Gender differences in cortical representation of rectal distension in healthy humans

2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (6) ◽  
pp. G1512-G1523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark K. Kern ◽  
Safwan Jaradeh ◽  
Ronald C. Arndorfer ◽  
Andrzej Jesmanowicz ◽  
James Hyde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Visceral Afferents ◽  
Rectal Distension ◽  
Perception Threshold ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Signal Change ◽  
Female Subjects

Cerebral cortical processing of information relayed via visceral afferents is poorly understood. We determined and compared cortical activity caused by various levels of rectal distension in healthy male and female subjects. Twenty-eight healthy, young (20–44 yr) volunteer subjects (13 male, 15 female) were studied with a paradigm-driven functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique during barostat-controlled rectal distension at perception threshold and 10 mmHg below and above perception threshold. Male subjects showed localized clusters of fMRI activity primarily in the sensory and parietooccipital regions, whereas female subjects also showed activity in the anterior cingulate and insular regions. A progressive increase in maximum percent fMRI signal change and total volume of cortical activity was associated with the intensity of rectal distension pressure in both genders. Regions of cortical activity for below-threshold stimuli showed less substantial signal intensity and volume than responses for threshold and above-threshold stimuli. Volume of cortical activity during rectal distension in women was significantly higher than that for men for all distensions. We conclude that 1) there are substantial differences in female cortical activation topography during rectal distension compared with males; 2) intensity and volume of registered cortical activity due to rectal stimulation are directly related to stimulus strength; and 3) rectal stimulation below perception level is registered in the cerebral cortex.

Cerebral cortical representation of external anal sphincter contraction: effect of effort

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (2) ◽  
pp. G304-G311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark K. Kern ◽  
Ronald C. Arndorfer ◽  
James S. Hyde ◽  
Reza Shaker
Keyword(s):  
Anal Sphincter ◽  
External Anal Sphincter ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Cortical Region ◽  
Sphincter Pressure ◽  
Submaximal Effort ◽  
Stage 1

The external anal sphincter (EAS) plays a critical role in maintaining fecal continence; however, cerebral cortical control of voluntary EAS contraction is not completely understood. Our aims were to determine the cortical areas associated with voluntary EAS contraction and to determine the effect of two levels of sphincter contraction effort on brain activity. Seventeen asymptomatic adults (ages 21-48, 9 male) were studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect brain activity. Studies were done in two stages. In stage 1 (10 subjects, 5 male), anal sphincter pressure was monitored from a catheter-affixed bag. Subjects performed maximal and submaximal EAS contractions during two fMRI scanning sessions consisting of alternating 10-s intervals of sustained contraction and rest. In stage 2 studies, seven subjects (4 male) performed only maximum effort sphincter contractions without a catheter. EAS contraction was associated with multifocal fMRI activity in sensory/motor, anterior cingulate, prefrontal, parietal, occipital, and insular regions. Total cortical activity volume was significantly larger ( P < 0.05) for maximal (5,175 ± 720 μl) compared with submaximal effort contractions (2,558 ± 306 μl). Similarly, percent fMRI signal change was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) for maximal (4.8 ± 0.1%) compared with submaximal effort contractions (2.2 ± 0.1%). Cortical region-of-interest analysis showed the incidence of insular activation to be more common in women compared with men. Other cortical regions showed no such gender differences. fMRI activity detected in stage 2 showed similar regions of cortical activation to those of the stage 1 study. Willful contraction of the EAS is associated with multifocal cerebral cortical activity. The volume and intensity of cerebral cortical activation is commensurate with the level of contractile effort.

