Changes of Motor Deactivation Regions in Patients with Intracranial Lesions

Objective

There is a rich literature confirming the default mode network found compatible with task-induced deactivation regions in normal subjects, but few investigations of alterations of the motor deactivation in patients with intracranial lesions. Therefore, we hypothesized that an intracranial lesion results in abnormal changes in a task-induced deactivation region compared with default mode network, and these changes are associated with specific attributes of allocated regions.

Methods

Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a motor task were obtained from 27 intracranial lesion patients (mean age, 57.3 years; range 15-78 years) who had various kinds of brain tumors. The BOLD fMRI data for each patient were evaluated to obtain activation or deactivation regions. The distinctive deactivation regions from intracranial lesion patients were evaluated by comparing to the literature reports.

Results

There were additive deactivated regions according to intracranial lesions: fusiform gyrus in cavernous hemangioma; lateral occipital gyrus in meningioma; crus cerebri in hemangiopericytoma; globus pallidus, lateral occipital gyrus, caudate nucleus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, claustrum, substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus in GBM; fusiform gyrus in metastatic brain tumors.

Conclusion

There is increasing interest in human brain function using fMRI. The authors report the brain function migrations and changes that occur in patients with intracranial lesions.     

Effects of Antidepressant Treatment on Sexual Arousal in Depressed Women: A Preliminary fMRI Study

Objective

There was a recent study to explore the cerebral regions associated with sexual arousal in depressed women using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The purpose of this neuroimaging study was to investigate the effects of antidepressant treatment on sexual arousal in depressed women.

Methods

Seven depressed women with sexual arousal dysfunction (mean age: 41.7±13.8, mean scores of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17): 35.6±7.1 and 34.9±3.1, respectively) and nine healthy women (mean age: 40.3±11.6) underwent fMRI before and after antidepressant treatment. The fMRI paradigm contrasted a 1 minute rest period viewing non-erotic film with 4 minutes of sexual stimulation viewing an erotic video film. Data were analyzed by SPM 2. The relative number of pixels activated in each period was used as an index of activation. All depressed women were treated with mirtazapine (mean dosage: 37.5 mg/day) for 8 to 10 weeks.

Results

Levels of brain activity during sexual arousal in depressed women significantly increased with antidepressant treatment (p<0.05) in the regions of the hypothalamus (3.0% to 11.2%), septal area (8.6% to 27.8%) and parahippocampal gyrus (5.8% to 14.6%). Self-reported sexual arousal during visual sexual stimulation also significantly increased post-treatment, and severity of depressive symptoms improved, as measured by the BDI and HAMD-17 (p<0.05).

Conclusion

These results show that sexual arousal dysfunction of depressed women may improve after treatment of depression, and that this improvement is associated with increased activation of the hypothalamus, septal area, and parahippocampal gyrus during sexual arousal.     

Comparison of treatment adherence between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and moclobemide in patients with social anxiety disorder

Objective

With respect to the pharmacotherapy of social anxiety disorder (SAD), it has been suggested that treatment duration is an important factor that can significantly predict responses. The present study aimed to compare the treatment adherence of SAD patients who were taking either SSRIs or reversible inhibitors of MAO-A (moclobemide) by measuring treatment duration and all-cause discontinuation rates of pharmacotherapy in a natural clinical setting.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed the data of 172 patients diagnosed with SAD. Depending on their medication, we divided the patients into two groups, SSRI (n=54) or moclobemide (n=118). The expected number of all-cause discontinuation every 2 weeks after starting treatment was calculated by life table survival methods. A multi-variable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to analyze the potential influence of explanatory variables.

Results

Treatment duration was significantly longer in the SSRI group [46.41±56.96, median=12.0 (weeks)] than in the moclobemide group [25.53±34.74, median=12.0 (weeks), Z=2.352, p=0.019]. Overall, all-cause discontinuation rates were significantly lower with SSRIs (81%) than moclobemide (96%, χ²=4.532, p=0.033).

Conclusion

The SSRI group had a longer treatment duration and lower all-cause discontinuation rate than moclobemide. Further, only the type of medication had a significant effect on all-cause discontinuation rates and therefore, we could predict better treatment adherence with the SSRIs in the treatment of SAD.     

