Forebrain neural patterns associated with sex differences in autonomic and cardiovascular function during baroreceptor unloading

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (2) ◽  
pp. R715-R722 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Kimmerly ◽  
S. Wong ◽  
R. Menon ◽  
J. K. Shoemaker
Keyword(s):  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Bold Signal ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
The Right

Generally, women demonstrate smaller autonomic and cardiovascular reactions to stress, compared with men. The mechanism of this sex-dependent difference is unknown, although reduced baroreflex sensitivity may be involved. Recently, we identified a cortical network associated with autonomic cardiovascular responses to baroreceptor unloading in men. The current investigation examined whether differences in the neural activity patterns within this network were related to sex-related physiological responses to lower body negative pressure (LBNP, 5, 15, and 35 mmHg). Forebrain activity in healthy men and women ( n = 8 each) was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging with blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast. Stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were collected on a separate day. Men had larger decreases in SV than women ( P < 0.01) during 35 mmHg LBNP only. At 35 mmHg LBNP, HR increased more in males then females (9 ± 1 beats/min vs. 4 ± 1 beats/min, P < 0.05). Compared with women, increases in total MSNA were similar at 15 mmHg LBNP but greater during 35 mmHg LBNP in men [1,067 ± 123 vs. 658 ± 103 arbitrary units (au), P < 0.05]. BOLD signal changes ( P < 0.005, uncorrected) were identified within discrete forebrain regions associated with these sex-specific HR and MSNA responses. Men had larger increases in BOLD signal within the right insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex than women. Furthermore, men demonstrated greater BOLD signal reductions in the right amygdala, left insula, ventral anterior cingulate, and ventral medial prefrontal cortex vs. women. The greater changes in forebrain activity in men vs. women may have contributed to the elevated HR and sympathetic responses observed in men during 35 mmHg LBNP.

Forebrain regions associated with postexercise differences in autonomic and cardiovascular function during baroreceptor unloading

2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (1) ◽  
pp. H299-H306 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Kimmerly ◽  
S. W. Wong ◽  
D. Salzer ◽  
R. Menon ◽  
J. K. Shoemaker
Keyword(s):  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Physiological Parameter ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Ex Post

The cortical regions representing peripheral autonomic reactions in humans are poorly understood. This study examined whether changes in forebrain activity were associated with the altered physiological responses to lower body negative pressure (LBNP) following a single bout of dynamic exercise (POST-EX). We hypothesized that, compared with the nonexercised condition (NO-EX), POST-EX would elicit greater reductions in stroke volume (SV) and larger increases in heart rate (HR) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during LBNP (5, 15, and 35 mmHg). Forebrain neural activity ( n = 11) was measured using blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging. HR, SV, arterial blood pressure (ABP), and MSNA were collected separately. Compared with NO-EX, baseline ABP was reduced, whereas HR and total vascular conductance (TVC) were elevated in POST-EX ( P < 0.05). In both conditions, 5 mmHg LBNP did not elicit a change (from baseline) in any physiological parameter. Compared with NO-EX, 35 mmHg LBNP-mediated decreases in SV and TVC produced greater increases in HR and MSNA during POST-EX ( P < 0.05). The right posterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex demonstrated a larger decrease in BOLD at 5 mmHg LBNP but greater BOLD increase at 15 and 35 mmHg LBNP POST-EX vs. NO-EX ( P < 0.005). Conversely, the thalamus and ventral medial prefrontal cortex displayed the opposite BOLD activity pattern (i.e., larger increase at 5 mmHg LBNP but greater decrease at 15 and 35 mmHg LBNP POST-EX vs. NO-EX). Our findings suggest that discrete forebrain regions may be involved with the generation of baroreflex-mediated sympathetic and cardiovascular responses elicited by moderate LBNP.

scholarly journals Altruistic behaviors relieve physical pain

2019 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 950-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yilu Wang ◽  
Jianqiao Ge ◽  
Hanqi Zhang ◽  
Haixia Wang ◽  
Xiaofei Xie
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Altruistic Behavior ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Painful Shock ◽  
The Right

Engaging in altruistic behaviors is costly, but it contributes to the health and well-being of the performer of such behaviors. The present research offers a take on how this paradox can be understood. Across 2 pilot studies and 3 experiments, we showed a pain-relieving effect of performing altruistic behaviors. Acting altruistically relieved not only acutely induced physical pain among healthy adults but also chronic pain among cancer patients. Using functional MRI, we found that after individuals performed altruistic actions brain activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral insula in response to a painful shock was significantly reduced. This reduced pain-induced activation in the right insula was mediated by the neural activity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), while the activation of the VMPFC was positively correlated with the performer’s experienced meaningfulness from his or her altruistic behavior. Our findings suggest that incurring personal costs to help others may buffer the performers from unpleasant conditions.

