Anterior Cingulate Research Articles

Application of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in metabolic alterations of prefrontal white and gray matter in depression adolescents

BACKGROUND Cases of depression among adolescents are gradually increasing. The study of the physiological basis of cognitive function from a biochemical perspective has therefore been garnering increasing attention. Depression has been hypothesized to be associated with the brain biochemical metabolism of the anterior cingulate gyrus, frontal lobe white matter, and the thalamus. AIM To explore the application of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the metabolic alterations in the prefrontal white matter (PWM) and gray matter (GM) in adolescents with depression. METHODS 1H-MRS was performed for semi-quantitative analysis of the biochemical metabolites N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) complexes, creatine (Cr), and myo-inositol (mI) in bilateral PWM, anterior cingulate GM, and thalami of 31 adolescent patients with depression (research group) and 35 healthy adolescents (control group), and the NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and mI/Cr ratios were calculated. Meanwhile, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Wechsler Memory Scale were used to assess the degree of depression and memory function in all adolescents. The correlation of brain metabolite levels with scale scores was also analyzed. RESULTS The research group had markedly higher HAMD-24 scores and lower memory quotient (MQ) compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Adolescents with depression were found to have lower bilateral PWM NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios compared with healthy adolescents (P < 0.05). The mI/Cr ratios were found to be similar in both groups (P > 0.05). The bilateral anterior cingulate GM NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and mI/Cr also did not demonstrate marked differences (P > 0.05). No statistical inter-group difference was determined in NAA/Cr of the bilateral thalami (P > 0.05), while bilateral thalamic Cho/Cr and mI/Cr were reduced in teenagers with depression compared with healthy adolescents (P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between the HAMD-24 scores in adolescents with depression with bilateral PWM NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr and were inversely linked to bilateral thalamic Cho/Cr and mI/Cr (P < 0.05). In adolescents with depressions, MQ positively correlated with right PWH NAA/Cr, left PWH Cho/Cr, and bilateral thalamic Cho/Cr and mI/Cr. CONCLUSION PWM and thalamic metabolic abnormalities might influence teen depression, and the reduction in bilateral PWM NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr could be related to the neuropathology of adolescents with depression suffering from memory impairment. There exists a possibility of dysfunction of nerve cell membrane phospholipids in the thalami of adolescent patients with depression.

Electroacupuncture Regulates Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Expression in a Mouse Fibromyalgia Model: Pharmacological and Chemogenetic Modulation

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness usually accompanied by long-lasting, general pain throughout the body, often accompanied by anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disruption. Meanwhile, doctors and scientists have not entirely discovered detailed mechanisms; patients always have an exaggerated sensation to pervasive pain without satisfied medical service. Given the lack of knowledge on its underlying mechanism, current treatments aim to provide pain and/or symptom relief. The present study aimed to clarify the role of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) signaling in a mouse fibromyalgia pain model. To develop the mouse fibromyalgia model, mice were subjected to intermittent cold stress (ICS). Our results indicated that mechanical (2.09 ± 0.09 g) and thermal hyperalgesia (4.77 ± 0.29 s), which were evaluated by von Frey and Hargraves’ tests, were induced by ICS, suggesting successful modeling. The hurting replies were then provoked by electroacupuncture (EA) but not for sham EA mice. Further, in a Western blot analysis, we found significantly decreased CB1 protein levels in the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, the levels of pain-related protein kinases and transcription factor were increased. Treatment with EA reliably increased CB1 expression in various brain regions sequentially alleviated by nociceptive mediators. Furthermore, the administration of a CB1 agonist significantly attenuated fibromyalgia pain, reversed EA analgesia by the CB1 antagonist, and further reversed the chemogenetic inhibition of SSC. Our innovative findings evidence the role of CB1 signaling in the interaction of EA and fibromyalgia, suggesting its potential for clinical trials and as a treatment target.