Plasma Concentration of Prolactin, Testosterone Might Be Associated with Brain Response to Visual Erotic Stimuli in Healthy Heterosexual Males

Objective

Many studies have showed that excess or lack of sexual hormones, such as prolactin and testosterone, induced the sexual dysfunction in humans. Little, however, is known about the role of sexual hormones showing normal range in, especially, the basal state unexposed to any sexual stimulation. We hypothesized sexual hormones in the basal state may affect sexual behavior.

Methods

We investigated the association of the sexual hormones level in the basal hormonal state before visual sexual stimulation with the sexual response-related brain activity during the stimulation. Twelve heterosexual men were recorded the functional MRI signals of their brain activation elicited by passive viewing erotic (ERO), happy-faced (HA) couple, food and nature pictures. Both plasma prolacitn and testosterone concentrations were measured before functional MR scanning. A voxel wise regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the concentration of sexual hormones in basal state and brain activity elicited by ERO minus HA, not food minus nature, contrast.

Results

The plasma concentration of prolactin in basal state showed positive association with the activity of the brain involving cognitive component of sexual behavior including the left middle frontal gyrus, paracingulate/superior frontal/anterior cingulate gyri, bilateral parietal lobule, right angular, bilateral precuneus and right cerebellum. Testosterone in basal state was positively associated with the brain activity of the bilateral supplementary motor area which related with motivational component of sexual behavior.

Conclusion

Our results suggested sexual hormones in basal state may have their specific target regions or network associated with sexual response.     

An fMRI Study Investigating Adolescent Brain Activation by Rewards and Feedback

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the adolescent brain activation patterns in response to performance feedback (PF), social reward (SR) and monetary reward (MR) and their association with psychological factors.

Methods

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed while middle school boys (n=15) performed tests pertained to PF, SR and MR. The brain activation pattern in each condition was investigated, and the extent of brain activation in each of the three conditions was compared at once.

Results

The caudate and the dorsal prefrontal area were activated in all three conditions. Furthermore, the cuneus showed significantly greater activation in the PF condition than the SR or MR condition. And the self - related areas, such as the right precentral gyrus and paracenral lobule, were more activated in the SR condition than the PF or MR condition. The left middle frontal gyrus was more activated in the MR condition than the PF or SR condition.

Conclusion

Not only various reward stimuli but also feedback stimulus might commonly activate dorsal prefrontal and subcortical area in adolescents. Moreover, several different brain activation patterns were also observed in each condition. The results of this study could be applied to planning of learning and teaching strategy for adolescents in various ways.     

Relationship between SSRIs and Metabolic Syndrome Abnormalities in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Prospective Study

Objective

SSRIs are some of the most widely prescribed medications in the world. In addition to their effectiveness, SSRIs were reported to be associated with the side effects of weight gain, sexual dysfunction, drug interactions, extrapyramidal symptoms and discontinuation symptoms. However, the effects of SSRIs on metabolic parameters are poorly understood.

Methods

This study aims to describe the effects of SSRIs on the metabolic parameters of drug-naive first episode patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Ninety-seven female patients aged 20-41 years without any metabolic or psychiatric comorbidity were included in the study. Fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram and escitalopram were randomly given to the patients. Metabolic parameters, including BMI, waist circumference and the levels of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL and blood pressure, were measured before and after 16 weeks of treatment.

Results

In the paroxetine group, there was a significant increase in the parameters of weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride after 16 weeks of treatment. There were significant increases in the levels of triglyceride in the citalopram and escitalopram groups. In the sertraline group, the total cholesterol level increased after treatment. In the fluoxetine group, there were significant reductions in the parameters of weight, total cholesterol and triglyceride.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this study is the first to prospectively describe metabolic syndrome abnormalities in patients with first episode generalized anxiety disorder. Although the effectiveness of the different SSRIs is similar, clinicians should be more careful when prescribing SSRIs to patients who have cardiac risk factors. Larger and lengthier controlled clinical trials are needed to explore the associations between SSRI use and metabolic syndrome.     

