Brain activation during thoughts of one’s own death and its linear and curvilinear correlations with fear of death in elderly individuals: An fMRI study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanan Hirano ◽  
Kentaro Oba ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Shohei Yamazaki ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activation ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Negative Linear Correlation ◽  
The Right ◽  
Older Populations ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Existential Issues

Facing one’s own death and managing the fear of it are important existential issues, particularly in older populations. Although recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have investigated brain responses to death-related stimuli, none has examined whether the brain activation was specific to self-death or how it was related to the fear of death. In this study, during the fMRI measurements, 34 elderly participants (aged 60–72) were presented with either death-related or death-unrelated negative words and asked to evaluate these words based on their relevance to ‘self’ or ‘other’. Result showed that only the left supplementary motor area (SMA) was selectively activated during self-relevant judgments on death-related words. Regression analyses of the effect of fear of death on brain activation during death-related thoughts identified a significant negative linear correlation in the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and an inverted-U-shaped correlation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) only during self-relevant judgments. Our results demonstrated the involvement of the SMA in existential aspect within thoughts of death. The distinct fear-of-death-dependent responses in the SMG and PCC may reflect fear-associated distancing of the physical self and the processing of death-related thoughts as a self-relevant future agenda, respectively.

scholarly journals Brain Activation during Thoughts of One’s Own Death and Its Linear and Curvilinear Correlations with Fear of Death in Elderly Individuals: An fMRI Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanan Hirano ◽  
Kentaro Oba ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Shohei Yamazaki ◽  
Ryuta Kawashima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activation ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Supramarginal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Negative Linear Correlation ◽  
The Right ◽  
Older Populations ◽  
Existential Issues

Abstract Facing one’s own death and managing the fear of death are important existential issues, particularly in older populations. Although recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have investigated brain responses to death-related stimuli, none has examined whether this brain activation was specific to one’s own death or how it was related to dispositional fear of death. In this study, during fMRI, 34 elderly participants (aged, 60–72 years) were presented with either death-related or death-unrelated negative words and asked to evaluate the relevance of these words to the “self” or the “other.” The results showed that only the left supplementary motor area (SMA) was selectively activated during self-relevant judgments of death-related words. Regression analyses of the effect of fear of death on brain activation during death-related thoughts identified a significant negative linear correlation in the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and an inverted-U-shaped correlation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) only during self-relevant judgments. Our results suggest potential involvement of the SMA in the existential aspect of thoughts of death. The distinct fear-of-death-dependent responses in the SMG and PCC may reflect fear-associated distancing of the physical self and the processing of death-related thoughts as a self-relevant future agenda, respectively.

scholarly journals Functional MRI Investigation of Ultrasound Stimulation at ST 36

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Yarui Wei ◽  
Ling Mei ◽  
Xiaojing Long ◽  
Xiaoxiao Wang ◽  
Yanjun Diao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Block Design ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Lentiform Nucleus ◽  
Ultrasound Stimulation ◽  
Postcentral Gyrus ◽  
The Brain

Background. Clinical and experimental data suggest that ultrasound stimulation (US) at acupoints can produce similar effective treatment compared to manual acupuncture (MA). Although the brain activation to MA at acupoints is investigated by numerous studies, the brain activation to US at acupoints remains unclear. Methods. In the present work, we employed task state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the human brain’s activation to US and MA at ST 36 (Zusanli) which is one of the most commonly used acupoints in acupuncture-related studies. 16 healthy subjects underwent US and MA procedures in an interval of more than one week. On-off block design stimulation was used for the recording of fMRI-related brain patterns. Results. Both US and MA at ST 36 produced activations in somatosensory and limbic/paralimbic regions (postcentral gyrus, insula, middle prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex). Only US at ST 36 produced a significant signal increase in the inferior parietal lobule and decrease in the posterior cingulate cortex, whereas MA at ST 36 produced a significant signal increase in the lentiform nucleus and cerebellum. Conclusions. Our results indicate that US may be a possible noninvasive alternative method to MA due to its similar activation patterns.

scholarly journals An fMRI study of the brain responses of traumatized mothers to viewing their toddlers during separation and play

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 969-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Schechter ◽  
Dominik A. Moser ◽  
Zhishun Wang ◽  
Rachel Marsh ◽  
XueJun Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Responses ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals Acute Ketamine Administration Alters the Brain Responses to Executive Demands in a Verbal Working Memory Task: an fMRI Study

