Attentional Control Functions Research Articles

Altered local spontaneous brain activity pattern in children with right-eye amblyopia of varying degrees: evidence from fMRI.

To investigate the abnormal changes of local brain activity in children with right-eye amblyopia of varying degrees. Data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were collected from 16 children with severe amblyopia, 17 children with mild to moderate amblyopia, and 15 children with normal binocular vision. Local brain activity was analyzed using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). There were extensive ALFF differences among the three groups in 10 brain regions. There were extensive differences in ReHo among the three groups in 11 brain regions. The ALFF and ReHo of the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus displayed a significantly positive correlation with the best-corrected visual acuity of the right eye, respectively. The ALFF value and ReHo value of the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus followed the pattern of normal control < mild to moderate amblyopia < severe amblyopia. This study demonstrated that there were changes in specific patterns of ALFF and ReHo in children with right-eye amblyopia of different degrees in brain regions performing visual sensorimotor and attentional control functions.

How attention factors into executive function in preschool children.

Executive Function consists of self-regulation processes which underlie our ability to plan, coordinate, and complete goal-directed actions in our daily lives. While attention is widely considered to be central to the emergence and development of executive function during early childhood, it is not clear if it is integral or separable from other executive function processes. Previous studies have not addressed this question satisfactorily because executive function and attention are multidimensional constructs, but they are often studied without differentiating the specific processes that are tested. Moreover, some studies consist of only one task per process, making it difficult to ascertain if the pattern of results is attributable to different processes or more simply to task variance. The main aim of this study was to more fully investigate how attention factored into the underlying structure of executive function in preschool children. Preschool children (n = 137) completed a battery of tasks which included executive function (i.e., response inhibition, working memory) and attentional control (i.e., sustained attention, selective attention) processes; there were two tasks per process. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to test which of three models fit the data best: (1) a unitary one-factor model with attention loading onto the same factor as other executive function processes, (2) a two-factor model with attention loading onto a separate factor than other executive function processes, or (3) a three-factor model with attention, response inhibition, and working memory as separate factors. Fit indices and model comparisons indicated that the two-factor model fit the data best, suggesting that attentional control and executive function were related, but separable. Although this study is not the first to advocate for a two-factor model during the preschool years, it is the first to suggest that the two factors are attentional control and executive function, not working memory and response inhibition. One important implication of these findings is that a complete assessment of executive function during the preschool years necessitates measuring not only response inhibition and working memory, but attentional control as well.

Cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis: Auditory and visual attention and inhibitory control

Background A growing body of evidence has been paid to the cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, studies concerning cognitive functions in MS have also yielded conflicting results. This study investigates the attention and inhibitory control functions in patients with MS and their relationship with other clinical features, such as depression and fatigue in these patients. Methods Participants included 80 patients with MS and 60 healthy controls. The attention and inhibitory control, fatigue, and psychiatric screening in all subjects were studied, respectively with the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results Patients with MS performed the IVA-CPT task more poorly than the healthy control group (p < 0.001). However, multiple regression analysis did not show any significant relationship between disease duration, FSS, and HADS on attention and inhibitory control. Conclusion Inhibitory control and attention are significantly impaired in patients with MS. Finding the basics of cognitive deficits in MS have potentially important clinical implications for developing better cognitive rehabilitation strategies.

School-based group intervention in attention and executive functions: Intervention response and moderators.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the effects of a school-based skill-training intervention in attention control and executive functions for pupils with hyperactivity-impulsivity (H-I) and cognitive control (CC) deficits. The main aim was to examine whether the intervention differently influenced H-I and CC, and whether cognitive abilities or conduct problems moderated response to the intervention.MethodElementary school pupils from 41 schools participated the study and were divided into an intervention group (n = 71) and a waitlist control group (n = 77). Intervention outcomes were assessed with an inventory assessing executive function difficulties (including H-I and CC) completed by classroom teachers.ResultsSignificant intervention effects and positive changes were detected in CC but not in H-I. Significant intervention effects were found mainly among pupils with low levels of conduct problems.ConclusionsThe results suggest that a skill-training intervention has specific positive effects on CC, but conduct problems may diminish response to intervention.

Altered time-varying local spontaneous brain activity pattern in patients with high myopia: a dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations study.

