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Rasooli A, Chalavi S, Li H, Seer C, Adab HZ, Mantini D, Sunaert S, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. Neural correlates of transfer of learning in motor coordination tasks: role of inhibitory and excitatory neurometabolites. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3251. [PMID: 38331950 PMCID: PMC10853253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53901-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
We aimed to investigate transfer of learning, whereby previously acquired skills impact new task learning. While it has been debated whether such transfer may yield positive, negative, or no effects on performance, very little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms, especially concerning the role of inhibitory (GABA) and excitatory (Glu) (measured as Glu + glutamine (Glx)) neurometabolites, as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Participants practiced a bimanual coordination task across four days. The Experimental group trained a task variant with the right hand moving faster than the left (Task A) for three days and then switched to the opposite variant (Task B) on Day4. The control group trained Task B across four days. MRS data were collected before, during, and after task performance on Day4 in the somatosensory (S1) and visual (MT/V5) cortex. Results showed that both groups improved performance consistently across three days. On Day4, the Experimental group experienced performance decline due to negative task transfer while the control group continuously improved. GABA and Glx concentrations obtained during task performance showed no significant group-level changes. However, individual Glx levels during task performance correlated with better (less negative) transfer performance. These findings provide a first window into the neurochemical mechanisms underlying task transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hamed Zivari Adab
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Motor Control Laboratory, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Building De Nayer, Room 02.11, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
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Li H, Chalavi S, Rasooli A, Rodríguez‐Nieto G, Seer C, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Sunaert S, Peeters R, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. Baseline GABA+ levels in areas associated with sensorimotor control predict initial and long-term motor learning progress. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26537. [PMID: 38140712 PMCID: PMC10789216 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity relies on the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. As the primary inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu), play critical roles in synaptic plasticity and learning. However, the role of these neurometabolites in motor learning is still unclear. Furthermore, it remains to be investigated which neurometabolite levels from the regions composing the sensorimotor network predict future learning outcome. Here, we studied the role of baseline neurometabolite levels in four task-related brain areas during different stages of motor skill learning under two different feedback (FB) conditions. Fifty-one healthy participants were trained on a bimanual motor task over 5 days while receiving either concurrent augmented visual FB (CA-VFB group, N = 25) or terminal intrinsic visual FB (TA-VFB group, N = 26) of their performance. Additionally, MRS-measured baseline GABA+ (GABA + macromolecules) and Glx (Glu + glutamine) levels were measured in the primary motor cortex (M1), primary somatosensory cortex (S1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and medial temporal cortex (MT/V5). Behaviorally, our results revealed that the CA-VFB group outperformed the TA-VFB group during task performance in the presence of augmented VFB, while the TA-VFB group outperformed the CA-VFB group in the absence of augmented FB. Moreover, baseline M1 GABA+ levels positively predicted and DLPFC GABA+ levels negatively predicted both initial and long-term motor learning progress in the TA-VFB group. In contrast, baseline S1 GABA+ levels positively predicted initial and long-term motor learning progress in the CA-VFB group. Glx levels did not predict learning progress. Together, these findings suggest that baseline GABA+ levels predict motor learning capability, yet depending on the FB training conditions afforded to the participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez‐Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of RadiologyWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Richard A. E. Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain ImagingKennedy Krieger InstituteBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Ron Peeters
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Stephan P. Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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3
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Rodríguez-Nieto G, Seer C, Sidlauskaite J, Vleugels L, Van Roy A, Hardwick R, Swinnen S. Inhibition, Shifting and Updating: Inter and intra-domain commonalities and differences from an executive functions activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119665. [PMID: 36202157 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions are higher-order mental processes that support goal-directed behavior. Among these processes, Inhibition, Updating, and Shifting have been considered core executive domains. In this meta-analysis, we comprehensively investigate the neural networks of these executive domains and we synthesize for the first time the neural convergences and divergences among the most frequently used executive paradigms within those domains. A systematic search yielded 1055 published neuroimaging studies (including 26,191 participants in total). Our study revealed that a fronto-parietal network