scholarly journals Testing the fast consolidation hypothesis of retrieval-mediated learning

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.S. Ferreira ◽  
I. Charest ◽  
M. Wimber
Keyword(s):  
Testing Effect ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Mediated Learning ◽  
Systems Consolidation ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Hippocampal Activity ◽  
Acting Mechanism ◽  
Sleep Consolidation

AbstractThe testing-effect, or retrieval-mediated learning, is one of the most robust effects in memory research. It shows that actively and repeatedly retrieving information, compared to merely restudying it, improves long-term retention. Surprisingly, little is known about the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Attempting to fill this gap, a recent framework proposed that retrieval acts as a fast memory consolidation mechanism, stabilizing memories through online reactivation, similar to memory replay during offline (e.g. sleep) consolidation. In this fMRI study, we empirically tested the predictions derived from this framework.We predicted that reactivation during retrieval allows memories to become embedded in neocortex, creating an additional route to access the memory trace and rendering it less hippocampus-dependent. Participants encoded scene-object pairs and either retrieved or restudied the objects over two sessions, two days apart. We analysed univariate and multivariate changes in brain activity specific to retrieval but not restudy, and tested whether the predicted changes occur rapidly within a session, or evolve slowly, across the two days.Results showed that medial prefrontal cortex activation increased across retrieval trials within one session, consistent with a fast consolidation account. Hippocampal activity decreased across sessions, suggesting a slower mechanism. Moreover, Representational Similarity Analyses (RSA) showed that consecutive retrieval attempts strengthen both higher-level semantic and episode-specific information in parietal areas, both across but not within sessions. Our findings suggest that retrieval supports the online creation of a neocortical trace, which becomes increasingly relevant at long delays when hippocampus-dependent episodic details would otherwise have faded.Significance statementRepeated remembering strengthens memories much more so than repeated learning. The aim of this study was to shed light onto the poorly understood neurocognitive underpinnings of retrieval-mediated learning. We tested a novel framework proposing that a memory’s stabilization via retrieval relies on mechanisms akin to those involved in offline systems consolidation. Observing the retrieval-induced neural pattern changes across different timescales, we find that retrieval stabilizes semantic and episodic aspects of the original memories, and produces increases in prefrontal activity and decreases in hippocampal activity that are consistent with the consolidation view, but not necessarily with a fast acting mechanism. Our findings inform cognitive theories of the testing effect, suggesting that retrieval produces its benefits by interacting with hippocampal-neocortical consolidation mechanisms.

The Effects of CCRC on Cognition and Brain Activity in aMCI Patients: A Pilot Placebo Controlled BOLD fMRI Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 484-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junying Zhang ◽  
Zijing Wang ◽  
Shijun Xu ◽  
Yaojing Chen ◽  
Kewei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
Bold Fmri ◽  
Fmri Study

scholarly journals Pedagogical Strategies for the Enhancement of Medical Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad B. Azzam ◽  
Ronald A. Easteal
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Retrieval Practice ◽  
Memory Storage ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Memory And Learning ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Sleep Consolidation

AbstractClearly, memory and learning are essential to medical education. To make memory and learning more robust and long-term, educators should turn to the advances in neuroscience and cognitive science to direct their efforts. This paper describes the memory pathways and stages with emphasis leading to long-term memory storage. Particular stress is placed on this storage as a construct known as schema. Leading from this background, several pedagogical strategies are described: cognitive load, dual encoding, spiral syllabus, bridging and chunking, sleep consolidation, and retrieval practice.

scholarly journals Converging Robotic Technologies in Targeted Neural Rehabilitation: A Review of Emerging Solutions and Challenges

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2084
Author(s):  
Kostas Nizamis ◽  
Alkinoos Athanasiou ◽  
Sofia Almpani ◽  
Christos Dimitrousis ◽  
Alexander Astaras
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Technological Evolution ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Hybrid Solutions ◽  
New Research ◽  
Rehabilitation Robotic

Recent advances in the field of neural rehabilitation, facilitated through technological innovation and improved neurophysiological knowledge of impaired motor control, have opened up new research directions. Such advances increase the relevance of existing interventions, as well as allow novel methodologies and technological synergies. New approaches attempt to partially overcome long-term disability caused by spinal cord injury, using either invasive bridging technologies or noninvasive human–machine interfaces. Muscular dystrophies benefit from electromyography and novel sensors that shed light on underlying neuromotor mechanisms in people with Duchenne. Novel wearable robotics devices are being tailored to specific patient populations, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, and amputated individuals. In addition, developments in robot-assisted rehabilitation may enhance motor learning and generate movement repetitions by decoding the brain activity of patients during therapy. This is further facilitated by artificial intelligence algorithms coupled with faster electronics. The practical impact of integrating such technologies with neural rehabilitation treatment can be substantial. They can potentially empower nontechnically trained individuals—namely, family members and professional carers—to alter the programming of neural rehabilitation robotic setups, to actively get involved and intervene promptly at the point of care. This narrative review considers existing and emerging neural rehabilitation technologies through the perspective of replacing or restoring functions, enhancing, or improving natural neural output, as well as promoting or recruiting dormant neuroplasticity. Upon conclusion, we discuss the future directions for neural rehabilitation research, diagnosis, and treatment based on the discussed technologies and their major roadblocks. This future may eventually become possible through technological evolution and convergence of mutually beneficial technologies to create hybrid solutions.

