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Lateral prefrontal theta oscillations causally drive a computational mechanism underlying conflict expectation and adaptation
(2024) Martínez-Molina, María Paz; Valdebenito-Oyarzo, Gabriela; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Zamorano, Francisco; Figueroa-Vargas, Alejandra; Carvajal-Paredes, Patricio; Stecher, Ximena; Salinas, César; Valero-Cabré, Antoni; Polania, Rafael; Billeke, Pablo
Adapting our behavior to environmental demands relies on our capacity to perceive and manage potential conflicts within our surroundings. While evidence implicates the involvement of the lateral prefrontal cortex and theta oscillations in detecting conflict stimuli, their causal role in conflict expectation remains elusive. Consequently, the exact computations and neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive processes still need to be determined. We employed an integrative approach involving cognitive computational modeling, fMRI, TMS, and EEG to establish a causal link between oscillatory brain function, its neurocomputational role, and the resulting conflict processing and adaptation behavior. Our results reveal a computational process underlying conflict expectation, which correlates with BOLD-fMRI and theta activity in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG). Modulation of theta activity via rhythmic TMS applied over the SFG induces endogenous theta activity, which in turn enhances computations associated with conflict expectation. These findings provide evidence for the causal involvement of SFG theta activity in learning and allocating cognitive resources to address forthcoming conflict stimuli. Similar content being viewe
Dominance hierarchy regulates social behavior during spatial movement
(2024) Lara-Vasquez, Ariel; Espinosa, Nelson; Morales, Cristian; Moran, Constanza; Billeke, Pablo; Gallagher, Joseph; Strohl, Joshua J.; Huerta, Patricio T.; Fuentealba, Pablo
Rodents establish dominance hierarchy as a social ranking system in which one subject acts as dominant over all the other subordinate individuals. Dominance hierarchy regulates food access and mating opportunities, but little is known about its significance in other social behaviors, for instance during collective navigation for foraging or migration. Here, we implemented a simplified goal-directed spatial task in mice, in which animals navigated individually or collectively with their littermates foraging for food. We compared between conditions and found that the social condition exerts significant influence on individual displacement patterns, even when efficient navigation rules leading to reward had been previously learned. Thus, movement patterns and consequent task performance were strongly dependent on contingent social interactions arising during collective displacement, yet their influence on individual behavior was determined by dominance hierarchy. Dominant animals did not behave as leaders during collective displacement; conversely, they were most sensitive to the social environment adjusting their performance accordingly. Social ranking in turn was associated with specific spontaneous neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, with dominant mice showing higher firing rates, larger ripple oscillations, and stronger neuronal entrainment by ripples than subordinate animals. Moreover, dominant animals selectively increased their cortical spiking activity during collective movement, while subordinate mice did not modify their firing rates, consistent with dominant animals being more sensitive to the social context. These results suggest that dominance hierarchy influences behavioral performance during contingent social interactions, likely supported by the coordinated activity in the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit.
The effect of a cognitive training therapy based on stimulation of brain oscillations in patients with mild cognitive impairment in a Chilean sample: study protocol for a phase IIb, 2 × 3 mixed factorial, double‑blind randomised controlled trial
(2024) Figueroa‑Vargas, Alejandra; Góngora, Begoña; Alonso, María Francisca; Ortega, Alonso; Soto‑Fernández, Patricio; Z‑Rivera, Lucía; Ramírez, Sebastián; González, Francisca; Muñoz Venturelli, Paula; Billeke, Pablo
Background The ageing population has increased the prevalence of disabling and high-cost diseases, such as dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The latter can be considered a prodromal phase of some dementias and a critical stage for interventions to postpone the impairment of functionality. Working memory (WM) is a pivotal cognitive function, representing the fundamental element of executive functions. This project proposes an intervention protocol to enhance WM in these users, combining cognitive training with transcranial electrical stimulation of alternating current (tACS). This technique has been suggested to enhance the neuronal plasticity needed for cognitive processes involving oscillatory patterns. WM stands to benefit significantly from this approach, given its well-defined electrophysiological oscillations. Therefore, tACS could potentially boost WM in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Methods This study is a phase IIb randomised, double-blind clinical trial with a 3-month follow-up period. The study participants will be 62 participants diagnosed with MCI, aged over 60, from Valparaíso, Chile. Participants will receive an intervention combining twelve cognitive training sessions with tACS. Participants will receive either tACS or placebo stimulation in eight out of twelve training sessions. Sessions will occur twice weekly over 6 weeks. The primary outcomes will be electroencephalographic measurements through the prefrontal theta oscillatory activity, while the secondary effects will be cognitive assessments of WM. The participants will be evaluated before, immediately after, and 3 months after the end of the intervention. Discussion The outcomes of this trial will add empirical evidence about the benefits and feasibility of an intervention that combines cognitive training with non-invasive brain stimulation. The objective is to contribute tools for optimal cognitive treatment in patients with MCI. To enhance WM capacity, postpone the impairment of functionality, and obtain a better quality of life.
