The influence of bilingualism on working memory event-related potentials

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
CASSANDRA MORRISON ◽  
FAROOQ KAMAL ◽  
VANESSA TALER
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Memory Event ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Cognitively Demanding Tasks

Bilingualism has been found to enhance the ability to store and manipulate information in working memory (WM). However, previous studies of WM function in bilingualism have been limited to behavioural measures, leaving questions unanswered regarding the effects of bilingualism on neural mechanisms employed during WM tasks. We recorded brain activity (event-related potentials; ERPs) while participants (23 English-speaking and 21 English–French bilinguals) performed an n-back WM task. Accuracy and reaction time were similar across groups, but monolinguals exhibited smaller P300 amplitudes relative to bilinguals, suggesting that bilinguals have more cognitive resources available to complete cognitively demanding tasks.

scholarly journals The Influence of Subclinical Neck Pain on Neurophysiological and Behavioral Measures of Multisensory Integration

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 362
Author(s):  
Antonia M. Karellas ◽  
Paul Yielder ◽  
James J. Burkitt ◽  
Heather S. McCracken ◽  
Bernadette A. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Neck Pain ◽  
Multisensory Integration ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Neural Processing ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Related Potentials

Multisensory integration (MSI) is necessary for the efficient execution of many everyday tasks. Alterations in sensorimotor integration (SMI) have been observed in individuals with subclinical neck pain (SCNP). Altered audiovisual MSI has previously been demonstrated in this population using performance measures, such as reaction time. However, neurophysiological techniques have not been combined with performance measures in the SCNP population to determine differences in neural processing that may contribute to these behavioral characteristics. Electroencephalography (EEG) event-related potentials (ERPs) have been successfully used in recent MSI studies to show differences in neural processing between different clinical populations. This study combined behavioral and ERP measures to characterize MSI differences between healthy and SCNP groups. EEG was recorded as 24 participants performed 8 blocks of a simple reaction time (RT) MSI task, with each block consisting of 34 auditory (A), visual (V), and audiovisual (AV) trials. Participants responded to the stimuli by pressing a response key. Both groups responded fastest to the AV condition. The healthy group demonstrated significantly faster RTs for the AV and V conditions. There were significant group differences in neural activity from 100–140 ms post-stimulus onset, with the control group demonstrating greater MSI. Differences in brain activity and RT between individuals with SCNP and a control group indicate neurophysiological alterations in how individuals with SCNP process audiovisual stimuli. This suggests that SCNP alters MSI. This study presents novel EEG findings that demonstrate MSI differences in a group of individuals with SCNP.

Monolinguals and bilinguals respond differently to a delayed matching-to-sample task: An ERP study

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 858-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra Morrison ◽  
Farooq Kamal ◽  
Kim Le ◽  
Vanessa Taler
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Matching To Sample ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Delayed Matching ◽  
Neuropsychological Measures ◽  
Delayed Matching To Sample ◽  
Related Potentials

AbstractPrevious research examining whether bilinguals exhibit enhanced working memory (WM) compared to monolinguals has yielded mixed results. This inconsistency may be due to lack of sensitivity in behavioral and neuropsychological measures. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of bilingualism on WM by focusing on brain activity patterns (event-related potentials) in monolinguals and bilinguals during a WM task. We recorded brain activity while participants (26 monolingual English speakers and 28 English–French bilinguals) performed a delayed matching-to-sample task. Although performance measures were similar, electrophysiological differences were present across groups. Bilinguals exhibited larger P3b amplitudes than monolinguals, and smaller negative slow wave and N2b amplitudes during retrieval. These results suggest that bilinguals may have more cognitive resources available in WM to allocate to task completion, and that task completion may be less effortful for bilinguals than for monolinguals.

scholarly journals Distinct neural mechanisms for spatially lateralized and spatially global visual working memory representations

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 1715-1727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Fukuda ◽  
Min-Suk Kang ◽  
Geoffrey F. Woodman
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Electrophysiological Studies ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Memory Representations ◽  
Α Band

