Search

Study objectivesInsomnia symptoms are prevalent along the trajectory of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the neurobiological underpinning of their interaction is poorly understood. Here, we assessed structural and functional brain measures within and between the default mode network (DMN), salience network, and central executive network (CEN).MethodsWe selected 320 participants from the ADNI database and divided them by their diagnosis: cognitively normal (CN), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and AD, with and without self-reported insomnia symptoms. We measured the gray matter volume (GMV), structural covariance (SC), degrees centrality (DC), and functional connectivity (FC), testing the effect and interaction of insomnia symptoms and diagnosis on each index. Subsequently, we performed a within-group linear regression across each network and ROI. Finally, we correlated observed abnormalities with changes in cognitive and affective scores.ResultsInsomnia symptoms were associated with FC alterations across all groups. The AD group also demonstrated an interaction between insomnia and diagnosis. Within-group analyses revealed that in CN and MCI, insomnia symptoms were characterized by within-network hyperconnectivity, while in AD, within- and between-network hypoconnectivity was ubiquitous. SC and GMV alterations were nonsignificant in the presence of insomnia symptoms, and DC indices only showed network-level alterations in the CEN of AD individuals. Abnormal FC within and between DMN and CEN hubs was additionally associated with reduced cognitive function across all groups, and increased depressive symptoms in AD.ConclusionsWe conclude that patients with clinical AD present with a unique pattern of insomnia-related functional alterations, highlighting the profound interaction between both conditions.

Abnormalities in large-scale neuronal networks—the frontoparietal central executive network (CEN)—are consistent findings in bipolar disorder and potential therapeutic targets for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The present study aimed to assess the effects of CEN neurocircuit-based sequential TMS on the clinical symptoms and cognitive functions of adolescents with bipolar II disorder. The study was a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-control trial. Participants with DSM-5-defined bipolar disorder II were recruited and randomized to receive either a sham treatment (n = 20) or an active TMS treatment (n = 22). The active group patients were taking medication, with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) treatment provided as adjunctive treatment targeting the left DLPFC, the left ITG, and the left PPC nodes consecutively. Patients completed the measurements of HAMD and the Das-Naglieri Cognition Assessment System at baseline and 3 weeks after the intervention. A significant group-by-time interaction was observed in the HAMD, total cognition, and planning. Post-hoc analysis revealed that patients in the active group significantly improved HAMD scores following neurostimulation. Moreover, within-subject analysis indicated that the active group significantly improved in scores of total cognition and planning, while the sham group did not. No significant differences were seen in the other cognitive measures. The neurocircuit-based sequential TMS protocol targeting three CEN nodes, in conjunction with medication, safely and effectively improved depressive symptoms and cognitive function in adolescents with bipolar II disorder. • Abnormalities in the CEN are consistent findings in bipolar disorder and potential therapeutic targets for TMS. • Neurocircuit-based sequential iTBS might be a novel and safe alternative in the treatment of adolescents with PBD. • Three weeks of CEN-targeted iTBS over the left DLPFC, ITG, and PPC improved depression symptoms and executive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of modularity in neuropsychology remains a topic of significant debate, especially when considering complex, non-innate, hyper-learned, and adaptable modular systems. This paper critically examines the evolution of cognitive modularity, addressing the challenges of integrating foundational theories with recent empirical and theoretical developments. We begin by analyzing the contributions of Sternberg and Fodor, whose foundational work established the concept of specialized, encapsulated modules within cognitive processes, particularly in the domains of perception and language. Building on this, we explore Carruthers’ theory of massive modularity, which extends the modular framework to broader cognitive functions, though we reject its application to central amodal systems, which are overarching and resistant to modularization. We also evaluate recent discoveries, such as mirror neurons and the neural reuse hypothesis, and their implications for traditional modularity models. Furthermore, we investigate the dynamic interactions between the Default Mode Network (DMN), Central Executive Network (CEN), and Salience Network (SN), highlighting their roles in shifting between automatic and controlled states. This exploration refines existing theoretical models, distinguishing innate systems, genetically predisposed ones, and those hyper-learned through working memory, as exemplified by the three-level model of Moscovitch and Umiltà. We address the blurred boundary between domain-specific and domain-general systems, proposing modular versus non-modular states—indexed by automaticity and mandatoriness—as key discriminators. This systematization, supported by empirical literature and our own research, provides a more stable framework for understanding modular systems, avoiding interpretive confusion across varying levels of complexity. These insights advance both theoretical understanding and practical applications in cognitive science.

Despite advances in antiretroviral pharmacology, neuroHIV in the central nervous system (CNS), causes neuronal dysregulation, which is associated with compromised neurocognition. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as HIV cognitive rehabilitation training (HIV-CRT), have shown potential to partially reverse cognitive deficits, sequent HIV neuroinvasion. Nonetheless, no studies exist pairing cognitive outcomes with objective neuroimaging biomarkers in adolescent HIV-CRT. This longitudinal pre-post-quasi-experimental protocol examined cognitive outcomes, paired with optimal neuroimaging outcomes following customised attention training in adolescent HIV. Twenty-six adolescents living with HIV were randomly assigned to either the treatment group, which received attention CRT using ACTIVATE™, (n = 13), or to the treatment as usual group (n = 13). Cognitive outcomes were examined using the NEPSY-II, and BRIEF; whilst neuroimaging outcomes were determined by changes in oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO), as determined by functional near-infrared spectrometry (fNIRS). Functional connectivity fNIRS measures were evaluated using seed-based correlation analysis, located in the central executive network (CEN). This study serves to guide the development and identification of objective biomarkers for adolescent neuroHIV, sequent CRT amongst children living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

Psychological resilience (PR) is known to be inversely associated with depression. While there is a growing body of research examining how depression alters activity across multiple functional neural networks, how differences in PR affect these networks is largely unexplored. This study examines the relationship between PR and functional connectivity in the alpha and beta bands within (and between) eighteen established cortical nodes in the default mode network, the central executive network, and the salience network. Resting-state EEG data from 99 adult participants (32 depressed, 67 non-depressed) were used to measure the correlation between the five factors of PR sourced from the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and eLORETA-based measures of coherence and phase synchronisation. Distinct functional connectivity patterns were seen across each resilience factor, with a notable absence of overlapping positive results across the depressed and non-depressed samples. These results indicate that depression may modulate how resilience is expressed in terms of fundamental neural activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The neurology of creativity implies network activity; no singular cerebral area is invoked. A clinician‐scientist can develop a creative research project from a single patient, combined with critical scientific alliances, careful observations, and correlations. The developing nervous system poses additional complexity, as changes are expected over time in physiologic circumstances, to which must be added compensatory responses to underlying pathology. The arts represent an especially productive area to study the neurology of creativity, especially with functional imaging, tractography, and intracranial electrophysiology. Music activates widespread bilateral areas, including temporal, orbitofrontal, insular, fusiform, and cerebellar cortex. There are different neuronal clusters for different levels of sound volume, duration, timbre, and pitch. Heschl's gyrus and the arcuate fasciculus correlate with pitch. The orbitofrontal cortex is involved in expectancy generation and appears to be active with no music and then deactivates with music, as if the cortex has an editing function. This appears to correlate with the default mode network being key during improvisation, whereas the central executive network is invoked in effortful, repetitive playing. Furthermore, plasticity is associated with music, from the pathologic development of musicogenic seizures, to protection from musician's dystonia in pianists who begin lessons before age 9 years, to benefits of increased temporal cortex in older adults taking piano lessons after six months. Creativity, reducing negativity bias, and juggling life s priorities are key to countering burnout and building resilience.

