@CONFERENCE{MTMT:34688594, title = {Learning-dependent occipital NREM sleep-spindle clustering following extensive training in a visual perceptual task}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34688594}, author = {Gerván, Patrícia and Gombos, Ferenc and Bocskai, Gábor and Berencsi, Andrea and Kovács, Ilona}, booktitle = {International Neuroscience Conference, Pécs 2024}, unique-id = {34688594}, abstract = {Sleep spindles have been implicated to contribute to brain plasticity and the consolidation of pro- cedural memories. More recently, research by Boutin and colleagues (Boutin & Doyon, 2020; Boutin et al., 2023) suggests that the clustering of spindles into groups, referred to as trains, plays a critical role in motor learning. However, the association of clustered sleep spindles with perceptual learning has not yet been investigated. In this study, we aimed to explore how spindle clustering contributes to visual perceptual mem- ory consolidation by applying a contour integration task in humans. Perceptual learning in contour integration specifically addresses the long-range horizontal connections in the primary visual cortex (Kovacs & Julesz, 1993; Angelucci et al., 2002) and together with its documented sleep-dependent (Gerván et al., 2007) manner, this paradigm offers a well-established investigation of learning-de- pendent changes in electroencephalographic activity during sleep. As it is also detailed in the abstract by Gombos et al., we invited a developmental cohort (between 12 and 20 years of age) to spend an adaptation, and two consecutive nights under polysomno- graphic recording of full-night sleep. At least three weeks preceding the experimental sessions, and also three times between the two analyzed sleep recordings, participants practiced in the contour integration task. There was a retest session after the third night. Since perceptual performance of 16- and 20-year-olds was very similar, we collapsed these two age-groups for further analysis (n=39, female=20). Based on contour integration performance improvement between the first and last ses- sions, we divided the participants into two distinct groups: non-learners (n=17) and learners (n=22). To explore the connection between memory consolidation and sleep spindles, we compared the operating characteristics of aggregated occipital channels before and after training. We found an elevated level of spindle clustering by the second night in the ’learner’ group as it is reflected in the significant change in the ratio of fast spindles organized into trains, an increase in the number of fast spindle trains, and a decrease in the inter-spindle-interval within trains. No such pattern of cluster- ing was found in the ’non-learner’ group. These findings suggest that the clustering of sleep spindles into trains may support the efficient reactivation and consolidation of perceptual memories. The project was funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary (Grants NRLN NK- 104481 and K-134370 to I.K.) and by the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN- ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group)}, year = {2024}, pages = {207-207}, orcid-numbers = {Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895} } @CONFERENCE{MTMT:34688576, title = {Major remodelling of procedural training induced NREM sleep spindle clustering in adolescence}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34688576}, author = {Gombos, Ferenc and Berencsi, Andrea and Gerván, Patrícia and Bocskai, Gábor and Kovács, Ilona}, booktitle = {International Neuroscience Conference, Pécs 2024}, unique-id = {34688576}, abstract = {We investigate the clustering of sleep spindles in a human developmental context, employing two procedural learning tasks widely acknowledged as inducing local plasticity in distinct cortical regions, thereby seeking to elucidate the neurophysiological underpinnings of memory consolidation during critical developmental stages. Leveraging the high spatiotemporal resolution afforded by HD-EEG, sixty participants, aged 12, 16, and 20 years, underwent polysomnographic recording over an adaptation and two consecutive nights. Interposed between the latter, three sessions of contour integration and a sequential fin- ger-tapping task were carried out, followed by a retest in the subsequent morning. Building upon our prior research describing developmental trajectories of relevant sleep spindle parameters (Boc- skai et al., 2023) and their topographical relocation during adolescence (Gombos et al., 2022), we asked whether spindle clustering also goes through a major remodelling between childhood and adulthood. We aggregated the 122 EEG channels and task- and spindle modality-specific derivations and investigated the differences in the spindle clustering parameters of the two nights. Our analysis differentiated between slow (9-12Hz) and fast (12-16 Hz) sleep spindle frequencies manifesting spontaneously during non-rapid eye movement of full-night sleep. In alignment with contempo- rary literature (Antony et al., 2018; Boutin et al., 2023), we quantified Spindle Trains to ascertain spindle clustering — spindles occurring with inter-spindle intervals not exceeding six seconds. We introduced