Patients recovering from COVID-19 who presented with anosmia during their acute episode have behavioral, functional, and structural brain alterations
(2024) Kausel, Leonie; Figueroa-Vargas, Alejandra; Zamorano, Francisco; Stecher, Ximena; Aspé-Sánchez, Mauricio; Carvajal-Paredes, Patricio; Márquez-Rodríguez, Víctor; Martínez-Molina, María Paz; Román, Claudio; Soto-Fernández, Patricio; Valdebenito-Oyarzo, Gabriela; Manterola, Carla; Uribe-San-Martín, Reinaldo; Silva, Claudio; Henríquez-Ch, Rodrigo; Aboitiz, Francisco; Polania, Rafael; Guevara, Pamela; Muñoz-Venturelli, Paula; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Billeke, Pablo
Patients recovering from COVID-19 commonly exhibit cognitive and brain alterations, yet the specific neuropathological mechanisms and risk factors underlying these alterations remain elusive. Given the significant global incidence of COVID-19, identifying factors that can distinguish individuals at risk of developing brain alterations is crucial for prioritizing follow-up care. Here, we report findings from a sample of patients consisting of 73 adults with a mild to moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection without signs of respiratory failure and 27 with infections attributed to other agents and no history of COVID-19. The participants underwent cognitive screening, a decision-making task, and MRI evaluations. We assessed for the presence of anosmia and the requirement for hospitalization. Groups did not differ in age or cognitive performance. Patients who presented with anosmia exhibited more impulsive alternative changes after a shift in probabilities (r = − 0.26, p = 0.001), while patients who required hospitalization showed more perseverative choices (r = 0.25, p = 0.003). Anosmia correlated with brain measures, including decreased functional activity during the decision-making task, thinning of cortical thickness in parietal regions, and loss of white matter integrity. Hence, anosmia could be a factor to be considered when identifying at-risk populations for follow-up
Spanish version of Multidimensional Mentalizing Questionnaire (MMQ): Translation, adaptation and psychometric properties in a Chilean population
(2024) ALDUNATE, NEREA; López-Silva, Pablo; Brotfeld, Cristian; Guerra, Ernesto; Kronmüller, Edmundo
This paper presents the first translation and adaptation of the Multidimensional Mentalizing Questionnaire (MMQ) into Spanish for a native Spanish-speaking sample in Chile. The study examines the psychometric properties and internal consistency of the translated MMQ. The instrument undergoes modifications based on a confirmatory factor analysis of the original structure, resulting in the elimination of items with cross-loadings and improvement in model fit. The modified scale is then analyzed, demonstrating strong psychometric properties. Convergent evidence is assessed by correlating MMQ subscales with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Empathy Quotient (EQ), while divergent evidence is assessed by correlating aggressive traits using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). The study also explores gender differences and age. Results reveal positive correlations between good mentalizing and empathy, particularly cognitive empathy, supporting the significance of positive mentalization in empathy. Negative mentalization is associated with difficulties in perspective-taking and social skills, as well as aggressive traits. Gender differences in mentalizing capacities are observed, and negative aspects of mentalization decrease with age. The availability of the Spanish translation of the MMQ, the first self-reporting scale measuring mentalization adapted to Chilean population, contributes to research aiming to understand its relationship with other psychological phenomena in different cultural context and facilitating clinical interventions with different population groups. We therefore encourage further investigation into cultural, gender and age differences in mentalization.
