scholarly journals Brain network connectivity underlying decisions between the "lesser of two evils"

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Mills-Finnerty ◽  
Catherine Hanson ◽  
Stephen J Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Car Accidents ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
Choice Framing

In daily life we are often forced to choose between the “lesser of two evils,” yet there remains limited understanding of how the brain encodes choices between aversive stimuli, particularly choices involving hypothetical futures. We tested how choice framing affects brain activity and network connectivity by having participants make choices about individualized, aversive, hypothetical stimuli (i.e. illnesses, car accidents, etc.) under approach and avoidance frames (“which would you rather have/avoid”) during fMRI scanning. We tested whether limbic and frontal regions show patterns of signal intensity and network connectivity that differed by frame, and compared this to response to similar appetitive choices involving appetitive preferences (i.e. hobbies, vacation destinations). We predicted that regions such as the insula, amgydala, and striatum would respond differently to approach vs. avoidance choices during aversive hypothetical choices. We identified activations for both choice frames in areas broadly associated with decision making, including the putamen, insula, and anterior cingulate, as well as deactivations in areas shown to be sensitive to valence, including the amygdala, insula, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Connectivity between brain regions differed based on choice frame, with greater connectivity among deactive regions including the amygdala, insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during avoidance frames compared to approach frames. These differences suggest that approach and avoidance frames lead to different behavioral and brain network response when deciding which of two evils are the lesser.

scholarly journals Brain network connectivity underlying decisions between the "lesser of two evils"

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Mills-Finnerty ◽  
Catherine Hanson ◽  
Stephen J Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Car Accidents ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
Choice Framing

In daily life we are often forced to choose between the “lesser of two evils,” yet there remains limited understanding of how the brain encodes choices between aversive stimuli, particularly choices involving hypothetical futures. We tested how choice framing affects brain activity and network connectivity by having participants make choices about individualized, aversive, hypothetical stimuli (i.e. illnesses, car accidents, etc.) under approach and avoidance frames (“which would you rather have/avoid”) during fMRI scanning. We tested whether limbic and frontal regions show patterns of signal intensity and network connectivity that differed by frame, and compared this to response to similar appetitive choices involving appetitive preferences (i.e. hobbies, vacation destinations). We predicted that regions such as the insula, amgydala, and striatum would respond differently to approach vs. avoidance choices during aversive hypothetical choices. We identified activations for both choice frames in areas broadly associated with decision making, including the putamen, insula, and anterior cingulate, as well as deactivations in areas shown to be sensitive to valence, including the amygdala, insula, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Connectivity between brain regions differed based on choice frame, with greater connectivity among deactive regions including the amygdala, insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during avoidance frames compared to approach frames. These differences suggest that approach and avoidance frames lead to different behavioral and brain network response when deciding which of two evils are the lesser.

scholarly journals Brain network connectivity underlying decisions between the "lesser of two evils"

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Mills-Finnerty ◽  
Catherine Hanson ◽  
Stephen J Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Car Accidents ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
Choice Framing

In daily life we are often forced to choose between the “lesser of two evils,” yet there remains limited understanding of how the brain encodes choices between aversive stimuli, particularly choices involving hypothetical futures. We tested how choice framing affects brain activity and network connectivity by having participants make choices about individualized, aversive, hypothetical stimuli (i.e. illnesses, car accidents, etc.) under approach and avoidance frames (“which would you rather have/avoid”) during fMRI scanning. We tested whether limbic and frontal regions show patterns of signal intensity and network connectivity that differed by frame, and compared this to response to similar appetitive choices involving appetitive preferences (i.e. hobbies, vacation destinations). We predicted that regions such as the insula, amgydala, and striatum would respond differently to approach vs. avoidance choices during aversive hypothetical choices. We identified activations for both choice frames in areas broadly associated with decision making, including the putamen, insula, and anterior cingulate, as well as deactivations in areas shown to be sensitive to valence, including the amygdala, insula, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Connectivity between brain regions differed based on choice frame, with greater connectivity among deactive regions including the amygdala, insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during avoidance frames compared to approach frames. These differences suggest that approach and avoidance frames lead to different behavioral and brain network response when deciding which of two evils are the lesser.

