Self-Regulation of SMR Power Led to an Enhancement of Functional Connectivity of Somatomotor Cortices in Fibromyalgia Patients

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that altered activity in somatosensory and motor cortices play a key role in pain chronification. Neurofeedback training of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) is a tool which allow individuals to self-modulate their brain activity and to produce significant changes over somatomotor brain areas. Several studies have further shown that neurofeedback training may reduce pain and other pain-related symptoms in chronic pain patients. The goal of the present study was to analyze changes in SMR power and brain functional connectivity of the somatosensory and motor cortices elicited by neurofeedback task designed to both synchronize and desynchronize the SMR power over motor and somatosensory areas in fibromyalgia patients. Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to the SMR training (n = 9) or to a sham protocol (n = 8). All participants were trained during 6 sessions, and fMRI and EEG power elicited by synchronization and desynchronization trials were analyzed. In the SMR training group, four patients achieved the objective of SMR modulation in more than 70% of the trials from the second training session (good responders), while five patients performed the task at the chance level (bad responders). Good responders to the neurofeedback training significantly reduced pain and increased both SMR power modulationandfunctionalconnectivityofmotorandsomatosensoryrelatedareasduring the last neurofeedback training session, whereas no changes in brain activity or pain were observed in bad responders or participants in the sham group. In addition, we observed that good responders were characterized by reduced impact of fibromyalgia and pain symptoms, as well as by increased levels of health-related quality of life during the pre-training sessions. In summary, the present study revealed that neurofeedback training of SMR elicited significant brain changes in somatomotor areas leading to a significant reduction of pain in fibromyalgia patients. In this sense, our research provide evidence that neurofeedback training is a promising tool for a better understanding of brain mechanisms involved in pain chronification

Aplicación de la resonancia magnética funcional en la evaluación prequirúrgica en neurocirugía

Setenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2001-2002)La resonancia magnética funcional presenta un gran potencial en la evaluación prequirúrgica de las funciones cognitivas básicas motoras, lingüísticas y mnésicas. Sus resultados se basan en el denominado efecto BOLD (blood oxigenation level dependency) (Ogawa y cols., 1993), que permite visualizar e identificar áreas de incremento metabólico basándonos en el consumo neuronal de oxígeno, in vivo y de forma no invasiva. Las activaciones funcionales específicas se obtienen a partir de la realización de una serie de protocolos por parte del paciente. Su aplicación ha resultado útil para definir la localización anatómica de una estructura cortical a partir de su identificación funcional; definir la distancia entre una determinada función y la lesión que va a ser tratada; e identificar los efectos de la lesión en la representación cortical de la función (Sunaert y Yousry., 2001; Gaillard, 2000

Sensibilidad a la recompensa y cambio de set: la dopamina como sustrato en la impulsividad

Setenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2001-2002)El objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar la relación entre la dopamina y el sistema de activación conductual (SAC) como sistema biológico conductual de la impulsividad como dimensión de personalidad. Para ello se ha estudiado la relación entre una tarea experimental sensible a la dopamina, el cambio de set, y la escala de sensibilidad a la recompensa (SR; Torrubia y cols., 2001). Método: Cuarenta y nueve participantes de sexo masculino cumplimentaron el cuestionario de sensibilidad al castigo - sensibilidad a la recompensa (SPSRQ; Torrubia, Ávila, Moltó y Caseras, 2001), donde la sensibilidad a la recompensa es una medida de actividad del SAC, y completaron una tarea de cambio de set (Hayes y cols, 1998). Resultados: El análisis de regresión jerárquico mostraba como la SR era un predictor en la ejecución de cambio de set (ß=-.31, p < .03). Discusión: Los datos mostraron la relación entre la conducta de cambio de set y la Sensibilidad a la Recompensa, una medida de impulsividad en la teoría de Gray. Estos resultados implican un sustrato dopaminérgico en la dimensión de personalidad de impulsividad y, por tanto, en la conducta impulsiva

Diferencias anatómicas asociadas a la sensibilidad al castigo y a la recompensa: un estudio de morfometría basada en el vóxel

