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Chen B, Xu X, Wang Y, Yang Z, Liu C, Zhang T. VPA-induced autism impairs memory ability through disturbing neural oscillatory patterns in offspring rats. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:1563-1574. [PMID: 39104704 PMCID: PMC11297858 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-09996-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a general neurodevelopmental disease characterized by unusual social communication and rigid, repetitive behavior patterns. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ASD on the alteration of neural oscillatory patterns and synaptic plasticity, which commonly supported a wide range of basic and higher memory activities. Accordingly, a prenatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure rat model was established for studying autism. The behavioral experiments showed that the social orientation declined and the memory ability was significantly impaired in VPA rats, which was closely associated with the synaptic plasticity deficits. Neural oscillation is the rhythmic neuron-activity, and the pathological characteristics and neurological changes in autism may be peeped at the neural oscillatory analysis. Interestingly, neural oscillatory analysis showed that prenatal VPA exposure reduced the low-frequency power but increased high-frequency gamma (HG) power in the hippocampus CA1 area. Meanwhile, the coherence and synchronization between CA3 and CA1 were abnormally increased in the VPA group, especially in theta and HG rhythms. Furthermore, the cross-frequency coupling strength of theta-LG in the CA1 and CA3 → CA1 pathway was significantly attenuated, but the theta-HG coupling strength was increased. Additionally, prenatal VPA exposure inhibited the expression of SYP and NR2B but enhanced the expression of PSD-95 along with decreased synaptic plasticity. The neural oscillatory patterns in VPA-induced offspring were disturbed with the intensity and direction of neural information flow disordered, which are consistent with the changes in synaptic plasticity, suggesting that the decline in synaptic plasticity is the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinxin Xu
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Wang
- School of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- School of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- School of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
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Taylor C, Breault MS, Dorman D, Greene P, Sacré P, Sampson A, Niebur E, Stuphorn V, González-Martínez J, Sarma S. An Exploratory Study of Large-Scale Brain Networks during Gambling Using SEEG. Brain Sci 2024; 14:773. [PMID: 39199467 PMCID: PMC11352602 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080773] [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: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Decision-making is a cognitive process involving working memory, executive function, and attention. However, the connectivity of large-scale brain networks during decision-making is not well understood. This is because gaining access to large-scale brain networks in humans is still a novel process. Here, we used SEEG (stereoelectroencephalography) to record neural activity from the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), and frontoparietal network (FN) in ten humans while they performed a gambling task in the form of the card game, "War". By observing these networks during a decision-making period, we related the activity of and connectivity between these networks. In particular, we found that gamma band activity was directly related to a participant's ability to bet logically, deciding what betting amount would result in the highest monetary gain or lowest monetary loss throughout a session of the game. We also found connectivity between the DAN and the relation to a participant's performance. Specifically, participants with higher connectivity between and within these networks had higher earnings. Our preliminary findings suggest that connectivity and activity between these networks are essential during decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Taylor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (C.T.); (D.D.); (P.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Macauley Smith Breault
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel Dorman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (C.T.); (D.D.); (P.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Patrick Greene
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (C.T.); (D.D.); (P.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Pierre Sacré
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
| | - Aaron Sampson
- Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (A.S.); (E.N.); (V.S.)
| | - Ernst Niebur
- Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (A.S.); (E.N.); (V.S.)
| | - Veit Stuphorn
- Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (A.S.); (E.N.); (V.S.)
| | | | - Sridevi Sarma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (C.T.); (D.D.); (P.G.); (S.S.)
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Zhozhikashvili N, Protopova M, Shkurenko T, Arsalidou M, Zakharov I, Kotchoubey B, Malykh S, Pavlov YG. Working memory processes and intrinsic motivation: An EEG study. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 201:112355. [PMID: 38718899 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Processes typically encompassed by working memory (WM) include encoding, retention, and retrieval of information. Previous research has demonstrated that motivation can influence WM performance, although the specific WM processes affected by motivation are not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of motivation on different WM processes, examining how task difficulty modulates these effects. We hypothesized that motivation level and personality traits of the participants (N = 48, 32 females; mean age = 21) would modulate the parietal alpha and frontal theta electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of WM encoding, retention, and retrieval phases of the Sternberg task. This effect was expected to be more pronounced under conditions of very high task difficulty. We found that increasing difficulty led to reduced accuracy and increased response time, but no significant relationship was found between motivation and accuracy. However, EEG data revealed that motivation influenced WM processes, as indicated by changes in alpha and theta oscillations. Specifically, higher levels of the Resilience trait-associated with mental toughness, hardiness, self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and low anxiety-were related to increased alpha desynchronization during encoding and retrieval. Increased scores of Subjective Motivation to perform well in the task were related to enhanced frontal midline theta during retention. Additionally, these effects were significantly stronger under conditions of high difficulty. These findings provide insights into the specific WM processes that are influenced by motivation, and underscore the importance of considering both task difficulty and intrinsic motivation in WM research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Zhozhikashvili
- Faculty of Social Sciences, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Maria Protopova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Ilya Zakharov
- Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Boris Kotchoubey
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sergey Malykh
- Developmental Behavioral Genetics Lab, Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuri G Pavlov
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Mark JA, Curtin A, Kraft AE, Ziegler MD, Ayaz H. Mental workload assessment by monitoring brain, heart, and eye with six biomedical modalities during six cognitive tasks. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2024; 5:1345507. [PMID: 38533517 PMCID: PMC10963413 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2024.1345507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The efficiency and safety of complex high precision human-machine systems such as in aerospace and robotic surgery are closely related to the cognitive readiness, ability to manage workload, and situational awareness of their operators. Accurate assessment of mental workload could help in preventing operator error and allow for pertinent intervention by predicting performance declines that can arise from either work overload or under stimulation. Neuroergonomic approaches based on measures of human body and brain activity collectively can provide sensitive and reliable assessment of human mental workload in complex training and work environments. Methods In this study, we developed a new six-cognitive-domain task protocol, coupling it with six biomedical monitoring modalities to concurrently capture performance and cognitive workload correlates across a longitudinal multi-day investigation. Utilizing two distinct modalities for each aspect of cardiac activity (ECG and PPG), ocular activity (EOG and eye-tracking), and brain activity (EEG and fNIRS), 23 participants engaged in four sessions over 4 weeks, performing tasks associated with working memory, vigilance, risk assessment, shifting attention, situation awareness, and inhibitory control. Results The results revealed varying levels of sensitivity to workload within each modality. While certain measures exhibited consistency across tasks, neuroimaging modalities, in particular, unveiled meaningful differences between task conditions and cognitive domains. Discussion This is the first comprehensive comparison of these six brain-body measures across multiple days and cognitive domains. The findings underscore the potential of wearable brain and body sensing methods for evaluating mental workload. Such comprehensive neuroergonomic assessment can inform development of next generation neuroadaptive interfaces and training approaches for more efficient human-machine interaction and operator skill acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A. Mark
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Adrian Curtin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amanda E. Kraft
- Advanced Technology Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Arlington, VA, United States
| | - Matthias D. Ziegler
- Advanced Technology Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Arlington, VA, United States
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Drexel Solutions Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- A. J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Mazzi C, Mele S, Bagattini C, Sanchez-Lopez J, Savazzi S. Coherent activity within and between hemispheres: cortico-cortical connectivity revealed by rTMS of the right posterior parietal cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1362742. [PMID: 38516308 PMCID: PMC10954802 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1362742] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Low frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS) applied over right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) has been shown to reduce cortical excitability both of the stimulated area and of the interconnected contralateral homologous areas. In the present study, we investigated the whole pattern of intra- and inter-hemispheric cortico-cortical connectivity changes induced by rTMS over rPPC. Methods To do so, 14 healthy participants underwent resting state EEG recording before and after 30 min of rTMS at 1 Hz or sham stimulation over the rPPC (electrode position P6). Real stimulation was applied at 90% of motor threshold. Coherence values were computed on the electrodes nearby the stimulated site (i.e., P4, P8, and CP6) considering all possible inter- and intra-hemispheric combinations for the following frequency bands: delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), low beta (12-20 Hz), high beta (20-30 Hz), and gamma (30-50 Hz). Results and discussion Results revealed a significant increase in coherence in delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands between rPPC and the contralateral homologous sites. Moreover, an increase in coherence in theta, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands was found between rPPC and right frontal sites, reflecting the activation of the fronto-parietal network within the right hemisphere. Summarizing, subthreshold rTMS over rPPC revealed cortico-cortical inter- and intra-hemispheric connectivity as measured by the increase in coherence among these areas. Moreover, the present results further confirm previous evidence indicating that the increase of coherence values is related to intra- and inter-hemispheric inhibitory effects of rTMS. These results can have implications for devising evidence-based rehabilitation protocols after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sonia Mele
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Bagattini
