Measuring cognitive effort without difficulty

Fleming, Hugo; Robinson, Oliver J.; Roiser, Jonathan P.

doi:10.3758/s13415-023-01065-9

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The reluctance in these cases is often linked to altered reward sensitivity rather than an increased perception of effort (Le Heron et al, 2018). Importantly, in our study, we implemented a process of standardizing tasks’ effort demands across participants, drawing inspiration from a critical methodological advancement highlighted in recent cognitive effort research (Fleming et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A neurometabolic signature in the frontal cortex explains individual differences in effort-based decision-making

Barakat,

Clairis,

Brochard

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Exploring why individuals vary in their willingness to exert effort in decision-making is fundamental for understanding human behavior. Our study focuses on the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dmPFC/dACC), a crucial brain region in motivation and decision-making, to uncover the neurobiological factors influencing these individual differences. We utilized 7T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to analyze metabolite concentrations in the dmPFC/dACC and anterior insula (AI) of 75 participants, aiming to predict individual variability in effort-based decision-making. Employing computational modeling, we identified key motivational parameters and, using machine learning models, pinpointed glutamate, aspartate, and lactate as crucial metabolites predicting decision-making to exert high mental effort, signifying their role as potential biomarkers for mental effort decision-making. Additionally, we examined the relationships between plasma and brain metabolite concentrations. Our findings provide novel insights into the neurometabolic underpinnings of motivated behavior, offering new perspectives in the field of cognitive neuroscience and human behavior.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A neurometabolic signature in the frontal cortex explains individual differences in effort-based decision-making

Barakat,

Clairis,

Brochard

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…As men5oned previously, as this was a retrospec5ve study, we did not have a measure of task demand to be able to fully test Criterion B. Future prospec5ve studies should include measures of task demand when studying CRCI; for example, dual-or concurrent-tasks, tasks that vary demand, linguis5c analyses, physiological measures, or self-report measures such as the NASA Task Load Index (58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65). Including self-report measures of cogni5ve load or demand afer each objec5ve cogni5ve test could also assess whether pa5ents are aware of any increased neural effort associated with their performance.…”

Section: Neural Ac*vity and Brain Age Gapmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of compensatory neural hyperactivity in a subgroup of chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors and its association with brain aging

Mulholland,

Stuifbergen,

De La Torre Schutz

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) remains poorly understood in terms of the mechanisms of cognitive decline. Neural hyperactivity has been reported on average in cancer survivors, but it is unclear which patients demonstrate this neurophenotype, limiting precision medicine in this population. We evaluated a retrospective sample of 80 breast cancer survivors and 80 non-cancer controls, age 35-73, for which we had previously identified and validated three data-driven, biological subgroups (biotypes) of CRCI. We measured neural activity using the z-normalized percent amplitude of fluctuation from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We tested established, quantitative criteria to determine if hyperactivity can accurately be considered compensatory. We also calculated brain age gap by applying a previously validated algorithm to anatomic MRI. We found that neural activity differed across the three CRCI biotypes and controls (F = 13.5, p < 0.001), with Biotype 2 demonstrating significant hyperactivity compared to the other groups (p < 0.004, corrected), primarily in prefrontal regions. Alternatively, Biotypes 1 and 3 demonstrated significant hypoactivity (p < 0.02, corrected). Hyperactivity in Biotype 2 met several of the criteria to be considered compensatory. However, we also found a positive relationship between neural activity and brain age gap in these patients (r = 0.45, p = 0.042). Our results indicated that neural hyperactivity is specific to a subgroup of breast cancer survivors and, while it seems to support preserved cognitive function, it could also increase the risk of accelerated brain aging. These findings could inform future neuromodulatory interventions with respect to the risks and benefits of up or downregulation of neural activity.

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“…The term is used in two main ways (3), with the two usages sometimes treated inter-changeably. First, mental effort is used to refer to the cognitive 'work' that is done in meeting task demands (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Second, it refers to a subjective experience that is attached to performing the work, but that is dissociable from the work itself (10,11).…”

Section: The Importance Of Understanding Mental Effortmentioning

confidence: 99%

What is mental effort: a clinical perspective

Wolpe,

Holton,

Fletcher

2023

Preprint

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Although mental effort is a frequently used term, it is poorly defined and understood. In neuroscience research, the term is used to mean both the cognitive ‘work’ that is done in meeting task demands, and the subjective experience of performing that work. We argue that this dual usage is problematic, as many neuropsychiatric conditions are characterised by specific changes either in the cognitive apparatus that carries out the work, or in the subjective experience that accompanies it. We suggest that the most coherent and clinically useful perspective on mental effort is that it is a subjective experience. This makes a clear distinction between cognitive impairments arising from changes in the cognitive apparatus, as in dementia and brain injury, and those arising from subjective difficulties in carrying out the cognitive work, as in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and other motivational disorders. We review recent advances in neuroscience research, suggesting the experience of effort has emerged to control task switches so as to minimise ‘costs’ relative to ‘benefits.’ We consider how these advances can contribute to our understanding of the experience of increased effort perception in clinical populations. We suggest that this more specific framing of mental effort will offer a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of cognitive impairments in differing clinical groups, and will ultimately facilitate better therapeutic interventions.

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Measuring cognitive effort without difficulty

Cited by 10 publications

References 40 publications

A neurometabolic signature in the frontal cortex explains individual differences in effort-based decision-making

A neurometabolic signature in the frontal cortex explains individual differences in effort-based decision-making

Evidence of compensatory neural hyperactivity in a subgroup of chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors and its association with brain aging

What is mental effort: a clinical perspective

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