scholarly journals Easy Abacus Calculation in Early Childhood to Support Executive Function: An Educational Pilot Case Study of Comparing Brain Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuki Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Span Task ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Calculation Task ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Sequencing Task

The development of executive functions is remarkable in early childhood. Therefore, research on how to support the development of executive functions is actively being conducted. It has already been indicated that executive functions are related to the prefrontal cortex. Recent evidence suggests that the prefrontal cortex is involved in mental abacus (MA). Further, the study of the abacus—the base of MA—is good for not only mathematics but also nurturing the brain. However, although the abacus is easy to learn, learning opportunities have shrunk because of the widespread use of calculators. Through this educational pilot case study, I examined whether it is possible that even easy calculations during the introduction of abacus calculation in early childhood may have an effect on executive function support. I measured the activation of cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex of a young child while he worked on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV; Working Memory Index tasks (forward digit-span task, backward digit-span task, and letter–number sequencing task); and the abacus calculation task using HOT-2000 (NeU, Japan), a two-channel wearable functional near-infrared spectroscopy device. The results revealed a significant difference between the abacus calculation task and the forward digit-span task; however, there was no significant difference between the abacus calculation task and other tasks. In other words, the brain in the prefrontal cortex was more activated in the abacus task than in the forward digit-span task. Difficulty levels were found to be in the order of the forward digit-span task, backward digit-span task, and letter–number sequencing task. Thus, there is a possibility that even simple abacus calculation has a positive effect on executive functions, especially working memory support, in early childhood. This study’s results provide a breakthrough in cognitive psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, and other fields related to child support, which are struggling to find valuable, practical practices for children in the field (i.e., schools and homes) beyond the laboratory.

Hemodynamic Changes in the Prefrontal Cortex during Digit Span Task: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Kaneko ◽  
Toru Yoshikawa ◽  
Kenji Nomura ◽  
Hiroyuki Ito ◽  
Hoshiko Yamauchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Span Task ◽  
Spectroscopy Study ◽  
Hemodynamic Changes

scholarly journals Activation of Prefrontal Cortex in Process of Oral and Finger Shape Discrimination: fNIRS Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Narita ◽  
Kazunobu Kamiya ◽  
Sunao Iwaki ◽  
Tomohiro Ishii ◽  
Hiroshi Endo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Shape Discrimination ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Reliable Representation ◽  
The Brain

BackgroundThe differences in the brain activities of the insular and the visual association cortices have been reported between oral and manual stereognosis. However, these results were not conclusive because of the inherent differences in the task performance-related motor sequence conditions. We hypothesized that the involvement of the prefrontal cortex may be different between finger and oral shape discrimination. This study was conducted to clarify temporal changes in prefrontal activities occurring in the processes of oral and finger tactual shape discrimination using prefrontal functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).MethodsSix healthy right-handed males [aged 30.8 ± 8.2 years (mean ± SD)] were enrolled. Measurements of prefrontal activities were performed using a 22-channel fNIRS device (ETG-100, Hitachi Medical Co., Chiba, Japan) during experimental blocks that included resting state (REST), nonsense shape discrimination (SHAM), and shape discrimination (SHAPE).ResultsNo significant difference was presented with regard to the number of correct answers during trials between oral and finger SHAPE discrimination. Additionally, a statistical difference for the prefrontal fNIRS activity between oral and finger shape discrimination was noted in CH 1. Finger SHAPE, as compared with SHAM, presented a temporally shifting onset and burst in the prefrontal activities from the frontopolar area (FPA) to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In contrast, oral SHAPE as compared with SHAM was shown to be temporally overlapped in the onset and burst of the prefrontal activities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)/FPA/OFC.ConclusionThe prefrontal activities temporally shifting from the FPA to the OFC during SHAPE as compared with SHAM may suggest the segregated serial prefrontal processing from the manipulation of a target image to the decision making during the process of finger shape discrimination. In contrast, the temporally overlapped prefrontal activities of the DLPFC/FPA/OFC in the oral SHAPE block may suggest the parallel procession of the repetitive involvement of generation, manipulation, and decision making in order to form a reliable representation of target objects.

