Associations of Irritability With Functional Connectivity of Amygdala and Nucleus Accumbens in Adolescents and Young Adults With ADHD

OBJECTIVE: Irritability is a common characteristic in ADHD. We examined whether dysfunction in neural connections supporting threat and reward processing was related to irritability in adolescents and young adults with ADHD. METHOD: We used resting-state fMRI to assess connectivity of amygdala and nucleus accumbens seeds in those with ADHD (n = 34) and an age- and gender-matched typically-developing comparison group (n = 34). RESULTS: In those with ADHD, irritability was associated with atypical functional connectivity of both seed regions. Amygdala seeds showed greater connectivity with right inferior frontal gyrus and caudate/putamen, and less connectivity with precuneus. Nucleus accumbens seeds showed altered connectivity with middle temporal gyrus and precuneus. CONCLUSION: The irritability-ADHD presentation is associated with atypical functional connectivity of reward and threat processing regions with cognitive control and emotion processing regions. These patterns provide novel evidence for irritability-associated neural underpinnings in adolescents and young adults with ADHD. The findings suggest cognitive and behavioral treatments that address response to reward, including omission of an expected reward and irritability, may be beneficial for ADHD

Customer clustering using RFM analysis [Müşterilerin GSP analizi kullanarak kümelenmesi]

Aselsan;et al.;Huawei;IEEE Signal Processing Society;IEEE Turkey Section;Netas26th IEEE Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference, SIU 2018 -- 2 May 2018 through 5 May 2018 -- -- 137780In this study, customers' behaviors are determined by detecting natural clusterings using existing reservation and customer data. We also customize their services and sales strategies according to these behaviors. The basic characteristics that provide these existing heuristics have been extracted by the decision tree approach after the K-means is implemented. It is determined that these characteristics are customer's product acquisition channel, specific product preferences, reservation periods, seasonal preference, etc. The fact that these characteristics show significant changes in each clusters indicates that the solution is generally successful and that these characteristics are successfully selected. This work plays an important role in creating campaigns and product packages appropriate for these groups' characteristics. © 2018 IEEE

Cultivated and Wild Olives in Crete, Greece—Genetic Diversity and Relationships with Major Turkish Cultivars Revealed by SSR Markers

The genetic relationships between and within some traditionally grown cultivars of olive tree (Olea europaea L.) in Greece (island of Crete) and in Turkey were investigated. Cultivars from Crete included ‘Koroneiki’, ‘Throubolia’ and ‘Mastoidis’, while those from Turkey included ‘Samanli’ and ‘Gemlik’. Cultivars were represented by multiple genotypes of aged trees collected from the field, each one complying with established descriptors. Representative genotypes of wild olive trees from Crete were also employed. A total of 112 genotypes were analysed, employing seven microsatellite (SSR) loci yielding a total of 81 alleles, and reaching a cumulative probability of identity of 6.73 × 10-09 with a mean observed heterozygosity of 0.852. Analysis of molecular variance significantly partitioned genetic diversity between and within cultivars, albeit with no appreciable difference between the two levels of diversity. All cultivar genotypes aggregated along single, cultivar-specific clusters, pointing to human-driven selection. The two Turkish cultivars ‘Samanli’ and ‘Gemlik’ were grouped together. The Cretan cultivar ‘Throubolia’ grouped together with the two Turkish cultivars, indicating germplasm movement across the Aegean Sea during historical times. Some gene flow was observed between the Cretan cultivars and the native wild populations (likely feral forms). SSR alleles were ranked for their efficiency in discriminating the examined materials, thus establishing a molecular key for cultivar identification. An identification process is proposed including a classification binary tree and provided a method for sorting any new unknown material purportedly originating from any of the analysed cultivars. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.General Secretariat for Research and Technology, GSRT General Secretariat for Research and Technology, GSRT ITM University-Gwalior, ITM Bi4Crete A8 Erasmus Medisch Centrum, Erasmus MCAcknowledgements The research presented herein was funded by the Greek Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT), project Regional Innovation Pole of Crete, Bi4Crete, A8—Integrated system of olive oil fingerprinting control and promotion—11RIPC06^ to AGD and to ITM which was coordinated by the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Ms. M. Aksehirli-Pakyurek’s research visit to NAGREF was funded by an Erasmus fellowship administered by the Technological Educational Institute of Crete (Prof. Ioannis Vlahos). Thanks are due to Ms. Maria Pikraki and to Mr. Dimitri?s Giakoumakis for their assistance with SSR markers and to Ms. Irene Stratidaki (IMBB-FORTH) for assistance with the LICOR sequencer. Comments of the three anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated. -

Neural basis of working memory in ADHD: Load versus complexity

Working memory (WM) deficits are key in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nevertheless, WM is not universally impaired in ADHD. Additionally, the neural basis for WM deficits in ADHD has not been conclusively established, with regions including the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and caudate being implicated. These contradictions may be related to conceptualizations of WM capacity, such as load (amount of information) versus operational-complexity (maintenance-recall or manipulation). For instance, relative to neurotypical (NT) individuals, complex WM operations could be impaired in ADHD, while simpler operations are spared. Alternatively, all operations may be impaired at higher loads. Here, we compared the impact of these two components of WM capacity: load and operational-complexity, between ADHD and NT, behaviorally and neurally. We hypothesized that the impact of WM load would be greater in ADHD, and the neural activation would be altered. Participants (age-range 12–23 years; 50 ADHD (18 females); 82 NT (41 females)) recalled three or four objects (load) in forward or backward order (operational-complexity) during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The effects of diagnosis and task were compared on performance and neural engagement. Behaviorally, we found significant interactions between diagnosis and load, and between diagnosis, load, and complexity. Neurally, we found an interaction between diagnosis and load in the right striatum, and between diagnosis and complexity in the right cerebellum and left occipital gyrus. The ADHD group displayed hypo-activation compared to NT group during higher load and greater complexity. This informs mechanisms of functional problems related to WM in adolescents and young adults with ADHD (e.g., academic performance) and remedial interventions (e.g., WM-training)

Neural basis of working memory in ADHD: Load versus complexity.

