Social connectedness theory posits that the brain processes social rejection as a threat to survival. Recent electrophysiological evidence suggests that midfrontal theta (4–8Hz) oscillations in the ...EEG provide a window on the processing of social rejection. Here we examined midfrontal theta dynamics (power and inter-trial phase synchrony) during the processing of social evaluative feedback. We employed the Social Judgment paradigm in which 56 undergraduate women (mean age=19.67 years) were asked to communicate their expectancies about being liked vs. disliked by unknown peers. Expectancies were followed by feedback indicating social acceptance vs. rejection. Results revealed a significant increase in EEG theta power to unexpected social rejection feedback. This EEG theta response could be source-localized to brain regions typically reported during activation of the saliency network (i.e., dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula, inferior frontal gyrus, frontal pole, and the supplementary motor area). Theta phase dynamics mimicked the behavior of the time-domain averaged feedback-related negativity (FRN) by showing stronger phase synchrony for feedback that was unexpected vs. expected. Theta phase, however, differed from the FRN by also displaying stronger phase synchrony in response to rejection vs. acceptance feedback. Together, this study highlights distinct roles for midfrontal theta power and phase synchrony in response to social evaluative feedback. Our findings contribute to the literature by showing that midfrontal theta oscillatory power is sensitive to social rejection but only when peer rejection is unexpected, and this theta response is governed by a widely distributed neural network implicated in saliency detection and conflict monitoring.
•Midfrontal theta oscillatory dynamics are examined during social feedback processing.•Theta power reacts most strongly to unexpected social rejection feedback.•Inter-trial theta phase synchrony is sensitive to both prediction error and rejection feedback.•Source-localization of theta power yielded the ACC as main probable source.•Theta power during unexpected rejection feedback was localized to sources within the saliency network.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Highlights • Organization of brain networks in dyslexics and typically-reading controls. • Minimum spanning tree (MST) graphs were derived from connectivity matrices. • Graph metrics in the ...theta-band showed less integrated network configuration in dyslexics.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Highlights ► Sensory stimulus detection (N1, P2) in the fragile X syndrome brain is characterized by augmented cortical activity. ► Mismatch negativity is significantly reduced in fragile X syndrome ...(FXS) males. ► Involuntary triggering of attentional processes (N2b, P3a) is compromised in FXS.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Highlights ► Basic information processing in fragile X syndrome (FXS) can be characterized by augmented cortical activity during the early sensory stages in both auditory and visual modalities. ► P3b ...related activity in FXS is significantly reduced in the auditory relative to the visual modality. ► Deficits in selective attention in FXS on a behavioral level can be traced back to event-related cortical activity.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Recent studies suggest that individuals with dyslexia may be impaired in probability learning and performance monitoring. These observations are consistent with findings indicating atypical neural ...activations in frontostriatal circuits in the brain, which are important for associative learning. The current study further examined probability learning and performance monitoring in adult individuals with dyslexia (n = 23) and typical readers (n = 31) using two varieties of a typical probabilistic learning task. In addition to performance measures, we measured heart rate, focusing on cardiac slowing with negative feedback as a manifestation of the automatic performance monitoring system. One task required participants to learn associations between artificial script and speech sounds and the other task required them to learn associations between geometric forms and bird sounds. Corrective feedback (informative or random) was provided in both tasks. Performance results indicated that individuals with dyslexia and typical readers learned the associations equally well in contrast to expectations. We found the typical cardiac response associated with feedback processing consisting of a heart rate slowing with the presentation of the feedback and a return to baseline thereafter. Interestingly, the heart rate slowing associated with feedback was less pronounced and the return to baseline was delayed in individuals with dyslexia relative to typical readers. These findings were interpreted in relation to current theorizing of performance monitoring linking the salience network in the brain to autonomic functioning.
Recent studies suggest that individuals with dyslexia may be impaired in learning and performance monitoring mechanisms. Here, we present a novel approach to the study of dyslexia, focusing on heart rate changes associated with performance feedback during a probability, letter‐speech sound learning task. We observed a typical cardiac slowing associated with negative feedback, which was less pronounced and delayed in dyslexic readers. Performance data revealed only slightly longer reaction times and comparable accuracy. This study provides a new characterization of the deficits underlying dyslexia that complements previous findings on the salience network in the brain.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FSPLJ, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background Previous research into working memory of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) has established clear deficits. The current study examined working memory in children with mild ID ...(IQ 55–85) within the framework of the Baddeley model, fractionating working memory into a central executive and two slave systems, the phonological loop and visuo‐spatial sketchpad.
Method Working memory was investigated in three groups: 50 children with mild ID (mean age 15 years 3 months), 25 chronological age‐matched control children (mean age 15 years 3 months) and 25 mental age‐matched control children (mean age 10 years 10 months). The groups were given multiple assessments of the phonological‐loop and central‐executive components.
