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In this work, we present a dataset that combines functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) to use as a resource for understanding human brain function in these two imaging modalities. The dataset can also be used for optimizing preprocessing methods for simultaneously collected imaging data. The dataset includes simultaneously collected recordings from 22 individuals (ages: 23-51) across various visual and naturalistic stimuli. In addition, physiological, eye tracking, electrocardiography, and cognitive and behavioral data were collected along with this neuroimaging data. Visual tasks include a flickering checkerboard collected outside and inside the MRI scanner (EEG-only) and simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings. Simultaneous recordings include rest, the visual paradigm Inscapes, and several short video movies representing naturalistic stimuli. Raw and preprocessed data are openly available to download. We present this dataset as part of an effort to provide open-access data to increase the opportunity for discoveries and understanding of the human brain and evaluate the correlation between electrical brain activity and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals.

Objective: The cingulate gyrus is implicated in the neurobiology of addiction, such as chronic cocaine consumption. Early life stress (ELS) is an important moderator of cocaine use disorder (CUD). Therefore, we investigated the effect of CUD on cingulate cortical thickness and tested whether a history of ELS could influence the effects of CUD. Methods: Participants aged 18–50 years (78 with CUD due to crack cocaine consumption and 53 healthy controls) underwent magnetic resonance imaging and the cingulate thickness (rostral anterior, caudal anterior, posterior, and isthmus regions) was analysed. The clinical assessment comprised the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Addiction Severity Index. Group comparisons adjusting by sex, age, and education were performed. Mediation models were generated where lifetime cocaine use, CTQ score, and cortical thickness corresponded to the independent variable, intermediary variable, and outcome, respectively. Results: Group comparisons revealed significant differences in six out of eight cingulate cortices, showing lower thickness in the CUD group. Furthermore, years of regular cocaine use was the variable most associated with cingulate thickness. Negative correlations were found between CTQ scores and the isthmus cingulate (right hemisphere), as well as with the rostral anterior cingulate (left hemisphere). In the mediation analysis, we observed a significant negative direct effect of lifetime cocaine use on the isthmus cingulate and an indirect effect of cocaine use mediated by CTQ score. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a history of ELS could aggravate the negative effects of chronic cocaine use on the cingulate gyrus, particularly in the right isthmus cingulate cortex

BACKGROUND: Individuals at 80 years of age or above with exceptional memory are considered SuperAgers (SA), an operationalized definition of successful cognitive aging. SA showed increased thickness and altered functional connectivity in the anterior cingulate cortex as a neurobiological signature. However, their metabolic alterations are yet to be uncovered.OBJECTIVE: Herein, a metabolic (FDG-PET), amyloid (PIB-PET), and functional (fMRI) analysis of SA were conducted.METHODS: Ten SA, ten age-matched older adults (C80), and ten cognitively normal middle-aged (C50) adults underwent cognitive testing and multimodal neuroimaging examinations. Anterior and posterior regions of the cingulate cortex and hippocampal areas were primarily examined, then subregions of anterior cingulate were segregated.RESULTS: The SA group showed increased metabolic activity in the left and right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sACC, p < 0.005 corrected, bilateral) and bilateral hippocampi (right: p < 0.0005 and left: p < 0.005, both corrected) as compared to that in the C80 group. Amyloid deposition was above threshold in 30% of SA and C80 (p > 0.05). The SA group also presented decreased connectivity between right sACC and posterior cingulate (p < 0.005, corrected) as compared to that of the C80 group.CONCLUSION: These results support the key role of sACC and hippocampus in SA, even in the presence of amyloid deposition. It also suggests that sACC may be used as a potential biomarker in older adults for exceptional memory ability. Further longitudinal studies measuring metabolic biomarkers may help elucidate the interaction between these areas in the cognitive aging process.

BackgroundA growing body of literature has demonstrated the importance of discourse assessment in patients who suffered from brain injury, both in the left and right hemispheres, as discourse represents a key component of functional communication. However, little is known about the relationship between gray matter density and macrolinguistic processing.PurposeThis study aimed to investigate this relationship in a group of participants with middle–low to low socioeconomic status.MethodTwenty adults with unilateral left hemisphere (n= 10) or right hemisphere (n= 10) chronic ischemic stroke and 10 matched (age, education, and socioeconomic status) healthy controls produced three oral narratives based on sequential scenes. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was conducted using structural magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, the left hemisphere group showed cohesion impairments, whereas the right hemisphere group showed impairments in coherence and in producing macropropositions. Cohesion positively correlated with gray matter density in the right primary sensory area (PSA)/precentral gyrus and the pars opercularis. Coherence, narrativity, and index of lexical informativeness were positively associated with the left PSA/insula and the superior temporal gyrus. Macropropositions were mostly related to the left PSA/insula and superior temporal gyrus, left cingulate, and right primary motor area/insula.DiscussionOverall, the present results suggest that both hemispheres are implicated in macrolinguistic processes in narrative discourse. Further studies including larger samples and with various socioeconomic status should be conducted.Supplemental Materialhttps://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14347550

