Greater weekly physical activity linked to left resting frontal alpha asymmetry in women: A study on gender differences in highly active young adults.

Physical activity, beneficial for physical and psychological health, may facilitate affective mechanisms of positive emotion and approach-motivation. Greater resting frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), an index of greater relative left than right frontal cortical activity, is a neural correlate of affective mechanisms possibly associated with active lifestyles. This study sought to amplify limited literature on the relationship between physical (in)activity, FAA, and gender differences. College students (n = 70) self-reported physical activity (Total PA) and sedentary activity (Total Sitting) via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), followed by a resting electroencephalography session to record FAA. A Total PA × gender interaction (ß = 0.462, t = 3.163, p = 0.002) identified a positive relationship between Total PA and FAA in women (ß = 0.434, t = 2.221, p = 0.030) and a negative relationship for men (ß = -0.338, t = -2.300, p = 0.025). Total Sitting was positively linked to FAA (ß = 0.288, t = 2.228, p = 0.029; no gender effect). Results suggest affective mechanisms reflected by FAA (e.g., positive emotion, approach-motivation) are associated with physical activity for women, indicating a possible mechanism of the psychological benefits linked with physically active lifestyles. A positive relationship between sedentary behavior and greater left FAA may also reflect motivated mechanisms of behavior that aid in minimizing energy expenditure, particularly within the context of our highly active sample.

Cognitive control as a potential neural mechanism of protective role of spirituality in anxiety disorders among American Indian people: An ERP study.

Research suggests that traditional cultural factors are protective against mental health conditions in American Indian (AI) populations. This study aims to determine if cognitive control is a neurocognitive mechanism of the protective role of spirituality in AI people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Participants self-identified as AI (n = 52) and included individuals with GAD (n = 16) and without GAD (n = 36). Electroencephalography was collected during a stop-signal task to probe cognitive control using the P3 event-related potential. Higher levels of spirituality attenuated the processing efficiency disruption among individuals with GAD as indicated by P3 amplitudes closer to that of individuals without GAD.

Impulsivity in amphetamine use disorder: Examination of sex differences.

AIMS: This study aimed to test whether there are sex differences in the relationship between impulsivity and amphetamine use disorder (AMP). DESIGN: A naturalistic cross-sectional design was used. SETTING: The Tulsa 1000 study was held in Tulsa, OK, USA. PARTICIPANTS: There were two groups in this study: AMP+ (29F, 20M) and AMP- (57F, 33M). MEASUREMENTS: This project focuses on data related to impulsivity: UPPS-P impulsive behavior scale and a stop signal task (SST) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recording. Group, sex and their interaction were compared for UPPS-P ratings and SST fMRI and behavioral responses. FINDINGS: AMP+ reported higher UPPS-P positive and negative urgency scores (Ps < 0.001; r = 0.56 and 0.51) and displayed greater bilateral insula and amygdala responses across correct SST trials (Ps < 0.001, g range = 0.57-0.81) than AMP-. fMRI results indicated that AMP+ exhibited larger right anterior/middle insula, amygdala and nucleus accumbens signals during successful difficult stop trials than AMP- (Ps < 0.01; g = 0.63, 0.54 and 0.44, respectively). Crucially, two group × sex effects emerged: (a) within females, AMP+ reported larger UPPS-P lack of premeditation scores than AMP- (P < 0.001, r = 0.51), and (b) within males, AMP+ showed greater left middle insula signals than AMP- across correct SST trials (P = 0.01, g = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Both female and male amphetamine users appear to be characterized by rash action in the presence of positive and negative mood states as well as heightened recruitment of right hemisphere regions during behavioral inhibition. In contrast, planning ahead may be particularly difficult for female amphetamine users, whereas male amphetamine users may need to recruit additional left hemisphere resources during inhibitory processing.

Striatal hypoactivation during monetary loss anticipation in individuals with substance use disorders in a heterogenous urban American Indian sample.

Research suggests that disproportionate exposure to risk factors places American Indian (AI) peoples at higher risk for substance use disorders (SUD). Although SUD is linked to striatal prioritization of drug rewards over other appetitive stimuli, there are gaps in the literature related to the investigation of aversive valuation processing, and inclusion of AI samples. To address these gaps, this study compared striatal anticipatory gain and loss processing between AI-identified with SUD (SUD+; n = 52) and without SUD (SUD-; n = 35) groups from the Tulsa 1000 study who completed a monetary incentive delay (MID) task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results indicated that striatal activations in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), caudate, and putamen were greatest for anticipating gains (ps < 0.001) but showed no group differences. In contrast to gains, the SUD+ exhibited lower NAcc (p = .01, d =0.53) and putamen (p = .04, d =0.40) activation to anticipating large losses than the comparison group. Within SUD+ , lower striatal responses during loss anticipations were associated with slower MID reaction times (NAcc: r = -0.43; putamen: r = -0.35) during loss trials. This is among the first imaging studies to examine underlying neural mechanisms associated with SUD within AIs. Attenuated loss processing provides initial evidence of a potential mechanism wherein blunted prediction of aversive consequences may be a defining feature of SUD that can inform future prevention and intervention targets.

Motivated for movement: Beta activation over the motor cortex resulting from intrinsic and extrinsic motivators.

