Social working memory (SWM)-the ability to maintain and manipulate social information in the brain-plays a crucial role in social interactions. However, research on SWM is still in its infancy and is often treated as a unitary construct. In the present study, we propose that SWM can be conceptualized as having two relatively independent components: "externally oriented SWM" (e-SWM) and "internally oriented SWM" (i-SWM). To test this external-internal hypothesis, participants were tasked with memorizing and ranking either facial expressions (e-SWM) or personality traits (i-SWM) associated with images of faces. We then examined the neural correlates of these two SWM components and their functional roles in empathy. The results showed distinct activations as the e-SWM task activated the postcentral and precentral gyri while the i-SWM task activated the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal gyrus. Distinct multivariate activation patterns were also found within the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex in the two tasks. Moreover, partial least squares analyses combining brain activation and individual differences in empathy showed that e-SWM and i-SWM brain activities were mainly correlated with affective empathy and cognitive empathy, respectively. These findings implicate distinct brain processes as well as functional roles of the two types of SWM, providing support for the internal-external hypothesis of SWM.
Humans ; Memory, Short-Term/physiology* ; Male ; Female ; Empathy/physiology* ; Young Adult ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Adult ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Brain Mapping ; Facial Expression ; Social Behavior ; Facial Recognition/physiology* ; Social Perception ; Personality/physiology*

Objective:To investigate the role of stress-inducible protein Sestrin2 (Sesn2) in the improvement of insulin resistance in rat L6 skeletal muscle cells treated with liraglutide.Methods:The establishment of insulin resistance model of rat L6 skeletal muscle cells was induced by palmitate. The experimental cells were divided into control group(Con group), palmitate 0.6 mmol/L treatment group(PA group), palmitate 0.6 mmol/L+ liraglutide 10 nmol/L treatment group(PA+ Lir10 group), palmitate 0.6 mmol/L+ liraglutide 100 nmol/L treatment group(PA+ Lir100 group), and palmitate 0.6 mmol/L+ liraglutide 1 000 nmol/L treatment group(PA+ Lir1000 group). The cell counting kit 8(CCK8) method was used to detect the cell activity in each group. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4), protein kinase B(Akt), phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt), and Sesn2 protein in L6 cells. L6 cells were transfected with siRNA to inhibit the expression of Sesn2. The cells were treated with palmitate and liraglutide. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of Sesn2, Akt, p-Akt, and GLUT4 protein in L6 cells.Results:Compared with Con group, the cell survival rate, p-Akt/Akt ratio, Sesn2, and GLUT4 protein expression in PA group decreased significantly( P<0.05). After liraglutide intervention, the cell activity, p-Akt/Akt ratio, Sesn2, and GLUT4 protein expression of PA+ Lir100 and PA+ Lir1000 groups was increased( P<0.05). After inhibiting the expression of Sesn2, p-Akt/Akt ratio and GLUT4 protein in transfected si-Sesn2 and treated with 0.6 mmol/L palmitate group(PA+ si-Sesn2 group) and transfected si-Sesn2 and treated with 0.6 mmol/L palmitate+ liraglutide 100 nmol/L group (Lir100+ PA+ si-Sesn2 group) were significantly lower than those in transfection negative group (si-Con group; P<0.05). Even after liraglutide intervention, compared with PA+ si-Sesn2 group, p-Akt/Akt ratio and GLUT4 protein expression level were not significantly increased in Lir100+ PA+ si-Sesn2 group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Palmitate could induce the decrease of p-Akt/Akt ratio and GLUT4 protein expression in L6 cells. Liraglutide upregulates the expression of Sesn2, which leads to the increase of p-Akt/Akt ratio and GLUT4 protein expression and contributes to the improvement of insulin resistance.