The Alerting and Orienting Systems of Attention Are Modified by Cannabis Dependence

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 520-532
Author(s):  
Ivett E. Ortega-Mora ◽  
Ulises Caballero-Sánchez ◽  
Talía V. Román-López ◽  
Cintia B. Rosas-Escobar ◽  
Mónica Méndez-Díaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Selective Attention ◽  
Control Systems ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Network Systems ◽  
Attention Network ◽  
Cannabis Dependence ◽  
Alerting System

AbstractAttention allows us to select relevant information from the background. Although several studies have described that cannabis use induces deleterious effects on attention, it remains unclear if cannabis dependence affects the attention network systems differently.Objectives:To evaluate whether customary consumption of cannabis or cannabis dependence impacts the alerting, orienting, and executive control systems in young adults; to find out whether it is related to tobacco or alcohol dependence and if cannabis use characteristics are associated with the attention network systems.Method:One-hundred and fifty-four healthy adults and 102 cannabis users performed the Attention Network Test (ANT) to evaluate the alerting, orienting, and executive control systems.Results:Cannabis use enhanced the alerting system but decreased the orienting system. Moreover, those effects seem to be associated with cannabis dependence. Out of all the cannabis-using variables, only the age of onset of cannabis use significantly predicted the efficiency of the orienting and executive control systems.Conclusion:Cannabis dependence favors tonic alertness but reduces selective attention ability; earlier use of cannabis worsens the efficiency of selective attention and resolution of conflicts.

scholarly journals Brain Changes Following Executive Control Training in Older Adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 910-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Areeba Adnan ◽  
Anthony J. W. Chen ◽  
Tatjana Novakovic-Agopian ◽  
Mark D’Esposito ◽  
Gary R. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Selective Attention ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Imaging Results ◽  
Brain Changes

Background. While older adults are able to attend to goal-relevant information, the capacity to ignore irrelevant or distracting information declines with advancing age. This decline in selective attention has been associated with poor modulation of brain activity in sensory cortices by anterior brain regions implicated in cognitive control. Objective. Here we investigated whether participation in an executive control training program would result in improved selective attention and associated functional brain changes in a sample of healthy older adults (N = 24, age 60-85 years). Methods. Participants were enrolled in a goal-oriented attentional self-regulation (GOALS) program (n = 11) or a brain health education workshop as an active control condition (n = 13). All participants performed a working memory task requiring attention to or suppression of visual stimuli based on goal-relevance during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results. We observed a pattern of enhanced activity in right frontal, parietal and temporal brain regions from pre- to posttraining in the GOALS intervention group, which predicted the selectivity of subsequent memory for goal-relevant stimuli. Conclusions. Executive control training in older adults alters functional activity in brain regions associated with attentional control, and selectively predicts behavioral outcome.

Pulvino-cortical interaction: an integrative role in the control of attention

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexia Bourgeois ◽  
Carole Guedj ◽  
Emmanuel Carrera ◽  
Patrik Vuilleumier
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Cortical Circuits ◽  
Attention And Executive Control ◽  
Neural Communication ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Theoretical Proposal ◽  
Selection Of

Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive function that guides behavior by selecting and prioritizing salient or relevant sensory information of our environment. Despite early evidence and theoretical proposal pointing to an implication of thalamic control in attention, most studies in the past two decades focused on cortical substrates, largely ignoring the contribution of subcortical regions as well as cortico-subcortical interactions. Here, we suggest a key role of the pulvinar in the selection of salient and relevant information via its involvement in priority maps computation. Prioritization may be achieved through a pulvinar- mediated generation of alpha oscillations, which may then modulate neuronal gain in thalamo-cortical circuits. Such mechanism might orchestrate the synchrony of cortico-cortical interaction, by rendering neural communication more effective, precise and selective. We propose that this theoretical framework will support a timely shift from the prevailing cortico- centric view of cognition to a more integrative perspective of thalamic contributions to attention and executive control processes.

