scholarly journals Topographical functional correlates of interindividual differences in executive functions in young healthy twins

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Menardi ◽  
Andrew E. Reineberg ◽  
Louisa L. Smith ◽  
Chiara Favaretto ◽  
Antonino Vallesi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Interindividual Differences ◽  
Frontoparietal Network ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Brain States ◽  
Cortical Involvement ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

AbstractExecutive functions (EF) are a set of higher-order cognitive abilities that enable goal-directed behavior by controlling lower-level operations. In the brain, those functions have been traditionally associated with activity in the Frontoparietal Network, but recent neuroimaging studies have challenged this view in favor of more widespread cortical involvement. In the present study, we aimed to explore whether the network that serves as critical hubs at rest, which we term network reliance, differentiate individuals as a function of their level of EF. Furthermore, we investigated whether such differences are driven by genetic as compared to environmental factors. For this purpose, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data and the behavioral testing of 453 twins from the Colorado Longitudinal Twins Study were analyzed. Separate indices of EF performance were obtained according to a bifactor unity/diversity model, distinguishing between three independent components representing: Common EF, Shifting-specific and Updating-specific abilities. Through an approach of step-wise in silico network lesioning of the individual functional connectome, we show that interindividual differences in EF are associated with different dependencies on neural networks at rest. Furthermore, these patterns show evidence of mild heritability. Such findings add knowledge to the understanding of brain states at rest and their connection with human behavior, and how they might be shaped by genetic influences.

Contributions of Primate Prefrontal and Posterior Parietal Cortices to Length and Numerosity Representation

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 2984-2994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oana Tudusciuc ◽  
Andreas Nieder
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Line Length ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Response Latencies ◽  
Match To Sample ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Frontoparietal Network ◽  
Continuous Quantities ◽  
Characteristic Area ◽  
Parietal Cortices

The ability to understand and manipulate quantities ensures the survival of animals and humans alike. The frontoparietal network in primates has been implicated in representing, along with other cognitive abilities, abstract quantity. The respective roles of the prefrontal and parietal areas and the way continuous quantities, as opposed to discrete ones, are represented in this network, however, are unknown. We investigated this issue by simultaneously analyzing recorded single-unit activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the fundus of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) of two macaque monkeys while they were engaged in delayed match-to-sample tasks discriminating line length and numerosity. In both areas, we found anatomically intermingled neurons encoding either length, numerosity, or both types of quantities. Even though different sets of neurons coded these quantities, the representation of length and numerosity was similar within the IPS and PFC. Both length and numerosity were coded by tuning functions peaking at the preferred quantity, thus supporting a labeled-line code for continuous and discrete quantity. A comparison of the response characteristics between parietal and frontal areas revealed a larger proportion of IPS neurons representing each quantity type in the early sample phase, in addition to shorter response latencies to quantity for IPS neurons. Moreover, IPS neurons discriminated quantities during the sample phase better than PFC neurons, as quantified by the receiver operating characteristic area. In the memory period, the discharge properties of PFC and IPS neurons were comparable. These single-cell results are in good agreement with functional imaging data from humans and support the notion that representations of continuous and discrete quantities share a frontoparietal substrate, with IPS neurons constituting the putative entry stage of the processing hierarchy.

Executive functions and intelligent goal-directed behavior: A neuropsychological approach to understanding success using professional sales as a real-life measure.

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Pluck ◽  
Cristina Crespo-Andrade ◽  
Patricia Parreño ◽  
Karla I. Haro ◽  
María A. Martínez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Life Measure ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior ◽  
Professional Sales

Associations Between Higher-Order Values Vary with Age, Education, and Income

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maksim Rudnev
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
Value Structures ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Representative Samples

