21 research outputs found
The Role of Corpus Callosum Development in Functional Connectivity and Cognitive Processing
The corpus callosum is hypothesized to play a fundamental role in integrating information and mediating complex behaviors. Here, we demonstrate that lack of normal callosal development can lead to deficits in functional connectivity that are related to impairments in specific cognitive domains. We examined resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) and matched controls using magnetoencephalographic imaging (MEG-I) of coherence in the alpha (8β12 Hz), beta (12β30 Hz) and gamma (30β55 Hz) bands. Global connectivity (GC) was defined as synchronization between a region and the rest of the brain. In AgCC individuals, alpha band GC was significantly reduced in the dorsolateral pre-frontal (DLPFC), posterior parietal (PPC) and parieto-occipital cortices (PO). No significant differences in GC were seen in either the beta or gamma bands. We also explored the hypothesis that, in AgCC, this regional reduction in functional connectivity is explained primarily by a specific reduction in interhemispheric connectivity. However, our data suggest that reduced connectivity in these regions is driven by faulty coupling in both inter- and intrahemispheric connectivity. We also assessed whether the degree of connectivity correlated with behavioral performance, focusing on cognitive measures known to be impaired in AgCC individuals. Neuropsychological measures of verbal processing speed were significantly correlated with resting-state functional connectivity of the left medial and superior temporal lobe in AgCC participants. Connectivity of DLPFC correlated strongly with performance on the Tower of London in the AgCC cohort. These findings indicate that the abnormal callosal development produces salient but selective (alpha band only) resting-state functional connectivity disruptions that correlate with cognitive impairment. Understanding the relationship between impoverished functional connectivity and cognition is a key step in identifying the neural mechanisms of language and executive dysfunction in common neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders where disruptions of callosal development are consistently identified
The causal structure of dynamical charged black holes
We study the causal structure of dynamical charged black holes, with a
sufficient number of massless fields, using numerical simulations. Neglecting
Hawking radiation, the inner horizon is a null Cauchy horizon and a curvature
singularity due to mass inflation. When we include Hawking radiation, the inner
horizon becomes space-like and is separated from the Cauchy horizon, which is
parallel to the out-going null direction. Since a charged black hole must
eventually transit to a neutral black hole, we studied the neutralization of
the black hole and observed that the inner horizon evolves into a space-like
singularity, generating a Cauchy horizon which is parallel to the in-going null
direction. Since the mass function is finite around the inner horizon, the
inner horizon is regular and penetrable in a general relativistic sense.
However, since the curvature functions become trans-Planckian, we cannot
saymore about the region beyond the inner horizon, and it is natural to say
that there is a 'physical' space-like singularity. However, if we assume an
exponentially large number of massless scalar fields, our results can be
extended beyond the inner horizon. In this case, strong cosmic censorship and
black hole complementarity can be violated.Comment: 23 pages, 23 figure
Dynamical formation and evolution of (2+1)-dimensional charged black holes
In this paper, we investigate the dynamical formation and evolution of 2 +
1-dimensional charged black holes. We numerically study dynamical collapses of
charged matter fields in an anti de Sitter background and note the formation of
black holes using the double-null formalism. Moreover, we include re-normalized
energy-momentum tensors assuming the S-wave approximation to determine
thermodynamical back-reactions to the internal structures. If there is no
semi-classical effects, the amount of charge determines the causal structures.
If the charge is sufficiently small, the causal structure has a space-like
singularity. However, as the charge increases, an inner Cauchy horizon appears.
If we have sufficient charge, we see a space-like outer horizon and a time-like
inner horizon, and if we give excessive charge, black hole horizons disappear.
We have some circumstantial evidences that weak cosmic censorship is still
satisfied, even for such excessive charge cases. Also, we confirm that there is
mass inflation along the inner horizon, although the properties are quite
different from those of four-dimensional cases. Semi-classical back-reactions
will not affect the outer horizon, but they will affect the inner horizon. Near
the center, there is a place where negative energy is concentrated. Thus,
charged black holes in three dimensions have two types of curvature
singularities in general: via mass inflation and via a concentration of
negative energy. Finally, we classify possible causal structures.Comment: 40 pages, 15 figure
Can the Horowitz-Maldacena proposal be an alternative to the firewall?
Recently, there have been discussions that black hole complementarity is
inconsistent and that the firewall is required to prohibit the observation of
duplicated information. It is thought that if the Horowitz-Maldacena proposal
works as a selection principle, then this may be an alternative to the
firewall. In this paper, we first point out that the Horowitz-Maldacena
proposal seems to help black hole complementarity for charged black holes.
However, if we consider the Hayden-Preskill argument further, which states that
a black hole can function as an information mirror after the information
retention time, then we can show that the Horowitz-Maldaceana proposal cannot
help black hole complementarity. This can be extended to neutral black hole
cases. Therefore, in conclusion, we find that dynamical black holes do not
respect complementarity, even with the Horowitz-Maldacena proposal.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Autism traits in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have numerous etiologies, including structural brain malformations such as agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC). We sought to directly measure the occurrence of autism traits in a cohort of individuals with AgCC and to investigate the neural underpinnings of this association. We screened a large AgCC cohort (n = 106) with the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and found that 45 % of children, 35 % of adolescents, and 18 % of adults exceeded the predetermined autism-screening cut-off. Interestingly, performance on the AQ's imagination domain was inversely correlated with magnetoencephalography measures of resting-state functional connectivity in the right superior temporal gyrus. Individuals with AgCC should be screened for ASD and disorders of the corpus callosum should be considered in autism diagnostic evaluations as well
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The role of corpus callosum development in functional connectivity and cognitive processing.
The corpus callosum is hypothesized to play a fundamental role in integrating information and mediating complex behaviors. Here, we demonstrate that lack of normal callosal development can lead to deficits in functional connectivity that are related to impairments in specific cognitive domains. We examined resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) and matched controls using magnetoencephalographic imaging (MEG-I) of coherence in the alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (12-30 Hz) and gamma (30-55 Hz) bands. Global connectivity (GC) was defined as synchronization between a region and the rest of the brain. In AgCC individuals, alpha band GC was significantly reduced in the dorsolateral pre-frontal (DLPFC), posterior parietal (PPC) and parieto-occipital cortices (PO). No significant differences in GC were seen in either the beta or gamma bands. We also explored the hypothesis that, in AgCC, this regional reduction in functional connectivity is explained primarily by a specific reduction in interhemispheric connectivity. However, our data suggest that reduced connectivity in these regions is driven by faulty coupling in both inter- and intrahemispheric connectivity. We also assessed whether the degree of connectivity correlated with behavioral performance, focusing on cognitive measures known to be impaired in AgCC individuals. Neuropsychological measures of verbal processing speed were significantly correlated with resting-state functional connectivity of the left medial and superior temporal lobe in AgCC participants. Connectivity of DLPFC correlated strongly with performance on the Tower of London in the AgCC cohort. These findings indicate that the abnormal callosal development produces salient but selective (alpha band only) resting-state functional connectivity disruptions that correlate with cognitive impairment. Understanding the relationship between impoverished functional connectivity and cognition is a key step in identifying the neural mechanisms of language and executive dysfunction in common neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders where disruptions of callosal development are consistently identified