CMBN

The loss of orexin neurons in humans leads to the disease narcolepsy, characterized by daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Recent data suggest that orexin is also involved in emotional processing. The goal of the present study was to evaluate fear and safety learning as well as unconditioned fear (anxiety) in orexin-deficient animals. Orexin-deficient mice are an established animal model used to investigate the neuropathology and potential treatments for narcolepsy. Here, we present novel data showing that orexin-deficient mice express increased anxiety in the open field, light-dark box test, and carnivore odor-induced avoidance, but are normal in fear and safety learning. These findings suggest an important roleof orexin in brain areas involved in anxiety.

dependent way. At present, only few studies investigated the effects of tDCS on the modulation of functional connectivity between remote cortical areas. Objective: In the present study we aimed to investigate the impact of bipolar tDCS on cortical networks connectivity through graph theoretical analysis. Materials & methods: High-density EEG recordings were acquired before and after bipolar anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS applied over the primary motor cortex of the dominant hemisphere in 14 healthy subjects. Results: Results showed that, after bipolar anodal tDCS stimulation over the dominant primary motor cortex the related brain network presented a more small-worldnessy, meaning a global tendency to be more random in its functional connections respect to prestimulus condition in both hemispheres. Conclusions: Our results suggest that tDCS is able to modulate globally the cortical connectivity of the brain, modifying the underlying functional organization via complex pattern of direct and indirect cortical activations or inhibitions of the stimulated networks, which might be related to changes in synaptic efficiency of the motor network and related brain areas. Question: Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC; BA 9/10) is involved in deception and moral cognition. However, since neuroimaging techniques only allow correlative statements, the functional contribution of the aPFC to deception and moral cognition remains elusive. Methods: In the first experiment we investigated, if modulating the excitability of the aPFC by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would alter deceptive behavior. Forty-four subjects participated in a thief role play, in which they were supposed to steal money and then to attend an interrogation with the Guilty Knowledge Test. In addition, the skin-conductance response (SCR) and the reaction time during verbal response (lie vs. truth) were measured. In a double-blind repeated measures design subjects received during the interrogation cathodal, anodal or sham tDCS. Furthermore, in order to measure skilful lying, we developed a lying quotient (LQ) relating the frequency of lies on critical questions to the frequency of lies on uncritical questions. In a second experiment we investigated , if modulating the excitability of the aPFC by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would alter moral judgments. Results: Remarkably, inhibition of the aPFC by cathodal tDCS did not lead to an impairment of deceptive behavior but rather to a significant improvement. This effect could be seen by faster reaction times in telling lies, but not in telling the truth, a decrease in sympathetic SCR and feeling of guilt while deceiving the interrogator compared to sham stimulation and a significantly higher LQ, which reflects skillful lying. Enhancing the excitability of the aPFC by anodal tDCS did not affect deceptive behavior, underpinning the specificity of the stimulation polarity. Moreover, in the second experiment we have shown that inhibition of the aPFC reduces moral conflict and reaction time while subjects are performing moral dilemma tasks. Conclusions: These findings give causal support to recent correla-tive data obtained by fMRI studies indicating a predominant role of BA 9/10 in deceptive behavior. Moreover, our findings suggest that inhibition of BA9/10 reduces the moral conflict during deception, presumably evoked by performing a self-perceived wrongful act. Introduction: Application of SO-tDCS during NREM sleep has shown to be beneficial for consolidation of declarative memories, although contradictory reports also exist (Barham et al., 1974). Specifically the disparate results of individual studies led us to investigate task and trait-dependent effects of SO-tDCS on modulating endogenous brain rhythms and its impact on memory consolidation. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to determine the interaction between general cognitive abilities and the efficiency of SO-tDCS on manipulating endogenous EEG activity and memory performance. Methods: Young healthy students (n = 14, 8 females) participated in three experimental sessions of nocturnal sleep with EEG, EOG and EMG recordings: Stimulation, Sham and one Baseline session without learning. Five different tasks were to be learned prior to sleep and contents recalled the following morning. SO-tDCS (0.8 Hz) was applied during a stimulation period within early NREM sleep. This stimulation consisted five 5-min blocks of SO-tDCS followed each by a 60-s stimulation free interval. IQ performance was tested 7 days after the last sleep session. Results: Participants improved on the figural paired-associate task significantly during the stimulation condition as compared to sham (p < 0.01). During the first 150 min of NREM sleep subsequent to the stimulation period fast spindle (12–15 Hz) count and density were significantly higher at centro-parietal regions than during a comparable time period during the sham session (p < 0.005). Preliminary analyses detected a correlation between the efficiency of SO-tDCS and overall IQ performance [2]. Summary: Our study suggests that externally applied electric fields during NREM sleep can alter endogenous oscillations in the hours following stimulation and this favours the consolidation of a declarative memory. Furthermore, the correlation with IQ performance suggests SO-tDCS efficiency is dependent upon interactions with non-task and or non-state dependent features.