Forebrain organization representing baroreceptor gating of somatosensory afferents within the cortical autonomic network

2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruma Goswami ◽  
Maria Fernanda Frances ◽  
Craig Douglas Steinback ◽  
J. Kevin Shoemaker
Keyword(s):  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Somatosensory Processing ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Burst Frequency ◽  
Somatosensory Stimulation

Somatosensory afferents are represented within the cortical autonomic network (CAN). However, the representation of somatosensory afferents, and the consequent cardiovascular effects, may be modified by levels of baroreceptor input. Thus, we examined the cortical regions involved with processing somatosensory inputs during baroreceptor unloading. Neuroimaging sessions (functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI]) recorded brain activity during 30 mmHg lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) alone and combined with somatosensory stimulation (LBNP+SS) of the forearm ( n = 14). Somatosensory processing was also assessed during increased sympathetic outflow via end-expiratory apnea. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), cardiac output (Q), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were recorded during the same protocols in a separate laboratory session. SS alone had no effect on any cardiovascular or MSNA variable at rest. Measures of HR, BP, and Q during LBNP were not different compared with LBNP+SS. The rise in MSNA burst frequency was attenuated during LBNP+SS versus LBNP alone (8 vs. 12 bursts/min, respectively, P < 0.05). SS did not affect the change in MSNA during apnea. Activations within the insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) observed during LBNP were not seen during LBNP+SS. Anterior insula and ACC activations occurring during apnea were not modified by SS. Thus, the absence of insular and dorsal ACC activity during LBNP+SS along with an attenuation of MSNA burst frequency suggest sympathoinhibitory effects of sensory stimulation during decreased baroreceptor input by a mechanism that includes conjoint insula-dorsal ACC regulation. These findings reveal that the level of baroreceptor input influences the forebrain organization of somatosensory afferents.

scholarly journals Exploring Cortical Attentional System by Using fMRI during a Continuous Perfomance Test

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Tana ◽  
E. Montin ◽  
S. Cerutti ◽  
A. M. Bianchi
Keyword(s):  
Performance Test ◽  
Continuous Performance Test ◽  
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Visual Object ◽  
Bold Response ◽  
Object Processing ◽  
The Right

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in eight healthy subjects to identify the localization, magnitude, and volume extent of activation in brain regions that are involved in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response during the performance of Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT). An extensive brain network was activated during the task including frontal, temporal, and occipital cortical areas and left cerebellum. The more activated cluster in terms of volume extent and magnitude was located in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Analyzing the dynamic trend of the activation in the identified areas during the entire duration of the sustained attention test, we found a progressive decreasing of BOLD response probably due to a habituation effect without any deterioration of the performances. The observed brain network is consistent with existing models of visual object processing and attentional control and may serve as a basis for fMRI studies in clinical populations with neuropsychological deficits in Conners' CPT performance.

scholarly journals Medial Cortical Structures Mediate Implicit Trustworthiness Judgments about Kin Faces, but Not Familiar Faces: A Brief Report

Psych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 482-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Platek ◽  
Judson C. Hendry
Keyword(s):  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Insular Cortex ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
The Self ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Facial Stimuli ◽  
The Right ◽  
Processing Network

Human kin recognition activates substrates of the extended facial processing network, notably the right-hemisphere structures involved in self-face recognition and posterior medial cortical substrates. To understand the mechanisms underlying prosociality toward kin faces in comparison to other familiar faces, we investigated the neural correlates of implicit trustworthiness ratings to faces of actual kin and personal friends, controlling for activation to distracter faces. When controlling for activation associated with unknown faces, trustworthiness ratings of faces of kin, compared to friends, were associated with increased activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate, and precuneous. On the other hand, trustworthiness ratings of friend faces, relative to kin faces, were associated with the lateral occipital gyrus and insular cortex. Trustworthiness ratings for unknown faces were only associated with activation in the fusiform gyrus. These findings suggest that we should employ medial cortical substrates known to be part of the self-other network when making implicit social judgements about kin, but not other classes of facial stimuli.

