scholarly journals Choosing Money over Drugs: The Neural Underpinnings of Difficult Choice in Chronic Cocaine Users

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Wesley ◽  
Terry Lohrenz ◽  
Mikhail N. Koffarnus ◽  
Samuel M. McClure ◽  
Richard De La Garza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intertemporal Choice ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Dorsal Striatum ◽  
Revealed Preferences ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Cocaine Users ◽  
Neural Underpinnings ◽  
Choice Tasks

Addiction is considered a disorder that drives individuals to choose drugs at the expense of healthier alternatives. However, chronic cocaine users (CCUs) who meet addiction criteria retain the ability to choose money in the presence of the opportunity to choose cocaine. The neural mechanisms that differentiate CCUs from non-cocaine using controls (Controls) while executing these preferred choices remain unknown. Thus, therapeutic strategies aimed at shifting preferences towards healthier alternatives remain somewhat uninformed. This study used BOLD neuroimaging to examine brain activity as fifty CCUs and Controls performed single- and cross-commodity intertemporal choice tasks for money and/or cocaine. Behavioral analyses revealed preferences for each commodity type. Imaging analyses revealed the brain activity that differentiated CCUs from Controls while choosing money over cocaine. We observed that CCUs devalued future commodities more than Controls. Choices for money as opposed to cocaine correlated with greater activity in dorsal striatum of CCUs, compared to Controls. In addition, choices for future money as opposed to immediate cocaine engaged the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of CCUs more than Controls. These data suggest that the ability of CCUs to execute choices away from cocaine relies on activity in the dorsal striatum and left DLPFC.

scholarly journals Plasma Kynurenine Level is Associated With Left DLPFC Activity and Can Predict Treatment Response in Major Depressive Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiharu Kamishikiryo ◽  
Go Okada ◽  
Eri Itai ◽  
Yoshikazu Masuda ◽  
Satoshi Yokoyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Response ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Depression Score ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Regional Brain ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Regional Brain Activity

Abstract To establish treatment response biomarkers that reflect the pathophysiology of depression, it is important to use an integrated set of features that are promising as biomarkers. This study aimed to determine the relationship between blood metabolites related to treatment response to escitalopram and regional brain activity at rest and to find the characteristics of depression that respond to treatment. Blood metabolite levels and resting brain activity were measured in patients with depression (N = 65) before and after 6 weeks treatment with escitalopram and healthy controls (N = 36). Thirty-two patients (49.2%) showed clinical response (>50% reduction in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score) and were classified as Responders, and the remaining 33 patients were classified as Nonresponders. Pretreatment plasma kynurenine level and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were lower in Responders, and their elevations after treatment were correlated with improvement in symptoms. Moreover, fALFF of the left DLPFC was significantly correlated with plasma kynurenine level in pretreatment patients with depression and healthy controls. Decreased kynurenine level and resting-state regional brain activity of the left DLPFC may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression in response to escitalopram treatment.

scholarly journals Top–Down Inhibitory Mechanisms Underlying Auditory–Motor Integration for Voice Control: Evidence by TMS

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 4515-4527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxu Liu ◽  
Guangyan Dai ◽  
Churong Liu ◽  
Zhiqiang Guo ◽  
Zhiqin Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Feedback ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Vocal Production ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Pitch Regulation ◽  
Condition C

Abstract The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been implicated in auditory–motor integration for accurate control of vocal production, but its precise role in this feedback-based process remains largely unknown. To this end, the present event-related potential study applied a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocol, continuous theta-burst stimulation (c-TBS), to disrupt cortical activity in the left DLPFC as young adults vocalized vowel sounds while hearing their voice unexpectedly shifted upwards in pitch. The results showed that, as compared to the sham condition, c-TBS over left DLPFC led to significantly larger vocal compensations for pitch perturbations that were accompanied by significantly smaller cortical P2 responses. Source localization analyses revealed that this brain activity pattern was the result of reduced activation in the left superior frontal gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule (supramarginal gyrus). These findings demonstrate c-TBS-induced modulatory effects of DLPFC on the neurobehavioral processing of vocal pitch regulation, suggesting that disrupting prefrontal function may impair top–down inhibitory control mechanisms that prevent speech production from being excessively influenced by auditory feedback, resulting in enhanced vocal compensations for feedback perturbations. This is the first study that provides direct evidence for a causal role of the left DLPFC in auditory feedback control of vocal production.

