The developmental trajectories of executive function from adolescence to old age

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: Jan. 14, 2021

Executive functions demonstrate variable developmental and aging profiles, with protracted development into early adulthood declines in older age. However, relatively few studies have specifically included middle-aged adults investigations of age-related differences executive functions. This study explored the function from late childhood through to old age, allowing a more informed understanding across lifespan. Three hundred fifty participants aged 10 86 years-old completed battery tasks assessing specific roles inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning. Results highlighted continued improvement memory capacity adolescence young adulthood, followed by both beginning as 30-40 years continuing Analyses planning abilities showed decline small (positive) change Interestingly, dissociation was found for flexibility; switch costs decreased, yet mixing increased The results provide description flexibility planning, above any effects IQ or SES, highlight importance including seeking establish comprehensive picture function.

Language: Английский

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Deep learning models reveal replicable, generalizable, and behaviorally relevant sex differences in human functional brain organization

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(9)

Published: Feb. 20, 2024

Sex plays a crucial role in human brain development, aging, and the manifestation of psychiatric neurological disorders. However, our understanding sex differences functional organization their behavioral consequences has been hindered by inconsistent findings lack replication. Here, we address these challenges using spatiotemporal deep neural network (stDNN) model to uncover latent dynamics that distinguish male female brains. Our stDNN accurately differentiated brains, demonstrating consistently high cross-validation accuracy (>90%), replicability, generalizability across multisession data from same individuals three independent cohorts (N ~ 1,500 young adults aged 20 35). Explainable AI (XAI) analysis revealed features associated with default mode network, striatum, limbic exhibited significant (effect sizes > 1.5) sessions cohorts. Furthermore, XAI-derived predicted sex-specific cognitive profiles, finding was also independently replicated. results demonstrate are not only highly replicable generalizable but behaviorally relevant, challenging notion continuum male-female organization. underscore as biological determinant organization, have implications for developing personalized biomarkers disorders, provide innovative AI-based computational tools future research.

Language: Английский

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Divergent Strategies for Learning in Males and Females

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 31(1), P. 39 - 50.e4

Published: Oct. 30, 2020

A frequent assumption in value-based decision-making tasks is that agents make decisions based on the feature dimension reward probabilities vary on. However, complex, multidimensional environments, stimuli can multiple dimensions at once, meaning deserving most credit for outcomes not always obvious. As a result, individuals may strategies used to sample across dimensions, and these have an unrecognized influence decision-making. Sex proxy genetic endocrine influences behavior, including how environments are sampled. In this study, we examined adopted by female male mice as they learned value of varied both image location visually cued two-armed bandit, allowing two possible learn about. Female acquired correct image-value associations more quickly than mice, preferring fundamentally different strategy. were likely constrain their decision-space early learning preferentially sampling one over which images varied. Conversely, be inconsistent, changing choice frequently responding immediate experience stochastic rewards. Individual related sex-biased changes neuronal activation learning. Together, find sex associated with divergent about world, revealing substantial variability approaches implemented during decision making.

Language: Английский

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Sex differences in learning from exploration

eLife, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: Nov. 19, 2021

Sex-based modulation of cognitive processes could set the stage for individual differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. While value-based decision making particular have been proposed be influenced by sex differences, overall correct performance tasks often show variable or minimal across sexes. Computational tools allow us uncover latent variables that define different approaches, even animals with similar performance. Here, we quantify mice underlying behavior a classic task: restless two-armed bandit. male and female had accuracy, they achieved this via patterns exploration. Male tended make more exploratory choices overall, largely because appeared get 'stuck' exploration once started. Female explore less but learned quickly during Together, these results suggest exerts stronger influences on periods learning than stable choices. Exploration is altered people diagnosed addictions, depression, neurodevelopmental disabilities, pinpointing neural mechanisms as highly translational avenue conferring sex-modulated diagnoses.When faced make, humans other reflect past experiences situations choose best option. However, an uncertain situation, process requires balancing two competing priorities: exploiting options are expected rewarding (exploitation), exploring alternatives valuable (exploration). Decision disrupted many mental disorders, some which can differ either presentation risk development women men. This raises question whether exploitation contribute conditions. To shed light question, Chen et al. studied played video game. The option touch one locations screen chance win small reward. likelihood success was between options, so were incentivized determine button. similarly successful finding rewards regardless sex, average likely keep while gained confidence These when well-known indicating uncertainty influence cognition most visible. not every mouse same – there much variability within seen indicate mechanisms, along cause important making. approach used help study species, how decision-making resilience

Language: Английский

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Relation between executive functions and screen time exposure in under 6 year-olds: A meta-analysis

Computers in Human Behavior, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 145, P. 107739 - 107739

Published: March 20, 2023

Some previous research works have reported potential benefits of screen media use in children aged under 6 years, and others evidenced that might be particularly detrimental. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide meta-analytic synthesis existing on relation between overall time EFs. address issue, current meta-analysis aimed review relations EF infants, toddlers preschoolers. A systematic search was done Web Science EBSCO identify eligible studies published until January 2023. Fifteen manuscripts with 6922 participants 0–6 years were included, yielded 44 effect sizes. Three-level models carried out, following characteristics tested as moderators: mean age, percentage females, type, whether exposure active or passive. There no statistically significant association chosen moderators. Nevertheless, highlights need consider other contextual-related development-related factors determine children.