Past work on motivation has primarily studied dichotomous distinctions of motivation (e.g., extrinsic or intrinsic). However, focusing on the overall motivational intensity may be better at accentuating the unique differences within and between varying motivators as it pertains to the impetus to act. Specifically, motivational intensity influences neural patterns of beta band frequency (13-30 Hz) as measured by electroencephalography (EEG) that enable motor-action preparation, a neural correlate of motivated movement. The primary aim of across three experiments was to investigate neural motor-action preparation to modified flanker tasks within achievement (Experiment 1), autonomous (Experiment 2), and extrinsic vs. intrinsic (Experiment 3) motivational contexts. Experiment 1 revealed greater motor-action preparation for challenging trial cues and did not differ in behavioral attentional and performance measures across both trial types. Experiment 2 revealed no significant difference in motor-action preparation, did not differ in behavioral attentional narrowing and had worse behavioral performance in high autonomy relative to low autonomy trials. Experiment 3 revealed greater motor-action preparation for challenging trial cues, did not differ in behavioral attentional narrowing and had a faster performance for reward trials relative to high autonomy trials. These findings suggest motivators of the same category (i.e., intrinsic) may differ in motivational strength, as suggested by a neurophysiological measure of immediate motivated movement planning.

Motor Preparation and Execution for Performance Difficulty: Centroparietal Beta Activation during the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task as a Function of Motivation.

Debate exists as to the effects of anxiety in performance-based studies. However, no studies have examined the influence of motivation both in preparation of a motor movement and during movement performance. The present study measured beta activation in preparation for and during execution of the effort expenditure for rewards task (EEfRT), a button-pressing task consisting of easy and hard trials. Results indicated that motor preparation (i.e., reduced beta activation) was greater in preparation for hard trials than for easy trials. Additionally, motor preparation decreased (i.e., beta activation increased) over the course of hard trial execution. These results suggest that motor preparation is enhanced prior to more challenging tasks but that motor preparation declines as participants become closer to completing their goal in each challenging trial. These results provide insight into how beta activation facilitates effort expenditure for motor tasks varying in difficulty and motivation. The impact of these results on models of anxiety and performance is discussed.

Individual differences in motivation and impulsivity link resting frontal alpha asymmetry and motor beta activation.

Previous research has linked neural correlates with motivational traits and measures of impulsivity. However, few previous studies have investigated whether individual differences in motivation and impulsivity moderate the relationship between these disparate neural activity patterns. In a sample of 118 young adults, we used Electroencephalography (EEG) to examine whether behavioral activation and inhibition systems (BIS/BAS) and impulsivity facets (negative urgency, lack of perseverance), moderate the relationship between beta power and resting frontal alpha asymmetry. Regression analyses revealed a novel relationship between lesser beta power and greater left frontal alpha asymmetry (LFA). Moderation analyses suggest this relationship may strengthen as BIS/BAS levels increase, and trait impulsivity levels decrease from the mean. These results are among the first revealing a relationship between two widely investigated neural activity patterns of motivation and provide some indication individual differences moderate this relationship. The limitations of these findings and need for future research are discussed.

Frontal asymmetry: A novel biomarker for physical activity and sedentary behavior.

Past research has demonstrated that regular physical activity provides a myriad of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. The decision of whether to partake in physical activity (PA) or remain sedentary appears to be partially influenced by motivational and emotional systems. Research suggests left frontal alpha asymmetry is a neural marker of approach motivation. However, studies have not explored whether habitual levels of PA and sedentary behavior relate to this neurophysiological signal. Across two studies, individuals completed measures of habitual PA and sedentary behavior using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Then, resting electroencephalography activity was recorded. Results of Study 1 (N = 32, 72% women) indicated that more time spent sitting on both weekdays and weekend days were associated with less left frontal asymmetry (r = -.45, p = .027, and r = -.55, p = .005, respectively). Study 2 recruited a larger sample (N = 96, 31% women) and investigated moderators. Greater levels of moderate (r = .27) and total (r = .29) PA were associated with greater left frontal asymmetry (ps < .05), and the relationship between sedentary behavior and less left frontal asymmetry was moderated by sex (weekday: ß = .62, p = .011; weekend day: ß = .41, p = .034). Our results suggest that left frontal asymmetry may be a novel neurophysiological marker for PA and sedentary behavior.

Neural and Attentional Correlates of Intrinsic Motivation Resulting from Social Performance Expectancy.

Some models of motivation distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. While past work has examined the neural and cognitive correlates of extrinsic motivation, research on intrinsic motivation has relied primarily on behavioral measures of performance and learning. In particular, no past work has examined the neural and cognitive correlates of social performance expectancy, which is linked to intrinsic motivation. The current study manipulated expectancy of difficult (vs. easy) trials on a cued flanker task and assessed attentional scope and performance. EEG was used to examine motor-action preparation as measured by suppression of beta band activity over the motor cortex and feedback processing as measured by the Reward Positivity (RewP). Results revealed expectancy of difficult (vs. easy) trials narrowed attentional scope, reduced beta activity over the motor cortex, and enhanced RewP amplitudes to win feedback. These findings suggest that enhancing intrinsic motivation through expectancies of positive social comparison engages similar neural and cognitive correlates as extrinsic motivators high in motivational intensity.