Objective Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) studies of the neural correlates of medication treatment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have not been systematically reviewed. Our objective was to systematically identify, assess and summarize within-subject R-fMRI studies of pharmacological-induced changes in patients with ADHD. We critically appraised strengths and limitations, and provide recommendations for future research. Method Systematic review of published original reports in English meeting criteria in pediatric and adult patients with ADHD up to July 1, 2020. A thorough search preceded selection of studies matching prespecified criteria. Strengths and limitations of selected studies, regarding design and reporting, were identified based on current best practices. Results We identified and reviewed 9 studies (5 pediatric and 4 adult studies). Sample sizes were small-medium (16–38 patients), and included few female participants. Medications were methylphenidate, amphetamines, and atomoxetine. Wide heterogeneity was observed in designs, analyses and results, which could not be combined quantitatively. Qualitatively, the multiplicity of brain regions and networks identified, some of which correlated with clinical improvements, do not support a coherent mechanistic hypothesis of medication effects. Overall, reports did not meet current standards to ensure reproducibility. Conclusion In this emerging field, the few studies using R-fMRI to analyze the neural correlates of medications in patients with ADHD suggest a potential modulatory effect of stimulants and atomoxetine on several intrinsic brain activity metrics. However, methodological heterogeneity and reporting issues need to be addressed in future research to validate findings which may contribute to clinical care. Such a goal is not yet at hand.

Objective Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) present peripheral and central sensitivity disturbances that impair motor performance. This study aimed to investigate long-term effects of plantar sensory stimulation on brain activity, brain connectivity, and gait velocity of individuals with PD and FOG. Methods Twenty-five participants were enrolled in this clinical trial (NCT02594540). Plantar sensory stimulation was delivered using the Automated Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation therapy (AMPS). Volunteers were randomly assigned to real or placebo AMPS groups and received eight sessions of treatment. The primary outcome was brain activity (task-based fMRI-active ankle dorsi-plantar flexion). Secondary outcomes were brain connectivity (resting state-RS fMRI) and gait velocity. fMRI was investigated on the left, right, and mid-sensory motor regions, left and right basal ganglia. Results No changes in brain activity were observed when task-based fMRI was analyzed. After real AMPS, RS functional connectivity between basal ganglia and sensory-related brain areas increased (insular and somatosensory cortices). Gait velocity also increased after real AMPS. A positive correlation was found between gait velocity and the increased connectivity between sensory, motor and supplementary motor cortices. Conclusion Plantar sensory stimulation through AMPS was not able to modify brain activity. AMPS increased the RS brain connectivity mainly in areas related to sensory processing and sensorimotor integration. Plantar stimulation could be a way to improve plantar sensitivity and consequently ameliorate gait performance. However, the mechanisms behind the way AMPS influences brain pathways are still not completely known.

There are significant sex differences in the clinical characteristics of cocaine use disorder (CUD). As this is a brain disorder that involves changes in functional connectivity, we investigated the existence of sex differences among people with CUD and controls. We used a data-driven method comparing males (n = 20, CK-M) and females with CUD (n = 20, CK-F) and healthy controls (20 males, HC-M and 20 females, HC-F). The participants undertook a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging exam. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was performed to identify group and sex differences. Persons with CUD of both sexes presented lower ReHo parameters than controls, especially within the parietal lobule. Males with CUD showed higher ReHo than females in three right-side brain areas: postcentral gyrus, putamen and fusiform gyrus. It was found that abstinence symptoms severity was associated with lower ReHo values in the right postcentral gyrus and the right fusiform gyrus. Participants with CUD exhibited altered ReHo parameters compared to controls, similar to what is found in ageing-related disorders. Our data also indicate that cocaine has sex-specific effects on brain functioning when analysing ReHo.

We created resources to facilitate research on the role of human brain microstructure in the development of mental health disorders, based on openly-available diffusion MRI (dMRI) data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN) study. First, we curated the HBN dMRI data (N=2747) into the Brain Imaging Data Structure and preprocessed it according to best-practices, including denoising and correcting for motion effects, susceptibility-related distortions, and eddy currents. Preprocessed, analysis-ready data was made openly available. Data quality plays a key role in the analysis of dMRI, and we provide automated quality control (QC) scores for every scan, as part of the data release. To scale QC to this large dataset, we trained a neural network through the combination of a small data subset scored by experts and a larger set scored by community scientists. The network performs QC highly concordant with that of experts on a held out set (ROC-AUC = 0.947). A further analysis of the neural network demonstrates that it relies on image features with relevance to QC. Altogether, this work both delivers a resource for transdiagnostic research in brain connectivity and pediatric mental health and serves as a novel tool for automated QC of large datasets.

Contains fulltext : 239574.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Open science initiatives are creating opportunities to increase research coordination and impact in nonhuman primate (NHP) imaging. The PRIMatE Data and Resource Exchange community recently developed a collaboration-based strategic plan to advance NHP imaging as an integrative approach for multiscale neuroscience. 5 p.

