Search results for "brain structure"
showing 10 items of 11 documents
The Effects of Early Life Stress on the Brain and Behaviour: Insights From Zebrafish Models
2021
The early life period represents a window of increased vulnerability to stress, during which exposure can lead to long-lasting effects on brain structure and function. This stress-induced developmental programming may contribute to the behavioural changes observed in mental illness. In recent decades, rodent studies have significantly advanced our understanding of how early life stress (ELS) affects brain development and behaviour. These studies reveal that ELS has long-term consequences on the brain such as impairment of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, altering learning and memory. Despite such advances, several key questions remain inadequately answered, including a comprehensive overview…
Somatosensory Brain Function and Gray Matter Regional Volumes Differ According to Exercise History : Evidence from Monozygotic Twins
2017
Associations between long-term physical activity and cortical function and brain structure are poorly known. Our aim was to assess whether brain functional and/or structural modulation associated with long-term physical activity is detectable using a discordant monozygotic male twin pair design. Nine monozygotic male twin pairs were carefully selected for an intrapair difference in their leisure-time physical activity of at least three years duration (mean age 34 ± 1 years). We registered somatosensory mismatch response (SMMR) in EEG to electrical stimulation of fingers and whole brain MR images. We obtained exercise history and measured physical fitness and body composition. Equivalent ele…
A Genome-Wide Association Study of Attention Function in a Population-Based Sample of Children
2016
BACKGROUND: Attention function filters and selects behaviorally relevant information. This capacity is impaired in some psychiatric disorders and has been proposed as an endophenotype for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; however, its genetic basis remains largely unknown. This study aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with attention function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The discovery sample included 1655 children (7-12 years) and the replication sample included 546 children (5-8 years). Five attention outcomes were assessed using the computerized Attentional Network Test (ANT): alerting, orienting, executive attention, Hit Reaction time (HRT) and the stand…
The Resilient Emotional Brain: A Scoping Review of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Limbic Structure and Function in Resilient Adults With a History …
2020
Childhood Maltreatment (CM) is one of the strongest predictors of adult mental illness, though not all adults with CM develop psychopathology. Here, we describe the structure and function of emotional brain regions that may contribute to resilient functioning after CM. We review studies that report medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala and hippocampus (‘limbic regions’) structure, function, and/or connections, in resilient (i.e., adults reporting CM without psychopathology) vs. vulnerable (i.e., adults reporting CM with psychopathology), or healthy adults (adults without CM with no psychopatology). We find that resilient adults have larger hippocampal grey and white matter volume, and i…
Long-Term Physical Activity May Modify Brain Structure and Function: Studies in Young Healthy Twins
2019
Background: Physical activity (PA) is said to be beneficial to many bodily functions. However, the effects of PA in the brain are still inadequately known. The authors aimed to uncover possible brain modulation linked with PA. Here, they combine 4 of their studies with monozygotic twins, who were within-pair discordant in PA for a minimum of 1 year. Methods: The authors performed brain imaging, brain electrophysiology, and cardiovascular and body composition assessments, and collected questionnaire-based data. The present synopsis elucidates the differences associated with differing PA history in conditions without genetic variability. They present new structural and electrophysiological re…
Birth Size and Brain Function 75 Years Later
2014
BACKGROUND: There are several lines of evidence pointing to fetal and other early origins of diseases of the aging brain, but there are no data directly addressing the hypotheses in an older population. We investigated the association of fetal size to late-age measures of brain structure and function in a large cohort of older men and women and explored the modifying effect of education on these associations. METHODS: Within the AGES (Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility)-Reykjavik population-based cohort (born between 1907 and 1935), archived birth records were abstracted for 1254 men and women who ∼75 years later underwent an examination that included brain MRI and extensive cognitive ass…
3 - 4 gadus vecu bērnu sensorās attīstības veicināšana ar dabas materiāliem
2015
Diplomdarba tēma ir ”3-4 gadus vecu bērnu sensorās attīstības veicināšana ar dabas materiāliem”. Pētījuma objekts: Pirmsskolas pedagoģiskais process, izmantojot dabas materiālus. Pētījuma priekšmets: 3-4 gadus vecu bērnu sensorā attīstība. Pētījuma mērķis: Atlasīt un pārbaudīt metodes bērnu sensorās attīstības veicināšanai, izmantojot dabas materiālus. Darbā tiek pievērsta uzmanība bērna smadzeņu uzbūves un agrīnas attīstības īpatnībām kā galvenajam faktoram, kas pamatos nosaka visu turpmāko bērna sensoro spēju potenciālu, uzsvērta iedzimtības, apkārtējās vides un audzināšanas loma, sniegts izvērsts bērna maņu orgānu sistēmas raksturojums, aplūkots pedagoģisko pasākumu kopums, kā ar dabas n…
The relationship between genetic risk variants with brain structure and function in bipolar disorder: A systematic review of genetic-neuroimaging stu…
2017
Genetic-neuroimaging paradigms could provide insights regarding the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Nevertheless, findings have been inconsistent across studies. A systematic review of gene-imaging studies involving individuals with BD was conducted across electronic major databases from inception until January 9th, 2017. Forty-four studies met eligibility criteria (N = 2122 BD participants). Twenty-six gene variants were investigated across candidate gene studies and 4 studies used a genome-wide association approach. Replicated evidence (i.e. in >2 studies) suggests that individuals with BD carrying the BDNF Val66Met risk allele could have reduced hippocampal volumes compared …
Intra-individual variability in task performance after cognitive training is associated with long-term outcomes in children
2020
AbstractThe benefits and mechanistic effects of working memory training in children are the subject of much research and debate. The cumulative evidence indicates that training can alter brain structure and function in the short term and have lasting effects on behaviour. We show that five weeks of working memory training led to greater activity in prefrontal and striatal brain regions, better accuracy, and reduced intra-individual variability in response times. The reduction in intra-individual variability can be explained by changes to the evidence accumulation rates and thresholds in a sequential sampling decision model. Critically, intra-individual variability was more closely associate…
Prenatal exposure to cannabinoids evokes long-lasting functional alterations by targeting CB 1 receptors on developing cortical neurons
2015
The CB1 cannabinoid receptor, the main target of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most prominent psychoactive compound of marijuana, plays a crucial regulatory role in brain development as evidenced by the neurodevelopmental consequences of its manipulation in animal models. Likewise, recreational cannabis use during pregnancy affects brain structure and function of the progeny. However, the precise neurobiological substrates underlying the consequences of prenatal THC exposure remain unknown. As CB1 signaling is known to modulate long-range corticofugal connectivity, we analyzed the impact of THC exposure on cortical projection neuron development. THC administration to pregnant mice in…