To investigate the abnormal time-varying local spontaneous brain activity in patients with high myopia (HM) on the basis of the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF) approach. Age and gender matching were performed based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 86 HM patients and 87 healthy controls (HCs). Local spontaneous brain activities were evaluated using the time-varying dALFF method. Support vector machine combined with the radial basis function kernel was used for pattern classification analysis. Inter-group comparison between HCs and HM patients has demonstrated that dALFF variability in the left inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part), left lingual gyrus, right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, and right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex was decreased in HM patients, while increased in the left thalamus, left paracentral lobule, and left inferior parietal (except supramarginal and angular gyri). Pattern classification between HM patients and HCs displayed a classification accuracy of 85.5%. In this study, the findings mentioned above have suggested the association between local brain activities of HM patients and abnormal variability in brain regions performing visual sensorimotor and attentional control functions. Several useful information has been provided to elucidate the mechanism-related alterations of the myopic nervous system. In addition, the significant role of abnormal dALFF variability has been highlighted to achieve an in-depth comprehension of the pathological alterations and neuroimaging mechanisms in the field of HM.

The association between anxiety and mindfulness while emphasizing the mediating role of attention control functions

Introduction: Several studies showed that anxiety affects cognitive components, mainly working memory function, and mindfulness also may be affected by this factor. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between anxiety and mindfulness while emphasizing the mediating role of attention control functions. Method: The correlational research method and the statistical population included all subjects referred to a counseling center and a painting school in Tabriz, a music school in Saqqez, and staff of Urmia University in 2021. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method, yielding a total of 244 subjects. All subjects filled the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Participants also responded to the tasks of Signal-Stop Task (2003) and N-Back Memory Test (1958). Data analysis was administered using SPSS-19 by descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e., Pearson and Sobel correlation tests). Results: The results showed a significant association between trait anxiety (r=0.56, p&lt;0.001), state (r=-0.50, p&lt;0.001), and update component (r=0.22, p&lt;0.001) with mindfulness, but there was no significant association between inhibition component (r=-0.001, p&gt;0.001) and mindfulness. Also, the indirect effect of trait anxiety and state on mindfulness through inhibition and updating components was not significant. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that trait-state anxiety has no significant association with mindfulness through attention control functions, and further studies using various tools are needed to investigate the effect of anxiety on cognitive functions.

Internalizing Symptoms and Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated With Functional Connectivity in a Middle Childhood Sample

BackgroundResearch has found overlapping associations in adults of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) to both internalizing disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) and a history of traumatic events. The present study aimed to extend this previous research to a younger sample by examining RSFC associations with both internalizing symptoms and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in middle childhood. MethodsWe used generalized linear mixed models to examine associations between a priori within- and between-network RSFC with child-reported internalizing symptoms and ACEs using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development dataset (N = 10,168, mean age = 9.95 years, SD = 0.627). ResultsWe found that internalizing symptoms and ACEs were associated with both multiple overlapping and unique RSFC network patterns. Both ACEs and internalizing symptoms were associated with a reduced anticorrelation between the default mode network and the dorsal attention network. However, internalizing symptoms were uniquely associated with lower within-network default mode network connectivity, while ACEs were uniquely associated with both lower between-network connectivity of the auditory network and cingulo-opercular network, and higher within-network frontoparietal network connectivity. ConclusionsThe present study points to overlap in the RSFC associations with internalizing symptoms and ACEs, as well as important areas of specificity in RSFC associations. Many of the RSFC associations found have been previously implicated in attentional control functions, including modulation of attention to sensory stimuli. This may have critical importance in understanding internalizing symptoms and outcomes of ACEs.

Reduced Glx and GABA Inductions in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Caudate Nucleus Are Related to Impaired Control of Attention in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs the control of attention and behavioral inhibition in affected individuals. Recent genome-wide association findings have revealed an association between glutamate and GABA gene sets and ADHD symptoms. Consistently, people with ADHD show altered glutamate and GABA content in the brain circuitry that is important for attention control function. Yet, it remains unknown how glutamate and GABA content in the attention control circuitry change when people are controlling their attention, and whether these changes can predict impaired attention control in people with ADHD. To study these questions, we recruited 18 adults with ADHD (31–51 years) and 16 adults without ADHD (28–54 years). We studied glutamate + glutamine (Glx) and GABA content in the fronto-striatal circuitry while participants performed attention control tasks. We found that Glx and GABA concentrations at rest did not differ between participants with ADHD or without ADHD. However, while participants were performing the attention control tasks, participants with ADHD showed smaller Glx and GABA increases than participants without ADHD. Notably, smaller GABA increases in participants with ADHD significantly predicted their poor task performance. Together, these findings provide the first demonstration showing that attention control deficits in people with ADHD may be related to insufficient responses of the GABAergic system in the fronto-striatal circuitry.