scholarly journals Social exclusion increases the executive function of attention networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huoyin Zhang ◽  
Shiyunmeng Zhang ◽  
Jiachen Lu ◽  
Yi Lei ◽  
Hong Li
Keyword(s):  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Attention Network ◽  
Attention Networks ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Control

AbstractPrevious studies in humans have shown that brain regions activating social exclusion overlap with those related to attention. However, in the context of social exclusion, how does behavioral monitoring affect individual behavior? In this study, we used the Cyberball game to induce the social exclusion effect in a group of participants. To explore the influence of social exclusion on the attention network, we administered the Attention Network Test (ANT) and compared results for the three subsystems of the attention network (orienting, alerting, and executive control) between exclusion (N = 60) and inclusion (N = 60) groups. Compared with the inclusion group, the exclusion group showed shorter overall response time and better executive control performance, but no significant differences in orienting or alerting. The excluded individuals showed a stronger ability to detect and control conflicts. It appears that social exclusion does not always exert a negative influence on individuals. In future research, attention to network can be used as indicators of social exclusion. This may further reveal how social exclusion affects individuals' psychosomatic mechanisms.

Poster #172 EFFECT OF CANNABIS USE ON AGE OF ONSET. FINDINGS FROM A SAMPLE OF ITALIAN FIRSTEPISODE PSYCHOTIC PATIENTS

2012 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. S343
Author(s):  
Maria Valentina Rumeo ◽  
Lucia Sideli ◽  
Alice Mule ◽  
Marta Di Forti ◽  
Daniele La Barbera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Cannabis Use

scholarly journals Predicting the transition from frequent cannabis use to cannabis dependence: A three-year prospective study

2013 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. 352-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy van der Pol ◽  
Nienke Liebregts ◽  
Ron de Graaf ◽  
Dirk J. Korf ◽  
Wim van den Brink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Cannabis Dependence

scholarly journals Age of Onset of Cannabis Use is Associated with Age of Onset of High-Risk Symptoms for Psychosis

2010 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Dragt ◽  
Dorien H Nieman ◽  
Hiske E Becker ◽  
Reinaud van de Fliert ◽  
Peter M Dingemans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Cannabis Use

scholarly journals The association between cannabis use and outcome in pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tea Rosic ◽  
Raveena Kapoor ◽  
Balpreet Panesar ◽  
Leen Naji ◽  
Darren B. Chai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Pharmacological Treatment ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Differential Outcomes ◽  
Urine Drug

Abstract Background With the ongoing opioid crisis and policy changes regarding legalization of cannabis occurring around the world, it is necessary to consider cannabis use in the context of opioid use disorder (OUD) and its treatment. We aimed to examine (1) past-month cannabis use in patients with OUD, (2) self-reported cannabis-related side effects and craving, and (3) the association between specific characteristics of cannabis use and opioid use during treatment in cannabis users. Methods Participants receiving pharmacological treatment for OUD (n = 2315) were recruited from community-based addiction treatment clinics in Ontario, Canada, and provided information on past-month cannabis use (self-report). Participants were followed for 3 months with routine urine drug screens in order to assess opioid use during treatment. We used logistic regression analysis to explore (1) the association between any cannabis use and opioid use during treatment, and (2) amongst cannabis-users, specific cannabis use characteristics associated with opioid use. Qualitative methods were used to examine responses to the question: “What effect does marijuana have on your treatment?”. Results Past-month cannabis use was reported by 51% of participants (n = 1178). Any cannabis use compared to non-use was not associated with opioid use (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.87–1.23, p = 0.703). Amongst cannabis users, nearly 70% reported daily use, and half reported experiencing cannabis-related side effects, with the most common side effects being slower thought process (26.2%) and lack of motivation (17.3%). For cannabis users, daily cannabis use was associated with lower odds of opioid use, when compared  with occasional use (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.47–0.79, p < 0.001) as was older age of onset of cannabis use (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.94, 0.99, p = 0.032), and reporting cannabis-related side effects (OR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.51, 0.85, p = 0.001). Altogether, 75% of cannabis users perceived no impact of cannabis on their OUD treatment. Conclusion Past-month cannabis use was not associated with more or less opioid use during treatment. For patients who use cannabis, we identified specific characteristics of cannabis use associated with differential outcomes. Further examination of characteristics and patterns of cannabis use is warranted and may inform more tailored assessments and treatment recommendations.