We used functional magnetic resonance to investigate the effects of exposure to violence on early adolescent brain function in an inhibitory control task. We investigated the association among scores on self-reported exposure to violence, performance and brain activation. Thirty-seven early adolescents (ages 10–14) from a Latin-American urban region participated in the study. Results showed that recent and chronic exposure to violence was associated with less activation of a network of frontal regions, including the anterior cingulate gyrus and the superior frontal cortex; recent exposure to violence was also associated with less activation of the superior parietal lobe. Results also showed that less activation correlated with more prominent deterioration in the performance in the inhibitory control task (increased latency with time). The findings suggest that early adolescence exposure to violence is associated with differences in activation of a neural network commonly associated with executive function and control. The results underscore the urgency of addressing exposure to violence in adolescence, a period of high susceptibility to the environment, and are discussed in the light of the evidence of the effects of violence on adolescent brain function. Executive function training may be a candidate for targeted cognitive interventions aimed at mitigating these effects.

Background Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is one of the most devastating injuries that has a physical impact on patients. The CHORDATA® method involves suspension and pendulous exercises and has been clinically used to treat patients with TSCI. Although empirically used to treat neurological patients, there is no scientific evidence of the efficacy of this method. Purpose To evaluate the chronic effects of CHORDATA® method on torque, muscle activation, muscle thickness, and functionality in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury. Methods Twenty-six male patients with medullar thoracic injury were randomly categorised into two groups: intervention group (n = 14) and control group (n = 12). Rehabilitation program comprised of 16 sessions of body suspension and pendulum exercises (twice/week). The maximal voluntary isometric trunk flexion and extension torques, muscle activation and thickness (external and internal oblique, rectus and transversus abdominis, longissimus, and multifidus muscles), and functionality (adapted reach test) were evaluated before and after of rehabilitation program. Findings A significant increase was observed in maximal voluntary isometric torque (flexion, 58%; extension, 76%), muscle activation of the rectus abdominis muscle, and muscle thickness of all intervention group muscles, without changes in the control group. Compared to the pre-intervention period, the intervention group also showed improvement in functionality at post-intervention, but no such differences were noted in the control group. Interpretation The corporal suspension and pendulum exercises training improved rectus abdominis muscle activation, trunk muscles structure and strength, and reaching capacity in medullar thoracic injury patients.

New large neuroimaging studies, such as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (ABCD) and Human Connectome Project (HCP) Development studies are adopting a new T1-weighted imaging sequence with prospective motion correction (PMC) in favor of the more traditional 3-Dimensional Magnetization-Prepared Rapid Gradient-Echo Imaging (MPRAGE) sequence. In this study, we used a developmental dataset (ages 5-21, N=348) from the Healthy Brain Network Initiative and directly compared the MPRAGE and MPRAGE with PMC (MPRAGE+PMC) sequences to determine if the morphometric measurements obtained from both protocols are equivalent or if there is an advantage to use one. The sequences were also compared through quality control measurements. Inter- and intra-sequence reliability were assessed with another set of participants (N=71) that performed two MPRAGE and two MPRAGE+PMC sequences within the same imaging session, with one MPRAGE (MPRAGE1) and MPRAGE+PMC (MPRAGE+PMC1) pair at the beginning of the session and another pair (MPRAGE2 and MPRAGE+PMC2) at the end of the session. With morphometric measurements such as volume and cortical thickness, Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) scores showed that intra-sequence reliability is the highest with the MPRAGE+PMC sequences and lowest with the MPRAGE sequences. Regarding inter-sequence reliability, ICC scores were higher for the MPRAGE1-MPRAGE+PMC1 pair at the beginning of the session than the MPRAGE1-MPRAGE2 pair, possibly due to the higher motion artifacts in the MPRAGE2 run. Results also indicate that the MPRAGE+PMC sequence is robust, but not foolproof, to high head motion. For quality control metrics, the traditional MPRAGE presented better results than MPRAGE+PMC in 5 of the 7 measurements. In conclusion, morphometric measurements evaluated here showed high inter-sequence reliability between the MPRAGE and MPRAGE+PMC sequences, especially in images with low head motion. Researchers conducting studies with highly kinetic populations are highly recommended to use the MPRAGE+PMC sequence, due to its robustness to head motion and higher reliability scores. However, due to potential higher quality control measures, neuroimaging researchers with low head motion participants can still consider using the MPRAGE sequence, however, can also choose to use the MPRAGE+PMC sequence to increase the reliability of the data. Highlights The MPRAGE sequences with and without Prospective Motion Correction (PMC) are compared in a large sample size (N=419) in a “real world” scenario, where we did not explicitly ask subjects to move or maintain still during the acquisition of the structural images MPRAGE sequence with PMC (MPRAGE+PCM) presents higher intra-sequence reliability results in morphometric measurements compared to the traditional MPRAGE sequence without PMC. High inter-sequence (MPRAGE with and without PMC) reliability scores were also observed. Researchers are recommended use the MPRAGE+PMC as their structural T1 weighted pulse imaging sequence for future and current studies, especially in studies with hyperkinetic populations Due to potential higher quality control measures of the traditional MPRAGE sequence, neuroimaging researchers with low head motion participants can still consider using the MPRAGE sequence without PMC