was shared by the three main domains. Furthermore, we executed conjunction analyses among the paradigms of the same domain to extract the core distinctive components of the main executive domains. This approach showed that Inhibition and Shifting are characterized by a strongly lateralized neural activation in the right and left hemisphere, respectively. In addition, both networks overlapped with the Updating network but not with each other. Remarkably, our study detected heterogeneity among the paradigms from the same domain. More specifically, analysis of Inhibition tasks revealed differing activations for Response Inhibition compared to Interference Control paradigms, suggesting that Inhibition encompasses relatively heterogeneous sub-functions. Shifting analyses revealed a bilateral overlap of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task with the Updating network, but this pattern was absent for Rule Switching and Dual Task paradigms. Moreover, our Updating meta-analyses revealed the neural signatures associated with the specific modules of the Working Memory model from Baddeley and Hitch. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive meta-analysis of executive functions to date. Its paradigm-driven analyses provide a unique contribution to a better understanding of the neural convergences and divergences among executive processes that are relevant for clinical applications, such as cognitive enhancement and neurorehabilitation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium
| | - Justina Sidlauskaite
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium
| | - Lore Vleugels
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium; Institute of Neuroscience, UC Louvain, Av. Mounier 54, Bruxelles 1200, Belgium
| | - Anke Van Roy
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium
| | - Robert Hardwick
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium; Institute of Neuroscience, UC Louvain, Av. Mounier 54, Bruxelles 1200, Belgium
| | - Stephan Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 box 1501, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Leuven 5005, Belgium.
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4
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Bonke EM, Bonfert MV, Hillmann SM, Seitz-Holland J, Gaubert M, Wiegand TLT, De Luca A, Cho KIK, Sandmo SB, Yhang E, Tripodis Y, Seer C, Kaufmann D, Kaufmann E, Muehlmann M, Gooijers J, Lin AP, Leemans A, Swinnen SP, Bahr R, Shenton ME, Pasternak O, Tacke U, Heinen F, Koerte IK. Neurological soft signs in adolescents are associated with brain structure. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:5547-5556. [PMID: 36424865 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Neurological soft signs (NSS) are minor deviations in motor performance. During childhood and adolescence, NSS are examined for functional motor phenotyping to describe development, to screen for comorbidities, and to identify developmental vulnerabilities. Here, we investigate underlying brain structure alterations in association with NSS in physically trained adolescents. Male adolescent athletes (n = 136, 13–16 years) underwent a standardized neurological examination including 28 tests grouped into 6 functional clusters. Non-optimal performance in at least 1 cluster was rated as NSS (NSS+ group). Participants underwent T1- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical volume, thickness, and local gyrification were calculated using Freesurfer. Measures of white matter microstructure (Free-water (FW), FW-corrected fractional anisotropy (FAt), axial and radial diffusivity (ADt, RDt)) were calculated using tract-based spatial statistics. General linear models with age and handedness as covariates were applied to assess differences between NSS+ and NSS− group. We found higher gyrification in a large cluster spanning the left superior frontal and parietal areas, and widespread lower FAt and higher RDt compared with the NSS− group. This study shows that NSS in adolescents are associated with brain structure alterations. Underlying mechanisms may include alterations in synaptic pruning and axon myelination, which are hallmark processes of brain maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Bonke
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich , Germany
- NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich, Germany
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA , United States
| | - Michaela V Bonfert
- University Hospital Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan M Hillmann
- University Hospital Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
| | - Johanna Seitz-Holland
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA , United States
| | - Malo Gaubert
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- CHU Rennes Radiology Department, , Rennes, France
- University of Rennes Inria, CNRS, Inserm, IRISA UMR 6074, Empenn ERL, , Rennes, France
| | - Tim L T Wiegand
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich, Germany
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA , United States
| | - Alberto De Luca
- University Medical Center Utrecht Image Sciences Institute, , Utrecht, the Netherlands
- University Medical Center Utrecht Department of Neurology, , Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kang Ik K Cho
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stian B Sandmo
- Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine, , Oslo, Norway
- Oslo University Hospital Division of Mental Health and Addiction, , Oslo, Norway
| | - Eukyung Yhang
- Boston University School of Public Health Department of Biostatistics, , Boston, MA , United States
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University School of Public Health Department of Biostatistics, , Boston, MA , United States
- Boston University School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Disease and CTE Centers, , Boston, MA , United States
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Kaufmann
