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Bonnaire J, Dumas G, Cassell J. Bringing together multimodal and multilevel approaches to study the emergence of social bonds between children and improve social AI. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2024; 5:1290256. [PMID: 38827377 PMCID: PMC11140154 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2024.1290256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
This protocol paper outlines an innovative multimodal and multilevel approach to studying the emergence and evolution of how children build social bonds with their peers, and its potential application to improving social artificial intelligence (AI). We detail a unique hyperscanning experimental framework utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to observe inter-brain synchrony in child dyads during collaborative tasks and social interactions. Our proposed longitudinal study spans middle childhood, aiming to capture the dynamic development of social connections and cognitive engagement in naturalistic settings. To do so we bring together four kinds of data: the multimodal conversational behaviors that dyads of children engage in, evidence of their state of interpersonal rapport, collaborative performance on educational tasks, and inter-brain synchrony. Preliminary pilot data provide foundational support for our approach, indicating promising directions for identifying neural patterns associated with productive social interactions. The planned research will explore the neural correlates of social bond formation, informing the creation of a virtual peer learning partner in the field of Social Neuroergonomics. This protocol promises significant contributions to understanding the neural basis of social connectivity in children, while also offering a blueprint for designing empathetic and effective social AI tools, particularly for educational contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Mila–Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Justine Cassell
- Inria Paris Centre, Paris, France
- School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Thye M, Hoffman P, Mirman D. The neural basis of naturalistic semantic and social cognition. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6796. [PMID: 38514738 PMCID: PMC10957894 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56897-3] [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: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Decoding social environments and engaging meaningfully with other people are critical aspects of human cognition. Multiple cognitive systems, including social and semantic cognition, work alongside each other to support these processes. This study investigated shared processing between social and semantic systems using neuroimaging data collected during movie-viewing, which captures the multimodal environment in which social knowledge is exchanged. Semantic and social content from movie events (event-level) and movie transcripts (word-level) were used in parametric modulation analyses to test (1) the degree to which semantic and social information is processed within each respective network and (2) engagement of the same cross-network regions or the same domain-general hub located within the semantic network during semantic and social processing. Semantic word and event-level content engaged the same fronto-temporo-parietal network and a portion of the semantic hub in the anterior temporal lobe (ATL). Social word and event-level content engaged the supplementary motor area and right angular gyrus within the social network, but only social words engaged the domain-general semantic hub in left ATL. There was evidence of shared processing between the social and semantic systems in the dorsolateral portion of right ATL which was engaged by word and event-level semantic and social content. Overlap between the semantic and social word and event results was highly variable within and across participants, with the most consistent loci of overlap occurring in left inferior frontal, bilateral precentral and supramarginal gyri for social and semantic words and in bilateral superior temporal gyrus extending from ATL posteriorly into supramarginal gyri for social and semantic events. These results indicate a complex pattern of shared and distinct regions for social and semantic cognition during naturalistic processing. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on October 11, 2022. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ACWQY .
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Thye
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
| | - Paul Hoffman
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Daniel Mirman
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
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Papoutselou E, Harrison S, Mai G, Buck B, Patil N, Wiggins I, Hartley D. Investigating mother-child inter-brain synchrony in a naturalistic paradigm: A functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning study. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:1386-1403. [PMID: 38155106 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16233] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Successful social interactions between mothers and children are hypothesised to play a significant role in a child's social, cognitive and language development. Earlier research has confirmed, through structured experimental paradigms, that these interactions could be underpinned by coordinated neural activity. Nevertheless, the extent of neural synchrony during real-life, ecologically valid interactions between mothers and their children remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated mother-child inter-brain synchrony using a naturalistic free-play paradigm. We also examined the relationship between neural synchrony, verbal communication patterns and personality traits to further understand the underpinnings of brain synchrony. Twelve children aged between 3 and 5 years old and their mothers participated in this study. Neural synchrony in mother-child dyads were measured bilaterally over frontal and temporal areas using functional Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (fNIRS) whilst the dyads were asked to play with child-friendly toys together (interactive condition) and separately (independent condition). Communication patterns were captured via video recordings and conversational turns were coded. Compared to the independent condition, mother-child dyads showed increased neural synchrony in the interactive condition across the prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction. There was no significant relationship found between neural synchrony and turn-taking and between neural synchrony and the personality traits of each member of the dyad. Overall, we demonstrate the feasibility of measuring inter-brain synchrony between mothers and children in a naturalistic environment. These findings can inform future study designs to assess inter-brain synchrony between parents and pre-lingual children and/or children with communication needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efstratia Papoutselou