Noradrenergic alpha-2a receptor stimulation enhances prediction error signaling and updating of attention sets in anterior cingulate cortex and striatum.

The noradrenergic system is believed to support behavioral flexibility. A possible source mediating improved flexibility are α2A adrenoceptors (α2AR) in prefrontal cortex (PFC) or the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We tested this hypothesis by stimulating α2ARs using Guanfacine during attentional set shifting in male nonhuman primates. We found that α2AR stimulation improved learning from errors and updating attention sets. Neural recordings in the ACC, dorsolateral PFC, and the striatum showed that α2AR stimulation selectively enhanced neural signaling of prediction errors in neurons of the ACC and the striatum, but not in dlPFC. This modulation was accompanied by enhanced encoding of attended target features and particularly apparent in putative fast-spiking interneurons, pointing to an interneuron mediated mechanism of α2AR action. These results reveal that α2A receptors are part of the causal chain of flexibly updating attention sets through an enhancement of outcomes and prediction error signaling in ACC and striatum.

Hippocampal area CA2 activity supports social investigation following an acute social stress.

Neuronal activity in the hippocampus is critical for many types of memory acquisition and retrieval and influences an animal's response to stress. Moreover, the molecularly distinct principal neurons of hippocampal area CA2 are required for social recognition memory and aggression in mice. To interrogate the effects of stress on CA2-dependent behaviors, we chemogenetically manipulated neuronal activity in vivo during an acute, socially derived stressor and tested whether memory for the defeat was influenced. One day after an acute social defeat (aSD), defeated mice spent significantly less time investigating another mouse when compared to non-defeated control mice. We found that this avoidant phenotype persisted for up to one month following a single defeat encounter. When CA2 pyramidal neuron activity was inhibited with Gi-DREADD receptors during the defeat, subject mice exhibited a significantly higher amount of social avoidance one day later when compared to defeated littermates not expressing DREADDs. Moreover, CA2 inhibition during defeat caused a reduction in submissive defense behaviors in response to aggression. In vitro electrophysiology and tracing experiments revealed a circuit wherein CA2 neurons connect to caudal CA1 projection neurons that, in turn, project to corticolimbic regions including the anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, socially avoidant, defeated mice exhibited significant reductions in cFos expression in caudal hippocampal and limbic brain areas during a social investigation task 24 h after aSD. Taken together, these results indicate that CA2 neuronal activity is required to support behavioral resilience following an acute social stressor and that submissive defensive behavior during the defeat (vs. fleeing) is a predictor of future resilience to social stress. Furthermore, CA2 preferentially targets a population of caudal CA1 projection neurons that contact cortical brain regions where activity is modulated by an acute social stressor.

Altered parasympathetic outflow and central sensitization response to continuous pain in cyclic vomiting syndrome: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder of brain-gut interaction characterized by recurrent episodes of nausea and vomiting interspersed with asymptomatic periods and associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. We examined the dysautonomic response to noxious stimuli seen in CVS patients using our previously validated approach to integrate peripheral autonomic outflow metrics, temporal summation of pain, and brain fMRI. BOLD fMRI and ECG were acquired from CVS patients and healthy adults during a rest condition and a sustained cuff pressure pain stimulus at the leg. After the latter scan, participants rated pain for the full 6-minute pain stimulus as well as first, middle, and last two-minutes to calculate temporal summation. During sustained pain, patients (n=13) exhibited greater reduction in heart rate variability within the high-frequency range (HF-HRV) and reduced anticorrelation between HF-HRV and fMRI signal in the anterior insula, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, and ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex relative to healthy adults (n=13). Compared to healthy adults (n=14), patients (n=14) exhibited increasing pain intensity over the course of sustained cuff pressure. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis revealed for healthy adults (n=13), pain sensitization correlated with pain-induced increases in connectivity between primary somatosensory cortex and regions of interest in both left anterior insula/posterior orbitofrontal cortex and right pre-supplementary motor area, while this correlation was disrupted in CVS (n=10). Our results support altered central coding of nociceptive stimuli and autonomic responsivity of CVS patients in key brain regions implicated in autonomic control and interoception.