Introducción: La teoría de la sensibilidad al refuerzo (tsr) propone el sistema de activación conductual (sac) como el sistema motivacional encargado de dirigir la con- ducta hacia la obtención de estímulos apetitivos. A nivel neurobiológico, este sistema se ha relacionado con el circuito cerebral de la recompensa. Así mismo, se ha pro- puesto el rasgo de personalidad de sensibilidad a la recompensa (sr) como modulador de la actividad del sac. En el presente trabajo estudiamos la relación entre la actividad del sac, medida por medio del cuestionario spsrq, y el volumen de sustancia gris en áreas de recompensa. Métodos: Realizamos un análisis de morfometría basada en el vóxel (vbm) en una muestra de 216 hombres e investigamos la asociación entre los valores de volumen obtenidos y las puntuaciones en la escala sr del spsrq mediante un análisis de regresión. El procesado y análisis de las imágenes se realizó mediante spm8. Resultados: A nivel cortical, los análisis de vbm mostraron una correlación ne- gativa entre las puntuaciones de la escala sr y el volumen de sustancia gris en el córtex prefrontal lateral, la ínsula y el lóbulo temporal superior. A nivel subcortical, ob- servamos una reducción en el volumen del estriado (núcleo caudado). Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados apoyan investigaciones previas y aportan nuevas evidencias acerca de las diferencias anatómicas en áreas relacionadas con el control inhibitorio y la toma de decisiones en participantes con un sac sobreactivado.Introduction: The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (rst) proposes the Behavioral Activation System (bas) as the motivational system responsible for direct behavior toward appetitive stimuli. Neurobiologically, this system has been related to the brain reward circuitry. Additionally, the personality trait of Sensitivity to Reward (sr) has been proposed as modulator of bas activity. In this work, we studied the relationship between the bas activity, as measured by the spsrq questionnaire, and the gray matter volume in reward-related areas. Methods: We carried out a voxel-based morphometry analysis in a sample of 216 male participants and we investigated the association between the data volume obtained and the sr scale scores by means of a regression analysis. Image processing and statistical analyses were carried out using spm8. Results: At the cortical level, vbm analysis showed a negative correlation between sr scores and the gray matter volume in the lateral prefrontal cortex, the insula, and the superior temporal lobe. Subcortically, we found a reduction in the striatum volume (caudate nucleus). Conclusion: Our results support previous studies and provide new evidence about anatomical differences in brain areas related to inhibitory control and decision-making in participants with an overactive bas

The role of protest scenario in the neural response to the supportive communication

People are capable of understanding the suffering of distant others and of their personal responsibility in this suffering. The communication of harm and self-responsibility in the suffering of others leads to greater moral sensitivity. Two studies were carried out to test our hypotheses. In Study 1 we analyse the emotional response to the scripts using a correlational study. In Study 2 we use functional MRI to investigate brain activation associated with the communication of harm and self-responsibility in a moral scenario on supportive communication. Direct comparison between donor and protest scenarios yielded a significant activation in the left amygdala usually associated with moral emotions. Responses in supportive communication scenarios show that donors can feel personally involved in a moral issue if they perceive the harm and their selfresponsibility. Our results suggest that the creation of a communications structure based on social condemnation increases moral sensitivity to poverty

Neuroticism predisposes to donation more than agrecableness: An fMRI study

This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.Using functional MRI (fMRI) in Study 1, we examined the effect of 2 personality dimensions related to altruism, such as Agreeableness and Neuroticism, on the neural response to videos, including images of situations from developing countries and audio recordings of sentences employed by Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to request help. For all the participants, the brain response across the whole brain was not significantly different in the donor and control videos. Multiple regression analyses revealed that while Agreeableness was related to the activation of mentalizing brain areas (i.e., the precuneus), Neuroticism was related more to the activation of the brain areas related to reward and donation. Study 2 was a psychometric study and confirmed that Neuroticism showed a greater association with donation behavior and sponsoring children from developing countries than Agreeableness. Our results may serve to gain a better understanding of the relationship between personality traits and altruistic behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)Sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology, Spain Recipient: No recipient indicated Grant Number: CSD2007-00012 Sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology Recipient: Ávila, César Grant Number: PSI2013-45378-R and P1·1B2013-6

Students’ surveys and involvement in educational activities within virtual environments are related to students’ satisfaction in elearning graduate programs