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
| | - Samantha Harrison
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
| | - Guangting Mai
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
| | - Bryony Buck
- Hearing Sciences - Scottish Section, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Nikita Patil
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ian Wiggins
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
| | - Douglas Hartley
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
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Wang X, Liu Q, Merrin GJ, Keller A, Yoon D, Henderson A. Harsh parenting among veterans: parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, and pre-military trauma. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1283801. [PMID: 38169711 PMCID: PMC10758459 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1283801] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Veteran parents experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may resort to harsh parenting. The indirect pathway from parental military-related PTSD to harsh parenting, and the moderating role of parents' pre-military trauma histories, has been less explored. Informed by mentalization theory, as well as trauma-sensitive and posttraumatic growth perspectives, we aim to explore the associations between veteran parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, harsh parenting, and prior trauma before military service. Methods Data were collected from an online research panel of 509 veteran parents with children under 10. We employed Structural Equation Models to test indirect and moderating effects. Results We identified an indirect effect of parental pre-mentalization from military PTSD to harsh parenting [corporal punishment: b = 0.35, p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.23, 0.46); psychological aggression: b = 0.14, p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.09, 0.19)]. Multi-group analysis on four parent groups (parents with only pre-military physical trauma, parents with only pre-military psychological trauma, parents with both pre-military physical and psychological trauma, and parents with no pre-military physical or psychological trauma) highlighted differences in these associations, particularly between parents with only pre-military physical trauma and those without any physical and psychological trauma. The military-related PTSD effects on psychological aggression, corporal punishment, and pre-mentalization were all significantly higher for parents without pre-military physical and psychological trauma. Conclusion Modifying parents' interpretation of their child's mental states can potentially counteract the effects of veterans' military PTSD on harsh parenting. Family-based programs should be created considering veteran parents' pre-military trauma histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiafei Wang
- School of Social Work, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Qingyang Liu
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Gabriel J. Merrin
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Amanda Keller
- Department of Social Work, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dalhee Yoon
- Department of Social Work, Binghamton University-State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Ava Henderson
- School of Social Work, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
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Haihambo N, Ma Q, Baetens K, Bylemans T, Heleven E, Baeken C, Deroost N, Van Overwalle F. Two is company: The posterior cerebellum and sequencing for pairs versus individuals during social preference prediction. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:1482-1499. [PMID: 37821755 PMCID: PMC10684703 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01127-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have identified that the posterior cerebellum, which plays a role in processing temporal sequences in social events, is consistently and robustly activated when we predict future action sequences based on personality traits (Haihambo Haihambo et al. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 17(2), 241-251, 2022) and intentions (Haihambo et al. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience 23(2), 323-339, 2023). In the current study, we investigated whether these cerebellar areas are selectively activated when we predict the sequences of (inter)actions based on protagonists' preferences. For the first time, we also compared predictions based on person-to-person interactions or single person activities. Participants were instructed to predict actions of one single or two interactive protagonists by selecting them and putting them in the correct chronological order after being informed about one of the protagonists' preferences. These conditions were contrasted against nonsocial (involving objects) and nonsequencing (prediction without generating a sequence) control conditions. Results showed that the posterior cerebellar Crus 1, Crus 2, and lobule IX, alongside the temporoparietal junction and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex were more robustly activated when predicting sequences of behavior of two interactive protagonists, compared to one single protagonist and nonsocial objects. Sequence predictions based on one single protagonist recruited lobule IX activation in the cerebellum and more ventral areas of the medial prefrontal cortex compared to a nonsocial object. These cerebellar activations were not found when making predictions without sequences. Together, these findings suggest that cerebellar mentalizing areas are involved in social mentalizing processes which require temporal sequencing, especially when they involve social interactions, rather than behaviors of single persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naem Haihambo
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Qianying Ma
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kris Baetens
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tom Bylemans
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elien Heleven
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Chris Baeken
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital UZBrussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Natacha Deroost
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Van Overwalle