Atypical connectivity patterns have been observed for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly across the triple-network model. The current study investigated brain-behavior relationships in the context of social skills and executive function profiles for ASD youth. We calculated connectivity measures from diffusion tensor imaging using Bayesian estimation and probabilistic tractography. We replicated prior structural equation modeling of behavioral measures with total default mode network (DMN) connectivity to include comparisons with central executive network (CEN) connectivity and CEN-DMN connectivity. Increased within-CEN connectivity was related to metacognitive strengths. Our findings indicate behavior regulation difficulties in youth with ASD may be attributable to impaired connectivity between the CEN and DMN and social skill difficulties may be exacerbated by impaired within-DMN connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triple network model consisting of a default network, a salience network, and a central executive network has recently been used to understand connectivity patterns in cognitively normal versus dysfunctional brains. This study aimed to explore changes in the dynamic connectivity of triplet network in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and its relationship to cognitive performance. In this work, we acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 30 mTBI patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Independent component analysis, sliding time window correlation, and k-means clustering were applied to resting-state fMRI data. Further, we analyzed the relationship between changes in dynamic functional connectivity (FC) parameters and clinical variables in mTBI patients. The results showed that the dynamic functional connectivity of the brain triple network was clustered into five states. Compared with HC, mTBI patients spent longer in state 1, which is characterized by weakened dorsal default mode network (DMN) and anterior salience network (SN) connectivity, and state 3, which is characterized by a positive correlation between DMN and SN internal connectivity. Mild TBI patients had fewer metastases in different states than HC patients. In addition, the mean residence time in state 1 correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores in mTBI patients; the number of transitions between states correlated with Glasgow Coma Score in mTBI patients. Taken together, our findings suggest that the dynamic properties of FC in the triple network of mTBI patients are abnormal, and provide a new perspective on the pathophysiological mechanism of cognitive impairment from the perspective of dynamic FC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of neural mechanisms of real-time functional MRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) training requires an efficient study control approach. A common rtfMRI-nf study design involves an experimental group, receiving active rtfMRI-nf, and a control group, provided with sham rtfMRI-nf. We report the first study in which rtfMRI-nf procedure is controlled through counterbalancing training runs with active and sham rtfMRI-nf for each participant. Healthy volunteers (n = 18) used rtfMRI-nf to upregulate fMRI activity of an individually defined target region in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) while performing tasks that involved mental generation of a random numerical sequence and serial summation of numbers in the sequence. Sham rtfMRI-nf was provided based on fMRI activity of a different brain region, not involved in these tasks. The experimental procedure included two training runs with the active rtfMRI-nf and two runs with the sham rtfMRI-nf, in a randomized order. The participants achieved significantly higher fMRI activation of the left DLPFC target region during the active rtfMRI-nf conditions compared to the sham rtfMRI-nf conditions. fMRI functional connectivity of the left DLPFC target region with the nodes of the central executive network was significantly enhanced during the active rtfMRI-nf conditions relative to the sham conditions. fMRI connectivity of the target region with the nodes of the default mode network was similarly enhanced. fMRI connectivity changes between the active and sham conditions exhibited meaningful associations with individual performance measures on the Working Memory Multimodal Attention Task, the Approach-Avoidance Task, and the Trail Making Test. Our results demonstrate that the counterbalanced active-sham study design can be efficiently used to investigate mechanisms of active rtfMRI-nf in direct comparison to those of sham rtfMRI-nf. Further studies with larger group sizes are needed to confirm the reported findings and evaluate clinical utility of this study control approach.

Aesthetic experiences have the potential to promote learning and creativity by enhancing the ability to understand complexity and to integrate novel or disparate information. Offering a theoretical framework for understanding the cognitive benefits of aesthetic experiences, this paper argues they are the necessary outcome of human learning, in which natural objects or artworks are evaluated in a multi-dimensional preference space shaped by Bayesian prediction. In addition, it contends that the brain-states underlying aesthetic experiences harness configurations of the apex three transmodal neural systems--the default mode network, the central executive network, and the salience network--that may offer information-processing advantages by recruiting the brain's high-power communication hubs, thus enhancing potential for learning gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper distinguishes and interprets seven psychological characteristics of a valuable life, based on evolutionary-cognitive criteria--the rules of efficient cognition and adaptive functions of three global cortical networks: salience, executive and default mode. A life characterized by quality is emotionally acceptable, neotenic, based on priorities, relationships, autonomy, and competencies, taking into account values, efficient body, and useful environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Patients with remitted major depressive disorder (rMDD) show abnormal functional connectivity of the central executive network (CEN), salience networks (SN) and default mode network (DMN). It is unclear how these change during remission, or whether changes are related to function. Methods Three spatial networks in 17 patients with rMDD were compared between baseline and the six-month follow-up, and to 22 healthy controls. Correlations between these changes and psychosocial functioning were also assessed. Results In the CEN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the right anterior cingulate, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) compare with HCs. There were functional connection differences in the right DLPFC and left IPL at baseline during follow-up. Abnormal connectivity in the right DLPFC and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were found at follow-up. In the SN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the insula, left anterior cingulate, left IPL, and right precuneus; compared with baseline, patients had higher connectivity in the right DLPFC at follow-up. In the DMN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the right mPFC. Resting-state functional connectivity of the IPL and DLPFC in the CEN correlated with psychosocial functioning. Conclusions At six-month follow-up, the CEN still showed abnormal functional connectivity in those with rMDD, while anomalies in the SN and DMN has disappeared. Resting-state functional connectivity of the CEN during early rMDD is associated with psychosocial function. Clinical trials Registration Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy for MDD after Remission on Psychology and Neuroimaging. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ , registration number: NCT01831440 (15/4/2013).

Abstract Background Despite impulse control and emotion regulation being altered in borderline personality disorder (BPD), the specific mechanism of these clinical features remains unclear. This study investigated the functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities within- and between- default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN) in BPD, and examined the association between aberrant FC and clinical features. We aimed to explore whether the abnormal large-scale networks underlie the pathophysiology of impulsivity and emotion dysregulation in BPD. Methods Forty-one young, drug-naïve patients with BPD (24.98 ± 3.12 years, 20 males) and 42 healthy controls (HCs; 24.74 ± 1.29 years, 17 males) were included in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses. Independent component analysis was performed to extract subnetworks of the DMN, CEN, and SN. Additionally, partial correlation was performed to explore the association between brain imaging variables and clinical features in BPD. Results Compared with HCs, BPD showed significant decreased intra-network FC of right medial prefrontal cortex in the anterior DMN and of right angular gyrus in the right CEN. Intra-network FC of right angular gyrus in the anterior DMN was significantly negatively correlated with attention impulsivity in BPD. The patients also showed decreased inter-network FC between the posterior DMN and left CEN, which was significantly negatively correlated with emotion dysregulation. Conclusion These findings suggest that impaired intra-network FC may underlie the neurophysiological mechanism of impulsivity, and abnormal inter-network FC may elucidate the neurophysiological mechanism of emotion dysregulation in BPD.

