29 results on '"Del Mauro G"'
Search Results
2. Investigating sexual dimorphism in human brain structure by combining multiple indexes of brain morphology and source-based morphometry
- Author
-
Del Mauro, G, Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Fedeli, D, Perani, D, Abutalebi, J, Del Mauro G., Del Maschio N., Sulpizio S., Fedeli D., Perani D., Abutalebi J., Del Mauro, G, Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Fedeli, D, Perani, D, Abutalebi, J, Del Mauro G., Del Maschio N., Sulpizio S., Fedeli D., Perani D., and Abutalebi J.
- Abstract
Computational morphometry of magnetic resonance images represents a powerful tool for studying macroscopic differences in human brains. In the present study (N participants = 829), we combined different techniques and measures of brain morphology to investigate one of the most compelling topics in neuroscience: sexual dimorphism in human brain structure. When accounting for overall larger male brains, results showed limited sex differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and surface area. On the other hand, we found larger differences in cortical thickness, favoring both males and females, arguably as a result of region-specific differences. We also observed higher values of fractal dimension, a measure of cortical complexity, for males versus females across the four lobes. In addition, we applied source-based morphometry, an alternative method for measuring GMV based on the independent component analysis. Analyses on independent components revealed higher GMV in fronto-parietal regions, thalamus and caudate nucleus for females, and in cerebellar- temporal cortices and putamen for males, a pattern that is largely consistent with previous findings.
- Published
- 2022
3. Cingulate cortex morphology impacts on neurofunctional activity and behavioral performance in interference tasks
- Author
-
Fedeli, D, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Defendenti, F, Sulpizio, S, Abutalebi, J, Fedeli D., Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Defendenti F., Sulpizio S., Abutalebi J., Fedeli, D, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Defendenti, F, Sulpizio, S, Abutalebi, J, Fedeli D., Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Defendenti F., Sulpizio S., and Abutalebi J.
- Abstract
Inhibitory control is the capacity to withhold or suppress a thought or action intentionally. The anterior Midcingulate Cortex (aMCC) participates in response inhibition, a proxy measure of inhibitory control. Recent research suggests that response inhibition is modulated by individual variability in the aMCC sulcal morphology. However, no study has investigated if this phenomenon is associated with neurofunctional differences during a task. In this study, 42 participants performed an Attention Network Task and a Numerical Stroop task in an MRI scanner. We investigated differences in brain activity and response inhibition efficiency between individuals with symmetric and asymmetric aMCC sulcal patterns. The results showed that aMCC morphological variability is partly associated with inhibitory control, and revealed greater activation in individuals with symmetric patterns during the Stroop task. Our findings provide novel insights into the functional correlates of the relationship between aMCC morphology and executive abilities.
- Published
- 2022
4. Erratum: Foreign to whom? Constraining the moral foreign language effect on bilinguals’ language experience (Language and Cognition(2022) 14 (511-533) DOI: 10.1017/langcog.2022.14)
- Author
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Del Maschio N., Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Bellini C., Abutalebi J., Sulpizio S., Del Maschio N., Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Bellini C., Abutalebi J., and Sulpizio S.
- Published
- 2022
5. Foreign to whom? Unpacking the effect of individual differences within bilinguals’ language experience on moral decision-making
- Author
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Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, and Sulpizio, S
- Subjects
foreign language effect ,bilingualism ,decision making - Published
- 2022
6. Neurocognitive mechanisms of emotional interference processing in bilinguals: Evidence from the emotional Stroop task
- Author
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Gentile, M, Del Maschio, N, Bellini, C, Del Mauro, G, Sulpizio, S, Abutalebi, J, Gentile, M, Del Maschio, N, Bellini, C, Del Mauro, G, Sulpizio, S, and Abutalebi, J
- Subjects
fMRI ,bilingualism ,emotional Stroop - Published
- 2022
7. Neurocognitive mechanisms of affective conflict adaptation in bilinguals: Evidence from the emotional Stroop task
- Author
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Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Bellini, C, Del Mauro, G, Abutalebi, J, Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Bellini, C, Del Mauro, G, and Abutalebi, J
- Subjects
emotional stroop ,fMRI ,bilingualism - Published
- 2022
8. Language you speak, decision you make: how the foreign language affects moral judgements
- Author
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Bellini, C, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S, Bellini, C, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Abutalebi, J, and Sulpizio, S
- Subjects
foreign language effect, bilingualism, decision making - Published
- 2022
9. Bilingualism as a gradient measure modulates functional connectivity of language and control networks
- Author
-
Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio S., Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Fedeli D., Abutalebi J., Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio S., Del Maschio N., Del Mauro G., Fedeli D., and Abutalebi J.
