1,721,028 research outputs found
The mutual relationship between movement and pain: a study by functional near-infrared spectroscopy and laser evoked potentials in normal subjects and fibromyalgia patients
No full textRecent studies suggested that the activation of motor cortex can decrease subjective pain and nociceptive induced brain responses in patients with chronic pain. Physical exercise would seem to improve quality of life and fitness of patients with Fibromyalgia (FM), an invalidating disorder characterized by chronic diffuse muscle-skeletal pain. This study aimed to examine the interaction between the activity of motor and somatosensory cortex during concurrent painful stimulation and motor task in FM patients and control subjects. The simultaneous recording by functional Near Infrared-Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Laser Evoked Potentials (LEPs) was used to evaluate the effects of motor cortex activity on the subjective pain and LEPs. The fNIRS is a portable optical method to detect cerebral hemodynamic changes in real time. We used 20 fNIRS channels positioned on the primary motor cortex according to Predefined Montage Tab by NIRStar 14.2. and 63 scalp electrodes for LEPs recording. The experimental protocol consisted of a basal session of 30 laser stimuli delivered over the right hand back, followed by analogue stimulation modality during a concurrent finger tapping task. The participants were 23 patients with FM (4 males and 19 females, Mage =43,17 SD=10,56 , age range from 23 to 60) and 13 healthy subjects (5 males and 8 females, Mage=37,38 SD=15,50, age range from 19 to 60 ). The analysis of fNIRS data confirmed the activation of primary motor cortex both in patients and controls during finger tapping task. A significant reduction of oxyhemoglobin levels corresponding to the contralateral motor cortex was present in FM patients during fast movement with a trend toward reduced changes during concurrent laser stimulation. The finger tapping speed was reduced in patients and independent from concurrent laser stimulation. The N1 amplitude was reduced during movement in patients and controls, with a similar trend for the N2P2 complex. There was a trend toward reduced changes in patients. In FM patients the general level of motor activation was reduced, as for effect of a chronic inhibition. A trend toward a reduced modulation of both N1 and N2P2 components emerged during fast movement, thus preliminary confirming the self sustained circuit of pain persistence and motor inhibition. The study confirmed the mutual relationship between motor and nociceptive cortex, as physical activity may be considered a beneficial support in pain control
When two is better than one: intra and inter-brain connectivity during cooperation
No full textObjective
Inter-brain coherence during cooperative joint actions is a main focus of interest for social neuroscientists, but the differential contribution of intra-brain and inter-brain connectivity is still an open question. Also, the possible influence of some psychological variables has not been considered during hyperscanning studies, but deserves to be explored. For example, the self-perceived efficacy during joint actions could modulate the motivational and cognitive processes towards the adoption of common strategies.
Participants and methods
To do so, in the present study an external feedback was administered during a social interaction in a way to manipulate the perceived efficacy during the adoption of common strategies within the couple. The task consisted in an attentional task presented as a cooperative game in which 24 participants coupled in 12 dyads continuously received reinforcing feedbacks. Meanwhile, their cognitive performance and neural activity were simultaneously recorded by means of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). Optodes were placed over the frontal and prefrontal areas with a 8-channels array. Then, intra and inter-brain connectivity indices were calculated, together with a ConIndex (inter-brain/intra-brain connectivity). Finally, correlational measures were performed to assess the relation between these different levels.
Results
Results showed that the external feedback was able to influence participants’ responses in both behavioral and neural components in the form of faster RTs and increased connectivity (both inter-brain connectivity and ConIndex) after the social reinforce, mainly localized within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Moreover, the presence of significant correlations between RTs and inter-brain connectivity revealed that only a “two-players dynamic” may induce a significant increased performance.
Conclusion
The present study provided significant contribution to the identification of patterns of intra and inter-brain functional connectivity with an original focus on the effects of social reinforces provided within dyads of participants cooperating together
Indici comportamentali e neurofisiologici di una cooperazione inefficace: uno studio hyperscanning con fNIRS
No full textIntroduzione: La nostra vita quotidiana è caratterizzata da scambi e interazioni complesse che non coinvolgono solo singoli individui, ma diadi o gruppi sociali composti da due o più membri. Questi funzionano all’interno di un nuovo sistema, e non devono, perciò, essere considerati come la somma dei singoli. Una delle possibili modalità d’interazione è la cooperazione, attuata allo scopo di perseguire obiettivi comuni che garantiscano benefici a tutte le parti coinvolte. Alcuni esempi di interazioni cooperative riguardano comportamenti di aiuto, di condivisione, e prosociali (Vanutelli, Nandrino, e Balconi, 2016). Questi scambi si associano a risposte emotive e cognitive che hanno correlati neurali specifici e caratteristici (Balconi & Vanutelli, 2017). Ma cosa succede nel nostro cervello quando la cooperazione non è efficace? Materiali e Metodi: La presente ricerca è stata condotta allo scopo di esplorare in real-time come si modificano le risposte cerebrali e comportamentali di due individui che provano ad adottare strategie comuni nello svolgimento di un compito condiviso, con esiti negativi. Sono stati reclutati 24 partecipanti successivamente accoppiati in 12 diadi dello stesso sesso. Il compito consisteva in una prova di attenzione sostenuta presentata come un gioco cooperativo in cui i soggetti non dovevano rispondere singolarmente, ma cercando di sincronizzare le proprie risposte con quelle del compagno. Questa consegna era resa possibile grazie alla somministrazione di feedback sulla performance che segnalava, dopo ogni trial, l’efficacia delle strategie cooperative. I feedback erano manipolati dallo sperimentatore in modo da suggerire una cooperazione inefficace, frustrare le strategie cooperative e indurre emozioni negative. Inoltre, a metà del task, veniva presentata un’ulteriore valutazione sull’andamento generale che ribadiva l’assenza di sincronizzazione, sia in termini di accuratezza che di velocità delle risposte (modificato da Balconi & Pagani, 2015). Nel corso del task, che risultava così diviso in due macro-fasi, è stata registrata l’attività emodinamica cerebrale tramite spettroscopia del vicino infrarosso (fNIRS). Risultati: I risultati hanno evidenziato un peggioramento della performance in seguito alla valutazione negativa, nella seconda metà del task, con un aumento dei tempi di reazione. Inoltre, è stato identificato il reclutamento di un network cerebrale caratteristico che coinvolgeva la corteccia prefrontale dorsolaterale (DLPFC) e il giro frontale superiore (SFG). Discussione: In particolare, la DLPFC ha mostrato un aumento dell’attività emodinamica (ossiemoglobina, O2Hb) dopo la valutazione negativa, compatibile con una maggior richiesta di risorse per l’aumentato carico cognitivo dovuto alla frustrazione dei feedback negativi. La presenza di un forte coinvolgimento emotivo è stata, inoltre, identificata grazie alla presenza di una lateralizzazione emisferica a carico dell’emisfero destro. Per quanto riguarda, invece, il SFG, è emerso un decremento di O2Hb dopo la valutazione negativa, che può essere interpretato come un disinvestimento cognitivo rispetto all’adozione di strategie condivise dovuto alla manipolazione sperimentale. Questi risultati sono stati interpretati anche alla luce delle teorie psicologiche sulla percezione di auto-efficacia e sull’attuazione di strategie condivise con l’altro
When cooperative actions go wrong
No full textObjective
Cooperation, defined as a set of interactions with others that increase shared performance, is one of the most important human social behaviours. Cooperation secures a benefit to all the people engaged as well as important behaviours like acting prosocially. But what happens when the joint actions are not effective? This study aims to investigate the neural correlates of cooperation during a joint task. To do this an hyperscanning paradigm has been used which consists in the simultaneous recording of the cerebral activity of two or more subjects involved in interactive tasks.
Participants and methods
We asked 24 participants paired in 12 dyads to cooperate during an attentional task in a way to synchronize their responses and obtain better outcomes. The task was sub-divided in 8 blocks with a pause halfway assessing the goodness of the cooperation scores. The feedback was defined a priori in order to provide a social manipulation about the performance and modify their responses. The feedback was negative most of the times in order to frustrate the subjects and induce them to improve the performance in the next step. The effects of the feedback were explored by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
Results
Results showed a specific pattern of brain activation involving the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the superior frontal gyrus (SFG). The DLPFC showed increased O2Hb (oxy-hemoglobin) level after the feedback, compatible with the need for higher cognitive effort. Also, the representation of negative emotions in response to failing interactions was signalled by a right-lateralized effect. For the STG, instead, a decreased activity was found after the feedback, which could be interpreted as disengagement for goal-oriented social mechanisms elicited by the negative and frustrating evaluation.
Conclusion
Results were interpreted at light of available knowledge on perceived self-efficacy and the implementation of common goals and strategies
To sync or not to sync. Behavioral, neural and autonomic correlates of inefficient cooperation
No full textObjective
The presence of synchronized patterns during joint actions has recently captured researchers’ attentions on the important effects of cooperation as a social behaviour. Nonetheless, the modifications of participants’ responses during ineffective joint actions still remain to be explored. Also, different compartments should be taken into account following a multi-method perspective.
Participants and methods
20 subjects were engaged in a cooperative game where they had to synchronize their responses during an attentional task. They constantly received external feedbacks manipulated a priori in a way to frustrate their strategies and signaling their incapacity to create a synergy, which was even more reinforced by a general negative evaluation halfway through the task. Meanwhile behavioural (reaction times, RTs; error rates, ERs), electroencephalographic (EEG brain oscillations: delta, theta, alpha, beta), and autonomic responses (heart rate, HR; Skin Conductance Response, SCR) were recorded.
Results
At the behavioural level, results showed a worsen performance after the negative feedback in the form of longer reaction times. Moreover a specific pattern of brain activation was found after the negative feedback, that is an increased right delta and theta frequency bands, mainly involving the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition, increased SCR was observed.
Conclusion
The present study highlighted the contribution of negative emotions in response to failing interactions as a possible factor to explain the data. Nonetheless, in parallel, these results could also be ascribed to a disengagement for shared goal-oriented social mechanisms elicited by frustrating evaluations
When cooperation goes wrong: brain and behavioural correlates of ineffective joint strategies in dyads
No full textThe relationship between creative, cognitive, and emotional competences in Intellectual Disability: A case report
Get PDFPeople with intellectual disabilities (ID) show cognitive deficits that are subject to an earlier deterioration and they experience difficulties in the social-emotional sphere. Various stimulation techniques exist to strengthen these skills that, however, are not usually proposed to individuals with ID because 1) the users are not necessarily in senile age, nor do they have an acquired impairment that requires rehabilitation. Consequently, it is erroneously assumed that their condition cannot be improved. 2) The standard pathways include socio-educational objectives, but not specifically neuro-cognitive ones. We believe that divergent thinking and creativity could be particularly suitable and proficient areas of intervention to promote a flexible, original, and autonomous thinking that can be extended in many different domains. To do so, we designed a research-intervention project named SoCraTEs (Social-emotional, Creative, and Thinking Enhancement), which is aimed at empowering these areas of interest, proposing creativity as an elective tool. In this paper we illustrate the results of a preliminary phase where we first explored the relationship between the aforementioned abilities to identify the most significant components that had the greatest potential. We found that creative abilities are strongly related to attentional, mnestic, and emotional skills, together with personal autonomy in everyday life. Implications for future research are discussed
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