structural differences and balance function score was analyzed. The TBSS results showed that in comparison to the HC, postischemic stroke patients exhibited extensive damage to their whole-brain white matter fiber tracts (P < 0.05). Graph theory analysis showed that in comparison to the HC, postischemic stroke patients exhibited statistically significant reductions in the values of global efficiency, local efficiency, and clustering coefficient, as well as an increase in characteristic path length (P < 0.05). In addition, the degree centrality and nodal efficiency of some nodes in postischemic stroke patients were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). The white matter fibers of the entire brain in postischemic stroke patients are extensively damaged, and the topological properties of the structural brain network are altered, which are closely related to balance function. This study is helpful in further understanding the neural mechanism of balance function after ischemic stroke from the white matter fiber and structural brain network topological properties.

Resting-state neural correlates of individual differences in ignored experience and its deleterious effect

Uncovering the neural mechanisms of ostracism experience (including its subclasses of excluded and ignored experiences) is important. However, the resting-state functional brain substrates responsible for individual differences in ostracism experience and its negative effects remain largely undefined. This study explored these issues in a sample of 198 Chinese college students by assessing the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity. The findings indicated a positive correlation between ignored experience and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in the right superior frontal gyrus and the functional connectivity between the right superior frontal gyrus and left cerebellum posterior lobe. Additionally, a negative correlation was found between ignored experience and the functional connectivity between the right superior frontal gyrus and the bilateral insula as well as the bilateral inferior parietal lobule. Moreover, the mediation analysis demonstrated that the effects of the functional connectivities of right superior frontal gyrus-left cerebellum posterior lobe and right superior frontal gyrus-right inferior parietal lobule on revenge intention were mediated by ignored experience. Our study offers novel insights into the neural correlates of both individual variations in ignored experience and its typical deleterious effect. These results could deepen our understanding of individual differences in negative experiences and inspire the development of targeted interventions for social stress from the perspective of the brain.

rTMS reduces delta and increases theta oscillations in Alzheimer's disease: A visual-evoked and event-related potentials study

BACKGROUND

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising alternative therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its ability to modulate neural networks and enhance cognitive function. This treatment offers the unique advantage of enabling real-time monitoring of immediate cognitive effects and dynamic brain changes through electroencephalography (EEG).

OBJECTIVE

This study focused on exploring the effects of left parietal rTMS stimulation on visual-evoked potentials (VEP) and visual event-related potentials (VERP) in AD patients.

METHODS

Sixteen AD patients were recruited for this longitudinal study. EEG data were collected within a Faraday cage both pre- and post-rTMS to evaluate its impact on potentials.

RESULTS

Significant alterations were found in both VEP and VERP oscillations. Specifically, delta power in VEP decreased, while theta power in VERP increased post-rTMS, indicating a modulation of brain activities.

DISCUSSION

These findings confirm the positive modulatory impact of rTMS on brain activities in AD, evidenced by improved cognitive scores. They align with previous studies highlighting the potential of rTMS in managing hyperexcitability and oscillatory disturbances in the AD cortex.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive improvements post-rTMS endorse its potential as a promising neuromodulatory treatment for cognitive enhancement in AD, thereby providing critical insights into the neurophysiological anomalies in AD and possible therapeutic avenues.

Investigating Social Competence in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention Enhanced for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by challenges in social competence that persist in adulthood, yet few treatment options exist. A pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention with established efficacy in youth with ASD was examined in autistic adults. The final sample consisted of forty-seven 18-to-40-year-old participants randomized to the experimental (EXP N = 23) or waitlist control (WLC N = 24) condition. A multimodal, social interdependent model was employed to examine social competence changes in brain (incidental face memory (IFM) using event-related potentials), cognition (Wechsler Memory Scale-III), behavior (Contextual Assessment of Social Skills) and function (Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS); Adaptive Behavior Assessment Scale (ABAS) Social Composite). Using analysis of covariance in which pretest was controlled in the model, posttest between-group differences were observed on IFM (p = 0.016, η2 = 0.139, d = 0.79) and several social and adaptive functional (SRS, ABAS) outcomes in social communication and interaction (SCI) (p = 0.019, η2 = 0.121, d = -00.45), communication (p = 0.044 η2 = 0.09, d = -00.31), and motivation (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.229, d = -0.79) domains. At two-month follow-up, gains in social motivation remained (p = 0.041, η2 = 0.100, d = -0.77). The results offer preliminary support for a unique theatre-based social skills intervention for autistic adults who have few treatment options to enhance social competence. The trial was pre-registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04349644).

Resting-state network analysis of suicide attempt history in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Prior research has identified altered brain structure and function in individuals at risk for self-directed violence thoughts and behaviors. However, these studies have largely utilized healthy controls and findings have been inconsistent. Thus, this study examined differences in resting-state functional network connectivity among individuals with lifetime suicide attempt(s) v. lifetime self-directed violence thoughts alone.

METHODS

Using data from the UK Biobank, this study utilized a series of linear regressions to compare individuals with lifetime suicide attempt(s) (n = 566) v. lifetime self-directed violence thoughts alone (n = 3447) on within- and between- network resting-state functional connectivity subnetworks.

