The Power of Poetry

2021 ◽  
pp. 182-187
Author(s):  
Eugen Wassiliwizky ◽  
Winfried Menninghaus
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Experimental Psychology ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Scientific Investigation ◽  
Poetic Language ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Parent Child

From prehistory onward, poetic language has been widely used in the context of great personal, social, and emotional significance, reaching from large scale events, such as religious ceremonies, political occasions (including inaugurations of American presidents), and artistic contexts to more private gatherings, such as birthday parties, declarations of love, and parent–child interactions. Poetic language is capable of reaching deeply into the phylogenetically ancient structures of the human brain and providing profound aesthetic pleasures to its recipients. Yet a thorough scientific investigation of the workings of poetic language in the brain is only at its very beginnings. In the article under discussion, the authors review a study that focused on the emotional power of poetic language. In this project, they strived to integrate and interrelate perspectives from experimental psychology, neuroscience, rhetoric/poetics, psychophysiology, and philosophy. They argue that such a multidisciplinary approach is key to unraveling the mysteries of human aesthetic processing.

scholarly journals Amplification and Suppression of Distinct Brain-wide Activity Patterns by Catecholamines

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
RL van den Brink ◽  
S Nieuwenhuis ◽  
TH Donner
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Network Dynamics ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Heterogeneous Distribution ◽  
Neurotransmitter Systems ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Catecholamine Levels

ABSTRACTThe widely projecting catecholaminergic (norepinephrine and dopamine) neurotransmitter systems profoundly shape the state of neuronal networks in the forebrain. Current models posit that the effects of catecholaminergic modulation on network dynamics are homogenous across the brain. However, the brain is equipped with a variety of catecholamine receptors with distinct functional effects and heterogeneous density across brain regions. Consequently, catecholaminergic effects on brain-wide network dynamics might be more spatially specific than assumed. We tested this idea through the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements performed in humans (19 females, 5 males) at ‘rest’ under pharmacological (atomoxetine-induced) elevation of catecholamine levels. We used a linear decomposition technique to identify spatial patterns of correlated fMRI signal fluctuations that were either increased or decreased by atomoxetine. This yielded two distinct spatial patterns, each expressing reliable and specific drug effects. The spatial structure of both fluctuation patterns resembled the spatial distribution of the expression of catecholamine receptor genes: α1 norepinephrine receptors (for the fluctuation pattern: placebo > atomoxetine), ‘D2-like’ dopamine receptors (pattern: atomoxetine > placebo), and β norepinephrine receptors (for both patterns, with correlations of opposite sign). We conclude that catecholaminergic effects on the forebrain are spatially more structured than traditionally assumed and at least in part explained by the heterogeneous distribution of various catecholamine receptors. Our findings link catecholaminergic effects on large-scale brain networks to low-level characteristics of the underlying neurotransmitter systems. They also provide key constraints for the development of realistic models of neuromodulatory effects on large-scale brain network dynamics.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe catecholamines norepinephrine and dopamine are an important class of modulatory neurotransmitters. Because of the widespread and diffuse release of these neuromodulators, it has commonly been assumed that their effects on neural interactions are homogenous across the brain. Here, we present results from the human brain that challenge this view. We pharmacologically increased catecholamine levels and imaged the effects on the spontaneous covariations between brain-wide fMRI signals at ‘rest’. We identified two distinct spatial patterns of covariations: one that was amplified and another that was suppressed by catecholamines. Each pattern was associated with the heterogeneous spatial distribution of the expression of distinct catecholamine receptor genes. Our results provide novel insights into the catecholaminergic modulation of large-scale human brain dynamics.

scholarly journals Hemispheric Asymmetry of Human Brain Anatomical Network Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Tractography

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Shu ◽  
Yaou Liu ◽  
Yunyun Duan ◽  
Kuncheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Functional Integration ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Hemispheric Asymmetries ◽  
Characteristic Path Length ◽  
Topological Measures ◽  
Structural Connections ◽  
The Brain

The topological architecture of the cerebral anatomical network reflects the structural organization of the human brain. Recently, topological measures based on graph theory have provided new approaches for quantifying large-scale anatomical networks. However, few studies have investigated the hemispheric asymmetries of the human brain from the perspective of the network model, and little is known about the asymmetries of the connection patterns of brain regions, which may reflect the functional integration and interaction between different regions. Here, we utilized diffusion tensor imaging to construct binary anatomical networks for 72 right-handed healthy adult subjects. We established the existence of structural connections between any pair of the 90 cortical and subcortical regions using deterministic tractography. To investigate the hemispheric asymmetries of the brain, statistical analyses were performed to reveal the brain regions with significant differences between bilateral topological properties, such as degree of connectivity, characteristic path length, and betweenness centrality. Furthermore, local structural connections were also investigated to examine the local asymmetries of some specific white matter tracts. From the perspective of both the global and local connection patterns, we identified the brain regions with hemispheric asymmetries. Combined with the previous studies, we suggested that the topological asymmetries in the anatomical network may reflect the functional lateralization of the human brain.