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- University Hospital Augsburg Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, , Augsburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Kaufmann
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Department of Neurology, , Munich, Germany
| | - Marc Muehlmann
- University Hospital Department of Clinical Radiology, , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alexander P Lin
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alexander Leemans
- University Medical Center Utrecht Image Sciences Institute, , Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roald Bahr
- Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine, , Oslo, Norway
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, , Boston, MA, United States
| | - Uta Tacke
- University Children's Hospital (UKBB) , Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florian Heinen
- University Hospital Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, , , Munich, Germany
| | - Inga K Koerte
- University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, , Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich , Germany
- Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , Boston, MA , United States
- Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, , Boston, MA , United States
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Seer C, Adab HZ, Sidlauskaite J, Dhollander T, Chalavi S, Gooijers J, Sunaert S, Swinnen SP. Bridging cognition and action: executive functioning mediates the relationship between white matter fiber density and complex motor abilities in older adults. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:7263-7281. [PMID: 35997651 PMCID: PMC9550248 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aging may be associated with motor decline that is attributed to deteriorating white matter microstructure of the corpus callosum (CC), among other brain-related factors. Similar to motor functioning, executive functioning (EF) typically declines during aging, with age-associated changes in EF likewise being linked to altered white matter connectivity in the CC. Given that both motor and executive functions rely on white matter connectivity via the CC, and that bimanual control is thought to rely on EF, the question arises whether EF can at least party account for the proposed link between CC-connectivity and motor control in older adults. To address this, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 84 older adults. A fiber-specific approach was used to obtain fiber density (FD), fiber cross-section (FC), and a combination of both metrics in eight transcallosal white matter tracts. Motor control was assessed using a bimanual coordination task. EF was determined by a domain-general latent EF-factor extracted from multiple EF tasks, based on a comprehensive test battery. FD of transcallosal prefrontal fibers was associated with cognitive and motor performance. EF partly accounted for the relationship between FD of prefrontal transcallosal pathways and motor control. Our results underscore the multidimensional interrelations between callosal white matter connectivity (especially in prefrontal brain regions), EF across multiple domains, and motor control in the older population. They also highlight the importance of considering EF when investigating brain-motor behavior associations in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hamed Zivari Adab
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Justina Sidlauskaite
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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6
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Seer C, Sidlauskaite J, Lange F, Rodríguez-Nieto G, Swinnen SP. Cognition and action: a latent variable approach to study contributions of executive functions to motor control in older adults. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:15942-15963. [PMID: 34166223 PMCID: PMC8266336 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with profound alterations in motor control that may be exacerbated by age-related executive functioning decline. Executive functions span multiple facets including inhibition (suppressing unwanted response tendencies), shifting (switching between cognitive operations), and updating (managing working memory content). However, comprehensive studies regarding the contributions of single facets of executive functioning to movement control in older adults are still lacking. A battery of nine neuropsychological tasks was administered to n = 92 older adults in order to derive latent factors for inhibition, shifting, and updating by structural equation modeling. A bimanual task was used to assess complex motor control. A sample of n = 26 young adults served as a control group to verify age-related performance differences. In older adults, structural equation models revealed that performance on the most challenging condition of the complex motor task was best predicted by the updating factor and by general executive functioning performance. These data suggest a central role for working memory updating in complex motor performance and contribute to our understanding of how individual differences in executive functioning relate to movement control in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Justina Sidlauskaite
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Florian Lange
- Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.,KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
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7