RESULTS

There were no significant between-group differences for between-network, within-network, or whole-brain functional connectivity after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index and performing statistical corrections for multiple comparisons. Resting-state network measures may not differentiate between individuals with lifetime suicide attempt(s) and lifetime self-directed violence thoughts alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Null findings diverge from results reported in smaller neuroimaging studies of suicide risk, but are consistent with null findings in other large-scale studies and meta-analyses. Strengths of the study include its large sample size and stringent control group. Future research on a wider array of imaging, genetic, and psychosocial risk factors can clarify relative contributions of individual and combined variables to suicide risk and inform scientific understanding of ideation-to-action framework.

Dissociating the Link of Neural Correlates of Inhibition to the Degree of Substance Use and Substance-Related Problems: A Preregistered, Multimodal, Combined Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Frontal hypoactivation during inhibition is a promising phenotype for substance use disorders (SUDs), but studies comparing individuals with SUDs with unaffected individuals have reported inconsistent results. This may result from distinctive associations of neural correlates of inhibition with the degree of substance use and the severity of substance-related problems-two correlated but distinct facets of SUDs-reflecting a potentially disregarded confounding effect. This preregistered study tested whether frontal hypoactivation during inhibition is specifically linked to substance-related problems in SUDs beyond the degree of substance use.

METHODS

A stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging, trait self-control, substance use, and substance-related problems in the past 12 months were assessed in 121 (poly)substance users. One hundred seven participants completed a 1-year follow-up. We examined the association between multimodal indicators of inhibition (neural activation in regions of interest, inhibitory performance, trait self-control) and substance-related problems while controlling for the degree of substance use.

RESULTS

Right inferior frontal gyrus hypoactivation explained variance in substance-related problems beyond the degree of substance use, while hyperactivation in the same region explained variance in the degree of substance use beyond the effects of substance-related problems, both cross-sectionally (problems: Bonferroni-Holm-corrected p = .048; use: p < .01) and prospectively (problems at trend level: p = .096; use: p = .01). Trait and behavioral inhibition were unrelated to problems beyond the effects of substance use (ps > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that frontal hypoactivation during inhibition specifically relates to substance-related problems. Interestingly, increased activity may even represent a resilience factor in substance use without SUDs. Future studies should distinguish between processes linked to the degree of substance use and substance-related problems to advance understanding of why some substance users develop SUDs and others do not.

Lower Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Functional Connectivity in Late-Life Depression With Suicidal Ideation

OBJECTIVE

The dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been identified as a neuromodulation target for alleviating suicidal ideation. Dysfunctional DLPFC has been implicated in suicidality in depression. This study aimed to investigate the functional connectivity (FC) of the DLPFC in late-life depression (LLD) with suicidal ideation.

METHODS

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 32 LLD patients with suicidal ideation (LLD-S), 41 LLD patients without suicidal ideation (LLD-NS), and 54 healthy older adults (HOA) were analyzed using DLPFC seed-based FC analyses. Group differences in FC were examined, and machine learning was applied to explore the potential of DLPFC-FC for classifying LLD-S from LLD-NS.

RESULTS

Abnormal DLPFC-FC patterns were observed in LLD-S, characterized by lower connectivity with the angular gyrus, precuneus, and superior frontal gyrus compared to LLD-NS and healthy controls. A classification model based on the identified DLPFC-FC achieved an accuracy of 75%.

CONCLUSION

The lower FC of DLPFC networks may contribute to the neurobiological mechanism of suicidal ideation in late-life depression. These findings may facilitate suicide prevention for LLD by providing potential neuroimaging markers and network-based neuromodulation targets. However, further confirmation with larger sample sizes and experimental designs is warranted.

Revealing the Selectivity of Neuroanatomical Alteration in Autism Spectrum Disorder via Reverse Inference

BACKGROUND

Although neuroimaging research has identified atypical neuroanatomical substrates in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is at present unclear whether and to what extent disorder-selective gray matter alterations occur in this spectrum of conditions. In fact, a growing body of evidence shows a substantial overlap between the pathomorphological changes across different brain diseases, which may complicate identification of reliable neural markers and differentiation of the anatomical substrates of distinct psychopathologies.

METHODS

Using a novel data-driven and Bayesian methodology with published voxel-based morphometry data (849 peer-reviewed experiments and 22,304 clinical subjects), this study performs the first reverse inference investigation to explore the selective structural brain alteration profile of ASD.

RESULTS

We found that specific brain areas exhibit a >90% probability of gray matter alteration selectivity for ASD: the bilateral precuneus (Brodmann area 7), right inferior occipital gyrus (Brodmann area 18), left cerebellar lobule IX and Crus II, right cerebellar lobule VIIIA, and right Crus I. Of note, many brain voxels that are selective for ASD include areas that are posterior components of the default mode network.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of these spatial gray matter alteration patterns offers new insights into understanding the complex neurobiological underpinnings of ASD and opens attractive prospects for future neuroimaging-based interventions.