Language: Английский

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A neural substrate of sex-dependent modulation of motivation

Nature Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 26(2), P. 274 - 284

Published: Jan. 16, 2023

Language: Английский

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The Claustrum-Prefrontal Cortex Pathway Regulates Impulsive-Like Behavior

Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 39(50), P. 10071 - 10080

Published: Nov. 8, 2019

The claustrum connects with a broad range of cortical areas including the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, function (CLA) and its neural projections remains largely unknown. Here, we elucidated role from CLA to PFC in regulating impulsivity male rats. We first identified CLA–PFC pathway by retrograde tracer virus expression. By using immunofluorescent staining c-Fos-positive neurons, showed that chemogenetic activation inhibition reduced increased overall activity PFC, respectively. In 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), found impulsive-like behavior (i.e., premature responses), Furthermore, prevented methamphetamine-induced impulsivity, without affecting hyperactivity. contrast selectively disrupted attention 5-CSRTT. These results indicate is essential for impulsivity. This study may shed light on understanding impulsivity-related disorders such as drug addiction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT one most mysterious brain regions. Although extensive anatomical studies demonstrated many areas, between remain regulates designer drugs (DREADDs)-based tools. Interestingly, claustrum–prefrontal also suggesting critical this Our provided preclinical evidence claustrum-prefrontal be novel target treatment disorders.

Language: Английский

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Associations Between Task Performance and Self-Report Measures of Cognitive Control: Shared Versus Distinct Abilities

Assessment, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 28(4), P. 1080 - 1096

Published: Oct. 21, 2020

Despite overlapping terminology and assumptions that they tap the same constructs, executive function (EF) task performance EF/effortful control (EC) questionnaires have been reported to be only weakly correlated. It is unclear if this reflects true lack of association or methodological limitations. The current study addresses past limitations using a preregistered latent variable approach in community youth sample ( N = 291, age 13-22 years). EF was assessed with well-validated battery inhibition, shifting, updating tasks. Self-reported EF/EC predominant temperament measure (Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire–Revised [EATQ-R]), self-report assessment more closely aligned constructs (Behavior Rating Inventory Executive Function–Self-Report [BRIEF-SR]). Bifactor models fit BRIEF-SR, EATQ-R measures well. factors were correlated on average youth, although there some stronger associations older youth. These results suggest task-based may best viewed as complementary, but largely distinct, windows cognitive control.

Language: Английский

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Region-specific sex differences in the hippocampus

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 215, P. 116781 - 116781

Published: April 10, 2020

The hippocampus is a brain region critical for learning and memory, also implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders that show sex differences prevalence, symptom expression, mean age of onset. On average, males have larger hippocampal volumes than females, but findings are inconclusive after adjusting overall size. Although the heterogenous structure, few studies focused on subfields – with little consensus whether there regionally specific size, or it important to adjust total volume (HPV). Here, using two young adult cohorts from Queensland Twin IMaging study (QTIM; N ​= ​727) Human Connectome Project (HCP; ​960), we examined between females 12 subfields, extracted FreeSurfer 6.0. After subfield either HPV size (brain segmentation (BSV)) four controlling methods (allometric, covariate, residual matching), estimated percentage difference effect (males versus females) Cohen's d hierarchical general linear models. Males had compared parasubiculum (up 6.04%; ​0.46) fimbria 8.75%; ​0.54) HPV. These were robust across multiple methods, though within cohort sizes matched approach, due smaller sub-sample. Additional effects identified HCP combined (QTIM HCP) sample (hippocampal fissure 6.79%), presubiculum 3.08%), tail −0.23%)). In contrast, no detected cornu ammonis (CA)2/3, CA4, Hippocampus-Amygdala Transition Area (HATA), granule cell layer dentate gyrus (GCDG). that, independent HPV, hippocampus, which may be most prominent parasubiculum. Further, given less consistent BSV, rather BSV benefit future studies. This work help disentangling effects, provide better understanding implications behaviour disorders.

Language: Английский

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A systematic review and meta‐analysis of behavioural sex differences in executive control

European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 53(2), P. 519 - 542

Published: Aug. 26, 2020

Abstract Literature investigating whether an individuals' sex affects their executive control abilities and performance on cognitive tasks in a normative population has been contradictory inconclusive. Using meta‐analytic procedures (abiding by PRISMA guidelines), this study attempts to identify the magnitude of behavioural differences three prominent domains set‐shifting, monitoring, response inhibition. PubMed, Web Science, Scopus were systematically searched. Across 46 included studies, total 1988 females 1884 males analysis. Overall, did not differ any inhibition, or set‐shifting. Task‐specific observed CANTAB Spatial Working Memory task—males scored statistically higher than (Hedges' g = −0.60), Delay Discounting task—females 0.64). While meta‐analysis detect overall control, significant heterogeneity task‐specific found. To further understand within these specific domains, future research must better for age hormone levels.

Language: Английский

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