Electrophysiological evidence for cerebellar involvement in higher-order cognitive processing

AbstractAlthough the cerebellum has been traditionally considered to be exclusively involved in motor control and learning, recent anatomical and clinical studies suggest that it may also have a role in cognition. However, no electrophysiological evidence exists to support this claim. Here we studied the activity of simple spikes of hand-movement related Purkinje cells in the mid-lateral cerebellum when monkeys learned to associate a well-learned right or left-hand movement with one of two visual symbolic cues. The cells had distinctly different discharge patterns between an overtrained symbol-hand association and a novel symbol-hand association although the kinematics of the movement did not change between the two conditions. The activity change was not related to the pattern of the visual symbols, the hand making the movement, the monkeys’ reaction times or the novelty of the visual symbols. We suggest that mid-lateral cerebellum is involved in higher-order cognitive processing related to learning a new visuomotor association.One Sentence SummaryHand-movement related Purkinje neurons in midlateral cerebellum, which discharge during an overtrained visuomotor association task, change their activity when the monkey has to associate the same movements with new cues, even though the kinematics of the movements do not change.

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Mixed selectivity in the cerebellar Purkinje-cell response during visuomotor association learning

10.1101/2021.08.12.456160 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Naveen Sendhilnathan ◽

Anna E Ipata ◽

Michael E Goldberg

Keyword(s):

Spike Activity ◽

Hand Movement ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Reward Processing ◽

Left Hand ◽

Association Learning ◽

Simple Spike ◽

Visual Symbols ◽

Discharge Patterns ◽

Symbolic Cues

Although the cerebellum has been traditionally considered to be exclusively involved in motor control, recent anatomical and clinical studies show that it also has a role in reward processing. However, the way in which the movement related and the reward related neural activity interact at the level of the cerebellar cortex and contribute towards learning is still unclear. Here, we studied the simple spike activity of Purkinje cells in the mid-lateral cerebellum when monkeys learned to associate a right or left hand movement with one of two visual symbolic cues. These cells had distinctly different discharge patterns between an overtrained symbol-hand association and a novel symbol hand association, responding in association with the movement of both hands, although the kinematics of the movement did not change between the two conditions. The activity change was not related to the pattern of the visual symbols, the movement kinematics, the monkeys' reaction times or the novelty of the visual symbols. The simple spike activity changed with throughout the learning process, but the concurrent complex spikes did not instruct that change. Although these neurons also have reward related activity, the reward-related and movement related signals were independent. We suggest that this mixed selectivity may facilitate the flexible learning of difficult reinforcement learning problems.

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Skipping Breakfast Affects the Early Steps of Cognitive Processing

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000214 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 109-118

Author(s):

Andrés Antonio González-Garrido ◽

Jacobo José Brofman-Epelbaum ◽

Fabiola Reveca Gómez-Velázquez ◽

Sebastián Agustín Balart-Sánchez ◽

Julieta Ramos-Loyo

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Brain Potentials ◽

Brain Functioning ◽

Attentional Processes ◽

Electrical Brain Activity ◽

Skipping Breakfast

Abstract. It has been generally accepted that skipping breakfast adversely affects cognition, mainly disturbing the attentional processes. However, the effects of short-term fasting upon brain functioning are still unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of skipping breakfast on cognitive processing by studying the electrical brain activity of young healthy individuals while performing several working memory tasks. Accordingly, the behavioral results and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) of 20 healthy university students (10 males) were obtained and compared through analysis of variances (ANOVAs), during the performance of three n-back working memory (WM) tasks in two morning sessions on both normal (after breakfast) and 12-hour fasting conditions. Significantly fewer correct responses were achieved during fasting, mainly affecting the higher WM load task. In addition, there were prolonged reaction times with increased task difficulty, regardless of breakfast intake. ERP showed a significant voltage decrement for N200 and P300 during fasting, while the amplitude of P200 notably increased. The results suggest skipping breakfast disturbs earlier cognitive processing steps, particularly attention allocation, early decoding in working memory, and stimulus evaluation, and this effect increases with task difficulty.

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Faster Choice-Reaction Times to Positive than to Negative Facial Expressions

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027//0269-8803.17.3.113 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 113-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

Jukka M. Leppänen ◽

Mirja Tenhunen ◽

Jari K. Hietanen

Keyword(s):

Facial Expressions ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Response Selection ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Happy Face ◽

Response Onset ◽

Response Execution ◽

Onset Response ◽

Positive Stimuli ◽

Choice Reaction Times

Abstract Several studies have shown faster choice-reaction times to positive than to negative facial expressions. The present study examined whether this effect is exclusively due to faster cognitive processing of positive stimuli (i.e., processes leading up to, and including, response selection), or whether it also involves faster motor execution of the selected response. In two experiments, response selection (onset of the lateralized readiness potential, LRP) and response execution (LRP onset-response onset) times for positive (happy) and negative (disgusted/angry) faces were examined. Shorter response selection times for positive than for negative faces were found in both experiments but there was no difference in response execution times. Together, these results suggest that the happy-face advantage occurs primarily at premotoric processing stages. Implications that the happy-face advantage may reflect an interaction between emotional and cognitive factors are discussed.