scholarly journals Peripheral arterial stiffness during electrocutaneous stimulation is positively correlated with pain-related brain activity and subjective pain intensity: an fMRI study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshio Tsuji ◽  
Fumiya Arikuni ◽  
Takafumi Sasaoka ◽  
Shin Suyama ◽  
Takashi Akiyoshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arterial Stiffness ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Electrocutaneous Stimulation ◽  
Pain Matrix ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Subjective Pain ◽  
Peripheral Arterial

AbstractBrain activity associated with pain perception has been revealed by numerous PET and fMRI studies over the past few decades. These findings helped to establish the concept of the pain matrix, which is the distributed brain networks that demonstrate pain-specific cortical activities. We previously found that peripheral arterial stiffness $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art responds to pain intensity, which is estimated from electrocardiography, continuous sphygmomanometer, and photo-plethysmography. However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art aligns with pain matrix brain activity. In this fMRI study, 22 participants received different intensities of pain stimuli. We identified brain regions in which the blood oxygen level-dependent signal covaried with $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art using parametric modulation analysis. Among the identified brain regions, the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex and ventral and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex were consistent with the pain matrix. We found moderate correlations between the average activities in these regions and $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art (r = 0.47, p < 0.001). $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art was also significantly correlated with self-reported pain intensity (r = 0.44, p < 0.001) and applied pain intensity (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Our results indicate that $${\beta }_{\text{art}}$$ β art is positively correlated with pain-related brain activity and subjective pain intensity. This study may thus represent a basis for adopting peripheral arterial stiffness as an objective pain evaluation metric.

Distinguishing hypochondriasis and schizophrenia using regional homogeneity: a resting-state fMRI study and support vector machine analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Kangyu Jin ◽  
Zhe Shen ◽  
Guoxun Feng ◽  
Zhiyong Zhao ◽  
Jing Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Resting State Fmri ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Regional Homogeneity ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Fmri Study

Abstract Objective: A few former studies suggested there are partial overlaps in abnormal brain structure and cognitive function between Hypochondriasis (HS) and schizophrenia (SZ). But their differences in brain activity and cognitive function were unclear. Methods: 21 HS patients, 23 SZ patients, and 24 healthy controls (HC) underwent Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) with the regional homogeneity analysis (ReHo), subsequently exploring the relationship between ReHo value and cognitive functions. The support vector machines (SVM) were used on effectiveness evaluation of ReHo for differentiating HS from SZ. Results: Compared with HC, HS showed significantly increased ReHo values in right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and right fusiform gyrus (FG), while SZ showed increased ReHo in left insula, decreased ReHo values in right paracentral lobule. Additionally, HS showed significantly higher ReHo values in FG, MTG and left paracentral lobule but lower in insula than SZ. The higher ReHo values in insula were associated with worse performance in MCCB in HS group. SVM analysis showed a combination of the ReHo values in insula and FG was able to satisfactorily distinguish the HS and SZ patients. Conclusion: our results suggested the altered default mode network (DMN), of which abnormal spontaneous neural activity occurs in multiple brain regions, might play a key role in the pathogenesis of HS, and the resting-state alterations of insula closely related to cognitive dysfunction in HS. Furthermore, the combination of the ReHo in FG and insula was a relatively ideal indicator to distinguish HS from SZ.

Timing, Storage, and Comparison of Stimulus Duration Engage Discrete Anatomical Components of a Perceptual Timing Network

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 2185-2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer T. Coull ◽  
Bruno Nazarian ◽  
Franck Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Stimulus Duration ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Motor Preparation ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Temporal Encoding ◽  
Perceptual Timing ◽  
The Right

The temporal discrimination paradigm requires subjects to compare the duration of a probe stimulus to that of a sample previously stored in working or long-term memory, thus providing an index of timing that is independent of a motor response. However, the estimation process itself comprises several component cognitive processes, including timing, storage, retrieval, and comparison of durations. Previous imaging studies have attempted to disentangle these components by simply measuring brain activity during early versus late scanning epochs. We aim to improve the temporal resolution and precision of this approach by using rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to time-lock the hemodynamic response to presentation of the sample and probe stimuli themselves. Compared to a control (color-estimation) task, which was matched in terms of difficulty, sustained attention, and motor preparation requirements, we found selective activation of the left putamen for the storage (“encoding”) of stimulus duration into working memory (WM). Moreover, increased putamen activity was linked to enhanced timing performance, suggesting that the level of putamen activity may modulate the depth of temporal encoding. Retrieval and comparison of stimulus duration in WM selectively activated the right superior temporal gyrus. Finally, the supplementary motor area was equally active during both sample and probe stages of the task, suggesting a fundamental role in timing the duration of a stimulus that is currently unfolding in time.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document