A common coordinate space enabling comparison across individuals is vital to understanding human brain organization and individual differences. By leveraging dimensionality reduction algorithms, high-dimensional fMRI data can be represented in a low-dimensional space to characterize individual features. Such a representative space encodes the functional architecture of individuals and enables the observation of functional changes across time. However, determining comparable functional features across individuals in resting-state fMRI in a way that simultaneously preserves individual-specific connectivity structure can be challenging. In this work we propose scalable joint embedding to simultaneously embed multiple individual brain connectomes within a common space that allows individual representations across datasets to be aligned. Using Human Connectome Project data, we evaluated the joint embedding approach by comparing it to the previously established orthonormal alignment model. Alignment using joint embedding substantially increased the similarity of functional representations across individuals while simultaneously capturing their distinct profiles, allowing individuals to be more discriminable from each other. Additionally, we demonstrated that the common space established using resting-state fMRI provides a better overlap of task-activation across participants. Finally, in a more challenging scenario - alignment across a lifespan cohort aged from 6 to 85 - joint embedding provided a better prediction of age (r2 = 0.65) than the prior alignment model. It facilitated the characterization of functional trajectories across lifespan. Overall, these analyses establish that joint embedding can simultaneously capture individual neural representations in a common connectivity space aligning functional data across participants and populations and preserve individual specificity.

BackgroundZika virus infection during pregnancy is linked to birth defects, most notably, microcephaly, which in its turn, is associated with neurodevelopmental delays.ObjectiveThe goal of the study is to propose a method for severity classification of congenital microcephaly based on neuroradiological findings of MRI scans, and to investigate the association of severity with neuropsychomotor developmental scores. We also propose a semi-automated method for MRI-based severity classification of microcephaly.MethodsCross-sectional investigation of 42 infants born with congenital Zika infection. Bayley-III developmental evaluations and MRI scans were carried out at ages 13-39 months (mean: 24.8, SD: 5.8). The severity score was generated based on neuroradiologist evaluations of brain malformations. Next, we established a distribution of Zika virus-microcephaly severity score into mild, moderate, and severe and investigated the association of severity with neuropsychomotor developmental scores. Finally, we propose a simplified semi-automated procedure for estimating the severity score, based only on volumetric measures.ResultsResults showed a correlation of r = 0.89 (p < 0.001) between the Zika virus-microcephaly severity score and the semi-automated method. The trimester of infection did not correlate with the semi-automated method. Neuropsychomotor development correlated with the severity classification based on radiological readings and with the semi-automated method; the more severe the imaging scores, the lower neuropsychomotor developmental scores.ConclusionThe severity classification methods may be used to evaluate severity of microcephaly and possible association with developmental consequences. The semi-automated methods thus may be an alternative for prediction of severity of microcephaly using only one MRI sequence.

To describe epilepsy after congenital Zika virus infection (ZIKV) and its relationship with structural neuroimaging findings.This was a cross-sectional study in children (aged 13-42 months) who were born with microcephaly due to ZIKV infection between 2015-2017. Patients underwent a brain imaging scan (magnetic resonance) and a video-EEG study.Among the patients (n = 43), 55.8 % were male, 88.4 % were born at term, mean head circumference at the birth was 29.7 ± 1.8 cm, and 44.8 % were infected in the first trimester of pregnancy. Neuroimaging was moderately abnormal in 30.2 % and severely abnormal in 46.5 % of patients. Early seizures (6 months of age) were observed in 41.9 %. EEG background was abnormal when asleep or awake in 72.1 % and during sleep in 62.8 %. The interictal epileptogenic activity was recorded on 41/43 of the EEGs and was predominantly multifocal (62.8 %). An ictal EEG was obtained in 22 patients and 31.8 % had more than one seizure type. Sleep EEG (background) patterns, interictal epileptogenic activity (p = 0.046), interictal discharge localization (p = 0.015), type of ictal epileptogenic activity (p = 0.002), and localization of ictal discharge (p = 0.024) were significantly different between neuroimaging groups. The mild neuroimaging group had a higher chance of having more frequently normal sleep EEG patterns, no interictal epileptogenic activity and a further increase in the probability of walking without limitations, and less neurodevelopment delay.In patients with congenital Zika virus syndrome, epilepsy tended to be early and refractory. EEG features correlated with degree of neuroimaging abnormalities.

Introduction The goal of the present study was to investigate the association of anxiety disorder and brain activation while reading stories whose outcomes show protagonists experiencing emotions. Methods We carried out an fMRI study of 28 adolescents and young adults (14–22 years; 14 Anxiety Disorder Participants and 14 Controls) who read short narratives with angry, happy, sad, or neutral. outcomes We used mixed analyses of variance to test the effects of Group (anxiety/comparison), Emotion (angry/happy/sad, neutral) and Group by Emotion interaction. Results A significant Group by Emotion interaction was identified in a thalamic-region cluster of brain activation. Participants with anxiety disorders showed significantly less thalamic activation relative to controls. The interaction was identified by contrasting emotional vs. neutral passages. There was also a main effect of emotional passages versus neutral passages in a network of anterior and posterior areas of the brain, which included mid and superior temporal, left inferior frontal, left inferior parietal and dorsomedial prefrontal areas, some of which are among brain regions identified in studies of understanding the mind of a protagonist. Finally, we did not find a main effect of Group. The results suggest that anxiety in adolescents and young adults is associated with modulating activation of thalamic regions when processing emotions of fictional characters. The thalamic cluster identified in the present study corroborates previous studies that have addressed brain activation associated with anxiety.