the Spindle Local Density (SLD) metric to assess low-frequency clustering of spindles, which evaluates spindle frequency over a 60-second spindle-centered sliding window. Please see our posters by Gerván et al, and Berencsi et al. for the analysis of spindle clustering in the task-rele- vant cortical networks as a function of behavioural improvement in the perceptual and motor tasks. We found a significant elevation of fast spindle clustering within the scalp, specifically the occip- ital, temporal, and frontal-polar-frontal areas, as a result of training. The results for SLD, inter-train interval, and the ratio of spindles in ‘trains’ became more robust with age. These findings suggest that in parallel to the topographical relocation of sleep spindles in adolescence, spindle clustering also goes through major alterations before the emergence of the adult pattern. The project was funded by the National Research, Development, and Innovation Office of Hungary (Grants NRLN NK- 104481 and K-134370 to I.K.) and by the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN-ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group).}, year = {2024}, pages = {205-205}, orcid-numbers = {Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895} } @CONFERENCE{MTMT:34547982, title = {Daytime performance determines subsequent NREM sleep spindle clustering in a motor learning task}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34547982}, author = {Berencsi, Andrea and Gombos, Ferenc and Gerván, Patrícia and Bocskai, Gábor and Kovács, Ilona}, booktitle = {International Neuroscience Conference, Pécs 2024}, unique-id = {34547982}, abstract = {It has recently been proposed that the clustering of sleep spindles into trains is critical for the efficient reactivation and consolidation of motor memories in humans (Boutin & Doyon, 2020; Boutin et al., 2023). Relying on HD-EEG, here we aim to obtain a more detailed view of spindle clustering in task-relevant cortical networks as a function of behavioral improvement in a motor task. As it is also detailed in the abstract by Gombos et al., we invited a developmental cohort (between 12 and 20 years of age) to spend an adaptation and two consecutive nights under polysomnographic recording of full-night sleep. At least three weeks preceding the experimental sessions, and also three times between the two analyzed sleep recordings, participants practiced in a four-element sequential finger tapping task. There was a retest session after the third night. Although this training schedule is relatively short, we assumed that we can still tap into network-specific procedural memory consolidation due to the pre-recording motor learning session that potentially helped participants to acquire the cognitively demanding part of the task, reducing cognitive load in later sessions. Since motor performance of 16- and 20-year-olds was very similar, we collapsed these two age groups for further analysis (n=40, female=20). Regions of interest in the HD-EEG recordings included parietal and frontal somatomotor regions, and frontal-prefrontal areas. Performance rate in the motor task (correct taps/s) was calculated as a combined measure of speed and accuracy. We then analyzed the correlation between daytime and overnight motor improvement and the difference between spindle organization characteristics preceding and following motor training. While overnight improvement was not associated with clustering, daytime motor improvement was linked to sleep spindle organization. The number of fast and slow spindle trains increased with decreased train intervals and decreased number of isolated spindles in somatomotor and frontal-prefrontal localizations bilaterally as a function of daytime improvement. This pattern suggests that within the short training regime, there was still a significant engagement of cognitive resources explaining the lack of area-specific changes associated with offline learning. On the other hand, the strong association between daytime learning and subsequent bilateral spindle clustering suggests the role of sleep spindles in the stabilization of task-related memories. https://mitt2024.mitt.hu/application/files/8917/0612/5892/INC2024abstractbook.pdf}, year = {2024}, pages = {206}, orcid-numbers = {Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895} } @CONFERENCE{MTMT:34542285, title = {Unlocking the Growth Spurt of the Brain: The Transient Tale of Adolescent Cognitive Abilities}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34542285}, author = {Oláh, Gyöngyi and Kovács, Kristóf and Gerván, Patrícia and Utczás, Katinka and Tróznai, Zsófia and Berencsi, Andrea and Szakács, Hanna and Gombos, Ferenc and Kovács, Ilona}, booktitle = {International Neuroscience Conference, Pécs 2024}, unique-id = {34542285}, abstract = {Adolescence represents a critical period not only for biological and social but also for brain and cognitive development. We demonstrated earlier that biological age has a selective effect on cognitive abilities in adolescence (Kovacs et al, 2022). Here we investigate the potential long-term effects of objectively measured pubertal maturity on cognitive abilities. Using ultrasonic bone age assessment to estimate biological age, participants (117 females, 11-15 y, one-year-wide age bins) were categorized into decelerated, average, and accelerated pubertal status groups at Time 1 (T1), based on the difference between their bone age and chronological age. Cognitive abilities were assessed applying WISC-IV subscales. At T1, bone maturation determined performance in Working Memory and Processing Speed within the same age-bins, with better performance at higher maturity levels. Testing the long-term effects on a subset of 60 participants (17-19 y, mean age=18.41, (SD=0.62)) of the same cohort at T2 we had an opportunity to examine whether faster maturation leads to long-term overdevelopment or whether the benefits of more speedy maturation are transient. It also allowed us to estimate whether individual variability in puberty onset time may alter developmental trajectories spanning into adulthood. At T2, there were no significant differences in cognitive performance among the maturity groups. The trajectories of the decelerated and average groups aligned with that of the accelerated group, suggesting that the early advantage observed at T1 is a transient developmental event. We argue that the short- term developmental differences, even if transient, are still essential to discuss since they could temporarily place the child outside the typical range and cause heightened stress levels. Our research group presents another poster at this conference entitled “Navigating Pubertal Goldilocks: The Optimal Pace for Hierarchical Brain Organization” by Szakács et al. indicating that cortical entropy production of the same teenage participants follows a different pattern than the one observed with respect to cognitive development. We interpret these findings as an indication of the presence of both transient developmental changes and potentially long-term deviations from normative development related to the speed of pubertal maturity.}, year = {2024}, pages = {208-208}, orcid-numbers = {Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895; Szakács, Hanna/0000-0001-5081-7535} } @CONFERENCE{MTMT:34210564, title = {The impact of biological maturity on fine movements in adolescence}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34210564}, author = {Berencsi, Andrea and Gombos, Ferenc and Fehér, Lili Julia and Gerván, Patrícia and Utczás, Katinka and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Tróznai, Zsófia and Kovács, Ilona}, booktitle = {Progress in Motor Control XIV}, unique-id = {34210564}, year = {2023}, pages = {89-89}, orcid-numbers = {Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447} } @{MTMT:34087871, title = {Natural variance in executive function components by pubertal timing in neurotypical population of females}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/34087871}, author = {Gerván, Patrícia and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Utczás, Katinka and Tróznai, Zsófia and Berencsi, Andrea and Gombos, Ferenc and Kovács, Ilona}, unique-id = {34087871}, year = {2023}, orcid-numbers = {Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895} } @article{MTMT:33096870, title = {Maturation-dependent vulnerability of emotion regulation as a response to COVID-19 related stress in adolescents}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/33096870}, author = {Gerván, Patrícia and Bunford, Nóra and Utczás, Katinka and Tróznai, Zsófia and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Szakács, Hanna and Kriston, Pálma and Gombos, Ferenc and Kovács, Ilona}, doi = {10.1016/j.pedn.2022.08.017}, journal-iso = {J PEDIATR NURS}, journal = {JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NURSING: NURSING CARE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES}, volume = {67}, unique-id = {33096870}, issn = {0882-5963}, abstract = {Background The COVID-19 pandemic created unpredictable circumstances resulting in increased psychological strain. Here we investigate pandemic-related alterations in emotion regulation in adolescents assessed before and during the pandemic. We also take biological age into account in the response to the pandemic. Methods Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to compare baseline data on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) total scores of a pre-pandemic adolescent cohort (n = 241) with those obtained during the second wave of the pandemic (n = 266). We estimated biological age based on an ultrasonic boneage assessment procedure in a subgroup of males, including grammar school and vocational school students in the 9th and 10th grades, and analyzed their data independently. Findings There is a gender difference in the timing of vulnerability for pandemic-related stress in grammar school students: females are affected a year earlier than males. Vocational school male students mature faster than grammar school male students, and the timing of emotional vulnerability also precedes that of the grammar school students'. Discussion We interpret our findings within a developmental model suggesting that there might be a window of highest vulnerability in adolescent emotion regulation. The timing of the window is determined by both chronological and biological age, and it is different for females and males. Application to practice Defining the exact temporal windows of vulnerability for different adolescent cohorts allows for the timely integration of preventive actions into adolescent care to protect mental health during future chronic stressful situations.