scholarly journals Functional disruption of cortical cingulate activity attenuates visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety induced by acute experimental colitis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Brenner ◽  
Leah Zerlin ◽  
Linette Liqi Tan
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Pain ◽  
Experimental Colitis ◽  
Visceral Hypersensitivity ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Pathological Feature ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Bowel Disorders ◽  
Noxious Mechanical Stimulation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractVisceral pain is a highly complex experience and is the most common pathological feature in patients suffering from inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders. Whilst it is increasingly recognized that aberrant neural processing within the gut-brain axis plays a key role in development of neurological symptoms, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the cortical activation patterns and effects of non-invasive chemogenetic suppression of cortical activity on visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety-related phenotypes in a well-characterized mouse model of acute colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). We found that within the widespread cortical network, the mid-cingulate cortex (MCC) was consistently highly activated in response to innocuous and noxious mechanical stimulation of the colon. Furthermore, during acute experimental colitis, impairing the activity of the MCC successfully alleviated visceral hypersensitivity, anxiety-like behaviors and visceromotor responses to colorectal distensions (CRDs) via downregulating the excitability of the posterior insula (PI), somatosensory and the rostral anterior cingulate cortices (rACC), but not the prefrontal or anterior insula cortices. These results provide a mechanistic insight into the central cortical circuits underlying painful visceral manifestations and implicate MCC plasticity as a putative target in cingulate-mediated therapies for bowel disorders.

scholarly journals Correlation between Traits of Emotion-Based Impulsivity and Intrinsic Default-Mode Network Activity

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jizheng Zhao ◽  
Dardo Tomasi ◽  
Corinde E. Wiers ◽  
Ehsan Shokri-Kojori ◽  
Şükrü B. Demiral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
High Risk Behaviors ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Negative urgency (NU) and positive urgency (PU) are implicated in several high-risk behaviors, such as eating disorders, substance use disorders, and nonsuicidal self-injury behavior. The current study aimed to explore the possible link between trait of urgency and brain activity at rest. We assessed the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal in 85 healthy volunteers. Trait urgency measures were related to ALFF in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral and dorsal medial frontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus. In addition, trait urgency measures showed significant correlations with the functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus seed with the thalamus and midbrain region. These findings suggest an association between intrinsic brain activity and impulsive behaviors in healthy humans.

Effects of the DAT 3’UTR VNTR Genotype on Brain Function in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Schizophrenia

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
D.P. Prata ◽  
A. Mechelli ◽  
C. Fu ◽  
M. Picchioni ◽  
F. Kane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Diagnostic Group ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
List Type ◽  
Type Number ◽  
Cortical Function ◽  
Repeat Allele ◽  
Word Generation ◽  
Brain Responses

Aims:To examine the effect of a polymorphism in the Dopamine Transporter (DAT) gene on brain activation during executive function and, for the first time:1.determine the extent to which this is altered in schizophrenia and2.use a verbal fluency paradigm.This is relevant since:1.DAT plays a key role in the regulation of dopamine, which modulates cortical activation during cognitive tasks and2.a disruption of dopamine function is a fundamental pathophysiological feature of schizophrenia.Method:Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure whole-brain responses during overt verbal fluency in 85 subjects: 44 healthy volunteers and 41 DSM-IV schizophrenia patients. Main effects of genotype and diagnostic group on activation and their interaction were estimated using an ANOVA in SPM5.Results:The 10-repeat allele of the 3'UTR VNTR was associated with greater activation than the 9-repeat allele in the left (Z=4.8; FWEp=0.005) and right (Z=4.2; FWEp=0.057) anterior insula and with decreased activation in the rostral anterior cingulate (Z=4.3 FWEp=0.04) during word generation (versus baseline). These effects were irrespective of diagnostic group but generally more marked in patients. There were also strong trends for groupxgenotype interactions in the left middle frontal gyrus and the left nucleus accumbens. Analysis was controlled for task performance, IQ, antipsychotic medication, psychopathology and demographics.Conclusion:Cortical function during executive tasks is normally modulated by variation in the DAT gene, effect which is dependent on the brain region. DAT's effect may be altered in schizophrenia patients, which may reflect altered central dopamine function.

