Cingulate sulcus morphology and paracingulate sulcus variations: Anatomical and radiological studies.

The sulci and gyri found across the cerebrum differ in morphology between individuals. The cingulate sulcus is an important landmark for deciding the surgical approach for neighboring pathological lesions. Identifying the anatomical variations of anterior cingulate cortex morphology would help to determine the safe-entry route through neighboring lesions. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging data acquired from 149 healthy volunteers were investigated retrospectively for anatomical variations of the paracingulate sulcus. Also, human cadaveric brain hemispheres were investigated for cingulate and paracingulate sulcus anatomy. All participants had cingulate sulci in both hemispheres (n = 149, 100%). Three types of paracingulate sulcus patterns were identified: "prominent," "present," and "absent." Hemispheric comparisons indicated that the paracingulate sulcus is commonly "prominent" in the left hemisphere (n = 48, 32.21%) and more commonly "absent" in the right hemisphere (n = 73, 48.99%). Ten (6.71%) people had a prominent paracingulate sulcus in both the right and left hemispheres. Seven (4.70%) of them were male, and 3 (2.01%) of them were female. Paracingulate sulci were present in both hemispheres in 19 people (12.75%), of which 9 (6.04%) were male and 10 (6.71%) were female. There were 35 (23.49%) participants without paracingulate sulci in both hemispheres. Eleven (7.38%) were male and 24 (16.11%) were female. There were 73 (48.99%) participants without right paracingulate sulcus and 57 (38.26%) participants without left paracingulate sulcus (p = 0.019). In the examinations of the cadaver hemispheres, the paracingulate sulcus was present and prominent in 25%, and the intralimbic sulcus was present in 15%. It has been observed that the paracingulate sulcus is more prominent in the normal male brain compared to females. In females, there were more participants without paracingulate sulcus. This study shows that there are both hemispheric and sex differences in the anatomy of the paracingulate sulcus. Understanding the cingulate sulcus anatomy and considering the variations in the anterior cingulate cortex morphology during surgery will help surgeons to orient this elegant and complex area.

Pupillometry tracks cognitive load and salience network activity in a working memory functional magnetic resonance imaging task.

The diameter of the human pupil tracks working memory processing and is associated with activity in the frontoparietal network. At the same time, recent neuroimaging research has linked human pupil fluctuations to activity in the salience network. In this combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)/pupillometry study, we recorded the pupil size of healthy human participants while they performed a blockwise organized working memory task (N-back) inside an MRI scanner in order to monitor the pupil fluctuations associated neural activity during working memory processing. We first confirmed that mean pupil size closely followed working memory load. Combining this with fMRI data, we focused on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) correlates of mean pupil size modeled onto the task blocks as a parametric modulation. Interrogating this modulated task regressor, we were able to retrieve the frontoparietal network. Next, to fully exploit the within-block dynamics, we divided the blocks into 1 s time bins and filled these with corresponding pupil change values (first-order derivative of pupil size). We found that pupil change within N-back blocks was positively correlated with BOLD amplitudes in the areas of the salience network (namely bilateral insula, and anterior cingulate cortex). Taken together, fMRI with simultaneous measurement of pupil parameters constitutes a valuable tool to dissect working memory subprocesses related to both working memory load and salience of the presented stimuli.

Cingulate cortical thickness in cocaine use disorder: mediation effect between early life stress and cocaine consumption.

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.

Audiovisual integration as conflict resolution: The conflict of the McGurk illusion.

There are two main behavioral expressions of multisensory integration (MSI) in speech; the perceptual enhancement produced by the sight of the congruent lip movements of the speaker, and the illusory sound perceived when a speech syllable is dubbed with incongruent lip movements, in the McGurk effect. These two models have been used very often to study MSI. Here, we contend that, unlike congruent audiovisually (AV) speech, the McGurk effect involves brain areas related to conflict detection and resolution. To test this hypothesis, we used fMRI to measure blood oxygen level dependent responses to AV speech syllables. We analyzed brain activity as a function of the nature of the stimuli-McGurk or non-McGurk-and the perceptual outcome regarding MSI-integrated or not integrated response-in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The results showed that, regardless of perceptual outcome, AV mismatch activated general-purpose conflict areas (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex) as well as specific AV speech conflict areas (e.g., inferior frontal gyrus), compared with AV matching stimuli. Moreover, these conflict areas showed stronger activation on trials where the McGurk illusion was perceived compared with non-illusory trials, despite the stimuli where physically identical. We conclude that the AV incongruence in McGurk stimuli triggers the activation of conflict processing areas and that the process of resolving the cross-modal conflict is critical for the McGurk illusion to arise. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5691-5705, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in the Control of Micturition Reflex in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.