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Sandmo SB, Gooijers J, Seer C, Kaufmann D, Bahr R, Pasternak O, Lipton ML, Tripodis Y, Koerte IK. Evaluating the validity of self-report as a method for quantifying heading exposure in male youth soccer. Res Sports Med 2020; 29:427-439. [PMID: 33283535 DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2020.1853541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Assessing heading exposure in football is important when exploring the association between heading and brain alterations. To this end, questionnaires have been developed for use in adult populations. However, the validity of self-report in adolescents remains to be elucidated. Male youth soccer players (n = 34) completed a questionnaire on heading exposure after a two-week period, which included matches and training sessions. Self-reported numbers were compared to observation (considered reference). In total, we observed 157 training sessions and 64 matches. Self-reported heading exposure correlated with observed heading exposure (Spearman's rho 0.68; p < 0.001). Players systematically overestimated their heading exposure by a factor of 3 with the random error of 46%. Area under the curve was 0.87 (95% CI 0.67-1) utilizing self-report for identifying players from high- and low-exposure groups. Thus, in this study, self-reported data could be used to group youth players into high and low heading exposure groups, but not to quantify individual heading exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stian B Sandmo
- Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Neurology, Drammen Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Kaufmann
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roald Bahr
- Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael L Lipton
- Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inga K Koerte
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic, and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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8
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Bertram M, Warren CV, Lange F, Seer C, Steinke A, Wegner F, Schrader C, Dressler D, Dengler R, Kopp B. Dopaminergic modulation of novelty repetition in Parkinson's disease: A study of P3 event-related brain potentials. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:2841-2850. [PMID: 33137574 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Cognitive impairments have been reported using the event-related potential (ERP) technique. Patients show reduced novelty P3 (nP3) amplitudes in oddball experiments, a response to infrequent, surprising stimuli, linked to the orienting response of the brain. The nP3 is thought to depend on dopaminergic neuronal pathways though the effect of dopaminergic medication in PD has not yet been investigated. METHODS Twenty-two patients with PD were examined "on" and "off" their regular dopaminergic medication in a novelty 3-stimulus-oddball task. Thirty-four healthy controls were also examined over two sessions, but received no medication. P3 amplitudes were compared throughout experimental conditions. RESULTS All participants showed sizeable novelty difference ERP effects, i.e. ndP3 amplitudes, during both testing sessions. An interaction of diagnosis, medication and testing order was also found, indicating that dopaminergic medication modulated ndP3 in patients with PD across the two testing sessions: We observed enhanced ndP3 amplitudes from PD patients who were off medication on the second testing session. CONCLUSION Patients with PD 'off' medication showed ERP evidence for repetition-related enhancement of novelty responses. Dopamine depletion in neuronal pathways that are affected by mid-stage PD possibly accounts for this modulation of novelty processing. SIGNIFICANCE The data in this study potentially suggest that repetition effects on novelty processing in patients with PD are enhanced by dopaminergic depletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte Bertram
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Claire V Warren
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Behavioural Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Florian Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Dressler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Reinhard Dengler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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9
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Steinke A, Lange F, Seer C, Petri S, Kopp B. A Computational Study of Executive Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E2605. [PMID: 32796719 PMCID: PMC7463664 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive dysfunction is a well-documented, yet nonspecific corollary of various neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Here, we applied computational modeling of latent cognition for executive control in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We utilized a parallel reinforcement learning model of trial-by-trial Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) behavior. Eighteen ALS patients and 21 matched healthy control participants were assessed on a computerized variant of the WCST (cWCST). ALS patients showed latent cognitive symptoms, which can be characterized as bradyphrenia and haphazard responding. A comparison with results from a recent computational Parkinson's disease (PD) study (Steinke et al., 2020, J Clin Med) suggests that bradyphrenia represents a disease-nonspecific latent cognitive symptom of ALS and PD patients alike. Haphazard responding seems to be a disease-specific latent cognitive symptom of ALS, whereas impaired stimulus-response learning seems to be a disease-specific latent cognitive symptom of PD. These data were obtained from the careful modeling of trial-by-trial behavior on the cWCST, and they suggest that computational cognitive neuropsychology provides nosologically specific indicators of latent facets of executive dysfunction in ALS (and PD) patients, which remain undiscoverable for traditional behavioral cognitive neuropsychology. We discuss implications for neuropsychological assessment, and we discuss opportunities for confirmatory computational brain imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Steinke
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
- Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.L.); (C.S.); (S.P.); (B.K.)