scholarly journals Response of Prefrontal Cortex to Executive Function Tasks in Early Childhood: An Exploratory Case Study for Childcare

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Nobuki Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Exploratory Case Study

Executive function (EF) development is remarkable in early childhood. EF is an ability that provides a foundation for future success; accordingly, supporting children during their early childhood is crucial. So far, there have been many findings on EF in early childhood based on behavioral observation. This exploratory case study examines the measurement of prefrontal cortex activity during the performance of EF tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). This study aims to explore the following hypothesis. (1) The prefrontal cortex during early childhood becomes more active as a task becomes more difficult. (2) However, brain activity decreases and stabilizes as time progresses. (3) The evaluation can be easily measured with two-channel fNIRS. Experimental results showed that the preschooler and the child in lower elementary school displayed high levels of brain activity in the order of increasing difficulty in terms of behavioral indicators. Moreover, the preschooler showed higher levels of reaction than the child in lower elementary school. This result is useful and will broaden the perspectives of scholars in the fields of psychology, pedagogy, and neuroscience, those involved in child support.

scholarly journals Analysis of Mental State of Patients after Drug Addiction and Withdrawal Guided by PETCT Image Based on Optimized Image Fusion Algorithm

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yaowen Pang ◽  
Xiang Peng
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Brain Temperature ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Normal Group ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Brain

Blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) studies have shown that drug-dependent patients are activated in different addictive brain areas under the stimulation of relevant environmental cues, which in turn leads to craving and relapse. This study uses magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure brain temperature to explore the brain temperature changes in different addictive brain regions of heroin and methamphetamine addicts in a short-term withdrawal state and to explore whether the quantitative index of brain temperature change can be used as a diagnostic drug Methods. The subjects were scanned by resting-state MRI spectroscopy first and then subjected to MRI spectroscopy scanning under visual stimulation. The subjects were required to watch the heroin/meth-related clue pictures carefully during visual stimulation. The measured chemical shift value of N-acetyl-aspartic acid (NAA) is substituted into the brain temperature calculation formula T = 37 + 100 to obtain the brain temperature before and after visual stimulation. In addition, the anxiety and depression states of heroin and methamphetamine-dependent patients were evaluated. Results. There was no statistically significant change in the brain temperature of the prefrontal cortex before and after visual stimulation in heroin and methamphetamine-dependent subjects; compared with the normal group, there was no change in prefrontal cortex brain temperature before and after visual stimulation in heroin and methamphetamine-dependent subjects. Statistical Significance. The changes of hippocampal temperature before and after visual stimulation in methamphetamine-dependent patients were not statistically significant; compared with the normal group, there was no statistically significant difference in the changes of hippocampal temperature before and after visual stimulation in methamphetamine-dependent patients. Conclusion. This study initially found that the visual cues related to heroin and methamphetamine were not enough to cause significant changes in the brain temperature of the prefrontal cortex.

scholarly journals Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Salehinejad ◽  
Elham Ghanavati ◽  
Mohammed Harun Ar Rashid ◽  
Michael A Nitsche
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Functional Model ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Disorders ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
Specific Focus ◽  
The Brain

Executive functions (EFs), or cognitive control, are higher-order cognitive functions needed for adaptive goal-directed behaviours and are significantly impaired in majority of neuropsychiatric disorders. Different models and approaches are proposed for describing how EFs are functionally organized in the brain. One popular and recently proposed organizing principle of EFs is the distinction between hot (i.e., reward or affective-related) vs cold (i.e., purely cognitive) domains of EFs. The prefrontal cortex is traditionally linked to EFs, but on the other hand, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices are involved in EFs as well. In this review, we first define EFs, their domains, and the appropriate methods for studying them. Second, we discuss how hot and cold EFs are linked to different areas of the prefrontal cortex. Third, we discuss the association of hot vs cold EFs with the cingulate cortex with a specific focus on anterior and posterior compartments. Finally, we propose a functional model for hot and cold EF organization in the brain with a specific focus on the fronto-cingular network. We also discuss clinical implications of hot vs cold cognition in major neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism) and attempt to characterize their profile according to the functional dominance of hot-cold cognition. Our model proposes that the lateral prefrontal cortex, along with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex are more relevant for cold EFs and the medial-orbital prefrontal cortex along with the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex are more closely involved in hot EFs. This functional distinction, however, is not absolute and depends on several factors including task features, context, and the extent to which the measured function relies on cognition and emotion or both.