}, year = {2022}, eissn = {1532-8449}, pages = {132-138}, orcid-numbers = {Bunford, Nóra/0000-0002-9645-604X; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Szakács, Hanna/0000-0001-5081-7535} } @article{MTMT:32787547, title = {Musical training improves fine motor function in adolescents}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/32787547}, author = {Berencsi, Andrea and Gombos, Ferenc and Gerván, Patrícia and Tróznai, Zsófia and Utczás, Katinka and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Kovács, Ilona}, doi = {10.1016/j.tine.2022.100176}, journal-iso = {TRENDS NEUROSCI EDUC}, journal = {TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCE AND EDUCATION}, volume = {27}, unique-id = {32787547}, issn = {2211-9493}, year = {2022}, orcid-numbers = {Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160} } @article{MTMT:32763750, title = {Ultrasonic bone age fractionates cognitive abilities in adolescence}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/32763750}, author = {Kovács, Ilona and Kovács, Kristóf and Gerván, Patrícia and Utczás, Katinka and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Tróznai, Zsófia and Berencsi, Andrea and Szakács, Hanna and Gombos, Ferenc}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-022-09329-z}, journal-iso = {SCI REP}, journal = {SCIENTIFIC REPORTS}, volume = {12}, unique-id = {32763750}, issn = {2045-2322}, abstract = {Adolescent development is not only shaped by the mere passing of time and accumulating experience, but it also depends on pubertal timing and the cascade of maturational processes orchestrated by gonadal hormones. Although individual variability in puberty onset confounds adolescent studies, it has not been efficiently controlled for. Here we introduce ultrasonic bone age assessment to estimate biological maturity and disentangle the independent effects of chronological and biological age on adolescent cognitive abilities. Comparing cognitive performance of female participants with different skeletal maturity we uncover the impact of biological age on both IQ and specific abilities. We find that biological age has a selective effect on abilities: more mature individuals within the same age group have higher working memory capacity and processing speed, while those with higher chronological age have better verbal abilities, independently of their maturity. Based on our findings, bone age is a promising biomarker of adolescent maturity.}, year = {2022}, eissn = {2045-2322}, orcid-numbers = {Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Berencsi, Andrea/0000-0002-2330-7895; Szakács, Hanna/0000-0001-5081-7535} } @misc{MTMT:32557847, title = {Maturation-dependent vulnerability of emotion regulation as a response to COVID-19 related stress in adolescents}, url = {https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/32557847}, author = {Gerván, Patrícia and Bunford, Nóra and Utczás, Katinka and Tróznai, Zsófia and Oláh, Gyöngyi and Szakács, Hanna and Gombos, Ferenc and Kovács, Ilona}, doi = {10.31234/osf.io/y7sp4}, unique-id = {32557847}, abstract = {Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created highly unpredictable circumstances which resulted in increased levels of psychological strain. Here we investigate pandemic-related alterations in emotion regulation in adolescents assessed before and during the pandemic. We also take biological age into account in the response to the pandemic. Methods: We compared baseline data on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) total scores of a pre-pandemic adolescent cohort (n=241) with those obtained during the second wave of the pandemic (n=266). We estimated biological age based on an ultrasonic boneage assessment procedure in a subgroup of males. We included both grammar school and vocational school students in the 9thand 10thgrades and analyzedtheir data independently. Findings: There is a gender difference in the timing of vulnerability for pandemic-related stress in grammar school students: females are affected a year earlier than males. Vocational school male students mature faster than grammar school male students, and the timing of emotional vulnerability also precedes that of the grammar school students. Discussion: We interpret our findings in a developmental model suggesting that there might be a window of highest vulnerability in adolescent emotion regulation. The timing of the window is determined by both chronological andbiological age,and it seems to be different for females and males. Application to Practice: Defining the exact temporal windows of vulnerability for different adolescent cohorts allows for the timely integration of preventive actions into adolescent care to protect mental health during future chronic stressful situations.}, year = {2021}, pages = {1-16}, orcid-numbers = {Bunford, Nóra/0000-0002-9645-604X; Utczás, Katinka/0000-0001-5734-2018; Tróznai, Zsófia/0000-0002-4020-6447; Oláh, Gyöngyi/0000-0003-3433-9160; Szakács, Hanna/0000-0001-5081-7535} }