Task switching ability is compromised after cross-hemispheric tDCS over the parietal cortex

Background/Aims: One of the components of working memory is the ability to respond to unexpected demands and rapidly shifting attention between tasks. Previous studies have used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in order to modulate task and set shifting ability over the prefrontal cortex. However, set shifting/task switching ability requires a left-lateralized fronto-parietal network. In this study, we aimed to assess if delivering active cross-hemispheric tDCS over the parietal cortex - right anodal/-left-cathodal (pRA-LC) and right cathodal/-left anodal (pRC-LA), as compared to sham tDCS, is able to modulate task switching ability in healthy volunteers. Methods: A total of 17 college students who volunteered (age: 21.65 ± 4.42, 14 females) participated in this pilot study in which the effects of three different single session tDCS conditions over the parietal cortex on task switching ability were assessed. Results: There were significant differences in terms of switch costs F (2,28) = 4,01, p < .05 dependent on stimulation. Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed that the Response Time (RT) of the Switch Cost increased significantly (M = 102.84, SD = 18.24) for the pRA-LC condition, when compared with the sham condition (M = 49.44, SD = 17.84) (p = .03, d=2.96) Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the importance of studying the role of the parietal cortex in task switching ability. An activity shift towards the right parietal hemisphere (i.e., pRA-LC) impaired task switching performance, which is consistent with the role of the left parietal cortex on endogenous preparation and adjustment of goal directed behaviors. Future studies should focus on exploring the electrophysiological and neuroimaging correlates associated with the tDCS effects over the parietal, as well as exploring the usefulness of multi-site stimulation.OFG and SC were supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653) and along with JL were also funded through the grants: PTDC/PSIESP/30280/2017 and PTDC/PSI-ESP/29701/2017, SC was also funded by the individual grant IF/00091/2015

Gray matter morphological alteration in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: evidence for an inhibitory control and emotional regulation disorder

The integration of obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) in the Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders cluster, while emphasizing the centrality of inhibitory control and repetitive behaviors may fail to fully acknowledge the existence of significant affective and other cognitive impairments. The objective of this paper is to present examples on available gray matter imaging studies and meta-analyses that may help understanding cognitive and emotional related factors implicated in OCD. Building on these studies, OCD seems to be a disorder of both inhibitory control and emotional regulation. Volumetric and shape abnormalities in different brain territories of the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, striate and cerebellum may contribute to impairments in inhibitory control. On the other side, gray matter shape and volume alterations in regions such as the anterior cingulate, insula, amygdala and supramarginal gyrus may contribute to difficulties in emotional regulation. Beyond this inhibitory control – emotional regulation dichotomy, there are other psychological impairments that may be associated with gray matter alterations. For example, difficulties in memory monitoring may be sustained by shape and volumetric alterations in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. Additionally, visual-spatial impairments may be explained by gray matter shape and volume alterations in the superior parietal and occipital lobes as well as the precuneus. Overall the research confirms changes in volume and shape in multiple cortical and subcortical regions that can help explaining the complexity of OCD symptomatology and the diversity of OCD endophenotypes. Additionally, the evidence from brain shape anomalies may suggest the additional possibility of neurodevelopmental changes associated with the pathogenesis of OCD.The first author was funded by the Brazilian National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) as a Special Visiting Researcher of the Science Without Borders program (grant number: 401143/2014-7). This study was partially conducted at the Neuropsychophysiology Lab from the Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145- FEDER-007653). This work was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and European Union (FSE-POPH) with two individual grants (SFRH/BPD/86041/2012 and SFRH/BPD/86027/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Morphometric and connectivity white matter abnormalities in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Two psychological mechanisms seem to be associated with the obsessive-compulsive cycle: (1) an emotional mechanism characterized by intense emotional arousal associated with intrusive thoughts of impending danger; (2) a cognitive mechanism exemplified by difficulties with inhibitory control. Several studies found more extensive cognitive deficits in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) beyond problems of inhibitory control and emotional regulation, namely: visual-spatial processing and memory. Thus, there is now extensive research showing that alterations of these psychological mechanisms in OCD (i.e., inhibitory control, emotional regulation, working memory, and visual spatial processing) are associated with morphological gray matter alterations in widespread brain regions. More recently, researchers have started looking at white matter abnormalities in OCD. In this article we review the research looking at white matter morphometric and structural connectivity alterations in OCD. Altogether, while some contradictory findings are still present, there is now evidence for widespread white matter morphometric and connectivity abnormalities affecting major white matter tracts (superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, cingulum bundle, semioval center, internal capsule, different regions of the corpus callosum, thalamic radiation, uncinate fasciculus and optic radiation) as well as white matter in regions adjacent to gray matter structures (superior frontal gyrus, dorsolateral prefrontal medial frontal cortex; inferior frontal gyrus, caudate, insulate cortex, parietal cortex, supramarginal and lingual gyri, and thalamus). These white matter alterations may help explaining the diversity of OCD psychological impairments in inhibitory control, emotional regulation, memory and visual spatial processing.The authors have no financial or personal conflicts of interest. The first author was funded by the Brazilian National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) as a Special Visiting Researcher of the Science Without Borders program (grant number: 401143/2014-7). This study was partially conducted at the Neuropsychophysiology Lab from the Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145- FEDER-007653).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gray matter morphological alteration in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: evidence for an inhibitory control and emotional regulation disorder