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
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Pedone R, Semerari A. Preliminary Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Metacognition Brief Rating Scale: An Informant form of the Metacognition Self-Assessment Scale. CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2023; 20:511-522. [PMID: 38344460 PMCID: PMC10852410 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20230606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Objective Metacognition has been conceptualized as the ability to reflect on self and others' mental states and representations, including affects, beliefs, and intentions. The Metacognition Self-Assessment Scale (MSAS) was developed to assess various aspects of metacognition, aiming to leverage its potential applications in fields like clinical psychology and psychotherapy. However, a concern associated with MSAS is whether individuals can accurately self-report difficulties in identifying and describing mental states, both their own and others', when they lack these abilities. In response to this challenge, we aimed to develop and validate an alternative reporting tool, the Metacognition Brief Rating Scale (MBRS), which serves as an informant form of MSAS. Method The MBRS was administered to 384 individuals randomly recruited from the general population. We employed a methodological strategy based on three successive steps. In the preliminary step, items from the MSAS were rewritten into a third-person version by the authors. In the second step, we examined whether the four-factor structure was congruent between the informant-report (MBRS) and the self-report (MSAS) using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. In the last step, we examined and compared the psychometric properties of the MBRS and MSAS items, including item characteristics and internal reliability analyses. Results The psychometric properties (items and scales) of both versions were found to be adequate, and the four-factor structure of the MBRS was supported. The correlation between the two versions was statistically significant, and the factor structures were similar. Conclusions The results support the psychometric properties of the MBRS. However, further research is needed, especially in larger non-clinical and clinical samples, to replicate and extend these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Pedone
- Deparment of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Italy
- Center of Cognitive Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology, Caserta, Italy
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Guézouli L, Roy V, Bodoux C, Baumard J. A fist bump in a political meeting? The influence of social context on affordance selection. Brain Cogn 2023; 173:106100. [PMID: 37988859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Historically, understanding human cognition such as action processing has been a challenging issue in cognitive neuropsychology and the more we know about cognition, the more we shape it as a complex, multi-determined phenomenon that is embedded in a social context. The present study aimed at understanding how the social context could influence affordance selection. We hypothesized that affordance selection would be modulated by social context and that a given hand configuration would be considered appropriate or not, as a function of the presence or absence of social context. Twenty-six healthy participants were asked to judge the appropriateness of three variants of 10 hand-object interactions based on photographs presented with or without a visual, social context. In our results, hand configurations were intrinsically acceptable or not, but this effect was modulated by the social context. A three-step model of the influence of social context on affordance selection was proposed, according to which selection depends on social norms, in the form of social knowledge and social context analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léna Guézouli
- Univ Rouen Normandie, CRFDP UR 7475, F-76000 Rouen, France.
| | - Vincent Roy
- Univ Rouen Normandie, CRFDP UR 7475, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Camille Bodoux
- Univ Rouen Normandie, CRFDP UR 7475, F-76000 Rouen, France
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Mısır E, Alıcı YH, Kocak OM. Functional connectivity in rumination: a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2023; 45:928-955. [PMID: 38346167 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2024.2315312] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rumination, defined as intrusive and repetitive thoughts in response to negative emotions, uncertainty, and inconsistency between goal and current situation, is a significant risk factor for depressive disorders. The rumination literature presents diverse findings on functional connectivity and shows heterogeneity in research methods. This systematic review seeks to integrate these findings and provide readers diverse perspectives. METHOD For this purpose, the literature on functional connectivity in rumination was reviewed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Regional connectivity and network connectivity results were scrutinized according to the presence of depression, research methods, and type of rumination. After screening 492 articles, a total of 36 studies were included. RESULTS The results showed that increased connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) was consistently reported. Other important findings include alterations in the connectivity between the DMN and the frontoparietal network and the salience network (SN) and impaired regulatory function of the SN. Region-level connectivity studies consistently show that increased connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and the prefrontal cortex is associated with rumination, which may cause the loss of control of the frontoparietal network over self-referential processes. We have seen that the number of studies examining brooding and reflective rumination as separate dimensions are relatively limited. Although there are overlaps between the connectivity patterns of the two types of rumination in these studies, it can be thought that reflective rumination is more associated with more increased functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS Although there are many consistent functional connectivity outcomes associated with trait rumination, less is known about connectivity changes during state rumination. Relatively few studies have taken into account the subjective aspect of this thinking style. In order to better explain the relationship between rumination and depression, rumination induction studies during episode and remission periods of depression are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Mısır