Ponència presentada a 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, HEAd’17, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, 2017This paper evaluates associations across the dimensions included in students’ surveys and virtual activities for applying educational models within e-learning graduate programs. Firstly, we focus on the outcomes derived from teachers’ and students’ participation in virtual classroom forums and, secondly, on the determinants of students’ satisfaction in the graduate program. Data analyses show that teachers’ and students’ participation in forums as dynamic educational activities are positively correlated with students’ general satisfaction. To study the determinants of students’ satisfaction, we perform a regression analysis that considers as explanatory variables educational planning, teaching qualifications and development of learning, as well as of a number of controls related to the virtual learning environment and participation in the academic program. According to the obtained results, teaching skills and learning environments are associated with higher students’ satisfaction in a virtual learning environment. This type of analysis is of great interest in a social environment characterized by increasing communication via electronic networking. We find that dynamic educational activities and dimensions taken on board on students’ surveys are related to students’ satisfaction in e-learning graduate programs

Longitudinal Effects of Distress and Its Management During COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic that hit Spain during March 2020 forced the strict confinement of the population for 2 months. The objectives of this study were (a) to assess the magnitude and duration of the influence of confinement on people’s Distress, (b) to study the temporal sequence of stress, and (c) to show how different day-to-day activities and personal variables influence perceived Distress levels. Method: A daily registration was completed by 123 people, with ages ranging from 21 to 75 years old (X = 43, SD = 10 years), of which there were 40 men (32%) and 83 females (68%). During 45 days of lockdown, from March 19th to May 3rd, participants were asked to respond to a socio-demographic survey and make daily records comprising the MASQ-D30 and some day-to-day behaviors. Pooled time series was applied to establish what effect time had on the dependent variable. Results: Distress has a 14-day autoregressive function and gender, physical activity, sexual activity, listening to music, and teleworking also influence Distress. It has been hypothesized that the intercept presents variability at level 2 (individual), but it has not been significant. Interactions between Gender—Telecommuting, and Gender—Physical Activity were observed. Approximately 66% of the variance of Distress was explained (R 2 = 0.663). Discussion: At the beginning of the lockdown, the average levels of Distress were well above the levels of the end (z = 3.301). The individuals in the sample have followed a very similar process in the development of Distress. During the lockdown, the “memory” of Distress was 2 weeks. Our results indicate that levels of Distress depend on activities during lockdown. Interactions exist between gender and some behavioral variables that barely influence Distress in men but decrease Distress in women. The importance of routine maintenance and gender differences must be considered to propose future interventions during confinement

Hipoactivación en el área parahipocampal durante una tarea de “codificación/ recuperación”: estudio diferencial mediante RMf de pacientes con EA y DCL

Vuitenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2002-2003

Activación del córtex frontal inferior en una tarea de control inhibitorio con contingencias de reforzamiento en pacientes con dependencia a la cocaína

Tretzenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2007-2008)Objetivo: Estudiar el funcionamiento cerebral a nivel del córtex frontal en una tarea de control inhibitorio con contingencias de reforzamiento en pacientes con dependencia a la cocaína y no consumidores. Metodología: Una muestra de 41 participantes en total tomaron parte en el estudio: 20 pacientes con dependencia a la cocaína y otros 21 participantes controles. La tarea de RMf consistió en un paradigma go/no-go con contingencias de reforzamiento con un diseño de bloques. Los datos fueron analizados con el programa SPM5. Se analizaron la ejecución y las activaciones durante la tarea en RMf para ambos grupos por separado, y se realizó un contraste de las diferencias entre los mismos. Resultados: No se observaron diferencias en la ejecución entre los grupos. Ambos grupos mostraron un mayor tiempo de reacción durante la condición de control inhibitorio. El grupo de pacientes mostró una mayor activación en el córtex frontal inferior en comparación al grupo control, mientras que el grupo control mostró una mayor activación en el córtex prefrontal mesial en comparación al grupo de pacientes. Conclusiones: La activación reducida del cortex frontal mesial en el grupo de pacientes con dependencia a la cocaína ha sido observada en estudios previos, y relacionada con un déficit de control inhibitorio. La mayor activación en el córtex frontal inferior en el grupo de pacientes puede ser un patrón de activación compensatoria dada la ausencia de diferencias en la ejecución