While classically linked to memory, the hippocampus is also a feeding behavior modulator due to its multiple interconnected pathways with other brain regions and expression of receptors for metabolic hormones. Here we tested whether variations in insulin sensitivity would be correlated with differential brain activation following exposure to palatable food cues, as well as with variations in implicit food memory in a cohort of healthy adolescents, some of whom were born small for gestational age (SGA). Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was positively correlated with activation in the cuneus, and negatively correlated with activation in the middle frontal lobe, superior frontal gyrus and precuneus when presented with palatable food images versus non-food images in healthy adolescents. Additionally, HOMA-IR and insulinemia were higher in participants with impaired food memory. SGA individuals had higher snack caloric density and greater chance for impaired food memory. There was also an interaction between the HOMA-IR and birth weight ratio influencing external eating behavior. We suggest that diminished insulin sensitivity correlates with activation in visual attention areas and inactivation in inhibitory control areas in healthy adolescents. Insulin resistance also associated with less consistency in implicit memory for a consumed meal, which may suggest lower ability to establish a dietary pattern, and can contribute to obesity. Differences in feeding behavior in SGA individuals were associated with insulin sensitivity and hippocampal alterations, suggesting that cognition and hormonal regulation are important components involved in their food intake modifications throughout life.

Background The A3669G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene NR3C1 is associated with altered tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids (GCs). GCs modulate the food reward circuitry and are implicated in increased intake of palatable foods, which can lead to the metabolic syndrome and obesity. We hypothesized that presence of the G variant of the A3669G SNP would affect preferences for palatable foods and alter metabolic, behavioural, and neural outcomes. Methods One hundred thirty-one adolescents were genotyped for the A3669G polymorphism, underwent anthropometric assessment and nutritional evaluations, and completed behavioural measures. A subsample of 74 subjects was followed for 5 years and performed a brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm to verify brain activity in response to food cues. Results Sugar and total energy consumption were lower in A3669G G allele variant carriers. On follow-up, this group also had reduced serum insulin concentrations, increased insulin sensitivity, and lower anxiety scores. Because of our unbalanced sample sizes (31/37 participants non-G allele carriers/total), our imaging data analysis failed to find whole brain-corrected significant results in between-group t-tests. Conclusion These results highlight that a genetic variation in the GR gene is associated, at the cellular level, with significant reduction in GC sensitivity, which, at cognitive and behavioural levels, translates to altered food intake and emotional stress response. This genetic variant might play a major role in decreasing risk for metabolic and psychiatric diseases.

Multilayer network models have been proposed as an effective means of capturing the dynamic configuration of distributed neural circuits and quantitatively describing how communities vary over time. Beyond general insights into brain function, a growing number of studies have begun to employ these methods for the study of individual differences. However, test-retest reliabilities for multilayer network measures have yet to be fully quantified or optimized, potentially limiting their utility for individual difference studies. Here, we systematically evaluated the impact of multilayer community detection algorithms, selection of network parameters, scan duration, and task condition on test-retest reliabilities of multilayer network measures (i.e., flexibility, integration, and recruitment). A key finding was that the default method used for community detection by the popular generalized Louvain algorithm can generate erroneous results. Although available, an updated algorithm addressing this issue is yet to be broadly adopted in the neuroimaging literature. Beyond the algorithm, the present work identified parameter selection as a key determinant of test-retest reliability; however, optimization of these parameters and expected reliabilities appeared to be dataset-specific. Once parameters were optimized, consistent with findings from the static functional connectivity literature, scan duration was a much stronger determinant of reliability than scan condition. When the parameters were optimized and scan duration was sufficient, both passive (i.e., resting state, Inscapes, and movie) and active (i.e., flanker) tasks were reliable, although reliability in the movie watching condition was significantly higher than in the other three tasks. The minimal data requirement for achieving reliable measures for the movie watching condition was 20 min, and 30 min for the other three tasks. Our results caution the field against the use of default parameters without optimization based on the specific datasets to be employed - a process likely to be limited for most due to the lack of test-retest samples to enable parameter optimization.HighlightsDynamic network reliability is highly dependent on many methodological decisionsThe default multilayer community detection algorithm generates erroneous resultsReliability-optimized intra-/inter-layer coupling parameters are dataset-dependentScan duration is a much stronger determinant of reliability than scan conditionMovies are the most reliable condition, requiring at least 20 min of data

In a recent PNAS paper by Pedersen et al. (1), the authors report impressive performance when attempting to predict phenotypic variables (e.g., duration of previous night’s sleep) using individual differences in brain network switching. Although the results are intriguing, we have major concerns regarding the prediction model used to generate the results reported in figure 3 of ref. 1. The results obtained with the elastic net regression are reasonable. Based on their analysis, the authors used behavior to predict network switching and … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: Michael.Milham{at}childmind.org. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1