Objective: To investigate brain structural and functional characteristics of three brain functional networks including default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), and salience network (SN) in persistent negative symptoms (PNS) patients. Methods: We performed an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of functional connectivity (FC) studies and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies to detect specific structural and functional alterations of brain networks between PNS patients and healthy controls. Results: Seventeen VBM studies and twenty FC studies were included. In the DMN, PNS patients showed decreased gray matter in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus and left anterior cingulate gyrus and a significant reduction of FC in the right precuneus. Also, PNS patients had a decrease of gray matter in the left inferior parietal lobules and medial frontal gyrus, and a significant reduction of FC in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus in the CEN. In comparison with healthy controls, PNS patients exhibited reduced gray matter in the bilateral insula, anterior cingulate gyrus, left precentral gyrus and right claustrum and lower FC in these brain areas in the SN, including the left insula, claustrum, inferior frontal gyrus and extra-nuclear. Conclusion: This meta-analysis reveals brain structural and functional imaging alterations in the three networks and the interaction among these networks in PNS patients, which provides neuroscientific evidence for more personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with remitted major depressive disorder (rMDD) show abnormal functional connectivity of the central executive network (CEN), salience networks (SN) and default mode network (DMN). It is unclear how these change during remission, or whether changes are related to function. Methods: Three spatial networks in 17 patients with rMDD were compared between baseline and the six-month follow-up, and to 22 healthy controls. Correlations between these changes and psychosocial functioning were also assessed. Results: In the CEN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the right anterior cingulate, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) compare with HCs. There were functional connection differences in the right DLPFC and left IPL at baseline during follow-up. Abnormal connectivity in the right DLPFC and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were found at follow-up. In the SN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the insula, left anterior cingulate, left IPL, and right precuneus; compared with baseline, patients had higher connectivity in the right DLPFC at follow-up. In the DMN, patients at baseline had abnormal functional connectivity in the right mPFC. Resting-state functional connectivity of the IPL and DLPFC in the CEN correlated with psychosocial functioning. Conclusions: At six-month follow-up, the CEN still showed abnormal functional connectivity in those with rMDD, while anomalies in the SN and DMN has disappeared. Resting-state functional connectivity of the CEN during early rMDD is associated with psychosocial function. Clinical trials Registration: Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy for MDD after Remission on Psychology and Neuroimaging. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, registration number: NCT01831440 (15/4/2013). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ε2 allele of apolipoprotein E (ε2) has neuroprotective effects against beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its impact on the functional connectivity and hub efficiency in cognitively normal older adults (CN) with ε2 is unclear. We investigated the functional connectivity differences in the default mode network (DMN), salience network, and central executive network (CEN) between A-PET-negative (N = 29) and A-PET-positive (N = 15) CNs with ε2/ε2 or ε2/ε3 genotypes. The A-PET-positive CNs exhibited a lower anterior DMN functional connectivity, higher posterior DMN functional connectivity, and increased CEN functional connectivity compared to the A-PET-negative CNs. Cerebral Aβ retention was negatively correlated with anterior DMN functional connectivity and positively correlated with posterior DMN and anterior CEN functional connectivity. A graph theory analysis showed that the A-PET-positive CNs displayed a higher betweenness centrality in the middle frontal gyrus (left) and medial fronto-parietal regions (left). The betweenness centrality in the middle frontal gyrus (left) was positively correlated with Aβ retention. Our findings reveal a reversed anterior–posterior dissociation in the DMN functional connectivity and heightened CEN functional connectivity in A-PET-positive CNs with ε2. Hub efficiencies, measured by betweenness centrality, were increased in the DMN and CEN of the A-PET-positive CNs with ε2. These results suggest unique functional connectivity responses to Aβ pathology in CN individuals with ε2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to analyze EEG recorded during Brahma Kumaris Rajyoga meditation (BKRYM) using eLORETA applied in the frequency domain for localizing sources during meditation vis-à-vis baseline condition. Unlike many other popular meditation practices, BKRYM is practiced with open eyes. To our knowledge, there has been no study of the changes in the brain's activity during the practice of BKRYM using source localization. Furthermore, this seed-stage meditation goes through specific stages, and the corresponding changes in the brain activity, including the different brain networks, were explored. Method: EEG recorded during Brahma Kumaris seed-stage meditation was studied in 52 long-term meditators. The meditation comprised three stages, namely focusing on peace, imagining being a soul, and communion with the Supreme Soul. Brain electric source localization in the frequency domain was used on multichannel EEG recordings to establish activation differences between meditation and open-eyed, task-free resting. Additional exploratory analyses were performed for the differences between initial rest, meditation, and final rest. Results: After 5000 randomized statistical tests of significance (p < 0.05), meditation showed reduced activity in delta and increased activity in low alpha frequencies. The brain networks altered in their activation during meditation are the following: central executive network, mirroring network, and task-positive and task-negative networks. Conclusions: The observed changes in activity reflect the main cognitive-affective and behavioral specifics of seed-stage meditation: attention modulation, self-related processing, visual imagery, extra corporeal experience. Future studies need to distinctly differentiate between the stages of the meditation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aesthetic experiences have the potential to promote learning and creativity by enhancing the ability to understand complexity and to integrate novel or disparate information. Offering a theoretical framework for understanding the cognitive benefits of aesthetic experiences, this paper argues they are the necessary outcome of human learning, in which natural objects or artworks are evaluated in a multi-dimensional preference space shaped by Bayesian prediction. In addition, it contends that the brain-states underlying aesthetic experiences harness configurations of the apex three transmodal neural systems—the default mode network, the central executive network, and the salience network—that may offer information-processing advantages by recruiting the brain’s high-power communication hubs, thus enhancing potential for learning gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The concomitant role of the Central Executive, the Saliency and the Social Cognition networks in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in demanding ecological tasks remains unanswered. We addressed this question using a novel task-based fMRI virtual-reality task mimicking a challenging daily-life chore that may present some difficulties to individuals with ASD: the EcoSupermarketX. Methods Participants included 29 adolescents: 15 with ASD and 15 with typical neurodevelopment (TD). They performed the EcoSupermarketX (a shopping simulation with three goal-oriented sub-tasks including “no cue”, “non-social” or “social” cues), during neuroimaging and eye-tracking. Results ASD differed from TD only in total time and distance to complete the “social cue” sub-task with matched eye-tracking measures. Neuroimaging revealed simultaneous hyperactivation across social, executive, and saliency circuits in ASD. In contrast, ASD showed reduced activation in the parahippocampal gyrus, involved in scene recognition. Conclusions When performing a virtual shopping task matching the performance of controls, ASD adolescents hyperactivate three core networks: executive, saliency and social cognition. Parahippocampal hypoactivation is consistent with effortless eidetic scene processing, in line with the notion of peaks and valleys of neural recruitment in individuals with ASD. These hyperactivation/hypoactivation patterns in daily life tasks provide a circuit-level signature of neural diversity in ASD, a possible intervention target.