A mathematical model of semantic access in lexical and semantic decisions
(2024) Chaigneau, Sergio E.; Marchant, Nicolás; Canessa, Enrique; ALDUNATE, NEREA
In this work, we use a mathematical model of the property listing task dynamics and test its ability to predict processing time in semantic and lexical decision tasks. The study aims at exploring the temporal dynamics of semantic access in these tasks and showing that the mathematical model captures essential aspects of semantic access, beyond the original task for which it was developed. In two studies using the semantic and lexical decision tasks, we used the mathematical model’s coefficients to predict reaction times. Results showed that the model was able to predict processing time in both tasks, accounting for an independent portion of the total variance, relative to variance predicted by traditional psycholinguistic variables (i.e., frequency, familiarity, concreteness imageability). Overall, this study provides evidence of the mathematical model’s validity and generality, and offers insights regarding the characterization of concrete and abstract words.
Emotional text messages affect the early processing of emoticons depending on their emotional congruence: evidence from the N170 and EPN event related potentials
(2024) ALDUNATE, NEREA; López, Vladimir; Rojas‑Thomas, Felipe; Villena‑González, Mario; Palacios, Ismael; Artigas, Claudio; Rodríguez, Eugenio; Bosman, Conrado A.
Emoticons have been considered pragmatic cues that enhance emotional expressivity during computer-mediated communication. Yet, it is unclear how emoticons are processed in ambiguous text-based communication due to incongruences between the emoticon's emotional valence and its context. In this study, we investigated the electrophysiological correlates of contextual influence on the early emotional processing of emoticons, during an emotional congruence judgment task. Participants were instructed to judge the congruence between a text message expressing an emotional situation (positive or negative), and a subsequent emoticon expressing positive or negative emotions. We analyzed early event-related potentials elicited by emoticons related to face processing (N170) and emotional salience in visual perception processing (Early Posterior Negativity, EPN). Our results show that accuracy and Reaction Times depend on the interaction between the emotional valence of the context and the emoticon. Negative emoticons elicited a larger N170, suggesting that the emotional information of the emoticon is integrated at the early stages of the perceptual process. During emoticon processing, a valence effect was observed with enhanced EPN amplitudes in occipital areas for emoticons representing negative valences. Moreover, we observed a congruence effect in parieto-temporal sites within the same time-window, with larger amplitudes for the congruent condition. We conclude that, similar to face processing, emoticons are processed differently according to their emotional content and the context in which they are embedded. A congruent context might enhance the emotional salience of the emoticon (and therefore, its emotional expression) during the early stages of their processing.
The role of exogenous testosterone and social environment on the expression of sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors in young Chilean men
(2024) Polo Rodrigo, Pablo; Fajardo, Gabriela; Muñoz Reyes, José Antonio; Valenzuela-Martinez, Nohelia T.; Belinchón, Montserrat; Figueroa, Oriana; Fernández-Martínez, Ana; Deglín, Marcel; Pita, Miguel
Testosterone plays an important role as a social hormone. Current evidence suggests that testosterone is posi tively related to sociosexuality increasing the psychological attitudes toward investing in short-term versus long term mating and promotes status-seeking behaviors both by dominance and prestige. In addition, the social environment may play an important role in the expression of mating effort through changes in sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors. However, the causal relationships among the mentioned variables are still debated. We employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-individual design, in order to test and integrate the pro posed causal relationships between testosterone and social environment over short-term and long-term mating orientation and dominant and prestigious status-seeking behaviors in a sample of 95 young Chilean men. We did not find evidence that the administration of exogenous testosterone increased short-term or decreased long-term mating orientation as expected. Moreover, exogenous testosterone did not affect either aggressive or cooperative behavior failing to support the social status hypothesis. We also did not find any relationship between short or long-term mating orientation with status-seeking behaviors. Finally, we found support for the effect of social environment on sociosexual attitudes but not over status-seeking behaviors. Thus, men reported higher levels of short-term mating orientation in the presence of a woman compared to a man and no differences were found for long-term mating orientation. We argue that sociosexuality may be expressed flexibly, but contextual factors such as the presence of women seem more important than changes in testosterone levels.