- Department of Psychiatry, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Hoşgören Alıcı
- Department of Psychiatry, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Orhan Murat Kocak
- Department of Psychiatry, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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Guo EY, Leblanc É, Dégeilh F, Beauchamp MH, Bernier A. Prospective associations between maternal mind-mindedness, child theory of mind, and brain morphology in school-aged children. Soc Neurosci 2023; 18:218-231. [PMID: 37691563 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2023.2257882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Mentalizing is defined as the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. In the context of parental behavior, parents' tendency to comment on their child's mental activities refers to the concept of mind-mindedness (MM). MM has been positively associated with various developmental outcomes in children, notably their own ability to mentalize, known as theory of mind (ToM). Although parental (MM) and child (ToM) mentalizing have important implications during childhood, their associations with children's neural structures are largely unknown. Among 62 mother-child dyads, maternal MM was rated from free-play sequences when children were aged 1 year, child ToM was assessed using a first-order false-belief task at 4 years of age, and structural MRI images were acquired at 10 years of age. Maternal MM was positively associated with gray matter volumes (GMV) in the dorsal prefrontal cortex and the superior temporal pole. Child ToM abilities were positively associated with GMV in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Though cortical regions associated with MM and ToM showed no anatomical overlap, many are functionally connected through a neural network highly involved in self-referential strategies for mentalizing. These findings suggest that MM and ToM may contribute to distinct sub-processes that collectively support social cognition development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie YuTong Guo
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Élizabel Leblanc
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Fanny Dégeilh
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Canada
- CNRS Inria, Inserm, IRISA, Univ Rennes Rennes France
| | - Miriam H Beauchamp
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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Thye M, Hoffman P, Mirman D. The words that little by little revealed everything: Neural response to lexical-semantic content during narrative comprehension. Neuroimage 2023; 276:120204. [PMID: 37257674 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The ease with which narratives are understood belies the complexity of the information being conveyed and the cognitive processes that support comprehension. The meanings of the words must be rapidly accessed and integrated with the reader's mental representation of the overarching, unfolding scenario. A broad, bilateral brain network is engaged by this process, but it is not clear how words that vary on specific semantic dimensions, such as ambiguity, emotion, or socialness, engage the semantic, semantic control, or social cognition systems. In the present study, data from 48 participants who listened to The Little Prince audiobook during MRI scanning were selected from the Le Petit Prince dataset. The lexical and semantic content within the narrative was quantified from the transcript words with factor scores capturing Word Length, Semantic Flexibility, Emotional Strength, and Social Impact. These scores, along with word quantity variables, were used to investigate where these predictors co-vary with activation across the brain. In contrast to studies of isolated word processing, large networks were found to co-vary with the lexical and semantic content within the narrative. An increase in semantic content engaged the ventral portion of ventrolateral ATL, consistent with its role as a semantic hub. Decreased semantic content engaged temporal pole and inferior parietal lobule, which may reflect semantic integration. The semantic control network was engaged by words with low Semantic Flexibility, perhaps due to the demand required to process infrequent, less semantically diverse language. Activation in ATL co-varied with an increase in Social Impact, which is consistent with the claim that social knowledge is housed within the neural architecture of the semantic system. These results suggest that current models of language processing may present an impoverished estimate of the neural systems that coordinate to support narrative comprehension, and, by extension, real-world language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Thye
- School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Paul Hoffman
- School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Mirman
- School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom
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Jongenelen I, Pinto TM, Costa R, Pasion R, Morais A, Henriques S, Lamela D. The influence of maternal reflective functioning and parenting behavior on infant development in the context of perinatal intimate partner violence: a study protocol. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:166. [PMID: 37208710 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01191-6] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects 25% of children under the age of five worldwide, yet the impact of perinatal IPV and its underlying mechanisms on infant development remains poorly understood. IPV indirectly affects infant development through the mother's parenting behavior, but research on maternal neuro and cognitive processes, such as parental reflective functioning (PRF), is scarce, despite its potential as an unfolding mechanism. The objective of our study, Peri_IPV, is to examine the direct and indirect pathways linking perinatal IPV and infant development. We will analyze the direct impact of perinatal IPV on mothers' neuro and cognitive parental reflective functioning (PRF) and parenting behavior during the postpartum period, the direct impact of perinatal IPV on infant development, and whether maternal PRF mediates the link between perinatal IPV and parenting behavior. We will also explore the mediation role of parenting behavior in the association between perinatal IPV and infant development and whether the impact of perinatal IPV on infant development occurs through the links between maternal PRF and parenting behavior. Finally, we will examine the moderation role of mother's adult attachment in the impact of perinatal IPV on maternal neuro and cognitive PRF and parenting behavior during the postpartum period, as well as on infant development. METHODS Our study will use a multi-method, prospective design to capture different levels of PRF, parenting behavior, and infant development. Three-hundred and forty pregnant women will participate in a 4-wave longitudinal study from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 12 months postpartum. In the 3rd trimester and 2 months postpartum, women will report on their sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics. In all assessment waves, mothers will complete self-reported measures of IPV, cognitive PRF, and adult attachment. At 2 months postpartum, women's neuro PRF will be monitored, and at 5 months postpartum, their parenting behavior will be assessed. The infant-mother attachment will be assessed at 12 months postpartum. DISCUSSION Our study's innovative focus on maternal neuro and cognitive processes and their impact on infant development will inform evidence-based early intervention and clinical practices for vulnerable infants exposed to IPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Jongenelen