Question
Noninvasive cortical stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are capable of increasing and decreasing cortical excitability and thereby might be clinically relevant for rehabilitation of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the induced after-effects are usually too short-lasting to be clinically relevant. In this study we investigated if combining rTMS with operant learning can induce long-lasting after-effects not achievable neither with rTMS alone nor with operant learning alone.

Zusammenfassung Studien zum Thema Work-Life-Balance zeigen, dass die Integration von sport-lichen Tätigkeiten in dem Alltag zu den wichtigsten präventiven Maßnahmen gehört, um die eigene Resilienz zu erhöhen. Doch wie können Arbeitnehmer sportliche Tätigkeiten in ihrem Alltag effi zient einbauen? " Wenn Sie uns ein Gesundheitskonzept vorstellen, das maximal eine Zigaret-tenpause (5 min) pro Tag und Mitarbeiter dauert, erhalten Sie den Zuschlag. " Mit dieser und weiteren Anforderungen, die im Folgenden beschrieben werden, hat die Entwicklung des Paulsbad Konzepts begonnen. In dieser Arbeit werden die Effekte von sehr kurzen sportlichen Interventionen innerhalb der Arbeitsphasen (das Paulsbad Konzept) empirisch geprüft. Die Analysen beruhen auf einer Stichprobe (N=32), die in zwei Gruppen auf-geteilt war (N=17 in der Experimentalgruppe und N=15 in der Kontrollgruppe). Im Verlauf der Studie konnten unterschiedliche Entwicklungen zwischen den beiden Gruppen in Bezug auf Kopfschmerzen, Rückenschmerzen, sowie emotional wahrgenommene Belastungen innerhalb von sechs Monaten festgestellt werden. Der Einfl uss von verschiedenen Aspekten wie z.B. Spaß, Gemeinschaftsgefühl und sozialer Interaktion während der Übungsumsetzung wurden nicht be-trachtet, auch wenn diese sicherlich ihren Anteil zu den Ergebnissen beitragen. Weiterführende Untersuchungen in diesem Bereich sollten Messmethoden für diese Aspekte evaluieren und in der Datenanalyse mit berücksichtigen.

The Mirror Neuron System (MNS) plays a crucial role in action perception and imitative behavior, which is suggested to be impaired in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). In this review, we discuss the plausibility and empirical evidence of a neural interaction between the MNS, action perception, empathy, imitative behavior, and their impact on social decision making in ASDs. To date, there is no consensus regarding a particular theory in ASDs and its underlying mechanisms. Some theories have completely focused on social difficulties, others have emphasized sensory aspects. Based on the current studies, we suggest a multilayer neural network model including the MNS on a first layer and transforming this information to a higher layer network responsible for reasoning. Future studies with ASD participants combining behavioral tasks with neuroimaging methods and transcranial brain stimulation as well as computational modeling can help validate and complement this suggested model. Moreover, we propose applying the behavioral paradigms, and the neurophysiological markers mentioned in this review article for evaluating psychiatric treatment approaches in ASDs. The investigation of modulating effects of different treatment approaches on the neurophysiological markers of the MNS can help find specific subgroups of ASDs patients and support tailored psychiatric interventions.