PURPOSE: In the current study we examined dynamic changes in neural activity of the anterior cingulate cortex and the midbrain periaqueductal gray during the micturition reflex in a Parkinson's disease model as well as the effects of direct stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex on the micturition reflex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electrodes were inserted in the anterior cingulate cortex or the periaqueductal gray. The effects of intravenous administration of the adenosine A2A receptor antagonist ZM24138 on pelvic nerve evoked field potentials were examined. The effect of electrical stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex was also examined. RESULTS: Rats with Parkinson's disease showed bladder overactivity as evidenced by a significant decrease in the intercontraction interval compared with sham operated rats. Intravenous administration of ZM24138 increased the intercontraction interval in both groups with the inhibitory effects greater in rats with Parkinson's disease. It dose dependently increased the amplitude of evoked potentials in the anterior cingulate cortex of rats with Parkinson's disease but not in sham operated rats. Intravenous administration of ZM24138 decreased evoked potential amplitude in the periaqueductal gray of both groups with the inhibitory effects greater in Parkinson's disease vs sham operated rats. Electrical stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex significantly increased the intercontraction interval. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that anterior cingulate cortex neurons have an inhibitory role in bladder control. Neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex was significantly increased along with suppression of bladder overactivity after ZM241385 administration in the Parkinson's disease model and the stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex inhibited the micturition reflex. Understanding the roles of the anterior cingulate cortex in the modulation of micturition could provide further insights into the pathophysiology of overactive bladder.

[Emotion regulation and pain : Behavioral and neuronal correlates: a transdiagnostic approach]. / Emotionsregulation und Schmerzen : Behaviorale und neuronale Korrelate ­ ein transdiagnostischer Ansatz.

Emotions and emotion regulation are of special importance in the perception and modulation of pain but the mechanisms underlying this reciprocal relationship remain unclear. The transdiagnostic model provides an approach to explain the link between pain and emotion regarding cognitive and neuronal mechanisms and aims to identify mutual processes, which are relevant for both. Structural and functional imaging studies of pain indicate the involvement of specific cortical and subcortical structures, which also play an important role in emotion regulation. While numerous studies have investigated emotion regulation and their correlates in the central nervous system in pathological states, the research on emotion regulation in pain is still young. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of experimental and clinical studies of neuronal and behavioral correlates of pain-related emotion regulation. The current transdiagnostic approach may be able to enhance pain relief in the future.

Cerebral current-source distribution associated with pain improvement by non-invasive painless signaling therapy in patients with failed back surgery syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive painless signaling therapy (NPST) is an electro-cutaneous treatment that converts endogenous pain information into synthetic non-pain information. This study explored whether pain improvement by NPST in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) patients is related to cerebral modulation. METHODS: Electroencephalography (EEG) analysis was performed in 11 patients with FBSS. Subjects received daily NPST for 5 days. Before the first treatment, patients completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Beck Depression Inventory and underwent baseline EEG. After the final treatment, they responded again to the BPI, reported the percent pain improvement (PPI), and then underwent post-treatment EEG. If the PPI grade was zero, they were assigned to the ineffective group, while all others were assigned to the effective group. We used standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) to explore the EEG current-source distribution (CSD) associated with pain improvement by NPST. RESULTS: The 11 participants had a median age of 67.0 years, and 63.6% were female. The sLORETA images revealed a beta-2 CSD increment in 12 voxels of the right anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) and the right medial frontal area. The point of maximal CSD changes was in the right ACG. The alpha band CSD increased in 2 voxels of the left transverse gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: Pain improvement by NPST in FBSS patients was associated with increased cerebral activity, mainly in the right ACG. The change in afferent information induced by NPST seems to be associated with cerebral pain perception.

