Discovery science of human brain function

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Abstracts / Neuroscience Research 71S (2011) e6–e44

S3-F-1-1 Remembering faces: Effects of face-based social signals on memory for faces

S3-F-1-3 Changes in retrieval networks due to consolidation

Takashi Tsukiura

Guillen Fernandez

Cogn. Sci., Kyoto University, Kyoto

Donders Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Face-related information conveys various kinds of social signals, which affect the processing of facial stimuli. Although previous psychological studies have reported that the face-based social signals affect memory processes of facial stimuli, little is known about the neural mechanisms of this effect. Our previous studies have tackled this issue, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In the first fMRI experiment, we investigated brain activations reflecting the effect of facial attractiveness on the encoding processes of faces. Behavioral results demonstrated that attractive faces were remembered better than neutral or unattractive faces. In the fMRI data, activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) increased as a function of facial attractiveness, whereas the hippocampal activity reflected a function of subsequent memory performance. In addition, a correlation coefficient between these regions was significant during the encoding of attractive faces but not of neutral or unattractive faces. In the second experiment, we investigated brain activations reflecting the effect of facial impression of personality badness on the encoding processes of faces. In behavioral data, bad-looking faces in terms of personality were remembered better than neutral- or good-looking faces. fMRI data demonstrated that activity in the insular cortex increased as a function of bad-looking faces, and that the hippocampal activity was modulated by a function of subsequent memory. In addition, a correlation between these regions was significant only in the encoding of bad-looking faces. Taken together, we conclude that face-based social signals, such as attractiveness or personality badness, could contribute to the enhancement of face memory processes, which could be modulated by the effect of reward-related OFC or of punishment-related insular cortex on memory-related hippocampal region. Research fund: KAKENHI (21119503), KAKENHI (22683017).

Hippocampal lesions cause temporally graded retrograde amnesia, suggesting a time-limited role of the hippocampus in memory retrieval. This phenomenon forms the basis of the standard model of system-level consolidation, which proposes that the hippocampus is part of a retrieval network for recent memories, but that memories are gradually more dependant on neocortical circuits alone. More specifically, while the hippocampus links posterior representational areas when recent memories are retrieved, the medial prefrontal cortex might take over this pointer function for remote memories. Given these ideas, system-level consolidation is characterized by network changes rather than local activity changes. Therefore, analyses of connectivity dominate recent fMRI studies probing memory consolidation in humans. We used standard approaches like psychophysiological interaction probing neural consequences of consolidation at retrieval. However, it is more difficult to probe neural correlates of consolidation directly, because its time course is unknown. Therefore, we used model-free methods like interregional partial correlations to probe functional connectivity more directly associated with consolidation during a rest period following encoding. To vary consolidation experimentally, we contrasted recent and remote memories in some experiments and slow and fast consolidation in others. We manipulated the speed of system-level consolidation by manipulating the degree by which new information can be assimilated into existing mental schemata. These new behavioral paradigms combined with adequate connectivity analyses appear to provide the instrumentation to study the neural underpinnings of how we retain and integrate new information for long-term use. Research fund: NWO, Dutch Organization for Scientific Research.

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.127

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.129

S3-F-1-2 Neural substrates and inter-individual functional connectivity during mutual gaze and joint attention using dual functional MRI

S3-F-1-4 Functional areas in the inferior frontal cortex based on brain activity and functional connectivity

Hiroki C. Tanabe 1,2 , Norihiro Sadato 1,2 1

Div. of Cerebral Integration, NIPS, Okazaki, Japan 2 School of Life Science, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan Eye contact affords to establish a communicative link between humans, and prompts joint attention. Joint attention is an ability to coordinate attention between interactive two persons regarding objects or events. The impaired development of it is a cardinal feature of autism. As the eye contact (mutual gaze) is implicated in the sharing of various psychological states, it might provide a communicative context in which joint attention can be initiated. Thus, to elucidate the neural mechanisms of inter-subjective sharing such as mutual gaze and joint attention, we conducted hyper-scanning functional MRI while they were engaged in joint attention tasks with eye contact as the baseline. We hypothesized that the mutual gaze specific psychologically shared states is neurally represented by the inter-subject synchronization of the “state” of the brain activity, which is obtained by the elimination of the task-related-activation component. In contrast, we detected brain regions related to joint attention in terms of task-related activity. In addition, to compare the difference of neural mechanisms of mutual gaze and joint attention between normal adult individuals and those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we conducted the experiments (1) with 19 normal-normal pairs and (2) with 21 ASD-normal pairs. Imaging results showed that activation of the bilateral occipital cortex, right superior temporal sulcus, and posterior rostral medial frontal gyrus was observed by eye-cued gaze. Individuals with ASD showed less activation of the occipital cortex (OC), and normal individuals paired with ASD showed greater activity of the OC and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Regarding inter-subject synchronization during mutual gaze, the right IFG showed more prominent correlations in normal pairs than in ASD-normal pairs. These results indicate that the right IFG plays an important role for shared intention during eye contact that provides the context for joint attention. Research fund: KAKENHI17100003 KAKENHI21220005 Development of biomarker candidates for social behavior under SRPBS by MEXT. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.128

