scholarly journals Cognitive Empathy and Longitudinal Changes in Temporo-Parietal Junction Thickness in Schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Karpouzian-Rogers ◽  
Derin Cobia ◽  
Julie Petersen ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Vijay A. Mittal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Volume ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Percent Change ◽  
Task Accuracy ◽  
The Right

Objective: Deficits in cognitive empathy are well-documented in individuals with schizophrenia and are related to reduced community functioning. The temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is closely linked to cognitive empathy. We compared the relationship between baseline cognitive empathy and changes in TPJ thickness over 24 months between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls.Methods: Individuals with schizophrenia (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 26) completed a cognitive empathy task and underwent structural neuroimaging at baseline and approximately 24 months later. Symmetrized percent change scores were calculated for right and left TPJ, as well as whole-brain volume, and compared between groups. Task accuracy was examined as a predictor of percent change in TPJ thickness and whole-brain volume in each group.Results: Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated poorer accuracy on the cognitive empathy task (p < 0.001) and thinner TPJ cortex relative to controls at both time points (p = 0.01). In schizophrenia, greater task accuracy was uniquely related to less thinning of the TPJ over time (p = 0.02); task accuracy did not explain changes in left TPJ or whole-brain volume. Among controls, task accuracy did not explain changes in right or left TPJ, or whole-brain volume.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that greater cognitive empathy may explain sustained integrity of the right TPJ in individuals with schizophrenia, suggesting a contributory substrate for the long-term maintenance of this process in psychosis. Cognitive empathy was not related to changes in whole-brain volume, demonstrating the unique role of the TPJ in cognitive empathy.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study: Analysis of Whole Brain according to the Affected Side in Tinnitus

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
L. Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
White Matter Changes ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Affected Side ◽  
The Right

Aim: To investigate the role of white matter integrity in the pathophysiology of tinnitus, and also to analyze the whole brain for white matter changes quantitatively by comparing tinnitus patients with healthy controls based on the affected side of the tinnitus using Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS).Methods: Total of 41 right-handed tinnitus patients and 35 age-matched right-handed healthy controls were initially examined non-invasively in resting-state using the 3.0T MRI scanner. We obtained the estimated Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), Axial Diffusivity (AD), Radial Diffusivity (RD), and Mode of Anisotropy (MO) data for each subject. TBSS was used to perform group statistical analysis of DTI data from each group.Results: Compared to controls in right-sided tinnitus patients, FA and MO were decreased, and MD was normal with decreased AD and increased RD. FA and AD showed similar decreased values (t>1.5, FWEcorrected P<0.05) in the right corticospinal tract, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. Compared to controls with left-sided tinnitus patients, FA and MO were decreased, and MD was also increased with decreased AD with increased RD in patients. MO showed significantly decreased values (t>1.5, FWEcorrected P<0.05) of MO in Forceps major, bilateral cingulum (especially the left), and bilateral anterior thalamic radiation. Bilaterally affected tinnitus patients showed no difference when compared to controls.Conclusion: After analyzing the whole brain for white matter changes quantitatively using TBSS, changes were observed in unilaterally affected tinnitus patients compared to controls. Our findings indicated cross-modal plasticity could have caused changes in somatosensory, audio-visual, limbic, and attention pathways.Nepal Journal of Radiology Vol.5(1-2) 2015: 1-12

scholarly journals The Right Hemisphere Is Responsible for the Greatest Differences in Human Brain Response to High-Arousing Emotional versus Neutral Stimuli: A MEG Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 960
Author(s):  
Mina Kheirkhah ◽  
Philipp Baumbach ◽  
Lutz Leistritz ◽  
Otto W. Witte ◽  
Martin Walter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
The Right ◽  
Healthy Participants

Studies investigating human brain response to emotional stimuli—particularly high-arousing versus neutral stimuli—have obtained inconsistent results. The present study was the first to combine magnetoencephalography (MEG) with the bootstrapping method to examine the whole brain and identify the cortical regions involved in this differential response. Seventeen healthy participants (11 females, aged 19 to 33 years; mean age, 26.9 years) were presented with high-arousing emotional (pleasant and unpleasant) and neutral pictures, and their brain responses were measured using MEG. When random resampling bootstrapping was performed for each participant, the greatest differences between high-arousing emotional and neutral stimuli during M300 (270–320 ms) were found to occur in the right temporo-parietal region. This finding was observed in response to both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. The results, which may be more robust than previous studies because of bootstrapping and examination of the whole brain, reinforce the essential role of the right hemisphere in emotion 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.