- Abstract
There is currently no agreement on which factor modulates most effectively and enduringly brain plasticity in bilingual individuals. Grouping heterogeneous linguistic profiles under a dichotomous condition (bilingualism versus monolingualism) may obscure critical aspects of language experience underlying neural changes, thus leading to variable and often conflicting findings. In the present study, we overcome these limitations by analyzing the individual and joint contribution of L2 AoA, proficiency and usage – all measured as continuous variables – on the resting-state functional connectivity of the brain networks mediating the specific demands of bilingual language processing: the language network and the executive control network. Our results indicate that bilingual experience – defined as a continuous and multifaceted phenomenon – impacts brain plasticity by modulating the functional connectivity both within and between language and control networks. Each experience-related factor considered played a role in changing the connectivity of these regions. Moreover, the effect of AoA was modulated by proficiency and usage. These findings shed new light on the importance of modeling bilingualism as a gradient measure rather than an all-or-none phenomenon.
- Published
- 2020
10. Second language use rather than second language knowledge relates to changes in white matter microstructure
- Author
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Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Toti, M, Caprioglio, C, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, Del Maschio N., Sulpizio S., Toti M., Caprioglio C., Del Mauro G., Fedeli D., Abutalebi J., Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Toti, M, Caprioglio, C, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, Del Maschio N., Sulpizio S., Toti M., Caprioglio C., Del Mauro G., Fedeli D., and Abutalebi J.
- Abstract
Learning and learning to regulate more than one language is shown to have an impact on the structural connectivity of the brain in networks related to language processing and executive control. The available evidence remains however variable in terms of the occurrence, localization and extent of these effects. Variability likely depends on the fact that grouping heterogeneous linguistic profiles under a dichotomous condition (bilingualism vs. monolingualism) may obscure critical aspects of language experience underlying white matter changes. Here, we treated the main quantifiable features in which bilingual experience can be partitioned—that is, age of acquisition, proficiency and use of a second language—as continuous variables, and tested their effects on a sample of young adult participants. Findings indicate that the time spent using a second language, rather than the age of acquisition or knowledge of that language, significantly modulates white matter microstructure in a bilateral cingulo-frontal cluster encompassing structures primarily related to language control. Taken together, these data point to a usage-dependent remodeling of cingulo-frontal connections, and substantiate the conceptualization of bilingualism as a complex and dynamic experience.
- Published
- 2020
11. Investigating the moral foreign language effect through a continuous approach to bilingualism
- Author
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Bellini, C, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Sulpizio, S, Abutalebi, J, Bellini, C, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Sulpizio, S, and Abutalebi, J
- Published
- 2022
12. Foreign to whom? Constraining the moral foreign language effect on bilinguals' language experience
- Author
-
Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, and Sulpizio, S
- Abstract
The moral foreign language effect (MFLE) describes how people's decisions may change when a moral dilemma is presented in either their native (NL) or foreign language (FL). Growing attention is being directed to unpacking what aspects of bilingualism may influence the MFLE, though with mixed or inconclusive results. The current study aims to bridge this gap by adopting a conceptualization of bilingualism that frames this construct as a composite and continuous measure. In a between-group analysis, we asked 196 Italian-English bilinguals to perform a moral dilemmas task in either their NL (i.e., Italian) or FL (i.e., English). In a within-group analysis, we evaluated the effects of FL age of acquisition, FL proficiency, and language dominance - all measured as continuous variables - on moral decision-making. Overall, findings indicate that differences within bilinguals' language experience impact moral decisions in an FL. However, the effect of the linguistic factors considered was not ubiquitous across dilemmas, and not always emerged into a MFLE. In light of these results, our study addresses the importance of treating bilingualism as multidimensional, rather than a unitary variable. It also discusses the need to reconceptualize the FLE and its implications on moral decision-making.