The neurofunctional effects of Cognitive training (CT) are poorly understood. Our main objective was to assess fMRI brain activation patterns in children with ADHD who received CT as an add-on treatment to stimulant medication. We included twenty children with ADHD from a clinical trial of stimulant medication and CT (10 in medication + CT and 10 in medication + non-active training). Between-group differences were assessed in performance and in brain activation during 3 fMRI paradigms of working memory (N-back: 0-back, 1-back, 2-back, 3-back), sustained attention (Sustained Attention Task - SAT: 2 s, 5 s and 8 s delays) and inhibitory control (Go/No-Go). We found significant group x time x condition interactions in working memory (WM) and sustained attention on brain activation. In N-back, decreases were observed in the BOLD signal change from baseline to endpoint with increasing WM load in the right insula, right putamen, left thalamus and left pallidum in the CT compared to the non-active group; in SAT - increases in the BOLD signal change from baseline to endpoint with increasing delays were observed in bilateral precuneus, right insula, bilateral associative visual cortex and angular gyrus, right middle temporal, precentral, postcentral, superior frontal and middle frontal gyri in the CT compared to the non-active group. CT in ADHD was associated with changes in activation in task-relevant parietal and striato-limbic regions of sustained attention and working memory. Changes in brain activity may precede behavioral performance modifications in working memory and sustained attention, but not in inhibitory control.

Individuals at 80 years of age or above with exceptional memory are considered SuperAgers (SA). A multimodal brain analysis of SA may provide biomarkers of successful cognitive aging. Herein, a molecular (PET-FDG, PET-PIB), functional (fMRI) and structural analysis (MRI) of SA was conducted. Ten SA, ten age-matched older adults (C80) and ten cognitively normal middle-aged adults underwent cognitive testing and neuroimaging examinations. The relationship between cognitive scores and cingulate areas and hippocampus were examined. The SA group showed increased FDG SUVr in the left subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex (sACC, p0.05). The SA group also presented decreased connectivity between left sACC and posterior cingulate (pAbbreviationsBCa – Bias corrected accelerated: SA – SuperAgers: C50 – Middle-aged controls: C80 – Age-matched controls

PurposeTo estimate the effect size of a serious game for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in comparison with a video-based on-line course in terms of learning outcomes among medical students before simulation-based CPR using a manikin.MethodsParticipants were 45 first-year medical students randomly assigned to CPR self-training using either a video-based Apple Keynote presentation (n = 22) or a serious game developed in a 3D learning environment (n = 23) for up to 20 min. Each participant was evaluated on a written, multiple-choice test (theoretical test) and then on a scenario of cardiac arrest (practical test) before and after exposure to the self-learning methods. The primary endpoint was change in theoretical and practical baseline scores during simulated CPR. This study was conducted in 2017.ResultsBoth groups improved scores after exposure. The video group had superior performance in both the theoretical test (7.56±0.21 vs 6.51±0.21 for the game group; p = 0.001) and the practical test (9.67±0.21 vs 8.40±0.21 for the game group; p < 0.001). However, students showed a preference for using games, as suggested by the longer time they remained interested in the method (18.57±0.66 min for the game group vs 7.41±0.43 for the video group; p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe self-training modality using a serious game, after a short period of exposure, resulted in inferior students' performance in both theoretical and practical CPR tests compared to the video-based self-training modality. However, students showed a clear preference for using games rather than videos as a form of self-training.

The collection of eye movement information during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a valuable, though commonly overlooked component of monitoring variations in attention and task compliance, particularly for naturalistic viewing paradigms (e.g., movies). Predictive eye estimation regression (PEER) is a previously developed support vector regression-based method for retrospectively estimating eye gaze from fMRI data that simply adds a 1.5-minute calibration scan to any protocol. Here, we provide a large-scale assessment of PEER for inferring eye fixations on a TR-by-TR basis during movie viewing using a subset of data (n=448) from the Child Mind Institute Healthy Brain Network Biobank. Consistent with prior work, we demonstrate the ability of PEER to provide accurate estimates of fixation location throughout the course of fMRI scans and we establish head motion as the primary determinant of model accuracy. Minimum data requirement analyses suggest model estimation can be carried out with less than half the data obtained in the 1.5-minute calibration scan. We demonstrate the ability to predict the movie an individual is watching (i.e., Despicable Me, The Present) based on the PEER time series. Out-of-scanner eye tracker-based measurements obtained during a repeat viewing of the movie The Present was used to further validate the time series obtained using PEER. Consistent with prior findings in the eye tracking literature, the fixation sequences showed a high consistency across participants, reducing the ability to identify an individual based on their fixation sequence. Finally, examination of neural activations associated with the PEER time series replicated prior findings regarding the neural correlates of eye movements. In summary, we demonstrate that PEER is an inexpensive, easy-to-use tool for researchers to determine eye fixations from naturalistic viewing data that overcomes the cost and burdens of in-scanner eye tracking.