The effect of intergroup competition outcome on ingroup cooperation: insights from the male warrior hypothesis
(2024) Belinchón, Montserrat; Polo Rodrigo, Pablo; Rodriguez-Sickert, Carlos; Figueroa, Oriana; Valenzuela-Martinez, Nohelia T.; Pavez, Paula; Muñoz Reyes, José Antonio
Introduction: The Male Warrior Hypothesis (MWH) proposes that sex-specific elective pressures have promoted male cooperation with the ingroup members to outcompete rival groups. However, intergroup conflicts do not occur in isolation and the outcomes of previous competitions may influence group cooperativeness. Since this phenomenon is not well understood, we aimed to shed light on the effect of previous competition outcome on later cooperative behavior under intergroup conflicts. Based on the MWH, we hypothesized that repeated contests between groups could enhance ingroup cooperation, regardless of the outcome of the previous contest because status is at risk, but when competition is not present, participants would move to the symmetric equilibria. Methods: To test this hypothesis, we recruited 246 individuals organized in groups of 6 and measured cooperation using a threshold public good game over two rounds, manipulating the outcome in the first round to create groups of winners and losers. Results: Our results show that intergroup conflict scenarios promoted cooperation in both victory and defeat conditions, whereas, in the control scenario only losers increased their cooperation. Discussion: We argue that winners under the presence of an external threat may enhance in-group cooperation in order to assure their status; whereas, losers may be attempting to regain it.
It's not the what but (also) the how: characterizing left-wing populism in political texts
(2024) raveau, maria; Fernández, Miguel Angel; del Solar Zañartu, Maria Jose; Fuentes-Bravo, Claudio; Couyoumdjian, Juan Pablo
Despite all the elasticity and even ambiguity surrounding the concept of populism, the existing paradigms converge in the recognition of a populist rhetoric. By using Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools we propose a set of linguistic and discursive markers to identify populist markers in Presidential speeches. The performance of these markers is subsequently tested against the Global Populism Database (GPD). We set-up a multinomial regression model to study the predictive power of these markers on the GPD populist score, focusing on left-wing populist leaders in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. We are thus able to characterize (left-wing) populism as a style of communication, as well as to understand what is behind this rhetoric. Our results show that ingroup and emotional content are more present in populist speeches. We also find a positive relation between populism and the use future tense and conditional connectors, which suggest an intention to manipulate the audience. These results have implications both for the current understanding of (left-wing) populist rhetoric and for the conceptualization of populism itself.
The parietal cortex has a causal role in ambiguity computations in humans
(2024) Valdebenito-Oyarzo, Gabriela; Martínez-Molina, María Paz; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Zamorano, Francisco; Figueroa-Vargas, Alejandra; Larraín-Valenzuela, Josefina; Stecher, Ximena; Salinas, César; Bastin, Julien; Valero-Cabré, Antoni; Polania, Rafael
Humans often face the challenge of making decisions between ambiguous options. The level of ambiguity in decision-making has been linked to activity in the parietal cortex, but its exact computational role remains elusive. To test the hypothesis that the parietal cortex plays a causal role in computing ambiguous probabilities, we conducted consecutive fMRI and TMS-EEG studies. We found that participants assigned unknown probabilities to objective probabilities, elevating the uncertainty of their decisions. Parietal cortex activity correlated with the objective degree of ambiguity and with a process that underestimates the uncertainty during decision-making. Conversely, the midcingulate cortex (MCC) encodes prediction errors and increases its connectivity with the parietal cortex during outcome processing. Disruption of the parietal activity increased the uncertainty evaluation of the options, decreasing cingulate cortex oscillations during outcome evaluation and lateral frontal oscillations related to value ambiguous probability. These results provide evidence for a causal role of the parietal cortex in computing uncertainty during ambiguous decisions made by humans.
Oscillatory activity underlying cognitive performance in children and adolescents with autism: a systematic review
(2024) Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Soto-Fernández, Patricio; Kausel, Leonie; Márquez-Rodríguez, Víctor; Carvajal-Paredes, Patricio; Martínez-Molina, María Paz; Figueroa-Vargas, Alejandra; Billeke, Pablo
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that exhibits a widely heterogeneous range of social and cognitive symptoms. This feature has challenged a broad comprehension of this neurodevelopmental disorder and therapeutic efforts to address its difficulties. Current therapeutic strategies have focused primarily on treating behavioral symptoms rather than on brain psychophysiology. During the past years, the emergence of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (NIBS) has opened alternatives to the design of potential combined treatments focused on the NEurophysiopathology of neuropsychiatric disorders like ASD. Such interventions require identifying the key brain mechanisms underlying the symptomatology and cognitive features. Evidence has shown alterations in oscillatory features of the neural ensembles associated with cognitive functions in ASD. In this line, we elaborated a systematic revision of the evidence of alterations in brain oscillations that underlie key cognitive processes that have been shown to be affected in ASD during childhood and adolescence, namely, social cognition, attention, working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. This knowledge could contribute to developing therapies based on NIBS to improve these processes in populations with ASD
Theta and alpha oscillations may underlie improved attention and working memory in musically trained children
(2024) Kausel, Leonie; Zamorano, Francisco; Billeke, Pablo; Sutherland, M.E.; Alliende, M. I.; Larrain-Valenzuela, J.; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Aboitiz, F.