2004 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1203-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
R A E Honey ◽  
G D Honey ◽  
C O'Loughlin ◽  
S R Sharar ◽  
D Kumaran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals Dissociating Neural Correlates of Action Monitoring and Metacognition of Agency

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 3620-3636 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Miele ◽  
Tor D. Wager ◽  
Jason P. Mitchell ◽  
Janet Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Dorsal Striatum ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Action Monitoring ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Metacognitive Judgments ◽  
The Right ◽  
Reflective Processing ◽  
Increased Activity ◽  
The Brain

Judgments of agency refer to people's self-reflective assessments concerning their own control: their assessments of the extent to which they themselves are responsible for an action. These self-reflective metacognitive judgments can be distinguished from action monitoring, which involves the detection of the divergence (or lack of divergence) between observed states and expected states. Presumably, people form judgments of agency by metacognitively reflecting on the output of their action monitoring and then consciously inferring the extent to which they caused the action in question. Although a number of previous imaging studies have been directed at action monitoring, none have assessed judgments of agency as a potentially separate process. The present fMRI study used an agency paradigm that not only allowed us to examine the brain activity associated with action monitoring but that also enabled us to investigate those regions associated with metacognition of agency. Regarding action monitoring, we found that being “out of control” during the task (i.e., detection of a discrepancy between observed and expected states) was associated with increased brain activity in the right TPJ, whereas being “in control” was associated with increased activity in the pre-SMA, rostral cingulate zone, and dorsal striatum (regions linked to self-initiated action). In contrast, when participants made self-reflective metacognitive judgments about the extent of their own control (i.e., judgments of agency) compared with when they made judgments that were not about control (i.e., judgments of performance), increased activity was observed in the anterior PFC, a region associated with self-reflective processing. These results indicate that action monitoring is dissociable from people's conscious self-attributions of control.

Brain Activities in a Skilled versus a Novice Artist: An fMRI Study

Leonardo ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Solso
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Parietal Region ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Magnetic Reso ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
Motor Movements ◽  
The Right ◽  
A Site ◽  
The Brain

Functional Magnetic Reso-nance Imaging (fMRI) scans of a skilled portrait artist and of a non-artist were made as each drew a series of faces. There was a dis-cernible increase in blood flow in the right-posterior parietal region of the brain for both the artist and non-artist during the task, a site normally associated with facial per-ception and processing. However, the level of activation appeared lower in the expert than in the nov-ice, suggesting that a skilled artist may process facial information more efficiently. In addition, the skilled artist showed greater acti-vation in the right frontal area of the brain than did the novice, which the author posits indicates that such an artist uses “higher-or-der” cognitive functions, such as the formation of associations and planning motor movements, when viewing and drawing a face.

scholarly journals The Integrative Theory of Hypnosis in the Light of Clinical Hypnotherapy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashit Tukaev
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Brain Functioning ◽  
Integrative Theory ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorders ◽  
System Functioning ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

The chapter describes the author’s integrative theory of hypnosis and hypnotherapy (ITHH) and the universal hypnotherapy (UH) method. The ITHH contains neurophysiological, biological, and communicative components. (1) Hypnosis is triggered by symbolical hypnogenic situations of inability of decision-making and/or its behavioral realization. Hypnosis development results in qualitative reorganization of the brain activation system functioning from distribution to generation of activity. Hypnosis deepening is based on the increase of brain activation. Hypnosis development in right-handers is associated with a regressive reorganization of the left hemisphere to the right hemisphere functioning mode, with whole brain functioning on right hemispheric principle. (2) Hypnotization generates hypnogenic stress. Hypnotherapy activates a readaptation process, including neurohormonal, neurotransmitter secretions; activation of the immunological and biochemical responses; and spontaneous change of pain sensation. (3) Hypnotic communication styles (directive, non-directive) are (i) changing due to historical evolution of social communication styles and (ii) indirectly using the representations about hypnosis. The UH utilizes the ITHH, being close to the positive and mindfulness psychotherapeutic approaches. The complex of UH and psycho-education formed positive-dialogue psychotherapy (PDP) for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The randomized clinical trial of PDP efficiency in the therapy of panic and generalized anxiety disorders confirmed high clinical efficiency and the mindfulness effect of UH.

scholarly journals Brain Activation and Psychophysiologic Interaction in Association with a Phonological Working Memory Task