Brain-wide mapping of inputs to the mouse lateral posterior (LP/Pulvinar) thalamus-anterior cingulate cortex network.

The rodent homolog of the primate pulvinar, the lateral posterior (LP) thalamus, is extensively interconnected with multiple cortical areas. While these cortical interactions can span the entire LP, subdivisions of the LP are characterized by differential connections with specific cortical regions. In particular, the medial LP has reciprocal connections with frontoparietal cortical areas, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The ACC plays an integral role in top‐down sensory processing and attentional regulation, likely exerting some of these functions via the LP. However, little is known about how ACC and LP interact, and about the information potentially integrated in this reciprocal network. Here, we address this gap by employing a projection‐specific monosynaptic rabies tracing strategy to delineate brain‐wide inputs to bottom‐up LP→ACC and top‐down ACC→LP neurons. We find that LP→ACC neurons receive inputs from widespread cortical regions, including primary and higher order sensory and motor cortical areas. LP→ACC neurons also receive extensive subcortical inputs, particularly from the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus (SC). Sensory inputs to ACC→LP neurons largely arise from visual cortical areas. In addition, ACC→LP neurons integrate cross‐hemispheric prefrontal cortex inputs as well as inputs from higher order medial cortex. Our brain‐wide anatomical mapping of inputs to the reciprocal LP‐ACC pathways provides a roadmap for understanding how LP and ACC communicate different sources of information to mediate attentional control and visuomotor functions.

Effects of vulnerable personality traits of PTSD, working memory abilities and peritraumatic cognitive processing on analogue traumatic flashbacks

<p id=p00010>Trauma-related flashback (also called intrusive imagery) is one of the most typical re-experience symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has important impacts on the development of PTSD. The cognitive model of PTSD and the dual representation theory of PTSD both emphasize the effects of abnormal peritraumatic cognitive processing (i.e., data-driven processing or sensational representation being strengthened while conceptual processing or contextual representation being weakened). Some vulnerable personality traits of PTSD and working memory abilities are also focused in studies of analogue and real trauma, and are considered as risk factors and protective factors respectively. This study aimed to examine the effects of vulnerable personality traits of PTSD, working memory abilities and peritraumatic cognitive processing on flashbacks in different periods after analogue trauma. <break/>A total of 159 healthy college students (38 males; age = 17~26 ys, <italic>M</italic> = 20.44 ± 1.80) participated in the study, who were screened by a self-designed health status questionnaire (e.g., “Did you receive psychotherapy or psychopharmaceutical treatment in recent two years?”), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Self-report Anxiety Scale (SAS). In the laboratory, they were asked to watch a 14’34’’ long Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) film alone. Trait anxiety, trait dissociation, neuroticism and attentional control were measured before watching the film respectively by State-trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait version (STAI-T), Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II), the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC), and Attentional Control Scale (ACS), while working memory capacity was tested by a revised Operation Span Task (OSPAN) seven days later. Immediately after the film, data-driven processing and conceptual processing were measured by Thoughts and Feelings Questionnaire-Chinese Revised (TFQ-CR). Five minutes after the film, participants firstly read a standardized description about the film-related flashback until they fully understood it with the help of the experimenter, and then reported immediate flashback (number, vividness and distress level). In the following week after the laboratory portion, participants independently reported flashback at three regular time points every day through WeChat or QQ. Upon coming back to the laboratory, they reported the frequency of posttraumatic symptoms through the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and triggered flashback after finishing a single-blind fake task assessing the degree in which they liked (10 relevant to the film). <break/>Structural equation model (SEM) and Bootstrap method were mainly adopted in the statistical analyses. Results showed that data-driven processing positively predicted the number, vividness and distress level of all three kinds of flashbacks (i.e., immediate, one-week and triggered) and one-week frequency of intrusion; higher neuroticism predicted higher distress level of triggered flashback; attentional control and working memory capacity both negatively predicted one-week frequency of intrusion. Conceptual processing played a mediating role between attentional control and distress level of immediate flashback. Furthermore, attentional control was positively associated with conceptual processing, whereas conceptual processing negatively predicted distress level of immediate flashback. <break/>These findings suggest that data-driven processing is the main factor influencing flashbacks in different periods after trauma; conceptual processing mainly affects the early acute stress response, while attentional control functions as a protective factor; neuroticism and working memory ability have long-term effects on flashback, and working memory ability serves as a protective factor.