Introduction: Attention and working memory are key cognitive functions that allow us to select and maintain information in our mind for a short time, being essential for our daily life and, in particular, for learning and academic performance. It has been shown that musical training can improve working memory performance, but it is still unclear if and how the neural mechanisms of working memory and particularly attention are implicated in this process. In this work, we aimed to identify the oscillatory signature of bimodal attention and working memory that contributes to improved working memory in musically trained children. Materials and methods: We recruited children with and without musical training and asked them to complete a bimodal (auditory/visual) attention and working memory task, whereas their brain activity was measured using electroencephalography. Behavioral, time–frequency, and source reconstruction analyses were made. Results: Results showed that, overall, musically trained children performed better on the task than children without musical training. When comparing musically trained children with children without musical training, we found modulations in the alpha band pre-stimuli onset and the beginning of stimuli onset in the frontal and parietal regions. These correlated with correct responses to the attended modality. Moreover, during the end phase of stimuli presentation, we found modulations correlating with correct responses independent of attention condition in the theta and alpha bands, in the left frontal and right parietal regions. Conclusions: These results suggest that musically trained children have improved neu ronal mechanisms for both attention allocation and memory encoding. Our results can be important for developing interventions for people with attention and working memory difficulties.
A multimodal interface for speech perception: the role of the left superior temporal sulcus in social cognition and autism
(2024) Kausel, Leonie; Michon, Maëva; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Aboitiz, Francisco
Multimodal integration is crucial for human interaction, in particular for social communication, which relies on integrating information from various sensory modalities. Recently a third visual pathway specialized in social perception was proposed, which includes the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) playing a key role in processing socially relevant cues and high-level social perception. Importantly, it has also recently been proposed that the left STS contributes to audiovisual integration of speech processing. In this article, we propose that brain areas along the right STS that support multimodal integration for social perception and cognition can be considered homologs to those in the left, language-dominant hemisphere, sustaining multimodal integration of speech and semantic concepts fundamental for social communication. Emphasizing the significance of the left STS in multimodal integration and associated processes such as multimodal attention to socially relevant stimuli, we underscore its potential relevance in comprehending neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by challenges in social communication such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Further research into this left lateral processing stream holds the promise of enhancing our understanding of social communication in both typical development and ASD, which may lead to more effective interventions that could improve the quality of life for individuals with atypical neurodevelopment.
Country-level gender inequality is associated with structural differences in the brains of women and men
(2023) Zugman, André; Alliende, Luz María; Medel, Vicente; Bethlehem, Richard A.I.; Seidlitz, Jakob; Ringlein, Grace; Arango, Celso; Arnatkevičiūtė, Aurina; Asmal, Laila; Bellgrove, Mark; Benegal, Vivek; Bernardo, Miquel; Billeke, Pablo; Bosch-Bayard, Jorge; Bressan, Rodrigo; Busatto, Geraldo F.; Castro, Mariana N.; Chaim-Avancini, Tiffany; Compte, Albert; Costanzi, Monise; Czepielewsk, Leticia; Dazzan, Paola; Fuente-Sandoval, Camilo de la; Forti, Marta Di; Díaz-Caneja, Covadonga M.; Díaz-Zuluaga, Ana María; Ples, Stefan Du; Duran, Fabio L. S.; Fittipaldi, Sol; Fornito, Alex; Freimer, Nelson B.; Gadelha, Ary; Gama, Clarissa S.; Garani, Ranjini; Garcia-Rizo, Clemente; Gonzalez Campo, Cecilia; Gonzalez-Valderrama, Alfonso; Guinjoan, Salvador; Holla, Bharath; Undurraga, Juan
Gender inequality across the world has been associated with a higher risk to mental health problems and lower academic achievement in women compared to men. We also know that the brain is shaped by nurturing and adverse socio-environmental experiences. Therefore, unequal exposure to harsher conditions for women compared to men in gender-unequal countries might be reflected in differences in their brain structure, and this could be the neural mechanism partly explaining women's worse outcomes in gender-unequal countries. We examined this through a random-effects meta-analysis on cortical thickness and surface area differences between adult healthy men and women, including a meta-regression in which country-level gender inequality acted as an explanatory variable for the observed differences. A total of 139 samples from 29 different countries, totaling 7,876 MRI scans, were included. Thickness of the right hemisphere, and particularly the right caudal anterior cingulate, right medial orbitofrontal, and left lateral occipital cortex, presented no differences or even thicker regional cortices in women compared to men in gender-equal countries, reversing to thinner cortices in countries with greater gender inequality. These results point to the potentially hazardous effect of gender inequality on women's brains and provide initial evidence for neuroscience-informed policies for gender equality.