The Role of Standards for E-Commerce in Virtual Worlds

2011 ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joerg H. Kloss
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
3D Graphics ◽  
Iso Standard ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
3D Environments ◽  
Interactive 3D ◽  
The Right

This chapter discusses the topic of standards for Virtual Worlds with emphasis on their usability as a stable and reliable basis for long-term investments into 3D-E-Commerce. The text explains why standards are important for the success of Virtual Worlds as well as the business in these shared online 3D environments, and what the relevant criteria are to decide for the right technology and/or provider. Although sometimes in the shadow of popular proprietary platforms there are already many different candidates for a Virtual World standard, currently in different states of development. By choosing a 3D platform, E-Commerce providers will decide about their business potential and at the same time strengthen one or another standard in the current technical competition phase. So it is important to get an overview about the current approaches, their advantages and disadvantages as well as the tendencies for the future developments. In this chapter the reader will be sensitized for the issues of standardization, compatibility and interoperability of Virtual Worlds for successful E-Commerce applications. An overview about the current approaches supports the orientation and decision for the different technologies. Some concrete XML-based code examples realized in the international ISO standard for interactive 3D-Graphics X3D demonstrates the practical deployment of highly compatible concepts. An outlook to the further integration of interactive 3D graphics into the Next Generation Web respectively the 3D Internet completes the overview.

scholarly journals Brain Volumetric Changes and Cognitive Functions in Epileptic Patients

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A A Ashour ◽  
A M A Nassef ◽  
E M Awad ◽  
A M Hazzou ◽  
M A Nada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Epileptic Patients ◽  
Generalized Epilepsy ◽  
Patients With Epilepsy ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Epilepsy is a serious common neurological disorder that can affect any age. Cognitive functions are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy and is more likely to occur in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Associations were found between cognitive functions and brain volume loss in patients with epilepsy. Objective This work was carried out to assess the volumetric changes in brain of epileptic patients to use it as a biomarker for cognitive dysfunction in adult and adolescent patients with epilepsy. Patients and Methods A case control study was conducted to include 61 patients, 20 of which diagnosed with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), 21 with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 20 with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) who were selected from the epilepsy outpatient clinic in Ain Shams university hospitals along with 23 age and sex matched healthy controls. Both cases and control groups were subjected to Magnetic resonance imaging MRI brain volumetry and detailed cognitive testing. An informed consent was taken from each adult patient, guardian of adolescent patient and healthy control. Results Statistically significant difference in comprehension subcategory of the Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS) between patients with IGE and healthy controls denoting poorer social judgment in the IGE group. The IGE group also showed poorer performance in digit symbol subcategory of the same test denoting worse psychomotor speed and sustained attention. Also, significant difference in similarities subcategory was found between TLE group and control group denoting poorer abstract thinking among the TLE group. The IGE and TLE groups also showed lower attention and concentration than control group in the mental control subcategory of the Wechsler memory scale (WMS) yet failed to show superiority over each other. No statistically significant difference was found on comparing the whole brain volume between cases and control groups. A statistically significant direct relationship was found between the arithmetic subcategory of WAIS and the whole brain volume of the patients among the patients of the FLE group. Conclusion Patients with IGE had worse psychomotor speed, sustained attention and concentration than healthy controls in addition to poorer social judgment. Also, patients with TLE showed lower attention and concentration together with poorer abstract thinking despite normal IQ. The study also concluded that increased whole brain volume in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy is associated with better mathematical problem solving.

scholarly journals T73. COGNITIVE CLUSTERING IN SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDER AND THE ASSOCIATION WITH BRAIN VOLUME

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S259-S259
Author(s):  
Priscilla Oomen ◽  
Marieke Begemann ◽  
Hannah de Muinck Keizer ◽  
Iris Sommer
Keyword(s):  
Hierarchical Clustering ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Cognitive Profiles ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cluster 2

