scholarly journals Differences in Brain Functional Networks of Executive Function Between Cantonese-Mandarin Bilinguals and Mandarin Monolinguals

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Cai ◽  
Xiaoyu Xu ◽  
Xiaoxuan Fan ◽  
Jingwen Ma ◽  
Miao Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Scanner ◽  
Functional Connections

It remains controversial whether long-term logographic-logographic bilingual experience shapes the special brain functional subnetworks underlying different components of executive function (EF). To address this question, this study explored the differences in the functional connections underlying EF between the Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and Mandarin monolinguals. 31 Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and 31 Mandarin monolinguals were scanned in a 3-T magnetic resonance scanner at rest. 4 kinds of behavioral tasks of EF were tested. Network-based statistics (NBS) was performed to compare the connectomes of fronto-parietal (FP) and cingulo-opercular (CO) network between groups. The results showed that the bilinguals had stronger connectivity than monolinguals in a subnetwork located in the CO network rather than the FP network. The identified differential subnetwork referred to as the CO subnetwork contained 9 nodes and 10 edges, in which the center node was the left mid-insula with a degree centrality of 5. The functional connectivity of the CO subnetwork was significantly negatively correlated with interference effect in bilinguals. The results suggested that long-term Cantonese-Mandarin bilingual experience was associated with stronger functional connectivity underlying inhibitory control in the CO subnetwork.

scholarly journals Infant functional connectivity fingerprints predict long-term language and pre-literacy outcomes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Yu ◽  
Silvina Ferradal ◽  
Danielle D. Sliva ◽  
Jade Dunstan ◽  
Clarisa Carruthers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Literacy Outcomes ◽  
Functional Brain Networks ◽  
Longitudinal Imaging

AbstractFunctional brain networks undergo extensive development within the first few years of life. Previous studies have linked infant functional connectivity to cognitive abilities in toddlerhood. However, little is known regarding the long-term relevance of functional connections established in infancy for the protracted development of higher-order abilities of language and literacy. Employing a five-year longitudinal imaging project starting in infancy, this study utilizes resting-state functional MRI to demonstrate prospective associations between infant functional connectivity fingerprints and subsequent language and foundational literacy skills at a mean age of 6.5. These longitudinal associations are preserved when key environmental influences are controlled for and are independent of emergent language abilities in infancy, suggesting early development of functional network characteristics in supporting the acquisition of high-order language and pre-literacy skills. Altogether, the current results highlight the importance of functional organization established in infancy as a neural scaffold underlying the learning process of complex cognitive functions.

Tibiofemoral Contact Measures During Standing in Toe-In and Toe-Out Postures

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Michael A. Hunt ◽  
Christopher K. Cochrane ◽  
Andrew M. Schmidt ◽  
Honglin Zhang ◽  
David J. Stockton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Contact Area ◽  
Lateral Compartment ◽  
Neutral Position ◽  
Joint Loading ◽  
Tibiofemoral Joint ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Scanner ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Healthy Participants

Knee osteoarthritis is thought to result, in part, from excessive and unbalanced joint loading. Toe-in and toe-out gait modifications produce alterations in external knee joint moments, and some improvements in pain over the short- and long-term. The aim of this study was to probe mechanisms of altered joint loading through the assessment of tibiofemoral contact in standing with toe-in and toe-out positions using an open magnetic resonance scanner. In this study, 15 young, healthy participants underwent standing magnetic resonance imaging of one of their knees in 3 foot positions. Images were analyzed to determine contact in the tibiofemoral joint, with primary outcomes including centroid of contact and contact area for each compartment and overall. The centroid of contact shifted laterally in the lateral compartment with both toe-in and toe-out postures, compared with the neutral position (P < .01), while contact area in the medial and lateral compartments showed no statistical differences. Findings from this study indicate that changes in the loading anatomy are present in the tibiofemoral joint with toe-in and toe-out and that a small amount of lateralization of contact, especially in the lateral compartment, does occur with these altered lower limb orientations.

PP141 Functional Connectivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging To Detect Autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. 64-65
Author(s):  
Mar Polo-DeSantos ◽  
Juan Pablo ◽  
Chalco Orrego ◽  
Ana Isabel Hijas-Gómez ◽  
Setefilla Luengo-Matos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Negative Likelihood Ratio ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Functional Connections

