Bilateral motor tasks involve more brain regions and higher neural activation than unilateral tasks: an fMRI study

Abstract In working and practical contexts, dogs rely upon their ability to discriminate a target odor from distracting odors and other sensory stimuli. Using awake functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 18 dogs, we examined the neural mechanisms underlying odor discrimination between 2 odors and a mixture of the odors. Neural activation was measured during the presentation of a target odor (A) associated with a food reward, a distractor odor (B) associated with nothing, and a mixture of the two odors (A+B). Changes in neural activation during the presentations of the odor stimuli in individual dogs were measured over time within three regions known to be involved with odor processing: the caudate nucleus, the amygdala, and the olfactory bulbs. Average activation within the amygdala showed that dogs maximally differentiated between odor stimuli based on the stimulus-reward associations by the first run, while activation to the mixture (A+B) was most similar to the no-reward (B) stimulus. To clarify the neural representation of odor mixtures in the dog brain, we used a random forest classifier to compare multilabel (elemental) versus multiclass (configural) models. The multiclass model performed much better than the multilabel (weighted-F1 0.44 vs. 0.14), suggesting the odor mixture was processed configurally. Analysis of the subset of high-performing dogs’ brain classification metrics revealed a network of olfactory information-carrying brain regions that included the amygdala, piriform cortex, and posterior cingulate. These results add further evidence for the configural processing of odor mixtures in dogs and suggest a novel way to identify high-performers based on brain classification metrics.

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Task-Dependent Recruitment of Modality-Specific and Multimodal Regions during Conceptual Processing

Cerebral Cortex ◽

10.1093/cercor/bhaa010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (7) ◽

pp. 3938-3959 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Philipp Kuhnke ◽

Markus Kiefer ◽

Gesa Hartwigsen

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Conceptual Knowledge ◽

Perception And Action ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Conceptual Processing ◽

First Time ◽

Healthy Participants

Abstract Conceptual knowledge is central to cognitive abilities such as word comprehension. Previous neuroimaging evidence indicates that concepts are at least partly composed of perceptual and motor features that are represented in the same modality-specific brain regions involved in actual perception and action. However, it is unclear to what extent the retrieval of perceptual–motor features and the resulting engagement of modality-specific regions depend on the concurrent task. To address this issue, we measured brain activity in 40 young and healthy participants using functional magnetic resonance imaging, while they performed three different tasks—lexical decision, sound judgment, and action judgment—on words that independently varied in their association with sounds and actions. We found neural activation for sound and action features of concepts selectively when they were task-relevant in brain regions also activated during auditory and motor tasks, respectively, as well as in higher-level, multimodal regions which were recruited during both sound and action feature retrieval. For the first time, we show that not only modality-specific perceptual–motor areas but also multimodal regions are engaged in conceptual processing in a flexible, task-dependent fashion, responding selectively to task-relevant conceptual features.

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An Event-Related fMRI Study of Visual and Auditory Oddball Tasks

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027//0269-8803.15.4.221 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 221-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Kent A. Kiehl ◽

Kristin R. Laurens ◽

Timothy L. Duty ◽

Bruce B. Forster ◽

Peter F. Liddle

Keyword(s):

Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽

Hemodynamic Response ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Visual Modality ◽

Auditory Modality ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Temporal Lobes ◽

Auditory Oddball ◽

Fmri Study ◽

Occipital Lobes

Abstract Whole brain event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques were employed to elucidate the cerebral sites involved in processing rare target and novel visual stimuli during an oddball discrimination task. The analyses of the hemodynamic response to the visual target stimuli revealed a distributed network of neural sources in anterior and posterior cingulate, inferior and middle frontal gyrus, bilateral parietal lobules, anterior superior temporal gyrus, amygdala, and thalamus. The analyses of the hemodynamic response for the visual novel stimuli revealed an extensive network of neural activations in occipital lobes and posterior temporal lobes, bilateral parietal lobules, and lateral frontal cortex. The hemodynamic response associated with processing target and novel stimuli in the visual modality were also compared with data from an analogous study in the auditory modality ( Kiehl et al., 2001 ). Similar patterns of activation were observed for target and novel stimuli in both modalities, but there were some significant differences. The results support the hypothesis that target detection and novelty processing are associated with neural activation in widespread neural areas, suggesting that the brain seems to adopt a strategy of activating many potentially useful brain regions despite the low probability that these brain regions are necessary for task performance.

