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Beatriz Luna, PhDBeatriz Luna, PhD
Laboratory of Neurocognitive DevelopmentLaboratory of Neurocognitive Development
University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
Vulnerabilities in Neurocognitive Vulnerabilities in Neurocognitive Processes in AdolescenceProcesses in Adolescence
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• Exogenous– Elicited by “external” guides
• External Stimuli, Emotional States– Not guided by a planned response – Reflexive Behavior
• Endogenous– Voluntary– Guided by internal plans– Overrides exogenously-guided behavior– Cognitive Control of Behavior / Decision Making– Can be adult like in adolescence
Control of Behavior
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Conclusions: Adolescence
• Adolescents can demonstrate adult-level cognitive control of behavior– Behavioral Studies
• Brain mechanisms that support adult-level behavior in adolescence are immature– fMRI studies
• Adolescent cognitive control of behavior is immature and vulnerable to error – Conclusions
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Brain Maturation in Adolescence
Synaptic Pruning Myelination
• Improved Brain Function– Increased efficiency of local computations– Increased speed of neuronal transmission
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• Voluntary Response Inhibition (Paus 1990, Levin 1991, Ridderinkhof 1997, Fischer 1997, Munoz 1998, Luna 2004)
• Working Memory (Zald 1998, Demetriou 2002, Luna 2004)
Cognitive Development: Core Processes
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Oculomotor Studies of Cognition
• Direct Measure of Cognitive Control– Minimal strategy formation
• Well-delineated Neural System– Anatomically & Physiologically
• Simple Cognitive Tasks– Appropriate for Developmental Studies
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Behavioral Studies
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• 245 subjects• 8-30 yo (93 Female/152 Males)
• Tasks– Speed of Processing– Response Inhibition– Working Memory
Methods
Child Development 2004
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Direct current electro-oculography (EOG) -24 deg
-16 deg-8 deg
8 deg16 deg
24 deg
1 meter0 deg
Darkened Room
20
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Central Fixation (1.5-2.5s)
Saccade to Target (1.5s)
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Degrees of Visual Angle
Visually Guided Saccades
Saccade
Illuminated TargetsCorrect Gaze Location
Non-visible Target Locations
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Antisaccade Task
Central Fixation
Saccade away fromPeripheral Target
-24 -16 - 8 0 8 16 24
Degrees of Visual Angle
Feedback
Illuminated TargetsCorrect Gaze Location
1.5
sec
1.5
sec
3 -
5 se
c
19
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ODR/Memory Guided Saccade Task
Central Fixation
Target Location to be Remembered
-27 -18 - 9 0 9 18 27
Degrees of Visual Angle
Delay Period
Saccade to Remembered Location
Feedback
Illuminated Targets
Correct Gaze Location
1.5-
2.5s
0.1
s1,
2,4,
8 s
1.5
s2.
0 s
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Speed of Processing
Response Inhibition
Working Memory
Visually Guided Saccades
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Voluntary Response Inhibition
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Working Memory: Accuracy
Initial SaccadeFinal Saccade
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Conclusions
• Cognitive control of behavior matures in adolescence
• What develops is the sophistication of responses not the appearance of an ability
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Brain Imaging Studies
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Capillary Bed
-
+++
+
+
+++
++-
-- -
--
--
+++
+
+
+++
+ ++
+++
++
++ +
-
- -
-
baseline
activation
fMRI
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Response Inhibition
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MR Imaging Methods:
• Subjects (N=36)– 8-13y (N=11)– 14-17y (N=15)– 18-30y (N=10)
• fMRI Studies – 3.0 Tesla GEMS scanner– Gradient-Echo EPI, TR = 5000– In-plane resolution 3.125 mm2 – 23 - 3 mm slices, 2 mm gap– Standard anatomic imaging (SPGR)
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Antisaccades
36 sec.
36 sec. 36 sec.
•Tasks Repeated for 7.5 cycles
Prosaccades
Antisaccade Trial
Fixation
Prosaccade Trial
Fixation
Antisaccade: Block Design
15
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Adults > Adolescents and Children
Children AdultsAdolescents
FEF
Sup Coll
Lat Cer
R L
PEF
14
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Adolescents and Children > Adults
Children AdultsAdolescents
R L
DLPFC
PPC
13
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Response Inhibition: Planning
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Event Related Antisaccades
Prosaccade Trials
Antisaccade Trials
+Saccade
+Cue
+
Fixation
+ +
10
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Preparation to Inhibit a Response:
Children AdultsAdolescents
FEF
R L
9
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Antisaccade Preparation: FEF
ChildrenAdolescentsAdults
• Adolescents, like children, do not reach adult-level activation for correct responses.• Adolescents, like adults, do show a second peak of activation.
7
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
TR (2.5 sec)
% S
ign
al C
ha
ng
e
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Preparation to Inhibit a Response:
Children AdultsAdolescents
R L
9
VLPFC
DLPFC
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-0.3
-0.1
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.7
1 3 5 7 9 11
TR (2.5sec)
%S
ign
al C
ha
ng
e
Antisaccade Preparation: DLPFC
•Adolescents, like children, show a delayed peak of activation.•Adolescents, like adults, show a similar magnitude of activation.
ChildrenAdolescentsAdults
6
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Conclusions: Response Inhibition
• Maturation is characterized by the emergence of an integrated collaborative brain system.
• Adolescents are not as efficient at activating brain regions supporting response planning
• Adolescents compensate for immature brain systems by recruiting PFC
12
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Working Memory
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Methods: ODR task
Saccade
VGS TrialsWorking Memory Trials
time Saccade
Delay 4s
+
+
Cue 75 ms
+
Fix 2425 ms
Memory Guided
30 sec.
30 sec. 30 sec.
•Tasks Repeated for 10.5 cycles
Visually Guided
15
+
Fix 1250 ms
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Working Memory
Basal Ganglia: Caudate & Putamen
DLPFC
Superior Temporal Gyrus
Children Adolescents Adults
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Working Memory:Encoding and Maintenance
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Methods: ODR task
+ +
Saccade
Fix 1250 ms
Saccade
Jittered 2.5-12.5s
Spatial Working Memory Trials
VGS Trials
Baseline
time Delay 2.5 or 10
+
+
Cue 75 ms
+
Fix 2425 ms
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Prefrontal Cortex: Maintenance
2.5s Delay
BA9
Children8-12yo
Adolescents13-17yo
Adults18-30yo
10s Delay
BA9
BA10
PFC supports WM maintenance and is on line at all ages
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Hippocampus: Encoding
Children8-12yo
Adolescents13-17yo
Adults18-30yo
2.5s Delay
10s Delay
•The hippocampus supports encoding and is only recruited by adults
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Conclusions: Working Memory
• Adolescents are not efficient at recruiting regions that support encoding information in working memory.
12
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Take Home Message
• While adolescents behave similarly to adults the brain processes supporting cognitive control of behavior are not mature
• Adolescence is a still unstable stage that is vulnerable to immature processing
2
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Why?
• Adolescence is a crucial and necessary period of plasticity when brain circuitry and behavior is beginning to be established.
• Risk-taking behavior and novelty seeking may provide a mechanism for increasing exposure to the environment necessary for successful sculpting of the system.
end
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Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development
Dr. Miya AsatoDr. Suzy Scherf
Matt Costello MA
Chuck Geier MA
Melanie Wilds BA Emi Yasui BA
Krista Garver BA
Dr. Bea Luna PI