- Published
- 2022
13. PP.16.32
- Author
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Del Mauro, G., primary, Cristell, N.A., additional, Maioli, M., additional, Viscone, I., additional, and Cianflone, D., additional
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Investigating sexual dimorphism in human brain structure by combining multiple indexes of brain morphology and source-based morphometry
- Author
-
Nicola Del Maschio, Davide Fedeli, Gianpaolo Del Mauro, Jubin Abutalebi, Daniela Perani, Simone Sulpizio, Del Mauro, G, Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Fedeli, D, Perani, D, Abutalebi, J, Del Mauro, G., Del Maschio, N., Sulpizio, S., Fedeli, D., Perani, D., and Abutalebi, J.
- Subjects
Male ,Histology ,Thalamus ,Gray matter volume ,Surface area ,Caudate nucleus ,Biology ,Cortical thickness ,Cerebellum ,Sex differences ,medicine ,Humans ,Gray Matter ,Cortical thickne ,Alternative methods ,Sex Characteristics ,General Neuroscience ,Putamen ,Brain morphometry ,Brain ,Human brain ,Source-based morphometry ,Sex difference ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Sexual dimorphism ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Female ,Anatomy ,Fractal dimension ,Neuroscience ,Temporal Cortices - Abstract
Computational morphometry of magnetic resonance images represents a powerful tool for studying macroscopic differences in human brains. In the present study (N participants = 829), we combined different techniques and measures of brain morphology to investigate one of the most compelling topics in neuroscience: sexual dimorphism in human brain structure. When accounting for overall larger male brains, results showed limited sex differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and surface area. On the other hand, we found larger differences in cortical thickness, favoring both males and females, arguably as a result of region-specific differences. We also observed higher values of fractal dimension, a measure of cortical complexity, for males versus females across the four lobes. In addition, we applied source-based morphometry, an alternative method for measuring GMV based on the independent component analysis. Analyses on independent components revealed higher GMV in fronto-parietal regions, thalamus and caudate nucleus for females, and in cerebellar- temporal cortices and putamen for males, a pattern that is largely consistent with previous findings.
- Published
- 2021
15. Bilingualism as a gradient measure modulates functional connectivity of language and control networks
- Author
-
Nicola Del Maschio, Jubin Abutalebi, Gianpaolo Del Mauro, Simone Sulpizio, Davide Fedeli, Sulpizio, S, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, Sulpizio, S., Del Maschio, N., Del Mauro, G., Fedeli, D., and Abutalebi, J.
- Subjects
Adult ,Bilingualism ,Cognitive Neuroscience ,Multilingualism ,Measure (mathematics) ,050105 experimental psychology ,lcsh:RC321-571 ,Executive Function ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,VDP::Humanities: 000::Linguistics: 010 ,Factor (programming language) ,Phenomenon ,Neuroplasticity ,Connectome ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Resting-state connectivity ,Control (linguistics) ,Neuroscience of multilingualism ,lcsh:Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,VDP::Humaniora: 000::Språkvitenskapelige fag: 010 ,computer.programming_language ,Cerebral Cortex ,Neuronal Plasticity ,05 social sciences ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Language experience ,Variable (computer science) ,Neurology ,Nerve Net ,Language Experience Approach ,Psychology ,computer ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
There is currently no agreement on which factor modulates most effectively and enduringly brain plasticity in bilingual individuals. Grouping heterogeneous linguistic profiles under a dichotomous condition (bilingualism versus monolingualism) may obscure critical aspects of language experience underlying neural changes, thus leading to variable and often conflicting findings. In the present study, we overcome these limitations by analyzing the individual and joint contribution of L2 AoA, proficiency and usage – all measured as continuous variables – on the resting-state functional connectivity of the brain networks mediating the specific demands of bilingual language processing: the language network and the executive control network. Our results indicate that bilingual experience – defined as a continuous and multifaceted phenomenon – impacts brain plasticity by modulating the functional connectivity both within and between language and control networks. Each experience-related factor considered played a role in changing the connectivity of these regions. Moreover, the effect of AoA was modulated by proficiency and usage. These findings shed new light on the importance of modeling bilingualism as a gradient measure rather than an all-or-none phenomenon.
