Biology subjects

Brzezicka, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Brzezicka, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Gaming expertise induces meso-scale brain plasticity and efficiency mechanisms as revealed by whole-brain modeling

Video games are a valuable tool for studying the effects of training and neural plasticity on the brain. However, the underlaying mechanisms related to plasticity-induced brain structural changes and their impact in brain dynamics are unknown. Here, we used a semi-empirical whole-brain model to study structural neural plasticity mechanisms linked to video game expertise. We hypothesized that video game expertise is associated with neural plasticity-mediated changes in structural connectivity that manifest at the meso-scale level, resulting in a more segregated functional network topology. To test this hypothesis, we combined structural connectivity data of StarCraft II video game players (VGPs, n = 31) and non-players (NVGPs, n = 31), with generic fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project and computational models, with the aim of generating simulated fMRI recordings. Graph theory analysis on simulated data was performed during both resting-state conditions and external stimulation. VGPs simulated functional connectivity was characterized by a meso-scale integration, with increased local connectivity in frontal, parietal and occipital brain regions. The same analyses at the level of structural connectivity showed no differences between VGPs and NVGPs. Regions that increased their connectivity strength in VGPs are known to be involved in cognitive processes crucial for task performance such as attention, reasoning, and inference. In-silico stimulation suggested that differences in FC between VGPs and NVGPs emerge in noisy contexts, specifically when the noisy level of stimulation is increased. This indicates that the connectomes of VGPs may facilitate the filtering of noise from stimuli. These structural alterations drive the meso-scale functional changes observed in individuals with gaming expertise. Overall, our work sheds light into the mechanisms underlying structural neural plasticity triggered by video game experiences.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Lenticular nucleus volume predicts performance in real-time strategy game - cross-sectional and training approach using voxel-based morphometry

It is unclear why some people learn faster than others. We performed two independent studies in which we investigated the neural basis of real-time strategy (RTS) gaming and neural predictors of RTS games skill-acquisition. In the first (cross-sectional) study we found that experts in the RTS game StarCraft II (SC2) had a larger lenticular nucleus volume than non-RTS players. We followed a cross validation procedure where we used the volume of regions identified in the first study to predict the quality of learning a new, complex skill (SC2) in a sample of individuals who were naive to RTS games (second training study). Our findings provide new insights into how the volume of lenticular nucleus, which is associated with motor as well as cognitive functions, can be utilized to predict successful skill-learning, and be applied to a much broader context than just video games, e.g. contributing to optimizing cognitive training interventions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Three times NO: no relationship between frontal alpha asymmetry and depressive disorders in a multiverse analysis of three studies.

Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) is one of the most common electrophysiological measures in research on depressive disorders (DD). Many previous studies reported a relatively higher alpha band power in the left versus right frontal channels (left-sided FAA) in people with DD compared to healthy controls. Recently, however, multiple studies failed to replicate this finding and a meta-analysis has cast doubt on the relationship between FFA and DD (van der Vinne et al., 2017). To test the robustness and reproducibility of the relationship between FAA and DD we conducted a multiverse analysis of resting state EEG data from three independent studies with 218 participants in total. We performed 81 analyses altogether - some replicatory and other improving on the methodology used in past FAA studies -differing in: a) channel vs source level signal: using average reference, current source density or DICS beamforming; b) channel pairs selection and correction for multiple comparisons; c) statistical approach: group contrasts vs linear regression. Only two of the 81 analyses revealed significant results - an outcome expected with a 5% type I error rate (p = 0.917, binomial test). Therefore, the conducted analyses do not provide a basis to reject the null hypothesis of no relationship between resting state FAA and DD in spite of (or maybe due to) various methodological improvements. We conclude the paper by discussing theoretical assumptions underlying the FAA and suggest a list of guidelines for improving and expanding the EEG data analysis in future FAA studies. Significance StatementFor decades, the frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) - a disproportion in EEG alpha oscillations power between right and left frontal channels - has been one of the most popular measures of depressive disorders (DD) in electrophysiology studies. Patients with DD often manifest a left-sided FAA: relatively higher alpha power in the left versus right frontal lobe. Recently, however, multiple studies failed to confirm this effect, questioning its reproducibility. Our purpose is to thoroughly test the validity of FAA in depression by conducting a multiverse analysis - running many related analyses and testing the sensitivity of the effect to changes in the analytical approach - on data from three independent studies. Overall, our results do not support the claim about the FAA-DD relationship.

neuroscience↗