Voxel-wise meta-analysis of fMRI studies in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis

Background

Reliable neurofunctional markers of increased vulnerability to psychosis are needed to improve the predictive value of psychosis risk syndrome and inform preventive interventions.

Methods

I performed a signed differential mapping (SDM) voxel-wise meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of patients at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Results

Ten studies were included in the analysis. Compared with controls, high-risk patients showed reduced neural activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area [BA] 9) and in a cluster spanning the bilateral medial frontal gyrus (BA 8,6), bilateral superior frontal gyrus (BA 8,6) and the left anterior cingulate (BA 32). There was no publication bias. Heterogeneity across studies was low. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the findings.

Limitations

The cross-sectional nature of the included studies prevented the comparison of high-risk patients who later experienced a psychotic episode with those who did not. Other caveats are reflected in methodologic heterogeneity across tasks employed by different individual imaging studies.

Conclusion

Reduced neurofunctional activation in prefrontal regions may represent a neurophysiologic correlate of increased vulnerability to psychosis.     

Differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activity during a cognitive control task and neurofunctional prediction of treatment outcome in patients with depression

Background

We investigated the differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activation in patients with major depressive disorder during a Stroop task. We predicted that pretreatment hyperactivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex would predict better treatment outcomes.

Methods

In total, 20 patients underwent naturalistic open-label clinical treatment with citalopram (n = 12) or reboxetine (n = 8). We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment.

Results

There were no significant group differences in clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes or baseline fMRI activations. The group by time interaction revealed significant voxels in the right amygdala–hippocampus complex (p < 0.05, family-wise error corrected by use of the bilateral amygdala and hippocampus mask image as a small volume), indicating a posttreatment blood oxygen level–dependent signal decrease in the citalopram group. Pretreatment hyperactivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex was not related to symptom improvement.

Limitations

Our study was a nonrandomized clinical trial.

Conclusion

These results indicate that serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants have a differential effect on brain activity, especially in the amygdala and hippocampus.     

Methamphetamine Enhances the Development of Schizophrenia in First-Degree Relatives of Patients With Schizophrenia

Objective:

Although there is some evidence that methamphetamine (MA) abuse may play a causative role in the development of schizophrenia, studies directly linking these 2 are rare.

Methods:

In our study, the effect of MA abuse on the development of schizophrenia was investigated in 15 MA abusers who are offspring of patients with schizophrenia and 15 siblings of MA abusers without a history of drug abuse. Cognitive deficits and resting-state brain function were evaluated in all participants. Correlations between cognitive deficits and schizophrenia development were investigated.

Results:

Significantly more cognitive impairments were observed in MA abusers, compared with their siblings without a history of drug use. Significant abnormalities in regional homogeneity (ReHo) signals were observed in resting brain in MA abusers. Decreased ReHo was found to be distributed over the bilateral cingulate gyrus, right Brodmann area 24, and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex. Seven MA abusers were diagnosed with schizophrenia, while 1 control sibling was diagnosed with schizophrenia during the 5-year follow-up. The cognitive scores correlated with the development of schizophrenia in MA abusers.

Conclusion:

Our study provides direct evidence for the causative role of MA use in the etiology of schizophrenia and highlights the role of MA-induced brain abnormalities in cognitive deficiency and development of schizophrenia.     

Switching between executive and default mode networks in posttraumatic stress disorder: alterations in functional connectivity

Background

Working memory processing and resting-state connectivity in the default mode network are altered in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because the ability to effortlessly switch between concentration on a task and an idling state during rest is implicated in both these alterations, we undertook a functional magnetic resonance imaging study with a block design to analyze task-induced modulations in connectivity.

Methods

We performed a working memory task and psychophysiologic interaction analyses with the posterior cingulate cortex and the medial prefrontal cortex as seed regions during fixation in 12 patients with severe, chronic PTSD and 12 healthy controls.

Results

During the working memory task, the control group showed significantly stronger connectivity with areas implicated in the salience and executive networks, including the right inferior frontal gyrus and the right inferior parietal lobule. The PTSD group showed stronger connectivity with areas implicated in the default mode network, namely enhanced connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and the right superior frontal gyrus and between the medial prefrontal cortex and the left parahip-pocampal gyrus.