scholarly journals Shared and unique neural circuitry underlying temporally unpredictable threat and reward processing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milena Radoman ◽  
Lynne Lieberman ◽  
Jagan Jimmy ◽  
Stephanie M Gorka
Keyword(s):  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Insula ◽  
Middle Occipital Gyrus ◽  
The Right

Abstract Temporally unpredictable stimuli influence behavior across species, as previously demonstrated for sequences of simple threats and rewards with fixed or variable onset. Neuroimaging studies have identified a specific frontolimbic circuit that may become engaged during the anticipation of temporally unpredictable threat (U-threat). However, the neural mechanisms underlying processing of temporally unpredictable reward (U-reward) are incompletely understood. It is also unclear whether these processes are mediated by overlapping or distinct neural systems. These knowledge gaps are noteworthy given that disruptions within these neural systems may lead to maladaptive response to uncertainty. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging data from a sample of 159 young adults, we showed that anticipation of both U-threat and U-reward elicited activation in the right anterior insula, right ventral anterior nucleus of the thalamus and right inferior frontal gyrus. U-threat also activated the right posterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, relative to U-reward. In contrast, U-reward elicited activation in the right fusiform and left middle occipital gyrus, relative to U-threat. Although there is some overlap in the neural circuitry underlying anticipation of U-threat and U-reward, these processes appear to be largely mediated by distinct circuits. Future studies are needed to corroborate and extend these preliminary findings.

scholarly journals Effective Connectivity of the Hippocampus Can Differentiate Patients with Schizophrenia from Healthy Controls: A Spectral DCM Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lavinia Carmen Uscătescu ◽  
Lisa Kronbichler ◽  
Renate Stelzig-Schöler ◽  
Brandy-Gale Pearce ◽  
Sarah Said-Yürekli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Effective Connectivity ◽  
Anterior Insula ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Frontal Eye Fields ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Left Hippocampus ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
The Right

AbstractWe applied spectral dynamic causal modelling (Friston et al. in Neuroimage 94:396–407. 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.12.009, 2014) to analyze the effective connectivity differences between the nodes of three resting state networks (i.e. default mode network, salience network and dorsal attention network) in a dataset of 31 male healthy controls (HC) and 25 male patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ). Patients showed increased directed connectivity from the left hippocampus (LHC) to the: dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC), right anterior insula (RAI), left frontal eye fields and the bilateral inferior parietal sulcus (LIPS & RIPS), as well as increased connectivity from the right hippocampus (RHC) to the: bilateral anterior insula (LAI & RAI), right frontal eye fields and RIPS. In SZ, negative symptoms predicted the connectivity strengths from the LHC to: the DACC, the left inferior parietal sulcus (LIPAR) and the RHC, while positive symptoms predicted the connectivity strengths from the LHC to the LIPAR and from the RHC to the LHC. These results reinforce the crucial role of hippocampus dysconnectivity in SZ pathology and its potential as a biomarker of disease severity.

The right thalamic glutamate level correlates with functional connectivity with right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/middle occipital gyrus in unmedicated obsessive–compulsive disorder: A combined fMRI and 1H-MRS study

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongjun Chen ◽  
Ziyu Meng ◽  
Zongfeng Zhang ◽  
Yajing Zhu ◽  
Rui Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Data Acquisition ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Middle Occipital Gyrus ◽  
The Right