scholarly journals Lower neural value signaling in the prefrontal cortex is related to childhood family income and depressive symptomatology during adolescence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther E. Palacios-Barrios ◽  
Jamie L. Hanson ◽  
Kelly R. Barry ◽  
Dustin Albert ◽  
Stuart F. White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Adolescent Depression ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Reward Learning ◽  
The Difference

AbstractLower family income during childhood is related to increased rates of adolescent depression, though the specific mechanisms are poorly understood. Evidence suggests that individuals with depression demonstrate hypoactivation in brain regions involved in reward learning and decision-making processes (e.g., portions of the prefrontal cortex). Separately, lower family income has been associated with neural alterations in similar regions. We examined associations between family income, depression, and brain activity during a reward learning and decision-making fMRI task in a sample of adolescents (full n=94; usable n=78; mean age=15.4 years). We identified neural regions representing 1) expected value (EV), the learned subjective value of an object, and 2) prediction error, the difference between EV and the actual outcome received. Regions of interest related to reward learning were examined in connection to childhood family income and parent-reported adolescent depressive symptoms. As hypothesized, lower activity in the subgenual anterior cingulate (sACC) for EV in response to approach stimuli was associated with lower childhood family income, as well as greater symptoms of depression measured one-year after the neuroimaging session. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that lower early family income leads to disruptions in reward and decision-making brain circuitry, which leads to adolescent depression.

Interacting Brain Networks Underlying Creative Cognition and Artistic Performance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger E. Beaty ◽  
Rex E. Jung
Keyword(s):  
Brain Networks ◽  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Potential Interaction ◽  
Significant Advance ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Creative Cognition ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity

Cognitive neuroscience research has begun to address the potential interaction of brain networks supporting creativity by employing new methods in brain network science. Network methods offer a significant advance compared to individual region of interest studies due to their ability to account for the complex and dynamic interactions among discrete brain regions. As this chapter demonstrates, several recent studies have reported a remarkably similar pattern of brain network connectivity across a range of creative tasks and domains. In general, such work suggests that creative thought may involve dynamic interactions, primarily between the default and control networks, providing key insights into the roles of spontaneous and controlled processes in creative cognition. The chapter summarizes this emerging body of research and proposes a framework designed to account for the joint influence of controlled and spontaneous thought processes in creativity.

scholarly journals Different effects of the DRD4 genotype on intrinsic brain network connectivity strength in drug-naïve children with ADHD and healthy controls

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuangli Chen ◽  
Andan Qian ◽  
Jiejie Tao ◽  
Ronghui Zhou ◽  
Chuqi Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Children With Adhd ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
Drug Naïve

AbstractThe dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) has been consistently reported to be associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent studies have linked DRD4 to functional connectivity among specific brain regions. The current study aimed to compare the effects of the DRD4 genotype on functional integrity in drug-naïve ADHD children and healthy children. Resting-state functional MRI images were acquired from 49 children with ADHD and 37 healthy controls (HCs). We investigated the effects of the 2-repeat allele of DRD4 on brain network connectivity in both groups using a parameter called the degree of centrality (DC), which indexes local functional relationships across the entire brain connectome. A voxel-wise two-way ANCOVA was performed to examine the diagnosis-by-genotype interactions on DC maps. Significant diagnosis-by-genotype interactions with DC were found in the temporal lobe, including the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and bilateral middle temporal gyrus (MTG) (GRF corrected at voxel level p < 0.001 and cluster level p < 0.05, two-tailed). With the further subdivision of the DC network according to anatomical distance, additional brain regions with significant interactions were found in the long-range DC network, including the left superior parietal gyrus (SPG) and right middle frontal gyrus (MFG). The post-hoc pairwise analysis found that altered network centrality related to DRD4 differed according to diagnostic status (p < 0.05). This genetic imaging study suggests that the DRD4 genotype regulates the functional integration of brain networks in children with ADHD and HCs differently. This may have important implications for our understanding of the role of DRD4 in altering functional connectivity in ADHD subjects.

