Functional brain networks involved in lexical decision.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)5 studies on lexical decision (LD)6 attempting to isolate the brain network underlying access to lexical representations can be confounded by attentional and response processes. However, manipulating the "wordlikeness" of the LD stimuli can facilitate functional interpretation of each emerging brain network, providing principles for separation of attentional demand from linguistic processing. This is because activation of difficult-to-access lexical representations (for obscure real words), and avoidance of interfering word properties (for wordlike non-words), are both generally attentionally demanding. Therefore, congruent patterns of activation would be predicted for general-attention-responsive networks, but opposing patterns for language-responsive networks. 59 healthy adults performed a LD task, and multidimensional functional connectivity analysis was used to extract three functional brain networks. A linguistic processing network (LPN) was separated from attention/response networks anatomically (LPN included Broca's and Wernicke's areas), but also temporally by showing reduced activation for the most attentionally demanding condition (i.e., wordlike non-words). This demonstrated that during LD in fMRI a network involved in linguistic processing can be disentangled from attention- and response-specific networks, using a combination of experimental design and multidimensional analysis methods.

Development of a Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire for Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men With Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is often diagnosed early with prolonged survival, which makes sexual quality of life (QoL) an increasingly important treatment consideration, but existing QoL questionnaires have limited applicability for men who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) beyond penile erections and penetrative sex. AIM: We aimed to create a validated survey instrument for assessing a variety of sexual activities beyond penile insertive sex for MSM after PCa treatment. METHODS: Based on our previously published survey findings, we have generated a prototype questionnaire with 13 different domains, reviewed by both healthy MSM and pilot-tested by MSM treated for PCa. OUTCOMES: We report here on progress in developing the questionnaire and demonstrate the complexity of MSM sexual side effects resulting from PCa treatment(s). RESULTS: Statistical analysis of 204 responses from MSM treated for PCa showed that each domain performed well individually (Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 0.95; item-total correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.89), with many significant intercorrelations between the domains (ranged from -0.048 to 0.93). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The questionnaire can contribute to clinical diagnosis and treatment decisions that best fit the preferred sexual practices of individual MSM. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: The current questionnaire considers a much broader repertoire of MSM's sexual practices and preferences than other currently available questionnaires. The high intercorrelations between the many parameters demonstrate that problems in one domain can affect other domains. This preliminary analysis warrants further exploration with a larger sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Once validated our questionnaire should help develop tailored psychosocial supports for MSM experiencing sexual dysfunction after PCa treatment and help newly diagnosed MSM with PCa make treatment decisions informed by their preferred sexual practices. Wibowo E, Dowsett GW, Nelson CJ, et al. Development of a Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire for Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men With Prostate Cancer. Sex Med 2022;10:100480.

Altered activity in functional brain networks involved in lexical decision making in bipolar disorder: An fMRI case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Brain networks involved in language, attentional and response processes are detectable by fMRI during lexical decision (LD). Here, we investigated possible abnormalities in the functional networks involved in LD in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). METHODS: fMRI and behavioural data were compared between BD (n = 25) and control (n = 21), with groups matched for age and sex. The functional brain networks involved in LD were extracted by manipulating the "word-likeness" of LD stimuli and using a multidimensional analysis method. RESULTS: Attentional, response and language processes were captured in separate function-specific brain networks (default mode network, response network, linguistic processing network, respectively) in the BD and control groups, replicating the results of our previous study in an independent group of healthy adults. Behaviourally, the BD group showed higher performance than the control group in the LD task. Activity in the default mode network (DMN) and the linguistic processing network (LPN) did not differ between the groups, but the BD group had higher activation than the control group in the response network (RESP). LIMITATIONS: Due to the small sample, the study is underpowered, capable of only detecting large effects. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that BD may be associated with sustained activity in the RESP network, which might contribute to psychomotor dysfunction in BD. Future studies should investigate the possible link between altered RESP activation and psychomotor disturbances in BD, as well as the basis for altered RESP activity in BD.