scholarly journals Brain Synchrony in Competition and Collaboration During Multiuser Neurofeedback-Based Gaming

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioana Susnoschi Luca ◽  
Finda Dwi Putri ◽  
Hao Ding ◽  
Aleksandra Vuckovič
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Winning Strategy ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Similar Degree ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Rules Of The Game

EEG hyperscanning during multiuser gaming offers opportunities to study brain characteristics of social interaction under various paradigms. In this study, we aimed to characterize neural signatures and phase-based functional connectivity patterns of gaming strategies during collaborative and competitive alpha neurofeedback games. Twenty pairs of participants with no close relationship took part in three sessions of collaborative or competitive multiuser neurofeedback (NF), with identical graphical user interface, using Relative Alpha (RA) power as a control signal. Collaborating dyads had to keep their RA within 5% of each other for the team to be awarded a point, while members of competitive dyads scored points if their RA was 10% above their opponent's. Interbrain synchrony existed only during gaming but not during baseline in either collaborative or competitive gaming. Spectral analysis and interbrain connectivity showed that in collaborative gaming, players with higher resting state alpha content were more active in regulating their RA to match those of their partner. Moreover, interconnectivity was the strongest between homologous brain structures of the dyad in theta and alpha bands, indicating a similar degree of planning and social exchange. Competitive gaming emphasized the difference between participants who were able to relax and, in this way, maintain RA, and those who had an unsuccessful approach. Analysis of interbrain connections shows engagement of frontal areas in losers, but not in winners, indicating the formers' attempt to mentalise and apply strategies that might be suitable for conventional gaming, but inappropriate for the alpha neurofeedback-based game. We show that in gaming based on multiplayer non-verbalized NF, the winning strategy is dependent on the rules of the game and on the behavior of the opponent. Mental strategies that characterize successful gaming in the physical world might not be adequate for NF-based gaming.

scholarly journals Fibromyalgia Detection Based on EEG Connectivity Patterns

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3277
Author(s):  
Ramón Martín-Brufau ◽  
Manuel Nombela Gómez ◽  
Leyre Sanchez-Sanchez-Rojas ◽  
Cristina Nombela
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Features ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Roc Analysis ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Source Analysis ◽  
Bioelectrical Activity ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
Eeg Connectivity

Objective: The identification of a complementary test to confirm the diagnosis of FM. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FM) is based on clinical features, but there is still no consensus, so patients and clinicians might benefit from such a test. Recent findings showed that pain lies in neuronal bases (pain matrices) and, in the long term, chronic pain modifies the activity and dynamics of brain structures. Our hypothesis is that patients with FM present lower levels of brain activity and therefore less connectivity than controls. Methods: We registered the resting state EEG of 23 patients with FM and compared them with 23 control subjects’ resting state recordings from the PhysioBank database. We measured frequency, amplitude, and functional connectivity, and conducted source localization (sLORETA). ROC analysis was performed on the resulting data. Results: We found significant differences in brain bioelectrical activity at rest in all analyzed bands between patients and controls, except for Delta. Subsequent source analysis provided connectivity values that depicted a distinct profile, with high discriminative capacity (between 91.3–100%) between the two groups. Conclusions: Patients with FM show a distinct neurophysiological pattern that fits with the clinical features of the disease.

Use of a Lyophilized Reference Plasma to Compare Coagulation Test Procedures

1975 ◽  
Vol 34 (02) ◽  
pp. 426-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Kahan ◽  
I Nohén
Keyword(s):  
Oral Anticoagulant Therapy ◽  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Test Procedures ◽  
Coagulation Activity ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Measured Activity ◽  
Test Materials ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Stability ◽  
The One

SummaryIn 4 collaborative trials, involving a varying number of hospital laboratories in the Stockholm area, the coagulation activity of different test materials was estimated with the one-stage prothrombin tests routinely used in the laboratories, viz. Normotest, Simplastin-A and Thrombotest. The test materials included different batches of a lyophilized reference plasma, deep-frozen specimens of diluted and undiluted normal plasmas, and fresh and deep-frozen specimens from patients on long-term oral anticoagulant therapy.Although a close relationship was found between different methods, Simplastin-A gave consistently lower values than Normotest, the difference being proportional to the estimated activity. The discrepancy was of about the same magnitude on all the test materials, and was probably due to a divergence between the manufacturers’ procedures used to set “normal percentage activity”, as well as to a varying ratio of measured activity to plasma concentration. The extent of discrepancy may vary with the batch-to-batch variation of thromboplastin reagents.The close agreement between results obtained on different test materials suggests that the investigated reference plasma could be used to calibrate the examined thromboplastin reagents, and to compare the degree of hypocoagulability estimated by the examined PIVKA-insensitive thromboplastin reagents.The assigned coagulation activity of different batches of the reference plasma agreed closely with experimentally obtained values. The stability of supplied batches was satisfactory as judged from the reproducibility of repeated measurements. The variability of test procedures was approximately the same on different test materials.