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Javier Sanchez-Lopez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Silvia Savazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Wang L, Sheng J, Duan S, Lin S, Li Y, Li Z, Li S, Sataer Y, Chen J. How Society Anxiety Influences Attention Control in College Students: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Cognitive Flexibility and Resting-state Electroencephalography Activity. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:327-339. [PMID: 38060259 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Social anxiety is a prevalent issue among college students, adversely affecting their overall well-being. Drawing from the cognitive model of social anxiety and attention control theory, heightened levels of social anxiety may correspond to poorer attention control ability. However, little is known about the underlying cognitive mechanisms of the relationship between social anxiety and attention control. To address this research gap, the current study recruited a sample of 156 college students (56 women) who underwent self-report measures of social anxiety, cognitive flexibility, and attention control, followed by a resting-state EEG recording. The results revealed a significant negative predictive effect of social anxiety on attention control, with cognitive flexibility partially mediating this relationship. Furthermore, resting-state theta power emerged as a significant moderator, accentuating the negative impact of social anxiety on cognitive flexibility among individuals with lower theta power. In addition, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) demonstrated a moderating effect, with lower FAA intensifying the predictive influence of cognitive flexibility on attention control. Taken together, these results suggested that social anxiety can predict attention control either directly or indirectly via the mediating role of cognitive flexibility, and lower theta power and FAA has a risk amplification effect, which provide novel insights into the treatment and prevention of social anxiety and its negative impact on college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- South China Normal University
| | | | | | | | | | - Zhe Li
- South China Normal University
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Xu M, Qian L, Wang S, Cai H, Sun Y, Thakor N, Qi X, Sun Y. Brain network analysis reveals convergent and divergent aberrations between mild stroke patients with cortical and subcortical infarcts during cognitive task performing. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1193292. [PMID: 37484690 PMCID: PMC10358837 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1193292] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Although consistent evidence has revealed that cognitive impairment is a common sequela in patients with mild stroke, few studies have focused on it, nor the impact of lesion location on cognitive function. Evidence on the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of mild stroke and lesion location on cognitive function is limited. This prompted us to conduct a comprehensive and quantitative study of functional brain network properties in mild stroke patients with different lesion locations. Specifically, an empirical approach was introduced in the present work to explore the impact of mild stroke-induced cognitive alterations on functional brain network reorganization during cognitive tasks (i.e., visual and auditory oddball). Electroencephalogram functional connectivity was estimated from three groups (i.e., 40 patients with cortical infarctions, 48 patients with subcortical infarctions, and 50 healthy controls). Using graph theoretical analysis, we quantitatively investigated the topological reorganization of functional brain networks at both global and nodal levels. Results showed that both patient groups had significantly worse behavioral performance on both tasks, with significantly longer reaction times and reduced response accuracy. Furthermore, decreased global and local efficiency were found in both patient groups, indicating a mild stroke-related disruption in information processing efficiency that is independent of lesion location. Regarding the nodal level, both divergent and convergent node strength distribution patterns were revealed between both patient groups, implying that mild stroke with different lesion locations would lead to complex regional alterations during visual and auditory information processing, while certain robust cognitive processes were independent of lesion location. These findings provide some of the first quantitative insights into the complex neural mechanisms of mild stroke-induced cognitive impairment and extend our understanding of underlying alterations in cognition-related brain networks induced by different lesion locations, which may help to promote post-stroke management and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengru Xu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linze Qian
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sujie Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huaying Cai
- Department of Neurology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Neurology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nitish Thakor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xuchen Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Neurology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Caravaglios G, Muscoso EG, Blandino V, Di Maria G, Gangitano M, Graziano F, Guajana F, Piccoli T. EEG Resting-State Functional Networks in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Clin EEG Neurosci 2023; 54:36-50. [PMID: 35758261 DOI: 10.1177/15500594221110036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background. Alzheimer's cognitive-behavioral syndrome is the result of impaired connectivity between nerve cells, due to misfolded proteins, which accumulate and disrupt specific brain networks. Electroencephalography, because of its excellent temporal resolution, is an optimal approach for assessing the communication between functionally related brain regions. Objective. To detect and compare EEG resting-state networks (RSNs) in patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and healthy elderly (HE). Methods. We recruited 125 aMCI patients and 70 healthy elderly subjects. One hundred and twenty seconds of artifact-free EEG data were selected and compared between patients with aMCI and HE. We applied standard low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA)-independent component analysis (ICA) to assess resting-state networks. Each network consisted of a set of images, one for each frequency (delta, theta, alpha1/2, beta1/2). Results. The functional ICA analysis revealed 17 networks common to groups. The statistical procedure demonstrated that aMCI used some networks differently than HE. The most relevant findings were as follows. Amnesic-MCI had: i) increased delta/beta activity in the superior frontal gyrus and decreased alpha1 activity in the paracentral lobule (ie, default mode network); ii) greater delta/theta/alpha/beta in the superior frontal gyrus (i.e, attention network); iii) lower alpha in the left superior parietal lobe, as well as a lower delta/theta and beta, respectively in post-central, and in superior frontal gyrus(ie, attention network). Conclusions. Our study confirms sLORETA-ICA method is effective in detecting functional resting-state networks, as well as between-groups connectivity differences. The findings provide support to the Alzheimer's network disconnection hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Caravaglios
- U.O.C. Neurologia, A.O. Cannizzaro per l'emergenza, Catania, Italy
| | - E G Muscoso
- U.O.C. Neurologia, A.O. Cannizzaro per l'emergenza, Catania, Italy
| | - V Blandino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), 18998University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - G Di Maria
- U.O.C. Neurologia, A.O. Cannizzaro per l'emergenza, Catania, Italy
| | - M Gangitano
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), 18998University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - F Graziano
- U.O.C. Neurologia, A.O. Cannizzaro per l'emergenza, Catania, Italy
| | - F Guajana
- U.O.C. Neurologia, A.O. Cannizzaro per l'emergenza, Catania, Italy
| | - T Piccoli
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), 18998University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Lange L, Rommerskirchen L, Osinsky R. Midfrontal Theta Activity Is Sensitive to Approach-Avoidance Conflict. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7799-7808. [PMID: 36414005 PMCID: PMC9581558 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2499-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Midfrontal theta (FMθ) in the human EEG is commonly viewed as a generic and homogeneous mechanism of cognitive control in general and conflict processing in particular. However, the role of FMθ in approach-avoidance conflicts and its cross-task relationship to simpler stimulus-response conflicts remain to be examined more closely. Therefore, we recorded EEG data while 59 healthy participants (49 female, 10 male) completed both an approach-avoidance task and a flanker task. Participants showed significant increases in FMθ power in response to conflicts in both tasks. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a direct relationship between FMθ and approach-avoidance conflicts. Crucially, FMθ activity was task dependent and showed no cross-task correlation. To assess the possibility of multiple FMθ sources, we applied source separation [generalized eigendecomposition (GED)] to distinguish independent FMθ generators. The activity of the components showed a similar pattern and was again task specific. However, our results did not yield a clear differentiation between task-specific FMθ sources for each of the participants. Overall, our results show FMθ increases in approach-avoidance conflicts, as has been established only for more simple response conflict paradigms so far. The independence of task-specific FMθ increases suggests differential sensitivity of FMθ to different forms of behavioral conflict.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT FMθ is well established as an indicator for cognitive conflict in tasks involving simple stimulus-response conflicts. However, we do not yet know about its role in more complex forms of goal ambivalence, such as approach-avoidance conflicts. Thus, we implemented an approach-avoidance task and a flanker task to investigate FMθ in response to simple as well as more complex response conflicts. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a direct relationship between FMθ and approach-avoidance conflicts. Although the transient FMθ increase is similar to that induced in a simple response conflict task, individual FMθ responsiveness to these two forms of conflict were independent of each other, suggesting intraindividual differences in the sensitivity of FMθ to different forms of behavioral conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Lange
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Lena Rommerskirchen
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Roman Osinsky
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
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Massullo C, Bersani FS, Carbone GA, Panno A, Farina B, Murillo-Rodríguez E, Yamamoto T, Machado S, Budde H, Imperatori C. Decreased Resting State Inter- and Intra-Network Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Perceived Stress in a Sample of University Students: An eLORETA Study. Neuropsychobiology 2022; 81:286-295. [PMID: 35130552 DOI: 10.1159/000521565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although the study of the Triple Network (TN) model has gained attention in the exploration of stress-related processes, the neurophysiological mechanisms of TN in relation to perceived stress have been relatively understudied in nonclinical samples so far. The main objective of the present study was to investigate, in a sample of university students, the association of perceived stress with resting state electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity in the TN. METHODS Ninety university students (40 males and 50 females; mean age 22.30 ± 2.43 years; mean educational level 16.60 ± 1.62 years) were enrolled. EEG data were analyzed through the exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA). RESULTS Higher levels of perceived stress were associated with decreased delta EEG connectivity within the central executive network (CEN) and between the CEN and the salience network (SN). Higher levels of perceived stress were also associated with decreased theta EEG connectivity between the CEN and the SN. The associations between perceived stress and EEG connectivity data were significant even when relevant confounding factors (i.e., sex, age, educational level, and psychopathological symptoms) were controlled for. DISCUSSION Taken together, our results suggest that higher levels of perceived stress are associated with a dysfunctional synchronization within the CEN and between the SN and the CEN. This functional pattern might in part reflect the negative impact of high levels of perceived stress on cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giuseppe Alessio Carbone
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelo Panno
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetto Farina
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Eric Murillo-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias Moleculares e Integrativas Escuela de Medicina, División Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, Mérida, Mexico.,Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Tetsuya Yamamoto
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Mérida, Mexico.,Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Sérgio Machado
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Mérida, Mexico.,Department of Sports Methods and Techniques, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.,Laboratory of Physical Activity Neuroscience, Neurodiversity Institute, Queimados-RJ, Brazil
| | - Henning Budde
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Mérida, Mexico.,Faculty of Human Sciences, Institute for Systems Medicine, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claudio Imperatori
- Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Mérida, Mexico
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Fujii Y, Kimura M, Takeda Y. Effects of visuospatial implicit sequence learning on visual stimulus processing: Evidence from event-related potentials and neural synchrony. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2022; 228:103662. [PMID: 35785681 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103662] [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: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A previous study reported that reaction times (RTs) and the amplitude of the P1 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by visual stimuli decreased during visuospatial implicit sequence learning in the serial reaction time task, suggesting that sequence learning reduces attentional demands on visual stimulus processing. In the present study, to evaluate the replicability of the previous finding and to obtain a better understanding of how visual stimulus processing is affected by visuospatial implicit sequence learning, we measured ERPs and neural synchrony from 44 participants during a modified serial reaction time task which controlled for a possible confounding factor in the previous study (i.e., arousal). The results indicated that RTs and neural synchrony of the lower frequency band (22-34 Hz) decreased for a learned sequence, whereas no significant effects on the amplitudes of P1, N1, and P3 components of ERPs were observed. These results suggest that attentional demands on visual stimulus processing can be reduced by visuospatial implicit sequence learning, as suggested by the previous study, but stimulus-locked ERPs may not be sensitive enough to reflect such learning effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumiko Fujii
- Faculty of Library, Information and Media Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8550, Japan; Human-Centered Mobility Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan.
| | - Motohiro Kimura
- Human-Centered Mobility Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Yuji Takeda
- Human-Centered Mobility Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
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12
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Van Hoornweder S, Mora DAB, Depestele S, Frieske J, van Dun K, Cuypers K, Verstraelen S, Meesen R. Age and Interlimb Coordination Complexity Modulate Oscillatory Spectral Dynamics and Large-scale Functional Connectivity. Neuroscience 2022; 496:1-15. [PMID: 35691515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Interlimb coordination deteriorates as a result of aging. Due to its ubiquity in daily life, a greater understanding of the underlying neurophysiological changes is required. Here, we combined electroencephalography time-frequency spectral power and functional connectivity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of the neural dynamics underlying the age-related deterioration of interlimb coordination involving all four limbs. Theta, alpha and beta oscillations in the frontal, central and parietal regions were analyzed in twenty younger (18-30 years) and nineteen older adults (65-78 years) during a complex interlimb reaction time task. Reaction time was significantly higher in older adults across all conditions, and the discrepancy between both age groups was largest in the most complex movement condition. Older adults demonstrated enhanced beta event-related desynchronization (i.e., the attenuation of beta power), which further increased along with task complexity and was positively linked to behavioral performance. Theta functional connectivity between frontal, central and parietal regions generally increased with movement complexity, irrespective of age group. In general, frontoparietal alpha band functional connectivity tended to be reduced in older versus younger adults, although these contrasts did not survive multiple comparison corrections. Overall, spectral results suggest that enhanced beta desynchronization in older adults reflects a successful compensatory mechanism to cope with increased difficulty during complex interlimb coordination. Functional connectivity results suggest that theta and alpha band connectivity are prone to respectively task- and age-related modulations. Future work could target these spectral and functional connectivity dynamics through noninvasive brain stimulation to potentially improve interlimb coordination in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybren Van Hoornweder
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | | | - Siel Depestele
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Joana Frieske
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Kim van Dun
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefanie Verstraelen
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Raf Meesen
- REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Pitsik EN, Frolov NS, Shusharina N, Hramov AE. Age-Related Changes in Functional Connectivity during the Sensorimotor Integration Detected by Artificial Neural Network. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22072537. [PMID: 35408153 PMCID: PMC9003057 DOI: 10.3390/s22072537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale functional connectivity is an important indicator of the brain’s normal functioning. The abnormalities in the connectivity pattern can be used as a diagnostic tool to detect various neurological disorders. The present paper describes the functional connectivity assessment based on artificial intelligence to reveal age-related changes in neural response in a simple motor execution task. Twenty subjects of two age groups performed repetitive motor tasks on command, while the whole-scalp EEG was recorded. We applied the model based on the feed-forward multilayer perceptron to detect functional relationships between five groups of sensors located over the frontal, parietal, left, right, and middle motor cortex. Functional dependence was evaluated with the predicted and original time series coefficient of determination. Then, we applied statistical analysis to highlight the significant features of the functional connectivity network assessed by our model. Our findings revealed the connectivity pattern is consistent with modern ideas of the healthy aging effect on neural activation. Elderly adults demonstrate a pronounced activation of the whole-brain theta-band network and decreased activation of frontal–parietal and motor areas of the mu-band. Between-subject analysis revealed a strengthening of inter-areal task-relevant links in elderly adults. These findings can be interpreted as an increased cognitive demand in elderly adults to perform simple motor tasks with the dominant hand, induced by age-related working memory decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena N. Pitsik
- Baltic Center for Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad 236041, Russia; (E.N.P.); (N.S.F.); (N.S.)
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Innopolis University, Kazan 420500, Russia
| | - Nikita S. Frolov
- Baltic Center for Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad 236041, Russia; (E.N.P.); (N.S.F.); (N.S.)
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Innopolis University, Kazan 420500, Russia
| | - Natalia Shusharina
- Baltic Center for Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad 236041, Russia; (E.N.P.); (N.S.F.); (N.S.)
| | - Alexander E. Hramov
- Baltic Center for Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad 236041, Russia; (E.N.P.); (N.S.F.); (N.S.)
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Innopolis University, Kazan 420500, Russia
- Correspondence:
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14
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Pscherer C, Mückschel M, Bluschke A, Beste C. Resting-state theta activity is linked to information content-specific coding levels during response inhibition. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4530. [PMID: 35296740 PMCID: PMC8927579 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological processes underlying the inhibition of impulsive responses have been studied extensively. While also the role of theta oscillations during response inhibition is well examined, the relevance of resting-state theta activity for inhibitory control processes is largely unknown. We test the hypothesis that there are specific relationships between resting-state theta activity and sensory/motor coding levels during response inhibition using EEG methods. We show that resting theta activity is specifically linked to the stimulus-related fraction of neurophysiological activity in specific time windows during motor inhibition. In contrast, concomitantly coded processes related to decision-making or response selection as well as the behavioral inhibition performance were not associated with resting theta activity. Even at the peak of task-related theta power, where task-related theta activity and resting theta activity differed the most, there was still predominantly a significant correlation between both types of theta activity. This suggests that aspects similar to resting dynamics are evident in the proportion of inhibition-related neurophysiological activity that reflects an “alarm” signal, whose function is to process and indicate the need for cognitive control. Thus, specific aspects of task-related theta power may build upon resting theta activity when cognitive control is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Pscherer
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany
| | - Annet Bluschke
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany
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15
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Ulloa JL. The Control of Movements via Motor Gamma Oscillations. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:787157. [PMID: 35111006 PMCID: PMC8802912 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.787157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to perform movements is vital for our daily life. Our actions are embedded in a complex environment where we need to deal efficiently in the face of unforeseen events. Neural oscillations play an important role in basic sensorimotor processes related to the execution and preparation of movements. In this review, I will describe the state of the art regarding the role of motor gamma oscillations in the control of movements. Experimental evidence from electrophysiological studies has shown that motor gamma oscillations accomplish a range of functions in motor control beyond merely signaling the execution of movements. However, these additional aspects associated with motor gamma oscillation remain to be fully clarified. Future work on different spatial, temporal and spectral scales is required to further understand the implications of gamma oscillations in motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Ulloa
- Programa de Investigación Asociativa (PIA) en Ciencias Cognitivas, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas (CICC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
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16
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Adam N, Blaye A, Gulbinaite R, Chabé-Ferret S, Farrer C. A multidimensional evaluation of the benefits of an ecologically realistic training based on pretend play for preschoolers' cognitive control and self-regulation: From behavior to the underlying theta neuro-oscillatory activity. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 216:105348. [PMID: 35016059 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105348] [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: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
To what extent can cognitive control, self-regulation, and the underlying midfrontal theta oscillatory activity of preschool children be modified by an ecologically realistic training based on pretend play? To answer this question, 70 children aged 4-6 years (37 boys) were assigned to a training group or a control group using a pairing randomization procedure. Children were administered 20 play sessions over 10 weeks. Benefits were evaluated with a pre-post design. The intervention helped children to engage more in self-regulation within the training activities. However, the intervention did not promote self-regulation outside of the training context, nor did it influence cognitive control and theta activity. These results provide a better understanding of the limitations of an ecologically realistic approach to cognitive control training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Adam
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université de Toulouse, 31062 Toulouse, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Agnès Blaye
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France; Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR 7290, Université Aix-Marseille, 13002 Marseille, France
| | - Rasa Gulbinaite
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences, Université de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1028, 69365 Lyon, France
| | - Sylvain Chabé-Ferret
- Toulouse School of Economics, INRAE, University of Toulouse Capitole, 31000 Toulouse, France; Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse, 31080 Toulouse, France
| | - Chloé Farrer
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université de Toulouse, 31062 Toulouse, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France; Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse, 31080 Toulouse, France.
