Society proceedingsReport of the committee on methods of clinical examination in electroencephalography: 1957
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A brief real-time fNIRS-informed neurofeedback training of the prefrontal cortex changes brain activity and connectivity during subsequent working memory challenge
2024, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological PsychiatryWorking memory (WM) represents a building-block of higher cognitive functions and a wide range of mental disorders are associated with WM impairments. Initial studies have shown that several sessions of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) informed real-time neurofeedback (NF) allow healthy individuals to volitionally increase activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a region critically involved in WM. For the translation to therapeutic or neuroenhancement applications, however, it is critical to assess whether fNIRS-NF success transfers into neural and behavioral WM enhancement in the absence of feedback. We therefore combined single-session fNIRS-NF of the left DLPFC with a randomized sham-controlled design (N = 62 participants) and a subsequent WM challenge with concomitant functional MRI. Over four runs of fNIRS-NF, the left DLPFC NF training group demonstrated enhanced neural activity in this region, reflecting successful acquisition of neural self-regulation. During the subsequent WM challenge, we observed no evidence for performance differences between the training and the sham group. Importantly, however, examination of the fMRI data revealed that - compared to the sham group - the training group exhibited significantly increased regional activity in the bilateral DLPFC and decreased left DLPFC - left anterior insula functional connectivity during the WM challenge. Exploratory analyses revealed a negative association between DLPFC activity and WM reaction times in the NF group. Together, these findings indicate that healthy individuals can learn to volitionally increase left DLPFC activity in a single training session and that the training success translates into WM-related neural activation and connectivity changes in the absence of feedback. This renders fNIRS-NF as a promising and scalable WM intervention approach that could be applied to various mental disorders.
Weight loss and lifestyle intervention for cardiorespiratory fitness in obstructive sleep apnea: The INTERAPNEA trial
2024, Psychology of Sport and ExerciseAlthough recent trials have shown benefits of weight loss and lifestyle interventions on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity and comorbidities, the effect of these interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention on CRF and self-reported physical fitness in adults with OSA.
Eighty-nine men aged 18–65 years with moderate-to-severe OSA and a body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to a usual-care group or an 8-week interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention. CRF was assessed through the 2-km walking test, and the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) was used to assess self-reported physical fitness.
As compared with usual-care, the intervention group had greater improvements at intervention endpoint in objective CRF (6% reduction in 2-km walking test total time, mean between-group difference, −1.7 min; 95% confidence interval, −2.3 to −1.1), and self-reported overall physical fitness (18% increase in IFIS total score, mean between-group difference, 2.3; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3). At 6 months after intervention, the intervention group also had greater improvements in both 2-km walking test total time (10% reduction) and IFIS total score (22% increase), with mean between-group differences of −2.5 (CI 95%, −3.1 to −1.8) and 3.0 (CI 95%, 1.8 to 4.1), respectively.
An 8-week interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention resulted in significant and sustainable improvements in CRF and self-reported physical fitness in men with overweight/obesity and moderate-to-severe OSA.
ClinicalTrials.gov registration (NCT03851653)
Schema-congruency supports the formation of unitized representations: Evidence from event-related potentials
2024, NeuropsychologiaThe main goal of the present study was to investigate whether schema-based encoding of novel word pairs (i.e., novel compound words) supports the formation of unitized representations and thus, associative familiarity-based recognition. We report two experiments that both comprise an incidental learning task, in which novel noun-noun compound words were presented in semantically congruent contexts, enabling schema-supported processing of both constituents, contrasted with a schema-neutral condition. In Experiment 1, the effects of schema congruency on memory performance were larger for associative memory performance than for item memory performance in a memory test in which intact, recombined, and new compound words had to be discriminated. This supports the view that schema congruency boosts associative memory by promoting unitization. When contrasting event-related potentials (ERPs) for hits with correct rejections or associative misses, an N400 attenuation effect (520–676 ms) indicating absolute familiarity was present in the congruent condition, but not in the neutral condition. In line with this, a direct comparison of ERPs on hits across conditions revealed more positive waveforms in the congruent than in the neutral condition. This suggests that absolute familiarity contributes to associative recognition memory when schema-supported processing is established. In Experiment 2, we tested whether schema congruency enables the formation of semantically overlapping representations. Therefore, we included semantically similar lure compound words in the test phase and compared false alarm rates to these lures across conditions. In line with our hypothesis, we found higher false alarm rates in the congruent as compared to the neutral condition. In conclusion, we provide converging evidence for the view that schema congruency enables the formation of unitized representations and supports familiarity-based memory retrieval.