Seiki Konishi Department of Physiol., The University of Tokyo Sch. of Med.,Tokyo, Japan Recent advancement of noninvasive neuroimaging has provided a candidate tool for delineation of cortical region using structural/functional connectivity between the regions. However, it is not known whether the method can be justified in delineating a number of unspecified cortical regions in the brain. We measured brain activations in the human inferior frontal cortex associated with the two functions that were known to be separate by as close as ∼1 cm. The activations were then compared with the boundary delineated by the method using a relatively small voxel size. The delineation method revealed a collection of micro-modules whose adjacent centers were estimated to be separate by only ∼12 mm in the 2 dimensional surface. Moreover, the activations were found to be significantly relevant to the connectivitybased regions. These results highlight the promise of the use of connectivity information in delineating functional areas based on one principle. Research fund: KAKENHI22300134. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.130

S3-F-1-5 Discovery science of human brain function Michael Peter Milham 1,2 , Clare Kelly 1 , Maarten Mennes 1 , Adriana Di Martino 1 , Francisco Xavier Castellanos 2 1

New York Langone Medical Center New York, NY, USA 2 Nathan Kline Institute Orangeburg, NY, USA Until recently, discovery science was impractical in functional brain imaging because of the exquisite sensitivity of most functional imaging data to innumerable scanner, task, and individual subject factors. However, resting state functional MRI (R-fMRI) has emerged as a powerful tool for discoverybased scientific analyses of typical and atypical brain function. R-fMRI is based on large amplitude, low frequency, spontaneous fluctuations in brain activity that, until recently, were considered noise. Correlational analyses of these spontaneous fluctuations reveal strikingly consistent patterns of synchronous activity (known as functional connectivity) across multiple distinct functional systems commonly identified in task-based studies. Emerging hypotheses posit that these functional relationships, easily detected in spontaneous activity regardless of state, encode a blueprint for the brain’s repertoire of responses to the external world. Central to the success of

Abstracts / Neuroscience Research 71S (2011) e6–e44

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discovery science is the accrual of large-scale deeply-phenotyped imaging datasets that can provide the necessary statistical power and phenotypic information upon which discovery can be carried out via sophisticated datamining, yielding novel insights into brain-behavior relationships and the complexities of the connectome. Simultaneously, the availability of largescale imaging datasets will quicken the development and translation of novel analytic techniques. The 1000 Functional Connectomes Project (FCP) invigorated the neuroimaging community by aggregating 1300 R-fMRI datasets independently collected by labs around the world, and making them publicly available. Initial analyses demonstrated the presence of a universal functional architecture across participants and sites, with stable loci of variation and significant sex- and age-related difference among individuals. These findings, as well as those emerging from analysis of next-generation FCP data-sharing efforts, will be presented and discussed. Research funds: This research was partially supported by grants from NIMH R01MH081218, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (F.X.C.), and the Leon Levy Foundation.

training programs. NENS should also promote student exchanges between Europe and other neuroscience communities in Asia or America during lab rotation in a Master or PhD program or lab visits in complement to the participation to a major international meeting. NENS should be lobbying at the European Commissions level to promote international programs and to harmonize legislations for academic training between countries. Professional development of young neuroscientists who are considering a career outside the academia is of increasing interest among students in our schools. NENS has a role in interfacing with international non-academic institutions hiring young neuroscientists and informing the students on these opportunities and the specific skills required for these jobs.