A theory of basic human values relies on the similarity of value structures across countries. It has been well established that the quasi-circumplex value structure as a whole is indeed universal. However, less attention has been paid to the associations between specific values. This study investigated associations between four higher-order values across age, education, and income groups. We analyzed the data from national representative samples collected in 29 countries as part of the fourth round of the European Social Survey with a series of multilevel regressions. Younger age, higher levels of education and income coincided with higher independence of the four adjacent higher-order values, whereas among older, less educated, and less wealthy groups, values tended to merge into a single dimension of Social versus Person Focus. These differences were slightly weaker in more economically developed countries. The group differences in value associations may follow from corresponding differences in the degree of societal and individual empowerment, cognitive abilities, and socialization experiences. Accounting for the individual differences in relations between values may bring deeper understanding and higher predictive power to the studies of links between values and various behaviors or attitudes. , value structure, value interactions, European Social Survey

Individual Uniqueness in the Neonatal Functional Connectome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiushi Wang ◽  
Yuehua Xu ◽  
Tengda Zhao ◽  
Zhilei Xu ◽  
Yong He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Individual Identification ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Functional Connectome ◽  
Middle Range ◽  
Human Connectome Project ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Identification Analysis ◽  
The Brain

Abstract The functional connectome is highly distinctive in adults and adolescents, underlying individual differences in cognition and behavior. However, it remains unknown whether the individual uniqueness of the functional connectome is present in neonates, who are far from mature. Here, we utilized the multiband resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 40 healthy neonates from the Developing Human Connectome Project and a split-half analysis approach to characterize the uniqueness of the functional connectome in the neonatal brain. Through functional connectome-based individual identification analysis, we found that all the neonates were correctly identified, with the most discriminative regions predominantly confined to the higher-order cortices (e.g., prefrontal and parietal regions). The connectivities with the highest contributions to individual uniqueness were primarily located between different functional systems, and the short- (0–30 mm) and middle-range (30–60 mm) connectivities were more distinctive than the long-range (>60 mm) connectivities. Interestingly, we found that functional data with a scanning length longer than 3.5 min were able to capture the individual uniqueness in the functional connectome. Our results highlight that individual uniqueness is present in the functional connectome of neonates and provide insights into the brain mechanisms underlying individual differences in cognition and behavior later in life.

scholarly journals Eye contact effect: The role of vagal regulation and reactivity, and self-regulation of attention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Niedźwiecka
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Eye Contact ◽  
Autonomic Regulation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Contact Effect ◽  
The Individual

AbstractEye contact is a crucial aspect of social interactions that may enhance an individual’s cognitive performance (i.e. the eye contact effect) or hinder it (i.e. face-to-face interference effect). In this paper, I focus on the influence of eye contact on cognitive performance in tasks engaging executive functions. I present a hypothesis as to why some individuals benefit from eye contact while others do not. I propose that the relations between eye contact and executive functioning are modulated by an individual’s autonomic regulation and reactivity and self-regulation of attention. In particular, I propose that individuals with more optimal autonomic regulation and reactivity, and more effective self-regulation of attention benefit from eye contact. Individuals who are less well regulated and over- or under-reactive and who do not employ effective strategies of self-regulation of attention may not benefit from eye contact and may perform better when eye contact is absent. I present some studies that justify the proposed hypothesis and point to a method that could be employed to test them. This approach could help to better understand the complex mechanisms underlying the individual differences in participant’s cognitive performance during tasks engaging executive functions.

A model for the individual empowerment using intrinsic personalization of crowdsourcing tasks

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Dennis Paulino
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Human Capabilities ◽  
Financial Compensation ◽  
Social Barriers ◽  
Task Description ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Phd Thesis

Crowdsourcing is a paradigm of outsourcing work that is done using human capabilities through the Internet. Given the various possibilities of overcoming cultural and social barriers, crowdsourcing provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to have a financial compensation and help them feel realised. In crowdsourcing, people with disabilities face problems related with the lack of task description or usability. This article it is presented the main threads for my PhD thesis which main goal is to prove, that it is possible to map crowdsourcing tasks effectively to each individual, focusing particularly on the cognitive abilities.

scholarly journals Contribution to the evaluation of language disturbances in subcortical lesions: a piloty study

2004 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcia Radanovic ◽  
Letícia Lessa Mansur ◽  
Mariana Jardim Azambuja ◽  
Cláudia Sellitto Porto ◽  
Milberto Scaff
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Cognitive Networks ◽  
Vascular Lesions ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Boston Naming Test ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Trail Making