Background: The core intrinsic connectivity networks (core-ICNs), encompassing the default-mode network (DMN), salience network (SN) and central executive network (CEN), have been shown to be dysfunctional in individuals with internalizing disorders (IDs, e.g. major depressive disorder, MDD; generalized anxiety disorder, GAD; social anxiety disorder, SOC). As such, source-localized, closed-loop brain training of electrophysiological signals, also known as standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) neurofeedback (NFB), targeting key cortical nodes within these networks has the potential to reduce symptoms associated with IDs and restore normal core ICN function. We intend to conduct a randomized, double-blind (participant and assessor), sham-controlled, parallel-group (3-arm) trial of sLORETA infraslow (<0.1 Hz) fluctuation neurofeedback (sLORETA ISF-NFB) 3 times per week over 4 weeks in participants (n=60) with IDs. Our primary objectives will be to examine patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and neurophysiological measures to (1) compare the potential effects of sham ISF-NFB to either genuine 1-region ISF-NFB or genuine 2-region ISF-NFB, and (2) assess for potential associations between changes in PRO scores and modifications of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity/connectivity within/between the trained regions of interest (ROIs). As part of an exploratory analysis, we will investigate the effects of additional training sessions and the potential for the potentiation of the effects over time.Methods: We will randomly assign participants who meet the criteria for MDD, GAD, and/or SOC per the MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for DSM-5) to one of three groups: (1) 12 sessions of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) ISF-NFB up-training (n=15), (2) 12 sessions of concurrent PCC ISF up-training and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) ISF-NFB down-training (n=15), or (3) 6 sessions of yoked-sham training followed by 6 sessions genuine ISF-NFB (n=30). Transdiagnostic PROs (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS; Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms - Second Version, IDAS-II; Multidimensional Emotional Disorder Inventory, MEDI; Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form, IUS-12; Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, RTQ-10) as well as resting-state neurophysiological measures (full-band EEG and ECG) will be collected from all subjects during two baseline sessions (approximately 1 week apart) then at post 6 sessions, post 12 sessions, and follow-up (1 month later). We will employ Bayesian methods in R and advanced source-localisation software (i.e. exact low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography; eLORETA) in our analysis.Discussion: This protocol will outline the rationale and research methodology for a clinical pilot trial of sLORETA ISF-NFB targeting key nodes within the core-ICNs in a female ID population with the primary aims being to assess its potential efficacy via transdiagnostic PROs and relevant neurophysiological measures.Trial Registration: Our study was prospectively registered with the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR; Trial ID: ACTRN12619001428156). Registered on October 15, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tinnitus can be defined as the conscious perception of phantom sounds in the absence of corresponding external auditory signals. Tinnitus can develop in the setting of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Using electroencephalography, we investigated differences in afferent node capacity between 15 SSNHL patients without tinnitus (NT) and 30 SSNHL patients with tinnitus (T). Where the T group showed increased afferent node capacity in regions constituting a "triple brain network" [default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), and salience network (SN)], the NT group showed increased information flow in regions implicated in temporal auditory processing and noise-canceling pathways. Our results demonstrate that when all components of the triple network are activated due to sudden-onset auditory deprivation, tinnitus ensues. By contrast, auditory processing-associated and tinnitus-suppressing networks are highly activated in the NT group, to overcome the activation of the triple network and effectively suppress the generation of tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta-analysis evaluated the extent to which executive function can be understood with structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Studies included structural in schizophrenia (k = 8; n = 241) and healthy controls (k = 12; n = 1660), and functional in schizophrenia (k = 4; n = 104) and healthy controls (k = 12; n = 712). Results revealed a positive association in the brain behavior relationship when pooled across schizophrenia and control samples for structural (pr = 0.27) and functional (pr = 0.29) modalities. Subgroup analyses revealed no significant difference for functional neuroimaging (pr =.43, 95%CI = -.08-.77, p =.088) but with structural neuroimaging (pr =.37, 95%CI = -.08-.69, p =.015) the association to executive functions is lower in the control group. Subgroup analyses also revealed no significant differences in the strength of the brain-behavior relationship in the schizophrenia group (pr =.59, 95%CI =.58-.61, p =.881) or the control group (pr = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.18–0.19, p = 0.920), suggesting concordance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesTo examine the cognitive and neural effects of vision-based speed-of-processing (VSOP) training in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and contrast those effects with an active control (mental leisure activities (MLA)).DesignRandomized single-blind controlled pilot trial.SettingAcademic medical center.ParticipantsIndividuals with aMCI (N = 21).InterventionSix-week computerized VSOP training.MeasurementsMultiple cognitive processing measures, instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and two resting state neural networks regulating cognitive processing: central executive network (CEN) and default mode network (DMN).ResultsVSOP training led to significantly greater improvements in trained (processing speed and attention: F1,19  = 6.61, partial η(2)  = 0.26, P = .02) and untrained (working memory: F1,19  = 7.33, partial η(2)  = 0.28, P = .01; IADLs: F1,19  = 5.16, partial η(2)  = 0.21, P = .03) cognitive domains than MLA and protective maintenance in DMN (F1, 9  = 14.63, partial η(2)  = 0.62, P = .004). VSOP training, but not MLA, resulted in a significant improvement in CEN connectivity (Z = -2.37, P = .02).ConclusionTarget and transfer effects of VSOP training were identified, and links between VSOP training and two neural networks associated with aMCI were found. These findings highlight the potential of VSOP training to slow cognitive decline in individuals with aMCI. Further delineation of mechanisms underlying VSOP-induced plasticity is necessary to understand in which populations and under what conditions such training may be most effective.