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Task preparation and neural activation in stimulus-specific brain regions: An fMRI study with the cued task-switching paradigm

Brain and Cognition ◽

10.1016/j.bandc.2014.03.001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 87 ◽

pp. 39-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Yiquan Shi ◽

Thomas Meindl ◽

André J. Szameitat ◽

Hermann J. Müller ◽

Torsten Schubert

Keyword(s):

Task Switching ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Task Preparation ◽

Fmri Study

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Neural activation in mothers of preterm and full-term infants: Preliminary findings from a 3T fMRI study

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e579192013-354 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

R. Montirosso ◽

S. Moriconi ◽

B. Riccardi ◽

G. Reni ◽

F. Arrigoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Full Term ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Term Infants ◽

Fmri Study

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Working memory task induced neural activation: a simultaneous PET/fMRI study

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118131 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 118131

Author(s):

Isabelle KD Ripp ◽

Lara A Wallenwein ◽

Qiong Wu ◽

Monica Emch ◽

Kathrin Koch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Memory Task ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Fmri Study

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Peripheral arterial stiffness during electrocutaneous stimulation is positively correlated with pain-related brain activity and subjective pain intensity: an fMRI study

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83833-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Toshio Tsuji ◽

Fumiya Arikuni ◽

Takafumi Sasaoka ◽

Shin Suyama ◽

Takashi Akiyoshi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Pain Intensity ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Electrocutaneous Stimulation ◽

Pain Matrix ◽

Fmri Study ◽

Subjective Pain ◽

Peripheral Arterial

AbstractBrain activity associated with pain perception has been revealed by numerous PET and fMRI studies over the past few decades. These findings helped to establish the concept of the pain matrix, which is the distributed brain networks that demonstrate pain-specific cortical activities. We previously found that peripheral arterial stiffness $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art responds to pain intensity, which is estimated from electrocardiography, continuous sphygmomanometer, and photo-plethysmography. However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art aligns with pain matrix brain activity. In this fMRI study, 22 participants received different intensities of pain stimuli. We identified brain regions in which the blood oxygen level-dependent signal covaried with $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art using parametric modulation analysis. Among the identified brain regions, the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex and ventral and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex were consistent with the pain matrix. We found moderate correlations between the average activities in these regions and $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art (r = 0.47, p < 0.001). $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art was also significantly correlated with self-reported pain intensity (r = 0.44, p < 0.001) and applied pain intensity (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Our results indicate that $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art is positively correlated with pain-related brain activity and subjective pain intensity. This study may thus represent a basis for adopting peripheral arterial stiffness as an objective pain evaluation metric.

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Distinguishing hypochondriasis and schizophrenia using regional homogeneity: a resting-state fMRI study and support vector machine analysis

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1017/neu.2021.9 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-29

Author(s):

Kangyu Jin ◽

Zhe Shen ◽

Guoxun Feng ◽

Zhiyong Zhao ◽

Jing Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Resting State ◽

Parietal Lobe ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Resting State Fmri ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Regional Homogeneity ◽

Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽

Support Vector ◽

Fmri Study

Abstract Objective: A few former studies suggested there are partial overlaps in abnormal brain structure and cognitive function between Hypochondriasis (HS) and schizophrenia (SZ). But their differences in brain activity and cognitive function were unclear. Methods: 21 HS patients, 23 SZ patients, and 24 healthy controls (HC) underwent Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) with the regional homogeneity analysis (ReHo), subsequently exploring the relationship between ReHo value and cognitive functions. The support vector machines (SVM) were used on effectiveness evaluation of ReHo for differentiating HS from SZ. Results: Compared with HC, HS showed significantly increased ReHo values in right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and right fusiform gyrus (FG), while SZ showed increased ReHo in left insula, decreased ReHo values in right paracentral lobule. Additionally, HS showed significantly higher ReHo values in FG, MTG and left paracentral lobule but lower in insula than SZ. The higher ReHo values in insula were associated with worse performance in MCCB in HS group. SVM analysis showed a combination of the ReHo values in insula and FG was able to satisfactorily distinguish the HS and SZ patients. Conclusion: our results suggested the altered default mode network (DMN), of which abnormal spontaneous neural activity occurs in multiple brain regions, might play a key role in the pathogenesis of HS, and the resting-state alterations of insula closely related to cognitive dysfunction in HS. Furthermore, the combination of the ReHo in FG and insula was a relatively ideal indicator to distinguish HS from SZ.

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An fMRI study of scientists with a Ph.D. in physics confronted with naive ideas in science

npj Science of Learning ◽

10.1038/s41539-021-00091-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Geneviève Allaire-Duquette ◽

Lorie-Marlène Brault Foisy ◽

Patrice Potvin ◽

Martin Riopel ◽

Marilyne Larose ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Inhibitory Control ◽

Conceptual Understanding ◽

Matched Control ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Scientific Training ◽

Frontal Brain ◽

Fmri Study ◽

Lower Accuracy ◽

Neuroimaging Study ◽

Scientific Value

AbstractA central challenge in developing conceptual understanding in science is overcoming naive ideas that contradict the content of science curricula. Neuroimaging studies reveal that high school and university students activate frontal brain areas associated with inhibitory control to overcome naive ideas in science, probably because they persist despite scientific training. However, no neuroimaging study has yet explored how persistent naive ideas in science are. Here, we report brain activations of 25 scientists with a Ph.D. in physics assessing the scientific value of naive ideas in science. Results show that scientists are slower and have lower accuracy when judging the scientific value of naive ideas compared to matched control ideas. fMRI data reveals that a network of frontal brain regions is more activated when judging naive ideas. Results suggest that naive ideas are likely to persist, even after completing a Ph.D. Advanced experts may still rely on high order executive functions like inhibitory control to overcome naive ideas when the context requires it.

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Distinct Effects of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)70439-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

P. Fusar-Poli

Keyword(s):

Emotional Processing ◽

Electrodermal Activity ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Double Blind ◽

Posterior Cingulate ◽

Fearful Faces ◽

Scanning Session

Aims:Cannabis use can both increase and reduce anxiety in humans. The neurophysiological substrates of these effects are unknown.Method:Fifteen healthy English-native right-handed men were studied on three separate occasions using an event-related fMRI paradigm while viewing faces that implicitly elicited different levels of anxiety. Each scanning session was preceded by the ingestion of either 10mg of D-9-THC, 600mg of CBD, or a placebo, in a double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled design. Electrodermal activity (Skin Conductance Response, SCR) and objective and subjective ratings of anxiety were recorded durign the scanning.Results:D-9THC increased anxiety, as well as levels of intoxication, sedation and psychotic symptoms, whereas there was a trend for a reduction in anxiety following administration of CBD. The number of SCR fluctuations during the processing of intensely fearful faces increased following administration of D-9THC but decreased following administration of CBD. CBD attenuated the BOLD signal in the amygdala and the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex while subjects were processing intensely fearful faces, and its suppression of the amygdalar and posterior cingulate responses was correlated with the concurrent reduction in SCR fluctuations. D-9-THC mainly modulated activation in frontal and parietal areas.Conclusions:D-9-THC and CBD had clearly distinct effects on the neural, eclectrodermal and symptomatic response to fearful faces. The effects of CBD on activation in limbic and paralimbic regions may contribute to its ability to reduce autonomic arousal and subjective anxiety, whereas the anxiogenic effects of D-9-THC may be related to effects in other brain regions.

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