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[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1536688.].

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and is often associated with changes in attention function, which may ultimately impact numerous other cognitive faculties (e.g. memory, executive function). Importantly, despite the increasing rates of cannabis use and widespread legalization in the United States, the neural mechanisms underlying attentional dysfunction in chronic users are poorly understood. We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a modified Posner cueing task in 21 regular cannabis users and 32 demographically matched non-user controls. MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain using a beamformer and peak voxel time series were extracted to quantify the oscillatory dynamics underlying use-related aberrations in attentional reorienting, as well as the impact on spontaneous neural activity immediately preceding stimulus onset. Behavioral performance on the task (e.g. reaction time) was similar between regular cannabis users and non-user controls. However, the neural data indicated robust theta-band synchronizations across a distributed network during attentional reorienting, with activity in the bilateral inferior frontal gyri being markedly stronger in users relative to controls ( 's < 0.036). Additionally, we observed significantly reduced spontaneous theta activity across this distributed network during the pre-stimulus baseline in cannabis users relative to controls ( 's < 0.020). Despite similar performance on the task, we observed specific alterations in the neural dynamics serving attentional reorienting in regular cannabis users compared to controls. These data suggest that regular cannabis users may employ compensatory processing in the prefrontal cortices to efficiently reorient their attention relative to non-user controls.

Numerous studies adopting Posner peripheral cueing paradigms have shown that exogenous attentional orientation (EAO) to a salient-but-irrelevant stimulus involves two opposing attentional processes: early attentional capture and late attentional suppression. Recent evidence has indicated that long-term perceptual learning can induce involuntary attentional capture by nonsalient shapes. However, it remains unclear whether a well-trained nonsalient shape could exhibit a biphasic pattern of EAO similar to that observed with physically salient stimuli, including both an early exogenous attentional shift and a late inhibition of return (IOR). Through both a perceptual learning task and a classic peripheral cueing task, the current study showed that a well-trained nonsalient shape cue could exhibit a biphasic pattern of EAO. When compared with an untrained shape, a well-trained nonsalient shape facilitated subsequent target detection at short cue-target onset asynchronies (CTOAs, 200–300 ms) and deteriorated target detection at a relatively long CTOA (800 ms), but not at 400- to 600-ms CTOAs. As a comparison, a detectability-matched onset cue or luminance contrast cue elicited a facilitatory effect at 200- to 300-ms CTOAs and an inhibitory effect starting from 400-ms CTOA. A control eye-tracking experiment suggested that the absence of IOR effects at 400- to 600-ms CTOAs in the trained cue task was not due to fewer eye movements during the task. Our results indicated that, as opposed to physically salient stimuli, a well-trained nonsalient shape induced delayed IOR after an evident exogenous shift of visual attention. The different patterns of EAO processes support the notion that prior experience (such as perceptual learning) plays a unique role in modulating our exogenous attention. Possible underlying mechanisms are proposed.

•We probe whether spatial probabilistic (Posner) cueing modulates attention or expectation.•Posner cueing effects on behavior, SSVEPs and alpha power resemble attentional modulations.•Representation similarity analysis (RSA) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) analysis reveal orthogonal neural signatures for attention and expectation.•CNN saliency map analysis reveals that Posner cueing representations resemble attention more than expectation. Spatial probabilistic “Posner” cueing is widely employed in studies of endogenous spatial attention. Such cueing guides attention by providing prior knowledge about the likely spatial location of task-relevant events. Yet, it has been compellingly argued that such spatial priors also elicit expectation effects, rendering Posner cueing unsuitable for measuring attentional effects in isolation. We address this debate by combining signal detection theory models of behavior with concurrent electrophysiological recordings, and directly compare Posner cueing effects with those of attention and expectation cueing. Participants performed two tasks: a dual cueing task, with orthogonal relevance (attention) and probability (expectation) cues, as well as a Posner cueing task. Relevance and probability cueing independently modulated distinct behavioral parameters – perceptual sensitivity and decisional criterion, respectively – whereas Posner cueing modulated both sensitivity and criterion. However, only sensitivity modulations by Posner cueing were correlated with those of relevance cueing. Criterion modulations by Posner cueing were uncorrelated with those of probability cueing. Both Posner and relevance cueing, but not probability cueing, modulated various neural markers of spatial attention, including steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) amplitude and alpha-band (8–12 Hz) oscillation power. Representational similarity analysis and cue-label prediction with deep convolutional neural networks revealed dissociable underpinnings of relevance and probability cueing, and identified Posner cueing’s neural representations with those of relevance cueing. Our results address a long-standing debate in the attention literature and clearly demonstrate that spatial selection by probabilistic cueing is governed by neural mechanisms of attention, not expectation.

