scholarly journals Association Between Trait Empathy and Resting Brain Activity in Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea During the Pain and Pain-Free Phases

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanghuan Dun ◽  
Tongtong Fan ◽  
Qiming Wang ◽  
Ke Wang ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Primary Dysmenorrhea ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Neural Network ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Empathy refers to the ability to understand someone else's emotions and fluctuates with the current state in healthy individuals. However, little is known about the neural network of empathy in clinical populations at different pain states. The current study aimed to examine the effects of long-term pain on empathy-related networks and whether empathy varied at different pain states by studying primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) patients. Multivariate partial least squares was employed in 46 PDM women and 46 healthy controls (HC) during periovulatory, luteal, and menstruation phases. We identified neural networks associated with different aspects of empathy in both groups. Part of the obtained empathy-related network in PDM exhibited a similar activity compared with HC, including the right anterior insula and other regions, whereas others have an opposite activity in PDM, including the inferior frontal gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule. These results indicated an abnormal regulation to empathy in PDM. Furthermore, there was no difference in empathy association patterns in PDM between the pain and pain-free states. This study suggested that long-term pain experience may lead to an abnormal function of the brain network for empathy processing that did not vary with the pain or pain-free state across the menstrual cycle.

scholarly journals Investigating the interaction between white matter and brain state on tDCS-induced changes in brain network activity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle L. Kurtin ◽  
Ines R. Violante ◽  
Karl Zimmerman ◽  
Robert Leech ◽  
Adam Hampshire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Networks ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
Brain State ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Cathodal Tdcs ◽  
The Right

AbstractBackgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a form of noninvasive brain stimulation whose potential as a cognitive therapy is hindered by our limited understanding of how participant and experimental factors influence its effects. Using functional MRI to study brain networks, we have previously shown in healthy controls that the physiological effects of tDCS are strongly influenced by brain state. We have additionally shown, in both healthy and traumatic brain injury (TBI) populations, that the behavioral effects of tDCS are positively correlated with white matter (WM) structure.ObjectivesIn this study we investigate how these two factors, WM structure and brain state, interact to shape the effect of tDCS on brain network activity.MethodsWe applied anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS to the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) of healthy (n=22) and TBI participants (n=34). We used the Choice Reaction Task (CRT) performance to manipulate brain state during tDCS. We acquired simultaneous fMRI to assess activity of cognitive brain networks and used Fractional Anisotropy (FA) as a measure of WM structure.ResultsWe find that the effects of tDCS on brain network activity in TBI participants are highly dependent on brain state, replicating findings from our previous healthy control study in a separate, patient cohort. We then show that WM structure further modulates the brain-state dependent effects of tDCS on brain network activity. These effects are not unidirectional – in the absence of task with anodal and cathodal tDCS, FA is positively correlated with brain activity in several regions of the default mode network. Conversely, with cathodal tDCS during CRT performance, FA is negatively correlated with brain activity in a salience network region.ConclusionsOur results show that experimental and participant factors interact to have unexpected effects on brain network activity, and that these effects are not fully predictable by studying the factors in isolation.

Brain reactivity to humorous films is affected by insomnia

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Sanz-Arigita ◽  
Yannick Daviaux ◽  
Marc Joliot ◽  
Bixente Dilharreguy ◽  
Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Left Caudate ◽  
Neural Reactivity ◽  
The Right

Abstract Study objectives Emotional reactivity to negative stimuli has been investigated in insomnia, but little is known about emotional reactivity to positive stimuli and its neural representation. Methods We used 3T fMRI to determine neural reactivity during the presentation of standardized short, 10-40-s, humorous films in insomnia patients (n=20, 18 females, aged 27.7 +/- 8.6 years) and age-matched individuals without insomnia (n=20, 19 females, aged 26.7 +/- 7.0 years), and assessed humour ratings through a visual analogue scale (VAS). Seed-based functional connectivity was analysed for left and right amygdala networks: group-level mixed-effects analysis (FLAME; FSL) was used to compare amygdala connectivity maps between groups. Results fMRI seed-based analysis of the amygdala revealed stronger neural reactivity in insomnia patients than in controls in several brain network clusters within the reward brain network, without humour rating differences between groups (p = 0.6). For left amygdala connectivity, cluster maxima were in the left caudate (Z=3.88), left putamen (Z=3.79) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=4.11), while for right amygdala connectivity, cluster maxima were in the left caudate (Z=4.05), right insula (Z=3.83) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=4.29). Cluster maxima of the right amygdala network were correlated with hyperarousal scores in insomnia patients only. Conclusions Presentation of humorous films leads to increased brain activity in the neural reward network for insomnia patients compared to controls, related to hyperarousal features in insomnia patients, in the absence of humor rating group differences. These novel findings may benefit insomnia treatment interventions.

