When trying to understand texts, readers engage in various cognitive processes. If all goes well, the engagement in these cognitive processes during reading results in the construction of a... Show moreWhen trying to understand texts, readers engage in various cognitive processes. If all goes well, the engagement in these cognitive processes during reading results in the construction of a coherent mental representation of the text, the essence of successful reading comprehension. To construct such a representation, readers need to monitor the coherence of the text and of their emerging mental representation of what the text is about. The central aim of the empirical studies described is to examine coherence-monitoring processes across development by measuring reader’s ability to detect coherence breaks during reading of narratives. The first part of this dissertation consists of three empirical studies (chapter 2-4). The first study examined whether good and poor comprehenders at age 8-9 and 10-11 detected coherence-breaks during and/or after reading. The second study builds on the first study by examining the protracted development of coherence monitoring in an adolescent population (ages 10-22) using the same task under more challenging circumstances. The third study explored the neural correlates of coherence-break detection in young adults in an fMRI study. The second part of this dissertation consists of two conceptual chapters in which the results are summarized and discussed in a broader theoretical perspective (chapter 5-6). Show less
Will, G.J.; Crone, E.A.M.; Van Lier, P.A.C.; Güroğlu, B. 2016
The current study examined the effects of oxytocin administration on the response to infant crying in individuals with secure or insecure attachment representations as assessed with the Adult... Show moreThe current study examined the effects of oxytocin administration on the response to infant crying in individuals with secure or insecure attachment representations as assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview. We measured feelings of irritation and the use of excessive force as indicated by grip strength using a handgrip dynamometer during exposure to infant crying in 42 women without children who were administered intranasal oxytocin or a placebo. In addition, amygdala responses to infant crying and control sounds were measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The effects of oxytocin on reactivity to crying were moderated by attachment security. Oxytocin decreased the use of excessive handgrip force and amygdala reactivity in response to crying in individuals with insecure attachment representations. Our findings indicate that insecure individuals, who show emotional, behavioral, and neural hyperreactivity to crying, benefit the most from intranasal oxytocin. Show less
This thesis focused on the development of creative thinking across adolescence and into adulthood. To this end, a range of creativity tasks, both with and without an fMRI scanner, and before and... Show moreThis thesis focused on the development of creative thinking across adolescence and into adulthood. To this end, a range of creativity tasks, both with and without an fMRI scanner, and before and after training paradigms has been used to ex_amine both age- and experience-related effects on creative thinking performance during functional brain develop_ment. Chapter 1 provides a theoretical background for the research described in chapters 2 to 6. In Chapter 2, developmental trajectories of creative cognition across adolescence and early adulthood were examined using a set of tasks gauging both insight and divergent thinking in the verbal and visual domain. In Chapter 3, behavioral and neural differences for creative problem solving in middle-adolescents and adults were examined. Chapter 4 examined the neural correlates of divergent thinking in adults and adolescents. Chapter 5 focused on the effectiveness of creative ideation training in adolescents and adults. In Chapter 6, the benefits of training creativity in adolescents were examined using fMRI techniques. Finally, Chapter 7 summarizes the main results of the empirical studies presented in this thesis. Here, implications of the results are discussed and suggestions for future research are presented. Show less
Schouten, T.M.; Koini, M.; Vos, F. de; Seiler, S.; Van der Grond, J.; Lechner, A.; ... ; Rombouts, S.A.R.B. 2016
Adolescence, defined as the transition phase between childhood and adulthood, is a time of many physical, cognitive and social-emotional changes. It is a natural time of exploring, thrill seeking,... Show moreAdolescence, defined as the transition phase between childhood and adulthood, is a time of many physical, cognitive and social-emotional changes. It is a natural time of exploring, thrill seeking, and for eventually setting long-term goals and aspirations. One of the most prominent findings is that adolescents take more risks than children or adults. The focus of this thesis is on adolescent risk taking behavior. The goal is to identify individual difference factors that are related to risk taking behavior and assess how these variables change over development. Adolescence is associated with major changes in hormonal levels, brain function and social environment. In this thesis it is tested how changes in pubertal development, brain function and social environment together influence real life risk taking. The studies in this thesis show that neural responses to rewards in the striatum are elevated during adolescence. This response is influenced by chronological age, pubertal development, personality and the social context. Importantly, the striatum response to rewards is related to real life risk taking behavior and therefore has functional relevance. The results of this thesis provide vital insight in the complex relationship between reward processing and real life risk taking behavior. Show less