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Nazlim Yusoff ◽  
Hanani Abdul Manan ◽  
Siti Zamratol-Mai Sarah Mukari ◽  
Khairiah Abdul Hamid ◽  
Elizabeth A. Franz
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Temporal Lobe ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Phonological Working Memory ◽  
Babble Noise ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Brain activation within, and psychophysiologic interaction between, significantly activated regions in the brain obtained from a phonological working memory experiment on a single participant were studied. Given that working memory and speech processing are key functions of human behaviour, this type of investigation is of fundamental importance to our understanding of brain-behaviour relationships. The study objectives were to determine the areas that respond significantly to a phonological working memory task and to investigate the influence of babble noise on their activation and the psychophysiologic interactions (PPI) between the source region and those activated areas. Three conditions were used during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans which were working memory in quiet (WMQ), working memory in noise (WMN) and listening to babble noise (N). More voxels are activated in the right temporal lobe than in the left during N condition due to the non-speech stimulus. However, a higher mean stimulus efficacy (?) of the point of maximum intensity in the left temporal lobe causes its signal intensity to be higher than in the right temporal lobe. Both the WMQ and WMN conditions resulted in similar activated regions in the brain but with a higher number of activated voxels (NOV) during WMQ for the right hemispheric areas in association with the working memory task. This is due to the sensitivity of those regions in perceiving and performing the phonological working memory task in quiet to a level that actually exceeds the activation enhancement commonly associated with the performance of working memory task in noise. This is supported by the PPI results that performing the working memory task is less influenced by noise for that particular brain region.

Distinct Patterns of Neural Modulation during the Processing of Conceptual and Syntactic Anomalies

2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina R. Kuperberg ◽  
Phillip J. Holcomb ◽  
Tatiana Sitnikova ◽  
Douglas Greve ◽  
Anders M. Dale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hemodynamic Response ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Neural Modulation ◽  
Pragmatic Information ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Temporal Windows

The aim of this study was to gain further insights into how the brain distinguishes between meaning and syntax during language comprehension. Participants read and made plausibility judgments on sentences that were plausible, morpho-syntactically anomalous, or pragmatically anomalous. In an event-related potential (ERP) experiment, morphosyntactic and pragmatic violations elicited significant P600 and N400 effects, respectively, replicating previous ERP studies that have established qualitative differences in processing conceptually and syntactic anomalies. Our main focus was a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in which the same subjects read the same sentences presented in the same pseudorandomized sequence while performing the same task as in the ERP experiment. Rapid-presentation event-related fMRI methods allowed us to estimate the hemodynamic response at successive temporal windows as the sentences unfolded word by word, without assumptions about the shape of the underlying response function. Relative to nonviolated sentences, the pragmatic anomalies were associated with an increased hemodynamic response in left temporal and inferior frontal regions and a decreased response in the right medial parietal cortex. Relative to nonviolated sentences, the morphosyntactic anomalies were associated with an increased response in bilateral medial and lateral parietal regions and a decreased response in left temporal and inferior frontal regions. Thus, overlapping neural networks were modulated in opposite directions to the two types of anomaly. These fMRI findings document both qualitative and quantitative differences in how the brain distinguishes between these two types of anomalies. This suggests that morphosyntactic and pragmatic information can be processed in different ways but by the same neural systems.

Processing Words with Emotional Connotation: An fMRI Study of Time Course and Laterality in Rostral Frontal and Retrosplenial Cortices

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Allison Cato ◽  
Bruce Crosson ◽  
Didem Gökçay ◽  
David Soltysik ◽  
Christina Wierenga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Retrosplenial Cortex ◽  
Word Generation ◽  
Baseline Task ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
External Sources ◽  
Time Courses ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Internal Generation

Responses of rostral frontal and retrosplenial cortices to the emotional significance of words were measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-six strongly righthanded participants engaged in a language task that alternated between silent word generation to categories with positive, negative, or neutral emotional connotation and a baseline task of silent repetition of emotionally neutral words. Activation uniquely associated with word generation to categories with positive or negative versus neutral emotional connotation occurred bilaterally in rostral frontal and retrosplenial cortices. Furthermore, the time courses of activity in these areas differed, indicating that they subserve different functions in processing the emotional connotation of words. Namely, the retrosplenial cortex appears to be involved in evaluating the emotional salience of information from external sources, whereas the rostral frontal cortex also plays a role in internal generation of words with emotional connotation. In both areas, activity associated with positive or negative emotional connotation was more extensive in the left hemisphere than the right, regardless of valence, presumably due to the language demands of word generation. The present findings localize specific areas in the brain that are involved in processing emotional meaning of words within the brain's distributed semantic system. In addition, time course analysis reveals diverging mechanisms in anterior and posterior cortical areas during processing of words with emotional significance.

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