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17
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Mendes AJ, Pacheco-Barrios K, Lema A, Gonçalves ÓF, Fregni F, Leite J, Carvalho S. Modulation of the cognitive event-related potential P3 by transcranial direct current stimulation: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:894-907. [PMID: 34742723 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been widely used to modulate cognition and behavior. However, only a few studies have been probing the brain mechanism underlying the effects of tDCS on cognitive processing, especially throughout electrophysiological markers, such as the P3. This meta-analysis assessed the effects of tDCS in P3 amplitude and latency during an oddball, n-back, and Go/No-Go tasks, as well as during emotional processing. A total of 36 studies were identified, but only 23 were included in the quantitative analysis. The results show that the parietal P3 amplitude increased during oddball and n-back tasks, mostly after anodal stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (p = 0.018, SMD = 0.4) and right inferior frontal gyrus (p < 0.001, SMD = 0.669) respectively. These findings suggest the potential usefulness of the parietal P3 ERP as a marker of tDCS-induced effects during task performance. Nonetheless, this study had a low number of studies and the presence of considerable risk of bias, highlighting issues to be addressed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto J Mendes
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Kevin Pacheco-Barrios
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Unidad de Investigación para la Generación y Síntesis de Evidencias en Salud, Lima, Peru
| | - Alberto Lema
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Óscar F Gonçalves
- Proaction Laboratory - CINEICC, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Felipe Fregni
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Jorge Leite
- INPP, Portucalense University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Carvalho
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal.
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18
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Asanowicz D, Panek B, Kotlewska I. Selection for Action: The Medial Frontal Cortex Is an Executive Hub for Stimulus and Response Selection. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1442-1469. [PMID: 34496372 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
This EEG study investigates the electrophysiological activity underlying processes of stimulus and response selection, and their executive orchestration via long-range functional connectivity under conflict condition, in order to shed more light on how these brain dynamics shape individual behavioral performance. Participants (n = 91) performed a modified flanker task, in which bilateral visual stimulation and a bimanual response pattern were employed to isolate the stimulus and response selection-related lateralized activity. First, we identified conflict-related markers of task-relevant processes; most importantly, the stimulus and response selection were evidenced by contra-ipsilateral differences in visual and motor activity, respectively, and executive control was evidenced by modulations of midfrontal activity. Second, we identified conflict-related functional connectivity between midfrontal and other task-relevant areas. The results showed that interregional phase synchronization in theta band was centered at the midfrontal site, interpreted here as a "hub" of executive communication. Importantly, the theta functional connectivity was more robust under the condition of increased demands for stimulus and response selection, including connectivity between the medial frontal cortex and the lateral frontal and motor areas, as well as cross-frequency theta-alpha coupling between the medial frontal cortex and contralateral visual areas. Third, we showed that individual differences in the measured conflict-related EEG activity, particularly the midfrontal N2, theta power, and global theta connectivity, predict the behavioral efficiency in conflict resolution.
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19
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McKewen M, Cooper PS, Skippen P, Wong ASW, Michie PT, Karayanidis F. Dissociable theta networks underlie the switch and mixing costs during task switching. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:4643-4657. [PMID: 34184803 PMCID: PMC8410519 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
During task‐switching paradigms, both event‐related potentials and time‐frequency analyses show switch and mixing effects at frontal and parietal sites. Switch and mixing effects are associated with increased power in broad frontoparietal networks, typically stronger in the theta band (~4–8 Hz). However, it is not yet known whether mixing and switch costs rely upon common or distinct networks. In this study, we examine proactive and reactive control networks linked to task switching and mixing effects, and whether strength of connectivity in these networks is associated with behavioural outcomes. Participants (n = 197) completed a cued‐trials task‐switching paradigm with concurrent electroencephalography, after substantial task practice to establish strong cue‐stimulus–response representations. We used inter‐site phase clustering, a measure of functional connectivity across electrode sites, to establish cross‐site connectivity from a frontal and a parietal seed. Distinct theta networks were activated during proactive and reactive control periods. During the preparation interval, mixing effects were associated with connectivity from the frontal seed to parietal sites, and switch effects with connectivity from the parietal seed to occipital sites. Lateralised occipital connectivity was common to both switch and mixing effects. After target onset, frontal and parietal seeds showed a similar pattern of connectivity across trial types. These findings are consistent with distinct and common proactive control networks and common reactive networks in highly practised task‐switching performers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montana McKewen
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrick S Cooper
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patrick Skippen
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aaron S W Wong
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patricia T Michie
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Frini Karayanidis
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
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20
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Characterizing Cortical Oscillatory Responses in Major Depressive Disorder Before and After Convulsive Therapy: A TMS-EEG Study. J Affect Disord 2021; 287:78-88. [PMID: 33774319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) is emerging as a powerful technique for interrogating neural circuit dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. Here, we utilized time-frequency analyses to characterize differences in neural oscillatory dynamics between subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HC). We further examined changes in TMS-related oscillatory power following convulsive therapy. METHODS Oscillatory power was examined following TMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortices (DLPFC and M1) in 38 MDD subjects, and 22 HCs. We further investigated how these responses changed in the MDD group following an acute course of convulsive therapy (either magnetic seizure therapy [MST, n = 24] or electroconvulsive therapy [ECT, n = 14]). RESULTS Prior to treatment, MDD subjects exhibited increased oscillatory power within delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands with TMS-EEG over the DLPFC, but showed no differences to HCs with stimulation over M1. Following MST, DLPFC stimulation revealed attenuated baseline-normalized power in the delta and theta bands, with reductions in the delta, theta, and alpha power following ECT. TMS over M1 revealed reduced delta and theta power following ECT, with no changes observed following MST. An association was also observed between the treatment- induced change in alpha power and depression severity score. LIMITATIONS Limitations include the modest sample size, open-label MST and ECT treatment designs, and lack of a placebo condition. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence of alterations in TMS-related oscillatory activity in MDD, and further suggest modulation of oscillatory power following ECT and MST.