Shedding Light on the Neurocognitive Explorations of Interpreting: What Do We Know from Brain-Based Research?

Interpreting is highly complex and cognitively demanding, arousing interest from the neuroimaging community. In the past three decades, dozens of investigations have been done to figure out how one language transfers into another in the brain. This article reviews the published studies concerning interpreting, shedding light on interpreting asymmetry effect, the neural plasticity and the brain regions activated during interpreting tasks. Based on the findings in previous studies, the article argues that interpreting training and practice might contribute to neuroplasticity both functionally and structurally. It also suggests that apart from traditional language areas, the prefrontal cortex, the superior temporal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobule and the anterior cingulate cortex also play a key role during the rendering process.

Modulation of neural networks and symptom correlated in fibromyalgia: A randomized double-blind multi-group explanatory clinical trial of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might modulate neural activity and promote neural plasticity in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). This multi-group randomized clinical trial compared home-based active tDCS (HB-a-tDCS) on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC) or home-based sham tDCS (HB-s-tDCS), and HB-a-tDCS or HB-s-tDCS on the primary motor cortex (M1) in the connectivity analyses in eight regions of interest (ROIs) across eight resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) frequencies. We included 48 women with FM, aged 30 to 65, randomly assigned to 2:1:2:1 to receive 20 sessions during 20 minutes of HB-a-tDCS 2mA or HB-s-tDCS, over l-DLPFC or M1, respectively. EEG recordings were obtained before and after treatment with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). In the EC condition, comparing pre to post-treatment, the HB-a-tDCS on l-DLPFC decreased the lagged coherence connectivity in the delta frequency band between the right insula and left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (t = -3.542, p = .048). The l-DLPFC HB-a-tDCS compared to HB-s-tDCS decreased the lagged coherence connectivity in the delta frequency band between the right insula and left ACC (t = -4.000, p = .017). In the EO condition, the l-DLPFC HB-a-tDCS compared to M1 HB-s-tDCS increased the lagged coherence connectivity between the l-DLPFC and left ACC in the theta band (t = -4.059, p = .048). Regression analysis demonstrated that the HB-a-tDCS effect on the l-DLPFC was positively correlated with sleep quality. On the other hand, the HB-a-tDCS on l-DLPFC and HB-s-tDCS on M1 were positively correlated with pain catastrophizing. These results show that HB-a-tDCS affects the neural connectivity between parts of the brain that control pain's emotional and attentional aspects, which are most noticeable at lower EEG frequencies in a rest state. This effect on neural oscillations could serve as a neural marker associated with its efficacy in alleviating fibromyalgia symptoms. identifier [NCT03843203].

Increased Amygdala Activation during Symptom Provocation Predicts Response to Combined Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Exposure Therapy in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), combined with exposure and response prevention (ERP), is a promising treatment modality for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, not all patients respond sufficiently to this treatment. We investigated whether brain activation during a symptom provocation task could predict treatment response. Sixty-one adults with OCD (22 male/ 39 female) underwent symptom provocation with OCD- and fear-related visual stimuli during fMRI prior to an 8-week combined rTMS and ERP treatment regimen. Participants received one of the three following rTMS treatments as part of a randomized controlled trial: (1) 10Hz rTMS (110% resting motor threshold (RMT)) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC); (2) 10Hz rTMS (110% RMT) to the left pre-supplementary motor area (preSMA); or (3) 10Hz control rTMS (60% RMT) to the vertex. Multiple regression and correlation were used to examine the predictive value of task-related brain activation for treatment response in the following ROIs: dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, DLPFC, and preSMA. The different treatment groups responded equally to treatment. Higher pre-treatment task-related activation of the right amygdala to OCD-related stimuli showed a positive association with treatment response in all groups. Exploratory whole-brain analyses showed positive associations between activation in multiple task-relevant regions and treatment response. Only dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activation to fear-related stimuli showed a negative association with treatment outcome. Higher pre-treatment right amygdala activation during symptom provocation predicts better treatment response to combined rTMS and ERP in OCD.

