scholarly journals Different types of theta rhythmicity are induced by social and fearful stimuli in a network associated with social memory

eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Tendler ◽  
Shlomo Wagner

Rhythmic activity in the theta range is thought to promote neuronal communication between brain regions. In this study, we performed chronic telemetric recordings in socially behaving rats to monitor electrophysiological activity in limbic brain regions linked to social behavior. Social encounters were associated with increased rhythmicity in the high theta range (7–10 Hz) that was proportional to the stimulus degree of novelty. This modulation of theta rhythmicity, which was specific for social stimuli, appeared to reflect a brain-state of social arousal. In contrast, the same network responded to a fearful stimulus by enhancement of rhythmicity in the low theta range (3–7 Hz). Moreover, theta rhythmicity showed different pattern of coherence between the distinct brain regions in response to social and fearful stimuli. We suggest that the two types of stimuli induce distinct arousal states that elicit different patterns of theta rhythmicity, which cause the same brain areas to communicate in different modes.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (20) ◽  
pp. eabf5676
Author(s):  
Guofen Ma ◽  
Yanmei Liu ◽  
Lizhao Wang ◽  
Zhongyi Xiao ◽  
Kun Song ◽  
...  

Sensory processing is subjected to modulation by behavioral contexts that are often mediated by long-range inputs to cortical interneurons, but their selectivity to different types of interneurons remains largely unknown. Using rabies-virus tracing and optogenetics-assisted recording, we analyzed the long-range connections to various brain regions along the hierarchy of visual processing, including primary visual cortex, medial association cortices, and frontal cortices. We found that hierarchical corticocortical and thalamocortical connectivity is reflected by the relative weights of inputs to parvalbumin-positive (PV+) and vasoactive intestinal peptide–positive (VIP+) neurons within the conserved local circuit motif, with bottom-up and top-down inputs preferring PV+ and VIP+ neurons, respectively. Our algorithms based on innervation weights for these two types of local interneurons generated testable predictions of the hierarchical position of many brain areas. These results support the notion that preferential long-range inputs to specific local interneurons are essential for the hierarchical information flow in the brain.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roel M. Willems ◽  
Franziska Hartung

Behavioral evidence suggests that engaging with fiction is positively correlated with social abilities. The rationale behind this link is that engaging with fictional narratives offers a ‘training modus’ for mentalizing and empathizing. We investigated the influence of the amount of reading that participants report doing in their daily lives, on connections between brain areas while they listened to literary narratives. Participants (N=57) listened to two literary narratives while brain activation was measured with fMRI. We computed time-course correlations between brain regions, and compared the correlation values from listening to narratives to listening to reversed speech. The between-region correlations were then related to the amount of fiction that participants read in their daily lives. Our results show that amount of fiction reading is related to functional connectivity in areas known to be involved in language and mentalizing. This suggests that reading fiction influences social cognition as well as language skills.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Ip ◽  
Gratianne Rabiller ◽  
Jiwei He ◽  
Shivalika Chavan ◽  
Yasuo Nishijima ◽  
...  

Introduction: Cognition and memory deficits are common sequelae following middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke, one of the most common strokes in humans. However MCA stroke does not compromise the structural integrity of the hippocampus, which is highly involved in memory function, because the MCA does not supply blood flow to the hippocampus. We previously reported on the acute effect of MCA stroke, where we observed increased hippocampal activity and cortico-hippocampal communication. Here we investigate chronic changes to local oscillations and cortico-hippocampal communication following MCA occlusion in rats two weeks and one month following stroke. Hypothesis: Cortical stroke affects remote brain regions, disrupting hippocampal function and cortico-hippocampal communication. Methods: We subjected male rats (n=28) to distal MCA occlusion compared to controls (n=19). We recorded local field potentials simultaneously from cortex and hippocampus two weeks and one month following stroke using 16-site linear electrode arrays under urethane anesthesia. We analyzed signal power, brain state, CFC, and sharp wave SPW-Rs to assess hippocampal function and cortico-hippocampal communication. Results: Our results show disruptions to local oscillations; lowered delta (1-3 Hz) signal power in the cortex and hippocampus, increased signal power in gamma (30-60 Hz) and high gamma (60-200 Hz) in cortex and hippocampus. Theta/delta brain state is disrupted, and SPW-Rs increase in power at two weeks, before returning to baseline levels at one month. Communication is also disrupted; Theta-gamma coupling, a measure of information being communicated between regions, breaks down after stroke. Conclusions: These results suggest that chronic stroke causes significant changes to hippocampal function, which can be characterized by these electrophysiological biomarkers, establishing putative targets for targeted stimulation therapies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4503
Author(s):  
Sabah Nisar ◽  
Ajaz A. Bhat ◽  
Sheema Hashem ◽  
Najeeb Syed ◽  
Santosh K. Yadav ◽  
...  