Evolution of Brain Network Connectivity in the Prefrontal Cortex During Concept Generation Using Brainstorming for a Design Task

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Milovanovic ◽  
Mo Hu ◽  
Tripp Shealy ◽  
John Gero
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Network Centrality ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Convergent Thinking ◽  
Design Task ◽  
Divergent And Convergent Thinking ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity

Abstract The research results presented in this paper explore the temporal changes in central regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during design brainstorming. Design mobilizes a range of cognitive processes such as problem analysis and framing, concept generation, decision-making, visual reasoning and creative problem solving. Concept generation is supported by an iteration of divergent and convergent thinking. The process of brainstorming focuses primarily on divergent thinking. Measurement techniques from neuroscience were used to quantify neurocognitive activation during concept generation using brainstorming during a design task. Correlations in brain activation were used with graph theory to describe brain network connectivity and present the temporal evolution of network centrality in the PFC during brainstorming. The results reveal shifts of network centrality between the right, medial, and left PFC, suggesting possible shifts in the dominant cognitive functions between divergent and convergent thinking during design brainstorming. The alternations of centrality and connectivity between hemispheres provides a consistent mapping with the theory of dual reasoning process in prior design cognition studies. This empirical study with ten graduate engineering students offers initial results to further explore connections between brain network connectivity and cognitive processes when brainstorming during a design task. It provides new evidence to examine existing theories of design.

scholarly journals Ketamine Restores Thalamic-Prefrontal Cortex Functional Connectivity in a Mouse Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorder-Associated 2p16.3 Deletion

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 2358-2371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca B Hughes ◽  
Jayde Whittingham-Dowd ◽  
Rachel E Simmons ◽  
Steven J Clapcote ◽  
Susan J Broughton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Cerebral Metabolism ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Functional Brain ◽  
Rich Club ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
Dextro Amphetamine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract 2p16.3 deletions, involving heterozygous NEUREXIN1 (NRXN1) deletion, dramatically increase the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. We have little understanding of how NRXN1 heterozygosity increases the risk of developing these disorders, particularly in terms of the impact on brain and neurotransmitter system function and brain network connectivity. Thus, here we characterize cerebral metabolism and functional brain network connectivity in Nrxn1α heterozygous mice (Nrxn1α+/− mice), and assess the impact of ketamine and dextro-amphetamine on cerebral metabolism in these animals. We show that heterozygous Nrxn1α deletion alters cerebral metabolism in neural systems implicated in autism and schizophrenia including the thalamus, mesolimbic system, and select cortical regions. Nrxn1α heterozygosity also reduces the efficiency of functional brain networks, through lost thalamic “rich club” and prefrontal cortex (PFC) hub connectivity and through reduced thalamic-PFC and thalamic “rich club” regional interconnectivity. Subanesthetic ketamine administration normalizes the thalamic hypermetabolism and partially normalizes thalamic disconnectivity present in Nrxn1α+/− mice, while cerebral metabolic responses to dextro-amphetamine are unaltered. The data provide new insight into the systems-level impact of heterozygous Nrxn1α deletion and how this increases the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. The data also suggest that the thalamic dysfunction induced by heterozygous Nrxn1α deletion may be NMDA receptor-dependent.

scholarly journals Miswiring the brain: Human prenatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol use associated with altered fetal hippocampal brain network connectivity

2021 ◽  
pp. 101000
Author(s):  
Moriah E. Thomason ◽  
Ava C. Palopoli ◽  
Nicki N. Jariwala ◽  
Denise M. Werchan ◽  
Alan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Brain Network Connectivity ◽  
The Brain

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.

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