Object: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated to be associated with abnormalities in neural networks. However, few studies examined information flow in the salience network (SN). This study examined abnormalities in the causal connectivity between the SN and whole brain in drug-naive first-episode patients with MDD in the resting state. Methods: Based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria, 23 drug-naive first-episode MDD patients and 20 matched healthy individuals were recruited and underwent a resting-state magnetic resonance scan. The acquired functional image data were preprocessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data analysis toolkit plus (RESTplus). Then, using the data processing & analysis for brain imaging (DPABI) software and a coefficient-based general component analysis method with the right anterior insula (rAI) as the region of interest (ROI), the causal connectivity of the SN with the whole brain and its correlation with cognitive and mental performance were examined in the resting state. Results: (1) The MDD group showed a significantly higher Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score and significantly higher scores for anxiety, cognitive disturbance, and block factors compared with normal controls. (2) Compared with control: from whole brain to the rAI, the MDD group showed a lower causal connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus; from the rAI to the whole brain, the MDD group showed a lower causal connectivity in the right cingulate gyrus, the right precuneus, and extending to paracentral lobule but higher causal connectivity in the left inferior and middle frontal gyrus. (3) In the MDD group, from rAI to the whole brain, the causal connectivity values for the right cingulate gyrus/precuneus were negatively correlated with the score of Stroop Color-Word Test A, B, and C as well as interference times. Conclusion: Our results indicated disrupted causal connectivity among the default mode network (DMN), the central executive network (CEN), and SN in drug-naive first-episode MDD patients. Especially, our results suggest a unique role for rAI in the ordered or hierarchical information processing, presumed to include bottom-up and top-down reciprocal influences among the three networks in MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Need for Cognitive Closure (NCC) is a construct referring to the desire for predictability, unambiguity and firm answers to issues. Neuroscientific literature about NCC processes has mainly focused on task-related brain activity. According to the Triple Network model (TN), the main aim of the current study was to investigate resting state (RS) electroencephalographic (EEG) intra-network dynamics associated with NCC. Fifty-two young adults (39 females) were enrolled and underwent EEG recordings during RS. Functional connectivity analysis was computed through exact Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (eLORETA) software. Our results showed that higher levels of NCC were associated with both i) decreased alpha EEG connectivity within the Central Executive Network (CEN), and ii) increased delta connectivity within the Default Mode Network (DMN). No significant correlations were observed between NCC and functional connectivity in the Salience Network (SN). Our data would seem to suggest that high levels of NCC are characterized by a specific communication pattern within the CEN and the DMN during RS. These neurophysiological patterns might reflect several typical NCC-related cognitive characteristics (e.g., lower flexibility and preference for habitual and rigid response schemas). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of large-scale brain networks in higher-order human functioning is well established in neuroscience, but has yet to deeply penetrate neurosurgical thinking due to concerns of clinical relevance. Here, we conducted the first systematic review examining the clinical importance of non-traditional, large-scale brain networks, including the default mode (DMN), central executive (CEN), salience (SN), dorsal attention (DAN), and ventral attention (VAN) networks. Studies which reported evidence of neurologic, cognitive, or emotional deficits in relation to damage or dysfunction in these networks were included. We screened 22,697 articles on PubMed, and 551 full-text articles were included and examined. Cognitive deficits were the most common symptom of network disturbances in varying amounts (36–56%), most frequently related to disruption of the DMN (n = 213) or some combination of DMN, CEN, and SN networks (n = 182). An increased proportion of motor symptoms was seen with CEN disruption (12%), and emotional (35%) or language/speech deficits (24%) with SN disruption. Disruption of the attention networks (VAN/DAN) with each other or the other networks mostly led to cognitive deficits (56%). A large body of evidence is available demonstrating the clinical importance of non-traditional, large-scale brain networks and suggests the need to preserve these networks is relevant for neurosurgical patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The central executive network (CEN), salience network (SN), and default mode network (DMN) are the three most studied depression-related brain networks. Many studies have shown that they are related to depression symptoms and treatment effects. However, few studies have related these three networks and their activity frequency bands to depressive symptoms and treatment efficacy. Methods: Sixty-six medication-free patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were enrolled. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was administered at baseline to calculate imaging indicators such as the power and functional connectivity (FC) of each brain network. The Hamilton Rating Score for Depression (HRSD-17) was assessed at baseline and weekly for 4 weeks. Pearson correlation and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) analyses were used to explore the relationship between brain imaging indicators and antidepressant efficacy. Results: The difference between therapeutically effective and ineffective groups was mainly manifested in the beta power of the SN. The FC of beta waves between the three networks was related to antidepressant efficacy, with ROC analysis results of AUC = 0.794, P = 0.004, sensitivity = 76.7%, and specificity = 81.8%. Limitations: The sample size was small and a healthy control group was not available. Conclusions: The interaction between the three networks is related to antidepressant efficacy and the relief of depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectMajor depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated to be associated with abnormalities in neural networks. However, few studies examined information flow in the salience network (SN). This study examined abnormalities in the causal connectivity between the SN and whole brain in drug-naive first-episode patients with MDD in the resting state.MethodsBased on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria, 23 drug-naive first-episode MDD patients and 20 matched healthy individuals were recruited and underwent a resting-state magnetic resonance scan. The acquired functional image data were preprocessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data analysis toolkit plus (RESTplus). Then, using the data processing & analysis for brain imaging (DPABI) software and a coefficient-based general component analysis method with the right anterior insula (rAI) as the region of interest (ROI), the causal connectivity of the SN with the whole brain and its correlation with cognitive and mental performance were examined in the resting state.Results(1) The MDD group showed a significantly higher Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score and significantly higher scores for anxiety, cognitive disturbance, and block factors compared with normal controls. (2) Compared with control: from whole brain to the rAI, the MDD group showed a lower causal connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus; from the rAI to the whole brain, the MDD group showed a lower causal connectivity in the right cingulate gyrus, the right precuneus, and extending to paracentral lobule but higher causal connectivity in the left inferior and middle frontal gyrus. (3) In the MDD group, from rAI to the whole brain, the causal connectivity values for the right cingulate gyrus/precuneus were negatively correlated with the score of Stroop Color-Word Test A, B, and C as well as interference times.ConclusionOur results indicated disrupted causal connectivity among the default mode network (DMN), the central executive network (CEN), and SN in drug-naive first-episode MDD patients. Especially, our results suggest a unique role for rAI in the ordered or hierarchical information processing, presumed to include bottom-up and top-down reciprocal influences among the three networks in MDD.

BackgroundThe central executive network (CEN), salience network (SN), and default mode network (DMN) are the three most studied depression-related brain networks. Many studies have shown that they are related to depression symptoms and treatment effects. However, few studies have related these three networks and their activity frequency bands to depressive symptoms and treatment efficacy.MethodsSixty-six medication-free patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were enrolled. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was administered at baseline to calculate imaging indicators such as the power and functional connectivity (FC) of each brain network. The Hamilton Rating Score for Depression (HRSD-17) was assessed at baseline and weekly for 4 weeks. Pearson correlation and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) analyses were used to explore the relationship between brain imaging indicators and antidepressant efficacy.ResultsThe difference between therapeutically effective and ineffective groups was mainly manifested in the beta power of the SN. The FC of beta waves between the three networks was related to antidepressant efficacy, with ROC analysis results of AUC = 0.794, P = 0.004, sensitivity = 76.7%, and specificity = 81.8%.LimitationsThe sample size was small and a healthy control group was not available.ConclusionsThe interaction between the three networks is related to antidepressant efficacy and the relief of depressive symptoms.