The Posner–Schlossman syndrome (PSS) is a disease with clinically recurrent unilateral anterior uveitis with markedly elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and subsequent progression to optic neuropathy. Retrospective studies have reported increased annual incidence of PSS, especially in China. While currently, the clinical management of PSS is still challenging. Metabolomics is considered to be a sensitive approach for the development of novel targeted therapeutics because of its direct elucidation of pathophysiological mechanisms. Therefore, we adopted gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) technology-based non-targeted metabolomics approach to measure comprehensive metabolic profiles of aqueous humor (AH) samples obtained from patients with PSS, with an aim to demonstrate the underlying pathophysiology, identify potential biomarkers specific to PSS, and develop effective treatment strategies. A comparative analysis was used to indicate the distinct metabolites of PSS. Pathway analysis was conducted using MetaboAnalyst 4.0 to explore the metabolic reprogramming pathways involved in PSS. Logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were employed to evaluate the diagnostic capability of selected metabolites. Comparative analysis revealed a clear separation between PSS and control groups. Fourteen novel differentiating metabolites from AH samples obtained from patients with PSS were highlighted. Pathway analysis identified 11 carbohydrate, amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism pathways as the major disturbed pathways associated with PSS. The abnormal lysine degradation metabolism, valine–leucine–isoleucine biosynthesis, and citrate circle were considered to weigh the most in the development of PSS. The ROC analysis implied that the combination of glycine and homogentisic acid could serve as potential biomarkers for the discrimination of control and PSS groups. In conclusion, these results revealed for the first time the identity of important metabolites and pathways contributing to the development/progression of PSS, enabled the better understanding of the mechanism of PSS, and might lead to the development of metabolic biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies to restrict the development/progression of PSS.

PurposeTo analyse differences in the retinal microvasculature in eyes with cytomegalovirus (CMV)-positive Posner-Schlossman syndrome (PSS) compared to the non-affected eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsIn this monocentric, observational prospective case series, 25 patients with unilateral CMV-positive PSS were included. We compared the vessel area densities (VAD) in the macula, optic disc, and peripapillary region in PSS-affected and non-affected eyes using OCTA. We compared the visual fields (VF) of the affected and healthy eyes of each patient. The mean deviation (MD) of the VF was analysed together with the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness to evaluate the strength of correlation with the VAD parameters.ResultsThe VAD of the peripapillary superficial vascular complex (SVC) is significantly reduced in CMV-positive PSS-affected eyes (46.1 ± 9.3% versus 50.1 ± 6.3%, p = 0.008, adjusted p = 0.048). The VAD of the deeper macular, papillary, and peripapillary layers showed no differences between the affected and non-affected eyes. The mean deviation and the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness had correlations with the VAD of the macula (r = 0.451, p = 0.001, r = 0.553, p < 0.001), the peripapillary SCV (r = 0.430, p = 0.002, r = 0.723, p < 0.001), and the papillary region (r = 0.512, p < 0.001, r = 0.292, p = 0.039). Patients receiving systemic antiviral therapy (SAT) showed better VAD of the peripapillary choriocapillary layer (p = 0.001, no therapy: 31.4 ± 1.9%, SAT: 35.0 ± 1.6%), and choroidal layer (p = 0.009, no therapy: 34.2 ± 0.3%, SAT: 36.3 ± 1.8%) compared to those with no SAT.ConclusionA lower peripapillary VAD in the SVC might indicate vascular dysfunction as a sign of glaucomatous damage. SAT might have positive effects on the microcirculation in the deep retinal and choroidal layers.Trial registrationTRN: DRKS00028266, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/.

RationaleAtypical attention orienting has been associated with some autistic symptoms, but the neural mechanisms remain unclear. The human Posner task, a classic attention orienting paradigm, was recently adapted for use with mice, supporting the investigation of the neurobiological underpinnings of atypical attention orienting in preclinical mouse models.ObjectiveThe current study tested mice expressing the autism-associated R451C gene mutation in neuroligin-3 (NL3) on the mouse-Posner (mPosner) task.MethodsNL3R451C and wild-type (WT) mice were trained to respond to a validly or invalidly cued target on a touchscreen. The cue was a peripheral non-predictive flash in the exogenous task and a central spatially predictive image in the endogenous task. The effects of dopaminergic- and noradrenergic-modulating drugs, methylphenidate and atomoxetine, on task performance were assessed.ResultsIn both tasks, mice were quicker and more accurate in the validly versus invalidly cued trials, consistent with results in the human Posner task. NL3R451C and WT mice showed similar response times and accuracy but responded differently when treated with methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Methylphenidate impaired exogenous attention disengagement in NL3R451C mice but did not significantly affect WT mice. Atomoxetine impaired endogenous orienting in WT mice but did not significantly affect NL3R451C mice.ConclusionsNL3R451C mice demonstrated intact attention orienting but altered responses to the pharmacological manipulation of the dopaminergic and noradrenergic networks. These findings expand our understanding of the NL3R451C mutation by suggesting that this mutation may lead to selective alterations in attentional processes.

To explore the effectiveness and safety of surgical treatment for patients with Posner-Schlossman syndrome (PSS) accompanied by optic nerve Changes. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 15 cases (15 eyes) of glaucoma secondary to PSS who underwent trabeculectomy from January 2018 to March 2023 at Chongqing Aier Eye Hospital. Preoperative and postoperative conditions, as well as intraocular pressure (IOP) during postoperative recurrences, were compared. 15 eyes underwent trabeculectomy, with diffuse and mildly elevated filtering blebs postoperatively, without Choroidal detachment or macular edema. The preoperative IOP was 30.91 ± 11.75 mmHg (mean ± SD), and patients used 2.60 ± 0.91 types of antiglaucoma medication. At 12 months postsurgery, the mean IOP was 12.09 ± 2.33 mmHg, and no antiglaucoma medications were used thereafter (both P < 0.05). Nine eyes experienced recurrence of PSS, with IOP during recurrences being lower than preoperative levels. Except for one eye with an IOP of 24 mmHg, the other eight eyes had IOPs not exceeding 21 mmHg. Trabeculectomy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with PSS during episodes with optic nerve damage, and it can reduce the peak IOP during recurrences, preventing further optic nerve damage from high IOP.