Neurobiological Mechanisms of Impulse Control Problems

拟议工作计划的主要目标是研究神经生物学和认知机制。 潜在的冲动控制(外部化)问题。建议的工作建立在应用程序的基础上。 参与制定外部化的层级模型。该模型的核心思想是 被标记为外部化的一般易感性因素是精神病理综合征的基础和纽带 涉及反社会行为和物质依赖，以及反映冲动的人格特征 和攻击性。这些问题被概念化为涉及大脑前部区域的缺陷， 尽管研究人员才真正开始了解这些区域是如何工作的。最老牌的 与外化问题相关的是P300事件相关电位(ERP)脑的波幅降低 组件。然而，P300的神经机制是分布的，并没有被很好地理解。因此， P300波幅降低的研究并没有产生关于神经机制的良好模型 牵涉其中。研究人员最近开始研究错误相关负波的幅度降低。 (ERN)与外化相关障碍相关的ERP脑成分。据了解，ERN涉及一项 前扣带回皮质(ACC)相对较强的激活，为研究提供了更清晰的靶点。当前 ERN的模型表明，它最好被理解为ACC的激活，它受到其他大脑的影响 各地区视情况而定，特别是PFC。拟议工作的目标是 在不同的任务环境下，考察PFC和ACC在ERN中的作用，然后 研究这些关系是如何在有外在问题的个体身上调节的。 主要的培训内容包括发展直接测量方法的技能 外化过程中PFC与ACC关系的特定脑区研究 精神变态学。近年来，定位神经源的方法取得了令人难以置信的增长， 当前可用的技术为使用ERP推断ACC和PFC源提供了很强的可能性， 磁共振成像(MRI)，以及(多模式)ERP和MRI联合方法。建议数 培训活动将提供所有这三种方法的培训，并由这方面的一位主要专家进行指导 菲尔德。候选人还带来了在联合时频(TF)分析方面的强大专业知识，这是一种新兴的 电生理信号的计算方法。一个重要的次要目标是整合TF 用这些神经源本地化方法的方法，创造神经源的前沿方法 方法：研究方法。长期目标是让候选人成为一名独立调查员，专注于 外化精神病理学，使用尖端方法来推断神经来源，如所述。

The broad aim of the proposed program of work is to investigate neurobiological and cognitive mechanisms underlying impulse control (externalizing) problems. The proposed work builds on the applicant.Aos involvement in the development of a hierarchical model of externalizing. The core idea of this model is that a general vulnerability factor, labeled externalizing, underlies and unites psychopathologicalsyndromes involving antisocial behavior and substance dependence, as well as personality traits reflecting impulsivity and aggression. These problems are conceptualized in terms of deficits involving anterior brain regions, although researchers are only really beginning to understand how these regions work. The most established correlate of externalizing problems is reduced amplitude of the P300 event-related potential (ERP) brain component. However, neural mechanisms underlying P300 are distributed and not well understood. Thus, studies of P300 amplitude reductions have not produced good models about the neural mechanisms involved. Researchers have recently begun investigating amplitude reductions in the error-related negativity (ERN) ERP brain component related to externalizing-related disorders. The ERN is understood to involve a relatively strong activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), providing a clearer target for study. Current models of the ERN suggest that it is best understood as an ACC activation which is influenced by other brain regions depending on the circumstances, particularly the PFC. The goal of the proposed work is to investigate the roles of the PFC and ACC during the ERN under different task circumstances, and then to investigate how these relationships are modulated in individuals with externalizing problems. The primary training components involve developing skills in direct approaches to the measurement of specific brain regions to address the question of the relationship between the PFC and ACC in externalizing psychopathology. Recent years have seen incredible growth in methods for localizing neural sources, and currently available techniques offer strong possibilities for inferring ACC and PFC sources using ERP, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and combined (multimodal) ERP and MRI approaches. The proposed training activities would provide training in all three approaches, with mentorship by a leading expert in this field. The candidate also brings strong expertise in joint time-frequency (TF) analysis, an emerging computational method for electrophysiological signals. An important secondary goal is to integrate TF approaches with these neural source localization methods, to create cutting-edge methods neural source methods. The long term goal is for the candidate to become an independent investigator focused on externalizing psychopathology, employing cutting-edge methods for inferring neural sources as described.