scholarly journals Prefrontal activation related to spontaneous creativity with rock music improvisation: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsumichi Tachibana ◽  
J. Adam Noah ◽  
Yumie Ono ◽  
Daisuke Taguchi ◽  
Shuichi Ueda
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Rock Music ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Abstract Understanding how the brain modulates improvisation has been the focus of numerous studies in recent years. Models have suggested regulation of activity between default mode and executive control networks play a role in improvisational execution. Several studies comparing formulaic to improvised sequences support this framework and document increases in activity in medial frontal lobe with decreased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). These patterns can be influenced through training and neural responses may differ between in beginner and expert musicians. Our goal was to test the generalizability of this framework and determine similarity in neural activity in the prefrontal cortex during improvisation. Twenty guitarists performed improvised and formulaic sequences in a blues rock format while brain activity was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Results indicate similar modulation in DLPFC as seen previously. Specific decreases of activity from left DLPFC in the end compared to beginning or middle of improvised sequences were also found. Despite the range of skills of participants, we also found significant correlation between subjective feelings of improvisational performance and modulation in left DLPFC. Processing of subjective feelings regardless of skill may contribute to neural modulation and may be a factor in understanding neural activity during improvisation.

scholarly journals Loss of functional specificity in the dorsal striatum of chronic cocaine users

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 88-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen A. Hanlon ◽  
Michael J. Wesley ◽  
Linda J. Porrino
Keyword(s):  
Dorsal Striatum ◽  
Functional Specificity ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
Cocaine Users

scholarly journals How Reliable are Prefrontal tDCS Effects – Zero–effects on the Keep–track Task?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dunja Paunović ◽  
Danka Purić ◽  
Jovana Bjekić ◽  
Saša Filipović
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Posterior Parietal ◽  
Neural Underpinnings

AbstractRecent neuroimaging studies showed that in addition to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) plays a significant role in higher cognitive processes such as executive functions. In this study we aimed to explore the neural underpinnings of executive function of updating by exploring the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over dlPFC and PCC. Nineteen healthy right–handed participants took part in a cross–over sham–controlled experiment. All participants underwent three tDCS conditions (active tDCS over the left dlPFC; active tDCS over the left PPC; and sham) in counterbalanced order. Following tDCS participants completed the keep–track task, with parallel forms being used in different test–sessions. As a control measure, we used a choice reaction time task. Results showed no significant effects of tDCS regardless of the localization of stimulation. Our results are in contrast with results of other studies exploring prefrontal tDCS effects on updating and do not allow for deriving conclusions about the role of the left PPC in the ability to update information in working memory.

scholarly journals Your presence soothes me: a neural process model of aversive emotion regulation via social buffering

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 561-570
Author(s):  
Satja Mulej Bratec ◽  
Teresa Bertram ◽  
Georg Starke ◽  
Felix Brandl ◽  
Xiyao Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Neural Process ◽  
Social Buffering ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Neural Underpinnings ◽  
Using Data

Abstract The reduction of aversive emotions by a conspecific’s presence—called social buffering—is a universal phenomenon in the mammalian world and a powerful form of human social emotion regulation. Animal and human studies on neural pathways underlying social buffering typically examined physiological reactions or regional brain activations. However, direct links between emotional and social stimuli, distinct neural processes and behavioural outcomes are still missing. Using data of 27 female participants, the current study delineated a large-scale process model of social buffering’s neural underpinnings, connecting changes in neural activity to emotional behaviour by means of voxel-wise multilevel mediation analysis. Our results confirmed that three processes underlie human social buffering: (i) social support-related reduction of activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, anterior and mid-cingulate; (ii) downregulation of aversive emotion-induced brain activity in the superficial cortex-like amygdala and mediodorsal thalamus; and (iii) downregulation of reported aversive feelings. Results of the current study provide evidence for a distinct neural process model of aversive emotion regulation in humans by social buffering.

Temporal Discounting Across Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra Leigh Seaman ◽  
Sade J Abiodun ◽  
Zöe Fenn ◽  
Gregory Russell Samanez-Larkin ◽  
Rui Mata
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Intertemporal Choice ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Temporal Discounting ◽  
Total N ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Adult Age Differences ◽  
Choice Tasks