- Published
- 2020
16. Cingulate cortex morphology impacts on neurofunctional activity and behavioral performance in interference tasks
- Author
-
Davide Fedeli, Nicola Del Maschio, Gianpaolo Del Mauro, Federica Defendenti, Simone Sulpizio, Jubin Abutalebi, Fedeli, D, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Defendenti, F, Sulpizio, S, and Abutalebi, J
- Subjects
Brain Mapping ,Multidisciplinary ,Humans ,Nervous System Physiological Phenomena ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Gyrus Cinguli ,Human - Abstract
Inhibitory control is the capacity to withhold or suppress a thought or action intentionally. The anterior Midcingulate Cortex (aMCC) participates in response inhibition, a proxy measure of inhibitory control. Recent research suggests that response inhibition is modulated by individual variability in the aMCC sulcal morphology. However, no study has investigated if this phenomenon is associated with neurofunctional differences during a task. In this study, 42 participants performed an Attention Network Task and a Numerical Stroop task in an MRI scanner. We investigated differences in brain activity and response inhibition efficiency between individuals with symmetric and asymmetric aMCC sulcal patterns. The results showed that aMCC morphological variability is partly associated with inhibitory control, and revealed greater activation in individuals with symmetric patterns during the Stroop task. Our findings provide novel insights into the functional correlates of the relationship between aMCC morphology and executive abilities.
- Published
- 2022
17. Foreign to whom? Constraining the moral foreign language effect on bilinguals' language experience
- Author
-
Nicola Del Maschio, Gianpaolo Del Mauro, Camilla Bellini, Jubin Abutalebi, Simone Sulpizio, Del Maschio, N, Del Mauro, G, Bellini, C, Abutalebi, J, and Sulpizio, S
- Subjects
Linguistics and Language ,moral decision-making ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,bilingualism ,foreign language effect ,individual difference ,Language and Linguistics - Abstract
The moral foreign language effect (MFLE) describes how people’s decisions may change when a moral dilemma is presented in either their native (NL) or foreign language (FL). Growing attention is being directed to unpacking what aspects of bilingualism may influence the MFLE, though with mixed or inconclusive results. The current study aims to bridge this gap by adopting a conceptualization of bilingualism that frames this construct as a composite and continuous measure. In a between-group analysis, we asked 196 Italian–English bilinguals to perform a moral dilemmas task in either their NL (i.e., Italian) or FL (i.e., English). In a within-group analysis, we evaluated the effects of FL age of acquisition, FL proficiency, and language dominance – all measured as continuous variables – on moral decision-making. Overall, findings indicate that differences within bilinguals’ language experience impact moral decisions in an FL. However, the effect of the linguistic factors considered was not ubiquitous across dilemmas, and not always emerged into a MFLE. In light of these results, our study addresses the importance of treating bilingualism as multidimensional, rather than a unitary variable. It also discusses the need to reconceptualize the FLE and its implications on moral decision-making.