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Tiago Miguel Pinto
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Costa
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Pasion
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Morais
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Henriques
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo Lamela
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
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Qin X, Huang H, Liu Y, Zheng F, Zhou Y, Wang H. Increased Functional Connectivity Involving the Parahippocampal Gyrus in Patients with Schizophrenia during Theory of Mind Processing: A Psychophysiological Interaction Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040692. [PMID: 37190657 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040692] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Theory of Mind (ToM) is an ability to infer the mental state of others, which plays an important role during social events. Previous studies have shown that ToM deficits exist frequently in schizophrenia, which may result from abnormal activity in brain regions related to sociality. However, the interactions between brain regions during ToM processing in schizophrenia are still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated functional connectivity during ToM processing in patients with schizophrenia, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). METHODS A total of 36 patients with schizophrenia and 33 healthy controls were recruited to complete a ToM task from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) during fMRI scanning. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis was applied to explore functional connectivity. RESULTS Patients with schizophrenia were less accurate than healthy controls in judging social stimuli from non-social stimuli (Z = 2.31, p = 0.021), and displayed increased activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and increased functional connectivity between the bilateral middle temporal gyrus and the ipsilateral parahippocampal gyrus during ToM processing (AlphaSim corrected p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Here, we showed that the brain regions related to sociality interact more with the parahippocampal gyrus in patients with schizophrenia during ToM processing, which may reflect a possible compensatory pathway of ToM deficits in schizophrenia. Our study provides a new idea for ToM deficits in schizophrenia, which could be helpful to better understand social cognition of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucong Qin
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Huan Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Fanfan Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huiling Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan 430060, China
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Friedrich EVC, Zillekens IC, Biel AL, O'Leary D, Singer J, Seegenschmiedt EV, Sauseng P, Schilbach L. Spatio-temporal dynamics of oscillatory brain activity during the observation of actions and interactions between point-light agents. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:657-679. [PMID: 36539944 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15903] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Predicting actions from non-verbal cues and using them to optimise one's response behaviour (i.e. interpersonal predictive coding) is essential in everyday social interactions. We aimed to investigate the neural correlates of different cognitive processes evolving over time during interpersonal predictive coding. Thirty-nine participants watched two agents depicted by moving point-light stimuli while an electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. One well-recognizable agent performed either a 'communicative' or an 'individual' action. The second agent either was blended into a cluster of noise dots (i.e. present) or was entirely replaced by noise dots (i.e. absent), which participants had to differentiate. EEG amplitude and coherence analyses for theta, alpha and beta frequency bands revealed a dynamic pattern unfolding over time: Watching communicative actions was associated with enhanced coupling within medial anterior regions involved in social and mentalising processes and with dorsolateral prefrontal activation indicating a higher deployment of cognitive resources. Trying to detect the agent in the cluster of noise dots without having seen communicative cues was related to enhanced coupling in posterior regions for social perception and visual processing. Observing an expected outcome was modulated by motor system activation. Finally, when the agent was detected correctly, activation in posterior areas for visual processing of socially relevant features was increased. Taken together, our results demonstrate that it is crucial to consider the temporal dynamics of social interactions and of their neural correlates to better understand interpersonal predictive coding. This could lead to optimised treatment approaches for individuals with problems in social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth V C Friedrich
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Imme C Zillekens
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Lena Biel
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Research Unit Experimental Psychology, Münster University, Münster, Germany
| | - Dariusz O'Leary
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Singer
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Victoria Seegenschmiedt
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Sauseng
- Department of Psychology, Research Unit Biological Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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