Role of the medial frontal wall for readiness of motor execution

The present study combines functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and reaction time (RT) measurements to further elucidate the influence of syllable frequency and complexity on speech motor control processes, i.e., overt reading of pseudowords. Tying in with a recent fMRI-study of our group we focused on the concept of a mental syllabary housing syllable sized ready-made motor plans for high- (HF), but not low-frequency (LF) syllables. The RT-analysis disclosed a frequency effect weakened by a simultaneous complexity effect for HF-syllables. In contrast, the fMRI data revealed no effect of syllable frequency, but point to an impact of syllable structure: Compared with CV-items, syllables with a complex onset (CCV) yielded higher hemodynamic activation in motor “execution” areas (left sensorimotor cortex, right inferior cerebellum), which is at least partially compatible with our previous study. We discuss the role of the syllable in speech motor control.

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Role of motor execution in the ocular tracking of self-generated movements

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00574.2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 116 (6) ◽

pp. 2586-2593 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jing Chen ◽

Matteo Valsecchi ◽

Karl R. Gegenfurtner

Keyword(s):

Opposite Direction ◽

Visual Target ◽

Decision Processes ◽

Motor Execution ◽

Mechanical Device ◽

Motor Commands ◽

Motor Intention ◽

Ocular Tracking ◽

Pursuit Gain

When human observers track the movements of their own hand with their gaze, the eyes can start moving before the finger (i.e., anticipatory smooth pursuit). The signals driving anticipation could come from motor commands during finger motor execution or from motor intention and decision processes associated with self-initiated movements. For the present study, we built a mechanical device that could move a visual target either in the same direction as the participant's hand or in the opposite direction. Gaze pursuit of the target showed stronger anticipation if it moved in the same direction as the hand compared with the opposite direction, as evidenced by decreased pursuit latency, increased positional lead of the eye relative to target, increased pursuit gain, decreased saccade rate, and decreased delay at the movement reversal. Some degree of anticipation occurred for incongruent pursuit, indicating that there is a role for higher-level movement prediction in pursuit anticipation. The fact that anticipation was larger when target and finger moved in the same direction provides evidence for a direct coupling between finger and eye motor commands.

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Computerized physical exercise improves the functional architecture of the brain in patients with Parkinson’s Disease: a network science resting-state EEG study

10.1101/2020.10.21.20209502 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Vasileios Rafail Xefteris ◽

Charis Styliadis ◽

Alexandra Anagnostopoulou ◽

Panagiotis Kartsidis ◽

Evangelos Paraskevopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Resting State ◽

Network Science ◽

Brain Network ◽

Motor Execution ◽

The Brain

AbstractPhysical exercise is an effective non-pharmaceutical treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms, both motor and non-motor. Despite the numerous reports on the neuroplastic role of physical exercise in patients with PD (PwPD), its effects have not been thoroughly explored via brain network science, which can provide a coherent framework for understanding brain functioning. We used resting-state EEG data to investigate the functional connectivity changes of the brain’s intrinsic cortical networks due to physical exercise. The brain activity of 14 PwPD before and after a ten-week protocol of computerized physical training was statistically compared to quantify changes in directed functional connectivity in conjunction with psychometric and somatometric assessments. PwPD showed a significant reorganization of the post-training brain network along with increases in their physical capacity. Specifically, our results revealed significant adjustments in clustering, increased characteristic path length, and decreased global efficiency, in correlation to the improved physical capacity. Our results go beyond previous findings by indicating a transition to a reparative network architecture of enhanced connectivity. We present a meaningful relationship between network characteristics and motor execution capacity which support the use of motor treatment in tandem with medication. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04426903.Impact StatementThe effects of physical training (PT) on the neuroplasticity attributes of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PwPD) have been well documented via neurophysiological evaluations. However, there is a knowledge gap on the role of training-induced neuroplasticity in whole-brain network organization. We investigated the PT effects on the brain network organization of 14 PwPD, using EEG and network indices coupled with psychosomatometric tests. We report evidence of reparative functional reorganization of the brain with more balanced integration and segregation abilities, in correlation to improved motor performance. The PD brain can repair and reestablish a better level of motor execution and control due to computer-empowered physical stimulation.