Background: With bipolar disorder (BD) having a lifetime prevalence of 4.4% and a significant portion of patients being chronically burdened by symptoms, there has been an increased focus on uncovering new targets for intervention in BD. One area that has shown early promise is the mitochondrial hypothesis. However, at the time of publication no studies have utilized positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to assess mitochondrial function in the setting of BD., Case Presentation: Our participant is a 58 year-old male with a past medical history notable for alcohol use disorder and BD (unspecified type) who underwent PET imaging with the mitochondrial complex I PET ligand 18 F-BCPP-EF. The resulting images demonstrated significant overlap between areas of dysfunction identified with the 18 F-BCPP-EF PET ligand and prior functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in the setting of BD. That overlap was seen in both affective and cognitive circuits, with mitochondrial dysfunction in the fronto-limbic, ventral affective, and dorsal cognitive circuits showing particularly significant differences., Conclusions: Despite mounting evidence implicating mitochondria in BD, this study represents the first PET imaging study to investigate this mechanistic connection. There were key limitations in the form of comorbid alcohol use disorder, limited statistical power inherent to a case study, no sex matched controls, and the absence of a comprehensive psychiatric history. However, even with these limitations in mind, the significant overlap between dysfunction previously demonstrated on functional MRI and this imaging provides compelling preliminary evidence that strengthens the mechanistic link between mitochondrial dysfunction and BD., Competing Interests: None declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of West China School of Medicine/West China Hospital (WCSM/WCH) of Sichuan University.)

Background: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can assess modulation of functional connectivity networks following repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of depression. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is well suited for the concurrent application during rTMS treatment sessions to capture immediate blood oxygenation (oxy-Hb) effects, however limited in spatial resolution. Objective: To understand the network effects behind such a prefrontal fNIRS response during rTMS, and to test whether the fNIRS signal may be predictive of treatment response, we linked data from fNIRS and fMRI within a clinical intervention study. Methods: 42 patients with ongoing depression were recruited and randomized to receive active or sham intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) twice daily for ten days at target intensity. Oxy-Hb was recorded with fNIRS during the first, fifth, and final day of iTBS, with the probe holders located laterally to the TMS coil over regions corresponding to the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Resting-state fMRI scanning was performed before and after the whole iTBS treatment course. Functional connectivity analyses were then performed using dlPFC seeds from parcels of a brain atlas showing most overlap with the fNIRS probe locations during treatment. Results: After active iTBS, left dlPFC-connectivity to the right insula/operculum was reduced compared to sham. The left insula showed a connectivity reduction to the left dlPFC that correlated with an improvement in symptoms. In addition, the posterior parietal cortex showed a connectivity reduction to the left dlPFC that correlated with the fNIRS signal following active iTBS. Finally, the fNIRS oxy-Hb signal from the left dlPFC-seed during the first treatment day was predictive of dlPFC-connectivity change to precentral and temporal cortex regions. Conclusion: By linking findings from these two different methods, this study suggests that changes within both the salience network and the central executive network affect the fNIRS response to iTBS.

Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with increasing prevalence among children and adolescents. Functional connectivity (FC) within and between the default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN) and salience network (SN) has been shown to be altered post-concussion. Few studies have investigated connectivity within and between these 3 networks following a pediatric concussion. The present study explored whether within and between-network FC differs between a pediatric concussion and orthopedic injury (OI) group aged 10–18. Participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan at 4 weeks post-injury. One-way ANCOVA analyses were conducted between groups with the seed-based FC of the 3 networks. A total of 55 concussion and 27 OI participants were included in the analyses. Increased within-network FC of the CEN and decreased between-network FC of the DMN-CEN was found in the concussion group when compared to the OI group. Secondary analyses using spherical SN regions of interest revealed increased within-network FC of the SN and increased between-network FC of the DMN-SN and CEN-SN in the concussion group when compared to the OI group. This study identified differential connectivity patterns following a pediatric concussion as compared to an OI 4 weeks post-injury. These differences indicate potential adaptive brain mechanisms that may provide insight into recovery trajectories and appropriate timing of treatment within the first month following a concussion.

Background: The concomitant role of the Central Executive, the Saliency and the Social Cognition networks in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in demanding ecological tasks remains unanswered. We addressed this question using a novel task-based fMRI virtual-reality task mimicking a challenging daily-life chore that may present some difficulties to individuals with ASD: the EcoSupermarketX. Methods: Participants included 29 adolescents: 15 with ASD and 15 with typical neurodevelopment (TD). They performed the EcoSupermarketX (a shopping simulation with three goal-oriented sub-tasks including "no cue", "non-social" or "social" cues), during neuroimaging and eye-tracking. Results: ASD differed from TD only in total time and distance to complete the "social cue" sub-task with matched eye-tracking measures. Neuroimaging revealed simultaneous hyperactivation across social, executive, and saliency circuits in ASD. In contrast, ASD showed reduced activation in the parahippocampal gyrus, involved in scene recognition. Conclusions: When performing a virtual shopping task matching the performance of controls, ASD adolescents hyperactivate three core networks: executive, saliency and social cognition. Parahippocampal hypoactivation is consistent with effortless eidetic scene processing, in line with the notion of peaks and valleys of neural recruitment in individuals with ASD. These hyperactivation/hypoactivation patterns in daily life tasks provide a circuit-level signature of neural diversity in ASD, a possible intervention target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss the contemporary research on brain information processing in the connection with a subject's personality, first of all, with the semantics of personal meaning. The processes that are performed under relative rest, the basic state of our consciousness, play a critical role. The same processes in resting-state neural networks are involved in solving creative tasks, which are of particular interest for works in the field of artificial intelligence and the development of biosimilar architectures for robotic systems. We have considered the novel studies in the area of neurosemantics in detail, which indicate a distributed representation of word meanings, as well as possible connection of such representations with the asymmetry of the most ancient brain structures, namely with the asymmetry of effective (cause and effect) connections of hippocampal formation. When discussing mechanisms for solving creative tasks, we consider the role of interaction of resting-state networks to explain the incubation and insight phenomena. We describe new experimental data that indicate that insight-type solutions are associated with inhibition of networks that perform functions of focal attention with activation of structural–functional mechanisms involved in attribution of special motivating value or, in other words, personal meaning, to a task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Generalization of conditioned-fear, a core feature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has been the focus of several recent neuroimaging studies. A striking outcome of these studies is the frequency with which neural correlates of generalization fall within hubs of well-established functional networks including salience (SN), central executive (CEN), and default networks (DN). Neural substrates of generalization found to date may thus reflect traces of large-scale brain networks that form more expansive neural representations of generalization. The present study includes the first network-based analysis of generalization and PTSD-related abnormalities therein. Methods: fMRI responses in established intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) representing SN, CEN, and DN were assessed during a generalized conditioned-fear task in male combat veterans (N = 58) with wide-ranging PTSD symptom severity. The task included five rings of graded size. Extreme sizes served as conditioned danger-cues (CS+: paired with shock) and safety-cues (CS−), and the three intermediate sizes served as generalization stimuli (GSs) forming a continuum-of-size between CS+ and CS–. Generalization-gradients were assessed as behavioral and ICN response slopes from CS+, through GSs, to CS–. Increasing PTSD symptomatology was predicted to relate to less-steep slopes indicative of stronger generalization. Results: SN, CEN, and DN responses fell along generalization-gradients with levels of generalization within and between SN and CEN scaling with PTSD symptom severity. Conclusions: Neural substrates of generalized conditioned-fear include large-scale networks that adhere to the functional organization of the brain. Current findings implicate levels of generalization in SN and CEN as promising neural markers of PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Cognitive impairment is common in hemodialysis (HD) patients; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood. The "triple‐network model" that consists of the salience network (SN), central executive network (CEN), and default mode network (DMN) has been suggested to play an important role in various cognitive functions. However, dynamic functional connectivity (FC) alterations within the triple networks have not been investigated in HD patients. Methods Sixty‐six HD patients and 66 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. The triple networks were identified using a group spatial independent component analysis, and dynamic FC was analyzed using a sliding window approach and k‐means clustering algorithm. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationships between altered dynamic FC parameters and clinical variables in HD patients. Results The intrinsic brain FC within the triple networks was clustered into four configuration states. Compared with HCs, HD patients spent more time in State 1, which was characterized by weak connections between the DMN and CEN and SN. HD patients showed lower number of transitions across different states than HCs. Moreover, the number of transitions and mean dwell time in State 1 were associated with cognitive performance in HD patients. Conclusion Our findings suggest abnormal dynamic FC properties within the triple networks in HD patients, which may provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of their cognitive deficits from the perspective of dynamic FC.