- Published
- 2022
18. Second language use rather than second language knowledge relates to changes in white matter microstructure
- Author
-
Davide Fedeli, Gianpaolo Del Mauro, Simone Sulpizio, Nicola Del Maschio, Camilla Caprioglio, Jubin Abutalebi, Michelle Toti, Del Maschio, N, Sulpizio, S, Toti, M, Caprioglio, C, Del Mauro, G, Fedeli, D, Abutalebi, J, DEL MASCHIO, NICOLA ALESSANDRO, Sulpizio, Simone, Toti, Michelle, Caprioglio, Camilla, DEL MAURO, Gianpaolo, Fedeli, Davide, and Abutalebi, Jubin
- Subjects
Linguistics and Language ,Second language use ,Conceptualization ,Point (typography) ,Bilingualism ,Structural connectivity ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Variable (computer science) ,Age of Acquisition ,White matter microstructure ,Language Experience Approach ,Psychology ,Control (linguistics) ,Neuroscience of multilingualism ,Cognitive linguistics ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Learning and learning to regulate more than one language is shown to have an impact on the structural connectivity of the brain in networks related to language processing and executive control. The available evidence remains however variable in terms of the occurrence, localization and extent of these effects. Variability likely depends on the fact that grouping heterogeneous linguistic profiles under a dichotomous condition (bilingualism vs. monolingualism) may obscure critical aspects of language experience underlying white matter changes. Here, we treated the main quantifiable features in which bilingual experience can be partitioned—that is, age of acquisition, proficiency and use of a second language—as continuous variables, and tested their effects on a sample of young adult participants. Findings indicate that the time spent using a second language, rather than the age of acquisition or knowledge of that language, significantly modulates white matter microstructure in a bilateral cingulo-frontal cluster encompassing structures primarily related to language control. Taken together, these data point to a usage-dependent remodeling of cingulo-frontal connections, and substantiate the conceptualization of bilingualism as a complex and dynamic experience.
- Published
- 2020
19. Global brain connectivity: Test-retest stability and association with biological and neurocognitive variables.
- Author
-
Del Mauro G, Li Y, and Wang Z
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Young Adult, Adult, Nerve Net diagnostic imaging, Nerve Net physiology, Reproducibility of Results, Adolescent, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Connectome methods, Brain diagnostic imaging, Brain physiology, Intelligence physiology
- Abstract
Background: Global brain connectivity (GBC) enables measuring brain regions' functional connectivity strength at rest by computing the average correlation between each brain voxel's time-series and that of all other voxels., New Method: We used resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data of young adult participants from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) dataset to explore the test-retest stability of GBC, the brain regions with higher or lower GBC, as well as the associations of this measure with age, sex, and fluid intelligence. GBC was computed by considering separately the positive and negative correlation coefficients (positive GBC and negative GBC)., Results: Test-retest stability was higher for positive compared to negative GBC. Areas with higher GBC were located in the default mode network, insula, and visual areas, while regions with lower GBC were in subcortical regions, temporal cortex, and cerebellum. Higher age was related to global reduction of positive GBC. Males displayed higher positive GBC in the whole brain. Fluid intelligence was associated to increased positive GBC in fronto-parietal, occipital and temporal regions., Comparison With Existing Method: Compared to previous works, this study adopted a larger sample size and tested GBC stability using data from different rs-fMRI sessions. Moreover, these associations were examined by testing positive and negative GBC separately., Conclusions: Lower stability for negative compared to positive GBC suggests that negative correlations may reflect less stable couplings between brain regions. Our findings indicate a greater importance of positive compared to negative GBC for the associations of functional connectivity strength with biological and neurocognitive variables., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Neurocognitive mechanisms of emotional interference in native and foreign languages: evidence from proficient bilinguals.
- Author
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Del Maschio N, Sulpizio S, Bellini C, Del Mauro G, Giannachi M, Buga D, Fedeli D, Perani D, and Abutalebi J
- Abstract
Currently available data show mixed results as to whether the processing of emotional information has the same characteristics in the native (L1) as in the second language (L2) of bilinguals. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment to shed light on the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying bilinguals' emotional processing in L1 and L2 during an emotional interference task (i.e., the Emotional Stroop Task - EST). Our sample comprised proficient Italian-English bilinguals who learned their L2 during childhood mainly in instructional rather than immersive contexts. In spite of no detectable behavioural effects, we found stronger brain activations for L1 versus L2 emotional words in sectors of the posteromedial cortex involved in attention modulation, episodic memory, and affective processing. While fMRI findings are consistent with the hypothesis of a stronger emotional resonance when processing words in a native language, our overall pattern of results points to the different sensitivity of behavioural and hemodynamic responses to emotional information in the two languages of bilingual speakers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Del Maschio, Sulpizio, Bellini, Del Mauro, Giannachi, Buga, Fedeli, Perani and Abutalebi.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Original language versus dubbed movies: Effects on our brain and emotions.