Objective: The imbalance in neurotransmitter and neuronal metabolite concentration within cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit contributes to obsessive–compulsive disorder’s (OCD) onset. Previous studies showed that glutamate mediated upregulation of resting-state activity in healthy people. However, there have been few studies investigating the correlational features between functional and neurochemical alterations in OCD. Methods: We utilize a combined resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) approach to investigate the altered functional connectivity (FC) in association with glutamatergic dysfunction in OCD pathophysiology. Three regions of interest are investigated, i.e., medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral thalamus, for seed-based whole-brain FC analysis as well as MRS data acquisition. There are 23 unmedicated adult OCD patients and 23 healthy controls recruited for brain FC analysis. Among them, 12 OCD and 8 controls are performed MRS data acquisition. Results: Besides abnormal FC within CSTC circuit, we also find altered FCs in large-scale networks outside CSTC circuit, including occipital area and limbic and motor systems. The decreased FC between right thalamus and right middle occipital gyrus (MOG) is correlated with glutamatergic signal within right thalamus in OCD patients. Moreover, the FC between right thalamus and right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is associated with glutamate level in right thalamus, specifically in patient’s group. Finally, the FC between right thalamus and right MOG is correlated with patient’s Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) compulsion and total scores, while the right thalamic glutamatergic signal is associated with YBOCS-compulsion score. Conclusion: Our findings showed that the coupled intrinsic functional–biochemical alterations existed both within CSTC circuit and from CSTC to occipital lobe in OCD pathophysiology.

Covert Auditory Attention Generates Activation in the Rostral/Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex

2002 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph H. B. Benedict ◽  
David W. Shucard ◽  
Michael P. Santa Maria ◽  
Janet L. Shucard ◽  
Jose P. Abara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Auditory Attention ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Covert Attention ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
The Right

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is believed to mediate conscious information processing or high-capacity attention. However, previous functional imaging studies have largely relied on tasks that involve motor function as well as attention. The work from our group utilizing an auditory continuous performance task demonstrated increased activity in a caudal division of the ACC that borders the supplementary motor area (SMA). Activity in this region was attributed to motor responding as well as attention. In the present study, we used15O H2O positron emission tomography (PET) to map brain activation during nonmotor, covert auditory attention. Our hypothesis was that a different region within the ACC, anterior to the SMA, would be active during covert attention (CA). Six men and six women were asked to monitor aurally presented syllables presented at a 1-sec interstimulus interval. During the CA condition, subjects were asked to continuously discriminate target (.19 probability) from nontarget stimuli. Simultaneous recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) confirmed the discrimination of target and nontarget stimuli and the allocation of attention capacity. Comparison of the monitored versus nonmonitored presentation of stimuli demonstrated significant activity in a rostral/dorsal division of the right ACC, anterior to SMA. Other regions of activation included the lateral prefrontal cortex and posterior superior temporal gyrus in the left hemisphere, consistent with neurocognitive models of language and vigilance. We conclude that a rostral/dorsal subdivision of the right ACC is specific for conscious attention during auditory processing, in contrast to premotor response formation.

Cortical and brain stem changes in neural activity during static handgrip and postexercise ischemia in humans

2010 ◽  
Vol 108 (6) ◽  
pp. 1691-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikael Sander ◽  
Vaughan G. Macefield ◽  
Luke A. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Cerebellar Nuclei ◽  
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Ventrolateral Medulla ◽  
Central Command ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
Primary Output

Static isometric exercise increases muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and mean arterial pressure, both of which can be maintained at the conclusion of the exercise by occlusion of the arterial supply [postexercise ischemia (PEI)]. To identify the cortical and subcortical sites involved, and to differentiate between central command and reflex inputs, we used blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) of the whole brain (3 T). Subjects performed submaximal static handgrip exercise for 2 min followed by 6 min of PEI; MSNA was recorded on a separate day. During the contraction phase, parallel increases in BOLD signal intensity occurred in the contralateral primary motor cortex and cerebellar nuclei and cortex; these matched the effort profile and ceased at the conclusion of the contraction. Progressive increases in the contralateral insula and primary and secondary somatosensory cortices, with progressive decreases in the perigenual anterior cingulate and midcingulate cortices, were sustained during the period of PEI and thus did not depend on central command. Discrete bilateral activation of the medial and lateral dorsal medulla was also observed during the contraction and PEI; we believe that these represent the nucleus tracts solitarius (NTS) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), respectively. Given that metaboreceptor afferents are known to project to the NTS and that the RVLM is the primary output nucleus for MSNA, our data support that the metaboreflex is mediated by the medulla, whereas the somatosensory, insular, and anterior cingulate cortices are involved in the sensory and affective components of the maneuver.

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