Bilateral and synchronous “dents de scie” spikes: A highly specific EEG pattern of young adult Dravet syndrome
2024, SeizureIn Dravet syndrome (DS), EEGs evolve over time.
To describe a peculiar EEG pattern in two adults with a de novo SCN1A gene mutation, in exon 5 (case 1) and 9 (case 2).
Two female patients underwent a prolonged video EEG (24 h) as part of their epilepsy assessment.
In both cases, the EEG showed a very peculiar and stereotypical pattern of bilateral synchronous spikes at about 5–6 Hz. This activity was present during wakefulness and highly activated at sleep onset and in NREM sleep, which could show nearly continuous spike activity. This activity dramatically decreased in REM sleep and after awakening. This pattern of “dents de scie” (sawtooth) spikes maintained the same morphology throughout the entire EEG recording. In both patients, the spikes were favored by passive eye closure. During wakefulness, the spikes could evolve into atypical absences while keeping the same “dents de scie” pattern. Neither patient had tonic or myoclonic seizures at the time of the EEG assessment. Both were moderately retarded, and neither one had a typical DS gait disorder. Previous EEG recordings of case 1 performed at 9.5 and 18.5 years showed spike-waves, but the morphology did not correspond to the EEG recording observed at 22 years.
Both patients have a similar electro-clinical phenotype. This “dents de scie” pattern appears to be very specific and could be pathognomonic in a subgroup of young adults with DS. Results of sleep EEG recording could be added to the diagnostic criteria for this syndrome.
Effects of square attractiveness on emotional perception, cognitive performance, and neurophysiology
2023, Frontiers of Architectural ResearchAesthetic evaluations, including beauty and attractiveness, have an important role in our lives. Despite its importance in our every-day life, enough attention has not been devoted to the assessment of place attractiveness in previous studies. We assume that changes in elements of square attractiveness are associated with changes in brain functional connectivity patterns. In this study, we have tried to explore the relationship between elements of square attractiveness and individuals' emotional perception as well as the brain mechanism involved in the process of cognitive development. There has been a focus on using objective measures of physiological rather than using self-reported data of an individual's emotions because people cannot understand their emotions properly and it is needed to compare self-report emotions with physiological processes. Classification of the five main elements of attractiveness was performed using the Delphi technique. Subsequently, twenty-four healthy young adults were exposed to the visual stimuli consists of five elements. A 32-channel EEG system was used to record the brain activities of participants while watching the stimuli. The subjects' feelings about valence and arousal levels of the elements were evaluated using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) technique. The findings showed that “visual openness” is the most important element to increase the square attractiveness of everyday landscape in residential areas. The analysis revealed a significant difference (p = 0.048) in arousal ratings between more attractive (more openness) (M = 4.77) and less attractive (less openness) (M = 4.52). Attractiveness elements of the stimuli have a region-specific association with brain functional connectivity networks. This pattern is mainly found in the functional connections between central parts of the brain.
EEG coherence before and after giving birth
2023, Brain ResearchDuring pregnancy and the postpartum period, changes in brain volume and in motivational, sensory, cognitive, and emotional processes have been described. However, to date, longitudinal modifications of brain function have been understudied. To explore regional cortical coupling, in pregnancy and at 3 months postpartum, we analyzed resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence in the delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, beta1, and beta2 frequency bands across frontal and parietal regions of the maternal brain (Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4, P3, and P4). We found that from pregnancy to the postpartum period, mothers showed less intrahemispheric EEG coherence between the frontal and parietal regions in the alpha1 and alpha2 bands, as well as greater interhemispheric EEG coherence between frontopolar regions in the beta2 band. These changes suggest decreased inhibition of neural circuits. These neurophysiological changes may represent an adaptive process characteristic of motherhood.