Network state dynamics underpin craving in a transdiagnostic population

Emerging fMRI brain dynamic methods present a unique opportunity to capture how brain region interactions across time give rise to evolving affective and motivational states. As the unfolding experience and regulation of affective states affect psychopathology and well-being, it is important to elucidate their underlying time-varying brain responses. Here, we developed a novel framework to identify network states specific to an affective state of interest and examine how their instantaneous engagement contributed to its experience. This framework investigated network state dynamics underlying craving, a clinically meaningful and changeable state. In a transdiagnostic sample of healthy controls and individuals diagnosed with or at risk for craving-related disorders (N=252), we utilized connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to identify craving-predictive edges. An edge-centric timeseries approach was leveraged to quantify the instantaneous engagement of the craving-positive and craving-negative networks during independent scan runs. Individuals with higher craving persisted longer in a craving-positive network state while dwelling less in a craving-negative network state. We replicated the latter results externally in an independent group of healthy controls and individuals with alcohol use disorder exposed to different stimuli during the scan (N=173). The associations between craving and network state dynamics can still be consistently observed even when craving-predictive edges were instead identified in the replication dataset. These robust findings suggest that variations in craving-specific network state recruitment underpin individual differences in craving. Our framework additionally presents a new avenue to explore how the moment-to-moment engagement of behaviorally meaningful network states supports our changing affective experiences.

Reduced volume of the left cerebellar lobule VIIb and its increased connectivity within the cerebellum predict more general psychopathology one year later via worse cognitive flexibility in children

Predicting the risk for general psychopathology (the p factor) requires the examination of multiple factors ranging from brain to cognitive skills. While an increasing number of findings have reported the roles of the cerebral cortex and executive functions, it is much less clear whether and how the cerebellum and cognitive flexibility (a core component of executive function) may be associated with the risk for general psychopathology. Based on the data from more than 400 children aged 6-12 in the Children School Functions and Brain Development (CBD) Project, this study examined whether the left cerebellar lobule VIIb and its connectivity within the cerebellum may prospectively predict the risk for general psychopathology one year later and whether cognitive flexibility may mediate such predictions in school-age children. The reduced gray matter volume in the left cerebellar lobule VIIb and the increased connectivity of this region to the left cerebellar lobule VI prospectively predicted the risk for general psychopathology and was partially mediated by worse cognitive flexibility. Deficits in cognitive flexibility may play an important role in linking cerebellar structure and function to the risk for general psychopathology.

Role of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) in anxiety and cognition: Opportunities for intervention for anxiety-related disorders

Our objective was to review the literature on the parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) in anxiety-related disorders, as well as opportunities for using neuromodulation to target this region and reduce anxiety. We provide an overview of prior research demonstrating: 1) the importance of the IPS in attention, vigilance, and anxious arousal, 2) the potential for neuromodulation of the IPS to reduce unnecessary attention toward threat and anxious arousal as demonstrated in healthy samples; and 3) limited data on the potential for neuromodulation of the IPS to reduce hyper-attention toward threat and anxious arousal among clinical samples with anxiety-related disorders. Future research should evaluate the efficacy of IPS neuromodulation in fully powered clinical trials, as well as the value in augmenting evidence-based treatments for anxiety with IPS neuromodulation.

Altered Associations Between Task Performance and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Cognitive Control in Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Dysfunctional cognitive control processes are now well understood to be core features of schizophrenia (SZ). A body of work suggests that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a critical role in explaining cognitive control disruptions in SZ. Here, we examined relationships between DLPFC activation and drift rate (DR), a model-based performance measure that combines reaction time and accuracy, in people with SZ and healthy control (HC) participants.

METHODS

One hundred fifty-one people with recent-onset SZ spectrum disorders and 118 HC participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Proactive cognitive control-associated activation was extracted from left and right DLPFC regions of interest. Individual behavior was fit using a drift diffusion model, allowing DR to vary between task conditions.

RESULTS

Behaviorally, people with SZ showed significantly lower DRs than HC participants, particularly during high proactive control trial types ("B" trials). Recapitulating previous findings, the SZ group also demonstrated reduced cognitive control-associated DLPFC activation compared with HC participants. Furthermore, significant group differences were also observed in the relationship between left and right DLPFC activation with DR, such that positive relationships between DR and activation were found in HC participants but not in people with SZ.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that DLPFC activation is less associated with cognitive control-related behavioral performance enhancements in SZ. Potential mechanisms and implications are discussed.

Childhood trauma is linked to abnormal static-dynamic brain topology in adolescents with major depressive disorder

Childhood trauma is a leading risk factor for adolescents developing major depressive disorder (MDD); however, the underlying neuroimaging mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association among childhood trauma, MDD and brain dysfunctions by combining static and dynamic brain network models. We recruited 46 first-episode drug-naïve adolescent MDD patients with childhood trauma (MDD-CT), 53 MDD patients without childhood trauma (MDD-nCT), and 90 healthy controls (HCs) for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans; all participants were aged 13-18 years. Compared to the HCs and MDD-nCT groups, the MDD-CT group exhibited significantly higher global and local efficiency in static brain networks and significantly higher temporal correlation coefficients in dynamic brain network models at the whole-brain level, and altered the local efficiency of default mode network (DMN) and temporal correlation coefficients of DMN, salience (SAN), and attention (ATN) networks at the local perspective. Correlation analysis indicated that altered brain network features and clinical symptoms, childhood trauma, and particularly emotional neglect were highly correlated in adolescents with MDD. This study may provide new evidence for the dysconnectivity hypothesis regarding the associations between childhood trauma and MDD in adolescents from the perspectives of both static and dynamic brain topology.

