How can a 4-day working week increase wellbeing at no cost to performance?

The 4-day working week is gaining interest, with international trials reporting enhanced staff wellbeing and performance, despite spending less time on the job. Here, we argue that improved performance on a 4-day working week arises through two psychological mechanisms of recovery and motivation: because better rested, better motivated brains, create better work.

Synesthesia is linked to large and extensive differences in brain structure and function as determined by whole-brain biomarkers derived from the HCP (Human Connectome Project) cortical parcellation approach.

There is considerable interest in understanding the developmental origins and health implications of individual differences in brain structure and function. In this pre-registered study we demonstrate that a hidden subgroup within the general population-people with synesthesia (e.g.

Understanding the mechanisms of fatigue in multiple sclerosis: linking interoception, metacognition and white matter dysconnectivity.

One of the most prominent symptoms in multiple sclerosis is pathological fatigue, often described by sufferers as one of the most debilitating symptoms, affecting quality of life and employment. However, the mechanisms of both, physical and cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis remain elusive. Here, we use behavioural tasks and quantitative MRI to investigate the neural correlates of interoception (the ability to sense internal bodily signals) and metacognition (the ability of the brain to assess its own performance), in modulating cognitive fatigue.

Measuring and reducing the carbon footprint of fMRI preprocessing in fMRIPrep.

Computationally expensive data processing in neuroimaging research places demands on energy consumption-and the resulting carbon emissions contribute to the climate crisis. We measured the carbon footprint of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) preprocessing tool fMRIPrep, testing the effect of varying parameters on estimated carbon emissions and preprocessing performance. Performance was quantified using (a) statistical individual-level task activation in regions of interest and (b) mean smoothness of preprocessed data.

Geographical and economic influences on neuroimaging modality choice.

The current neuroimaging literature is unrepresentative of the world's population due to bias towards particular types of people living in a subset of geographical locations. This is true of both the people running the research and those participating in it. These biases mean we may be missing insights into how the brain works.

An Open Science MRI Database of over 100 Synaesthetic Brains and Accompanying Deep Phenotypic Information.

We provide a neuroimaging database consisting of 102 synaesthetic brains using state-of-the-art 3 T MRI protocols from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) which is freely available to researchers. This database consists of structural (T1- and T2-weighted) images together with approximately 24 minutes of resting state data per participant. These protocols are designed to be inter-operable and reproducible so that others can add to the dataset or directly compare it against other normative or special samples.

Elevated representational similarity of voluntary action and inhibition in Tourette syndrome.

Many people with Tourette syndrome are able to volitionally suppress tics, under certain circumstances. To understand better the neural mechanisms that underlie this ability, we used functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging to track regional brain activity during performance of an intentional inhibition task. On some trials, Tourette syndrome and comparison participants internally chose to make or withhold a motor action (a button press), while on other trials, they followed 'Go' and 'NoGo' instructions to make or withhold the same action.

The pre-supplementary motor area achieves inhibitory control by modulating response thresholds.

The pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) is central for the initiation and inhibition of voluntary action. For the execution of action, the pre-SMA optimises the decision of which action to choose by adjusting the thresholds for the required evidence for each choice. However, it remains unclear how the pre-SMA contributes to action inhibition.

Climate crisis and ecological emergency: Why they concern (neuro)scientists, and what we can do.

Our planet is experiencing severe and accelerating climate and ecological breakdown caused by human activity. As professional scientists, we are better placed than most to understand the data that evidence this fact. However, like most other people, we ignore this inconvenient truth and lead our daily lives, at home and at work, as if these facts weren't true.

Joint Hypermobility Links Neurodivergence to Dysautonomia and Pain.

Objectives: Autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and tic disorder (Tourette syndrome; TS) are neurodevelopmental conditions that frequently co-occur and impact psychological, social, and emotional processes. Increased likelihood of chronic physical symptoms, including fatigue and pain, are also recognized. The expression of joint hypermobility, reflecting a constitutional variant in connective tissue, predicts susceptibility to psychological symptoms alongside recognized physical symptoms.

In vivo evidence of functional disconnection between brainstem monoaminergic nuclei and brain networks in multiple sclerosis.

Background: brainstem monoaminergic (dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and serotoninergic) nuclei (BrMn) contain a variety of ascending neurons that diffusely project to the whole brain, crucially regulating normal brain function. BrMn are directly affected in multiple sclerosis (MS) by inflammation and neurodegeneration. Moreover, inflammation reduces the synthesis of monoamines.