IntroductionAutism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by alterations in the intellectual, social, communication, and behavioral capabilities of an individual, and is rarely detected in children before 24 months of age. Early diagnosis and intervention may be more effective at a younger age. Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) of 6-month old infants may be able to identify brain connection patterns related to at least one of the characteristics of autism, which normally appear at 24 months of age, by using a mathematical model to analyze the neuroimaging data.MethodsClinical studies published up to December 2018 that used fcMRI to detect autism in infants were reviewed. The literature databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, the Trip Database, DynaMed, the Cochrane Library, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Early assessments of fcMRI analysis were identified through the Early Awareness and Alert System of the Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias.ResultsOnly one prospective study of 59 infants at 6-months of age was retrieved. A fcMRI analysis was performed to identify 2,635 pairs of functional connections from 230 brain regions. The infants were subsequently assessed for autism at 24 months of age using gold standard tests. The functional connections correlated with at least one of the behaviors related to autism evaluated at 24 months of age. Eleven infants (19%) were diagnosed with autism at 24 months. Compared with the gold standard test results, the predictive model achieved the following: sensitivity 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52 - 0.95); specificity 1.00 (95% CI: 0.93–1.00); positive predictive value 1.00 (95% CI: 0.70–1.00); negative predictive value 0.96 (95% CI: 0.87–0.99); and negative likelihood ratio 0.18 (95% CI: 0.05–0.64). Adverse effects were not reported in the study.ConclusionsThe fcMRI analysis could help in early detection of autism and the development of preventive interventions. However, the evidence is sparse and more well-designed studies are needed.

scholarly journals Functional segregation of the human basal forebrain using resting state neuroimaging

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross D. Markello ◽  
R. Nathan Spreng ◽  
Wen-Ming Luh ◽  
Adam K. Anderson ◽  
Eve De Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Basal Forebrain ◽  
Nucleus Basalis ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
List Type ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Diagonal Band ◽  
Hippocampal Complex

AbstractThe basal forebrain (BF) is poised to play an important neuromodulatory role in brain re-gions important to cognition due to its broad projections and complex neurochemistry. While significant in vivo work has been done to elaborate BF function in nonhuman rodents and primates, comparatively limited work has examined the in vivo function of the human BF. In the current study we used multi-echo resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) from 100 young adults (18-34 years) to assess the potential segregation of human BF nuclei as well as their associated projections. Bottom-up clustering of voxel-wise functional connectivity maps yielded adjacent functional clusters within the BF that closely aligned with the distinct, hypothesized nuclei important to cognition: the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and the me-dial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MS/DB). Examining their separate functional connections, the NBM and MS/DB revealed distinct projection patterns, suggesting a conservation of nuclei-specific functional connectivity with homologous regions known to be anatomically innervated by the BF. Specifically, the NBM demonstrated coupling with a widespread cortical network as well as the amygdala, whereas the MS/DB revealed coupling with a more circumscribed net-work, including the orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampal complex. Collectively, these in vivo rs-fMRI data demonstrate that the human BF nuclei support functional networks distinct as-pects of resting-state functional networks, suggesting the human BF may be a neuromodulatory hub important for orchestrating network dynamics.HighlightsThe basal forebrain NBM and the MS/DB support two distinct functional networksFunctional networks closely overlap with known anatomical basal forebrainBasal forebrain networks are distinct from known resting-state functional networks

Time Course of Changes in Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity Associated With Long-Term Adaptation to a Rotational Transformation

2005 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 2254-2262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Della-Maggiore ◽  
Anthony R. McIntosh
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Sensorimotor Cortex ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Visuomotor Adaptation ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Rotational Transformation

The purpose of this study was to examine the time course of changes in cerebral activity and functional connectivity during long-term adaptation to a visuomotor transformation. Positron emission tomography was used to measure changes in brain activity as subjects tracked a target under the influence of a rotational transformation that distorted visual feedback. The experiment was 1 week long and consisted of two scanning sessions (obtained on days 2 and 7), aimed at examining early and late stages of learning. On average, visuomotor adaptation was achieved within 3 days. During early stages of adaptation, better performance was associated with greater activity in brain areas related to attention including bilateral dorso- and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices, frontal eye fields, and the human homologue of area MT. However, as adaptation proceeded, improvements in performance were associated with greater activity in motor regions such as the left (contralateral) sensorimotor cortex, bilateral anterior cerebellum, left cingulate motor area, right putamen, and a nonmotor region within the middle temporal gyrus. This learning-specific shift in brain activity was associated with a progressive change in the functional connectivity of these regions toward the end of the first session. Interestingly, only the functional connections between the anterior cerebellum, left middle temporal gyrus, and left sensorimotor cortex remained strong once visuomotor adaptation was achieved. Our findings suggest that visuomotor adaptation is not only reflected in persistent changes in activity in motor-related regions, but also in the strengthening and maintenance of specific functional connections.

scholarly journals Network Localization of Executive Function Deficits in Patients with Focal Thalamic Lesions

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 2303-2319
Author(s):  
Kai Hwang ◽  
Joel Bruss ◽  
Daniel Tranel ◽  
Aaron D. Boes
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Thalamic Lesion ◽  
Human Thalamus ◽  
Thalamic Lesions