Impact of inspiratory threshold loading on brain activity and cognitive performances in healthy humans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Taytard ◽  
Camille Gand ◽  
Marie-Cécile Niérat ◽  
Romain Barthes ◽  
Sophie Lavault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Cognitive Interference ◽  
Cortical Networks ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Serial Addition

In healthy humans, inspiratory threshold loading deteriorates cognitive performances. This can result from motor-cognitive interference (activation of motor respiratory-related cortical networks vs. executive resources allocation), sensory-cognitive interference (dyspnea vs. shift in attentional focus), or both. We hypothesized that inspiratory loading would concomitantly induce dyspnea, activate motor respiratory-related cortical networks, and deteriorate cognitive performance. We reasoned that a concomitant activation of cortical networks and cognitive deterioration would be compatible with motor-cognitive interference, particularly in case of a predominant alteration of executive cognitive performances. Symmetrically, we reasoned that a predominant alteration of attention-depending performances would suggest sensory-cognitive interference. Twenty-five volunteers (12 men; 19.5-51.5 years) performed the Paced Auditory Serial Addition test (PASAT-A and B; calculation capacity, working memory, attention), the Trail Making Test (TMT-A, visuospatial exploration capacity; TMT-B, visuospatial exploration capacity and attention), and the Corsi block-tapping test (visuospatial memory, short-term and working memory) during unloaded breathing and inspiratory threshold loading in random order. Loading consistently induced dyspnea and respiratory-related brain activation. It was associated with deteriorations inPASAT A (52 [45.5;55.5] (median [interquartile range]) to 48 [41;54.5], p=0.01), PASAT B (55 [47.5;58] to 51 [44.5;57.5], p=0.01), and TMT B (44s [36;54.5] to 53s [42;64], p=0.01), but did not affect TMT-A and Corsi. The concomitance of cortical activation and cognitive performance deterioration is compatible with competition for cortical resources (motor-cognitive interference), while the profile of cognitive impairment (PASAT and TMT-B but not TMT-A and Corsi) is compatible with a contribution of attentional distraction (sensory-cognitive interference). Both mechanisms are therefore likely at play.

The effect of hyperglycaemia on cerebral potentials evoked by rapid rectal distension in healthy humans

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 512-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Russo ◽  
A. J. P. M. Smout ◽  
C. Kositchaiwat ◽  
C. Rayner ◽  
Y. Sattawatthamrong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Distension ◽  
Healthy Humans

scholarly journals Postural respiratory‐related cortical activation and rostral fluid shift in awake healthy humans

2019 ◽  
Vol 104 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Launois ◽  
Elisa Perger ◽  
Valérie Attali ◽  
Marie‐Cécile Nierat ◽  
Mathieu Raux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Fluid Shift ◽  
Healthy Humans

The effect of hyperglycemia on cerebral potentials evoked by rapid rectal distension in healthy humans

1998 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. A828
Author(s):  
A. Russo ◽  
A.J.P.M. Smout ◽  
C. Kositchaiwat ◽  
Y. Sattawatthamrong ◽  
C. Rayner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Distension ◽  
Healthy Humans

Neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological bases of waking and sleeping

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara E. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Paradoxical Sleep ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Behavioral Arousal ◽  
Distinct Cell ◽  
Cell Groups ◽  
Descending Influences ◽  
And Behavior

Neurons distributed through the reticular core of the brainstem, hypothalamus, and basal forebrain and giving rise to ascending projections to the cortex or descending projections to the spinal cord promote the changes in cortical activity and behavior that underlie the sleep–wake cycle and three states of waking, NREM (slow wave) sleep, and REM (paradoxical) sleep. Forming the basic units of these systems, glutamate and GABA cell groups are heterogeneous in discharge profiles and projections, such that different subgroups can promote cortical activation (wake/REM(PS)-active) versus cortical deactivation (NREM(SWS)-active) by ascending influences or behavioral arousal with muscle tone (wake-active) versus behavioral quiescence with muscle atonia (NREM/REM(PS)-active) by descending influences. These different groups are in turn regulated by neuromodulatory systems, including cortical activation (wake/REM(PS)-active acetylcholine neurons), behavioral arousal (wake-active noradrenaline, histamine, serotonin, and orexin neurons), and behavioral quiescence (NREM/REM(PS)-active MCH neurons). By different projections, chemical neurotransmitters and discharge profiles, distinct cell groups thus act and interact to promote cyclic oscillations in cortical activity and behavior forming the sleep-wake cycle and states.

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