Electrophysiological connectivity of logical deduction: Early cortical MEG study.

Complex human reasoning involves minimal abilities to extract conclusions implied in the available information. These abilities are considered "deductive" because they exemplify certain abstract relations among propositions or probabilities called deductive arguments. However, the electrophysiological dynamics which supports such complex cognitive processes has not been addressed yet. In this work we consider typically deductive logico-probabilistically valid inferences and aim to verify or refute their electrophysiological functional connectivity differences from invalid inferences with the same content (same relational variables, same stimuli, same relevant and salient features). We recorded the brain electrophysiological activity of 20 participants (age = 20.35 ± 3.23) by means of an MEG system during two consecutive reasoning tasks: a search task (invalid condition) without any specific deductive rules to follow, and a logically valid deductive task (valid condition) with explicit deductive rules as instructions. We calculated the functional connectivity (FC) for each condition and conducted a seed-based analysis in a set of cortical regions of interest. Finally, we used a cluster-based permutation test to compare the differences between logically valid and invalid conditions in terms of FC. As a first novel result we found higher FC for valid condition in beta band between regions of interest and left prefrontal, temporal, parietal, and cingulate structures. FC analysis allows a second novel result which is the definition of a propositional network with operculo-cingular, parietal and medial nodes, specifically including disputed medial deductive "core" areas. The experiment discloses measurable cortical processes which do not depend on content but on truth-functional propositional operators. These experimental novelties may contribute to understand the cortical bases of deductive processes.

Longitudinal change of inhibitory control functional connectivity associated with the development of heavy alcohol drinking.

Introduction: Heavy drinking (HD) prevalent pattern of alcohol consumption among adolescents, particularly concerning because of their critical vulnerability to the neurotoxic effects of ethanol. Adolescent neurodevelopment is characterized by critical neurobiological changes of the prefrontal, temporal and parietal regions, important for the development of executive control processes, such as inhibitory control (IC). In the present Magnetoencephalography (MEG) study, we aimed to describe the relationship between electrophysiological Functional Connectivity (FC) during an IC task and HD development, as well as its impact on functional neuromaturation. Methods: We performed a two-year longitudinal protocol with two stages. In the first stage, before the onset of HD, we recorded brain electrophysiological activity from a sample of 67 adolescents (mean age = 14.6 ± 0.7) during an IC task. Alcohol consumption was measured using the AUDIT test and a semi-structured interview. Two years later, in the second stage, 32 of the 67 participants (mean age 16.7 ± 0.7) completed a similar protocol. As for the analysis in the first stage, the source-space FC matrix was calculated, and then, using a cluster-based permutation test (CBPT) based on Spearman's correlation, we calculated the correlation between the FC of each cortical source and the number of standard alcohol units consumed two years later. For the analysis of longitudinal change, we followed a similar approach. We calculated the symmetrized percentage change (SPC) between FC at both stages and performed a CBPT analysis, analyzing the correlation between FC change and the level of alcohol consumed in a regular session. Results: The results revealed an association between higher beta-band FC in the prefrontal and temporal regions and higher consumption years later. Longitudinal results showed that greater future alcohol consumption was associated with an exacerbated reduction in the FC of the same areas. Discussion: These results underline the existence of several brain functional differences prior to alcohol misuse and their impact on functional neuromaturation.

Electrophysiological resting-state hyperconnectivity and poorer behavioural regulation as predisposing profiles of adolescent binge drinking.

Adolescent Binge Drinking (BD) has become an increasing health and social concern, with detrimental consequences for brain development and functional integrity. However, research on neurophysiological and neuropsychological traits predisposing to BD are limited at this time. In this work, we conducted a 2-year longitudinal magnetoencephalography (MEG) study over a cohort of initially alcohol-naïve adolescents with the purpose of exploring anomalies in resting-state electrophysiological networks, impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and dysexecutive behaviour able to predict future BD patterns. In a sample of 67 alcohol-naïve adolescents (age = 14.5 ± 0.9), we measured resting-state activity using MEG. Additionally, we evaluated their neuropsychological traits using self-report ecological scales (BIS-11, SSS-V, BDEFS, BRIEF-SR and DEX). In a second evaluation, 2 years later, we measured participant's alcohol consumption, sub-dividing the original sample in two groups: future binge drinkers (22 individuals, age 14.6 ± 0.8; eight females) and future light/no drinkers (17 individuals, age 14.5 ± 0.8; eight females). Then, we searched for differences predating alcohol BD intake. We found abnormalities in MEG resting state, in a form of gamma band hyperconnectivity, in those adolescents who transitioned into BD years later. Furthermore, they showed higher impulsivity, dysexecutive behaviours and sensation seeking, positively correlated with functional connectivity (FC). Sensation seeking and impulsivity mainly predicted BD severity in the future, while the relationship between dysexecutive trait and FC with future BD was mediated by sensation seeking. These findings shed light to electrophysiological and neuropsychological traits of vulnerability towards alcohol consumption. We hypothesise that these differences may rely on divergent neurobiological development of inhibitory neurotransmission pathways and executive prefrontal circuits.

Brain electrical traits of logical validity.