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21
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Trutti AC, Verschooren S, Forstmann BU, Boag RJ. Understanding subprocesses of working memory through the lens of model-based cognitive neuroscience. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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22
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Gyurkovics M, Levita L. Dynamic Adjustments of Midfrontal Control Signals in Adults and Adolescents. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:795-808. [PMID: 33026426 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During task performance, our level of cognitive control is dynamically adjusted to task demands as reflected, for example, by the congruency sequence effect (CSE) in conflict tasks. Although brain areas related to cognitive control show protracted maturation across adolescence, previous studies found that adolescents show similar behavioral CSEs to adults. In the present study, we investigated whether there are age-related changes in the neural underpinnings of dynamic control adjustments using electroencephalography. Early adolescents (ages 12-14, N = 30) and young adults (ages 25-27, N = 29) completed a confound-minimized flanker task optimized for the detection of sequential control adjustments. The CSE was observed in midfrontal theta power thought to capture anterior cingulate cortex-mediated monitoring processes but was not modulated significantly by age. Adolescents, however, showed a smaller congruency effect in the power and cross-trial temporal consistency of midfrontal theta oscillations than adults. No age differences were observed in phase-based connectivity between midfrontal and lateral frontal regions in the theta band. These findings provide strong support for the role of midfrontal theta oscillations in conflict monitoring and reactive control and suggest that the cognitive system of early adolescents initially responds less reliably to the occurrence of conflict than that of adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mate Gyurkovics
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Liat Levita
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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23
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Januszko P, Gmaj B, Piotrowski T, Kopera M, Klimkiewicz A, Wnorowska A, Wołyńczyk-Gmaj D, Brower KJ, Wojnar M, Jakubczyk A. Delta resting-state functional connectivity in the cognitive control network as a prognostic factor for maintaining abstinence: An eLORETA preliminary study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 218:108393. [PMID: 33158664 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortical regions that support cognitive control are increasingly well recognized, but the functional mechanisms that promote such control over emotional and behavioral hyperreactivity to alcohol in recently abstinent alcohol-dependent patients are still insufficiently understood. This study aimed to identify neurophysiological biomarkers of maintaining abstinence in alcohol-dependent individuals after alcohol treatment by investigating the resting-state EEG-based functional connectivity in the cognitive control network (CCN). METHODS Lagged phase synchronization between CCN areas by means of eLORETA as well as the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were assessed in abstinent alcohol-dependent patients recruited from treatment centers. A preliminary prospective study design was used to classify participants into those who did and did not maintain abstinence during a follow-up period (median 12 months) after discharge from residential treatment. RESULTS Alcohol-dependent individuals, who maintained abstinence (N = 18), showed significantly increased lagged phase synchronization between the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the left posterior parietal cortex (IPL) as well as between the right anterior insula cortex/frontal operculum (IA/FO) and the right inferior frontal junction (IFJ) in the delta band compared to those who later relapsed (N = 16). Regression analysis showed that the increased left frontoparietal delta connectivity in the early period of abstinence significantly predicted maintaining abstinence over the ensuing 12 months. Furthermore, right frontoinsular delta connectivity correlated negatively with impulsivity and depression measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the increased delta resting-state functional connectivity in the CCN may be a promising neurophysiological predictor of maintaining abstinence in individuals with alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Januszko
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Gmaj
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Tadeusz Piotrowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Kopera
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Klimkiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Wnorowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kirk J Brower
- Department of Psychiatry, Addiction Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Marcin Wojnar
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Psychiatry, Addiction Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Andrzej Jakubczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
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24
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Working Memory in Children with Learning Disorders: An EEG Power Spectrum Analysis. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110817. [PMID: 33158135 PMCID: PMC7694181 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning disorders (LDs) are diagnosed in children whose academic skills of reading, writing or mathematics are impaired and lagging according to their age, schooling and intelligence. Children with LDs experience substantial working memory (WM) deficits, even more pronounced if more than one of the academic skills is affected. We compared the task-related electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density of children with LDs (n = 23) with a control group of children with good academic achievement (n = 22), during the performance of a WM task. sLoreta was used to estimate the current distribution at the sources, and 18 brain regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen with an extended version of the eigenvector centrality mapping technique. In this way, we lessened some drawbacks of the traditional EEG at the sensor space by an analysis at the brain-sources level over data-driven selected ROIs. Results: The LD group showed fewer correct responses in the WM task, an overall slower EEG with more delta and theta activity, and less high-frequency gamma activity in posterior areas. We explain these EEG patterns in LD children as indices of an inefficient neural resource management related with a delay in neural maturation.
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25
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The neurocognitive underpinnings of the Simon effect: An integrative review of current research. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:1133-1172. [PMID: 33025513 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00836-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For as long as half a century the Simon task - in which participants respond to a nonspatial stimulus feature while ignoring its position - has represented a very popular tool to study a variety of cognitive functions, such as attention, cognitive control, and response preparation processes. In particular, the task generates two theoretically interesting effects: the Simon effect proper and the sequential modulations of this effect. In the present study, we review the main theoretical explanations of both kinds of effects and the available neuroscientific studies that investigated the neural underpinnings of the cognitive processes underlying the Simon effect proper and its sequential modulation using electroencephalogram (EEG) and event-related brain potentials (ERP), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Then, we relate the neurophysiological findings to the main theoretical accounts and evaluate their validity and empirical plausibility, including general implications related to processing interference and cognitive control. Overall, neurophysiological research supports claims that stimulus location triggers the creation of a spatial code, which activates a spatially compatible response that, in incompatible conditions, interferes with the response based on the task instructions. Integration of stimulus-response features plays a major role in the occurrence of the Simon effect (which is manifested in the selection of the response) and its modulation by sequential congruency effects. Additional neural mechanisms are involved in supporting the correct and inhibiting the incorrect response.
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26
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Rajan A, Siegel SN, Liu Y, Bengson J, Mangun GR, Ding M. Theta Oscillations Index Frontal Decision-Making and Mediate Reciprocal Frontal-Parietal Interactions in Willed Attention. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:2832-2843. [PMID: 29931088 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention can be attracted reflexively by sensory signals, biased by learning or reward, or focused voluntarily based on momentary goals. When voluntary attention is focused by purely internal decision processes (will), rather than instructions via external cues, we call this "willed attention." In prior work, we reported ERP and fMRI correlates of willed spatial attention in trial-by-trial cuing tasks. Here we further investigated the oscillatory mechanisms of willed attention by contrasting the event-related EEG spectrogram between instructional and choice cues. Two experiments were conducted at 2 different sites using the same visuospatial attention paradigm. Consistent between the 2 experiments, we found increases in frontal theta power (starting at ~500 ms post cue) for willed attention relative to instructed attention. This frontal theta increase was accompanied by increased frontal-parietal theta-band coherence and bidirectional Granger causality. Additionally, the onset of attention-related posterior alpha power lateralization was delayed in willed attention relative to instructed attention, and the amount of delay was related to the timing of frontal theta increase. These results, replicated across 2 experiments, suggest that theta oscillations are the neuronal signals indexing decision-making in the frontal cortex, and mediating reciprocal communications between the frontal executive and parietal attentional control regions during willed attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Rajan
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Scott N Siegel
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yuelu Liu
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jesse Bengson
- Department of Psychology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - George R Mangun
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Departments of Psychology and Neurology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Mingzhou Ding
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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27
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Liu J, Zhu Y, Sun H, Ristaniemi T, Cong F. Sustaining Attention for a Prolonged Duration Affects Dynamic Organizations of Frequency-Specific Functional Connectivity. Brain Topogr 2020; 33:677-692. [PMID: 32929555 PMCID: PMC7593315 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-020-00795-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Sustained attention encompasses a cascade of fundamental functions. The human ability to implement a sustained attention task is supported by brain networks that dynamically formed and dissolved through oscillatory synchronization. The decrement of vigilance induced by prolonged task engagement affects sustained attention. However, little is known about which stage or combinations are affected by vigilance decrement. Here, we applied an analysis framework composed of weighted phase lag index (wPLI) and tensor component analysis (TCA) to an EEG dataset collected during 80 min sustained attention task to examine the electrophysiological basis of such effect. We aimed to characterize the phase-coupling networks to untangle different phases involved in sustained attention and study how they are modulated by vigilance decrement. We computed the time–frequency domain wPLI from each block and subject and constructed a fourth-order tensor, containing the time, frequency, functional connectivity (FC), and blocks × subjects. This tensor was subjected to the TCA to identify the interacted and low-dimensional components representing the frequency-specific dynamic FC (fdFC). We extracted four types of neuromakers during a sustained attention task, namely the pre-stimulus alpha right-lateralized parieto-occipital FC, the post-stimulus theta fronto-parieto-occipital FC, delta fronto-parieto-occipital FC, and beta right/left sensorimotor FCs. All these fdFCs were impaired by vigilance decrement. These fdFCs, except for the beta left sensorimotor network, were restored by rewards, although the restoration by reward in the beta right sensorimotor network was transient. These findings provide implications for dissociable effects of vigilance decrement on sustained attention by utilizing the tensor-based framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China. .,Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014, Jyvaskyla, Finland. .,Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior, MacMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada.
