Center for BrainHealth
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10735.1/3680
The Center for BrainHealth was created in 1999 and has flourished because of its unique commitment to its mission and the most significant cause of the century: To understand, protect and heal the brain. Scientific exploration at BrainHealth is leading edge, innovative and transformative, improving lives today and changing how the public thinks and acts about the brain and its health.
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Browsing Center for BrainHealth by Author "Aslan, Sina"
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Item Enhancing Executive Function and Neural Health in Bipolar Disorder Through Reasoning Training(Frontiers Research Foundation) Venza, Erin E.; Chapman, Sandra Bond; Aslan, Sina; Zientz, Jennifer E.; Tyler, David L.; Spence, Jeffrey S.; 0000 0003 5170 3614 (Chapman, SB); Venza, Erin E.; Chapman, Sandra Bond; Aslan, Sina; Zientz, Jennifer E.; Tyler, David L.; Spence, Jeffrey S.Cognitive deficits in executive function and memory among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are well-documented; however, only recently have efforts begun to address whether such cognitive deficits can be ameliorated through cognitive training. This pilot study examined the effects of a top–down, cognitive reasoning training program in adults with BD on both brain and cognitive measures. Twenty-seven participants (11 males, 16 females), aged 21–70 years old, completed the study. Participants completed neurocognitive testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after training, consisting of 8 h (2 h/week) of training in small groups. The training delivered information processing strategies that were implemented and applicable to a variety of daily living contexts. Results indicated that participants showed significant gains in the primary outcome measure of complex abstraction, also referred to as gist reasoning, as well as in untrained domains of executive function and memory. We found a significant increase in resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) in left inferior frontal gyrus after cognitive training. We also found that resting CBF in the right frontal middle gyrus correlated positively with performance on the measure of complex abstraction. This feasibility study provides promising evidence that short-term reasoning training can enhance cognitive performance and brain health in adults with BD. These data motivate further efforts to explore adjuvant therapeutics to improve cognitive performance and underlying brain systems in bipolar, as well as other psychiatric disorders.Item Higher-Order Cognitive Training Effects on Processing Speed-Related Neural Activity: A Randomized Trial(Elsevier) Yezhuvath, Uma S.; Aslan, Sina; Motes, Michael A.; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Rypma, Bart; Chapman, Sandra Bond; 0000 0003 5170 3614 (Chapman, SB); Motes, Michael A.; Aslan, Sina; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Rypma, Bart; Chapman, Sandra BondHigher-order cognitive training has shown to enhance performance in older adults, but the neural mechanisms underlying performance enhancement have yet to be fully disambiguated. This randomized trial examined changes in processing speed and processing speed-related neural activity in older participants (57-71years of age) who underwent cognitive training (CT, N= 12) compared with wait-listed (WLC, N= 15) or exercise-training active (AC, N= 14) controls. The cognitive training taught cognitive control functions of strategic attention, integrative reasoning, and innovation over 12weeks. All 3 groups worked through a functional magnetic resonance imaging processing speed task during 3 sessions (baseline, mid-training, and post-training). Although all groups showed faster reaction times (RTs) across sessions, the CT group showed a significant increase, and the WLC and AC groups showed significant decreases across sessions in the association between RT and BOLD signal change within the left prefrontal cortex (PFC). Thus, cognitive training led to a change in processing speed-related neural activity where faster processing speed was associated with reduced PFC activation, fitting previously identified neural efficiency profiles.Item Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use on the Brain(Natl Acad Sciences) Filbey, Francesca M.; Aslan, Sina; Calhoun, Vince D.; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Damaraju, Eswar; Caprihan, Arvind; Segall, Judith; 0000 0001 3618 6298 (Filbey, FM); J-5163-2014 (Filbey, FM); Filbey, Francesca M.; Aslan, Sina; Spence, Jeffrey S.Questions surrounding the effects of chronic marijuana use on brain structure continue to increase. To date, however, findings remain inconclusive. In this comprehensive study that aimed to characterize brain alterations associated with chronic marijuana use, we measured gray matter (GM) volume via structural MRI across the whole brain by using voxel-based morphology, synchrony among abnormal GM regions during resting state via functional connectivity MRI, and white matter integrity (i.e., structural connectivity) between the abnormal GM regions via diffusion tensor imaging in 48 marijuana users and 62 age- and sex-matched nonusing controls. The results showed that compared with controls, marijuana users had significantly less bilateral orbitofrontal gyri volume, higher functional connectivity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) network, and higher structural connectivity in tracts that innervate the OFC (forceps minor) as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA). Increased OFC functional connectivity in marijuana users was associated with earlier age of onset. Lastly, a quadratic trend was observed suggesting that the FA of the forceps minor tract initially increased following regular marijuana use but decreased with protracted regular use. This pattern may indicate differential effects of initial and chronic marijuana use that may reflect complex neuroadaptive processes in response to marijuana use. Despite the observed age of onset effects, longitudinal studies are needed to determine causality of these effects.Item Shorter Term Aerobic Exercise Improves Brain, Cognition, and Cardiovascular Fitness in AgingChapman, Sandra Bond; Aslan, Sina; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Defina, Laura F.; Keebler, Molly W.; Didehbani, Nyaz; Lu, Hanzhang; 0000 0003 5170 3614 (Chapman, SB); 2012043141 (Chapman, SB); Center for BrainHealthPhysical exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, is documented as providing a low cost regimen to counter well-documented cognitive declines including memory, executive function, visuospatial skills, and processing speed in normally aging adults. Prior aging studies focused largely on the effects of medium to long term (>6 months) exercise training; however, the shorter term effects have not been studied. In the present study, we examined changes in brain blood flow, cognition, and fitness in 37 cognitively healthy sedentary adults (57-75 years of age) who were randomized into physical training or a wait-list control group. The physical training group received supervised aerobic exercise for 3 sessions per week 1 h each for 12 weeks. Participants' cognitive, cardiovascular fitness and resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) were assessed at baseline (T1), mid (T2), and post-training (T3). We found higher resting CBF in the anterior cingulate region in the physical training group as compared to the control group from T1 to T3. Cognitive gains were manifested in the exercise group's improved immediate and delayed memory performance from T1 to T3 which also showed a significant positive association with increases in both left and right hippocampal CBF identified earlier in the time course at T2. Additionally, the two cardiovascular parameters, VO2 max and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) showed gains, compared to the control group. These data suggest that even shorter term aerobic exercise can facilitate neuroplasticity to reduce both the biological and cognitive consequences of aging to benefit brain health in sedentary adults.;