Functional and Structural Architectures of Allocentric and Egocentric Spatial Coding in Aging: A Combined DTI and fMRI Study.

BackgroundAging disrupts the optimal balance between neural nodes underlying orienting and attention control functions. Previous studies have suggested that age-related changes in cognitive process are associated to the changes in the myelinated fiber bundles, which affected the speed and actions of the signal propagation across different neural networks. However, whether the age-related difference in allocentric and egocentric spatial coding is accounted by the difference in white-matter integrity is unclear. In this study, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we sought to elucidate whether age-related differences in white matter integrity accounts for the difference in nodes to the distributed spatial coding-relevant brain networks.Material and MethodOlder (n = 24) and younger (n = 27) participants completed the structural DTI and fMRI scans during which they engaged in a cue-to-target task to elicit allocentric or egocentric processes.Results and ConclusionEfficient modulation of both allocentric and egocentric spatial coding in fronto-parietal attention network (FPAN) requires structure–function interaction. Allocentric task-modulated connectivity of the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and dorsal attention network (DAN) with the temporal lobe was influenced by the aging differences of the white-matter tracts of the posterior and superior corona radiata (PCR and SCR), respectively. On the other hand, aging difference of the superior longitudinal fasciculus mainly influenced the egocentric-task-modulated connections of the DAN and FPN with frontal regions and posterior cingulate cortex. This study suggested that functional connections of the FPAN with near and far task-relevant nodes vary significantly with age and conditions.

A critical analysis of the functional parameters of the quiet eye using immersive virtual reality.

Directing ocular fixations toward a target assists the planning and control of visually guided actions. In far aiming tasks, the quiet eye, an instance of premovement gaze anchoring, has been extensively studied as a key performance variable. However, theories of quiet eye are yet to establish the exact functional role of the location and duration of the fixation. The present work used immersive virtual reality to manipulate key parameters of the quiet eye-location (Experiment 1) and duration (Experiment 2)-to test competing theoretical predictions about their importance. Across two preregistered experiments, novice participants (n = 127) completed a series of golf putts while their eye movements, putting accuracy, and putting kinematics were recorded. In Experiment 1, participants' premovement fixation was cued to locations on the ball, near the ball, and far from the ball. In Experiment 2, long and short quiet eye durations were induced using auditory tones as cues to movement phases. Linear mixed effects models indicated that manipulations of location and duration had little effect on performance or movement kinematics. The findings suggest that, for novices, the spatial and temporal parameters of the final fixation may not be critical for movement preprogramming and may instead reflect attentional control or movement inhibition functions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The COMT rs4680 polymorphism, family functioning and preschoolers' attentional control indexed by intraindividual reaction time variability.

Trial-to-trial intraindividual reaction time variability (IIRTV) serves as an index of attentional control and related endogenous brain function. What determinants contribute to preschoolers' attentional control indexed by IIRTV remains unknown. The present study examined how catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 polymorphism interacted with family functioning (cohesion and adaptability) to impact on preschoolers' attentional control indexed by IIRTV. One hundred forty-four preschool children (Mage =4.19, SD=0.63) completed the flanker task to assess their IIRTV. Their parents were asked to fill out the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale II to assess family functioning. After controlling for age, socioeconomic status (SES) and mean reaction time, results showed that the COMT rs4680 polymorphism was positively associated with preschoolers' IIRTV at the 5% significance level (p=.02) but not after multiple testing adjustment (p=.08). Moreover the COMT rs4680 polymorphism significantly interacted with family functioning to impact on preschoolers' IIRTV and the interaction effects remained significant after correction for multiple testing (p=.01, ΔR2 =0.06 in congruent conditions; p=.04, ΔR2 =0.04 in combined conditions). In addition, the significant interaction between SES and COMT rs4680 polymorphism was also found in the present study (p=.01, ΔR2 =0.05 in congruent conditions; p=.05, ΔR2 =0.03 in combined conditions). No sex differences were found in the present sample. The findings of the present study expand our knowledge about the gene×environment underpinnings of children's attentional control and endogenous brain function, and provide evidence for the Vantage Sensitivity model on children's development.

