Persistent Working Memory Impairment Associated with Cerebral Infarction in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex: A Case Report and a Literature Review

The photochemically-induced thrombosis (photothrombosis) method can create focal cerebral infarcts anywhere in the relatively superficial layers of the cerebrum; it is easy to implement and minimally invasive. Taking advantage of this versatility, we aimed to establish a new rat model of urinary frequency with focal cerebral infarction, which was characterized by its simplicity, nonlethal nature, and high reproducibility. The prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, which are urinary centers, were targeted for focal cerebral infarction, and urinary parameters were measured by cystometrogram. Cystometric analysis indicated that micturition intervals significantly shortened in photothrombosis-treated rats compared with those in the sham operative group on Days 1 and 7 (P < 0.01), but prolonged after 14 days, with no difference between the two groups. Immunopathological evaluation showed an accumulation of activated microglia, followed by an increase in reactive astrocytes at the peri-infarct zone after photothrombotic stroke. Throughout this study, all postphotothrombosis rats showed cerebral infarction in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex; there were no cases of rats with fatal cerebral infarction. This model corresponded to the clinical presentation, in that the micturition status changed after stroke. In conclusion, this novel model combining nonlethality and high reproducibility may be a suitable model of urinary frequency after focal cerebral infarction.

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Anterior cingulate cortex differently modulates fronto-parietal functional connectivity between resting-state and working memory tasks

10.1101/722710 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Xin Di ◽

Heming Zhang ◽

Bharat B Biswal

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Resting State ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Task Demands ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Functional Coupling ◽

The Right ◽

State 1

AbstractThe brain fronto-parietal regions and the functional communications between them are critical in supporting working memory and other executive functions. The functional connectivity between fronto-parietal regions are modulated by working memory loads, and are shown to be modulated by a third brain region in resting-state. However, it is largely unknown that whether the third-region modulations remain the same during working memory tasks or were largely modulated by task demands. In the current study, we collected functional MRI (fMRI) data when the subjects were performing n-back tasks and in resting-state. We first used a block-designed localizer to define the fronto-parietal regions that showed higher activations in the 2-back than the 1-back condition. Next, we performed physiophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis using left and right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and superior parietal lobule (SPL) regions, respectively, in three continuous-designed runs of resting-state, 1-back, and 2-back conditions. No regions showed consistent modulatory interactions with the seed pairs in the three conditions. Instead, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) showed different modulatory interactions with the right MFG and SPL among the three conditions. While increased activity of the ACC was associated with decreased functional coupling between the right MFG and SPL in resting-state, it was associated with increased functional coupling in the 2-back condition. The observed task modulations support the functional significance of the modulations of the ACC on fronto-parietal connectivity.

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Decreased activation of anterior cingulate cortex in the working memory of the elderly

Neuroreport ◽

10.1097/01.wnr.0000236852.63092.9f ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 17 (14) ◽

pp. 1479-1482 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Yuki Otsuka ◽

Naoyuki Osaka ◽

Masanao Morishita ◽

Hirohito Kondo ◽

Mariko Osaka

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

The Elderly ◽

Anterior Cingulate

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Modafinil modulates anterior cingulate function in chronic schizophrenia

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.187.1.55 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 187 (1) ◽

pp. 55-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Sean A. Spence ◽

Russell D. Green ◽

Iain D. Wilkinson ◽

Mike D. Hunter

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Deficits ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Memory Task ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Double Blind

BackgroundSchizophrenia is associated with widespread cognitive deficits that have an impact on social function. Modafinil promotes wakefulness and is reported to enhance cognition.AimsTo study the acute effects of modafinil administration upon brain activity and cognitive performance in people with chronic schizophrenia.MethodIn a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, 19 patients received either modafinil (100 mg) or placebo prior to undertaking a working memory task with functional magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsSeventeen patients completed the study and another underwent acute relapse 4 days post-drug. Modafinil administration was associated with significantly greater activation in the anterior cingulate cortex during the working memory task. The anterior cingulate cortex signal correlated with cognitive performance, although only a subset of patients exhibited ‘enhancement’.ConclusionsModafinil modulates anterior cingulate cortex function in chronic schizophrenia but its beneficial cognitive effects may be restricted to a subset of patients requiring further characterisation.

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