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Cognitive Processing of Film Cuts Among 4- to 8-Year-Old Children

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000098 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 257-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Carmen Munk ◽

Günter Daniel Rey ◽

Anna Katharina Diergarten ◽

Gerhild Nieding ◽

Wolfgang Schneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eye Movements ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Media Literacy ◽

Age Groups ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Time Span ◽

Short Film ◽

Calculation Formula ◽

Eye Tracker ◽

Chronological Sequence

An eye tracker experiment investigated 4-, 6-, and 8-year old children’s cognitive processing of film cuts. Nine short film sequences with or without editing errors were presented to 79 children. Eye movements up to 400 ms after the targeted film cuts were measured and analyzed using a new calculation formula based on Manhattan Metrics. No age effects were found for jump cuts (i.e., small movement discontinuities in a film). However, disturbances resulting from reversed-angle shots (i.e., a switch of the left-right position of actors in successive shots) led to increased reaction times between 6- and 8-year old children, whereas children of all age groups had difficulties coping with narrative discontinuity (i.e., the canonical chronological sequence of film actions is disrupted). Furthermore, 4-year old children showed a greater number of overall eye movements than 6- and 8-year old children. This indicates that some viewing skills are developed between 4 and 6 years of age. The results of the study provide evidence of a crucial time span of knowledge acquisition for television-based media literacy between 4 and 8 years.

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Time after time: support for memory accounts of temporal preparation.

10.31234/osf.io/5t8b7 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Joe Butler ◽

Samuel Ngabo ◽

Marcus Missal

Keyword(s):

Response Times ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Higher Order ◽

Order Effects ◽

Previous Trial ◽

Adaptive Responses ◽

Temporal Preparation ◽

Subsequent Trial ◽

Higher Order Effects

Complex biological systems build up temporal expectations to facilitate adaptive responses to environmental events, in order to minimise costs associated with incorrect responses, and maximise the benefits of correct responses. In the lab, this is clearly demonstrated in tasks which show faster response times when the period between warning (S1) and target stimulus (S2) on the previous trial was short and slower when the previous trial foreperiod was long. The mechanisms driving such higher order effects in temporal preparation paradigms are still under debate, with key theories proposing that either i) the foreperiod leads to automatic modulation of the arousal system which influences responses on the subsequent trial, or ii) that exposure to a foreperiod results in the creation of a memory trace which is used to guide responses on the subsequent trial. Here we provide data which extends the evidence base for the memory accounts, by showing that previous foreperiod exposures are cumulative with reaction times shortening after repeated exposures; whilst also demonstrate that the higher order effects associated with a foreperiod remain active for several trials.

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A Behavioral and Electrophysiological Investigation of Effects of Visual Congruence on Olfactory Sensitivity During Habituation to Prolonged Odors

Chemical Senses ◽

10.1093/chemse/bjaa065 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (9) ◽

pp. 845-854

Author(s):

Nicholas Fallon ◽

Timo Giesbrecht ◽

Anna Thomas ◽

Andrej Stancak

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Processing ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Detection Sensitivity ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Odor Perception ◽

Potential Analysis ◽

Odor Detection ◽

Central Processing

Abstract Congruent visual cues augment sensitivity to brief olfactory presentations and habituation of odor perception is modulated by central-cognitive processing including context. However, it is not known whether habituation to odors could interact with cross-modal congruent stimuli. The present research investigated the effect of visual congruence on odor detection sensitivity during continuous odor exposures. We utilized a multimethod approach, including subjective behavioral responses and reaction times (RTs; study 1) and electroencephalography (EEG, study 2). Study 1: 25 participants received 2-min presentations of moderate-intensity floral odor delivered via olfactometer with congruent (flower) and incongruent (object) image presentations. Participants indicated odor perception after each image. Detection sensitivity and RTs were analyzed in epochs covering the period of habituation. Study 2: 25 new participants underwent EEG recordings during 145-s blocks of odor presentations with congruent or incongruent images. Participants passively observed images and intermittently rated the perceived intensity of odor. Event-related potential analysis was utilized to evaluate brain processing related to odor–visual pairs across the period of habituation. Odor detection sensitivity and RTs were improved by congruent visual cues. Results highlighted a diminishing influence of visual congruence on odor detection sensitivity as habituation occurred. Event-related potential analysis revealed an effect of congruency on electrophysiological processing in the N400 component. This was only evident in early periods of odor exposure when perception was strong. For the first time, this demonstrates the modulation of central processing of odor–visual pairs by habituation. Frontal negativity (N400) responses encode the aspects of cross-modal congruence for odor–vision cross-modal tasks.