Children and adolescents who are chronically rejected by their peers suffer from widespread impairments in daily life, ranging from poor academic achievement and dropping out of school, to... Show moreChildren and adolescents who are chronically rejected by their peers suffer from widespread impairments in daily life, ranging from poor academic achievement and dropping out of school, to delinquency and the development of mental health problems. To gain a better understanding of the developmental processes that give rise to such impairments, the research described in this dissertation examined the neurocognitive underpinnings of processes that play a role in the emergence and maintenance of peer group rejection and acceptance. The first part of this dissertation focuses on neurocognitive processes underlying reactions to social exclusion. The second part concentrates on the neurocognitive processes involved in sharing valuable resources, based on the widely established finding that frequent displays of prosocial behaviors, such as cooperating, helping, and sharing, are associated with both gaining and maintaining acceptance among peers. The empirical work in this dissertation demonstrates that a developmental cognitive neuroscience approach provides unique insights into the emotional, regulatory, and socio-cognitive processes thought to play a role in the emergence and maintenance of peer group acceptance and rejection. Show less
This thesis aimed to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of adolescent onset depression and anxiety disorders. A longitudinal fMRI study design was used that included both task related brain... Show moreThis thesis aimed to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of adolescent onset depression and anxiety disorders. A longitudinal fMRI study design was used that included both task related brain activation and resting state functional connectivity. All participants were scanned three times in a six-month period. In between scan sessions the adolescents from the clinical group received treatment as usual. Adolescents from the control group were scanned within the same time interval but did not receive treatment. During a scan session several MRI parameters were collected including task based fMRI (emotional face processing task) and resting state fMRI. We also administered several questionnaires about derpession and anxiety symptomatology. It was demonstrated that adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders show differentiating patterns of amygdala reactivity and connectivity compared to a healthy control group. Furthermore, using a dimensional approach and taking individual differences in self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms into account highlighted the role of self-reported anxiety symptoms in amygdala reactivity during emotional faces processing. These findings indicate that the amygdala indeed is an important region involved in emotional face processing and that focusing on this region can provide further insights in the development and persistence of depressive and anxiety disorders in adolescents. Show less
One of the most prominent changes in adolescence is social reorientation. In other words, adolescents develop more intimate relationships with peers, they discover what it is like to be involved in... Show moreOne of the most prominent changes in adolescence is social reorientation. In other words, adolescents develop more intimate relationships with peers, they discover what it is like to be involved in a romantic relationship, and they take (social) risks by for example showing risky driving in the presence of friends. Given that social networks with peers become central elements in the adolescent’s life, investigating the role of individual differences related to the development of social reorientation seems highly relevant. This dissertation contributes to a better understanding of stability and change in social reorientation during adolescence by explaining the crucial role of empathy in social interactions from a brain and behavioral perspective. Future research can benefit from the presented studies by applying it to a more detailed analysis of individual differences in this important period in life, which may help to explain why some adolescents are successful in developing social competencies and relationships, whereas others experience difficulties. Eventually, this may lead to the development of interventions for youth who do not cope well with the social requirements from the environments, and help to improve their lives and the lives of individuals around them Show less
The aim of this thesis was to identify the neural mechanisms that enable a person to adaptively respond to, and recover from stress, which was studied in healthy controls, in people with increased... Show moreThe aim of this thesis was to identify the neural mechanisms that enable a person to adaptively respond to, and recover from stress, which was studied in healthy controls, in people with increased vulnerability or resilience to stress-related disorders, and in people with depression or PTSD, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In most of the studies, a specific MRI method was employed, with which it is possible to assess how different brain regions communicate with each other (i.e., functional connectivity) when the brain is initiating or regulating stress responses. Structure, activity, and connectivity of the amygdala, a small brain region important for stress reactivity, was of main interest. The results show how stress influences information processing, and causes changes in the communication between brain areas, even long after the stressful event ended. Furthermore, personality dimensions associated with increased vulnerability or resilience to affective disorders were associated with changes in brain networks involved in emotion processing and regulation. Finally, smaller amygdala volumes were found in women with PTSD, while reduced integrity of affective brain networks was demonstrated in depression. Together, these results open important new avenues for future research into the short and long term effects of stress on the brain. Show less