Altered beta band spatial-temporal interactions during negative emotional processing in major depressive disorder: An MEG study

BACKGROUND

The mood-concordance bias is a key feature of major depressive disorder (MDD), but the spatiotemporal neural activity associated with emotional processing in MDD remains unclear. Understanding the dysregulated connectivity patterns during emotional processing and their relationship with clinical symptoms could provide insights into MDD neuropathology.

METHODS

We enrolled 108 MDD patients and 64 healthy controls (HCs) who performed an emotion recognition task during magnetoencephalography recording. Network-based statistics (NBS) was used to analyze whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) across different frequency ranges during distinct temporal periods. The relationship between the aberrant FC and affective symptoms was explored.

RESULTS

MDD patients exhibited decreased FC strength in the beta band (13-30 Hz) compared to HCs. During the early stage of emotional processing (0-100 ms), reduced FC was observed between the left parahippocampal gyrus and the left cuneus. In the late stage (250-400 ms), aberrant FC was primarily found in the cortex-limbic-striatum systems. Moreover, the FC strength between the right fusiform gyrus and left thalamus, and between the left calcarine fissure and left inferior temporal gyrus were negatively associated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores.

LIMITATIONS

Medication information was not involved.

CONCLUSION

MDD patients exhibited abnormal temporal-spatial neural interactions in the beta band, ranging from early sensory to later cognitive processing stages. These aberrant interactions involve the cortex-limbic-striatum circuit. Notably, aberrant FC in may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing depression severity.

Brain mediators of biased social learning of self-perception in social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by an excessive fear of social evaluation and a persistently negative view of the self. Here we test the hypothesis that negative biases in brain responses and in social learning of self-related information contribute to the negative self-image and low self-esteem characteristic of SAD. Adult participants diagnosed with social anxiety (N = 21) and matched controls (N = 23) rated their performance and received social feedback following a stressful public speaking task. We investigated how positive versus negative social feedback altered self-evaluation and state self-esteem and used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to characterize brain responses to positive versus negative feedback. Compared to controls, participants with SAD updated their self-evaluation and state self-esteem significantly more based on negative compared to positive social feedback. Responses in the frontoparietal network correlated with and mirrored these behavioral effects, with greater responses to positive than negative feedback in non-anxious controls but not in participants with SAD. Responses to social feedback in the anterior insula and other areas mediated the effects of negative versus positive feedback on changes in self-evaluation. In non-anxious participants, frontoparietal brain areas may contribute to a positive social learning bias. In SAD, frontoparietal areas are less recruited overall and less attuned to positive feedback, possibly reflecting differences in attention allocation and cognitive regulation. More negatively biased brain responses and social learning could contribute to maintaining a negative self-image in SAD and other internalizing disorders, thereby offering important new targets for interventions.

CNN sensor based motion capture system application in basketball training and injury prevention

Basketball is a high-intensity sport, and sports injuries often occur. Therefore, how to monitor the sports status of basketball players in real time, discover and prevent the occurrence of sports injuries in time, has become an urgent problem for athletes and coaches. In this paper, a motion capture system based on CNN sensor is proposed. Through the application of sensor, real-time monitoring of athletes' motion state, the system can collect athletes' movement track, speed, acceleration, stride frequency, heart rate, energy consumption and other parameters in real time. By analyzing the movement data, it can timely warn and deal with the occurrence of sports injuries. In this paper, convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to process and analyze motion data, so that the motion capture system has higher precision and accuracy. Through the training and optimization of CNN, the system can identify and analyze motion data more accurately, and improve the performance and effect of the motion capture system. The motion capture system based on CNN sensor can realize real-time monitoring and prevention of sports injuries for basketball players, provide more comprehensive, scientific and real-time sports data for athletes and coaches, help them better conduct training and adjust tactics, and improve the competitive level and safety of basketball games.

Related neural networks underlie suppression of emotion, memory, motor processes as identified by data-driven analysis

BACKGROUND

Goal-directed behavior benefits from self-regulation of cognitive and affective processes, such as emotional reactivity, memory retrieval, and prepotent motor response. Dysfunction in self-regulation is a common characteristic of many psychiatric disorders, such as PTSD and ADHD. This study sought to determine whether common intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs; e.g. default mode network) are involved in the regulation of emotion, motor, and memory processes, and if a data-driven approach using independent component analysis (ICA) would successfully identify such ICNs that contribute to inhibitory regulation.

METHODS

Eighteen participants underwent neuroimaging while completing an emotion regulation (ER) task, a memory suppression (Think/No-Think; TNT) task, and a motor inhibition (Stop Signal; SS) task. ICA (CONN; MATLAB) was conducted on the neuroimaging data from each task and corresponding components were selected across tasks based on interrelated patterns of activation. Subsequently, ICNs were correlated with behavioral performance variables from each task.