The integration of obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) in the Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders cluster, while emphasizing the centrality of inhibitory control and repetitive behaviors may fail to fully acknowledge the existence of significant affective and other cognitive impairments. The objective of this paper is to present examples on available gray matter imaging studies and meta-analyses that may help understanding cognitive and emotional related factors implicated in OCD. Building on these studies, OCD seems to be a disorder of both inhibitory control and emotional regulation. Volumetric and shape abnormalities in different brain territories of the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, striate and cerebellum may contribute to impairments in inhibitory control. On the other side, gray matter shape and volume alterations in regions such as the anterior cingulate, insula, amygdala and supramarginal gyrus may contribute to difficulties in emotional regulation. Beyond this inhibitory control – emotional regulation dichotomy, there are other psychological impairments that may be associated with gray matter alterations. For example, difficulties in memory monitoring may be sustained by shape and volumetric alterations in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. Additionally, visual-spatial impairments may be explained by gray matter shape and volume alterations in the superior parietal and occipital lobes as well as the precuneus. Overall the research confirms changes in volume and shape in multiple cortical and subcortical regions that can help explaining the complexity of OCD symptomatology and the diversity of OCD endophenotypes. Additionally, the evidence from brain shape anomalies may suggest the additional possibility of neurodevelopmental changes associated with the pathogenesis of OCD.The first author was funded by the Brazilian National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) as a Special Visiting Researcher of the Science Without Borders program (grant number: 401143/2014-7). This study was partially conducted at the Neuropsychophysiology Lab from the Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145- FEDER-007653). This work was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and European Union (FSE-POPH) with two individual grants (SFRH/BPD/86041/2012 and SFRH/BPD/86027/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

From cultural to existential diversity : the impossibility of psychotherapy integration within a traditional framework

The authors build upon Castonguay and Goldfried's analysis regarding issues and directions central to advancing psychotherapy integration. They elaborate on two issues addressed only minimally in Castonguay and Goldfried's article. The first involves moving beyond traditional psychotherapy territory to include cultural, self-in-relationship, and interdisciplinary domains. The second concerns using more holistic and synergistic processes to coconstruct integrative theories and approaches. Finally, the authors offer some insights into what they believe should be the goals of the integrative movement and into additional issues they think should be addressed to attain these goals. Psychotherapy has become so complex and changing that we need a new view--one that recognizes the impossibility of any final or superior integrative theory and the need for constant change and evolution in theory and practice.(undefined

Speed of Processing (SoP) Training Plus α-tACS in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Double Blind, Parallel, Placebo Controlled Trial Study Protocol