- Author
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Bellini C, Del Maschio N, Gentile M, Del Mauro G, Franceschini R, and Abutalebi J
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Adult, Young Adult, Brain Mapping, Language, Emotions physiology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Brain physiology, Brain diagnostic imaging, Motion Pictures, Multilingualism
- Abstract
Converging evidence suggests that emotions are often dulled in one's foreign language. Here, we paired fMRI with a naturalistic viewing paradigm (i.e., original vs. dubbed versions of sad, fun and neutral movie clips) to investigate the neural correlates of emotion perception as a function of native (L1) and foreign (L2) language context. Watching emotional clips in L1 (vs. L2) reflected in activations of anterior temporal cortices involved in semantic cognition, arguably indicating a closer association of emotion concepts with the native language. The processing of fun clips in L1 (vs. L2) reflected in enhanced response of the right amygdala, suggesting a deeper emotional experience of positively valenced stimuli in the L1. Of interest, the amygdala response to fun clips positively correlated with participants' proficiency in the L2, indicating that a higher L2 competence may reduce emotional processing differences across a bilingual's two languages. Our findings are compatible with the view that language provides a context for the construction of emotions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Divergent association between pain intensity and resting-state fMRI-based brain entropy in different age groups.
- Author
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Del Mauro G, Sevel LS, Boissoneault J, and Wang Z
- Subjects
- Humans, Adult, Female, Male, Young Adult, Middle Aged, Aged, Rest physiology, Retrospective Studies, Age Factors, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Brain diagnostic imaging, Brain physiopathology, Pain diagnostic imaging, Pain physiopathology, Connectome methods, Entropy, Aging physiology
- Abstract
Pain is a multidimensional subjective experience sustained by multiple brain regions involved in different aspects of pain experience. We used brain entropy (BEN) estimated from resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) data to investigate the neural correlates of pain experience. BEN was estimated from rs-fMRI data provided by two datasets with different age range: the Human Connectome Project-Young Adult (HCP-YA) and the Human Connectome project-Aging (HCP-A) datasets. Retrospective assessment of experienced pain intensity was retrieved from both datasets. No main effect of pain intensity was observed. The interaction between pain and age, however, was related to increased BEN in several pain-related brain regions, reflecting greater variability of spontaneous brain activity. Dividing the sample into a young adult group (YG) and a middle age-aging group (MAG) resulted in two divergent patterns of pain-BEN association: In the YG, pain intensity was related to reduced BEN in brain regions involved in the sensory processing of pain; in the MAG, pain was associated with increased BEN in areas related to both sensory and cognitive aspects of pain experience., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Associations of Brain Entropy Estimated by Resting State fMRI With Physiological Indices, Body Mass Index, and Cognition.