Potential effects of peripheral neuropathy on brain function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BackgroundThe mechanisms associated between diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and various brain function abnormalities in patients remains unclear. This study attempted to indirectly evaluate the effect of DPN on brain function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by characterizing the resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of the lower limb sensorimotor cortex (LSM).MethodsForty-four T2DM patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), 39 T2DM patients without diabetic peripheral neuropathy (ND), and 43 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a neuropsychological assessment and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging examinations to examine the differences in FC between the LSM and the whole brain. The relationships of FC with clinical/cognitive variables were examined.ResultsIn comparison with the HCs group, the ND group showed reduced FC of the LSM with the right lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) and increased FC with the medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmed), while the DPN group showed reduced FC of the LSM with the right cerebellar lobule VI, the right LOTC, the rostral prefrontal cortex (rPFC), and the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC). Moreover, in comparison with the ND group, the DPN group showed reduced FC of the LSM with the ACC, SFGmed, and rPFC. In the DPN group, the FC between the LSM and right cerebellar lobule VI was significantly correlated with fasting blood glucose levels (r = -0.490, p = 0.001), and that between the LSM and ACC was significantly correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (r = 0.479, p = 0.001).ConclusionsPatients with T2DM may show abnormal motion-related visual perceptual function before the appearance of DPN. Importantly, DPN can influence the brain regions that maintain motion and motor control, and this effect is not limited to motor function, which may be the central neuropathological basis for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The cerebral and cognitive changes after intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) treatment for depression: study protocol for a randomized double-blind sham-controlled trial.

The therapeutic use of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) is a relatively new but promising treatment option for depression. There is a need for more knowledge on the mechanisms involved in its antidepressant effects. This is a single-centre, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with two arms, iTBS and sham iTBS. Adult outpatients with unipolar major depressive disorder of at least moderate severity will undergo cognitive assessment with an N-back task (0-back and 2-back), functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging and assessment of depression severity before and after brain stimulation. Neuronavigated iTBS or sham stimulation will be targeted at the LDPFC once a day for 10 consecutive workdays. ITBS will be delivered with the parameters 120% of resting motor threshold, triplet 50Hz bursts repeated at 5Hz; 2s on and 8s off, 600 pulses per session with a total duration of 3min 9s. The severity of depression will be measured with the Montogomery Aasberg Depression Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory - second edition. In the iTBS group relative to sham, we expect significant antidepressant effects and improved N-back performance, associated with increased integrity in white matter tracts functionally connected with the LDLPFC and emotion regulation areas within the rostral anterior cingulate cortices, alongside potential increases in cortical thickness in these regions. On functional imaging, we expect to observe increased brain activity in the LDPFC during the performance of the N-back condition with higher cognitive load (2-back) in the iTBS group relative to sham. iTBS is a promising, time-efficient, and considered a safe treatment option for depression according to existing evidence. This trial aims to assess the neurocognitive impact of a 2-week, once-daily iTBS compared to sham iTBS, targeting the LDLPFC in depressed adult outpatients. The study investigates the relationships between changes in cerebral measures and cognitive performance on an N-back task in relation to the antidepressant effect following iTBS. This trial delves into the neurocognitive mechanisms of iTBS in depression, potentially offering novel scientific insights into its treatment effects and mechanisms of action. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06534684. Retrospectively registered on August 1st 2024.