Divergent thinking (DT) as one component of creativity is the ability to search for multiple solutions to a single problem and is reliably tested with the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). DT depends on activity in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), a prefrontal region that has also been associated with inhibitory control (IC). Experimentally manipulating IC through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) led to alterations in DT. Here, we aimed at further examining such potential mediating efects of IC on DT (measured as fexibility, fuency, and originality in the AUT) by modulating IC tDCS. Participants received either cathodal tDCS (c-tDCS) of the left IFG coupled with anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) of the right IFG (L−R+; N=19), or the opposite treatment (L+R−; N=21). We hypothesized that L+R− stimulation would enhance IC assessed with the Go NoGo task (GNGT), and that facilitated IC would result in lower creativity scores. The reversed stimulation arrangement (i.e., L− R+) should result in higher creativity scores. We found that tDCS only afected the originality component of the AUT but not fexibility or fuency. We also found no efects on IC, and thus, the mediation efect of IC could not be confrmed. However, we observed a moderation efect: inhibition of left and facilitation of right IFG (L−R+) resulted in enhanced fexibility and originality scores, only when IC performance was also improved. We conclude that inducing a right-to-left gradient in IFG activity by tDCS is efcient in enhancing DT, but only under conditions where tDCS is suffcient to alter IC performance as well.

Kreatives Denken ist die Basis für viele Innovationen in Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft, Kultur oder im Alltag. Trotz ihrer Bedeutung ist die Neurobiologie der Kreativität wenig erforscht. Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler der Jacobs University haben nun unsere Fähigkeit gemessen, neue und originelle Lösungen zu entwickeln-und dabei unter anderem festgestellt, dass Kreativität durch Gehirnstimulation gezielt gefördert werden kann. Die Ergebnisse der Studie sind kürzlich in der renommierten Zeitschrift "Brain Structure and Function" erschienen. Eine Komponente der Kreativität ist die Fähigkeit, nach mehreren Lösungen für ein einziges Problem zu suchen. Also wurden den Probanden, ausschließlich Studierende der Jacobs University, verschiedene Aufgaben gestellt: Wozu kann man etwa einen Ziegelstein verwenden, wozu eine Büroklammer? "Je mehr Ideen die Testpersonen hatten und je ausgefallener sie waren, desto besser", erzählt Radwa Khalil, Doktorandin in Neurowissenschaften an der Jacobs University und Erstautorin der Studie. Gleichzeitig wurden die Gehirnaktivitäten gemessen. "Kreativität ist nicht einer bestimmten Gehirnregion zuzuordnen. Aus vorherigen Studien ist jedoch bekannt, dass Menschen mit einer Schädigung der linken Gehirnhälfte, zum Beispiel Schlaganfallpatienten, kreativer werden", erklärt Dr. Ben Godde, Professor für Neurowissenschaften und Koautor der Studie. Um diesen Effekt zu simulieren, nutzten die Forschenden ein Verfahren zur Gehirnstimulation, mit dem eine Gehirnregion unterdrückt und eine andere aktiviert werden kann. Dieses Verfahren nennt sich "transkranielle Gleichstromstimulation." "Die Probanden mit einer aktiven rechten Gehirnregion waren eindeutig kreativer", sagt Radwa Khalil. Zugleich maßen die Forschenden die Auswirkungen der inhibitorischen Kontrolle auf die Gehirnströme, also der Fähigkeit, seine Gedanken und Reaktionen zu kontrollieren statt ihnen freien Lauf zu lassen. "Unsere Studie zeigt zum ersten Mal, dass Kreativität mit Impulskontrolle zusammenhängt. Demnach haben Menschen mit einer geringeren Impulskontrolle nicht nur soziale Schwierigkeiten sondern es fällt ihnen auch schwerer, kreative Lösungen für ihre Probleme zu finden", erläutert Prof. Dr. Ahmed Karim, Neuropsychologe und ebenfalls Koautor der Studie. Ziel der Forschung ist es, die neurobiologischen Vorgänge der Kreativität besser zu verstehen. "Je besser uns dies gelingt, desto gezielter kann man sie fördern, etwa durch Trainingsprogramme", beschreibt Radwa Khalil die Bedeutung ihrer Forschung. Über die Jacobs University Bremen: In einer internationalen Gemeinschaft studieren. Sich für verantwortungsvolle Aufgaben in einer digitalisierten und globalisierten Gesellschaft qualifizieren. Über Fächer-und Ländergrenzen hinweg lernen, forschen und lehren. Mit innovativen Lösungen und Weiterbildungsprogrammen Menschen und Märkte stärken. Für all das steht die Jacobs University Bremen. 2001 als private, englischsprachige Campus-Universität gegründet, erzielt sie immer wieder Spitzenergebnisse in nationalen und internationalen Hochschulrankings. Ihre mehr als 1500 Studierenden stammen aus mehr als 120 Ländern, rund 80 Prozent sind für ihr Studium nach Deutschland gezogen. Forschungsprojekte der Jacobs