Cortical control of aggression: GABA signalling in the anterior cingulate cortex.

Reduced top-down control by cortical areas is assumed to underlie pathological forms of aggression. While the precise underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive, it seems that balancing the excitatory and inhibitory tones of cortical brain areas has a role in aggression control. The molecular mechanisms underpinning aggression control were examined in the BALB/cJ mouse model. First, these mice were extensively phenotyped for aggression and anxiety in comparison to BALB/cByJ controls. Microarray data was then used to construct a molecular landscape, based on the mRNAs that were differentially expressed in the brains of BALB/cJ mice. Subsequently, we provided corroborating evidence for the key findings from the landscape through 1H-magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative polymerase chain reactions, specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The molecular landscape predicted that altered GABA signalling may underlie the observed increased aggression and anxiety in BALB/cJ mice. This was supported by a 40% reduction of 1H-MRS GABA levels and a 20-fold increase of the GABA-degrading enzyme Abat in the ventral ACC. As a possible compensation, Kcc2, a potassium-chloride channel involved in GABA-A receptor signalling, was found increased. Moreover, we observed aggressive behaviour that could be linked to altered expression of neuroligin-2, a membrane-bound cell adhesion protein that mediates synaptogenesis of mainly inhibitory synapses. In conclusion, Abat and Kcc2 seem to be involved in modulating aggressive and anxious behaviours observed in BALB/cJ mice through affecting GABA signalling in the ACC.

Regional cortical thickness and neuroticism across the lifespan.

Neuroticism is associated with greater reactivity to stress and lifetime psychopathology. In the present study we examined the association between neuroticism and regional and total cortical thickness (CT) across the lifespan, accounting for gender. We also assessed interactions among these factors. 450 subjects between 19 and 80 years were included. Participants completed the International Personality Item Pool and a structural MRI scan. Total CT and the mean values of CT in five regions of interest were examined. We also investigated the interaction effect among age, gender and neuroticism on CT. There was no significant association between neuroticism and regional/total CT. A significant interaction between neuroticism, age, and gender on the thickness of the anterior cingulate was found. Women high in neuroticism showed a thinner anterior cingulate cortex than women low in neuroticism, with increasing age. In contrast, men high in neuroticism had a thicker anterior cingulate cortex compared to men low in neuroticism, with increasing age. Overall, high neuroticism was associated with differential cortical thickness in the anterior cingulate among men and women with increasing age.

Interhemispheric Paracallosal Approach for an Arteriovenous Malformation of the Atrium: A Novel Technique.

Background: Intraventricular lesions present a surgical challenge because of the complexity of the ventricular anatomy, various perforating arteries, and eloquent brain areas surrounding the system. The ventricular atrium is particularly challenging because of the cingulate gyrus, corpus callosum, optic pathways, and significant vascular structures. We present the case of a patient for whom we used a new surgical approach to reach a lesion in the ventricular atrium. Case Report: A 26-year-old male presented with an intraventricular hemorrhage, acute hydrocephalus, and a grade III arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the atrium of the left lateral ventricle. We approached the AVM through a posterior parietooccipital paracallosal interhemispheric approach. Instead of transecting the cingulate cortex as is traditionally done, we gently retracted the cingulate gyrus and made a small paracallosal incision to reach the atrium of the left lateral ventricle. The surgery was uneventful. The patient recovered well and was discharged home on postoperative day 3 without any deficits. Conclusion: This case illustrates a novel variation to an established approach to the ventricular atrium. With this technique, the surgeon minimizes disruption of brain tissue and thereby avoids the associated postoperative deficits associated with traditional approaches (transcortical, transcingulate, and conventional transcallosal). Tractography studies and a large cohort of patients are necessary to ensure the reproduction of good outcomes.