scholarly journals The Brain Resting-State Functional Connectivity Underlying Violence Proneness: Is It a Reliable Marker for Neurocriminology? A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ángel Romero-Martínez ◽  
Macarena González ◽  
Marisol Lila ◽  
Enrique Gracia ◽  
Luis Martí-Bonmatí ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Prevention Programs ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Reliable Marker ◽  
The Brain

Introduction: There is growing scientific interest in understanding the biological mechanisms affecting and/or underlying violent behaviors in order to develop effective treatment and prevention programs. In recent years, neuroscientific research has tried to demonstrate whether the intrinsic activity within the brain at rest in the absence of any external stimulation (resting-state functional connectivity; RSFC) could be employed as a reliable marker for several cognitive abilities and personality traits that are important in behavior regulation, particularly, proneness to violence. Aims: This review aims to highlight the association between the RSFC among specific brain structures and the predisposition to experiencing anger and/or responding to stressful and distressing situations with anger in several populations. Methods: The scientific literature was reviewed following the PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, using the following digital databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Psicodoc, and Dialnet. Results: The identification of 181 abstracts and retrieval of 34 full texts led to the inclusion of 17 papers. The results described in our study offer a better understanding of the brain networks that might explain the tendency to experience anger. The majority of the studies highlighted that diminished RSFC between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala might make people prone to reactive violence, but that it is also necessary to contemplate additional cortical (i.e. insula, gyrus [angular, supramarginal, temporal, fusiform, superior, and middle frontal], anterior and posterior cingulated cortex) and subcortical brain structures (i.e. hippocampus, cerebellum, ventral striatum, and nucleus centralis superior) in order to explain a phenomenon as complex as violence. Moreover, we also described the neural pathways that might underlie proactive violence and feelings of revenge, highlighting the RSFC between the OFC, ventral striatal, angular gyrus, mid-occipital cortex, and cerebellum. Conclusions. The results from this synthesis and critical analysis of RSFC findings in several populations offer guidelines for future research and for developing a more accurate model of proneness to violence, in order to create effective treatment and prevention programs.

The opposite and antagonistic effects of the closely related POU family transcription factors Brn-3a and Brn-3b on the activity of a target promoter are dependent on differences in the POU domain

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6907-6914
Author(s):  
P J Morris ◽  
T Theil ◽  
C J Ring ◽  
K A Lillycrop ◽  
T Moroy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Promoter Activity ◽  
Group Iv ◽  
Promoter Activation ◽  
Antagonistic Effects ◽  
Pou Domain ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Target Promoter

The Brn-3a, Brn-3b, and Brn-3c POU family transcription factors are closely related to one another and are members of the group IV subfamily of POU factors. Here we show that despite this close relationship, the factors have different effects on the activity of a target promoter: Brn-3a and Brn-3c stimulate the promoter whereas Brn-3b represses it. Moreover, Brn-3b can antagonize the stimulatory effect of Brn-3a on promoter activity and can also inhibit promoter activation by the Oct-2.1 POU factor. The difference in the transactivation activities of Brn-3a and Brn-3b is dependent upon the C-terminal region containing the POU domain of the two proteins, since exchange of this domain between the two factors converts Brn-3a into a repressor and Brn-3b into an activator.

scholarly journals Disentangling Mathematics from Executive Functions by Investigating Unique Functional Connectivity Patterns Predictive of Mathematics Ability

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 560-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenny Skagerlund ◽  
Taylor Bolt ◽  
Jason S. Nomi ◽  
Mikael Skagenholt ◽  
Daniel Västfjäll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Mathematical Ability ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Intraparietal Sulcus ◽  
Supramarginal Gyrus ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
The Right

What are the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms that give rise to mathematical competence? This study investigated the relationship between tests of mathematical ability completed outside the scanner and resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of cytoarchitectonically defined subdivisions of the parietal cortex in adults. These parietal areas are also involved in executive functions (EFs). Therefore, it remains unclear whether there are unique networks for mathematical processing. We investigate the neural networks for mathematical cognition and three measures of EF using resting-state fMRI data collected from 51 healthy adults. Using 10 ROIs in seed to whole-brain voxel-wise analyses, the results showed that arithmetical ability was correlated with FC between the right anterior intraparietal sulcus (hIP1) and the left supramarginal gyrus and between the right posterior intraparietal sulcus (hIP3) and the left middle frontal gyrus and the right premotor cortex. The connection between the posterior portion of the left angular gyrus and the left inferior frontal gyrus was also correlated with mathematical ability. Covariates of EF eliminated connectivity patterns with nodes in inferior frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus, suggesting neural overlap. Controlling for EF, we found unique connections correlated with mathematical ability between the right hIP1 and the left supramarginal gyrus and between hIP3 bilaterally to premotor cortex bilaterally. This is partly in line with the “mapping hypothesis” of numerical cognition in which the right intraparietal sulcus subserves nonsymbolic number processing and connects to the left parietal cortex, responsible for calculation procedures. We show that FC within this circuitry is a significant predictor of math ability in adulthood.