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10
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Steinke A, Lange F, Seer C, Hendel MK, Kopp B. Computational Modeling for Neuropsychological Assessment of Bradyphrenia in Parkinson's Disease. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E1158. [PMID: 32325662 PMCID: PMC7230210 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9041158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunctions in neurological diseases remain poorly understood. Here, we conjecture that this unsatisfying state-of-the-art is in part due to the non-specificity of the typical behavioral indicators for cognitive dysfunctions. Our study addresses the topic by advancing the assessment of cognitive dysfunctions through computational modeling. We investigate bradyphrenia in Parkinson's disease (PD) as an exemplary case of cognitive dysfunctions in neurological diseases. Our computational model conceptualizes trial-by-trial behavioral data as resulting from parallel cognitive and sensorimotor reinforcement learning. We assessed PD patients 'on' and 'off' their dopaminergic medication and matched healthy control (HC) participants on a computerized version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. PD patients showed increased retention of learned cognitive information and decreased retention of learned sensorimotor information from previous trials in comparison to HC participants. Systemic dopamine replacement therapy did not remedy these cognitive dysfunctions in PD patients but incurred non-desirable side effects such as decreasing cognitive learning from positive feedback. Our results reveal novel insights into facets of bradyphrenia that are indiscernible by observable behavioral indicators of cognitive dysfunctions. We discuss how computational modeling may contribute to the advancement of future research on brain-behavior relationships and neuropsychological assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Steinke
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Merle K. Hendel
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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11
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Pekrul M, Seer C, Lange F, Dressler D, Kopp B. Flanker Task Performance in Isolated Dystonia (Blepharospasm): A Focus on Sequential Effects. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10020076. [PMID: 32024200 PMCID: PMC7071414 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10020076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Isolated dystonia manifests with involuntary muscle hyperactivity, but the extent of cognitive impairment remains controversial. We examined the executive functions in blepharospasm while accounting for motor symptom-related distractions as a factor often limiting the interpretability of neuropsychological studies in dystonia. Our control group comprised of patients with hemifacial spasm, which is a condition producing similar motor symptoms without any central nervous system pathology. Nineteen patients with blepharospasm and 22 patients with hemifacial spasm completed a flanker task. Stimulus congruency on the current trial, on the preceding trial, and a response sequence served as independent variables. We analyzed the response time and accuracy. Gross overall group differences were not discernible. While congruency, congruency sequence, and response sequence exerted the expected effects, no group differences emerged with regard to these variables. A difference between patients with blepharospasm and those with hemifacial spasm consisted in longer reaction times when responses had to be repeated following stimulus incongruency on the preceding trial. We conclude that patients with blepharospasm seem to have difficulties in repeating their responses when incongruency on preceding trials interferes with habit formation or other forms of fast routes to action. Our specific finding may provide an opportunity to study altered basal ganglia plasticity in focal dystonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Pekrul
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (C.S.); (F.L.); (D.D.); (B.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (C.S.); (F.L.); (D.D.); (B.K.)
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- LBI—KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (C.S.); (F.L.); (D.D.); (B.K.)
- Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Dressler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (C.S.); (F.L.); (D.D.); (B.K.)
- Movement Disorders Section, Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (C.S.); (F.L.); (D.D.); (B.K.)
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12
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Kopp B, Steinke A, Meiran N, Seer C, Lange F. Stimulus- and response-based interference contributes to the costs of switching between cognitive tasks. Psychol Res 2018; 84:1112-1125. [PMID: 30361810 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-018-1113-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about how stimulus- and response-based interference might interact to contribute to the costs of switching between cognitive tasks. We analyzed switch costs in a novel cued task-switching/card-matching paradigm in a large study (N = 95). We reasoned that interference from previously active task sets may be contingent upon the retrieval of these task sets via stimulus processing, or alternatively, via response processing. We examined the efficacy of these two factors through eligibility manipulations. That is, stimulus/response features that were capable of retrieving task sets from the previous trial remained eligible (or not) on the current trial. We report three main findings: first, no switch costs were found when neither stimulus features, nor response features, were adequate for the retrieval of the previously executed task sets. Second, we found substantial switch costs when, on switch trials, stimulus features kept the previously executed task eligible, and we found roughly equivalent switch costs when the previously executed response remained eligible. Third, evidence for stimulus-induced switch costs was exclusively observed when previously executed responses remained ineligible. These data indicate that stimulus-based interference, and of importance, response-based interference, contribute comparably to switch costs. Possible interpretations of non-additive switch costs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Kopp
