scholarly journals Hippocampal Volume, Neurite Density and Trace Eye-Blink Conditioning in Young Children

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Vieites ◽  
Yvonne Ralph ◽  
Bethany Reeb-Sutherland ◽  
Anthony Steven Dick ◽  
Aaron T. Mattfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Eyeblink Conditioning ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Onset Latency ◽  
Eye Blink ◽  
Neurite Density ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
Conditioned Responses

The current study examined the relations between hippocampal structure (e.g., volume and neurite density) and performance on a trace eye blink conditioning (EBC) task in young children. Our first aim assessed whether individual differences in hippocampal volume were associated with trace EBC performance, using both percent Conditioned Responses (% CR) and CR onset latency or the average latency (ms) at which the child started their blink, as measures of hippocampal-dependent associative learning. Our second aim evaluated whether individual differences in hippocampal neurite density were associated with EBC performance using the same outcome measures. Typically developing 4- to 6-year-olds (N = 31; 14 girls; Mage = 5.67; SDage = 0.89) completed T1 and diffusion-weighted MRI scans and a 15-minute trace eyeblink conditioning task outside of the scanner. % CR and CR onset latency were computed across all tone-puff and tone-alone trials. While hippocampal volume was not associated with any of our EBC measures, greater hippocampal neurite density bilaterally, was associated with later CR onset. In other words, children with greater left and right hippocampal neurite density blinked closer to the US (i.e., air puff) than children with less hippocampal neurite density, indicating that structural changes in the hippocampus assisted in the accurate timing of conditioned responses.

Empathy Does Not Amplify Vicarious Threat Learning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Lane Williams ◽  
Christopher C Conway
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Defensive Response ◽  
Conditioned Stimuli ◽  
Defensive Reaction ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Conditioned Responses ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Stimulus Materials ◽  
Dispositional Empathy

Clinically significant fears and phobias can be acquired vicariously. Witnessing a demonstrator’s defensive reaction to potentially dangerous objects and situations can instill conditioned threat responses in the observer. The present study concentrates on individual differences in this social learning process. Specifically, we hypothesized that dispositional empathy modulates vicarious threat conditioning. We examined university students’ (N = 150) conditioned threat responding after they observed strangers undergo Pavlovian threat conditioning. There was evidence of a substantial conditioned defensive response (Cohen’s d = 0.66), as indexed by elevated skin conductance reactions during participants’ direct exposure to the vicariously conditioned stimuli. Contrary to expectations, indices of dispositional empathy were weakly related to the size of conditioned responses (median r = .04). Our results confirm that vicarious threat learning can be evaluated experimentally, but they do not support the hypothesis that empathy amplifies this process. The preregistration, stimulus materials, data, and analysis code for this study are available at https://osf.io/h6hm2.

Individual differences in white and grey matter structure associated with verbal habits of thought

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin C. Hayes ◽  
Katherine L Alfred ◽  
Rachel Pizzie ◽  
Joshua S. Cetron ◽  
David J. M. Kraemer
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Self Report ◽  
White Matter Tracts

Modality specific encoding habits account for a significant portion of individual differences reflected in functional activation during cognitive processing. Yet, little is known about how these habits of thought influence long-term structural changes in the brain. Traditionally, habits of thought have been assessed using self-report questionnaires such as the visualizer-verbalizer questionnaire. Here, rather than relying on subjective reports, we measured habits of thought using a novel behavioral task assessing attentional biases toward picture and word stimuli. Hypothesizing that verbal habits of thought are reflected in the structural integrity of white matter tracts and cortical regions of interest, we used diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric analyses to assess this prediction. Using a whole-brain approach, we show that word bias is associated with increased volume in several bilateral language regions, in both white and grey matter parcels. Additionally, connectivity within white matter tracts within an a priori speech production network increased as a function of word bias. These results demonstrate long-term structural and morphological differences associated with verbal habits of thought.

The Effects of Mean of Visit-to-Visit Blood Pressure on Incident Brain Vascular Lesions and Functional-Cognitive Decline

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Bibek Gyanwali ◽  
Celestine Xue Ting Cai ◽  
Christopher Chen ◽  
Henri Vrooman ◽  
Chuen Seng Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Intracranial Stenosis ◽  
Vascular Lesions ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Volume Functional ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
The Mean

Background: Cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) is an underlying cause of cognitive impairment and dementia. Hypertension is a known risk factor of CeVD, but the effects of mean of visit-to-visit blood pressure (BP) on incident CeVD and functional-cognitive decline remains unclear. Objective: To determine the association between mean of visit-to-visit BP with the incidence and progression of CeVD [white matter hyperintensities (WMH), infarcts (cortical infarcts and lacunes), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), intracranial stenosis, and hippocampal volume] as well as functional-cognitive decline over 2 years of follow-up. Methods: 373 patients from a memory-clinic underwent BP measurements at baseline, year 1, and year 2. The mean of visit-to-visit systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure were calculated. Baseline and year 2 MRI scans were graded for WMH, infarcts, CMBs, intracranial stenosis, and hippocampal volume. Functional-cognitive decline was assessed using locally validated protocol. Logistic and linear regression models with odds ratios, mean difference, and 95%confidence interval were constructed to analyze associations of visit-to-visit BP on CeVD incidence and progression as well as functional-cognitive decline. Results: Higher mean of visit-to-visit diastolic BP was associated with WMH progression. Higher tertiles of diastolic BP was associated with WMH progression and incident CMBs. There was no association between mean of visit-to-visit BP measures with incident cerebral infarcts, intracranial stenosis, change in hippocampal volume, and functional-cognitive decline. Conclusion: These findings suggest the possibility of hypertension-related vascular brain damage. Careful monitoring and management of BP in elderly patients is essential to reduce the incidence and progression of CeVD.