Acute cingulate cortex infarction: a retrospective case series of 21 cases / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations, risk factors and outcomes of patients with acute cingulate cortex (CC) infarction.Methods:Patients with acute CC infarction admitted to the Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from December 2019 to April 2022 were enrolled retrospectively. According to the location of infarction, they were divided into anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) infarction group and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) infarction group. The clinical manifestations, stroke risk factors, imaging examination and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of the patients were analyzed. At one month after onset, the modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the short-term outcome.Results:A total of 21 patients with acute CC infarction were enrolled, including 12 males (57.14%), aged 67.14±12.36 years (range, 45-89 years). There were 16 patients (76.19%) with ACC infarction, including 13 (81.25%) unilateral CC infarction. The clinical manifestations were mainly apathy, decreased concentration, and executive dysfunction. There were 5 patients (23.81%) with PCC infarction, all with unilateral onset, mainly manifested as memory loss and visual space disorder. Among the 21 patients, 18 (85.71%) had ≥2 vascular risk factors, and 13 patients (61.90%) had ≥3 vascular risk factors, of which hypertension was most common (90.48%); 19 (90.48%) were caused by atherosclerosis, and 2 (9.52%) were caused by cardiogenic embolism. After treatment, the symptoms of both groups were improved significantly, and there was statistical difference in the NIHSS score before and after treatment ( Z=4.07, P<0.01). During the follow-up, 16 patients (76.19%) had a good outcome, 5 (23.81%) had a poor outcome and no death occurred. Conclusions:ACC and PCC infarction mainly showed different forms of cognitive impairment. If the diagnosis and treatment are timely, the overall outcome of CC infarction is good.

Progress in the mechanism of acupuncture intervention on pain emotion and pain cognition mediated by limbic system / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Pain is a complex physiological and psychological activity, involving at least three dimensions, including pain sensation, pain emotion, and pain cognition. Acupuncture can clearly relieve the pain sensation of patients and improve pain emotion and pain cognition induced by pain; acupuncture participates in the multi-dimensional regulation of pain through brain regions of the limbic system such as anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala (AMY), and hippocampus. By analyzing relevant literature, it has been found that the regulation of acupuncture on pain emotion is mainly related to the activation of pertinent opioid receptors in the ACC, the decrease of the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and the promotion of the expression of glutamic acid (Glu) A1, metabotropic glutamate receptor-1 (mGluR1), and γ-aminobutyric acid aminobutyric acid (GABA) B2 protein in the AMY. The regulation of acupuncture on pain cognition is mainly related to the elevation of the expression of protein kinase A (PKA) and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (phospho-p38 MAPK) and the inhibition of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/PKA/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway in the ACC.

Quantitative detection of posterior cingulate gyrus injuries and correlation with cognitive function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus based on 1H-MRS combined with DTI / 中国医学影像技术

Objective: To detect and evaluate brain metabolism abnormalities and white matter changes of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with 1H-MRS combined with DTI, and to explore the correlation between the changes and cognitive impairment. Methods: Single-voxel 1H-MRS and DTI in PCC were performed in 43 patients with T2DM (21 with cognitive impairment [T2DM+CD group], 22 without cognitive impairment [T2DM group] ) and 23 healthy volunteers (HC group). The integral value of related crest area and fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) values were calculated, and their correlation with cognitive function indicators were analyzed. Results: The value of myo-inositol/creatine (mI/Cr) in PCC region of T2DM+CD group was higher than that of T2DM and HC groups, and the value of glutamate+glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) value was lower than that of T2DM and HC groups (all P<0.05). Glx/Cr was significantly positively correlated with Montreal cognitive assessment score (MoCA; r=0.59, P<0.01). FA values in the whole brain and PCC regions of T2DM+CD group were lower than those of T2DM and HC groups, and the MD values were higher than those of T2DM and HC groups (all P<0.05). FA value was significantly positively correlated with the score of MoCA (r=0.57, P=0.01). Conclusion: The combination of 1H-MRS and DTI with PCC as ROI can be used to quantitatively reflect and mutually confirm the neuropathological basis of cognitive impairment induced by T2DM, which is expected to be a clinical indicator of early warning.