RESULTS

ICA indicated a common medial prefrontal network, striatal network, and frontoparietal executive control network, as well as downregulation in task-specific ROIs.

CONCLUSIONS

These results illustrate that common ICNs were exhibited across three distinct inhibitory regulation tasks, as successfully identified through a data-driven approach (ICA).

Predicting Dimensional Antidepressant Response to Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation using Pretreatment Resting-state Functional Connectivity

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective treatment for depression and has been shown to modulate resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of depression-relevant neural circuits. To date, however, few studies have investigated whether individual treatment-related symptom changes are predictable from pretreatment RSFC. We use machine learning to predict dimensional changes in depressive symptoms using pretreatment patterns of RSFC. We hypothesized that changes in dimensional depressive symptoms would be predicted more accurately than scale total scores. Patients with depression (n=26) underwent pretreatment RSFC MRI. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17). Random forest regression (RFR) models were trained and tested to predict treatment-related symptom changes captured by the HDRS-17, HDRS-6 and three previously identified HDRS subscales: core mood/anhedonia (CMA), somatic disturbances, and insomnia. Changes along the CMA, HDRS-17, and HDRS-6 were predicted significantly above chance, with 9%, 2%, and 2% of out-of-sample outcome variance explained, respectively (all p<0.01). CMA changes were predicted more accurately than the HDRS-17 (p<0.05). Higher baseline global connectivity (GC) of default mode network (DMN) subregions and the somatomotor network (SMN) predicted poorer symptom reduction, while higher GC of the right dorsal attention (DAN) frontoparietal control (FPCN), and visual networks (VN) predicted reduced CMA symptoms. HDRS-17 and HDRS-6 changes were predicted with similar GC patterns. These results suggest that RSFC spanning the DMN, SMN, DAN, FPCN, and VN subregions predict dimensional changes with greater accuracy than syndromal changes following rTMS. These findings highlight the need to assess more granular clinical dimensions in therapeutic studies, particularly device neuromodulation studies, and echo earlier studies supporting that dimensional outcomes improve model accuracy.

The brain activity pattern in alcohol-use disorders under inhibition response Task

BACKGROUND

Inhibitory control impairment in alcohol use disorder (AUD) may indicate detrimental effects of chronic alcohol use on different functional systems in the brain, but the current studies lack consistency. This study aims to identify the most consistent response inhibition-related brain dysfunction based on existing data.

METHODS

We performed systematic searches of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsychINFO databases for available studies. Anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping was used to quantitatively analyze the differences in response inhibition-related brain activation between AUD patients and HCs. Meta regression was used to explore the relationship between brain alterations and clinical variables.

RESULTS

The brain hypoactivation or hyperactivation in AUD patients compared with HCs during the response inhibition tasks was mainly located in the prefrontal cortex including the superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC), superior temporal gyrus, occipital gyrus, and somatosensory areas including postcentral gyrus and supramarginal gyrus. The meta-regression revealed that older patients were more likely to present activation in the left superior frontal gyrus when performing the response inhibition tasks.

CONCLUSIONS

The response inhibitive dysfunctions in a distinct prefrontal-cingulate cortices may presumably reflect the core impairment in cognitive control abilities. Dysfunction in the occipital gyrus and somatosensory areas may indicate an abnormal motor-sensory and visual function in AUD. Such functional abnormalities may represent neurophysiological correlates of the executive deficits observed in AUD patients. This study has been registered in PROSPERO (number CRD42022339384).

One ring to rule them all: The unifying role of prefrontal cortex in steering task-related brain dynamics

Surviving and thriving in a complex world require intricate balancing of higher order brain functions with essential survival-related behaviours. Exactly how this is achieved is not fully understood but a large body of work has shown that different regions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play key roles for diverse cognitive and emotional tasks including emotion, control, response inhibition, mental set shifting and working memory. We hypothesised that the key regions are hierarchically organised and we developed a framework for discovering the driving brain regions at the top of the hierarchy, responsible for steering the brain dynamics of higher brain function. We fitted a time-dependent whole-brain model to the neuroimaging data from large-scale Human Connectome Project with over 1,000 participants and computed the entropy production for rest and seven tasks (covering the main domains of cognition). This thermodynamics framework allowed us to identify the main common, unifying drivers steering the orchestration of brain dynamics during difficult tasks; located in key regions of the PFC (inferior frontal gyrus, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, rostral and caudal frontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex). Selectively lesioning these regions in the whole-brain model demonstrated their causal mechanistic importance. Overall, this shows the existence of a 'ring' of specific PFC regions ruling over the orchestration of higher brain function.