Limitations

Because we were studying alterations in patients with severe, chronic PTSD, we could not exclude patients taking medication. The small sample size may have limited the power of our analyses. To avoid multiple testing in a small sample, we only used 2 seed regions for our analyses.

Conclusion

The different patterns of connectivity imply significant group differences with task-induced switches (i.e., engaging and disengaging the default mode network and the central-executive network).     

Analysis of Altered Baseline Brain Activity in Drug-Naive Adult Patients with Social Anxiety Disorder Using Resting-State Functional MRI

Objective

We hypothesize that the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) is involved in the altered regional baseline brain function in social anxiety disorder (SAD). The aim of the study was to analyze the altered baseline brain activity in drug-naive adult patients with SAD.

Methods

We investigated spontaneous and baseline brain activities by obtaining the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 20 drug-naïve adult SAD patients and 19 healthy controls. Voxels were used to analyze the ALFF values using one- and two-sample t-tests. A post-hoc correlation of clinical symptoms was also performed.

Results

Our findings show decreased ALFF in the bilateral insula, left medial superior frontal gyrus, left precuneus, left middle temporal gyrus, right middle temporal pole, and left fusiform gyrus of the SAD group. The SAD patients exhibited significantly increased ALFF in the right inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, bilateral middle occipital gyrus, orbital superior frontal gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, right medial superior frontal gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus. Moreover, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale results for the SAD patients were positively correlated with the mean Z values of the right middle occipital and right inferior occipital but showed a negative correlation with the mean Z values of the right superior temporal gyrus and right medial superior frontal gyrus.

Conclusion

These results of the altered regional baseline brain function in SAD suggest that the regions with abnormal spontaneous activities are involved in the underlying pathophysiology of SAD patients.     

Neural correlates of set-shifting: decomposing executive functions in schizophrenia

Background

Although there is considerable evidence that patients with schizophrenia have impaired executive functions, the neural mechanisms underlying these deficits are unclear. Generation and selection is one of the basic mechanisms of executive functioning. We investigated the neural correlates of this mechanism by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Methods

We used the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in an event-related fMRI study to analyze neural activation patterns during the distinct components of the WCST in 36 patients with schizophrenia and 28 controls. We focused our analyses on the process of set-shifting. After participants received negative feedback, they had to generate and decide on a new sorting rule.

Results

A widespread activation pattern encompassing the inferior and middle frontal gyrus, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), supplementary motor area, insula, caudate, thalamus and brainstem was observed in patients with schizophrenia after negative versus positive feedback, whereas in healthy controls, significant activation clusters were more confined to the cortical areas. Significantly increased activation in the rostral ACC after negative feedback and in the dorsal ACC during matching after negative feedback were observed in schizophrenia patients compared with controls. Controls showed activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 46), whereas schizophrenia patients showed activation in the right dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex only.

Limitations

All patients were taking neuroleptic medication, which has an impact on cognitive function as well as on dopaminergic and serotonergic prefrontal metabolism.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that, in patients with schizophrenia, set-shifting is associated with increased activation in the rostral and dorsal ACC, reflecting higher emotional and cognitive demands, respectively.     

Abnormal Activation of the Social Brain Network in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An fMRI Study

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate abnormal findings of social brain network in Korean children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with typically developing children (TDC).

Methods

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to examine brain activations during the processing of emotional faces (happy, fearful, and neutral) in 17 children with ASD, 24 TDC.

Results

When emotional face stimuli were given to children with ASD, various areas of the social brain relevant to social cognition showed reduced activation. Specifically, ASD children exhibited less activation in the right amygdala (AMY), right superior temporal sulcus (STS) and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) than TDC group when fearful faces were shown. Activation of left insular cortex and right IFG in response to happy faces was less in the ASD group. Similar findings were also found in left superior insular gyrus and right insula in case of neutral stimulation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that children with ASD have different processing of social and emotional experience at the neural level. In other words, the deficit of social cognition in ASD could be explained by the deterioration of the capacity for visual analysis of emotional faces, the subsequent inner imitation through mirror neuron system (MNS), and the ability to transmit it to the limbic system and to process the transmitted emotion.     