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.131

David R. Riddle

S3-G-1-1 Zealand

Neuroscience education in Australia & New

Sarah A. Dunlop Sch of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Australia Australian and New Zealand Universities (∼35) are diverse. Researchintensive Universities variously have medical Research Institutes, some being neuroscience-dedicated, or smaller neuroscience Centres. BSc neuroscience major degrees are offered at ∼1/3rd of Universities and are taught by diverse, rather than neuroscience-dedicated, Schools. High quality graduates may undertake a 1-year, research-intensive “Honours” program as a pre-requisite for a higher degree. Some Universities offer neuroscience Masters (2 years), combining course work and research. PhD programs (3–4 years) are currently full-time research. Research funding at early postdoctoral stages is highly competitive but becomes even more so mid-career. Australia has a senior Research Fellowship scheme through which some neuroscientists progress. The main source of research funding In Australia and New Zealand is government rather than philanthropic. However, whereas Australia has a relatively large number of research-only Fellowships, these are rare in New Zealand with neuroscience research and training being undertaken by academic (i.e. teaching and research) staff. The Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS) supports neuroscience education in high schools via the Australian & New Zealand Brain Bee Competition. ANS also trains 12 postgraduates per year in high-end electrophysiology and imaging techniques via its 3-week Australian Course in Advanced Neuroscience. Current changes in higher education include the introduction of broad-based cross-disciplinary degrees with a focus on professional workforce training. Specialization in disciplines such as neuroscience will still occur by Masters degrees and / or PhDs and combined course work and research PhDs are being mooted. The aging academic workforce will provide opportunities for PhDs in the medium term. The challenge is to provide short-to-medium term opportunities for early and mid-career researchers. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.132

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.133

S3-G-1-3 Neuroscience training in the United States and Canada: Historical trends, current status, and future directions Department Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Neuroscience training in the United States and Canada occurs in many settings – small colleges, large universities, medical schools, and research institutes. Despite this diversity, most graduate programs share important characteristics and many face common challenges. In the US, graduate students typically are recruited by and admitted to programs, rather than into individual laboratories, and are supported for one or two years by program funds. This remains an attractive and effective model for initiating graduate education; the average number of applicants to neuroscience graduate programs increased from 25 in 1986 to almost 100 in 2010. Most graduate students complete at least one year of formal course work and do research rotations in multiple laboratories before joining a laboratory for thesis research. Broad instruction in neuroscience remains important, since entering graduate students have diverse backgrounds and only 20% have an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, despite a substantial increase in undergraduate neuroscience programs. The efficacy of graduate training is supported by data indicating that 75% of new neuroscience PhDs continue into postdoctoral training, while 1% or less fail to find work in the field. This model of graduate training provides many advantages, but significant challenges exist. For example, providing financial support for students is increasingly difficult, with fewer teaching assistantships available and increasing reliance on other institutional and governmental funds. This presentation will highlight progress and improvements in US and Canadian training programs, drawing on data from the Biennial Survey of Neuroscience Departments and Programs. The survey has been conducted since 1986, initially by the Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs and recently by the Society for Neuroscience. Current hot topics and challenges for the future of neuroscience training in the US and Canada will be discussed. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2011.07.134

S3-G-1-4 Current situation of neuroscience education in Japan Noriko Osumi

S3-G-1-2 Supporting the training of master and doctoral neuroscience students across Europe Jean-Pierre Hornung DBCM, Fac Biol Medicine, Univ Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland In Europe, the educational system in each country, because of linguistic, cultural and economic differences, has developed diverse programs and criteria to acquire academic degrees. To favour mobility, 29 European countries signed in 1999 a declaration, which established standards in the academic degree levels and the amount of training by a standard number of credits. Neuroscience master and doctoral training programs, organized in Schools, formed since 2003 a Network (NENS) associated with FENS. Today around 160 programs in 28 countries are affiliated to NENS. NENS aims to promote higher education in the field of neuroscience and assist to the establishment of high quality standards in all countries across Europe. NENS has a complementary mission to the institutional and national programs to promote large scale international exchange and training activities. One major goal of NENS is to promote the mobility of the students. It effectively improves training by increasing their exposure to a broader academic and technical expertise. This could be achieved by either providing stipends for a short stay in a laboratory to practice a new technique or by favouring the development of international

Div. of Dev. Neurosci., Grad. Sch. of Med., Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Japan Neuroscience Society (JNS) consists with 5200 members, within which 500 members are undergraduate and graduate students. There are no departments specific for neuroscience in Japan, and undergraduate students are first educated in departments of life science, mathematics, engineering, or psychology, or in medical schools. Education systems are different between medical schools and other departments; classical brain anatomy and physiology are not usually taught in the latte. Psychology department belongs to “department of literature”, which means psychology undergraduates often lack knowledge of genetics and molecular and cellular neurobiology. Therefore, the integrated neuroscience education course is not well established in Japan at this moment. A partial trial for universities to improve this situation is to establishment of center of excellence (COE) supported by the Ministry of Education in Japan. Several COE programs and subsequent global COEs were and have been focusing on neuroscience. I myself am the leader of Tohoku University Neuroscience GCOE, and we are working on setting up a series of neuroscience lectures by neuroscientists in our Tohoku University. Another function of COE system is that students belonging to COEs are financially supported as being given their salary. As for different levels of neuroscience education, RIKEN Brain Science Institute has been offering Summer School for students worldwide by giving lectures by top neuroscientists and short