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Self-Report and Objective Measures of ADHD-Related Behaviors in Parents of Preschool Children at Risk for ADHD

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900001917 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 639-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Curko Kera ◽

David J. Marks ◽

Olga G. Berwid ◽

Amita Santra ◽

Jeffrey M. Halperin

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Attention Deficit Disorder ◽

Performance Test ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Self Report ◽

Significant Group

ABSTRACTObjective: Few studies have used a combination of objective and self-report measures to examine neuropsychological and behavioral functioning in parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined attention and inhibitory control in the parents of preschool children who were rated as “at risk” for developing ADHD as compared with parents of controls.Methods:Preschool children (N=53) were divided into at risk for ADHD and control groups based on parent and teacher ratings of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ADHD symptoms. One parent of each child was administered an identical pairs Continuous Performance Test (CPTIP), a Go/No-Go task, and the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Results: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD showed a pattern of responding on measures of vigilance characterized by slower reaction times and increased commission errors as compared with parents of controls. There were no significant group differences on self-report measures on the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Conclusion: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD appear to exhibit cognitive processing deficits that may not be evident using self-report measures. Further research is needed to more clearly identify the specific nature of these neuropsychological deficits and to determine whether they have a negative impact on their children.

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Comparison of the level of cognitive processing between case-based items and non-case-based items on the Interuniversity Progress Test of Medicine in the Netherlands

Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions ◽

10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.28 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 28 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dario Cecilio-Fernandes ◽

Wouter Kerdijk ◽

Andreas Johannes Bremers ◽

Wytze Aalders ◽

René Anton Tio

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Processing ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Lower Order ◽

Higher Order ◽

Progress Test ◽

Test Taking ◽

Basic Understanding ◽

Phi Coefficient ◽

The Relationship ◽

Case Based

Purpose: It is assumed that case-based questions require higher-order cognitive processing, whereas questions that are not case-based require lower-order cognitive processing. In this study, we investigated to what extent case-based and non-case-based questions followed this assumption based on Bloom’s taxonomy.Methods: In this article, 4,800 questions from the Interuniversity Progress Test of Medicine were classified based on whether they were case-based and on the level of Bloom’s taxonomy that they involved. Lower-order questions require students to remember or/and have a basic understanding of knowledge. Higher-order questions require students to apply, analyze, or/and evaluate. The phi coefficient was calculated to investigate the relationship between whether questions were case-based and the required level of cognitive processing.Results: Our results demonstrated that 98.1% of case-based questions required higher-level cognitive processing. Of the non-case-based questions, 33.7% required higher-level cognitive processing. The phi coefficient demonstrated a significant, but moderate correlation between the presence of a patient case in a question and its required level of cognitive processing (phi coefficient= 0.55, P< 0.001).Conclusion: Medical instructors should be aware of the association between item format (case-based versus non-case-based) and the cognitive processes they elicit in order to meet the desired balance in a test, taking the learning objectives and the test difficulty into account.

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Trait-like vulnerability of higher-order cognition and ability to maintain wakefulness during combined sleep restriction and circadian misalignment

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsz113 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kate E Sprecher ◽

Hannah K Ritchie ◽

Tina M Burke ◽

Christopher M Depner ◽

Alexandra N Smits ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Higher Order ◽

Sleep Restriction ◽

Performance Tasks ◽

Circadian Misalignment ◽

Selective Visual Attention ◽

Individual Vulnerability ◽

At Home

Abstract Study Objectives Determine stability of individual differences in executive function, cognitive processing speed, selective visual attention, and maintenance of wakefulness during simulated sustained operations with combined sleep restriction and circadian misalignment. Methods Twenty healthy adults (eight female), aged 25.7 (±4.2 SD), body mass index (BMI) 22.3 (±2.1) kg/m2 completed an 18-day protocol twice. Participants maintained habitual self-selected 8-hour sleep schedules for 2 weeks at home prior to a 4-day laboratory visit that included one sleep opportunity per day: 8 hours on night 1, 3 hours on night 2, and 3 hours on mornings 3 and 4. After 3 days of unscheduled sleep at home, participants repeated the entire protocol. Stability and task dependency of individual differences in performance were quantified by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Kendall’s Tau, respectively. Results Performance on Stroop, Visual Search, and the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test were highly consistent within individuals during combined sleep restriction and circadian misalignment. Individual differences were trait-like as indicated by ICCs (0.54–0.96) classified according to standard criteria as moderate to almost perfect. Individual differences on other performance tasks commonly reported in sleep studies showed fair to almost perfect ICCs (0.22–0.94). Kendall’s rank correlations showed that individual vulnerability to sleep restriction and circadian misalignment varied by task and by metric within a task. Conclusions Consistent vulnerability of higher-order cognition and maintenance of wakefulness to combined sleep restriction and circadian misalignment has implications for the development of precision countermeasure strategies for workers performing safety-critical tasks, e.g. military, police, health care workers and emergency responders.

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