Quantifying hierarchy and prestige in US ballet academies as social predictors of career success.
(2023) Herrera-Guzmán, Yessica; Gates, Alexander J.; Candia Vallejos, Cristian; Barabási, Albert-László
In the recent decade, we have seen major progress in quantifying the behaviors and the impact of scientists, resulting in a quantitative toolset capable of monitoring and predicting the career patterns of the profession. It is unclear, however, if this toolset applies to other creative domains beyond the sciences. In particular, while performance in the arts has long been difficult to quantify objectively, research suggests that professional networks and prestige of affiliations play a similar role to those observed in science, hence they can reveal patterns underlying successful careers. To test this hypothesis, here we focus on ballet, as it allows us to investigate in a quantitative fashion the interplay of individual performance, institutional prestige, and network effects. We analyze data on competition outcomes from 6363 ballet students affiliated with 1603 schools in the United States, who participated in the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) between 2000 and 2021. Through multiple logit models and matching experiments, we provide evidence that schools’ strategic network position bridging between communities captures social prestige and predicts the placement of students into jobs in ballet companies. This work reveals the importance of institutional prestige on career success in ballet and showcases the potential of network science approaches to provide quantitative viewpoints for the professional development of careers beyond science.
The work, economic, and remittance stress and distress of the COVID-19 pandemic containment policies: The case of venezuelan migrants in Argentina and Chile.
(2023) Real, Deisy Del; Crowhurst Pons, Felipe Ignacio; Olave, Lizeth
According to the social stress process model, global crises are macro-level stressors that generate physiological stress and psychological distress. However, existing research has not identified immigrants’ COVID-19 containment policy stressors or examined the social stress of sending remittances amid crises. Drawing on in-depth longitudinal interviews with 46 Venezuelan immigrants— half before and half during the pandemic—in Chile and Argentina, we identified the COVID-19 containment policies’ stressors. We focused on Venezuelan immigrants because they constitute one of the largest internationally displaced populations, with most migrating within South America. We found that the governmental COVID-19 containment measures in both countries generated four stressors: employment loss, income loss, devaluation of employment status, and inability to send needed remittances. Moreover, sending remittances helped some migrants cope with concerns about loved ones in Venezuela. However, sending remittances became a social stressor when immigrants struggled to simultaneously sustain their livelihoods and send financial support to relatives experiencing hardships in Venezuela. For some immigrants, these adversities generated other stressors (e.g., housing instability) and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Broadly, for immigrants, the stressors of global crises transcend international borders and generate high stress, which strains their psychological well-being.