Neuroscience has studied deductive reasoning over the last 20 years under the assumption that deductive inferences are not only de jure but also de facto distinct from other forms of inference. The objective of this research is to verify if logically valid deductions leave any cerebral electrical trait that is distinct from the trait left by non-valid deductions. 23 subjects with an average age of 20.35 years were registered with MEG and placed into a two conditions paradigm (100 trials for each condition) which each presented the exact same relational complexity (same variables and content) but had distinct logical complexity. Both conditions show the same electromagnetic components (P3, N4) in the early temporal window (250-525 ms) and P6 in the late temporal window (500-775 ms). The significant activity in both valid and invalid conditions is found in sensors from medial prefrontal regions, probably corresponding to the ACC or to the medial prefrontal cortex. The amplitude and intensity of valid deductions is significantly lower in both temporal windows (p = 0.0003). The reaction time was 54.37% slower in the valid condition. Validity leaves a minimal but measurable hypoactive electrical trait in brain processing. The minor electrical demand is attributable to the recursive and automatable character of valid deductions, suggesting a physical indicator of computational deductive properties. It is hypothesized that all valid deductions are recursive and hypoactive.

nMNSD-A Spiking Neuron-Based Classifier That Combines Weight-Adjustment and Delay-Shift.

The recent "multi-neuronal spike sequence detector" (MNSD) architecture integrates the weight- and delay-adjustment methods by combining heterosynaptic plasticity with the neurocomputational feature spike latency, representing a new opportunity to understand the mechanisms underlying biological learning. Unfortunately, the range of problems to which this topology can be applied is limited because of the low cardinality of the parallel spike trains that it can process, and the lack of a visualization mechanism to understand its internal operation. We present here the nMNSD structure, which is a generalization of the MNSD to any number of inputs. The mathematical framework of the structure is introduced, together with the "trapezoid method," that is a reduced method to analyze the recognition mechanism operated by the nMNSD in response to a specific input parallel spike train. We apply the nMNSD to a classification problem previously faced with the classical MNSD from the same authors, showing the new possibilities the nMNSD opens, with associated improvement in classification performances. Finally, we benchmark the nMNSD on the classification of static inputs (MNIST database) obtaining state-of-the-art accuracies together with advantageous aspects in terms of time- and energy-efficiency if compared to similar classification methods.

Abnormal organization of inhibitory control functional networks in future binge drinkers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Adolescent Binge drinking has become an increasing health and social concern, which cause several detrimental consequences for brain integrity. However, research on neurophysiological traits of vulnerability for binge drinking predisposition is limited at this time. In this work, we conducted a two-year longitudinal study with magnetoencephalography (MEG) over a cohort of initially alcohol-naive adolescents with the purpose of characterize inhibitory cortical networks' anomalies prior to alcohol consumption onset in those youths who will transit into binge drinkers years later. METHODS: Sixty-seven participant's inhibitory functional networks, and dysexecutive/impulsivity traits were measured by means of inhibitory task (go/no-go) and questionnaires battery. After a follow-up period of two years, we evaluated their alcohol consumption habits, sub-dividing them in two groups according to their alcohol intake patterns: future binge drinkers (fBD): n = 22; future Light/non-drinkers (fLD): n = 17. We evaluated whole-brain and seed-based functional connectivity profiles, as well as its correlation with impulsive and dysexecutive behaviours, searching for early abnormalities before consumption onset. RESULTS: For the first time, abnormalities in MEG functional networks and higher dysexecutive and impulsivity profiles were detected in alcohol-naïve adolescents who two years later became binge drinkers. Concretely, fBD exhibit a distinctive pattern of beta band hyperconnectivity among crucial regions of inhibitory control networks, positively correlated with behavioral traits and future alcohol intake rate. CONCLUSIONS: These findings strongly support the idea of early neurobiological vulnerabilities for substances consumption initiation, with inhibitory functional networks' abnormalities as a relevant neurophysiological marker of subjects at risk- we hypothesize this profile is due to neurodevelopmental and neurobiological differences involving cognitive control networks and neurotransmission pathways.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of interventions for prevention of invasive aspergillosis among leukemia patients during hospital construction activities.

OBJECTIVES: Invasive Aspergillosis (IA) is a serious problem among hematological patients and it is associated with high mortality. This situation can worsen at times of hospital construction, however there are several preventive measures available. This work aims to define the cost-effectiveness of some of these interventions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A decision tree model was used, it was divided into four arms according to each 1 of the interventions performed. A cost-effectiveness incremental analysis comparing environmental control measures, high efficiency particulate absorption (HEPA) filter installation and prophylaxis with posaconazole was done. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were also carried out. RESULTS: Among 86 patients with 175 hospitalization episodes, the incidence of IA with environmental protection measures, antifungal prophylaxis and hospitalization in rooms with HEPA filters was 14.4%, 6.3% and 0%, respectively. An Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio analysis was performed and it was found that HEPA filtered rooms and environmental protection measures are cost saving interventions when compared with posaconazole prophylaxis (-$2665 vs -$4073 vs $42 531 US dollars, respectively) for IA episode prevented. CONCLUSION: The isolation of inpatients with acute leukemia during hospital construction periods in HEPA filtered rooms could reduce the incidence of IA and might be a cost-effective prevention strategy.