Attachment-Related Differences in Emotion Regulation in Adults: A Systematic Review on Attachment Representations

In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of mental disorders connected with affective dysregulation and insecure attachment. Therefore, it is even more important to understand the interplay between an individual's attachment representation and patterns of emotion regulation. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to examine this association. PsycInfo, PsyArticles, and PubMed were searched for studies that examined attachment-related differences in emotion regulation in adults. To examine the unconscious attachment representation, only studies using the Adult Attachment Interview or the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System were included. Thirty-seven peer-reviewed studies (with a total of 2006 subjects) matched the PICO criteria. Emotion regulation was measured via four objective approaches: autonomic nervous system, brain activity, biochemistry, or nonverbal behavior. Across all measurements, results reveal a significant correlation between attachment representation and emotion regulation. Secure attachment correlates consistently with balanced emotion regulation, whereas it is impaired in insecure and dysfunctional in unresolved attachment. Specifically, unresolved individuals display counterintuitive responses and fail to use attachment as a resource. Insecure-dismissing attachment is associated with an emotionally deactivating strategy, while on a physiological, biochemical, and nonverbal level, emotional stress is still present. There is still a lack of studies examining preoccupied individuals. In addition to interpreting the results, we also discuss the risk of bias, implications for psychotherapy and coaching, and an outlook for future research.

Impacts of urban green infrastructure on attentional functioning: insights from an fMRI study

Multiple studies using various measures, technologies, and participant groups have found that exposure to urban green infrastructure can help alleviate the daily attentional fatigue that human experience. Although we have made significant progress in understanding the effects of exposure to urban green infrastructure on attention restoration, two important gaps in our knowledge remain. First, we do not fully understand the neural processes underlying attention restoration that exposure to urban green infrastructure elicits. Second, we are largely unaware of how typical patterns of urban green infrastructure, such as combinations of trees and bioswales, affect recovery from attentional fatigue. This knowledge is crucial to guide the design and management of urban landscapes that effectively facilitate attention restoration. To address these gaps in our knowledge, we conducted a controlled experiment in which 43 participants were randomly assigned to one of three video treatment categories: no green infrastructure (No GI), trees, or trees and bioswales. We assessed attentional functioning using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART). Participants exposed to urban settings with trees exhibited improved top-down attentional functioning, as evidenced by both fMRI and SART results. Those exposed to urban settings with trees and bioswales demonstrated some attention-restorative neural activity, but without significant improvements in SART performance. Conversely, participants exposed to videos of urban environments without green infrastructure displayed increased neural vigilance, suggesting a lack of attention restoration, accompanied by reduced SART performance. These consistent findings offer empirical support for the Attention Restoration Theory, highlighting the effectiveness of tree exposure in enhancing attentional functioning. Future research should investigate the potential impact of bioswales on attention restoration.

Unbalanced amygdala communication in major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggested an association between functional alteration of the amygdala and typical major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms. Examining whether and how the interaction between the amygdala and regions/functional networks is altered in patients with MDD is important for understanding its neural basis.

METHODS

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were recorded from 67 patients with MDD and 74 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). A framework for large-scale network analysis based on seed mappings of amygdala sub-regions, using a multi-connectivity-indicator strategy (cross-correlation, total interdependencies (TI), Granger causality (GC), and machine learning), was employed. Multiple indicators were compared between the two groups. The altered indicators were ranked in a supporting-vector machine-based procedure and associated with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores.

RESULTS

The amygdala connectivity with the default mode network and ventral attention network regions was enhanced and that with the somatomotor network, dorsal frontoparietal network, and putamen regions in patients with MDD was reduced. The machine learning analysis highlighted altered indicators that were most conducive to the classification between the two groups.

LIMITATIONS

Most patients with MDD received different pharmacological treatments. It is difficult to illustrate the medication state's effect on the alteration model because of its complex situation.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate an unbalanced interaction model between the amygdala and functional networks and regions essential for various emotional and cognitive functions. The model can help explain potential aberrancy in the neural mechanisms that underlie the functional impairments observed across various domains in patients with MDD.

A parahippocampal-sensory Bayesian vicious circle generates pain or tinnitus: a source-localized EEG study

Pain and tinnitus share common pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical features, and treatment approaches. A source-localized resting-state EEG study was conducted in 150 participants: 50 healthy controls, 50 pain, and 50 tinnitus patients. Resting-state activity as well as functional and effective connectivity was computed in source space. Pain and tinnitus were characterized by increased theta activity in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, extending to the lateral prefrontal cortex and medial anterior temporal lobe. Gamma-band activity was increased in both auditory and somatosensory cortex, irrespective of the pathology, and extended to the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and parahippocampus. Functional and effective connectivity were largely similar in pain and tinnitus, except for a parahippocampal-sensory loop that distinguished pain from tinnitus. In tinnitus, the effective connectivity between parahippocampus and auditory cortex is bidirectional, whereas the effective connectivity between parahippocampus and somatosensory cortex is unidirectional. In pain, the parahippocampal-somatosensory cortex is bidirectional, but parahippocampal auditory cortex unidirectional. These modality-specific loops exhibited theta-gamma nesting. Applying a Bayesian brain model of brain functioning, these findings suggest that the phenomenological difference between auditory and somatosensory phantom percepts result from a vicious circle of belief updating in the context of missing sensory information. This finding may further our understanding of multisensory integration and speaks to a universal treatment for pain and tinnitus-by selectively disrupting parahippocampal-somatosensory and parahippocampal-auditory theta-gamma activity and connectivity.

