Cognitive flexibility depends on white matter microstructure of the basal ganglia

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA

卷:53

Article

van Schouwenburg, M. R.^1,2,3  Onnink, A. M. H.¹  ter Huurne, N.^1,2  Kan, C. C.¹  Zwiers, M. P.^2,6  Hoogman, M.^1,4  Franke, B.^1,5  Buitelaar, J. K.⁶  Cools, R.^1,2 

[1] Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Med Ctr, Donders Inst Brain Cognit & Behav, Dept Psychiat, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, Netherlands

[2] Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Donders Inst Brain Cognit & Behav, Ctr Cognit Neuroimaging, NL-6500 HE Nijmegen, Netherlands

[3] Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept Neurol, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA

[4] Max Planck Inst Psycholinguist, Dept Language & Genet, NL-6500 AH Nijmegen, Netherlands

[5] Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Med Ctr, Donders Inst Brain Cognit & Behav, Dept Human Genet, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, Netherlands

[6] Radboud Univ Nijmegen, Med Ctr, Donders Inst Brain Cognit & Behav, Dept Cognit Neurosci, NL-6500 HE Nijmegen, Netherlands

关键词: Basal ganglia;    Cognitive control;    DTI;    Structural connectivity;    Fronto-striatal circuits;    ADHD;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.11.015

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Ample evidence shows that the basal ganglia play an important role in cognitive flexibility. However, traditionally, cognitive processes have most commonly been associated with the prefrontal cortex. Indeed, current theoretical models of basal ganglia function suggest the basal ganglia interact with the prefrontal cortex and thalamus, via anatomical fronto-striato-thalamic circuits, to implement cognitive flexibility. Here we aimed to assess this hypothesis in humans by associating individual differences in cognitive flexibility with white matter microstructure of the basal ganglia. To this end we employed an attention switching paradigm in adults with ADHD and controls, leading to a broad range in task performance. Attention switching performance could be predicted based on individual differences in white matter microstructure in/around the basal ganglia. Crucially, local white matter showing this association projected to regions in the prefrontal cortex and thalamus. Our findings highlight the crucial role of the basal ganglia and the fronto-striato-thalamic circuit for cognitive flexibility. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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