Aberrant Effective Connectivity of Subregions of Posterior Cingulate Cortex in Depressive Disorder / 中国医学影像学杂志

Purpose To explore the role of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) dysfunction in the pathogenesis of depression and its relationship with the clinical features of depression by analyzing the effective connection among the inner areas of PCC of patients in depression.Materials and Methods The spectral dynamic causal model (spDCM) was used to analyze the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the PCC inner areas Brodmann area (BA) 23,BA29,BA30,BA31 in the major depressive disorder group (MDD,n=23) and healthy control group (HC,n=36).Results Compared with HC group,the strength of BA30 self-connection of MDD group existed significant difference (t=2.53,P＜0.05).In MDD group,the connection of BA23 toward BA31 had abnormal activation,and the abnormal inhibition occurred in BA23 toward BA30;compared with HC group and after a＜0.05 Hz correction,there were significant differences in the bi-directional connections for BA23 and BA31,BA39 and BA31,BA30 and BA31,and in the unidirectional connections for BA23 to BA31,BA30 to BA23,BA30 to BA29 in MDD group.Conelusion The effective connection and connective nodes and edges in the inner areas of PCC in the depression disorder patients were abnormal.

Are you being rejected or excluded? Insights from neuroimaging studies using different rejection paradigms.

Rejection sensitivity is the heightened tendency to perceive or anxiously expect disengagement from others during social interaction. There has been a recent wave of neuroimaging studies of rejection. The aim of the current review was to determine key brain regions involved in social rejection by selectively reviewing neuroimaging studies that employed one of three paradigms of social rejection, namely social exclusion during a ball-tossing game, evaluating feedback about preference from peers and viewing scenes depicting rejection during social interaction. Across the different paradigms of social rejection, there was concordance in regions for experiencing rejection, namely dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), subgenual ACC and ventral ACC. Functional dissociation between the regions for experiencing rejection and those for emotion regulation, namely medial prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and ventral striatum, was evident in the positive association between social distress and regions for experiencing rejection and the inverse association between social distress and the emotion regulation regions. The paradigms of social exclusion and scenes depicting rejection in social interaction were more adept at evoking rejection-specific neural responses. These responses were varyingly influenced by the amount of social distress during the task, social support received, self-esteem and social competence. Presenting rejection cues as scenes of people in social interaction showed high rejection sensitive or schizotypal individuals to under-activate the dorsal ACC and VLPFC, suggesting that such individuals who perceive rejection cues in others down-regulate their response to the perceived rejection by distancing themselves from the scene.

Impaired functional connectivity of anterior cingulated cortex in vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia explored by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To study the functional connectivity (FC) pattern of anterior cingulated cortex in patients with vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia (VCIND) after subcortical ischemic vascular disease,and to analyze the relationship between FC and cognitive function.Methods Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 14 patients with VCIND and 16 healthy volunteers with normal cognition.The altered functional connectivity pattern in VCIND was valuated by comparing to normal control.Then a correlation analysis was performed between the strength of FC and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores in patients with VCICD.Results (1) The visual space or executive function (3.14 ± 0.29),attention or computing power (3.79 ± 0.37),language (1.14 ± 0.21),directional power (4.14 ± 0.53) items,and the total points of MoCA (17.29 ± 1.53) in VCIND were significantly lower than that in the normal control group (4.93 ± 0.07,5.93 ± 0.07,2.93 ± 0.26,5.93 ± 0.07,27.57 ± 0.33 ; t =31.62,32.50,28.51,12.00,39.71,all P ＜ 0.05).While the abstract ability or memory (4.36 ± 0.74),the naming (2.79 ± 0.11) items in VCIND were not significantly different with that in the control group (4.79 ± 0.80,2.93 ± 0.07 ; t =1.76,1.00,both P ＞ 0.05).(2) Compared with the control group,the patients showed FC decrease between the anterior cingulated cortex and several brain regions,including the left middle temporal gyrus/left superior temporal gyrus,the left superior frontal gyrus/left middle frontal gyrus/left inferior frontal gyrus,the left posterior cingulated cortex/left precuneus,the left inferior parietal lobule/left angular gyrus,the right middle temporal gyrus/right superior temporal gyrus,the right orbit frontal cortex/right inferior frontal gyrus,the right inferior parietal lobule/right angular gyrums,and the right superior frontal gyrus/right middle frontal gyrus.There were also some regions that showed increased FC,which included the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum,the calcarine fissure,the left middle frontal gyrus,and the left precentral gyrus.(3) In the VCIND patients,the brain regions which positively correlated with the MoCA scores were the left inferior parietal lobule,the right middle temporal gyrus,the right superior frontal gyrus,and the left superior temporal gyrus.The negativerelated brain regions were the right posterior limb of internal capsule,the left middle temporal gyrus,the left precuneus,and the right anterior limb of internal capsule.Conclusions VCIND patients show abnormal FC pattern of anterior cingulated cortex,which could be the pathological basis of VCIND,and have certain predictive value for VCIND.