Attentional Control and Executive Function

ABSTRACTThe processes of attentional control and executive function are critical for navigating and operating efficiently in everyday life, and deficits in these core processes have serious consequences. Despite a long history of research into these topics, much is still unknown about the brain mechanisms supporting these processes. This special issue of Cognitive Neuroscience: Current Debates, Research & Reports presents nine new empirical papers investigating the dynamic neural mechanisms of attentional selection, working memory, and executive control. The papers in this special issue utilize electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, along with advanced analysis techniques, to identify the neural substrates and dynamic mechanisms underlying the orienting and shifting of attention, as well as the representation and maintenance of information in working memory. These articles inform theories of attentional selection by providing a deeper understanding of social influences on the allocation of attention as well as illuminating the role of selection history in biasing neural activity and behavior. Finally, the research presented here has broader impacts on the field of cognitive neuroscience, as results from studies investigating the coupling between bands of oscillatory neural activity provide exciting new insights into the coordination between widespread brain networks.

Attention and inhibitory control deficits in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizure

This study aimed to evaluate the attention and inhibitory control functions in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) and compare the results with the healthy control subjects. A total of 30 patients with GGE, 30 patients with PNES, and 32 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The severity of attention and inhibitory control deficit, general intelligence status, and psychopathology screening in all subjects were respectively investigated with the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and the Symptoms Checklist 90-revised (SCL-90-R). Patients with PNES had severe impairments in all performed tasks compared with the control group and the group with GGE (p < 0.01), whereas patients with GGE had significantly lower attention quotient versus healthy subjects (p < 0.01). The full-scale attention quotient (FSAQ) and full-scale response control quotient (FSRCQ) in patients with PNES were significantly lower in comparison with GGE (47.83 ± 32.68, 60.18 ± 35.35, p < 0.01), respectively. Multiple regression analysis did not demonstrate any significant effect of seizure frequency or epilepsy duration on attention and inhibitory control deficits, but patient's intelligence quotient (IQ) showed a significant effect on FSAQ and FSRCQ (β: 0.997, p < 0.001; β: 0.933, p < 0.001, respectively). Attention and inhibitory control are significantly impaired in patients with GGE and PNES. The cognitive deficits in patients with GGE and PNES have potentially important clinical implications in planning their neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Loneliness and depression dissociated on parietal-centered networks in cognitive and resting states.

Perceived loneliness, an increasingly prevalent social issue, is closely associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the neural mechanisms previously implicated in key cognitive and affective processes in loneliness and MDD still remain unclear. Such understanding is critical for delineating the psychobiological basis of the relationship between loneliness and MDD. We isolated the unique and interactive cognitive and neural substrates of loneliness and MDD among 27 MDD patients (mean age = 51.85 years, 20 females), and 25 matched healthy controls (HCs; mean age = 48.72 years, 19 females). We assessed participants' behavioral performance and neural regional and network functions on a Stroop color-word task, and their resting-state neural connectivity. Behaviorally, we found greater incongruence-related accuracy cost in MDD patients, but reduced incongruence effect on reaction time in lonelier individuals. When performing the Stroop task, loneliness positively predicted prefrontal-anterior cingulate-parietal connectivity across all participants, whereas MDD patients showed a decrease in connectivity compared to controls. Furthermore, loneliness negatively predicted parietal and cerebellar activities in MDD patients, but positively predicted the same activities in HCs. During resting state, MDD patients showed reduced parietal-anterior cingulate connectivity, which again positively correlated with loneliness in this group. We speculate the distinct neurocognitive profile of loneliness might indicate increase in both bottom-up attention and top-down executive control functions. However, the upregulated cognitive control processes in lonely individuals may eventually become exhausted, which may in turn predispose to MDD onset.