scholarly journals A spatiotemporal complexity architecture of human brain activity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Krohn ◽  
Nina von Schwanenflug ◽  
Leonhard Waschke ◽  
Amy Romanello ◽  
Martin Gell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Organization ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Signal Complexity ◽  
The Brain

The human brain operates in large-scale functional networks, collectively subsumed as the functional connectome1-13. Recent work has begun to unravel the organization of the connectome, including the temporal dynamics of brain states14-20, the trade-off between segregation and integration9,15,21-23, and a functional hierarchy from lower-order unimodal to higher-order transmodal processing systems24-27. However, it remains unknown how these network properties are embedded in the brain and if they emerge from a common neural foundation. Here we apply time-resolved estimation of brain signal complexity to uncover a unifying principle of brain organization, linking the connectome to neural variability6,28-31. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we show that neural activity is marked by spontaneous "complexity drops" that reflect episodes of increased pattern regularity in the brain, and that functional connections among brain regions are an expression of their simultaneous engagement in such episodes. Moreover, these complexity drops ubiquitously propagate along cortical hierarchies, suggesting that the brain intrinsically reiterates its own functional architecture. Globally, neural activity clusters into temporal complexity states that dynamically shape the coupling strength and configuration of the connectome, implementing a continuous re-negotiation between cost-efficient segregation and communication-enhancing integration9,15,21,23. Furthermore, complexity states resolve the recently discovered association between anatomical and functional network hierarchies comprehensively25-27,32. Finally, brain signal complexity is highly sensitive to age and reflects inter-individual differences in cognition and motor function. In sum, we identify a spatiotemporal complexity architecture of neural activity — a functional "complexome" that gives rise to the network organization of the human brain.

Theoretical and Empirical Foundations for Early Relationship Assessment in Evaluating Infant and Toddler Mental Health

2019 ◽  
pp. 28-45
Author(s):  
Roseanne Clark ◽  
Audrey Tluczek ◽  
Elizabeth C. Moore ◽  
Amber L. Evenson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Parent Child Relationship ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Child Relationship ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Relationship Assessment ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Parent Child

This chapter reviews the theoretical foundations and empirical support for employing a relational perspective when assessing the mental health of an infant or toddler. A review of specific measures widely used in assessing the quality of affect and behavior in parent–child interactions, relationship quality, and parenting capacities (see Clark, Tluczek, Moore, & Evenson, 2019, Chapter 3) illustrates the importance of utilizing a parent–child relationship paradigm in the assessment of the mental health and social and emotional functioning of infants and young children. Although the term parent is used throughout the chapter, another significant caregiver who holds a parenting or primary caregiving role may be substituted as needed, such as a grandparent or foster parent.

Nerve and Brain

Mind Shift ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
John Parrington
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Glial Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
The Other ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Size And Structure

This chapter evaluates the basic unit of the human brain: the nerve cell, or neuron. These cells are also the main units of the peripheral nervous system, which sends messages from the brain to the other tissues and organs that make up our bodies. Neurons are the most well-known cells in the brain but they are not the only type of cell in this organ. The other main types are the glial cells, also known as neuroglia. Recent studies of the role of glial cells in the brain are revealing potentially important differences between humans and other species in the functions of these cells. The chapter then turns to the large-scale structure of the brain. The most dramatic changes in brain size and structure occurred in the final phase of human evolutionary change. Indeed, Neanderthals had brains similar in size to those of modern humans. An important feature of the human brain is that a larger fraction of its growth occurs outside the womb. Although humans reach adult brain size in childhood, brain development continues for decades afterwards.

Plasticity and the Human Brain: Insights from Functional Imaging

1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 353-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S.J. Frackowiak
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Functional Imaging ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Functional Reorganization ◽  
Neuronal Populations ◽  
Normal Behavior ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Brain

This article begins with a definition of cerebral plasticity in human brain that rests on the concept of a long-term alteration in patterns of task- or behavior-related activity in distributed brain systems. The theme is then developed to show how such a concept and the mechanisms it implies can be investigated and mapped using modern noninvasive functional imaging techniques. The human experimental literature is critically presented in relation to normal behavior, especially in relation to the acquisition of motor skills and learning. A discussion of the functional reorganization that follows brain injury and that is associated with spontaneous recovery from motor and perceptual deficits is then presented from the perspective of understanding the brain mechanisms at the level of large-scale neuronal populations.

scholarly journals Stochastic synchronization of dynamics on the human connectome

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. Pang ◽  
Leonardo L. Gollo ◽  
James A. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Stochastic Perturbations ◽  
Stochastic Synchronization ◽  
Large Scale Model ◽  
Synchronization Effect ◽  
Global And Local ◽  
The Brain