Reduced subgenual cingulate volumes in mood disorders: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Converging evidence suggests that the subgenual cingulate (SGC) is implicated in regulation of mood and in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Our objective was to carry out the first meta-analysis of SGC volumes in patients with mood disorders. METHODS: We reviewed 10 volumetric magnetic resonance imaging studies of SGC volumes in patients with unipolar depression and bipolar disorders. For meta-analysis, we used standardized differences between means (SDMs) and random effects models. In the search for sources of heterogeneity, we subdivided the studies on the basis of diagnosis and presence of family history. RESULTS: The volumes of left and right SGC in patients with mood disorders were significantly reduced relative to healthy control subjects (SDM -0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.67 to -0.1 and SDM -0.2, 95% CI -0.4 to -0.007, respectively). There were significant SGC volume reductions in patients with unipolar (left SGC SDM -0.5, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.07; right SGC SDM -0.33, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.02,), but not bipolar, disorder. Patients with a positive family history of mood disorders showed significant left SGC volume decrease (SDM -0.52, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.07), which was not present among subjects without family history of mood disorders. There was no association between age and SGC volumes. CONCLUSION: The available evidence suggests the existence of left and less robust right SGC volumetric reductions in patients with mood disorders, predominantly in those with unipolar depression. The effect size of this difference was moderate and increased in more homogeneous subgroups of patients with a positive family history. The clustering of SGC abnormalities in patients with a family history, their presence early in the illness course and their lack of progression with age make SGC a candidate for a primary vulnerability marker, although studies in unaffected high-risk subjects are missing.

Detection of posterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity characteristics in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To examine brain regions with a functional connection to posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in a relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) group compared with matched control subjects,and to employ resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) to PCC connectivity gathered by investigating synchronic low frequency fMRI signal fluctuations of default mode network with seed-based correlation analysis (SCA).Methods Twenty-seven patients with RRMS (RRMS group) and 27 age-,and sexmatched healthy controls (HC group) were examined by resting-state fMRI,DTI and 3D-T1 on Siemens Trio Tim 3.0T.The fMRI data preprocessing and processing was performed using Data Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI Advanced Edition (DPARSFA) based on Matlab 2012a,and PCC (-5,-49,40)was selected as seed.An SCA approach was used to analyze the rs-fMRI data.We examined the differences in SCA-derived connectivity metrics in patients with RRMS and healthy controls,and analyzed correlations between connectivity correlation coefficient of the differences regions and MRI-derived metrics (brain parenchymal fraction,T2 lesion load),as well as clinical metrics (expanded disability status scale,paced auditory serial addition test,and disease duration) of the disease.Results The SCA via functional connectivity of PCC showed that the temporal correlation between the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signals of the default mode network was reliable spatial patterns of activation in patients with RRMS.The lower connectivity in right superior frontal gyrus within default mode network,and higher connectivity in right posterior lobe of cerebellum,right crus of cerebellum,right medial frontal gyrus,right medial occipital gyrus,left precuneus/cingulate gyrus,right angular gyrus and right cingulate gyrus were found in our study.Significant negative-related was observed between the paced auditory serial addition test and functional connectivity in right middle temporal gyrus (0.387 ± 0.216) of RRMS patients (r =-0.59,P =0.001).Significant negative correlation also was observed between the course of disease and functional connectivity in right superior frontal gyrus (0.039 ± 0.293) in patients (r =-0.39,P =0.041).There was no significant correlations between other regions with different functional connectivity and expanded disability status scale,disease duration,or brain atrophy.The connectivity in right superior frontal gyrus,left medial occipital gyrus,left precentral gyrus was decreased; and connectivity in right cerebellum anterior lobe (dentate),right frontal lobe white matter was significantly increased.Significant positive correlation was observed between the course of disease and functional connectivity in left precentral gyrus (-0.924 ± 0.253),right cerebellum anterior lobe (dentate ;0.217 ± 0.208) of RRMS patients (r =0.650,P =0.000;r =0.436,P =0.023),respectively.Conclusion These findings reveal the compensatory mechanism of the brain in response to structural damage,by means of increased activation or synchronization of default mode network,which seems to be finite.