A number of developmental theories have been proposed that make differential predictions about the links between age and temporal discounting; that is, the valuation of rewards at different points in time. Most empirical studies examining adult age differences in temporal discounting have relied on economic intertemporal choice tasks, which pit choosing a smaller, sooner monetary reward against choosing a larger, later one. Although initial studies using these tasks suggested older adults discount less than younger adults, follow-up studies provided heterogeneous, and thus inconclusive, results. Using an open science approach, we test the replicability of adult age differences in temporal discounting by conducting a preregistered systematic literature search and meta-analysis of adult age differences in intertemporal choice tasks. Across 37 cross-sectional studies (Total N = 104,736), we found no reliable relation between age and temporal discounting (r = -0.081, 95% CI [-0.185, 0.025]). We also found little evidence of publication bias or p-hacking. Exploratory analyses of moderators found no effect of experimental design (e.g., extreme-group vs. continuous age), incentives (hypothetical vs. rewards), amount of delay (e.g., days, weeks, months, or years), or quantification of discounting behavior (e.g., proportion of immediate choices vs. parameters from computational modeling). Additional analyses of 12 participant-level data sets found little support for a nonlinear relation between age and temporal discounting across adulthood. Overall, the results suggest that adult age is not reliably associated with individual differences in temporal discounting. We provide recommendations for future empirical work on temporal discounting across the adult life span.

Noninvasive brain stimulation for patients with a disorder of consciousness: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 905-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yali Feng ◽  
Jiaqi Zhang ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Zhongfei Bai ◽  
Ying Yin
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Minimally Conscious State ◽  
Conscious State ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation ◽  
Disorder Of Consciousness ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Minimally Conscious

AbstractNoninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have been used to facilitate the recovery from prolonged unconsciousness as a result of brain injury. The aim of this study is to systematically assess the effects of NIBS in patients with a disorder of consciousness (DOC). We searched four databases for any randomized controlled trials on the effect of NIBS in patients with a DOC, which used the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) as the primary outcome measure. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to pool effect sizes. Fourteen studies with 273 participants were included in this review, of which 12 studies with sufficient data were included in the meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis showed a significant effect on increasing CRS-R scores in favor of real stimulation as compared to sham (Hedges’ g = 0.522; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.318–0.726; P < 0.0001, I2 = 0.00%). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that only anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) significantly enhances the CRS-R scores in patients with a DOC, as compared to sham (Hedges’ g = 0.703; 95% CI, 0.419–0.986; P < 0.001), and this effect was predominant in patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS) (Hedges’ g = 0.815; 95% CI, 0.429–1.200; P < 0.001). Anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC appears to be an effective approach for patients with MCS.

scholarly journals The effect of high-frequency rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the resolution of response, semantic and task conflict in the colour-word Stroop task

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin A. Parris ◽  
Michael G. Wadsley ◽  
Gizem Arabaci ◽  
Nabil Hasshim ◽  
Maria Augustinova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Word Reading ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Task Conflict ◽  
General Effect ◽  
Task Set ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

AbstractPrevious work investigating the effect of rTMS of left Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) on Stroop task performance reports no changes to the Stroop effect but reduced reaction times on both congruent and incongruent trials relative to sham stimulation; an effect attributed to an enhanced attentional (or task) set for colour classification. The present study tested this account by investigating whether, relative to vertex stimulation, rTMS of the left DLPFC modifies task conflict, a form of conflict that arises when task sets for colour classification and word reading compete, given that this particular type of conflict would be reduced by an enhanced task set for colour classification. Furthermore, the present study included measures of other forms of conflict present in the Stroop task (response and semantic conflict), the potential effects on which would have been hidden in previous studies employing only incongruent and congruent stimuli. Our data showed that left DLPFC stimulation had no effect on the magnitude of task conflict, nor did it affect response, semantic or overall conflict (where the null is supported by sensitive Bayes Factors in most cases). However, consistent with previous research left DLPFC stimulation had the general effect of reducing reaction times. We, therefore, show for the first time that relative to real vertex stimulation left DLPFC stimulation does not modify Stroop interference. Alternative accounts of the role of the left DLPFC in Stroop task performance in which it either modifies response thresholds or facilitates responding by keeping the correct response keys active in working memory are discussed.

scholarly journals Correlation between Traits of Emotion-Based Impulsivity and Intrinsic Default-Mode Network Activity

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jizheng Zhao ◽  
Dardo Tomasi ◽  
Corinde E. Wiers ◽  
Ehsan Shokri-Kojori ◽  
Şükrü B. Demiral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
High Risk Behaviors ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Negative urgency (NU) and positive urgency (PU) are implicated in several high-risk behaviors, such as eating disorders, substance use disorders, and nonsuicidal self-injury behavior. The current study aimed to explore the possible link between trait of urgency and brain activity at rest. We assessed the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal in 85 healthy volunteers. Trait urgency measures were related to ALFF in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral and dorsal medial frontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus. In addition, trait urgency measures showed significant correlations with the functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus seed with the thalamus and midbrain region. These findings suggest an association between intrinsic brain activity and impulsive behaviors in healthy humans.

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