Self-control abilities are crucial for successful functioning in daily life. At the core of self-control lies the ability to intentionally inhibit one__s actions. Intentional inhibition differs... Show moreSelf-control abilities are crucial for successful functioning in daily life. At the core of self-control lies the ability to intentionally inhibit one__s actions. Intentional inhibition differs from externally driven inhibition in that it is driven by an internal thought process rather than an external stimulus that tells one to stop. The goal of this thesis was to examine the development of intentional inhibition and compare this with externally driven inhibition. In order to investigate the covert process of intentional inhibition, the research described in this thesis made use of neurobiological measures such as phasic heart rate changes and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In addition, to learn more about self-control in context, the final empirical chapter examined intentional and externally driven inhibition in the context of relevant and irrelevant emotions. Show less
Previous research has revealed that it is important for people to be moral. Nevertheless, they may sometimes commit immoral acts. In this dissertation, I examined when people tend to act in ways... Show morePrevious research has revealed that it is important for people to be moral. Nevertheless, they may sometimes commit immoral acts. In this dissertation, I examined when people tend to act in ways that are considered moral; whether it is important for them to be perceived as moral by others; and how much they care whether or not they succeed in behaving according to their moral values. Additionally, I used neuroscientific (i.e., EEG and fMRI) and psychophysiological (i.e., skin conductance) research methods to gain insight in some of the processes underlying these questions. Extending previous research by examining people's actual moral behavior and shedding light on the cognitive and affective processes underlying their acts, the findings in this dissertation reveal not only that, but also when and how people behave according to their moral values. Show less
The aim of this set of studies was to provide more insight in individual characteristics that influence care-giving abilities, in particular precursors of harsh and abusive parenting. We examined... Show moreThe aim of this set of studies was to provide more insight in individual characteristics that influence care-giving abilities, in particular precursors of harsh and abusive parenting. We examined how different subtypes of childhood abuse were related to child abuse potential in adulthood. Emotional neglect in childhood was related to child abuse potential, which is in line with earlier research showing the long-lasting effects of emotional maltreatment and neglect in childhood. With regard to the effects of oxytocin on the neural basis of parenting, we used fMRI to examine how oxytocin influenced emotion recognition using pictures of both adult and infant faces, taking experiences of maternal love withdrawal into account as potential moderator. Oxytocin enhanced neural activity in regions involved in emotion processing, such as the IFG, insula and STG. Our findings regarding the moderating role of experiences of maternal love withdrawal are inconsistent for emotion recognition in adult faces and in infant faces. Lastly, a new paradigm (LISSA) to observe sensitivity in response to standardized infant cues was developed and tested. Our results show that sensitivity can be reliably assessed using this procedure, making the LISSA a promising method for future research and clinical practice. Show less
As infants are fully dependent on their parents, correct perception and interpretation of infant signals is crucial for infant survival. It is therefore not surprising that specific brain circuits... Show moreAs infants are fully dependent on their parents, correct perception and interpretation of infant signals is crucial for infant survival. It is therefore not surprising that specific brain circuits and neuroendocrine processes have evolved to perceive infant signals correctly and to respond adequately. However, parents vary in their ability to respond to their infants in a sensitive way and several factors may be involved in parental sensitive responsiveness. One important factor influencing parenting behavior is the neuropeptide oxytocin. Of all the hormones involved in parenting and other social behaviors, oxytocin has received the most interest, as evidenced by the high number of scientific studies over the past decade (Bos, Panksepp, Bluthé, & Honk, 2012; Van IJzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2012). Many studies suggest that oxytocin is related to sensitive parenting (Bakermans-Kranenburg & Van IJzendoorn, 2008; Feldman, Weller, Zagoory-Sharon, & Levine, 2007), although the exact mechanism underlying this positive association is not entirely clear yet. Another factor that influences parenting behavior is adult state of mind with respect to attachment (Van IJzendoorn, 1995). In the current dissertation, the role of oxytocin and adult attachment in parenting is examined with a series of functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments. Show less
Prior studies have suggested that positive social interactions are experienced as rewarding. Yet, it is not well understood how social relationships influence neural responses to other persons... Show morePrior studies have suggested that positive social interactions are experienced as rewarding. Yet, it is not well understood how social relationships influence neural responses to other persons gains. In this study, we investigated neural responses during a gambling task in which healthy participants (N¼31; 18 females) could win or lose money for themselves, their best friend or a disliked other (antagonist). At the moment of receiving outcome, person-related activity was observed in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), precuneus and temporal parietal junction (TPJ), showing higher activity for friends and antagonists than for self, and this activity was independent of outcome. The only region showing an interaction between the person-participants played for and outcome was the ventral striatum. Specifically, the striatum was more active following gains than losses for self and friends, whereas for the antagonist this pattern was reversed. Together, these results show that, in a context with social and reward information, social aspects are processed in brain regions associated with social cognition (mPFC, TPJ), and reward aspects are processed in primary reward areas (striatum). Furthermore, there is an interaction of social and reward information in the striatum, such that reward-related activity was dependent on social relationship. Show less