Several cognitive training programs, alone or in combination with non-invasive brain stimulation have been tested in order to ameliorate age-related cognitive impairments, such as the ones found in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). However, the effects of Cognitive Training (CT)—combined or not—with several forms of non-invasive brain stimulation have been modest at most. We aim to assess if Speed of Processing (SoP) training combined with alpha transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) is able to increase speed of processing as assessed by the Useful Field of View (UFOV), when comparing to SoP training or active α-tACS alone. Moreover, we want to assess if those changes in speed of processing transfer to other cognitive domains, such as memory, language and executive functioning by using the NIH EXAMINER. We also want to test the mechanisms underlying these interventions, namely brain connectivity and coherence as assessed by electroencephalography (EEG). To that purpose, our proposal is to enroll 327 elders diagnosed with MCI in a double-blinded, parallel randomized clinical trial assessing the effects of combining SoP with alpha endogenous tACS (either active or sham) in people with MCI. Participants will perform an intervention that will last for 15 sessions. For the first 3 weeks, participants will receive nine sessions of the intervention, and then will receive two sessions per week (i.e., booster) for the following 3 weeks. They will then be assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention has ended. This will allow us to detect the immediate, and long-term effects of the interventions, as well as to probe the mechanisms underlying its effects.Clinical Trial Registration:Clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT05198726

Variabilidade e reprodutibilidade da análise das medições ecocardiográficas na estenose valvular aórtica

Background: Doppler echocardiography is the most frequent method for detecting and evaluating the severity of valvular aortic stenosis. The aim of this study was to assess the variability and reproducibility of echocardiographic parameters including aortic valve area (AVA), peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax), velocity ratio (VLVOT/Vmax), peak gradient (Gmax) and mean gradient (Gmean) in aortic stenosis (AS) patients. Methods: Doppler echocardiograms were obtained from 150 randomly selected patients (56.7% male; mean age 73±9 years) with asymptomatic moderate aortic valve stenosis. The echocardiographic measurements were performed by two independent level III (expert) blinded observers. To assess intra-observer variability, we evaluated parameters of AS progression at two different times (mean of two weeks after the first examination). Results: For intra-observer variability (observer 1), the variation and reproducibility coefficients were, respectively, 1.88% and 0.16 m/s for Vmax, 2.08% and 0.14 for VLVOT/Vmax, 2.05% and 0.18 cm2 for AVA, 3.89% and 5.18 mmHg for Gmax and 7.87% and 6.30 mmHg for Gmean. For inter-observer variability, the variation and reproducibility coefficients were, respectively, 2.00% and 0.14 m/s for Vmax, 2.91% and 0.14 for VLVOT/Vmax, 7.67% and 0.16 cm2 for AVA, 8.53% and 7.06 mmHg for Gmean and 3.90% and 5.58 mmHg for Gmax. Both intra- and inter-observer studies showed excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for all echocardiographic parameters (ICC ranged from 0.943 to 0.990 for intra-observer variability and from 0.955 to 0.992 for interobserver variability). Conclusion: Doppler echocardiographic measurements of AVA, Vmax, Gmax and Gmean are highly reproducible when performed by expert observers. Of all echocardiographic parameters, Vmax and VLVOT/Vmax showed the best variability and reproducibility, and thus constitute reliable tools for clinical and research purposes in aortic stenosis diagnosis and follow-up.Introdução: A ecocardiografia Doppler é o método mais frequente de detecção e avaliação da gravidade da estenose valvular aórtica. O objectivo deste estudo foi avaliar a variabilidade e reprodutibilidade dos parâmetros ecocardiográficos como a área valvular aórtica (AVA), velocidade pico (Vmax), relação de velovidades (VLVOT/Vmax), gradiente pico (Gmax) e gradiente médio (Gmédio) nos doentes com estenose aórtica. Métodos: Um ecocardiograma Doppler foi realizado em 60 doentes consecutivos seleccionados aleatoriamente (da população do estudo RAAVE) com estenose aórtica moderada a grave assintomática (56.7% sexo masculino; idade média 73 ± 9 anos). As medidas ecocardiográficas foram efectuadas por dois ecocardiografistas de nível III numa estratégia de dupla ocultação. Para o estudo da variabilidade intra-observador, avaliamos os prâmetros de progressão da estenose aórtica em dois momentos diferentes (média de duas semanas após o 1.º exame). Resultados: No que respeita à variabilidade intra-observador (observador 1), os coeficientes de variação e reprodutibilidade foram, respectivamente, 1.88% e 0.16 m.s-1 para a Vmax, 2.08% e 0.14 cm2 para a VLVOT/Vmax, 2.05% e 0.18 ms-1 para a AVA, 3.89% e 5.18 mmHg para Gmax and 7.87% e 6.30 mmHg para o Gmédio. No que respeita à variabilidade inter- -observador, os coeficientes de variação e reprodutibilidade foram, respectivamente, 2.00% e 0.14 m.s-1 para a Vmax, 2.91% e 0.14 m.s-1 para a relação VLVOT/Vmax, 7.67% e 0.16 cm2 para a AVA, 8.53% e 7.06 mmHg para o Gmédio e 3.90% e 5.58 mmHg para o Gmax. Os estudos intra-observador e inter-observador mostraram ter excelentes coeficientes de correlação intra-classe (CCI), para todos os parâmetros ecocardiográficos (CCI varia de 0.943 até 0.990 para a variabilidade intra- -observador e de 0.955 até 0.992 para a variabilidade inter-observador). Conclusões: As medições ecocardiográficas da AVA, Vmax, Gmax and Gmédio são altamente reprodutíveis quando realizadas por ecocardiografistas experientes. De todos os parâmetros ecocardiográficos a Vmax e a relação VLVOT/Vmax apresentam os melhores valores de variabilidade e reprodutibilidade e assim constituem provavelmente a melhor ferramenta no diagnóstico e seguimento criterioso dos doentes com estenose valvular aórtica.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Las alteraciones de morfologia de la sustancia blanca y gris en el trastorno obsesivo compulsivo