Orcas remember what to copy: a deferred and interference‑resistant imitation study
(2023) Zamorano-Abramson, José; Hernández‑Lloreda, Mª Victoria; Colmenares, Fernando; Call, Josep
Response facilitation has often been portrayed as a “low level” category of social learning, because the demonstrator’s action, which is already in the observer’s repertoire, automatically triggers that same action, rather than induces the learning of a new action. One way to rule out response facilitation consists of introducing a delay between the demonstrator’s behavior and the observer’s response to let their possible efects wear of. However, this may not rule out “delayed response facilitation” in which the subject could be continuously “mentally rehearsing” the demonstrated actions during the waiting period. We used a do-as-the-other-did paradigm in two orcas to study whether they displayed cognitive control regarding their production of familiar actions by (1) introducing a delay ranging from 60 to 150 s between observing and producing the actions and (2) interspersing distractor (non-target) actions performed by the demonstrator and by the subjects during the delay period. These two manipulations were aimed at preventing the mental rehearsal of the observed actions during the delay period. Both orcas copied the model’s target actions on command after various delay periods, and crucially, despite the presence of distractor actions. These fndings suggest that orcas are capable of selectively retrieving a representation of an observed action to generate a delayed matching response. Moreover, these results lend further support to the proposal that the subjects’ performance relied not only on a mental representation of the specifc actions that were requested to copy, but also fexibly on the abstract and domain general rule requested by the specifc “copy command”. Our fndings strengthen the view that orcas and other cetaceans are capable of fexible and controlled social learning.
Network anatomy in logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia
(2023) Mandelli, Maria Luisa; Lorca-Puls, Diego L.; Lukic, Sladjana; Montembeault, Maxime; Gajardo-Vidal, Andrea; Licata, Abigail; Scheffler, Aaron; Battistella, Giovanni; Grasso, Stephanie M.; Bogley, Rian; Ratnasiri, Buddhika M.; La Joie, Renaud; Mundada, Nidhi S.; Europa, Eduardo; Rabinovici, Gil; Miller, Bruce L.; Leon, Jessica De; Henry, Maya L.; Miller, Zachary; Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa
The logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized linguistically by gradual loss of repetition and naming skills resulting from left posterior temporal and inferior parietal atrophy. Here, we sought to identify which specific cortical loci are initially targeted by the disease (epicenters) and investigate whether atrophy spreads through predetermined networks. First, we used cross-sectional structural MRI data from individuals with lvPPA to define putative disease epicenters using a surface-based approach paired with an anatomically fine-grained parcellation of the cortical surface (i.e., HCP-MMP1.0 atlas). Second, we combined cross-sectional functional MRI data from healthy controls and longitudinal structural MRI data from individuals with lvPPA to derive the epicenter-seeded resting-state networks most relevant to lvPPA symptomatology and ascertain whether functional connectivity in these networks predicts longitudinal atrophy spread in lvPPA. Our results show that two partially distinct brain networks anchored to the left anterior angular and posterior superior temporal gyri epicenters were preferentially associated with sentence repetition and naming skills in lvPPA. Critically, the strength of connectivity within these two networks in the neurologically-intact brain significantly predicted longitudinal atrophy progression in lvPPA. Taken together, our findings indicate that atrophy progression in lvPPA, starting from inferior parietal and temporoparietal junction regions, predominantly follows at least two partially nonoverlapping pathways, which may influence the heterogeneity in clinical presentation and prognosis.
Evidence of the active participation of women in the intergroup conflict based on the use of aggression and cooperation
(2023) Muñoz Reyes, José Antonio; Torrico-Bazoberry, Daniel; Polo Rodrigo, Pablo; Figueroa, Oriana; Guzmán-Lavín, Eugenio; Fajardo, Gabriela; Valenzuela-Martinez, Nohelia T.; Belinchón, Montserrat; Rodriguez-Sickert, Carlos; Pita, Miguel
Intergroup conflict has been a persistent aspect of human societies since the emergence of our species. Various researchers have proposed that competition between groups has acted as a key selective force throughout human evolutionary history. Such intergroup competition for limited resources exacerbated the expression of intergroup aggression and intragroup cooperation. Furthermore, it would have a sexual dimorphism, with men demonstrating increased sensitivity to conflict threats—in order to maximize reproductive opportunities—, while women generally reject from active engagement in intergroup conflict. In the present study, we conducted behavioral experiments under controlled laboratory conditions to measure cooperation and aggression from using virtual games, specifically the Public Good Games and the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm, in a sample of 541 participants. We created control and experimental intergroup competition scenarios, where aggression and cooperation were necessary to increase monetary rewards. Our results shows that men modulate aggression and cooperation in the presence of intergroup conflict. In addition, our data also reveals that women cooperate more than men and display heightened levels of cooperation and aggression when confronted with intergroup conflict. These findings prompt a reevaluation of current functional theoretical models concerning the role of women in intergroup conflict and suggest that the dynamics of human aggression and cooperation may be more nuanced than previously believed.

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