| | - Yongjie Zhu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.,Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Hongjin Sun
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior, MacMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada
| | - Tapani Ristaniemi
- Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Fengyu Cong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China. .,Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014, Jyvaskyla, Finland. .,School of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China. .,Key Laboratory of Integrated Circuit and Biomedical Electronic System, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
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28
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Ruzzoli M, McGuinness A, Morís Fernández L, Soto-Faraco S. From cognitive control to visual incongruity: Conflict detection in surrealistic images. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0224053. [PMID: 32497075 PMCID: PMC7272058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explored brain responses to images that exploit incongruity as a creative technique, often used in advertising (i.e., surrealistic images). We hypothesized that these images would reveal responses akin to cognitive conflict resulting from incongruent trials in typical laboratory tasks (i.e., Stroop Task). Indeed, in many surrealistic images, common visual elements are juxtaposed to create un-ordinary associations with semantically conflicting representations. We expected that these images engage the conflict processing network that has been described in cognitive neuroscience theories. We addressed this hypothesis by measuring the power of mid-frontal Theta oscillations using EEG while participants watched images through a social media-like interface. Incongruent images, compared to controls, produced a significant Theta power increase, as predicted from the cognitive conflict theory. We also found increased memory for incongruent images one week after exposure, compared to the controls. These findings provide evidence for the incongruent images to effectively engage the viewer's cognitive control and boost memorability. The results of this study provide validation of cognitive theories in real-life scenarios (i.e., surrealistic ads or art) and offer insights regarding the use of neural correlates as effectiveness metrics in advertising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Ruzzoli
- Multisensory Research Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Aoife McGuinness
- Multisensory Research Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Morís Fernández
- Multisensory Research Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología Básica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Soto-Faraco
- Multisensory Research Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Frontoparietal structural properties mediate adult life span differences in executive function. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9066. [PMID: 32494018 PMCID: PMC7271169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66083-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) refers to a set of cognitive functions that support goal-directed behaviors. Recent findings have suggested that the frontoparietal network (FPN) subserves neural processes that are related to EF. However, the FPN structural and functional network properties that mediate age-related differences in EF components remain unclear. To this end, we used three experimental tasks to test the component processes of EF based on Miyake and Friedman’s model: one common EF component process (incorporating inhibition, shifting, and updating) and two specific EF component processes (shifting and updating). We recruited 126 healthy participants (65 females; 20 to 78 years old) who underwent both structural and functional MRI scanning. We tested a mediation path model of three structural and functional properties of the FPN (i.e., gray matter volume, white matter fractional anisotropy, and intra/internetwork functional connectivity) as mediators of age-related differences in the three EF components. The results indicated that age-related common EF component differences are mediated by regional gray matter volume changes in both hemispheres of the frontal lobe, which suggests that structural changes in the frontal lobe may have an indirect influence on age-related general elements of EF. These findings suggest that the FPN mediates age-related differences in specific components of EF.
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30
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When working memory mechanisms compete: Predicting cognitive flexibility versus mental set. Cognition 2020; 201:104313. [PMID: 32442800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of individuals with higher working memory capacity (WMC). Yet, individuals with higher WMC sometimes demonstrate greater rigidity in problem solving. The present research examines a novel account for these contradictory findings-that different WMC mechanisms support versus constrain cognitive flexibility. Across three studies, participants completed the water jug task-a problem-solving task requiring them to first establish and then break mental set. Predictor measures targeted three WMC mechanisms: attention control, primary memory, and secondary memory. In Study 1, primary and secondary memory predicted breaking mental set in opposite directions. Higher primary memory facilitated breaking mental set, whereas higher secondary memory hindered it. Study 2 demonstrated that attention control moderates these effects. Study 3 replicated these results using a less restrictive sampling procedure (i.e., participants were provided the strategy needed to establish mental set). The present research supports the proposed theory of functional opponency in WMC.
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31
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Padilla-Buritica JI, Ferrandez-Vicente JM, Castaño GA, Acosta-Medina CD. Non-stationary Group-Level Connectivity Analysis for Enhanced Interpretability of Oddball Tasks. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:446. [PMID: 32431593 PMCID: PMC7214628 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural responses of oddball tasks can be used as a physiological biomarker to evaluate the brain potential of information processing under the assumption that the differential contribution of deviant stimuli can be assessed accurately. Nevertheless, the non-stationarity of neural activity causes the brain networks to fluctuate hugely in time, deteriorating the estimation of pairwise synergies. To deal with the time variability of neural responses, we have developed a piecewise multi-subject analysis that is applied over a set of time intervals within the stationary assumption holds. To segment the whole stimulus-locked epoch into multiple temporal windows, we experimented with two approaches for piecewise segmentation of EEG recordings: a fixed time-window, at which the estimates of FC measures fulfill a given confidence level, and variable time-window, which is segmented at the change points of the time-varying classifier performance. Employing the weighted Phase Lock Index as a functional connectivity metric, we have presented the validation in a real-world EEG data, proving the effectiveness of variable time segmentation for connectivity extraction when combined with a supervised thresholding approach. Consequently, we performed a piecewise group-level analysis of electroencephalographic data that deals with non-stationary functional connectivity measures, evaluating more carefully the contribution of a link node-set in discriminating between the labeled oddball responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge I. Padilla-Buritica
- Signal Processing and Recognition Group, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
- Diseño Electrónico y Técnicas de Tratamiento de Señales, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain
- Grupo de Automática, Universidad Autónoma, Manizales, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Jorge I. Padilla-Buritica
| | - Jose M. Ferrandez-Vicente
- Diseño Electrónico y Técnicas de Tratamiento de Señales, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain
| | - German A. Castaño
- Grupo de Trabajo Academico Cultura de la Calidad en la Educacion, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
| | - Carlos D. Acosta-Medina
- Signal Processing and Recognition Group, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
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32
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Adam N, Blaye A, Gulbinaite R, Delorme A, Farrer C. The role of midfrontal theta oscillations across the development of cognitive control in preschoolers and school‐age children. Dev Sci 2020; 23:e12936. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Adam
- Centre de recherche Cerveau et Cognition Université de Toulouse Toulouse France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Paris France
| | - Agnès Blaye
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Paris France
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive Université Aix‐Marseille Marseille France
| | - Rasa Gulbinaite
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences Université de Lyon Lyon France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1028 Lyon France
| | - Arnaud Delorme
- Centre de recherche Cerveau et Cognition Université de Toulouse Toulouse France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Paris France
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience University of California San Diego CA USA
| | - Chloé Farrer
- Centre de recherche Cerveau et Cognition Université de Toulouse Toulouse France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Paris France
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33
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Pacheco LB, Figueira JS, Pereira MG, Oliveira L, David IA. Controlling Unpleasant Thoughts: Adjustments of Cognitive Control Based on Previous-Trial Load in a Working Memory Task. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 13:469. [PMID: 32038201 PMCID: PMC6993100 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic cognitive control adjustments are important for integrating thoughts and actions that take place during dynamic changes of environmental demands and support goal-directed behavior. We investigated, in a working memory (WM) paradigm, whether dynamic adjustments in cognitive control based on previous trial load influence the neural response to neutral or unpleasant distracters. We also investigated whether individual self-reported abilities in controlling thoughts influence this effect. Participants performed a WM change detection task with low or high WM-related cognitive demands. An unpleasant or a neutral distractive image was presented at the beginning of each trial, prior to the WM task. We tested for control adjustments that were associated with the load level of the preceding trial task (N-1) on the neural response to the subsequent distractive image. We found an effect of the prior WM task load on a parieto-occipital waveform event-related potential (ERP) that appeared between 200 and 300 ms after the neutral distracter onset. This effect was not observed for the unpleasant distracter. Individual ability for controlling thoughts may influence the effect of cognitive control adjustments on distracter processing during the unpleasant condition. These findings provide evidence that: (1) dynamic cognitive control adjustments are impaired by unpleasant distracters; and (2) the ability to control unpleasant thoughts is linked to individual differences in flexible cognitive control adjustments and shielding of WM representations from unpleasant distracters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Bonfim Pacheco
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil.,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jéssica S Figueira
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil.,Department of Psychology, Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Mirtes G Pereira
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil
| | - Leticia Oliveira
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil
| | - Isabel A David
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil
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34
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Karamacoska D, Barry RJ, De Blasio FM, Steiner GZ. EEG-ERP dynamics in a visual Continuous Performance Test. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 146:249-260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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35
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Midfrontal theta phase coordinates behaviorally relevant brain computations during cognitive control. Neuroimage 2019; 207:116340. [PMID: 31707192 PMCID: PMC7355234 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural oscillations are thought to provide a cyclic time frame for orchestrating brain computations. Following this assumption, midfrontal theta oscillations have recently been proposed to temporally organize brain computations during conflict processing. Using a multivariate analysis approach, we show that brain-behavior relationships during conflict tasks are modulated according to the phase of ongoing endogenous midfrontal theta oscillations recorded by scalp EEG. We found reproducible results in two independent datasets, using two different conflict tasks: brain-behavior relationships (correlation between reaction time and theta power) were theta phase-dependent in a subject-specific manner, and these "behaviorally optimal" theta phases were also associated with fronto-parietal cross-frequency dynamics emerging as theta phase-locked beta power bursts. These effects were present regardless of the strength of conflict. Thus, these results provide empirical evidence that midfrontal theta oscillations are involved in cyclically orchestrating brain computations likely related to response execution during the tasks rather than purely related to conflict processing. More generally, this study supports the hypothesis that phase-based computation is an important mechanism giving rise to cognitive processing.