Results The results showed that the children with mild ID had an intact automatic rehearsal, but performed poorly on phonological‐loop capacity and central‐executive tests when compared with children matched for chronological age, while there were only minimal differences relative to the performance of the children matched for mental age.
Conclusions This overall pattern of results is consistent with a developmental delay account of mild ID. The finding of a phonological‐loop capacity deficit has important implications for the remedial training of children with mild ID.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
We assessed psychosocial work environment, the prevalence of mental health complaints and the association between these two among bricklayers and construction supervisors. For this cross-sectional ...study a total of 1500 bricklayers and supervisors were selected. Psychosocial work characteristics were measured using the Dutch Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work and compared to the general Dutch working population. Mental health effects were measured with scales to assess fatigue during work, need for recovery after work, symptoms of distress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The prevalence of self-reported mental health complaints was determined using the cut-off values. Associations between psychosocial work characteristics and self-reported mental health complaints were analysed using logistic regression.
Total response rate was 43%. Compared to the general working population, bricklayers experienced statistically significant worse job control, learning opportunities and future perspectives; supervisors experienced statistically significant higher psychological demands and need for recovery. Prevalence of self-reported mental health effects among bricklayers and supervisors, respectively, were as follows: high need for recovery after work (14%; 25%), distress (5%, 7%), depression (18%, 20%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (11%, 7%). Among both occupations, high work speed and quantity were associated with symptoms of depression. Further, among construction supervisors, low participation in decision making and low social support of the direct supervisor was associated with symptoms of depression.
The findings in the present study indicate psychosocial risk factors for bricklayers and supervisors. In each occupation a considerable proportion of workers was positively screened for symptoms of common mental disorders.
► Bricklayers experience a lack of learning opportunities, job control and future perspectives. ► Supervisors experience high psychological job demands and high need for recovery. ► A substantial part of the population is at risk for common mental disorders. ► Psychosocial work factors should be assessed job-specific. ► Job-specific screening for common mental disorders is not necessary.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Summary Objective The study aims to provide an overview of risk factors for hypertrophic scarring. Background Hypertrophic skin scarring remains a major concern in medicine and causes considerable ...morbidity. Despite extensive research on this topic, the precise mechanism of excessive scarring is still unknown. In addition, the current literature lacks an overview of the possible risk factors in the development of hypertrophic scars. Methods PubMed searches were performed on risk factors for hypertrophic scar (HTS) formation. Results Eleven studies suggesting nine factors associated with HTS formation were found. Studies concerning chemotherapy, age, stretch, infection, and smoking have a moderate to high strength of evidence, but some other factors have not been studied in a convincing manner or are still disputed. Conclusions Risk factors for HTS formation are young age, bacterial colonization, and skin subjected to stretch. Chemotherapy, statins, and smoking seem to play a protective role in HTS formation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Background The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerised working memory (WM) training on memory, response inhibition, fluid intelligence, scholastic abilities and the ...recall of stories in adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities attending special education.
Method A total of 95 adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities were randomly assigned to either a training adaptive to each child's progress in WM, a non‐adaptive WM training, or to a control group.
Results Verbal short‐term memory (STM) improved significantly from pre‐ to post‐testing in the group who received the adaptive training compared with the control group. The beneficial effect on verbal STM was maintained at follow‐up and other effects became clear at that time as well. Both the adaptive and non‐adaptive WM training led to higher scores at follow‐up than at post‐intervention on visual STM, arithmetic and story recall compared with the control condition. In addition, the non‐adaptive training group showed a significant increase in visuo‐spatial WM capacity.
Conclusion The current study provides the first demonstration that WM can be effectively trained in adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
The effects of neuroticism and depressive symptoms on psychophysiological responses in a social judgment task were examined in a sample of 101 healthy young adults. Participants performed a social ...judgment task in which they had to predict whether or not a virtual peer presented on a computer screen liked them. After the prediction, the actual judgment was shown, and behavioral, electrocortical, and cardiac responses to this judgment were measured. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) was largest after unexpected feedback. The largest P3 was found after the expected “like” judgments, and cardiac deceleration was largest following unexpected “do not like” judgments. Both the P3 and cardiac deceleration were affected by gender—that is, only males showed differential P3 responses to social judgments, and males showed stronger cardiac decelerations. Time–frequency analyses were performed to explore theta and delta oscillations. Theta oscillations were largest following unexpected outcomes and correlated with FRN amplitudes. Delta oscillations were largest following expected “like” judgments and correlated with P3 amplitudes. Self-reported trait neuroticism was significantly related to social evaluative predictions and cardiac reactivity to social feedback, but not to the electrocortical responses. That is, higher neuroticism scores were associated with a more negative prediction bias and with smaller cardiac responses to judgments for which a positive outcome was predicted. Depressive symptoms did not affect the behavioral and psychophysiological responses in this study. The results confirmed the differential sensitivities of various outcome measures to different psychological processes, but the found individual differences could only partly be ascribed to the collected subjective measures.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
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