Valuing the importance of sex differences in prodromal Alzheimer's disease based on structural magnetic resonance imaging.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be optimally managed from a healthcare point of view if detected at a prodromal stage. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is known as prodromal AD, has attracted extensive attention and research. To identify the differences in cognitive function and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features between men and women with MCI on the basis of A/T/N classification system ("A" means amyloid-β biomarker, "T" means tau biomarker, and "N" means neurodegeneration biomarker as determined by clinical imaging (e.g., positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) or by the measurement of total tau protein (T-tau) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)) and to further explore the correlation between them. 406 MCI subjects were selected from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database and divided into male and female MCI groups. Differences in demographic characteristics, biomarkers, cognitive assessment performance, and regions of interest (ROIs) of structural MRI were compared between the two groups. The correlations between brain structural changes quantified by MRI and cognitive abilities were investigated through linear regression models. Compared with male MCI subjects, females had significantly higher T-tau concentration in CSF. There were significant differences in ROIs between the sex groups. In the male MCI group, the average cortical thicknesses of the right posterior cingulate, right anterior cingulate and right supramarginal gyrus were more closely correlated with cognitive function. In the female MCI group, the volume of the right rostral anterior cingulate, and the surface area and average cortical thickness of the right isthmus of the cingulate gyrus were more closely correlated with cognitive function. Based on A/T/N classification system, the structural MRI data analysis was closely correlated with the difference of cognitive function from patients with prodromal AD in a sex-dependent manner.

Projection-specific circuits of retrosplenial cortex with differential contributions to spatial cognition.

Retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is a brain region involved in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. It has reciprocal connections with a diverse set of cortical and subcortical brain regions, but the afferent structure and behavioral function of circuits defined by its projection-specific sub-populations have yet to be determined. The corticocortical connections between RSC and secondary motor cortex (M2), as well as corticothalamic connections between RSC and anterodorsal thalamus (AD) have been hypothesized to function as semi-independent, but parallel pathways that impact spatial information processing in distinct ways. We used retrograde and anterograde viral tracers and monosynaptic retrograde rabies virus to quantitatively characterize and compare the afferent and efferent distributions of retrosplenial neuron sub-populations projecting to M2 and AD. AD-projecting and M2-projecting RSC neurons overlap in their collateral projections to other brain regions, but not in their projections to M2 and AD, respectively. Compared with AD-projecting RSC neurons, M2-projecting RSC neurons received much greater afferent input from the dorsal subiculum, AD, lateral dorsal and lateral posterior thalamus, and somatosensory cortex. AD-projecting RSC neurons received greater input from the anterior cingulate cortex and medial septum. We performed chemogenetic inhibition of M2- and AD-projecting RSC neurons and examined its impact on object-location memory, object-recognition, open-field exploration, and place-action association. Our findings indicate that inhibition of M2-projecting RSC neurons impairs object location memory as well as place-action association, while the RSC to AD pathway impacts only object-location memory. The findings indicate that RSC is composed of semi-independent circuits distinguishable by their afferent/efferent distributions and differing in the cognitive functions to which they contribute.

Common and contrasting effects of 5-HTergic signaling in pyramidal cells and SOM interneurons of the mouse cortex.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a powerful modulator of neuronal activity within the central nervous system and dysfunctions of the serotonergic system have been linked to several neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorders or schizophrenia. The anterior cingulate cortex (aCC) plays an important role in cognitive capture of stimuli and valence processing and it is densely innervated by serotonergic fibers from the nucleus raphe. In order to understand how pathophysiological 5-HT signalling can lead to neuropsychiatric diseases, it is important to understand the physiological actions of 5-HT on cortical circuits. Therefore, we combined electrophysiological recordings with pharmacology and immunocytochemistry to investigate the effects of 5-HT on Somatostatin-positive interneurons (SOM-INs) and compared these to supragranular pyramidal cells (PCs). This comparison allowed us to identify common and contrasting effects of 5-HT on SOM-INs and PCs of the aCC resulting in a specific modulation of the excitation-to-inhibition balance in PCs but not in SOM-INs.