scholarly journals A-061 Early Childhood Prefrontal Cortex Stroke and Changes in Connections to Other Regions

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 851-851
Author(s):  
Hertza J ◽  
Burton J ◽  
Jupp K ◽  
Repp Z
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Parietal Lobes ◽  
Significant Impairment ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Objective Sickle-cell anemia is a leading congenital cause of stroke in childhood. Such strokes can lead to cognitive deficits, stroke in the prefrontal cortex leading to inattention, impulsivity, and poor executive control. This case study examines a 23-year-old African American male who suffered from a stroke in his prefrontal cortex at age 3. Neuroimaging confirmed stroke location, but the patient had an atypical pattern of reported cognitive deficits. Method The patient was assessed in an out-patient practice. The individual was assessed with a clinical interview and comprehensive Neuropsychological Battery. The battery included cognitive and psychological measures with free-standing and imbedded validity measures. Results Cognitive testing demonstrated significant impairment in visuospatial processing speed, visual abilities, and decision making and executive control. This pattern of impairment suggests that the patient is still suffering from his stroke, which likely damaged the connective tissue of the occipital and parietal lobes, and the prefrontal cortex. The patient was diagnosed with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder in perceptual-motor and executive functioning. Conclusions These results suggest that despite the neuroplastic abilities of the brain at early ages, the neurodevelopment of individuals who suffer from stroke in early childhood is likely to be altered and contributes to cognitive impairments in early adulthood. Long-term cognitive sequelae in the form of deficits in visual perceptual skills, suggest that frontal connections to other regions in the brain may be impacted. Therefore, this case highlights that even a localized stroke in a child can lead to broader deficits if that area of the brain interacts with other areas.

Abstract P317: Cognitive Impairment in Coronary Artery Disease Patients: Do Exercise Tolerance and Cerebral Oxygenation During Exercise Matter?

Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Gremeaux ◽  
Joffrey Drigny ◽  
Mathieu Gayda ◽  
Martin Juneau ◽  
Louis Bherer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Output ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Exercise Tolerance ◽  
Maximal Exercise ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Output Measurement ◽  
Stable Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Nirs Signal

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases have been associated with impaired cognitive performances, especially in functions. In contrast, it is clearly established that regular physical activity maintained throughout life protects against age-related cognitive decline. Purpose: to assess maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), cardiac output, and cerebral hemodynamic changes, assessed by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), during a graded maximal exercise tests, and cognitive performance at rest in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD) and healthy matched adults. Methods: Ten stable CHD patients (67.1±10.5 years) and 9 age-matched controls (62.2± 11.4 years) were included in this pilot study. Measurements included: body composition (bioelectrical impedance), complete blood analysis in a fasting state, cognitive performance using validated neuropsychological tests, graded maximal exercise testing on ergocycle with gas exchange analysis, non-invasive cardiac output measurement (cardiac bioimpedance) and NIRS signals measurement at the left prefrontal brain level (oxyhaemoglobin: O2Hb, deoxyhaemoglobin: HHb ; total haemoglobin: THb, and differential haemoglogin: Hbdiff). Results: Several cognitive performance items were lower in the CHD group, especially regarding executive functions (Backward digit span score, p<0.05; trail making test B, p=0.05; Stroop test (inhibition/flexibility), p<0.05). There was no difference between CHD and controls in VO2 max (29.7±8.5 Vs 32±6.3 ml/kg/min) and maximal cardiac output (15.5±3.9 Vs 17±2.6 l/min), whereas cardiac output and cardiac index at the ventilatory threshold were lower in CHD (5.75±1 Vs 7.06±0.6 l/min/m2, p<0.05, and 11.2±2.2 Vs 14.1±2.8 l/min, p<0.01, respectively). There was a significant difference in the kinetics of NIRS signal with higher amplitude for CHD patients vs. controls for O2Hb (p<0.01); THb (p<0.05) and Hbdiff (p<0.05). Significant higher amplitude were also found for O2Hb, THb, Hbdiff (p<0.0001) in younger (62 years) participants. HHb (p<0.0001) and Hbdiff (p<0.01) amplitude was higher for fit (≥120% theoretical VO2max) vs. less fit (<120%) participants. Discussion: Compared to age-matched controls, our sample of stable fit CHD patients had a comparable maximal exercise tolerance and cardiac output, with higher NIRS cerebral signals amplitude for O2Hb, THb and Hbdiff. This latter parameter thus does not seem to influence cognitive performance at rest, that was lower in CHD patients, especially in executive functions. However, an important inter-individual variability of cerebral NIRS signal amplitude was observed, with age and fitness appearing as major contributors. We plan to recruit a larger sample of subjects to assess more clearly relationships between exercise, tolerance hemodynamic parameters and cognitive performance.