- Author
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Del Mauro G and Wang Z
- Subjects
- Male, Humans, Adult, Body Mass Index, Brain Mapping methods, Retrospective Studies, Entropy, Brain, Cognition, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Connectome
- Abstract
Background: In recent years, resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI)-based brain entropy (BEN) has gained increasing interest as a tool to characterize brain activity. While previous studies indicate that BEN is correlated with cognition, it remains unclear whether BEN is influenced by other factors that typically affect brain activity measured by fMRI., Purpose: To investigate the relationship between BEN and physiological indices, including respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (s-BP), and body mass index (BMI), and to investigate whether and to what extent the relationship between BEN and cognition is influenced by physiological variables., Study Type: Retrospective., Subjects: One thousand two hundred six healthy subjects (mean age: 28.83 ± 3.69 years; 550 male) with rsfMRI datasets selected from the Human Connectome Project (HCP)., Field Strength/sequence: Multiband echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence at 3.0 Tesla., Assessment: Neurocognitive, physical health (RR, HR, s-BP, BMI), and rsfMRI data were retrieved from the HCP datasets. Neurocognition was measured through the total cognition composite (TCC) score provided by HCP. BEN maps were calculated from rsfMRI data., Statistical Tests: Multiple regression models, p
height -family wise error (FWE) < 0.05 and pcluster -FWE < 0.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: BEN was negatively associated with RR (T-thresholds ranging from 4.75 to 4.8; r-threshold = |0.15|) and positively associated with s-BP and BMI (T-thresholds ranging from 4.75 to 4.8; r-threshold = |0.15|) in areas overlapping with the default mode network. After controlling the physiological effects, BEN still showed regional associations with TCC, including negative associations (T-thresholds = 3.09; r-threshold = |0.1|) in the fronto-parietal cortex and positive associations (T-thresholds = 3.09; r-threshold = |0.1|) in the sensorimotor system (motor network and the limbic system)., Data Conclusions: RR negatively affects rsfMRI-derived BEN, while s-BP and BMI positively affect BEN. The positive associations between BEN and cognition in the motor network and the limbic system might indicate a facilitation of information processing in the sensorimotor system., Evidence Level: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3., (© 2023 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Cross-subject brain entropy mapping.
- Author
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Del Mauro G and Wang Z
- Abstract
We present a method to map the regional similarity between resting state fMRI activities of different individuals. The similarity was measured using cross-entropy. Group level patterns were displayed based on the Human Connectome Project Youth data. While we only showed the cross-subject brain entropy (BEN) mapping results in this manuscript, the same concept can be directly extended to map the cross-sessional BEN and the cross-regional cross-subject or subject-session BEN.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Task-induced changes in brain entropy.
- Author
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Camargo A, Del Mauro G, and Wang Z
- Subjects
- Humans, Entropy, Parietal Lobe, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Brain diagnostic imaging, Connectome
- Abstract
Entropy indicates irregularity of a dynamic system, with higher entropy indicating higher irregularity and more transit states. In the human brain, regional brain entropy (BEN) has been increasingly assessed using resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI), while changes of regional BEN during task-based fMRI have been scarcely studied. The purpose of this study is to characterize task-induced regional BEN alterations using the large Human Connectome Project (HCP) data. To control the potential modulation by the block design, BEN of task-fMRI was calculated from the fMRI images acquired during the task conditions only (task BEN) and then compared to BEN of rs-fMRI (resting BEN). Moreover, BEN was separately calculated from the control blocks of the task-fMRI runs (control BEN) and compared to task BEN. Finally, control BEN was compared to resting BEN to test for residual task effects in the control condition. With respect to resting state, task performance unanimously induced BEN reduction in the peripheral cortical area and BEN increase in the centric part of the sensorimotor and perception networks. Control compared to resting BEN showed similar entropy alterations, suggesting large residual task effects. Task compared to control BEN was characterized by reduced entropy in occipital, orbitofrontal, and parietal regions., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. The relationship between reading abilities and the left occipitotemporal sulcus: A dual perspective study.
- Author
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Del Mauro G, Del Maschio N, and Abutalebi J
- Subjects
- Adult, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Temporal Lobe diagnostic imaging, Temporal Lobe physiology, Brain Mapping, Reading
- Abstract
Reading activates a region within the left lateral occipitotemporal sulcus (OTS) known as the 'visual word form area' (VWFA). While several studies have investigated the impact of reading on brain structure through neuroplastic mechanisms, it has been recently suggested that individual differences in the pattern of the posterior OTS may predict reading skills in adults. In the present study, we first examined whether the structure and morphology and the anatomical connectivity of the left OTS are associated to reading ability. Second, we explored whether reading skills are predicted by the pattern of the left OTS. We found that reading skills were positively associated with increased connectivity between the left OTS and a network of reading-related regions in the left hemisphere. On the other hand, we did not observe an association between the pattern of the left OTS and reading skills. Finally, we found evidence that the morphology and the connectivity of the left OTS are correlated to its sulcal pattern., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Cingulate cortex morphology impacts on neurofunctional activity and behavioral performance in interference tasks.