α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor density underlies intraregional and interregional functional centrality

Local and global functional connectivity densities (lFCD and gFCD, respectively), derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, represent the degree of functional centrality within local and global brain networks. While these methods are well-established for mapping brain connectivity, the molecular and synaptic foundations of these connectivity patterns remain unclear. Glutamate, the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, plays a key role in these processes. Among its receptors, the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) is crucial for neurotransmission, particularly in cognitive functions such as learning and memory. This study aimed to examine the association of the AMPAR density and FCD metrics of intraregional and interregional functional centrality. Using [11C]K-2, a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer specific for AMPARs, we measured AMPAR density in the brains of 35 healthy participants. Our findings revealed a strong positive correlation between AMPAR density and both lFCD and gFCD-lFCD across the entire brain. This correlation was especially notable in key regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, pre-subgenual frontal cortex, Default Mode Network, and Visual Network. These results highlight that postsynaptic AMPARs significantly contribute to both local and global functional connectivity in the brain, particularly in network hub regions. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular and synaptic underpinnings of brain functional connectomes.

Dysfunctional activation of the default mode network in response inhibition in schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to characterize dysfunctional cerebral activation in patients with schizophrenia while they performed a response inhibition task. To achieve this, performance on the task and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were compared between healthy control subjects (HC) and patients with schizophrenia (SZ). We focused on the default mode network (DMN), as there is strong evidence in the literature that lack of DMN suppression in schizophrenia is associated with cognitive impairment including poor response inhibition. fMRI was used to measure blood-oxygen-level-dependent activation in 84 subjects (44 SZ and 40 HC) while they performed a Go NoGo task. The subjects were also evaluated for psychiatric symptoms and immediate visual memory.SZ performed more poorly than HC on the task; they had a higher number of commission errors. On the fMRI, the patients consistently evidenced higher activation than the controls in several areas of the default mode network (DMN) including the precuneus, rostral anterior cingulate, parahippocampus and insula. The higher brain activation in the patients with schizophrenia indicates a failure to deactivate the DMN while they perform the response inhibition task. These findings point to the importance of DMN dysfunction as an underlying cause of impairment in response inhibition in schizophrenia. DMN disruptions play an essential role in the cognitive impairment present in schizophrenia.

Effects of parental socioeconomic status on offspring's fetal neurodevelopment.

Emerging evidence underscores the prenatal period's critical role in shaping later cognition and health, influenced by an intricate interplay of parental genetic and environmental factors. Birth weight is commonly used as a retrospective indicator of fetal development, but recent focus has shifted to more specific proxies of neurodevelopment, like cortical sulcal patterns, which are established in utero and remain stable after birth. This study aimed to elucidate the interrelated effects of parental socioeconomic status, brain volume, birth weight, and sulcal patterns in the anterior cingulate cortex. Utilizing structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), parental educational attainment, and related polygenic risk scores, the study analyzed 203 healthy right-handed participants aged 9 to 18. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that the anterior cingulate cortex sulcal pattern is influenced by parental socioeconomic status and global brain volume, with socioeconomic status correlating with a polygenic risk score. These findings suggest that prenatal neurodevelopmental processes may mediate the intergenerational transmission of inequalities.

Enhancing perceptual, attentional, and working memory demands through variable practice schedules: insights from high-density EEG multi-scale analyses.

Contextual interference (CI) enhances learning by practicing motor tasks in a random order rather than a blocked order. One hypothesis suggests that the benefits arise from enhanced early perceptual/attentional processes, while another posits that better learning is due to highly activated mnemonic processes. We used high-density electroencephalography in a multi-scale analysis approach, including topographic analyses, source estimations, and functional connectivity, to examine the intertwined dynamics of attentional and mnemonic processes within short time windows. We recorded scalp activity from 35 participants as they performed an aiming task at three different distances, under both random and blocked conditions using a crossover design. Our results showed that topographies associated with processes related to perception/attention (N1, P3a) and working memory (P3b) were more pronounced in the random condition. Source estimation analyses supported these findings, revealing greater involvement of the perceptual ventral pathway, anterior cingulate and parietal cortices, along with increased functional connectivity in ventral alpha and frontoparietal theta band networks during random practice. Our results suggest that CI is driven, in the random compared to the blocked condition, by enhanced specific processes such as perceptual, attentional, and working memory processes, as well as large-scale functional networks sustaining more general attentional and executive processes.