Neighborhood violence increases children's risk for a variety of health problems. Yet, little is known about biological pathways involved or neural mechanisms that might render children more or less vulnerable. Here, we address these questions by considering whether neighborhood violence is associated with the expression of a proinflammatory phenotype and whether this relationship is moderated by resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the central executive network (CEN). The study involved 217 children (13.9 years old; 66.4% female; 36.9% Black; 30.9% Latinx), enrolled in eighth grade and reassessed 2 years later. At time 1, geocoding was used to estimate murder frequency in children's neighborhoods, and functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to characterize CEN rsFC. At both visits, children gave antecubital blood for ex vivo studies, where leukocytes were incubated with stimulators and inhibitors of inflammation, and cytokine production was measured. Consistent with our hypotheses, the relationship between neighborhood murder and inflammatory activity was moderated by CEN rsFC. Among children with lower rsFC, neighborhood violence covaried with a proinflammatory phenotype, reflected in larger cytokine responses to triggering stimuli and lower sensitivity to inhibitory agents. These associations were generally not apparent for children with higher rsFC, although occasionally they ran in the opposite direction. The same patterns were apparent 2 years later. These results advance the understanding of neighborhood violence and its relationship with processes involved in the initiation and resolution of inflammation. They also deepen understanding of variability in children's immunologic responses to stress and suggest that the CEN may be a neurobiological contributor to resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The symptom-related neurobiology characteristic of schizophrenia in the brain from a network perspective is still poorly understood, leading to a lack of potential biologically-based markers and difficulty identifying therapeutic targets. We aim to test the dysregulated cross-network interactions among the Salience Network (SN), Central Executive Network (CEN) and Default Mode Network (DMN) and how they contributed to different symptoms in schizophrenia patients.Methods: We examined network interactions among the SN, CEN and DMN in 76 patients with schizophrenia vs. 80 well-matched controls using dynamic causal modeling (DCM). We further analyzed the relation between network dynamics and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results: We observed that the DMN, CEN and SN across healthy controls and schizophrenia patients showed several similarities within or between-network pattern in the resting state. Comparing schizophrenia to controls, SN-centered cross-network interactions were most significantly reduced. Crucially, the strength of connections from CEN subnetwork 1 to DMN subnetwork 1 was positively correlated with the Positive Score of PANSS. The connection from the DMN subnetwork 2 to CEN subnetwork 2 was negatively correlated with the Negative Score of PANSS.Conclusions: Our study provides strong evidence for the dysregulation among SN, CEN and DMN in a triple-network perspective in schizophrenia. The connection between DMN and CEN could be clinically-relevant neurobiological signature of schizophrenia symptoms. Our study indicated that the description of brain triple network hypothesis could be a novel and possible bio-marker for schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: To assess changes in the central executive network (CEN) of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)., Methods: A total of 121 patients with ESRD and 66 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Patients were divided into an MCI group (n = 67) and a cognitively unimpaired group (n = 54). All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and were evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The functional attributes of the CEN were calculated using three methods of functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Relationships among imaging features, cognitive scale scores, and clinical data were assessed, and a model was constructed to diagnose MCI in patients with ESRD., Results: The comparison of the three groups showed that there were significant differences in the FC values of five connection pairs within the CEN, and the CEN demonstrated significant differences in connectivity to ten brain regions. In patients with MCI associated with ESRD, the information transmission efficiency of the CEN was reduced, which demonstrates the characteristics of a random network to some extent. Significant correlations were observed among imaging parameters, cognitive scale scores, and clinical data. The diagnostic model constructed based on these results demonstrated excellent discrimination and calibration., Conclusion: Alterations in the function of the CEN provide relevant bases for revealing the neuropathological mechanism of MCI in patients with ESRD. The diagnostic model developed in this study may help to establish more reliable imaging markers for detecting early cognitive impairment in this patient population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Neuroimaging studies have revealed a multitude of brain regions associated with self- and other-referential processing, but the question how the distinction between self, close other, and distant other is processed in the brain still remains unanswered. The default mode network (DMN) is the primary network associated with the processing of self, whereas task-positive networks (TPN) are indispensable for the processing of external objects. We hypothesize that self- and close-other-processing would engage DMN more than TPN, whereas distant-other-processing would engage TPN to a greater extent. To test this hypothesis, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) functional connectivity data obtained in the course of a trait adjective judgment task while subjects evaluated themselves, the best friend, a neutral stranger, and an unpleasant person. A positive association between the degree of self-relatedness and the degree of DMN dominance was revealed in cortical midline structures (CMS) and the left lateral prefrontal cortex. Relative to TPN, DMN showed greater connectivity in me than in friend, in friend than in stranger, and in stranger than in unpleasant conditions. These results show that the less the evaluated person is perceived as self-related, the more the balance of activity in the brain shifts from the DMN to the TPN.