Provocation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a quantitative voxel-based meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies

Objective

Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies based on the symptom provocation paradigm have explored neural correlates of the cognitive and emotional processes associated with the emergence of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Although most studies showed the involvement of cortico–subcortical loops originating in the orbitofrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, an increased activity within numerous other regions of the brain has inconsistently been reported across studies. To provide a quantitative estimation of the cerebral activation patterns related to the performance of the symptom provocation task by OCD patients, we conducted a voxel-based meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched the PubMed and MEDLINE databases for studies that used fMRI and PET and that were based on the symptom provocation paradigm. We entered data into a paradigm-driven activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.

Results

We found significant likelihoods of activation in cortical and subcortical regions of the orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate loops. The left dorsal frontoparietal network, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus, and the left superior temporal gyrus also demonstrated significant likelihoods of activation.

Conclusion

Consistent results across functional neuroimaging studies suggest that the orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortices are involved in the mediation of obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Based on recent literature, we suggest that activations within the dorsal frontoparietal network might be related to patients'' efforts to resist the obsessive processes induced by the provocation task. Further research should elucidate the specific neural correlates of the various cognitive and emotional functions altered in OCD.Medical subject headings: obsessive-compulsive disorder, magnetic resonance imaging, positron-emission tomography     

Enhanced rostral anterior cingulate cortex activation during cognitive control is related to orbitofrontal volume reduction in unipolar depression

Objective

In patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), enhanced activation of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) during conflict resolution has been demonstrated with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which suggests dysregulation of the affective compartment of the ACC associated with error monitoring and cognitive control. Moreover, several previous studies have reported disrupted structural integrity in limbic brain areas and the orbitofrontal cortex in MDD. However, the relation between structural and functional alterations remains unclear. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate whether structural brain aberrations in terms of grey matter decreases directly in the medial frontal regions or in anatomically closely connected areas might be related to our previously reported functional alterations.

Methods

A sample of 16 female, drug-free patients with an acute episode of MDD and 16 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex and education were examined with structural high-resolution T₁-weighted MRI; fMRI images were obtained in the same session.

Results

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) revealed grey matter decreases in the orbitofrontal and subgenual cortex, in the hippocampus-amygdala complex and in the middle frontal gyrus. The relative hyperactivation of the rACC in terms of inability to deactivate this region during the Stroop Color-Word Test showed an inverse correlation with grey matter reduction in the orbitofrontal cortex.

Conclusion

The present study provides strong evidence for an association between structural alterations in the orbitofrontal cortex and disturbed functional activation in the emotional compartment of the ACC in patients with MDD during cognitive control.Medical subject headings: magnetic resonance imaging, depressive disorder, depression     

Resting-state functional connectivity abnormalities in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder and their healthy first-degree relatives

Background

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, heritable neuropsychiatric disorder, hypothetically underpinned by dysfunction of brain cortical–striatal–thalamic–cortical (CSTC) circuits; however, the extent of brain functional abnormalities in individuals with OCD is unclear, and the genetic basis of this disorder is poorly understood. We determined the whole brain functional connectivity patterns in patients with OCD and their healthy first-degree relatives.

Methods

We used resting-state fMRI to measure functional connectivity strength in patients with OCD, their healthy first-degree relatives and healthy controls. Whole brain functional networks were constructed by measuring the temporal correlations of all brain voxel pairs and further analyzed using a graph theory approach.

Results

We enrolled 39 patients with OCD, 20 healthy first-degree relatives and 39 healthy controls in our study. Compared with healthy controls, patients with OCD showed increased functional connectivity primarily within the CSTC circuits and decreased functional connectivity in the occipital cortex, temporal cortex and cerebellum. Moreover, patients with OCD and their first-degree relatives exhibited overlapping increased functional connectivity strength in the bilateral caudate nucleus, left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and left middle temporal gyrus.

Limitations

Potential confounding factors, such as medication use, heterogeneity in symptom clusters and comorbid disorders, may have impacted our findings.