Available online 30 April 2021. Brainhack is an innovative meeting format that promotes scientific collaboration and education in an open, inclusive environment. This NeuroView describes the myriad benefits for participants and the research community and how Brainhacks complement conventional formats to augment scientific progress. The present manuscript is part of a growing community effort to collate Brainhack-related insights and expertise into a Jupyter Book (http://brainhack.org/brainhack_jupyter_book/) that will serve as a centralized set of resources for the community; we acknowledge all the individuals who contributed and will make ongoing contributions to these resources. A pre-print version of the present manuscript is available as part of the Jupyter Book. Moreover, we would like to acknowledge all Brainhack organizers, supporters, presenters, and participants for their contribution to growing and maintaining this community. The benefits described in this manuscript would not be possible without them. We also thank all institutions, labs, and organizations who have helped this community grow, meet in stimulating environments, and add an excellent educational resource pool and agenda. With an expanding community, Brainhack’s support network keeps growing, and we thank all labs and individual researchers for their dedication and expertise offered to this community (see http://brainhack.org/brainhack_jupyter_book/acknowledgments.html for a full list of individual acknowledgments; an updated list will be maintained in the Jupyter Book). Grants and funding bodies: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 867458 awarded to Julia M. Huntenburg; from ANR-19-DATA-0025 NeuroWebLab for Katja Heuer, Roberto Toro, and Nicholas Traut; and from NIH K00MH122372 for Stephanie Noble. The Brainhack Community member list and contributions of the different authors are detailed at http://brainhack.org/brainhack_jupyter_book/contributors.html. Our crediting system is described here: http://brainhack.org/brainhack_jupyter_book/neuroview_authorship-agreement.html.

Crack-cocaine offers a higher risk of abuse than intranasal and intravenous use of cocaine. Yet, current treatments remain disappointing and our understanding of the mechanism of crack-cocaine neurotoxicity is still incomplete. Magnetic resonance images studies on brain changes of crack-cocaine addicts show divergent data. The present study investigated gray matter (GM) abnormalities in crack-cocaine dependents (n = 18) compared to healthy controls (n = 17). MRI data was analysed using FreeSurfer and voxel-based morphometry (VBM). FreeSurfer analysis showed that CD had decreased cortical thickness (CT) in the left inferior temporal cortex (lTC), left orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) and left rostro frontal cortex (lRFC), enlargement in left inferior lateral ventricle, and smaller GM volume in right hippocampus and right ventral diencephalon. VBM analysis showed that CD had significantly decreased GM volume in left Putamen and left nucleus accumbens. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between duration of crack-cocaine use and lTC CT. These results provide compelling evidence for GM abnormalities in CD and also suggest that duration of crack-cocaine use may be associated with CT alterations.

SummaryBackground There has been a growing amount of evidence indicating that excess visceral fat is associated with alterations in brain structure and function, including brain cortical thinning in adults. Objectives This study aims to investigate the relationship between brain cortical thickness with obesity assessments, in adolescents. Methods In this study, we measured three different obesity assessments within an adolescent population (aged 15 – 18 years): body mass index (BMI), visceral fat ratio measured with an MRI and hepatorenal gradient measured with an ultrasound. Volunteers also underwent an MRI scan to measure brain structure. Results Results indicated that there was no relationship of BMI or hepatorenal gradient with brain cortical dimensions. However, there was a significant association between visceral fat ratio and an increase of cortical thickness throughout the brain. Conclusions These results suggest that visceral fat, but not BMI, is correlated with cortical thickening in adolescence.

The human brain can be compared to a “bundle of wires” composed by neurons that interconnect distinct gray matter regions. These “bundle of wires” are the principal composition of the white matter and has the fundamental function of conducting the synaptic signals to the gray matter. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) corresponds to a neuroimage modality optimized to quantify neural activity that occurs in the gray matter, whereas the Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is another neuroimage modality optimized to quantify distinct white matter properties. Despite the resulting signal of these image modalities come from different tissues, they are signals that contain complementary information. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the myelin sheath of neurons are damaged, and can provoke a series of dysfunctions such as motor disability, problems with speech, visual problems, fatigue, among other complications. Knowing the existence of this intimate functional and structural correlation among white and gray matter, this study seeks to unify both, functional connectivity measures of fMRI and structural connectivity measures of DTI, using the statistical tool joint independent component analysis (J-ICA). Results show that the coupling of these different imaging modalities is modulated by scores derived from neuropsychological tests used to evaluate patient’s cognitive impairment by MS.

An algorithm for automated placement of regions of interest (ROI) in Seed Based Correlation (SBC) data analysis for resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) is presented in this paper. The sensorimotor network was used for testing and validation. Most of the available literature shows the use of manual seed selection in order to find the Resting-State Networks (RSNs). Typically, a seed is placed in the most preserved side of brain and its functional connectivity (correlation) with the contra-lateral hemisphere allows the identification of the network within the lesioned side of the brain. The manual placement of the seeds is usually a laborious task and prone to human error. The developed algorithm was based on the automated spatial registration of an atlas to the space of the patient’s brain: Anatomical (HarvardOxford) and functional (Brodmann Areas) atlas. Regions of interest representing the sensorimotor networks were used as seeds. FMRI data from 8 healthy volunteers were used to assess its validation. These data included a finger-tapping task and a resting-state protocol. The extracted sensorimotor RSNs derived from the automated procedure were compared to the task-based fMRI maps and RSNs extracted from SBC with manual ROI placement. Preliminary results show a good level of similarity between seed-based and task-based motor network maps, except in one case in which the patterns did not match. This technique shows potential to be used in clinical application due to the automated nature of the data processing as well as the ease for patients to perform the exam.