scholarly journals Atomoxetine Enhances Connectivity of Prefrontal Networks in Parkinson’s Disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 2171-2177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin J Borchert ◽  
Timothy Rittman ◽  
Luca Passamonti ◽  
Zheng Ye ◽  
Saber Sami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but often not improved by dopaminergic treatment. New treatment strategies targeting other neurotransmitter deficits are therefore of growing interest. Imaging the brain at rest (‘task-free’) provides the opportunity to examine the impact of a candidate drug on many of the brain networks that underpin cognition, while minimizing task-related performance confounds. We test this approach using atomoxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor that modulates the prefrontal cortical activity and can facilitate some executive functions and response inhibition. Thirty-three patients with idiopathic PD underwent task-free fMRI. Patients were scanned twice in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, following either placebo or 40-mg oral atomoxetine. Seventy-six controls were scanned once without medication to provide normative data. Seed-based correlation analyses were used to measure changes in functional connectivity, with the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) a critical region for executive function. Patients on placebo had reduced connectivity relative to controls from right IFG to dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and to left IFG and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Atomoxetine increased connectivity from the right IFG to the dorsal anterior cingulate. In addition, the atomoxetine-induced change in connectivity from right IFG to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was proportional to the change in verbal fluency, a simple index of executive function. The results support the hypothesis that atomoxetine may restore prefrontal networks related to executive functions. We suggest that task-free imaging can support translational pharmacological studies of new drug therapies and provide evidence for engagement of the relevant neurocognitive systems.

scholarly journals Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 239821282110077
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Salehinejad ◽  
Elham Ghanavati ◽  
Md Harun Ar Rashid ◽  
Michael A. Nitsche
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Functional Model ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Disorders ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
The Brain

Executive functions, or cognitive control, are higher-order cognitive functions needed for adaptive goal-directed behaviours and are significantly impaired in majority of neuropsychiatric disorders. Different models and approaches are proposed for describing how executive functions are functionally organised in the brain. One popular and recently proposed organising principle of executive functions is the distinction between hot (i.e. reward or affective-related) versus cold (i.e. purely cognitive) domains of executive functions. The prefrontal cortex is traditionally linked to executive functions, but on the other hand, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices are hugely involved in executive functions as well. In this review, we first define executive functions, their domains, and the appropriate methods for studying them. Second, we discuss how hot and cold executive functions are linked to different areas of the prefrontal cortex. Next, we discuss the association of hot versus cold executive functions with the cingulate cortex, focusing on the anterior and posterior compartments. Finally, we propose a functional model for hot and cold executive function organisation in the brain with a specific focus on the fronto-cingular network. We also discuss clinical implications of hot versus cold cognition in major neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism) and attempt to characterise their profile according to the functional dominance or manifest of hot–cold cognition. Our model proposes that the lateral prefrontal cortex along with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex are more relevant for cold executive functions, while the medial–orbital prefrontal cortex along with the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and the posterior cingulate cortex are more closely involved in hot executive functions. This functional distinction, however, is not absolute and depends on several factors including task features, context, and the extent to which the measured function relies on cognition and emotion or both.

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