Visual working memory (VWM) allows humans to actively maintain a limited amount of information. Whereas previous electrophysiological studies have found that lateralized event-related potentials (ERPs) track the maintenance of information in VWM, recent imaging experiments have shown that spatially global representations can be read out using the activity across the visual cortex. The goal of the present study was to determine whether both lateralized and spatially global electrophysiological signatures coexist. We first show that it is possible to simultaneously measure lateralized ERPs that track the number of items held in VWM from one visual hemfield and parietooccipital α (8–12 Hz) power over both hemispheres indexing spatially global VWM representations. Next, we replicated our findings and went on to show that this bilateral parietooccipital α power as well as the contralaterally biased ERP correlate of VWM carries a signal that can be used to decode the identity of the representations stored in VWM. Our findings not only unify observations across electrophysiology and imaging techniques but also suggest that ERPs and α-band oscillations index different neural mechanisms that map on to lateralized and spatially global representations, respectively.

scholarly journals Brain networks in human conscious visual perception

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharif I. Kronemer ◽  
Mark Aksen ◽  
Julia Ding ◽  
Jun Hwan Ryu ◽  
Qilong Xin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Specific Sequence ◽  
Single Mechanism ◽  
Related Potentials

AbstractConsciousness is not explained by a single mechanism, rather it involves multiple specialized neural systems overlapping in space and time. We hypothesize that synergistic, large-scale subcortical and cortical attention and signal processing networks encode conscious experiences. To identify brain activity in conscious perception without overt report, we classified visual stimuli as perceived or not using eye measurements. Report-independent event-related potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals both occurred at early times after stimuli. Direct recordings revealed a novel thalamic awareness potential linked to conscious visual perception based on report. fMRI showed thalamic and cortical detection, arousal, attentional salience, task-positive, and default mode networks were involved independent of overt report. These findings identify a specific sequence of neural mechanisms in human conscious visual perception.One-Sentence SummaryHuman conscious visual perception engages large-scale subcortical and cortical networks even without overt report.

scholarly journals Different Influences of Negative and Neutral Emotional Interference on Working Memory in Trait Anxiety

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huifang Yang ◽  
Junqing Li ◽  
Xifu Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Matching To Sample ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Positive Potential ◽  
Emotional Interference ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Emotional Pictures

To examine the interaction of working memory (WM) type with emotional interference in trait anxiety, event-related potentials were measured in a combined WM and emotional task. Participants completed a delayed matching-to-sample task of WM, and emotional pictures were presented during the maintenance interval. The results indicated that negative affect interfered with spatial WM; task-related changes in amplitude were observed in the late positive potential (LPP) and slow waves in both the high and low anxiety groups. We also found an interaction among WM type, emotion, and trait anxiety such that participants with high levels of trait anxiety showed an opposite neural response to verbal and spatial WM tasks compared with individuals with low trait anxiety during the sustained brain activity involved in processing negative or neutral pictures in the delay phase. Our results increase our understanding of the influence of emotions on recognition and the vulnerability of those with trait anxiety to emotional stimuli.

scholarly journals Transient Modulation of Working Memory Performance and Event-Related Potentials by Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 739
Author(s):  
Xiaoxiao Chen ◽  
Tatsunori Watanabe ◽  
Nami Kubo ◽  
Keisuke Yunoki ◽  
Takuya Matsumoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Field Stimulation ◽  
Left Dlpfc ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Related Potentials

Transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) can modulate human cortical excitability and behavior. To better understand the neuromodulatory effect of tSMS, this study investigates whether tSMS applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) modulates working memory (WM) performance and its associated event-related potentials (ERPs). Thirteen healthy participants received tSMS or sham stimulation over the left DLPFC for 26 min on different days. The participants performed a 2-back version of the n-back task before, during (20 min after the start of stimulation), immediately after, and 15 min after the stimulation. We examine reaction time for correct responses, d-prime reflecting WM performance, and the N2 and P3 components of ERPs. Our results show that there was no effect of tSMS on reaction time. The d-prime was reduced, and the N2 latency was prolonged immediately after tSMS. These findings indicate that tSMS over the left DLPFC affects WM performance and its associated electrophysiological signals, which can be considered an important step toward a greater understanding of tSMS and its use in studies of higher-order cognitive processes.

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