scholarly journals Dummetova koncepcija kao teorija značenja za Hintikkin tip semantike teorije igre (III)

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heda Festini
Keyword(s):  
General Theory ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Proof Theory ◽  
Winning Strategy ◽  
General Information ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Inductive Probability ◽  
Theory Of Meaning ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Key Terms

With the analysis of the key terms such as truth/use, proof - verification, falsification, inductive probability/semantic probability, winning/losing, winning strategy, it is shown that Dummett’s general theory of meaning does not include Hintikka’s game theory, that it, the conception of the winning strategy. The difference between them arises from the different understanding of Wittgenstein's idea about language games and from their attitudes toward theoretical proof theory. Hintikka’s semantic games about exploration of the world do not reject the bivalence principle but he gives it a different characteristic - one of the two players always has a winning strategy. Looking at Dummett’s philosophical theory of meaning and the most recent Hintikka’s suggestion about general information - seeking through questioning and answering, the author establishes that Dummett’s falsificational and dialogical games as well as Hintikka’s semantic games are subparts of Hintikka’s general information - seeking game Thus Dummett’s statement that Hintikka’s semantic games can be subsumed under Dummett’s conception is rejected and thus the answer is partly given to Saarinen’s suggestion that new affinity should be established. Apart from the comparison of these views with the outline of possible Wittgenstein’s general theory of meaning as rule - testing, together with his treatment (although not always adequate) of verification/falsification, inductive probability and čonfirmation/corroboration, the advantage of Wittgenstein’s view is affirmed.

scholarly journals Cortical selectivity driven by connectivity: Innate connectivity patterns of the visual word form area

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Li ◽  
David E. Osher ◽  
Heather A. Hansen ◽  
Zeynep M. Saygin
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Resting State Fmri ◽  
Visual Word ◽  
Functional Specialization ◽  
Word Form ◽  
Visual Word Form Area ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Language Network

AbstractWhat determines the functional organization of cortex? One hypothesis is that innate connectivity patterns set up a scaffold upon which functional specialization can later take place. We tested this hypothesis by asking whether the visual word form area (VWFA), an experience-driven region, was already connected to proto language networks in neonates scanned within one week of birth. With resting-state fMRI, we found that neonates showed adult-like functional connectivity, and observed that i) language regions connected more strongly with the putative VWFA than other adjacent ventral visual regions that also show foveal bias, and ii) the VWFA connected more strongly with frontotemporal language regions than with regions adjacent to these language regions. These data suggest that the location of the VWFA is earmarked at birth due to its connectivity with the language network, providing evidence that innate connectivity instructs the later refinement of cortex.

scholarly journals Dynamic integration and segregation of amygdala subregional functional circuits linking to physiological arousal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimeng Zeng ◽  
Fuxiang Tao ◽  
Zaixu Cui ◽  
Liyun Wu ◽  
Jiahua Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Physiological Arousal ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Autonomic Arousal ◽  
Autonomic Responses ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
Brain Circuitry ◽  
Dynamic Integration

AbstractThe dynamical organization of brain networks is essential to support human cognition and emotion for rapid adaption to ever-changing environment. As the core nodes of emotion-related brain circuitry, the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and centromedial amygdala (CMA) are recognized as two major amygdalar nuclei that regulate distinct affective functions and internal autonomic responses via their unique connections with cortical and subcortical structures in rodents. However, little is known how the dynamical organization of emotion-related brain circuitry reflects internal autonomic responses in humans. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with concurrent recording of skin conductance, we show robust dynamic integration and segregation states of amygdala subregion-related intrinsic functional networks linked to spontaneous autonomic arousal. Time-varying connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI data with K-means clustering approach revealed two distinct states of BLA- and CMA-based connectivity patterns, with a segregation state showing generally stronger BLA- than CMA-based connectivity with cortical regions, and an integration state showing substantial overlapping, in a spatiotemporal manner, between BLA- and CMA-based connectivity networks. Critically, further analysis of skin conductance revealed that state-specific BLA- and CMA-based connectivity patterns were predictive of fluctuations of skin conductance, with higher predictive accuracy in the integration than segregation states. There are distinct BLA and CMA target network configurations in the integration and segregation states that predict spontaneous skin conductance levels and likely reflect spontaneous autonomic or physiological arousal. Our findings highlight dynamic functional organization of emotion-related amygdala nuclei circuits and networks and its links to spontaneous autonomic arousal in humans.

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