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a neuropeptide involved in the regulation of fear. Because safety learning is impaired in patients suffering from anxiety-related psychiatric disorders, and polymorphisms of the human neuropeptide S receptor (NPSR) gene have also been associated with anxiety disorders, we wanted to investigate whether NPSRdeficiency interferes with safety learning, and how prior stress would affect this type of learning. We first investigated the effect of pre-exposure to two different types of stressors (electric stimuli or immobilization) on safety learning in female and male C57Bl/6 mice, and found that while stress induced by electric stimuli enhanced safety learning in males, there were no differences in safety learning following immobilization stress. To further investigate the role of the NPS system in stress-induced modulation of safety learning, we exposed NPSR-deficient mice to stress induced by electric stimuli 10 days before safety learning. In nonstressed male mice, NPSR-deficiency enhanced safety learning. As in male C57Bl/6 mice, pre-exposure to electric stimuli increased safety learning in male NPSR +/+ mice. This pre-exposure effect was blocked in NPSRdeficient male mice showing impaired, but still intact, safety learning in comparison to their NPSR +/+ and NPSR +/− littermates. There was neither a pre-exposure nor a genotype effect in female mice. Our findings provide evidence that pre-exposure to stress induced by electric stimuli enhances safety learning in male mice, and that NPSR-deficiency prevents the beneficial effect of stress exposure on safety learning. We propose an inverted U-shape relationship between stress and safety learning.

Gibt es eine Verbindung zwischen Wald und Gesundheit,die man wissenschaftlich nachweisen kann? Woran liegtes, dass sich viele Menschen nach einem Waldbesuch erholt fuhlen? Welche Prozesse spielen hierbei im Gehirnund im Korper eine Rolle? In diesem Artikel werden diewichtigsten Erkenntnisse zum Thema Wald und Gesundheit zusammengefasst. Insbesondere werden die psychophysiologischenund neuroendokrinen Effekte vonWaldaufenthalten besprochen und ihre Relevanz fur dieTherapie von psychischen und psychosomatischen Storungendiskutiert.

The loss of orexin neurons in humans leads to the disease narcolepsy, characterized by daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Recent data suggest that orexin is also involved in emotional processing. The goal of the present study was to evaluate fear and safety learning as well as unconditioned fear (anxiety) in orexin-deficient animals. Orexin-deficient mice are an established animal model used to investigate the neuropathology and potential treatments for narcolepsy. Here, we present novel data showing that orexin-deficient mice express increased anxiety in the open field, light-dark box test and carnivore odor-induced avoidance, but are normal in fear and safety learning. These findings suggest an important role of orexin in brain areas involved in anxiety.

Previous cognitive behavioral studies based on Acquired Equivalence Associative learning Task (AEALT) showed a strong relation between hippocampus and basal ganglia in associative learning. However, experimental behavioral studies of patients with Generalized Tonic Clonic (GTC) epilepsy remained sparse. The aim of the present study is to integrate a classical behavioral cognitive analysis with a computational model approach to investigate cognitive associative learning impairments in patients with GTC epilepsy. We measured the accuracy of associative learning response performance in five GTC epileptic patients and five control subjects by using AEALT, all subjects were matched in age and gender. We ran the task using E-Prime, a neuropsychological software program, and SPSS for data statistical analysis. We tested whether GTC epileptic patients would have different learning performance than normal subjects, based on the degree and the location of impairment either in basal ganglia and/or hippocampus. With the number of patients that was available, our behavioral analysis showed no remarkable differences in learning performance of GTC patients as compared to their control subjects, both in the transfer and acquisition phases. In parallel, our simulation results confirmed strong connection and interaction between hippocampus and basal ganglia in our GTC and their control subjects. Nevertheless, the differences in neural firing rate of the connectionist model and weight update of basal ganglia were not significantly different between GTC and control subjects. Therefore, the behavioral analysis and the simulation data provided the same result, thus indicating that the computational model is likely to predict cognitive outcomes.