A dynamical systems approach to optimal foraging

Foraging for resources in an environment is a fundamental activity that must be addressed by any biological agent. Modelling this phenomenon in simulations can enhance our understanding of the characteristics of natural intelligence. In this work, we present a novel approach to model foraging in-silico using a continuous coupled dynamical system. The dynamical system is composed of three differential equations, representing the position of the agent, the agent’s control policy, and the environmental resource dynamics. Crucially, the control policy is implemented as a parameterized differential equation which allows the control policy to adapt in order to solve the foraging task. Using this setup, we show that when these dynamics are coupled and the controller parameters are optimized to maximize the rate of reward collected, adaptive foraging emerges in the agent. We further show that the internal dynamics of the controller, as a surrogate brain model, closely resemble the dynamics of the evidence accumulation mechanism, which may be used by certain neurons of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex region in non-human primates, for deciding when to migrate from one patch to another. We show that by modulating the resource growth rates of the environment, the emergent behaviour of the artificial agent agrees with the predictions of the optimal foraging theory. Finally, we demonstrate how the framework can be extended to stochastic and multi-agent settings.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Individualized Spots Based on Task functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Improves Swallowing Function in Poststroke Dysphagia.

Background: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has not previously been used to localize the swallowing functional area in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for poststroke dysphagia; Traditionally, the target area for rTMS is the hotspot, which is defined as the specific region of the brain identified as the optimal location for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This study aims to compare the network differences between the TMS hotspot and the saliva swallowing fMRI activation to determine the better rTMS treatment site and investigate changes in functional connectivity related to poststroke dysphagia using resting-state fMRI. Methods: Using an information-based approach, we conducted a single case study to explore neural functional connectivity in a patient with poststroke dysphagia before, immediately after rTMS, and 4 weeks after rTMS intervention. A total of 20 healthy participants underwent fMRI and TMS hotspot localization as a control group. Neural network alterations were assessed, and functional connections related to poststroke dysphagia were examined using resting-state fMRI. Results: Compared to the TMS-induced hotspots, the fMRI activation peaks were located significantly more posteriorly and exhibited stronger functional connectivity with bilateral postcentral gyri. Following rTMS treatment, this patient developed functional connection between the brainstem and the bilateral insula, caudate, anterior cingulate cortex, and cerebellum. Conclusion: The saliva swallowing fMRI activation peaks show more intense functional connectivity with bilateral postcentral gyri compared to the TMS hotspots. Activation peak-guided rTMS treatment improves swallowing function in poststroke dysphagia. This study proposes a novel and potentially more efficacious therapeutic target for rTMS, expanding its therapeutic options for treating poststroke dysphagia.

A Neural Circuit For Bergamot Essential Oil-Induced Anxiolytic Effects.

Aromatic essential oils have been shown to relieve anxiety and enhance relaxation, although the neural circuits underlying these effects have remained unknown. Here, it is found that treatment with 1.0% bergamot essential oil (BEO) exerts anxiolytic-like effects through a neural circuit projecting from the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in acute restraint stress model mice. Collectively, in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, viral tracing, and whole-cell patch clamp recordings show that inhalation exposure to 1.0% BEO can activate glutamatergic projections from the AON to GABAergic neurons in the ACC, which drives inhibition of local glutamatergic neurons (AONGlu→ACCGABA→Glu). Optogenetic or chemogenetic manipulation of this pathway can recapitulate or abolish the BEO-induced anxiolytic-like behavioral effects in mice with ARS. Beyond depicting a previously unrecognized pathway involved in stress response, this study provides a circuit mechanism for the effects of BEO and suggests a potential target for anxiety treatment.