Age-related changes in network controllability are mitigated by redundancy in large-scale brain networks

The aging brain undergoes major changes in its topology. The mechanisms by which the brain mitigates age-associated changes in topology to maintain robust control of brain networks are unknown. Here we used diffusion MRI data from cognitively intact participants (n=480, ages 40-90) to study age-associated changes in the controllability of structural brain networks, features that could mitigate these changes, and the overall effect on cognitive function. We found age-associated declines in controllability in control hubs and large-scale networks, particularly within the and frontoparietal control and default mode networks. Redundancy, quantified via the assessment of multi-step paths within networks, mitigated the effects of changes in topology on network controllability. Lastly, network controllability, redundancy, and grey matter volume each played important complementary roles in cognitive function. In sum, our results highlight the importance of redundancy for robust control of brain networks and in cognitive function in healthy-aging.

Transcutaneous Electrical Cranial-Auricular Acupoint Stimulation Modulating the Brain Functional Connectivity of Mild-to-Moderate Major Depressive Disorder: An fMRI Study Based on Independent Component Analysis

Evidence has shown the roles of taVNS and TECS in improving depression but few studies have explored their synergistic effects on MDD. Therefore, the treatment responsivity and neurological effects of TECAS were investigated and compared to escitalopram, a commonly used medication for depression. Fifty patients with mild-to-moderate MDD (29 in the TECAS group and 21 in another) and 49 demographically matched healthy controls were recruited. After an eight-week treatment, the outcomes of TECAS and escitalopram were evaluated by the effective rate and reduction rate based on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Altered brain networks were analyzed between pre- and post-treatment using independent component analysis. There was no significant difference in clinical scales between TECAS and escitalopram but these were significantly decreased after each treatment. Both treatments modulated connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), right frontoparietal network (RFPN), and primary visual network (PVN), and the decreased PVN-RFPN connectivity might be the common brain mechanism. However, there was increased DMN-RFPN and DMN-DAN connectivity after TECAS, while it decreased in escitalopram. In conclusion, TECAS could relieve symptoms of depression similarly to escitalopram but induces different changes in brain networks.

Disrupted white matter microstructure correlates with impulsivity in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder

Altered white matter (WM) microstructure likely occurs in children with bipolar disorder (BD) with impulsivity representing one of the core features. However, altered WM microstructures and their age-related trendlines in children with BD and those at high-risk of developing BD, as well as correlations of WM microstructures with impulsivity, have been poorly investigated. In this study, diffusion MRI, cognitive, and impulsivity assessments were obtained from children/adolescents diagnosed with BD, offspring of individuals with BD (high-risk BD) and age-matched healthy controls. A novel atlas-based WM skeleton measurement approach was used to quantify WM microstructural integrity with all diffusion-tensor-imaging (DTI) metrics including fractional anisotropy, axial, mean and radial diffusivity to survey entire WM tracts and ameliorate partial volume effects. Among all DTI-derived metric measures, radial diffusivity quantifying WM myelination was found significantly higher primarily in corpus callosum and in the corona radiata in children with BD compared to controls. Distinguished from age-related progressively decreasing diffusivities and increasing fractional anisotropy in healthy controls, flattened age-related trendlines were found in BD group, and intermediate developmental rates were observed in high-risk group. Larger radial diffusivity in the corpus callosum and corona radiata significantly correlated with shorter response times to affective words that indicate higher impulsivity in the BD group, whereas no such correlation was found in the healthy control group. This work corroborates the progressive nature of pediatric BD and suggests that WM microstructural disruption involved in affective regulation and sensitive to impulsivity may serve as a biomarker of pediatric BD progression.

Relations Between Executive Functioning and Internalizing Symptoms Vary as a Function of Frontoparietal-amygdala Resting State Connectivity

The prefrontal cortex and the frontoparietal network are associated with a variety of regulatory behaviors. Functional connections between these brain regions and the amygdala are implicated in risk for anxiety disorders. The prefrontal cortex and frontoparietal network are also linked to executive functioning, or behaviors that help orient action towards higher order goals. Where much research has been focused on deleterious effects of under-controlled behavior, a body of work suggests that over-controlled behavior may also pose a risk for internalizing problems. Indeed, while work suggests that high levels of attention shifting may still be protective against internalizing problems, there is evidence that high levels of inhibitory control may be a risk factor for socioemotional difficulties. In the ABCD sample, which offers large sample sizes as well as sociodemographic diversity, we test the interaction between frontoparietal network-amygdala resting state functional connectivity and executive functioning behaviors on longitudinal changes in internalizing symptoms from approximately 10 to 12 years of age. We found that higher proficiency in attention shifting indeed predicts fewer internalizing behaviors over time. In addition, higher proficiency in inhibitory control predicts fewer internalizing symptoms over time, but only for children showing resting state connectivity moderately above the sample average between the frontoparietal network and amygdala. This finding supports the idea that top-down control may not be adaptive for all children, and relations between executive functioning and anxiety risk may vary as a function of trait-level regulation.