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36
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Castro L, Soto-Faraco S, Morís Fernández L, Ruzzoli M. The breakdown of the Simon effect in cross-modal contexts: EEG evidence. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 47:832-844. [PMID: 29495127 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In everyday life, we often must coordinate information across spatial locations and different senses for action. It is well known, for example, that reactions are faster when an imperative stimulus and its required response are congruent than when they are not, even if stimulus location itself is completely irrelevant for the task (the so-called Simon effect). However, because these effects have been frequently investigated in single-modality scenarios, the consequences of spatial congruence when more than one sensory modality is at play are less well known. Interestingly, at a behavioral level, the visual Simon effect vanishes in mixed (visual and tactile) modality scenarios, suggesting that irrelevant spatial information ceases to exert influence on vision. To shed some light on this surprising result, here we address the expression of irrelevant spatial information in EEG markers typical of the visual Simon effect (P300, theta power modulation, LRP) in mixed-modality contexts. Our results show no evidence for the visual-spatial information to affect performance at behavioral and neurophysiological levels. The absence of evidence of the neural markers of visual S-R conflict in the mixed-modality scenario implies that some aspects of spatial representations that are strongly expressed in single-modality scenarios might be bypassed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonor Castro
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Departament de Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacions, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Edifici Mercè Rodoreda, carrer Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Soto-Faraco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Departament de Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacions, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Edifici Mercè Rodoreda, carrer Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Morís Fernández
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Departament de Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacions, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Edifici Mercè Rodoreda, carrer Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuela Ruzzoli
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Departament de Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacions, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Edifici Mercè Rodoreda, carrer Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27, 08005, Barcelona, Spain
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37
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Zhao X, Wu Q, Chen Y, Song X, Ni H, Ming D. Hub Patterns-Based Detection of Dynamic Functional Network Metastates in Resting State: A Test-Retest Analysis. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:856. [PMID: 31572105 PMCID: PMC6749078 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The spontaneous dynamic characteristics of resting-state functional networks contain much internal brain physiological or pathological information. The metastate analysis of brain functional networks is an effective technique to quantify the essence of brain functional connectome dynamics. However, the widely used functional connectivity-based metastate analysis ignored the topological structure, which could be locally reflected by node centrality. In this study, 23 healthy young volunteers (21-26 years) were recruited and scanned twice with a 1-week interval. Based on the time sequences of node centrality, we promoted a node centrality-based clustering method to find metastates of functional connectome and conducted a test-retest experiment to assess the stability of those identified metastates using the described method. The hub regions of metastates were further compared with the structural networks' organization to depict its potential relationship with brain structure. Results of extracted metastates showed repeatable dynamic features between repeated scans and high overlapping rate of hub regions with brain intrinsic sub-networks. These identified hub patterns from metastates further highly overlapped with the structural hub regions. These findings indicated that the proposed node centrality-based metastates detection method could reveal reliable and meaningful metastates of spontaneous dynamics and indicate the underlying nature of brain dynamics as well as the potential relationship between these dynamics and the organization of the brain connectome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xizi Song
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongyan Ni
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Dong Ming
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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Parietal low beta rhythm provides a dynamical substrate for a working memory buffer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:16613-16620. [PMID: 31371513 PMCID: PMC6697799 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902305116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is a component of the brain's memory systems vital for interpretation of sequential sensory inputs and consequent decision making. Anatomically, WM is highly distributed over the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the parietal cortex (PC). Here we present a biophysically detailed dynamical systems model for a WM buffer situated in the PC, making use of dynamical properties believed to be unique to this area. We show that the natural beta1 rhythm (12 to 20 Hz) of the PC provides a substrate for an episodic buffer that can synergistically combine executive commands (e.g., from PFC) and multimodal information into a flexible and updatable representation of recent sensory inputs. This representation is sensitive to distractors, it allows for a readout mechanism, and it can be readily terminated by executive input. The model provides a demonstration of how information can be usefully stored in the temporal patterns of activity in a neuronal network rather than just synaptic weights between the neurons in that network.
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39
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Wu T, Wang X, Wu Q, Spagna A, Yang J, Yuan C, Wu Y, Gao Z, Hof PR, Fan J. Anterior insular cortex is a bottleneck of cognitive control. Neuroimage 2019; 195:490-504. [PMID: 30798012 PMCID: PMC6550348 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control, with a limited capacity, is a core process in human cognition for the coordination of thoughts and actions. Although the regions involved in cognitive control have been identified as the cognitive control network (CCN), it is still unclear whether a specific region of the CCN serves as a bottleneck limiting the capacity of cognitive control (CCC). Here, we used a perceptual decision-making task with conditions of high cognitive load to challenge the CCN and to assess the CCC in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. We found that the activation of the right anterior insular cortex (AIC) of the CCN increased monotonically as a function of cognitive load, reached its plateau early, and showed a significant correlation to the CCC. In a subsequent study of patients with unilateral lesions of the AIC, we found that lesions of the AIC were associated with a significant impairment of the CCC. Simulated lesions of the AIC resulted in a reduction of the global efficiency of the CCN in a network analysis. These findings suggest that the AIC, as a critical hub in the CCN, is a bottleneck of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wu
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, NY, USA
| | - Xingchao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Alfredo Spagna
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University in the City of New York, USA; Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, INSERM U-1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Jiaqi Yang
- Department of Computer Science, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Changhe Yuan
- Department of Computer Science, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, NY, USA
| | - Yanhong Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhixian Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China.
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, NY, USA; Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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40
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Supervised piecewise network connectivity analysis for enhanced confidence of auditory oddball tasks. Biomed Signal Process Control 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2019.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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41
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Duman AN, Tatar AE, Pirim H. Uncovering Dynamic Brain Reconfiguration in MEG Working Memory n-Back Task Using Topological Data Analysis. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E144. [PMID: 31248185 PMCID: PMC6628086 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9060144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing availability of high temporal resolution neuroimaging data has increased the efforts to understand the dynamics of neural functions. Until recently, there are few studies on generative models supporting classification and prediction of neural systems compared to the description of the architecture. However, the requirement of collapsing data spatially and temporally in the state-of-the art methods to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) data cause loss of important information. In this study, we addressed this issue using a topological data analysis (TDA) method, called Mapper, which visualizes evolving patterns of brain activity as a mathematical graph. Accordingly, we analyzed preprocessed MEG data of 83 subjects from Human Connectome Project (HCP) collected during working memory n-back task. We examined variation in the dynamics of the brain states with the Mapper graphs, and to determine how this variation relates to measures such as response time and performance. The application of the Mapper method to MEG data detected a novel neuroimaging marker that explained the performance of the participants along with the ground truth of response time. In addition, TDA enabled us to distinguish two task-positive brain activations during 0-back and 2-back tasks, which is hard to detect with the other pipelines that require collapsing the data in the spatial and temporal domain. Further, the Mapper graphs of the individuals also revealed one large group in the middle of the stimulus detecting the high engagement in the brain with fine temporal resolution, which could contribute to increase spatiotemporal resolution by merging different imaging modalities. Hence, our work provides another evidence to the effectiveness of the TDA methods for extracting subtle dynamic properties of high temporal resolution MEG data without the temporal and spatial collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Nabi Duman
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ahmet Emin Tatar
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Harun Pirim
- Department of Systems Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
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42
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Tseng YL, Liu HH, Liou M, Tsai AC, Chien VSC, Shyu ST, Yang ZS. Lingering Sound: Event-Related Phase-Amplitude Coupling and Phase-Locking in Fronto-Temporo-Parietal Functional Networks During Memory Retrieval of Music Melodies. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:150. [PMID: 31178706 PMCID: PMC6538802 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain oscillations and connectivity have emerged as promising measures of evaluating memory processes, including encoding, maintenance, and retrieval, as well as the related executive function. Although many studies have addressed the neural mechanisms underlying working memory, most of these studies have focused on the visual modality. Neurodynamics and functional connectivity related to auditory working memory are yet to be established. In this study, we explored the dynamic of high density (128-channel) electroencephalography (EEG) in a musical delayed match-to-sample task (DMST), in which 36 participants were recruited and were instructed to recognize and distinguish the target melodies from similar distractors. Event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs), event-related phase-amplitude couplings (ERPACs), and phase-locking values (PLVs) were used to determine the corresponding brain oscillations and connectivity. First, we observed that low-frequency oscillations in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions were increased during the processing of both target and distracting melodies. Second, the cross-frequency coupling between low-frequency phases and high-frequency amplitudes was elevated in the frontal and parietal regions when the participants were distinguishing between the target from distractor, suggesting that the phase-amplitude coupling could be an indicator of neural mechanisms underlying memory retrieval. Finally, phase-locking, an index evaluating brain functional connectivity, revealed that there was fronto-temporal phase-locking in the theta band and fronto-parietal phase-locking in the alpha band during the recognition of the two stimuli. These findings suggest the existence of functional connectivity and the phase-amplitude coupling in the neocortex during musical memory retrieval, and provide a highly resolved timeline to evaluate brain dynamics. Furthermore, the inter-regional phase-locking and phase-amplitude coupling among the frontal, temporal and parietal regions occurred at the very beginning of musical memory retrieval, which might reflect the precise timing when cognitive resources were involved in the retrieval of targets and the rejection of similar distractors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first EEG study employing a naturalistic task to study auditory memory processes and functional connectivity during memory retrieval, results of which can shed light on the use of natural stimuli in studies that are closer to the real-life applications of cognitive evaluations, mental treatments, and brain-computer interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Li Tseng
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.,Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Hsiang Liu
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Michelle Liou
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Arthur C Tsai
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Vincent S C Chien
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shuoh-Tyng Shyu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Zhi-Shun Yang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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43
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Arnau S, Wascher E, Küper K. Age-related differences in reallocating cognitive resources when dealing with interruptions. Neuroimage 2019; 191:292-302. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.02.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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Alterations of resting-state functional network centrality in patients with asthma: evidence from a voxel-wise degree centrality analysis. Neuroreport 2019; 29:1151-1156. [PMID: 29975256 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Several previous studies have reported that asthma patients have abnormal brain activities, whereas alterations in the resting-state network still remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in functional network centrality in asthma patients using voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) method. Asthma patients and healthy controls (HCs) were matched closely in age, sex, and education of participants. The DC method was used to evaluate the functional network centrality. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to distinguish the asthma group from the HCs group. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to explore the relationship between the observed mean values of DC in different brain areas and the behavioral performance. Compared with HCs, DC values were significantly decreased in the right middle temporal gyrus and the right putamen of asthma patients. In contrast, in asthma patients, DC values were markedly increased in the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum, right inferior temporal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left postcentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobule, left middle frontal gyrus, and left postcentral gyrus. However, there was no relationship between the observed mean DC values in different brain areas and the behavioral performance. The results showed that the DC values were altered in various brain regions of asthma patients, which were related to default mode network, the cortex-basal ganglia network, the frontoparietal network, and the sensorimotor network, leading to some useful information for clinical studies in asthma patients.