AbstractSynchronization is a collective mechanism by which oscillatory networks achieve their functions. Factors driving synchronization include the network’s topological and dynamical properties. However, how these factors drive the emergence of synchronization in the presence of potentially disruptive external inputs like stochastic perturbations is not well understood, particularly for real-world systems such as the human brain. Here, we aim to systematically address this problem using a large-scale model of the human brain network (i.e., the human connectome). The results show that the model can produce complex synchronization patterns transitioning between incoherent and coherent states. When nodes in the network are coupled at some critical strength, a counterintuitive phenomenon emerges where the addition of noise increases the synchronization of global and local dynamics, with structural hub nodes benefiting the most. This stochastic synchronization effect is found to be driven by the intrinsic hierarchy of neural timescales of the brain and the heterogeneous complex topology of the connectome. Moreover, the effect coincides with clustering of node phases and node frequencies and strengthening of the functional connectivity of some of the connectome’s subnetworks. Overall, the work provides broad theoretical insights into the emergence and mechanisms of stochastic synchronization, highlighting its putative contribution in achieving network integration underpinning brain function.

scholarly journals Processing of different spatial scales in the human brain

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Peer ◽  
Yorai Ron ◽  
Rotem Monsa ◽  
Shahar Arzy
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Real World ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Conceptual Spaces ◽  
Spatial System ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Parahippocampal Place Area ◽  
Posterior Anterior

Humans navigate across a range of spatial scales, from rooms to continents, but the brain systems underlying spatial cognition are usually investigated only in small-scale environments. Do the same brain systems represent and process larger spaces? Here we asked subjects to compare distances between real-world items at six different spatial scales (room, building, neighborhood, city, country, continent) under functional MRI. Cortical activity showed a gradual progression from small to large scale processing, along three gradients extending anteriorly from the parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial complex (RSC) and occipital place area (OPA), and along the hippocampus posterior-anterior axis. Each of the cortical gradients overlapped with the visual system posteriorly and the default-mode network (DMN) anteriorly. These results suggest a progression from concrete to abstract processing with increasing spatial scale, and offer a new organizational framework for the brain’s spatial system, that may also apply to conceptual spaces beyond the spatial domain.

scholarly journals Oxytocin gene networks in the human brain: A gene expression and large-scale fMRI meta-analysis study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Quintana ◽  
Jaroslav Rokicki ◽  
Dennis van der Meer ◽  
Dag Alnæs ◽  
Tobias Kaufmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Gene Expression Patterns ◽  
Gene Pathway ◽  
The Brain

AbstractOxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in animal and human reproductive and social behavior, with implications for a range of psychiatric disorders. However, the therapeutic potential of oxytocin in mental health care suggested by animal research has not been successfully translated into clinical practice. This may be partly due to a poor understanding of the expression and distribution of the oxytocin signaling pathway in the human brain, and its complex interactions with other biological systems. Among the genes involved in the oxytocin signaling pathway, three genes have been frequently implicated in human social behavior: OXT (structural gene for oxytocin), OXTR (oxytocin receptor), and CD38 (central oxytocin secretion). We characterized the distribution of OXT, OXTR, and CD38 mRNA across the brain, identified putative gene pathway interactions by comparing gene expression patterns across 20737 genes, and assessed associations between gene expression patterns and mental states via large-scale fMRI metaanalysis. In line with the animal literature, expression of the three selected oxytocin pathway genes was increased in central, temporal, and olfactory regions. Across the brain, there was high co-expression with several dopaminergic and muscarinic acetylcholine genes, reflecting an anatomical basis for critical gene pathway interactions. Finally, fMRI meta-analysis revealed that the oxytocin pathway gene maps correspond with motivation and emotion processing.

scholarly journals Characterization of functional diversity of the human brain based on intrinsic connectivity networks

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Congying Chu ◽  
Lingzhong Fan ◽  
Tianzi Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Functional Properties ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Intrinsic Connectivity ◽  
Intrinsic Connectivity Networks ◽  
The Brain

AbstractSpontaneous fluctuations underlying the brain activity can reflect the intrinsic organization of the system, such as the functional brain networks. In large scale, a network perspective has emerged as a new avenue to explore the functional properties of human brain. Here, we studied functional diversity in healthy subjects based on the network perspective. We hypothesized that the patterns of participation of different functional networks were related with the functional diversity of particular brain regions. Independent component analysis (ICA) was adopted to detect the intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) based on the data of resting-state functional MRI. An index of functional diversity (FD index) was proposed to quantitatively describe the degree of anisotropic distribution related with participation of various ICNs. We found that FD index continuously varied across the brain, for example, the primary motor cortex with low FD value and the precuneus with significantly high FD value. The FD values indicated the different functional roles of the corresponding brain regions, which were reflected by the various patterns of participation of ICNs. The FD index can be used as a new approach to quantitatively characterize the functional diversity of human brain, even for the changed functional properties caused by the psychiatric disorders.

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