Timing, Storage, and Comparison of Stimulus Duration Engage Discrete Anatomical Components of a Perceptual Timing Network

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 2185-2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer T. Coull ◽  
Bruno Nazarian ◽  
Franck Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Stimulus Duration ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Motor Preparation ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Temporal Encoding ◽  
Perceptual Timing ◽  
The Right

The temporal discrimination paradigm requires subjects to compare the duration of a probe stimulus to that of a sample previously stored in working or long-term memory, thus providing an index of timing that is independent of a motor response. However, the estimation process itself comprises several component cognitive processes, including timing, storage, retrieval, and comparison of durations. Previous imaging studies have attempted to disentangle these components by simply measuring brain activity during early versus late scanning epochs. We aim to improve the temporal resolution and precision of this approach by using rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to time-lock the hemodynamic response to presentation of the sample and probe stimuli themselves. Compared to a control (color-estimation) task, which was matched in terms of difficulty, sustained attention, and motor preparation requirements, we found selective activation of the left putamen for the storage (“encoding”) of stimulus duration into working memory (WM). Moreover, increased putamen activity was linked to enhanced timing performance, suggesting that the level of putamen activity may modulate the depth of temporal encoding. Retrieval and comparison of stimulus duration in WM selectively activated the right superior temporal gyrus. Finally, the supplementary motor area was equally active during both sample and probe stages of the task, suggesting a fundamental role in timing the duration of a stimulus that is currently unfolding in time.

The Cortical Organization of Writing Sequence: Evidence From Observing Chinese Characters in Motion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoqi Zhang ◽  
Qiming Yuan ◽  
Zeping Liu ◽  
Man Zhang ◽  
Junjie Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Chinese Character ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Hierarchical Control ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Chinese Characters ◽  
General Motor ◽  
The Right

Abstract Writing sequences play an important role in handwriting of Chinese characters. However, little is known regarding the integral brain patterns and network mechanisms of processing Chinese character writing sequences. The present study decoded brain patterns during observing Chinese characters in motion by using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA), meta-analytic decoding analysis, and extended unified structural equation model (euSEM). We found that perception of Chinese character writing sequence recruited brain regions not only for general motor schema processing, i.e., the right inferior frontal gyrus, shifting and inhibition functions, i.e., the right postcentral gyrus and bilateral pre-SMA/dACC, but also for sensorimotor functions specific for writing sequences. More importantly, these brain regions formed a cooperatively top-down brain network where information was transmitted from brain regions for general motor schema processing to those specific for writing sequences. These findings not only shed light on the neural mechanisms of Chinese character writing sequences, but also extend the hierarchical control model on motor schema processing.

The role of motivation in talent selection and ­development in competitive sport

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Instrument ◽  
Psychological Characteristics ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Current State ◽  
Talent Selection ◽  
Comprehensive Picture ◽  
Performance Development ◽  
The Right

The early and long-term development of promising young athletes is a decisive factor in being internationally competitive in top-level sports. Among the multitude of talent criteria suggested in the literature, motivation plays a prominent role in the area of psychological characteristics. It is recognised in practice and research as a relevant criterion for performance development across all sports. This article provides an overview of the current state of talent research in the field of motivation. First, the most common theories of motivation in competitive sports are described, then different measurement methods and their advantages and disadvantages as well as the predictive value of motivation for athletic performance are discussed. Finally, implications for practice are suggested. It can be summarised that motivation in sport is conceptualised and operationalised in different ways and that the decision for the right measurement instrument depends on the goal of the assessment. To get a comprehensive picture of an athlete’s motivational status, it is useful to assess several aspects of motivation through different methods.

scholarly journals Human Emotion Detection using Eeg Sensor

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 409-413
Keyword(s):  
Data Visualization ◽  
Concentration Level ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Emotion Detection ◽  
Attention Span ◽  
Brain Waves ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Waves ◽  
The Brain

This is a data visualization art piece using 10 seconds of mind waves recordings of the human, captured with EEG sensor.10 seconds of Alpha, Beta, Gamma & Theta brain waves while meditating are recorded, the different wave channels are categorized to state when the right brain representing artistic brain activity, isolating the ranges for each channel when the brain channels were more meditating and imaginative. Based on the waves of the brain obtained, we will be able to deduce few attributes such as attention span and mood. The moods we will be trying to assess and display here the level of happiness, sadness, anger along with attention span and meditation level (Concentration level).