The role of production practice in lexical and phonological development – a commentary on Stoel-Gammon's ‘Relationships between lexical and phonological development in young children’*

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARILYN VIHMAN ◽  
TAMAR KEREN-PORTNOY
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Current Work ◽  
Phonological Development ◽  
Phonological Learning ◽  
Production Practice ◽  
The Relationship

Carol Stoel-Gammon has made a real contribution in bringing together two fields that are not generally jointly addressed. Like Stoel-Gammon, we have long focused on individual differences in phonological development (e.g. Vihman, Ferguson & Elbert, 1986; Vihman, Boysson-Bardies, Durand & Sundberg, 1994; Keren-Portnoy, Majorano & Vihman, 2008). And like her, we have been closely concerned with the relationship between lexical and phonological learning. Accordingly, we will focus our discussion on two areas covered by Stoel-Gammon (this issue) on which our current work may shed some additional light.

Measurement of hippocampal volume changes in serial MRI scans

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia A. Schnabel ◽  
Louis Lemieux ◽  
U. C. Wieshmann ◽  
Simon R. Arridge
Keyword(s):  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Volume Changes ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
Serial Mri

Neuroanatomical Hippocampal Structures and Heritability of Hippocampal Volume in Relation to Memory

1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaughnelene Smith
Keyword(s):  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Brain Images ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
Human Connectome Project ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
The Right

The goal of this project was to investigate the genetic heritability of hippocampal volume using twin pairs and assess the neuroanatomical structures of the hippocampus and how these properties relate to memory in humans. Data for this project was obtained from the Human Connectome Project: a data bank established to provide neural images to the public. MRI scans were used to obtain brain images of each of the participants and basic cognitive tasks were used to obtain memory ability. To date, 506 subjects have been analyzed: 66 monozygotic twin pairs, 44 dizygotic twin pairs, and 47 sibling pairs. The data collection for of this project was three-fold. First, segmentations were performed to calculate the volume of the anterior and posterior regions of the hippocampus. Secondly, the magnitudes of hippocampus dentations were recorded within the three segments – the head, body, and tail – of the hippocampus. Lastly, visual inspection was used to asses incomplete inversions, which was defined as an atypical anatomical pattern in the hippocampus. The results of this project showed a strong heritability observed on the right anterior hippocampus (hb2=1.365) and right amygdala (hb2=1.315), moderate heritability observed on the left posterior hippocampus (hb2=0.765), and weak heritability observed on the right posterior hippocampus (hb2=0.2654). This indicates that hippocampal volumetric heritability showed strong genetic control for the right hemisphere and strong environmental control for the left hemisphere. The project is still in the process of correlating the anatomical structures to the memory capabilities of the participants. 

scholarly journals Histological changes of the sciatic nerve in dogs after intraneural application of lidocaine--relation to the established application pressure

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakira Mornjaković ◽  
Faruk Dilberović ◽  
Esad Ćosović ◽  
Kučuk-Alija Divanović ◽  
Asja Začiragić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Sciatic Nerve ◽  
Inflammatory Process ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Proximal Part ◽  
Serial Sections ◽  
Single Application ◽  
Histological Changes ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Covering System

Histological changes of sciatic nerve in adult dogs 7 days after single application of 2% lido-caine (4 ml dose, speed of injection 3 ml/min) and measurement of the application pressure was studied, with a goal to investigate structural changes of the nerve in relation to the established pressure values. The application pressure was determined by using Bio Bench software. In intrafascicular puncture an average application pressure of 198.23 ± 52 kPa was found, and in interfascicular puncture its average value was 53.3 ± 17.9 kPa, with a note that individual differences are regularly present. Seven days after the injection, a nerve dissection was performed and serial sections covering the region of injection’s puncture and bordering proximal and distal zones, in the total length of 3 cm, were prepared. The found changed show the presence of nerves’ fibers lesions with a strong reactivity of Schwann’s cell, as well as the change of interstitial structure concerning hypercellularity and occurrence of cellular extravasation. The covering system of the nerve in the zone of epineurium manifests changes of inflammatory process and in perineurium a decomposition of lamella layers and the alteration of their tinctorial properties were noticed. A comparison of the found nerve reactivities in intra- and interfascicular application showed their one-way alteration, although the lesions were more noticeable in the conditions of intrafascicular application. The damages were mostly expressed in the zone of local application of anesthetic, than distally from it, while the damage to the structure in the proximal part is of the smallest degree.

scholarly journals Measuring learning in human classical threat conditioning: translational, cognitive and methodological considerations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karita Ojala ◽  
Dominik R Bach
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Model ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Heart Period ◽  
Learning Models ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Eye Blink ◽  
Skin Conductance Responses ◽  
Vast Literature ◽  
Conditioned Responses ◽  
Methodological Considerations

Threat conditioning is a laboratory model of associative learning across species that is often used in research on the etiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. At least 10 different conditioned responses (CR) for quantifying learning in human threat conditioning are found in the literature. In this narrative review, we discuss these CR by considering the following questions: (1) Are the CR indicators of amygdala-dependent threat learning? (2) To what components of formal learning models do the CR relate? (3) How well can threat learning be inferred from the CR? Despite a vast literature, these questions can only be answered for some CR. Among the CR considered, heart period, startle eye-blink and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer are most clearly related to amygdala-dependent threat learning. Formal learning models have mostly been studied for skin conductance responses, which are likely to reflect threat prediction and its uncertainty. Startle eye-blink and pupil size appear to best differentiate CS+/CS−, although few direct comparisons between CR exist. We suggest future directions for improving the quantification of threat conditioning.

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