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45
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Immediate versus delayed control demands elicit distinct mechanisms for instantiating proactive control. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:910-926. [PMID: 30607833 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-00684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control is critical for dynamically guiding goal-directed behavior, particularly when applying preparatory, or proactive, control processes. However, it is unknown how proactive control is modulated by timing demands. This study investigated how timing demands may instantiate distinct neural processes and contribute to the use of different types of proactive control. In two experiments, healthy young adults performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) or Dot Pattern Expectancy (DPX) task. The delay between informative cue and test probe was manipulated by block to be short (1s) or long (~3s). We hypothesized that short cue-probe delays would rely more on a rapid goal updating process (akin to task-switching), whereas long cue-probe delays would utilize more of an active maintenance process (akin to working memory). Short delay lengths were associated with specific impairments in rare probe accuracy. EEG responses to control-demanding cues revealed delay-specific neural signatures, which replicated across studies. In the short delay condition, EEG activities associated with task-switching were specifically enhanced, including increased early anterior positivity ERP amplitude (accompanying greater mid-frontal theta power) and a larger late differential switch positivity. In the long delay condition, we observed study-specific sustained increases in ERP amplitude following control-demanding cues, which may be suggestive of active maintenance. Collectively, these findings suggest that timing demands may instantiate distinct proactive control processes. These findings suggest a reevaluation of AX-CPT and DPX as pure assessments of working memory and highlight the need to understand how presumably benign task parameters, such as cue-probe delay length, significantly alter cognitive control.
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46
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Karamacoska D, Barry RJ, Steiner GZ. Electrophysiological underpinnings of response variability in the Go/NoGo task. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 134:159-167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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47
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López ME, Pusil S, Pereda E, Maestú F, Barceló F. Dynamic low frequency EEG phase synchronization patterns during proactive control of task switching. Neuroimage 2018; 186:70-82. [PMID: 30394328 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is critical for humans living in complex societies with ever-growing multitasking demands. Yet the low-frequency neural dynamics of distinct task-specific and domain-general mechanisms sub-serving mental flexibility are still ill-defined. Here we estimated phase electroencephalogram synchronization by using inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) at the source space while twenty six young participants were intermittently cued to switch or repeat their perceptual categorization rule of Gabor gratings varying in color and thickness (switch task). Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether a proactive control is associated with connectivity only in the frontoparietal theta network, or also involves distinct neural connectivity within the delta band, as distinct neural signatures while preparing to switch or repeat a task set, respectively. To this end, we focused the analysis on late-latencies (from 500 to 800 msec post-cue onset), since they are known to be associated with top-down cognitive control processes. We confirmed that proactive control during a task switch was associated with frontoparietal theta connectivity. But importantly, we also found a distinct role of delta band oscillatory synchronization in proactive control, engaging more posterior frontotemporal regions as opposed to frontoparietal theta connectivity. Additionally, we built a regression model by using the ITPC results in delta and theta bands as predictors, and the behavioral accuracy in the switch task as the criterion, obtaining significant results for both frequency bands. All these findings support the existence of distinct proactive cognitive control processes related to functionally distinct though highly complementary theta and delta frontoparietal and temporoparietal oscillatory networks at late-latency temporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Eugenia López
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Psychological Processes and Speech Therapy, Universidad Complutense of Madrid, Spain; Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Centre for Biomedical Technology (CTB), Madrid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Sandra Pusil
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Centre for Biomedical Technology (CTB), Madrid, Spain; Laboratory of Neuropsychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Ernesto Pereda
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Centre for Biomedical Technology (CTB), Madrid, Spain; Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering Group, Department of Industrial Engineering & IUNE, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Psychological Processes and Speech Therapy, Universidad Complutense of Madrid, Spain; Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Centre for Biomedical Technology (CTB), Madrid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Barceló
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain.
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48
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Effects of single versus dual-site High-Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on cortical reactivity and working memory performance in healthy subjects. Brain Stimul 2018; 11:1033-1043. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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49
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Rac-Lubashevsky R, Kessler Y. Oscillatory Correlates of Control over Working Memory Gating and Updating: An EEG Study Using the Reference-back Paradigm. J Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:1870-1882. [PMID: 30125218 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Optimal working memory (WM) functioning depends on a control mechanism that balances between maintenance and updating by closing or opening the gate to WM, respectively. Here, we examined the neural oscillation correlates of WM updating and of the control processes involved in gating. The reference-back paradigm was employed to manipulate gate opening, gate closing, and updating independently and examine how the control functions involved in these processes are mapped to oscillatory EEG activity. The results established that different oscillatory patterns were associated with the control process related to gate opening than in gate closing. During the time of gate closing, a relative increase in theta power was observed over midfrontal electrodes. This theta response is a known EEG signature of cognitive control that is proposed here to reflect reactive conflict resolution, achieved by closing the gate when facing irrelevant information. On the other hand, proactive gate opening in preparation for relevant information was associated with an increase in relative delta power over parietal-occipital electrodes. Finally, WM updating was associated with relative increase in delta power over midfrontal electrodes, suggesting a functional role of delta oscillations in WM updating.
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50
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Smulders SFA, Soetens ELL, van der Molen MW. How Do Children Deal With Conflict? A Developmental Study of Sequential Conflict Modulation. Front Psychol 2018; 9:766. [PMID: 29875718 PMCID: PMC5974159 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined age-related differences in sequential conflict modulation (SCM), elicited in three tasks requiring the inhibition of pre-potent responses; a Simon task, an S-R compatibility (SRC) task and a hybrid Choice-reaction/NoGo task. The primary focus was on age-related changes in performance changes following a conflict trial. A secondary aim was to assess whether SCM follows different developmental trajectories depending on the type of conflict elicited by the tasks. The tasks were presented to three different groups of participants with an age range between 7- to 25-years-one group of participants for each task. For each task, the response-to-stimulus interval (RSI) was manipulated (50 vs. 500 ms) across trial blocks to assess time-dependent changes in conflict modulation. The results showed SCM for all three tasks, although the specific patterns differed between tasks and RSIs. Importantly, the magnitude of SCM decreased with advancing age, but this developmental trend did not survive when considering age-group differences in basic response speed. The current results contribute to the emerging evidence suggesting that patterns of SCM are task specific and were interpreted in terms of multiple bottom-up control mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric L. L. Soetens
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
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