A finger-taping switch task functional magnetic resonances imaging study in the patients with Tourette's syndrome / 中华神经科杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the central nervous system mechanisms of active of movement switch in the patients with Tourette' s syndrome( TS),and to explore the possible underlying distinct neural networks for tic trigger and generation. Methods Participants were 14 patients with TS and 14 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers with no history of physical,psychiatric or neurological disease: All patients were assessed with functional magnetic resonances imaging (fMRI)of the brain during the intermittent performance of finger-tapping switch tasks,Blood-oxygen-level dependent-fMRI was performed using a 3.0 Tesla MR.The area over which the activation was distributed was calculated,and the activation volumes were also compared between the patients with TS and the control subjects.ResultsThe regions activated in the patients with TS and in the volunteers were similar in several brain regions,including contralateral precentral and postcentral gyrus,contralateral mesia pre-front gyrus,contralateral cingulate gyrus,contralateral insula and ipsilataral cerebellum. There were also many different activation areas between the patients and the control subjects. The patients with TS demonstrated more significant and extended activation in the contralateral pre- and postcentral gyrus than the healthy volunteers.The volume of the left pre- and postcentral gyrus of the TS patients was (8.024 ±0.071 ) cm3,while the volume of the left pre-and postcentral gyrus of the control subjects was ( 6.480 ± 0.026) cm3 ( t =3.026,P ＜ 0.01 ) ; The volume of the right pre- and postcentral gyrus was (6.192 ± 0.019) cm3 in the TS cases,while there was (5.608 ±0.037) cm3 in the control subjects (t =2.752,P ＜0.05).There were significant differences in the volumes of bilateral pre- and postcetral gyrus between the TS and control subjects. The activations of conralateral thalamus without contralateral insula were found in the patients with TS. Conversely, the contralateral insula activation without thalamus activation could be found in the healthy volunteers.ConclusionThe thalamus might play an important role in the aetiological and physiopathologic mechanisms of the TS. The thalamus along with the parietal cortex,cingulate cortex and insular cortex appear to constitute a distinct neural network for tic trigger and generation.

Are You Being Rejected or Excluded? Insights from Neuroimaging Studies Using Different Rejection Paradigms

Rejection sensitivity is the heightened tendency to perceive or anxiously expect disengagement from others during social interaction. There has been a recent wave of neuroimaging studies of rejection. The aim of the current review was to determine key brain regions involved in social rejection by selectively reviewing neuroimaging studies that employed one of three paradigms of social rejection, namely social exclusion during a ball-tossing game, evaluating feedback about preference from peers and viewing scenes depicting rejection during social interaction. Across the different paradigms of social rejection, there was concordance in regions for experiencing rejection, namely dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), subgenual ACC and ventral ACC. Functional dissociation between the regions for experiencing rejection and those for emotion regulation, namely medial prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and ventral striatum, was evident in the positive association between social distress and regions for experiencing rejection and the inverse association between social distress and the emotion regulation regions. The paradigms of social exclusion and scenes depicting rejection in social interaction were more adept at evoking rejection-specific neural responses. These responses were varyingly influenced by the amount of social distress during the task, social support received, self-esteem and social competence. Presenting rejection cues as scenes of people in social interaction showed high rejection sensitive or schizotypal individuals to under-activate the dorsal ACC and VLPFC, suggesting that such individuals who perceive rejection cues in others down-regulate their response to the perceived rejection by distancing themselves from the scene.