Background The main goal of this functional MRI (fMRI) study was to examine whether cognitive deficits in glioma patients prior to treatment are associated with abnormal brain activity in either the central executive network (CEN) or default mode network (DMN). Methods Forty-six glioma patients, and 23 group-matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in this fMRI experiment, performing an N-back task. Additionally, cognitive profiles of patients were evaluated outside the scanner. A region of interest–based analysis was used to compare brain activity in CEN and DMN between groups. Post hoc analyses were performed to evaluate differences between low-grade glioma (LGG) and high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Results In-scanner performance was lower in glioma patients compared to HCs. Neuropsychological testing indicated cognitive impairment in LGG as well as HGG patients. fMRI results revealed normal CEN activation in glioma patients, whereas patients showed reduced DMN deactivation compared to HCs. Brain activity levels did not differ between LGG and HGG patients. Conclusions Our study suggests that cognitive deficits in glioma patients prior to treatment are associated with reduced responsiveness of the DMN, but not with abnormal CEN activation. These results suggest that cognitive deficits in glioma patients reflect a reduced capacity to achieve a brain state necessary for normal cognitive performance, rather than abnormal functioning of executive brain regions. Solely focusing on increases in brain activity may well be insufficient if we want to understand the underlying brain mechanism of cognitive impairments in patients, as our results indicate the importance of assessing deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroimaging studies have revealed a multitude of brain regions associated with self- and other-referential processing, but the question how the distinction between self, close other, and distant other is processed in the brain still remains unanswered. The default mode network (DMN) is the primary network associated with the processing of self, whereas task-positive networks (TPN) are indispensable for the processing of external objects. We hypothesize that self- and close-other-processing would engage DMN more than TPN, whereas distant-other-processing would engage TPN to a greater extent. To test this hypothesis, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) functional connectivity data obtained in the course of a trait adjective judgment task while subjects evaluated themselves, the best friend, a neutral stranger, and an unpleasant person. A positive association between the degree of self-relatedness and the degree of DMN dominance was revealed in cortical midline structures (CMS) and the left lateral prefrontal cortex. Relative to TPN, DMN showed greater connectivity in me than in friend, in friend than in stranger, and in stranger than in unpleasant conditions. These results show that the less the evaluated person is perceived as self-related, the more the balance of activity in the brain shifts from the DMN to the TPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neural mechanisms of drug cue‐reactivity regarding the temporal fluctuations of functional connectivity, namely the dynamic connectivity, are sparsely studied. Quantifying the task‐modulated variability in dynamic functional connectivity at cue exposure can aid the understanding. We analyzed changes in dynamic connectivity in 54 adult cannabis users and 90 controls during a cannabis cue exposure task. The variability was measured as standard deviation in the (a) connectivity weights of the default mode, the central executive, and the salience networks and two reward loci (amygdalae and nuclei accumbens); and (b) topological indexes of the whole brain (global efficiency, modularity and network resilience). These were compared for the main effects of task conditions and the group (users vs. controls), and correlated with pre‐ and during‐scan subjective craving. The variability of connectivity weights between the central executive network and nuclei accumbens was increased in users throughout the cue exposure task, and, was positively correlated with during‐scan craving for cannabis. The variability of modularity was not different by groups, but positively correlated with prescan craving. The variability of dynamic connectivity during cannabis cue exposure task between the central executive network and the nuclei accumbens, and, the level of modularity, seem to relate to the neural underpinning of cannabis use and the subjective craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Internet has provided convenience and efficiency in many areas of everyday life, problems stemming from Internet use have also been identified, such as Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Internet addiction, which includes IGD, can be viewed as a behavioral addiction or impulse control disorder. This study investigated the altered functional and effective connectivity of the core brain networks in individuals with IGD compared to healthy controls (HCs). Forty-five adults with IGD and 45 HCs were included in this study. To examine the brain networks related to personality traits that influence problematic online gaming, the left and right central executive network (CEN) and the salience network (SN) were included in the analysis. Also, to examine changes in major brain network topographies, we analyzed the default mode network (DMN). IGD participants showed lower functional connectivity between the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and other regions in the CEN than HC participants during resting state. Also, IGD participants revealed reduced functional connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and other regions in the SN and lower functional connectivity in the medial prefrontal cortex of the anterior DMN. Notably, in IGD individuals but not HC individuals, there was a positive correlation between IGD severity and effective connectivity and a positive correlation between reward sensitivity and effective connectivity within the ventral striatum of the SN. Problematic online gaming was associated with neurofunctional alterations, impairing the capacity of core brain networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the neuroimaging mechanisms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods: Twenty-seven treatment-naive patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 27 controls were enrolled. All of them were scanned with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at baseline, and 15 patients were rescanned after two-week rTMS. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and functional connection degree (FCD), based on voxels and 3 brain networks (default mode network [DMN], central executive network [CEN], salience network[SN]),were used as imaging indicators to analyze. The correlations of brain imaging changes after rTMS with clinical efficacy were calculated.Results: At baseline, patients groups showed increased ALFF in the right orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and decreased ALFF in the left striatal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), while increased FCD in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and OFC and decreased FCD in the right inferior parietal lobe and in the CEN. After rTMS, patients showed increased ALFF in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)and superior frontal gyrus, FCD in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, superior temporal gyrus and CEN, as well as decreased FCD in the bilateral lingual gyrus than pre-rTMS . These rTMS induced neuroimaging changes did not significantly correlated with clinical effecacy.Conclusions: This study indicated that rTMS resulted in changes of ALFF and FCD in some brain regions and CEN. But we could not conclude this is the neuroimaging mechanism of rTMS according to the correlation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Brain dynamics underlie flexible cognition and behavior, yet little is known regarding this relationship in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We examined time-varying changes in functional co-activation patterns (CAPs) across rest and task-evoked brain states to characterize differences between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children and identify relationships with severity of social behaviors and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Method: 17 children with ASD and 27 TD children ages 7–12 completed a resting-state fMRI scan and four runs of a non-cued attention switching task. Metrics indexing brain dynamics were generated from dynamic CAPs computed across three major large-scale brain networks: midcingulo-insular (M-CIN), medial frontoparietal (M-FPN), and lateral frontoparietal (L-FPN). Results: Five time-varying CAPs representing dynamic co-activations among network nodes were identified across rest and task fMRI datasets. Significant Diagnosis × Condition interactions were observed for the dwell time of CAP 3, representing co-activation between nodes of the M-CIN and L-FPN, and the frequency of CAP 1, representing co-activation between nodes of the L-FPN. A significant brain-behavior association between dwell time of CAP 5, representing co-activation between nodes of the M-FPN, and social abilities was also observed across both groups of children. Conclusion: Analysis of brain co-activation patterns reveals altered dynamics among three core networks in children with ASD, particularly evident during later stages of an attention task. Dimensional analyses demonstrating relationships between M-FPN dwell time and social abilities suggest that metrics of brain dynamics may index individual differences in social cognition and behavior.

Leukoaraiosis (LA) is associated with cognitive impairment in the older people which can be demonstrated in functional connectivity (FC) based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). This study is to explore the FC changes in LA patients with different cognitive status by three network models. Fifty-three patients with LA were divided into three groups: the normal cognition (LA-NC; n = 14, six males), mild cognitive impairment (LA-MCI; n = 27, 13 males), and vascular dementia (LA-VD; n = 12, six males), according to the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). The three groups and 30 matched healthy controls (HCs; 11 males) underwent rs-fMRI. The data of rs-fMRI were analyzed by independent components analysis (ICA) and region of interest (ROI) analysis by the REST toolbox. Then the FC was respectively analyzed by the default-mode network (DMN), salience networks (SNs) and the central executive network (CEN) with their results compared among the different groups. For inter-brain network analysis, there were negative FC between the SN and DMN in LA groups, and the FC decreased when compared with HC group. While there were enhanced inter-brain network FC between the SN and CEN as well as within the SN. The FC in patients with LA can be detected by different network models of rs-fMRI. The multi-model analysis is helpful for the further understanding of the cognitive changes in those patients.

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.