scholarly journals Neuronal modulation in the mouse superior colliculus during covert visual selective attention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lupeng Wang ◽  
James P. Herman ◽  
Richard J. Krauzlis
Keyword(s):  
Visual Attention ◽  
Selective Attention ◽  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Firing Rate ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Uncued Location ◽  
Visual Selective Attention ◽  
Covert Visual Attention

AbstractCovert visual attention is accomplished by a cascade of mechanisms distributed across multiple brain regions. Recent studies in primates suggest a parcellation in which visual cortex is associated with enhanced representations of relevant stimuli, whereas subcortical circuits are associated with selection of visual targets and suppression of distractors. Here we identified how neuronal activity in the superior colliculus (SC) of head-fixed mice is modulated during covert visual attention. We found that spatial cues modulated both firing rate and spike-count correlations, and that the cue-related modulation in firing rate was due to enhancement of activity at the cued spatial location rather than suppression at the uncued location. This modulation improved the neuronal discriminability of visual-change-evoked activity between contralateral and ipsilateral SC neurons. Together, our findings indicate that neurons in the mouse SC contribute to covert visual selective attention by biasing processing in favor of locations expected to contain relevant information.

scholarly journals An Australian Twin Study of Cannabis and Other Illicit Drug Use and Misuse, and Other Psychopathology

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Lynskey ◽  
Arpana Agrawal ◽  
Anjali Henders ◽  
Elliot C. Nelson ◽  
Pamela A. F. Madden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Drug Use Disorders ◽  
Illicit Drug Abuse ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Adult Twins

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug throughout the developed world and there is consistent evidence of heritable influences on multiple stages of cannabis involvement including initiation of use and abuse/dependence. In this paper, we describe the methodology and preliminary results of a large-scale interview study of 3,824 young adult twins (born 1972–1979) and their siblings. Cannabis use was common with 75.2% of males and 64.7% of females reporting some lifetime use of cannabis while 24.5% of males and 11.8% of females reported meeting criteria for DSM-IV cannabis abuse or dependence. Rates of other drug use disorders and common psychiatric conditions were highly correlated with extent of cannabis involvement and there was consistent evidence of heritable influences across a range of cannabis phenotypes including early (≤15 years) opportunity to use (h2 = 72%), early (≤16 years) onset use (h2 = 80%), using cannabis 11+ times lifetime (h2 = 76%), and DSM abuse/dependence (h2 = 72%). Early age of onset of cannabis use was strongly associated with increased rates of subsequent use of other illicit drugs and with illicit drug abuse/dependence; further analyses indicating that some component of this association may have been mediated by increasing exposure to and opportunity to use other illicit drugs.

scholarly journals Control without Controllers: Toward a Distributed Neuroscience of Executive Control

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1684-1698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin R. Eisenreich ◽  
Rei Akaishi ◽  
Benjamin Y. Hayden
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Neural Control ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Control Modules ◽  
Organizing Principles

Executive control refers to the regulation of cognition and behavior by mental processes and is a hallmark of higher cognition. Most approaches to understanding its mechanisms begin with the assumption that our brains have anatomically segregated and functionally specialized control modules. The modular approach is intuitive: Control is conceptually distinct from basic mental processing, so an organization that reifies that distinction makes sense. An alternative approach sees executive control as self-organizing principles of a distributed organization. In distributed systems, control and controlled processes are colocalized within large numbers of dispersed computational agents. Control then is often an emergent consequence of simple rules governing the interaction between agents. Because these systems are unfamiliar and unintuitive, here we review several well-understood examples of distributed control systems, group living insects and social animals, and emphasize their parallels with neural systems. We then reexamine the cognitive neuroscience literature on executive control for evidence that its neural control systems may be distributed.

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