- Author
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Fedeli D, Del Maschio N, Del Mauro G, Defendenti F, Sulpizio S, and Abutalebi J
- Subjects
- Brain Mapping, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Gyrus Cinguli physiology, Nervous System Physiological Phenomena
- Abstract
Inhibitory control is the capacity to withhold or suppress a thought or action intentionally. The anterior Midcingulate Cortex (aMCC) participates in response inhibition, a proxy measure of inhibitory control. Recent research suggests that response inhibition is modulated by individual variability in the aMCC sulcal morphology. However, no study has investigated if this phenomenon is associated with neurofunctional differences during a task. In this study, 42 participants performed an Attention Network Task and a Numerical Stroop task in an MRI scanner. We investigated differences in brain activity and response inhibition efficiency between individuals with symmetric and asymmetric aMCC sulcal patterns. The results showed that aMCC morphological variability is partly associated with inhibitory control, and revealed greater activation in individuals with symmetric patterns during the Stroop task. Our findings provide novel insights into the functional correlates of the relationship between aMCC morphology and executive abilities., (© 2022. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Investigating sexual dimorphism in human brain structure by combining multiple indexes of brain morphology and source-based morphometry.
- Author
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Del Mauro G, Del Maschio N, Sulpizio S, Fedeli D, Perani D, and Abutalebi J
- Subjects
- Cerebellum, Female, Gray Matter diagnostic imaging, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Brain diagnostic imaging, Sex Characteristics
- Abstract
Computational morphometry of magnetic resonance images represents a powerful tool for studying macroscopic differences in human brains. In the present study (N participants = 829), we combined different techniques and measures of brain morphology to investigate one of the most compelling topics in neuroscience: sexual dimorphism in human brain structure. When accounting for overall larger male brains, results showed limited sex differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and surface area. On the other hand, we found larger differences in cortical thickness, favoring both males and females, arguably as a result of region-specific differences. We also observed higher values of fractal dimension, a measure of cortical complexity, for males versus females across the four lobes. In addition, we applied source-based morphometry, an alternative method for measuring GMV based on the independent component analysis. Analyses on independent components revealed higher GMV in fronto-parietal regions, thalamus and caudate nucleus for females, and in cerebellar- temporal cortices and putamen for males, a pattern that is largely consistent with previous findings., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Bilingualism as a gradient measure modulates functional connectivity of language and control networks.
- Author
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Sulpizio S, Del Maschio N, Del Mauro G, Fedeli D, and Abutalebi J
- Subjects
- Adult, Cerebral Cortex diagnostic imaging, Humans, Nerve Net diagnostic imaging, Young Adult, Cerebral Cortex physiology, Connectome, Executive Function physiology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Multilingualism, Nerve Net physiology, Neuronal Plasticity physiology
- Abstract
There is currently no agreement on which factor modulates most effectively and enduringly brain plasticity in bilingual individuals. Grouping heterogeneous linguistic profiles under a dichotomous condition (bilingualism versus monolingualism) may obscure critical aspects of language experience underlying neural changes, thus leading to variable and often conflicting findings. In the present study, we overcome these limitations by analyzing the individual and joint contribution of L2 AoA, proficiency and usage - all measured as continuous variables - on the resting-state functional connectivity of the brain networks mediating the specific demands of bilingual language processing: the language network and the executive control network. Our results indicate that bilingual experience - defined as a continuous and multifaceted phenomenon - impacts brain plasticity by modulating the functional connectivity both within and between language and control networks. Each experience-related factor considered played a role in changing the connectivity of these regions. Moreover, the effect of AoA was modulated by proficiency and usage. These findings shed new light on the importance of modeling bilingualism as a gradient measure rather than an all-or-none phenomenon., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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