Early-onset Alzheimer's disease with depression as the first symptom: a case report with literature review

Background

Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease, and patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (onset age < 65 years) often have atypical symptoms, which are easily misdiagnosed and missed. Multimodality neuroimaging has become an important diagnostic and follow-up method for AD with its non-invasive and quantitative advantages.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 59-year-old female with a diagnosis of depression at the age of 50 after a 46-year-old onset and a 9-year follow-up observation, who developed cognitive dysfunction manifested by memory loss and disorientation at the age of 53, and eventually developed dementia. Combined with neuropsychological scales (MMSE and MOCA scores decreased year by year and finally reached the dementia criteria) and the application of multimodal imaging. MRI showed that the hippocampus atrophied year by year and the cerebral cortex was extensively atrophied. 18F-FDG PET image showed hypometabolism in right parietal lobes, bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral joint parieto-temporal areas, and bilateral posterior cingulate glucose metabolism. The 18F-AV45 PET image showed the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease was confirmed by the presence of Aβ deposits in the cerebral cortex.

Conclusion

Early-onset Alzheimer's disease, which starts with depression, often has atypical symptoms and is prone to misdiagnosis. The combination of neuropsychological scales and neuroimaging examinations are good screening tools that can better assist in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Graphical Abstract.

Altered brain networks and connections in chronic heart failure patients complicated with cognitive impairment

Objective

Accumulating evidence shows that cognitive impairment (CI) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients is related to brain network dysfunction. This study investigated brain network structure and rich-club organization in chronic heart failure patients with cognitive impairment based on graph analysis of diffusion tensor imaging data.

Methods

The brain structure networks of 30 CHF patients without CI and 30 CHF patients with CI were constructed. Using graph theory analysis and rich-club analysis, changes in global and local characteristics of the subjects' brain network and rich-club organization were quantitatively calculated, and the correlation with cognitive function was analyzed.

Results

Compared to the CHF patients in the group without CI group, the CHF patients in the group with CI group had lower global efficiency, local efficiency, clustering coefficient, the small-world attribute, and increased shortest path length. The CHF patients with CI group showed lower nodal degree centrality in the fusiform gyrus on the right (FFG.R) and nodal efficiency in the orbital superior frontal gyrus on the left (ORB sup. L), the orbital inferior frontal gyrus on the left (ORB inf. L), and the posterior cingulate gyrus on the right (PCG.R) compared with CHF patients without CI group. The CHF patients with CI group showed a smaller fiber number of edges in specific regions. In CHF patients with CI, global efficiency, local efficiency and the connected edge of the orbital superior frontal gyrus on the right (ORB sup. R) to the orbital middle frontal gyrus on the right (ORB mid. R) were positively correlated with Visuospatial/Executive function. The connected edge of the orbital superior frontal gyrus on the right to the orbital inferior frontal gyrus on the right (ORB inf. R) is positively correlated to attention/calculation. Compared with the CHF patients without CI group, the connection strength of feeder connection and local connection in CHF patients with CI group was significantly reduced, although the strength of rich-club connection in CHF patients complicated with CI group was decreased compared with the control, there was no statistical difference. In addition, the rich-club connection strength was related to the orientation (direction force) of the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale, and the feeder and local connection strength was related to Visuospatial/Executive function of MoCA scale in the CHF patients with CI.

Conclusion

Chronic heart failure patients with CI exhibited lower global and local brain network properties, reduced white matter fiber connectivity, as well as a decreased strength in local and feeder connections in key brain regions. The disrupted brain network characteristics and connectivity was associated with cognitive impairment in CHF patients. Our findings suggest that impaired brain network properties and decreased connectivity, a feature of progressive disruption of brain networks, predict the development of cognitive impairment in patients with chronic heart failure.

Linking Individual Differences in Personalized Functional Network Topography to Psychopathology in Youth

BACKGROUND

The spatial layout of large-scale functional brain networks differs between individuals and is particularly variable in the association cortex, implicated in a broad range of psychiatric disorders. However, it remains unknown whether this variation in functional topography is related to major dimensions of psychopathology in youth.

METHODS

The authors studied 790 youths ages 8 to 23 years who had 27 minutes of high-quality functional magnetic resonance imaging data as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. Four correlated dimensions were estimated using a confirmatory correlated traits factor analysis on 112 item-level clinical symptoms, and one overall psychopathology factor with 4 orthogonal dimensions were extracted using a confirmatory factor analysis. Spatially regularized nonnegative matrix factorization was used to identify 17 individual-specific functional networks for each participant. Partial least square regression with split-half cross-validation was conducted to evaluate to what extent the topography of personalized functional networks encodes major dimensions of psychopathology.

RESULTS

Personalized functional network topography significantly predicted unseen individuals' major dimensions of psychopathology, including fear, psychosis, externalizing, and anxious-misery. Reduced representation of association networks was among the most important features for the prediction of all 4 dimensions. Further analysis revealed that personalized functional network topography predicted overall psychopathology (r = 0.16, permutation testing p < .001), which drove prediction of the 4 correlated dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that individual differences in functional network topography in association networks is related to overall psychopathology in youth. Such results underscore the importance of considering functional neuroanatomy for personalized diagnostics and therapeutics in psychiatry.