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Alexander Steinke
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nachshon Meiran
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Caroline Seer
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Florian Lange
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Lange F, Brückner C, Knebel A, Seer C, Kopp B. Executive dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: A meta-analysis on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 93:38-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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14
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Lange F, Kip A, Klein T, Müller D, Seer C, Kopp B. Effects of rule uncertainty on cognitive flexibility in a card-sorting paradigm. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2018; 190:53-64. [PMID: 30015136 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility has been studied in two separate research traditions. Neuropsychologists typically rely on rather complex assessment tools such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). In contrast, task-switching paradigms are used in experimental psychology to obtain more specific measures of cognitive flexibility. We aim to contribute to the integration of these research traditions by examining the role of the key factor that differs between the WCST and experimental task-switching paradigms: rule uncertainty. In two experimental studies, we manipulated the degree of rule uncertainty after rule switches in a computerized version of the WCST. Across a variety of task parameters, reducing rule uncertainty consistently impaired the speed and accuracy of responses when the rule designated to be more likely turned out to be incorrect. Other performance measures such as the number of perseverative errors were not significantly affected by rule uncertainty. We conclude that a fine-grained analysis of WCST performance can dissociate behavioural indicators that are affected vs. unaffected by rule uncertainty. By this means, it is possible to integrate WCST results and findings obtained from task-switching paradigms that do not involve rule uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Ahlke Kip
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tabea Klein
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dorothea Müller
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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15
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Lange F, Seer C, Kopp B. Cognitive flexibility in neurological disorders: Cognitive components and event-related potentials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:496-507. [PMID: 28903059 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Performance deficits on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in patients with prefrontal cortex (PFC) lesions are traditionally interpreted as evidence for a role of the PFC in cognitive flexibility. However, WCST deficits do not occur exclusively after PFC lesions, but also in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. We propose a multi-component approach that can accommodate this pattern of omnipresent WCST deficits: the WCST is not a pure test of cognitive flexibility, but relies on the effective functioning of multiple dissociable cognitive components. Our review of recent efforts to decompose WCST performance deficits supports this view by revealing that WCST deficits in different neurological disorders can be attributed to alterations in different components. Frontoparietal changes underlying impaired set shifting seem to give rise to WCST deficits in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, whereas the WCST deficits associated with primary dystonia and Parkinson's disease are rather related to frontostriatal changes underlying deficient rule inference. Clinical implications of these findings and of a multi-component view of WCST performance are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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16
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Lange F, Seer C, Müller-Vahl K, Kopp B. Cognitive flexibility and its electrophysiological correlates in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2017; 27:78-90. [PMID: 28863370 PMCID: PMC6987949 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) may involve cognitive inflexibility. A meta-analysis reveals GTS-related deficits on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Card-sorting deficits are larger in children than in adults with GTS. Adults with GTS show electrophysiological signs of enhanced cognitive control. This change may underlie the normalization of cognitive flexibility in adult GTS.
Motor symptoms in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) have been related to changes in frontostriatal brain networks. These changes may also give rise to alterations in cognitive flexibility. However, conclusive evidence for altered cognitive flexibility in patients with GTS is still lacking. Here, we meta-analyzed data from 20 neuropsychological studies that investigated cognitive flexibility in GTS using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results revealed medium-sized GTS-related performance deficits, which were significantly modulated by age: Whilst being substantial in children and adolescents with GTS, WCST deficits seem to dissolve in adult patients with GTS. This age-related normalization of WCST performance might result from the compensatory recruitment of cognitive control in adult patients with GTS. We addressed this possibility by examining neural correlates of proactive and reactive cognitive control in an event-related potential (ERP) study. We analyzed cue- and target-locked ERPs from 23 adult patients with GTS and 26 matched controls who completed a computerized version of the WCST. Compared to controls, patients with GTS showed a marked increase in parietal cue-locked P3 activity, indicating enhanced proactive cognitive control. We conclude that the additional recruitment of proactive cognitive control might ensure flexible cognitive functioning in adult patients with GTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kirsten Müller-Vahl