Disruption of brainstem monoaminergic fibre tracts in multiple sclerosis as a putative mechanism for cognitive fatigue: a fixel-based analysis.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), monoaminergic systems are altered as a result of both inflammation-dependent reduced synthesis and direct structural damage. Aberrant monoaminergic neurotransmission is increasingly considered a major contributor to fatigue pathophysiology. In this study, we aimed to compare the integrity of the monoaminergic white matter fibre tracts projecting from brainstem nuclei in a group of patients with MS (n = 68) and healthy controls (n = 34), and to investigate its association with fatigue.

Amplified engagement of prefrontal cortex during control of voluntary action in Tourette syndrome.

Tourette syndrome is characterized by 'unvoluntary' tics, which are compulsive, yet often temporarily suppressible. The inferior frontal gyrus is implicated in motor control, including inhibition of pre-potent actions through influences on downstream subcortical and motor regions. Although tic suppression in Tourette syndrome also engages the inferior frontal gyrus, it is unclear whether such prefrontal control of action is also dysfunctional: Tic suppression studies do not permit comparison with control groups, and neuroimaging studies of motor inhibition can be confounded by the concurrent expression or suppression of tics.

Differential brain responses for perception of pain during empathic response in binge drinkers compared to non-binge drinkers.

Individuals who engage in binge drinking behaviors may show evidence of impaired cognitive function and emotional dysregulation. Impaired empathy, characterized by a reduced ability to understand and respond appropriately to feelings of others, is increasingly recognized for its role in Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD). The present study examined a population of young adult social drinkers to compare individuals who show binge drinking behavior to those who do not on measures of empathic processing and associated neural responses.

Impact of cardiac interoception cues and confidence on voluntary decisions to make or withhold action in an intentional inhibition task.

Interoceptive signals concerning the internal physiological state of the body influence motivational feelings and action decisions. Cardiovascular arousal may facilitate inhibition to mitigate risks of impulsive actions. Baroreceptor discharge at ventricular systole underpins afferent signalling of cardiovascular arousal.

Atomoxetine and citalopram alter brain network organization in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease has multiple detrimental effects on motor and cognitive systems in the brain. In contrast to motor deficits, cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease are usually not ameliorated, and can even be worsened, by dopaminergic treatments. Recent evidence has shown potential benefits from restoring other neurotransmitter deficits, including noradrenergic and serotonergic transmission.

Can't get it off my brain: Meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on perseverative cognition.

Perseverative cognition (i.e. rumination and worry) describes intrusive, uncontrollable, repetitive thoughts.

Signatures of alcohol use in the structure and neurochemistry of insular cortex: a correlational study.

Rationale: Insular cortex supports the representation of motivational feelings through the integration of interoceptive information concerning bodily physiology. Compromised insular integrity is implicated in alcohol and drug use disorders. Alcohol-associated insular dysfunction may arise through aberrant glutamatergic neurotransmission associated with selective neuronal death and atrophy.

A Bayesian Account of the Sensory-Motor Interactions Underlying Symptoms of Tourette Syndrome.

Tourette syndrome is a hyperkinetic movement disorder. Characteristic features include tics, recurrent movements that are experienced as compulsive and "unwilled"; uncomfortable premonitory sensations that resolve through tic release; and often, the ability to suppress tics temporarily. We demonstrate how these symptoms and features can be understood in terms of aberrant predictive (Bayesian) processing in hierarchical neural systems, explaining specifically: why tics arise, their "unvoluntary" nature, how premonitory sensations emerge, and why tic suppression works-sometimes.

Dimensions of interoception predict premonitory urges and tic severity in Tourette syndrome.

Interoceptive processes in Tourette syndrome may foster the premonitory urges that commonly precede tics. Twenty-one adults with TS and 22 controls completed heartbeat tracking and discrimination tasks. Three dimensions of interoception were examined: objective accuracy, metacognitive awareness, and subjective (self-report) sensibility.

Face perception enhances insula and motor network reactivity in Tourette syndrome.

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by motor and phonic tics. Tics are typically experienced as avolitional, compulsive, and associated with premonitory urges. They are exacerbated by stress and can be triggered by external stimuli, including social cues like the actions and facial expressions of others.

Subjective embodiment during the rubber hand illusion predicts severity of premonitory sensations and tics in Tourette Syndrome.

In Tourette Syndrome, the expression of tics and commonly preceding premonitory sensations is associated with perturbed subjective feelings of self-control and agency. We compared responses to the Rubber Hand Illusion in 23 adults with TS and 22 controls. Both TS and control participants reported equivalent subjective embodiment of the artificial hand: feelings of ownership, location, and agency were greater during synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation, compared to asynchronous.

Network abnormalities in generalized anxiety pervade beyond the amygdala-pre-frontal cortex circuit: Insights from graph theory.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has excessive anxiety and uncontrollable worry as core symptoms. Abnormal cerebral functioning underpins the expression and perhaps pathogenesis of GAD:. Studies implicate impaired communication between the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex (PFC).