Background: While the ethio-pathogenesis of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD) remains unknown, there is increased evidence of widespread structural alterations in both white and gray matter in OCD patients that include, but are not restricted, to abnormalities in cortic-ostriatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) regions. The objective of this study was to test the existence of structural alterations in both white and gray matter in a sample of OCD patients when compared with a group of non-clinical matched controls (NCC), using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Method: Fifteen patients with OCD and 15 NCC underwent MRI structural scanning. Results: Frontal (increased gray matter in the middle frontal gyrus) and subcortical regions (increased white matter in the pallidum) were found to be affected in patients. Additionally, temporal parietal regions were also found to be affected and highly correlated with OCD symptom severity (decrease of gray matter in the superior parietal lobe and white matter in the angular and superior temporal gyri). Conclusions: These alterations may be associated with prominent OCD symptoms, such as difficulties with inhibitory control (pallidum, angular gyrus), executive functioning (middle frontal gyris), compulsive checking (superior temporal gyrus) and visual-spatial deficits (superior parietal lobe).Antecedentes: mientras que la etiopatogenia del trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC) sigue siendo desconocida, hay una mayor evidencia en las personas que sufren este trastorno de alteraciones estructurales que incluyen, pero no se limitan, a anormalidades en regiones cortico-estriado-tálamo-corticales (CSTC). El objetivo de este estudio fue comprobar la existencia de alteraciones estructurales tanto en la materia blanca como en la materia gris en una muestra de pacientes con TOC en comparación con un grupo de controles no clínicos (NCC), utilizándose para ello análisis morfométricos basados en “voxel” (VBM). Método: quince pacientes con TOC y quince NCC fueron estudiados mediante resonancia magnética estrutural. Resultados: se encontraron alteraciones en los pacientes en regiones frontales (aumento de la materia gris en la circunvolución frontal media) y subcorticales (aumento de la materia blanca en el pallidum). Además, también se encontraron afectadas regiones témporo-parietales con una alta correlación con la gravedad de los síntomas del TOC (disminución de la materia gris en el lóbulo parietal superior y de la materia blanca en las circunvoluciones temporales angular y superior). Conclusiones: las alteraciones encontradas pueden estar asociados con síntomas predominantes en el TOC, como difi cultades en el control inhibitorio (pallidum, giro angular), función ejecutiva (circunvolución frontal media), verifi caciones compulsivas (circunvolución temporal superior) y défi cit visual-espacial (lóbulo parietal superior).Oscar F. Gonsalves was funded by the Brazilian National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) as a Special Visiting Researcher of the Science Without Borders program (grant number: 401143/2014-7). This study was partially conducted at the Neuropsychophysiology Lab from the Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653). This work was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and European Union (FSE-POPH) with two individual grants (SFRH/BPD/86041/2012 and SFRH/BPD/86027/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Affective picture modulation: Valence, arousal, attention allocation and motivational significance