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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17
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Lange F, Seer C, Loens S, Wegner F, Schrader C, Dressler D, Dengler R, Kopp B. Neural mechanisms underlying cognitive inflexibility in Parkinson's disease. Neuropsychologia 2016; 93:142-150. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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18
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Lange F, Kröger B, Steinke A, Seer C, Dengler R, Kopp B. Decomposing card-sorting performance: Effects of working memory load and age-related changes. Neuropsychology 2016; 30:579-90. [DOI: 10.1037/neu0000271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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19
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Lange F, Seer C, Salchow C, Dengler R, Dressler D, Kopp B. Meta-analytical and electrophysiological evidence for executive dysfunction in primary dystonia. Cortex 2016; 82:133-146. [PMID: 27376933 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Impaired motor control in primary dystonia has been linked to cortico-basal ganglia alterations that may also give rise to changes in executive functioning. However, no conclusive evidence for executive dysfunction in patients with primary dystonia has been reported yet. We conducted a meta-analysis of the relationship between primary dystonia and performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), an established test of executive functioning. Its results revealed a significant effect of medium size, indicating that primary dystonia is associated with moderate performance deficits on the WCST. Building on this finding, we conducted an event-related potential (ERP) study to elucidate the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying executive dysfunction in primary dystonia. Eighteen patients with blepharospasm, a common form of primary focal dystonia, and 34 healthy matched controls completed a computerized version of the WCST. We specifically compared indicators of two distinct components of executive functioning: set shifting and rule inference. On a behavioral level, blepharospasm patients seemed to have particular difficulty integrating information to infer the correct task rule. In addition, P3a amplitude (as an electrophysiological marker of rule-inference processes) was selectively attenuated in blepharospasm patients. Executive dysfunction in blepharospasm can thus rather be attributed to a rule-inference deficit, whereas set-shifting abilities appear to be relatively unaffected by the disease. Moreover, P3a amplitude attenuation was related to disease duration, indicating that this ERP might serve as a neural indicator of disease progression and executive dysfunction in primary dystonia. These results demonstrate for the first time that pathophysiological alterations in primary dystonia might affect cortical activation for executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Carolin Salchow
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Reinhard Dengler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Dressler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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20
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Boos M, Seer C, Lange F, Kopp B. Probabilistic Inference: Task Dependency and Individual Differences of Probability Weighting Revealed by Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling. Front Psychol 2016; 7:755. [PMID: 27303323 PMCID: PMC4882416 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive determinants of probabilistic inference were examined using hierarchical Bayesian modeling techniques. A classic urn-ball paradigm served as experimental strategy, involving a factorial two (prior probabilities) by two (likelihoods) design. Five computational models of cognitive processes were compared with the observed behavior. Parameter-free Bayesian posterior probabilities and parameter-free base rate neglect provided inadequate models of probabilistic inference. The introduction of distorted subjective probabilities yielded more robust and generalizable results. A general class of (inverted) S-shaped probability weighting functions had been proposed; however, the possibility of large differences in probability distortions not only across experimental conditions, but also across individuals, seems critical for the model's success. It also seems advantageous to consider individual differences in parameters of probability weighting as being sampled from weakly informative prior distributions of individual parameter values. Thus, the results from hierarchical Bayesian modeling converge with previous results in revealing that probability weighting parameters show considerable task dependency and individual differences. Methodologically, this work exemplifies the usefulness of hierarchical Bayesian modeling techniques for cognitive psychology. Theoretically, human probabilistic inference might be best described as the application of individualized strategic policies for Bayesian belief revision.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover, Germany
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Lange F, Vogts MB, Seer C, Fürkötter S, Abdulla S, Dengler R, Kopp B, Petri S. Impaired set-shifting in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: An event-related potential study of executive function. Neuropsychology 2016; 30:120-134. [DOI: 10.1037/neu0000218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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Seer C, Fürkötter S, Vogts MB, Lange F, Abdulla S, Dengler R, Petri S, Kopp B. Executive Dysfunctions and Event-Related Brain Potentials in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Aging Neurosci 2015; 7:225. [PMID: 26733861 PMCID: PMC4683183 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence implies psychological disturbances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Specifically, executive dysfunctions occur in up to 50% of ALS patients. The recently shown presence of cytoplasmic aggregates (TDP-43) in ALS patients and in