During the process of developing the DSM-5, a new phenotype of ADHD was proposed-the ADHD restrictive inattentive presentation (ADHD-RI), describing subjects with high endorsement of inattentive symptoms and a low level of hyperactivity. However, this phenotype was not included in the DSM-5 because of the lack of robust neurobiological data. We aimed to assess the specific neurobiological underpinnings of individuals presenting ADHD-RI. We compared a sample of 301 subjects (101 ADHD-Combined; 50 ADHD-RI; 50 ADHD predominantly inattentive type and 100 typically developing subjects) aged 8-15 years, using a complete neuropsychological battery, molecular genetic data (DRD4 and DAT1 most studied polymorphisms) and functional MRI during a Go-No/Go task. Subjects with ADHD-RI had a significantly different neuropsychological profile compared with the other groups, including lower psychomotor speeds, longer reaction times and the worst overall performance in the global neurocognitive index. The proportion of subjects with the presence of DRD4-7 repeat allele was significantly higher in ADHD-RI. The fMRI data suggested that more attention-related posterior brain regions (especially temporo-occipital areas) are activated in ADHD-RI during both Go and No-Go cues compared to TD controls and ADHD predominantly inattentive type. ADHD-RI may represent a different phenotype than other types of ADHD. In addition, our results suggest that reducing the phenotypic heterogeneity may aid in the search for the neurobiological underpinnings of ADHD.

The goal of the present study was to investigate intrinsic and reading-related brain function associated with dyslexia and typical readers in monolingual Brazilian children. Two fMRI studies were carried out: a resting-state and a word-reading study. The results show (a) underconnectivity between the occipitotemporal region (visual word form area) and the brain's default-mode network in dyslexic readers and (b) more activation of the anterior cingulate cortex for typical readers relative to dyslexic readers. The findings provide evidence for brain connectivity and function differences in an underrepresented population in fMRI studies of dyslexia; the results suggest atypical intrinsic function, and differences in directed attention processes in dyslexia.

Background The corpus callosum index (CCI) can be easily and reliably obtained from conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and has been proposed as a possible marker of brain atrophy in MS. However, further validation of its correlation with volumetric measurements is still warranted. Objective To assess the correlation of the CCI with the corpus callosum volume (CCV), brain and lesion volumes, and level of disability in MS. Methods Cross-sectional, exploratory study including patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Clinical assessment comprised of physical and cognitive disability scales. MRI parameters included conventional volumetric measurements, the CCI (manual), and the CCV (automated). Results Twenty-four patients were included. There was a strong correlation between the CCI and CCV. The CCI correlated strongly with the white matter and lesion volumes, and moderately with the whole brain volume and scores on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test and MS Functional Composite. There were no correlations between the CCI and either gray matter volume or scores on the Expanded Disability Status Scale, the 9-Hole Peg Test, or the Timed 25-Foot Walk test. Conclusion The findings support the validity of the CCI as an easy-to-obtain marker of brain atrophy, lesion load, and cognitive dysfunction in patients with MS.

Alzheimers disease (AD) is characterized by mental and cognitive problems, particularly with memory, lan- guage, visuospatial skills (VS), and executive functions (EF). Advances in the neuroimaging of AD have highlighted dys- functions in functional connectivity networks (FCNs), especially in the memory related default mode network (DMN). However, little is known about the integrity and clinical significance of FNCs that process other cognitive functions than memory. We evaluated 22 patients with mild AD and 26 healthy controls through a resting state functional MRI scan. We aimed to identify different FCNs: the DMN, language, EF, and VS. Seed-based functional connectivity was calculated by placing a seed in the DMN (posterior cingulate cortex), language (Brocas and Wernickes areas), EF (right and left dorso- lateral prefrontal cortex), and VS networks (right and left associative visual cortex). We also performed regression analy- ses between individual connectivity maps for the different FCNs and the scores on cognitive tests. We found areas with significant decreases in functional connectivity in patients with mild AD in the DMN and Wernickes area compared with controls. Increased connectivity in patients was observed in the EF network. Regarding multiple linear regression analy- ses, a significant correlation was only observed between the connectivity of the DMN and episodic memory (delayed re- call) scores. In conclusion, functional connectivity alterations in mild AD are not restricted to the DMN. Other FCNs re- lated to language and EF may be altered. However, we only found significant correlations between cognition and func- tional connectivity in the DMN and episodic memory performance.

Anxiety disorders (AD) are the most prevalent group of psychiatric disorders in adolescents and young adults. Nevertheless, the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders is still poorly understood. This study investigated differences in the functional connectivity of intrinsic amygdala-based networks of participants with and without AD. Resting state fMRI data were obtained from 18 participants with an AD and 19 healthy comparison individuals. Psychiatric diagnosis was assessed using standardized structured interviews. The comparison between groups was carried out using functional connectivity maps from six seed regions defined using probabilistic maps bilaterally within the amygdala (basolateral, superficial and centromedial amygdala). We found significant between-group differences in five clusters, which showed aberrant functional connectivity with the left basolateral amygdala: right precentral gyrus, right cingulate gyrus, bilateral precuneus, and right superior frontal gyrus in subjects with AD as compared with the comparison subjects. For the comparison subjects, the correlations between the amygdala and the five clusters were either non-significant, or negative. The present study suggests there is an intrinsic disruption in the communication between left basolateral amygdala and a network of brain regions involved with emotion regulation, and with the default mode network in adolescents and young adults with anxiety disorders.