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Role of the anteroventral third ventricle region in fever in sheep

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/y87-200 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 65 (6) ◽

pp. 1255-1260 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

C. M. Blatteis ◽

J. R. S. Hales ◽

M. J. McKinley ◽

A. A. Fawcett

Keyword(s):

Anterior Commissure ◽

Third Ventricle ◽

Endogenous Pyrogen ◽

Febrile Response ◽

Vascular Plexus ◽

Organum Vasculosum Laminae Terminalis ◽

Frontal Wall ◽

Escherichia Coli Lipopolysaccharide ◽

Lateral Walls

Ablation of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) region, which includes the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT), blocks the febrile response of guinea pigs to systemically injected endotoxin; by contrast, discrete lesions of the OVLT transiently enhance fever in rabbits and rats. To assess whether separate subdivisions of the AV3V may mediate these different effects, the thermal responses to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.25 μg/kg, i.v.) were measured in eight sheep before and 12–13 days after placement of lesions at various levels within the AV3V. The responses of four of these sheep to crude homologous endogenous pyrogen (EP, 1–2 mL, i.c.v.) were also evaluated. Additionally, five other sheep were tested with LPS 2–8 months postlesion. All the experiments were performed at thermoneutrality. Sheep were used because most of the frontal wall of their 3V forms an elongated OVLT consisting of an avascular body and a vascular base. The animals were classified postmortem according to the extent of tissue ablated. Lesion overlap analyses showed that (i) medial lesions which extended from the floor of the 3V to the anterior commissure and laterally into adjacent preoptic periventricular tissue were associated with significantly depressed fever after LPS (n = 2); (ii) comparable lesions, but which excluded the ventral portion of the AV3V, i.e., the base of the OVLT, did not alter the magnitude of the febrile response to LPS (n = 4); (iii) lesions of the lateral walls of the 3V and (or) of the adjacent medial preoptic and anterior hypothalamic areas but excluding the frontal 3V wall also did not affect fever height after LPS (n = 7). Damage to aspects of the walls of the lateral ventricles attenuated the febrile response to EP i.c.v. (n = 3). Hence, although no separate fever-inhibiting and fever-enhancing regions were found within the AV3V, these results indicate that the ventral portion of the AV3V, i.e., the vascular plexus of the OVLT, is critical for normal fever development in sheep.

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Role of dactinomycin in the improved survival of children with Wilms' tumor

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.195.12.1005 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 195 (12) ◽

pp. 1005-1009 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

D. J. Fernbach

Keyword(s):

Wilms Tumor

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Role of the allergist in diagnosis and management of patients with uveitis

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.195.3.167 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 195 (3) ◽

pp. 167-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T. E. Van Metre

Keyword(s):

Diagnosis And Management

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The power of norms to sway fused group members

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18001644 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Winnifred R. Louis ◽

Craig McGarty ◽

Emma F. Thomas ◽

Catherine E. Amiot ◽

Fathali M. Moghaddam

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Anthropology ◽

Normative Systems ◽

Violent Extremism ◽

Identity Fusion ◽

Group Members

AbstractWhitehouse adapts insights from evolutionary anthropology to interpret extreme self-sacrifice through the concept of identity fusion. The model neglects the role of normative systems in shaping behaviors, especially in relation to violent extremism. In peaceful groups, increasing fusion will actually decrease extremism. Groups collectively appraise threats and opportunities, actively debate action options, and rarely choose violence toward self or others.

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Elaborating the role of reflection and individual differences in the study of folk-economic beliefs

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18000274 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

Author(s):

Kevin Arceneaux

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Behavioral Responses ◽

History Of ◽

Economic Beliefs

AbstractIntuitions guide decision-making, and looking to the evolutionary history of humans illuminates why some behavioral responses are more intuitive than others. Yet a place remains for cognitive processes to second-guess intuitive responses – that is, to be reflective – and individual differences abound in automatic, intuitive processing as well.

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The role of affect in feelings of obligation

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x19002449 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Author(s):

Stefen Beeler-Duden ◽

Meltem Yucel ◽

Amrisha Vaish

Keyword(s):

Positive Emotions ◽

The Creation ◽

Sense Of Obligation

Abstract Tomasello offers a compelling account of the emergence of humans’ sense of obligation. We suggest that more needs to be said about the role of affect in the creation of obligations. We also argue that positive emotions such as gratitude evolved to encourage individuals to fulfill cooperative obligations without the negative quality that Tomasello proposes is inherent in obligations.

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Refining our understanding of the “elephant in the room”

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x20000096 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Whiten

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Cultural Evolution ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Critical Factors ◽

Technological Culture

Abstract The authors do the field of cultural evolution a service by exploring the role of non-social cognition in human cumulative technological culture, truly neglected in comparison with socio-cognitive abilities frequently assumed to be the primary drivers. Some specifics of their delineation of the critical factors are problematic, however. I highlight recent chimpanzee–human comparative findings that should help refine such analyses.

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