patients with behavioral variants of frontotemporal dementia suggests that these two disease entities form the extremes of a spectrum. The present study aimed at investigating behavioral and electrophysiological indices of conflict processing in patients with ALS. A non-verbal variant of the flanker task demanded two-choice responses to target stimuli that were surrounded by flanker stimuli which either primed the correct response or the alternative response (the latter case representing the conflict situation). Behavioral performance, event-related potentials (ERP), and lateralized readiness potentials (LRP) were analyzed in 21 ALS patients and 20 controls. In addition, relations between these measures and executive dysfunctions were examined. ALS patients performed the flanker task normally, indicating preserved conflict processing. In similar vein, ERP and LRP indices of conflict processing did not differ between groups. However, ALS patients showed enhanced posterior negative ERP waveform deflections, possibly indicating increased modulation of visual processing by frontoparietal networks in ALS. We also found that the presence of executive dysfunctions was associated with more error-prone behavior and enhanced LRP amplitudes in ALS patients, pointing to a prefrontal pathogenesis of executive dysfunctions and to a potential link between prefrontal and motor cortical functional dysregulation in ALS, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Maj-Britt Vogts
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Susanne Abdulla
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany; Department of Neurology, German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Dengler
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
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Lange F, Seer C, Müller D, Kopp B. Cognitive caching promotes flexibility in task switching: evidence from event-related potentials. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17502. [PMID: 26643146 PMCID: PMC4672338 DOI: 10.1038/srep17502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Time-consuming processes of task-set reconfiguration have been shown to contribute to the costs of switching between cognitive tasks. We describe and probe a novel mechanism serving to reduce the costs of task-set reconfiguration. We propose that when individuals are uncertain about the currently valid task, one task set is activated for execution while other task sets are maintained at a pre-active state in cognitive cache. We tested this idea by assessing an event-related potential (ERP) index of task-set reconfiguration in a three-rule task-switching paradigm involving varying degrees of task uncertainty. In high-uncertainty conditions, two viable tasks were equally likely to be correct whereas in low-uncertainty conditions, one task was more likely than the other. ERP and performance measures indicated substantial costs of task-set reconfiguration when participants were required to switch away from a task that had been likely to be correct. In contrast, task-set-reconfiguration costs were markedly reduced when the previous task set was chosen under high task uncertainty. These results suggest that cognitive caching of alternative task sets adds to human cognitive flexibility under high task uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Caroline Seer
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dorothea Müller
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bruno Kopp
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Kopp B, Seer C, Lange F. Exekutivfunktionen bei der Amyotrophen Lateralsklerose. KLIN NEUROPHYSIOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-106850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Kopp
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - C. Seer
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - F. Lange
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
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Kopp B, Seer C, Lange F. Zur Psychophysiologie exekutiver Funktionen. KLIN NEUROPHYSIOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1398610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Kopp
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - C. Seer
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - F. Lange
- Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
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Lange F, Seer C, Finke M, Dengler R, Kopp B. Dual routes to cortical orienting responses: Novelty detection and uncertainty reduction. Biol Psychol 2015; 105:66-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Lange F, Seer C, Dengler R, Kopp B. P2: The brain’s orienting response: a universal electrophysiological signature of executive processing? Clin Neurophysiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/s1388-2457(14)50166-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Seer C, Kolossa A, Fingscheidt T, Hoijtink H, Kopp B. P10: Electrophysiological signatures of probabilities in a Bayesian oddball paradigm. Clin Neurophysiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/s1388-2457(14)50174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Abstract
This study was conducted by the Technical University of Munich-Weihenstephan on behalf of the Department of Education of the city of Munich. A total of 82 children as well as their parents and 23 kindergarten teachers in five Munich kindergartens were questioned about their food preferences, and their sociocultural data were gathered. The results showed that the nationality and the religion of the mother were fundamental to the origin and consolidation of the eating habits of the children. Other important und influencing factors were: the peer group and the teachers in the kindergarten, the father's job, the sex and the age of the children. When comparing the food preferences of the children and their role models, it was found that the preferences and aversions were more similar to those of their own mothers/teachers/members of the peer group than to those of children of other peer groups, other parents or other teachers.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Seer
- Technische Universität München-Weihenstephan, Institut für Sozialökonomik des Haushalts, Freising
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