The human thalamus has been suggested to be involved in executive function, based on animal studies and correlational evidence from functional neuroimaging in humans. Human lesion studies, examining behavioral deficits associated with focal brain injuries, can directly test the necessity of the human thalamus for executive function. The goal of our study was to determine the specific lesion location within the thalamus as well as the potential disruption of specific thalamocortical functional networks, related to executive dysfunction. We assessed executive function in 15 patients with focal thalamic lesions and 34 comparison patients with lesions that spared the thalamus. We found that patients with mediodorsal thalamic lesions exhibited more severe impairment in executive function when compared to both patients with thalamic lesions that spared the mediodorsal nucleus and to comparison patients with lesions outside the thalamus. Furthermore, we employed a lesion network mapping approach to map cortical regions that show strong functional connectivity with the lesioned thalamic subregions in the normative functional connectome. We found that thalamic lesion sites associated with more severe deficits in executive function showed stronger functional connectivity with ACC, dorsomedial PFC, and frontoparietal network, compared to thalamic lesions not associated with executive dysfunction. These are brain regions and functional networks whose dysfunction could contribute to impaired executive functioning. In aggregate, our findings provide new evidence that delineates a thalamocortical network for executive function.

scholarly journals Altered Intrinsic and Casual Functional Connectivities of the Middle Temporal Visual Motion Area Subregions in Chess Experts

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Limei Song ◽  
Yanming Ge ◽  
Jinfeng Long ◽  
Peng Dong
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Visual Motion ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Left Angular Gyrus

An outstanding chess player needs to accumulate massive visual and spatial information for chess configurations. Visual motion area (MT) is considered as a brain region specialized for visual motion perception and visuospatial attention processing. However, how long-term chess training shapes the functional connectivity patterns of MT, especially its functional subregions, has rarely been investigated. In our study, using resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA), we studied the changed functional couplings of MT subregions between 28 chess master players and 27 gender- and age-matched healthy novices to reveal the neural basis of long-term professional chess training. RSFC analysis identified decreased functional connections between right dorsal-anterior subregion (CI1.R) and left angular gyrus, and increased functional connections between right ventral-anterior MT subregion (CI2.R) and right superior temporal gyrus in chess experts. Moreover, GCA analyses further found increased mutual interactions of left angular gyrus and CI1.R in chess experts compared to novice players. These findings demonstrate that long-term professional chess training could enhance spatial perception and reconfiguration and semantic processing efficiency for superior performance.

scholarly journals Dissect Relationships Between Gene Co-expression and Functional Connectivity in Human Brain

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Zhang ◽  
Yingying Xie ◽  
Jie Tang ◽  
Wen Qin ◽  
Feng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Expression Data ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Postmortem Brains ◽  
Specific Association ◽  
Cortical Regions

Although recent evidence indicates an association between gene co-expression and functional connectivity in human brain, specific association patterns remain largely unknown. Here, using neuroimaging-based functional connectivity data of living brains and brain-wide gene expression data of postmortem brains, we performed comprehensive analyses to dissect relationships between gene co-expression and functional connectivity. We identified 125 connectivity-related genes (20 novel genes) enriched for dendrite extension, signaling pathway and schizophrenia, and 179 gene-related functional connections mainly connecting intra-network regions, especially homologous cortical regions. In addition, 51 genes were associated with connectivity in all brain functional networks and enriched for action potential and schizophrenia; in contrast, 51 genes showed network-specific modulatory effects and enriched for ion transportation. These results indicate that functional connectivity is unequally affected by gene expression, and connectivity-related genes with different biological functions are involved in connectivity modulation of different networks.

scholarly journals Characterization of young and old adult brains: An EEG functional connectivity analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahar Moezzi ◽  
Latha Madhuri Pratti ◽  
Brenton Hordacre ◽  
Lynton Graetz ◽  
Carolyn Berryman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Svm Classifier ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Machine Learning Classification ◽  
Functional Connections

Brain connectivity studies have reported that functional networks change with older age. We aim to (1) investigate whether electroencephalography (EEG) data can be used to distinguish between individual functional networks of young and old adults; and (2) identify the functional connections that contribute to this classification. Two eyes-open resting-state EEG recording sessions with 64 electrodes for each of 22 younger adults (19-37 years) and 22 older adults (63-85 years) were conducted. For each session, imaginary coherence matrices in theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands were computed. A range of machine learning classification methods were utilized to distinguish younger and older adult brains. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier was 94% accurate in classifying the brains by age group. We report decreased functional connectivity with older age in theta, alpha and gamma bands, and increased connectivity with older age in beta band. Most connections involving frontal, temporal, and parietal electrodes, and approximately two-thirds of connections involving occipital electrodes, showed decreased connectivity with older age. Just over half of the connections involving central electrodes showed increased connectivity with older age. Functional connections showing decreased strength with older age had significantly longer electrode-to-electrode distance than those that increased with older age. Most of the connections used by the classifier to distinguish participants by age group belonged to the alpha band. Findings suggest a decrease in connectivity in key networks and frequency bands associated with attention and awareness, and an increase in connectivity of the sensorimotor functional networks with ageing during a resting state.

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