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly disabling condition, increasingly recognized as both a disorder of mental health and social burden, but also as an anxiety disorder characterized by fear, stress, and negative alterations in mood. PTSD is associated with structural, metabolic, and molecular changes in several brain regions and the neural circuitry. Brain areas implicated in the traumatic stress response include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, which play an essential role in memory function. Abnormalities in these brain areas are hypothesized to underlie symptoms of PTSD and other stress-related psychiatric disorders. Conventional methods of studying PTSD have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis, measurement of treatment efficacy, and monitoring disease progression, and currently, there is no diagnostic biomarker available for PTSD. A deep understanding of cutting-edge neuroimaging genetic approaches is necessary for the development of novel therapeutics and biomarkers to better diagnose and treat the disorder. A current goal is to understand the gene pathways that are associated with PTSD, and how those genes act on the fear/stress circuitry to mediate risk vs. resilience for PTSD. This review article explains the rationale and practical utility of neuroimaging genetics in PTSD and how the resulting information can aid the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with PTSD.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
T. Sumiyoshi ◽  
Y. Higuchi ◽  
T. Itoh ◽  
M. Matsui ◽  
H. Arai ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine if perospirone, a second generation antipsychotic drug and partial agonist at serotonin-5-HT1A receptors, enhances electrophysiological activity, such as event-related potentials (ERPs), in frontal brain regions, as well as cognitive function in subjects with schizophrenia. P300 current source images were obtained by means of standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) before and after treatment with perospirone for 6 months. Perospirone significantly increased P300 current source density in the left superior frontal gyrus, and improved positive symptoms and performance on the script tasks, a measure of verbal social cognition. Perospirone also tended to enhance verbal learning memory in patients with schizophrenia. There was a significant correlation between the changes in P300 amplitudes on the left frontal lead and those in social cognition. These results suggest the changes in three-dimensional distribution of cortical activity, as demonstrated by sLORETA, may mediate some of the actions of antipsychotic drugs. the distinct cognition-enhancing profile of perospirone may be related to its actions on 5-HT1A receptors.


Author(s):  
Judy A. Prasad ◽  
Aishwarya H. Balwani ◽  
Erik C. Johnson ◽  
Joseph D. Miano ◽  
Vandana Sampathkumar ◽  
...  

AbstractNeural cytoarchitecture is heterogeneous, varying both across and within brain regions. The consistent identification of regions of interest is one of the most critical aspects in examining neurocircuitry, as these structures serve as the vital landmarks with which to map brain pathways. Access to continuous, three-dimensional volumes that span multiple brain areas not only provides richer context for identifying such landmarks, but also enables a deeper probing of the microstructures within. Here, we describe a three-dimensional X-ray microtomography imaging dataset of a well-known and validated thalamocortical sample, encompassing a range of cortical and subcortical structures. In doing so, we provide the field with access to a micron-scale anatomical imaging dataset ideal for studying heterogeneity of neural structure.


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaise Robert ◽  
Eyal Y Kimchi ◽  
Yurika Watanabe ◽  
Tatenda Chakoma ◽  
Miao Jing ◽  
...  

Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) project throughout the cortex to regulate arousal, stimulus salience, plasticity, and learning. Although often treated as a monolithic structure, the basal forebrain features distinct connectivity along its rostrocaudal axis that could impart regional differences in BFCN processing. Here, we performed simultaneous bulk calcium imaging from rostral and caudal BFCNs over a one-month period of variable reinforcement learning in mice. BFCNs in both regions showed equivalently weak responses to unconditioned visual stimuli and anticipated rewards. Rostral BFCNs in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band were more responsive to reward omission, more accurately classified behavioral outcomes, and more closely tracked fluctuations in pupil-indexed global brain state. Caudal tail BFCNs in globus pallidus and substantia innominata were more responsive to unconditioned auditory stimuli, orofacial movements, aversive reinforcement, and showed robust associative plasticity for punishment-predicting cues. These results identify a functional topography that diversifies cholinergic modulatory signals broadcast to downstream brain regions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-min Jin ◽  
Cai-juan Qin ◽  
Lei Lan ◽  
Jin-bo Sun ◽  
Fang Zeng ◽  
...  

Background.Development of non-deqicontrol is still a challenge. This study aims to set up a potential approach to non-deqicontrol by using lidocaine anesthesia at ST36.Methods.Forty healthy volunteers were recruited and they received two fMRI scans. One was accompanied with manual acupuncture at ST36 (DQ group), and another was associated with both local anesthesia and manual acupuncture at the same acupoint (LA group).Results.Comparing to DQ group, more than 90 percentdeqisensations were reduced by local anesthesia in LA group. The mainly activated regions in DQ group were bilateral IFG, S1, primary motor cortex, IPL, thalamus, insula, claustrum, cingulate gyrus, putamen, superior temporal gyrus, and cerebellum. Surprisingly only cerebellum showed significant activation in LA group. Compared to the two groups, bilateral S1, insula, ipsilateral IFG, IPL, claustrum, and contralateral ACC were remarkably activated.Conclusions.Local anesthesia at ST36 is able to block most of thedeqifeelings and inhibit brain responses todeqi, which would be developed into a potential approach for non-deqicontrol. Bilateral S1, insula, ipsilateral IFG, IPL, claustrum, and contralateral ACC might be the key brain regions responding todeqi.


1976 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 737-751
Author(s):  
C. Taddei-Ferretti ◽  
L. Cordella

We investigated the effect of photic stimulation on the frequency of Hydra attenuata column contractions. We used positive or negative abrupt light transitions, single or repetitive light or darkness pulses, and alternation of light and darkness periods. The main results are: (a) The frequency of the contraction pulse trains (CPTs) varies transiently in response to an abrupt variation of the light intensity. (b) CPTs in progress can be inhibited by different types of photic stimuli. (c) The response time to a single photic stimulus varies during the inter-CPT interval and depends also on the polarity of the stimulus. (d) The CPTs are entrainable with repetitive light stimulation of various frequencies. (e) Long-lasting variations of the frequency of CPTs occur after the end of a repetitive light stimulation. We suggest that the mechanism responsible for the rhythym of column contractions is quite similar to that on which other biological rhythmic phenomena are based.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne Chylinski ◽  
Maxime Van Egroo ◽  
Justinas Narbutas ◽  
Ekaterina Koshmanova ◽  
Christian Berthomier ◽  
...  

Abstract Recent literature is pointing towards a tight relationship between sleep quality and amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sleep arousals are considered to induce sleep disruption, and though their heterogeneity has been suggested, their correlates remain to be established. We classified arousals in sleep of 100 healthy older individuals according to their association with muscular tone increase (E+/E-) and sleep stage transition (T+/T-), and show differences in EEG oscillatory compositions across arousal types. We found that T + E- arousals, which interrupt sleep stability, were positively correlated with Aβ burden in brain regions earliest affected by AD neuropathology. By contrast, more prevalent T-E + arousals, upholding sleep continuity, were associated with lower cortical Aβ burden, and better cognition. We provide empirical evidence that spontaneous arousals are diverse and differently associated with brain integrity and cognition. Sleep arousals may offer opportunities to transiently synchronise distant brain areas, akin to sleep spindles.


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