Attempt of voluntary attention control function measurement by event-related potential P300

Attempt of voluntary attention control function measurement by event-related potential P300

Correlation Among Behavior, Personality, and Electroencephalography Revealed by a Simulated Driving Experiment

Drivers play the most important role in the human-vehicle-environment system and driving behaviors are significantly influenced by the cognitive state of the driver and his/her personality. In this paper, we aimed to explore the correlation among driving behaviors, personality and electroencephalography (EEG) using a simulated driving experiment. A total of 36 healthy subjects participated in the study. The 64-channel EEG data and the driving data, including the real-time position of the vehicle, the rotation angle of the steering wheel and the speed were acquired simultaneously during driving. The Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) was utilized to evaluate the personalities of subjects. Through hierarchical clustering of the 16PF personality traits, the subjects were divided into four groups, i.e., the Inapprehension group, Insensitivity group, Apprehension group and the Unreasoning group, named after their representative personality trait. Their driving performance and turning behaviors were compared and EEG preprocessing, source reconstruction and the comparisons among the four groups were performed using Statistical Parameter Mapping (SPM). The turning process of the subjects can be formulated into two steps, rotating the steering wheel toward the turning direction and entering the turn, and then rotating the steering wheel back and leaving the turn. The bilateral frontal gyrus was found to be activated when turning left and right, which might be associated with its function in attention, decision-making and executive control functions in visual-spatial and visual-motor processes. The Unreasoning group had the worst driving performance with highest rates of car collision and the most intensive driving action, which was related to a higher load of visual spatial attention and decision making, when the occipital and superior frontal areas played a very important role. Apprehension (O) and Tension (Q4) had a positive correlation, and Reasoning (B) had a negative correlation with dangerous driving behaviors. Our results demonstrated the close correlation among driving behaviors, personality and EEG and may be taken as a reference for the prediction and precaution of dangerous driving behaviors in people with specific personality traits.

Trait Mindfulness and Functional Connectivity in Cognitive and Attentional Resting State Networks.

Mindfulness has been described as an orienting of attention to the present moment, with openness and compassion. Individuals displaying high trait mindfulness exhibit this tendency as a more permanent personality attribute. Given the numerous physical and mental health benefits associated with mindfulness, there is a great interest in understanding the neural substrates of this trait. The purpose of the current research was to examine how individual differences in trait mindfulness associated with functional connectivity in five resting-state networks related to cognition and attention: the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN), the central executive network (CEN), and the dorsal and ventral attention networks (DAN and VAN). Twenty-eight undergraduate participants completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), a self-report measure of trait mindfulness which also provides scores on five of its sub-categories (Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Non-judging of Inner Experience, and Non-reactivity to Inner Experience). Participants then underwent a structural MRI scan and a 7-min resting state functional MRI scan. Resting-state data were analyzed using independent-component analyses. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to determine the relationship between each resting state network and each FFMQ score. These analyses indicated that: (1) trait mindfulness and its facets showed increased functional connectivity with neural regions related to attentional control, interoception, and executive function; and (2) trait mindfulness and its facets showed decreased functional connectivity with neural regions related to self-referential processing and mind wandering. These patterns of functional connectivity are consistent with some of the benefits of mindfulness—enhanced attention, self-regulation, and focus on present experience. This study provides support for the notion that non-judgmental attention to the present moment facilitates the integration of regions in neural networks that are related to cognition, attention, and sensation.

Differential impact of acute hypoxia on event related potentials: impaired task-irrelevant, but preserved task-relevant processing and response inhibition

The current study investigated how experimentally induced acute normobaric hypoxia affects attentional control functions during easy, monotonous visual sustained attention and response inhibition (modified Continuous Performance Task) and executive control tasks (number-size Stroop task). Along with behavioral efficiency, task-relevant and task-irrelevant information processing were investigated by measuring event related brain potentials (ERP) evoked by target stimuli (Target P3), task-relevant stimuli with no response needed (NoGo P3), and task-irrelevant novel stimuli (Novelty P3) during acute hypoxia exposure. Normobaric hypoxia was induced by adjusting the O2 content of the breathing mixture to obtain 80% peripheral oxygen saturation, equivalent of 5500 m above sea level. Here we report decreased Novelty P3 during acute normobaric hypoxia exposure, while Target P3 and NoGo P3, as well as behavioral efficiency remained intact. Our paper is the first to provide evidence for impaired novelty processing along with intact task-relevant information processing and response inhibition during normobaric hypoxic exposure.