The present study analyses the modulatory effects of affective pictures in the early posterior negativity (EPN), the late positive potential (LPP) and the human startle response on both the peripheral (eye blink EMG) and central neurophysiological levels (Probe P3), during passive affective pictures viewing. The affective pictures categories were balanced in terms of valence (pleasant; unpleasant) and arousal (high; low). The data shows that EPN may be sensitive to specific stimulus characteristics (affective relevant pictures versus neutral pictures) associated with early stages of attentional processing. In later stages, the heightened attentional resource allocation aswell as themotivated significance of the affective stimuliwas found to elicit enhancedamplitudes of slow wave processes thought to be related to enhanced encoding, namely LPP,. Although pleasant low arousing pictureswere effective in engaging the resources involved in the slowwave processes, the highly arousing affective stimuli (pleasant and unpleasant) were found to produce the largest enhancement of the LPP, suggesting that high arousing stimulimay are associatedwith increasedmotivational significance. Additionally the response to high arousing stimulimay be suggestive of increasedmotivational attention, given the heightened attentional allocation, as expressed in the P3 probe, especially for the pleasant pictures. The hedonic valencemay then serve as amediator of the attentional inhibition to the affective priming, potentiating or inhibiting a shift towards defensive activation, as measured by the startle reflex.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology with individual grants (SFRH/BD/41484/2007 and SFRH/BD/64355/2009) and by the Spanish Xunta de Galicia – with FEDER funds – (DOG 233 — Resolution date: 2009 November 18t

Alteraciones ejecutivas en el Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo: una revisión sistemática con paradigmas emocionales y no emocionales

Precedent: Impairments in executive functioning may be associated with compulsive symptoms in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control and working memory in OCD patients. using emotional and non-emotional paradigms. Method: we reviewed research published in PubMed, Web of Science, PsychInfo, Scopus, Scielo, and ProQuest Psychology databases, from January 2008 to April 2019. The review followed a two-stage process. In the first stage, we selected only studies using neutral stimuli paradigms, while in the second we selected executive-emotional paradigms. Results: The first stage of the review provided 16 final results, while the second stage, with emotional stimuli, provided 3 results. Conclusions: There is some initial evidence for the existence of executive impairments in OCD, as expressed in the performance and/or processing of working memory inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. There is also initial evidence that these latter two could be modulated by the presentation or mental representation of negative valence stimuli or images, as well as the presence of aversive contingencies.Antecedentes: las alteraciones en el funcionamiento ejecutivo podrían estar asociadas a los síntomas compulsivos del Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo (TOC). El objetivo de este estudio fue realizar una revisión sistemática en fl exibilidad cognitiva, control inhibitorio y memoria de trabajo en pacientes con TOC, empleando paradigmas emocionales y no emocionales. Método: revisamos investigaciones publicadas en PubMed, Web of Science, PsychInfo, Scopus, Scielo y ProQuest Psychology databases, desde enero de 2008 hasta abril de 2019. La revisión siguió un proceso de dos etapas: la primera centrada en estudios con paradigmas ejecutivos neutros y la segunda con paradigmas ejecutivos emocionales. Resultados: la primera etapa de búsqueda arrojó un resultado de 16 estudios, mientras que la segunda, con paradigmas emocionales, arrojó tres resultados. Conclusiones: a pesar de la escasa cantidad de investigación, existen evidencias de alteraciones ejecutivas en TOC que se expresan en la ejecución o en el procesamiento de memoria de trabajo, control inhibitorio y fl exibilidad cognitiva. También hay evidencias de que estos dos últimos componentes podrían estar modulados por la presentación o representación mental de estímulos negativos, así como por la presencia de contingencias aversivas.M.T.F. acknowledges Xunta de Galicia-GAIN for the Principia research grant. This work was supported by Fundacion Maria Jose Jove. O.F.G and S.C. were supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653) and along with J.L. were also funded through the grants: P2020-PTDC/MHC; PCN/3950/2014; PTDC/PSI-ESP/30280/2017 and PTDC/PSI-ESP/29701/2017), S.C. was also funded by the individual grant IF/00091/2015