Conclusion

Our preliminary results suggest that patients with OCD have abnormal resting-state functional connectivity that is not limited to CSTC circuits and involves abnormalities in additional large-scale brain systems, especially the limbic system. Moreover, resting-state functional connectivity strength abnormalities in the left OFC, bilateral caudate nucleus and left middle temporal gyrus may be neuroimaging endophenotypes for OCD.     

Dysconnectivity of multiple resting-state networks in patients with schizophrenia who have persistent auditory verbal hallucinations

Background

Functional neuroimaging studies on schizophrenia have suggested abnormal task-related functional connectivity in patients with schizophrenia who have auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). However, little is known about intrinsic functional connectivity in these patients.

Methods

Between January 2009 and February 2010, we studied patients with schizophrenia who had persistent and treatment-refractory AVHs in comparison with healthy controls. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we studied the functional connectivity of multiple resting state networks (RSNs) and their relation to symptom severity. We analyzed the data using a spatial group independent component analysis, and we used random-effects t tests to compare spatial components between groups.

Results

There were 10 patients and 14 controls enrolled in this study. In total, 16 RSNs were identified, from which we selected 4 networks of interest for further analyses. Within a speech-related network, patients showed increased connectivity in bilateral temporal regions and decreased connectivity in the cingulate cortex. Within 2 additional RSNs associated with attention and executive control, respectively, patients exhibited abnormal connectivity in the precuneus and right lateral prefrontal areas. We found correlations between measures of AVH severity and functional connectivity of the left anterior cingulate, left superior temporal gyrus and right lateral prefrontal cortex.

Limitations

The relatively small sample size, the patients’ use of antipsychotic medication and the lack of a clinical control group have to be considered as potential limitations.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that disrupted intrinsic connectivity of a speech-related network could underlie persistent AVHs in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, the occurrence of hallucinatory symptoms seems to modulate RSNs associated with attention and executive control.     

The Effects of Taekwondo Training on Brain Connectivity and Body Intelligence

Objective

Many studies have reported that Taekwondo training could improve body perception, control and brain activity, as assessed with an electroencephalogram. This study aimed to assess body intelligence and brain connectivity in children with Taekwondo training as compared to children without Taekwondo training.

Methods

Fifteen children with Taekwondo training (TKD) and 13 age- and sex-matched children who had no previous experience of Taekwondo training (controls) were recruited. Body intelligence, clinical characteristics and brain connectivity in all children were assessed with the Body Intelligence Scale (BIS), self-report, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

The mean BIS score in the TKD group was higher than that in the control group. The TKD group showed increased low-frequency fluctuations in the right frontal precentral gyrus and the right parietal precuneus, compared to the control group. The TKD group showed positive cerebellum vermis (lobe VII) seed to the right frontal, left frontal, and left parietal lobe. The control group showed positive cerebellum seed to the left frontal, parietal, and occipital cortex. Relative to the control group, the TKD group showed increased functional connectivity from cerebellum seed to the right inferior frontal gyrus.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the effect of Taekwondo training on brain connectivity in children. Taekwondo training improved body intelligence and brain connectivity from the cerebellum to the parietal and frontal cortex.     

Grey matter alterations in patients with depersonalization disorder: a voxel-based morphometry study

Background

To our knowledge, no whole brain investigation of morphological aberrations in dissociative disorder is available to date. Previous region-of-interest studies focused exclusively on amygdalar, hippocampal and parahippocampal grey matter volumes and did not include patients with depersonalization disorder (DPD). We therefore carried out an explorative whole brain study on structural brain aberrations in patients with DPD.

Methods

We acquired whole brain, structural MRI data for patients with DPD and healthy controls. Voxel-based morphometry was carried out to test for group differences, and correlations with symptom severity scores were computed for grey matter volume.

Results

Our study included 25 patients with DPD and 23 controls. Patients exhibited volume reductions in the right caudate, right thalamus and right cuneus as well as volume increases in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and right somatosensory region that are not a direct function of anxiety or depression symptoms.

Limitations

To ensure ecological validity, we included patients with comorbid disorders and patients taking psychotropic medication.

Conclusion

The results of this first whole brain investigation of grey matter volume in patients with a dissociative disorder indentified structural alterations in regions subserving the emergence of conscious perception. It remains unknown if these alterations are best understood as risk factors for or results of the disorder.