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD), and appears in both mild and severe forms. As cognition is crucial for functioning in daily life, it is important to understand these impairments. Large heterogeneity exists within these cognitive impairments, and different cognitive profiles may be associated with dissimilar structural brain volumes. Such cognitive brain profiles may be relevant biomarkers for more homogeneous subclasses to be used for both prognosis and choice of optimal care. Methods The population consisted of 85 individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (mean age 27 years, 64 males) and 40 healthy controls (mean age 24 years, 31 males). To identify cognitive clusters, hierarchical clustering analyses were conducted using performance on the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) battery. The emerging cognitive clusters were compared in performance on the BACS, diagnosis and whole brain volume. Results Hierarchical clustering analyses revealed three cognitive profiles: cluster 1 “relatively intact” cluster 2 “mild-moderate impairment” and cluster 3 “severe impairment”. Cluster 1 comprised of 68% healthy controls vs 32% SSD patients, whereas clusters 3 comprised of 89% SSD patients vs 11% healthy controls. Cluster 2 was a rather mixed cluster with 25% healthy controls and 75% SSD patients. Whole brain volume shows a continuum towards smaller brain volume in the more impaired clusters with a significant difference shown in whole brain volume between cluster 1 and 3. Discussion These findings support the concept that cognitive heterogeneity among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder can be reduced by using cognitive clustering methods. Furthermore, cognitive clusters are associated with brain volume sizes, indicating different underlying brain structure. Future research should focus on the predictive power of such clusters.

scholarly journals Biodegradable Stents in Resistant Peptic Oesophageal Stricture: Is It the Right Way to Go?

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 117955221881949
Author(s):  
Tom Richardson ◽  
Gerlin Naidoo ◽  
Namal Rupasinghe ◽  
Howard Smart ◽  
Sayantan Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Standard Treatment ◽  
Endoscopic Dilatation ◽  
Oesophageal Stricture ◽  
Peptic Stricture ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Biodegradable Stents ◽  
Poor Nutritional Status ◽  
The Right

Peptic oesophageal stricture can be considered as the end result of prolonged gastro-oesophageal reflux. The ‘gold standard’ treatment for peptic stricture is endoscopic dilatation with balloon or bougie. It is predicted that up to 40% of patients remain symptomatic with dysphagia due to refractory (resistant to treatment) or recurrent strictures, needing frequent interventions at short intervals. Such patients have poor nutritional status due to the primary disease and are susceptible to complications related to repeated endoscopic dilatation such as bleeding and perforation. This general review aims to analyse existing published evidence and address the role of biodegradable stents in resistant peptic strictures as an alternative treatment to provide long-term dysphagia-free intervals.

scholarly journals Translation, Copyright & Authority

Pólemos ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 361-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Change ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Copyright Law ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Right

Abstract The UK copyright law regime presents the right to adapt as the sole, authoritative instrument in matters of legitimising translation; a legal “Big Other” conferring an otherwise unreal objective commodity status on what are instead always only ever individual and subjective acts of translation. Drawing primarily on the work of Theo Hermans, and the experiences of poet Jack Underwood in unsuccessfully attempting to formally translate poems by Mascha Kaléko, this article argues for (a) the development and (at the very least) implicit recognition of deviationist and subversive translative replies within – or at the very least alongside – the traditional UK legal schema and (b) a softening of the UK right to adapt by application of the integrity moral right to translations. In addition, a deeper quasi-Ungerian notion of institutional change that accommodates both principles (e. g. legitimate translations can, of course, be argued to exist, to which copyright accords) and counterprinciples (there are also, however, in the long term only multiple acts of translation, some preferred and commoditized, some existing outside that sphere, less functional and more creative/expressive but no less important and not to be prevented for those reasons) can also be advanced. Finally, a much broader critical point regarding the nature and role (or non-role) of law in the context of creative practices more generally can also be presented.

scholarly journals Increasing the role of belief information in moral judgments by stimulating the right temporoparietal junction

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 ◽  
pp. 400-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Sellaro ◽  
Berna Güroǧlu ◽  
Michael A. Nitsche ◽  
Wery P.M. van den Wildenberg ◽  
Valentina Massaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Right Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
The Right
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