Consciousness Emanates from the Neuronal Network of Coordination, A Fact Endorsed by Preserved Consciousness in Focal Ischemic Infarctions

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
Dr. Sohail Adnan ◽  
Dr. Mubasher Shah ◽  
Dr. Syed Fahim Shah ◽  
Dr. Fahad Naim ◽  
Dr. Akhtar Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Neuronal Network ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Difficult Problem ◽  
Altered Consciousness ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Consciousness Disorder ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Background: Consciousness has remained a difficult problem for the scientists to explore its relationship to the brain activity. This is the first paper that presents the significance of focal areas of the cerebral cortex for consciousness. Objectives: To determine if consciousness is produced by the activity of the whole brain or one of its focal areas. Methods: We have performed a prospective cross-sectional study in eighty patients of acute ischemic stroke. The neurovascular territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was sectioned into four similar areas. The association of any of these focal areas to consciousness was observed after their dysfunction with ischemic strokes. Results: Of the eighty patients, 57.5 % were males and 42.5 % were females. Mean age was 63 years ± 7 SD. The righthanded patients were 90 % (72) of the whole sample. Focal areas of the right MCA were generally less prone to consciousness disorder. Average statistics of the focal infarctions of the right MCA showed no tendency for consciousness disorder on the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) [Mean GCS of all focal areas; 14.5, SD; 0.71, 95 % CI; 14.27 to 14.72, P= 0.0000004]. Altered consciousness with focal infarctions of the territory of left MCA was also less likely [Mean GCS of all focal areas; 14.2, SD; 1.01, 95 % CI; 13.88 to 14.51, P= 0.0004]. Conclusion: Consciousness is not determined by the activity of a focal area of the cerebral cortex. Perhaps, we get our consciousness from the activity of “Neuronal Network of Coordination”.

scholarly journals Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Long-Lasting Changes in Hippocampal Functional Topology during Resting State: A Magnetoencephalography Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lardone ◽  
Marianna Liparoti ◽  
Pierpaolo Sorrentino ◽  
Rosaria Rucco ◽  
Francesca Jacini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Brain Networks ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Functional Topology ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

It has been suggested that the practice of meditation is associated to neuroplasticity phenomena, reducing age-related brain degeneration and improving cognitive functions. Neuroimaging studies have shown that the brain connectivity changes in meditators. In the present work, we aim to describe the possible long-term effects of meditation on the brain networks. To this aim, we used magnetoencephalography to study functional resting-state brain networks in Vipassana meditators. We observed topological modifications in the brain network in meditators compared to controls. More specifically, in the theta band, the meditators showed statistically significant (p corrected = 0.009) higher degree (a centrality index that represents the number of connections incident upon a given node) in the right hippocampus as compared to controls. Taking into account the role of the hippocampus in memory processes, and in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, meditation might have a potential role in a panel of preventive strategies.

scholarly journals Transient brain networks underlying interpersonal strategies during synchronized action

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ole Adrian Heggli ◽  
Ivana Konvalinka ◽  
Joana Cabral ◽  
Elvira Brattico ◽  
Morten L Kringelbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Action Perception ◽  
Network Information ◽  
Mutual Adaptation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Interpersonal coordination is a core part of human interaction, and its underlying mechanisms have been extensively studied using social paradigms such as joint finger-tapping. Here, individual and dyadic differences have been found to yield a range of dyadic synchronization strategies, such as mutual adaptation, leading–leading, and leading–following behaviour, but the brain mechanisms that underlie these strategies remain poorly understood. To identify individual brain mechanisms underlying emergence of these minimal social interaction strategies, we contrasted EEG-recorded brain activity in two groups of musicians exhibiting the mutual adaptation and leading–leading strategies. We found that the individuals coordinating via mutual adaptation exhibited a more frequent occurrence of phase-locked activity within a transient action–perception-related brain network in the alpha range, as compared to the leading–leading group. Furthermore, we identified parietal and temporal brain regions that changed significantly in the directionality of their within-network information flow. Our results suggest that the stronger weight on extrinsic coupling observed in computational models of mutual adaptation as compared to leading–leading might be facilitated by a higher degree of action–perception network coupling in the brain.

Differences in network centrality between high and low myopia: a voxel-level degree centrality study

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1388-1397
Author(s):  
Yi Cheng ◽  
Li Yan ◽  
Liqun Hu ◽  
Hongyun Wu ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Lobe ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Left Caudate ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right

Background Previous studies have linked high myopia (HM) to brain activity, and the difference between HM and low myopia (LM) can be assessed. Purpose To study the differences in functional networks of brain activity between HM and LM by the voxel-level degree centrality (DC) method. Material and Methods Twenty-eight patients with HM (10 men, 18 women), 18 patients with LM (4 men, 14 women), and 59 healthy controls (27 men, 32 women) were enrolled in this study. The voxel-level DC method was used to assess spontaneous brain activity. Correlation analysis was used to explore the change of average DC value in different brain regions, in order to analyze differences in brain activity between HM and LM. Results DC values of the right cerebellum anterior lobe/brainstem, right parahippocampal gyrus, and left caudate in HM patients were significantly higher than those in LM patients ( P < 0.05). In contrast, DC values of the left medial frontal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left inferior parietal lobule were significantly lower in patients with HM ( P < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between behavior and average DC values in different brain regions ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Different changes in brain regions between HM and LM may indicate differences in neural mechanisms between HM and LM. DC values could be useful as biomarkers for differences in brain activity between patients with HM and LM. This study provides a new method to assess differences in functional networks of brain activity between patients with HM and LM.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document