Working memory (WM) deficits are key in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nevertheless, WM is not universally impaired in ADHD. Additionally, the neural basis for WM deficits in ADHD has not been conclusively established, with regions including the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and caudate being implicated. These contradictions may be related to conceptualizations of WM capacity, such as load (amount of information) versus operational-complexity (maintenance-recall or manipulation). For instance, relative to neurotypical (NT) individuals, complex WM operations could be impaired in ADHD, while simpler operations are spared. Alternatively, all operations may be impaired at higher loads. Here, we compared the impact of these two components of WM capacity: load and operational-complexity, between ADHD and NT, behaviorally and neurally. We hypothesized that the impact of WM load would be greater in ADHD, and the neural activation would be altered. Participants (age-range 12-23 years; 50 ADHD (18 females); 82 NT (41 females)) recalled three or four objects (load) in forward or backward order (operational-complexity) during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The effects of diagnosis and task were compared on performance and neural engagement. Behaviorally, we found significant interactions between diagnosis and load, and between diagnosis, load, and complexity. Neurally, we found an interaction between diagnosis and load in the right striatum, and between diagnosis and complexity in the right cerebellum and left occipital gyrus. The ADHD group displayed hypo-activation compared to NT group during higher load and greater complexity. This informs mechanisms of functional problems related to WM in adolescents and young adults with ADHD (e.g., academic performance) and remedial interventions (e.g., WM-training)

Neural basis of working memory in ADHD: Load versus complexity.

Working memory (WM) deficits are key in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nevertheless, WM is not universally impaired in ADHD. Additionally, the neural basis for WM deficits in ADHD has not been conclusively established, with regions including the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and caudate being implicated. These contradictions may be related to conceptualizations of WM capacity, such as load (amount of information) versus operational-complexity (maintenance-recall or manipulation). For instance, relative to neurotypical (NT) individuals, complex WM operations could be impaired in ADHD, while simpler operations are spared. Alternatively, all operations may be impaired at higher loads. Here, we compared the impact of these two components of WM capacity: load and operational-complexity, between ADHD and NT, behaviorally and neurally. We hypothesized that the impact of WM load would be greater in ADHD, and the neural activation would be altered. Participants (age-range 12-23 years; 50 ADHD (18 females); 82 NT (41 females)) recalled three or four objects (load) in forward or backward order (operational-complexity) during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The effects of diagnosis and task were compared on performance and neural engagement. Behaviorally, we found significant interactions between diagnosis and load, and between diagnosis, load, and complexity. Neurally, we found an interaction between diagnosis and load in the right striatum, and between diagnosis and complexity in the right cerebellum and left occipital gyrus. The ADHD group displayed hypo-activation compared to NT group during higher load and greater complexity. This informs mechanisms of functional problems related to WM in adolescents and young adults with ADHD (e.g., academic performance) and remedial interventions (e.g., WM-training)

The importance of sleep for cognitive and psychological function

Slaap is van groot belang voor de lichamelijke en geestelijke gezondheid. Het lichaamsdeel dat slaap waarschijnlijk het meest nodig heeft zijn onze hersenen. Er wordt gedacht dat slaap van cruciaal belang is voor herstel, onderhoud en plasticiteit van zenuwcellen, die op hun beurt weer belangrijk zijn voor het functioneren van de hersenen als geheel: voor het onderhouden van alertheid, maar ook voor hogere cognitieve functies, zoals de vorming van geheugen en de regulatie van emoties. Een tekort aan slaap of verstoorde slaap heeft dan ook grote gevolgen voor ons mentale functioneren en welzijn. Chronisch slecht of te weinig slapen kan een oorzakelijke rol spelen bij psychiatrische stoornissen, zoals depressie. Daarnaast kan een chronisch slaaptekort de cognitieve achteruitgang tijdens de veroudering versnellen.Slaap is van groot belang voor de lichamelijke en geestelijke gezondheid. Het lichaamsdeel dat slaap waarschijnlijk het meest nodig heeft zijn onze hersenen. Er wordt gedacht dat slaap van cruciaal belang is voor herstel, onderhoud en plasticiteit van zenuwcellen, die op hun beurt weer belangrijk zijn voor het functioneren van de hersenen als geheel: voor het onderhouden van alertheid, maar ook voor hogere cognitieve functies, zoals de vorming van geheugen en de regulatie van emoties. Een tekort aan slaap of verstoorde slaap heeft dan ook grote gevolgen voor ons mentale functioneren en welzijn. Chronisch slecht of te weinig slapen kan een oorzakelijke rol spelen bij psychiatrische stoornissen, zoals depressie. Daarnaast kan een chronisch slaaptekort de cognitieve achteruitgang tijdens de veroudering versnellen