Subcortical structures are in a strategic functional position within the cognitive networks and their lesion can interfere with a great number of functions. In this study, we describe fourteen subjects with exclusively subcortical vascular lesions (eight in the basal ganglia and six in the thalamus) and the interrelation between their language alterations and other cognitive abilities, as attention, memory and frontal executive functions. All patients were evaluated through the following batteries: Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, Boston Naming Test, Token Test, Benton Visual Retention Test, Trail Making, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and a frontal scripts task. All patients underwent MRI and twelve underwent SPECT. Results show that these patients present impairment in several cognitive domains, especially attention and executive functions. These alterations affect language abilities, and this fact must be considered in the rehabilitation efforts.

MOBILE APPLICATION REMOVES SOCIETAL BARRIERS TO P4 MEDICINE

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
J.-P. Michel
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Global Evaluation ◽  
P4 Medicine ◽  
Fertile Ground ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

The overlap between one innovative paradigm (P4 medicine: predictive, personalized, participatory and preventive) and another (a new definition of “Healthy ageing”) is fertile ground for new technologies; a new mobile application (app) that could broaden our scientific knowledge of the ageing process and help us to better analyse the impact of possible interventions in slowing the ageing decline. A novel mobile application is here presented as a game including questions and tests will allow in 10 minutes the assessment of the following domains: robustness, flexibility (lower muscle strength), balance, mental and memory complaints, semantic memory and visual retention. This game is completed by specific measurements, which could allow establishing precise information on functional and cognitive abilities. A global evaluation precedes advice and different types of exercises. The repetition of the tests and measures will allow a long follow up of the individual performances which could be shared (on specific request) with family members and general practitioners.

Operating Characteristics of the neurobehavioral cognitive Status Exam Using Neuropsychological Assessment as the Criterion

Assessment ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Karzmark
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Neuropsychological Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Specific Cognitive Abilities

This study examined the performance characteristics of the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Exam (NCSE) using comprehensive neuropsychological assessment as the criterion. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed for the NCSE as a whole and for the individual subtests as measures of discrete cognitive abilities. The sample consisted of 50 consecutive outpatient referrals to the neuropsychological assessment service of a general medical hospital. Most of the patients in the sample had mild or moderate cognitive dysfunction. The sensitivity and specificity of the NCSE as a whole were .74 and .86, respectively. The sensitivity of the individual NCSE subtests was lower, ranging from .20 to .48. Specificity of subtests was high (.64 to .97). The results suggest that the operating characteristics of the NCSE depend significantly on the severity and nature of the sample assessed and the criterion used. They also indicate the need for caution in using NCSE subtest performance as a basis for concluding that specific cognitive abilities are normal.

scholarly journals Can inhibition or shifting training enhance cognitive abilities in emerging adults?

2021 ◽  
pp. 138-152
Author(s):  
Anja Podlesek ◽  
Marina Martinčević ◽  
Andrea Vranić
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Core Executive ◽  
Cognitive Activities ◽  
Transfer Tasks ◽  
Inhibition Training

Executive functions enable and support most of our daily cognitive functioning. Within the number of executive functions proposed, updating, inhibition and shifting are most often considered as the three core executive functions. Cognitive training paradigms provide a platform for a possible enhancement of these functions. Since updating training has been studied to a greater extent, we wanted to investigate the effectiveness of inhibition and shifting training in this study. Emerging adults (psychology students) were randomly assigned either to the inhibition training (based on the Simon task; n = 36) or to the shifting training (based on the task switching paradigm; n = 35). Both groups underwent twelve 20-minute sessions distributed over four weeks. Measurements before and after the training included criterion tasks (i.e. the training tasks), near-transfer tasks (i.e. tasks that address the trained functions but use different types of stimuli or rules to respond), and far-transfer tasks (i.e., tasks that address untrained cognitive functions). The control participants (n = 36) were tested with a combination of these tasks. Both training groups improved their criteria task performance over time, while convincing training-related gains were not found in either near- or far-transfer tasks. This study raises some conceptual questions for the training of executive functions with respect to a sample of emerging adults with above-average cognitive abilities, motivational elements of training, and the role of executive functions in more complex everyday cognitive activities.

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