scholarly journals Contextual interference effect is independent of retroactive inhibition but variable practice is not always beneficial

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Thürer ◽  
Sarah Gedemer ◽  
Anne Focke ◽  
Thorsten Stein
Keyword(s):  
Force Field ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Contextual Interference ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Retroactive Inhibition ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Random Group ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Variable Practice

AbstractPositive effects of variable practice conditions on subsequent motor memory consolidation and generalization are widely accepted and described as the contextual interference effect (CIE). However, the general benefits of CIE are low and these benefits might even depend on decreased retest performances in the blocked-practicing control group, caused by retroactive inhibition. The aim of this study was to investigate if CIE represents a true learning phenomenon or possibly reflects confounding effects of retroactive inhibition. We tested 48 healthy human participants adapting their reaching movements to three different force field magnitudes. Subjects practiced the force fields in either a Blocked (B), Random (R), or Constant (C) schedule. In addition, subjects of the Blocked group performed either a retest schedule that did (Blocked-Matched; BM) or did not (Blocked-Unmatched; BU) control for retroactive inhibition. Results showed that retroactive inhibition did not affect the results of the BU group much and that the Random group showed a better consolidation performance compared to both Blocked groups. However, compared to the Constant group, the Random group showed only slight benefits in its memory consolidation of the mean performance across all force field magnitudes and no benefits in absolute performance values. This indicates that CIE reflects a true motor learning phenomenon, which is independent of retroactive inhibition. However, random practice is not always beneficial over constant practice.

scholarly journals Effects of different dark chocolate diets on memory functions and brain corticosterone levels in rats under chronic stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-196
Author(s):  
Elham Kalantarzadeh ◽  
◽  
Maryam Radahmadi ◽  
Parham Reisi ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Diet Group ◽  
Dark Compartment ◽  
Dark Chocolate ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Stressed Group

Introduction: Stress influences cognitive behavior adversely, whereas dark chocolate exhibits positive effects on memory processes. This study investigated the effects of different dark chocolate diets on various aspects of brain functions in rats under chronic stress Methods: Thirty-five rats were randomly allocated into five groups: control, stress, stress with different (compulsory, optional and restricted) dark chocolate diets. Latency, dark stay (DS) time and the number of entrance to the dark compartment were respectively evaluated as memory, memory consolidation and locomotor activity by passive avoidance test. Results: There were significant differences between initial latency and latency after 1 day in all groups. In the stress-compulsory and restricted dark chocolate diet groups, latency after 1 day increased significantly. Moreover, the DS time was not significantly higher in the stressed group than the control group. The DS time and number of entrance to dark compartment decreased significantly in the stress-compulsory dark chocolate diet group compared to the stressed group. Furthermore, the number of entrance to dark compartment was significantly higher for the stress- optional dark chocolate diet compared to those with the compulsory diet. Additionally, serum and hippocampal corticosterone levels, except in the frontal cortex, were significantly lower only in the stress-compulsory dark chocolate diet group compared to the stressed group. Conclusion: Different dark chocolate diets had various effects on brain functions under chronic stress. Respectively, the compulsory and optional dark chocolate diets had the best and least effects on brain function improvement. Only the compulsory dark chocolate diet could improve brain functions such as memory, memory consolidation and locomotor activity.

scholarly journals The Contextual Interference Effect on Sport-Specific Motor Learning in Older Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina G.T.X. de Souza ◽  
Marcelo E.S. Nunes ◽  
Umberto C. Corrêa ◽  
Suely dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Contextual Interference ◽  
Random Group ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Similar Performance ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Practice Time

AbstractPurpose. The aim of this study was to investigate the contextual interference effect on learning a sport-related task in older adults. Methods. We selected 40 physically active individuals aged 65-80 years that were randomly divided into random and blocked practice groups. The task comprised throwing a bocce ball to three targets at distances of 2, 4 and 6 m. Practice consisted of 120 trials divided into two sessions. Two retention tests at a distance of 4 m were conducted (post-10 min and 24 h) and then two transfer tests with a target at 5 m (post-24 h) were performed with the preferred and non-preferred hand. Task performance and movement patterns were measured. Results. Comparisons between the practice groups revealed no contextual interference effect (p > 0.05); the random group showed improved performance during practice (p < 0.05) but the blocked group did not. Overall, the results showed similar performance between the groups in the retention and transfer tests, although it was inferred that the blocked group made insufficient corrective adjustments. Conclusions. It was concluded that contextual interference did not affect the learning of a sport-based skill in older adults. Nonetheless, it can be argued that the parameter modifications may have negatively influenced learning this task by the practice groups and/or they may have required more practice time.

Contextual Interference Effects with Skilled Baseball Players

1994 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 835-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kellie Green Hall ◽  
Derek A. Domingues ◽  
Richard Cavazos
Keyword(s):  
Random Order ◽  
Contextual Interference ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Interference Effects ◽  
Random Group ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Novice Learners ◽  
Collegiate Baseball ◽  
Baseball Team ◽  
Better Than

The learning benefits of contextual interference have been frequently demonstrated in different settings using novice learners. The purpose of the present study was to test such effects with skilled athletic performers. Scheduling differences for biweekly additional (“extra”) batting-practice sessions of a collegiate baseball team were examined. 30 players (ns = 10) were blocked on skill and then randomly assigned to one of three groups. The random and blocked groups received 2 additional batting-practice sessions each week for 6 wk. (12 sessions), while the control group received no additional practice. The extra sessions consisted of 45 pitches, 15 fastballs, 15 curve-balls, and 15 change-up pitches. The random group received these pitches in a random order, while the blocked group received all 15 of one type, then 15 of the next type, and finally 15 of the last type of pitch in a blocked fashion. All subjects received a pretest of 45 randomly presented pitches of the three varieties. After 6 wk. of extra batting practice, all subjects received two transfer tests, each of 45 trials; one was presented randomly and one blocked. The transfer tests were counterbalanced across subjects. Pretest analysis showed no significant differences among groups. On both the random and blocked transfer tests, however, the random group performed with reliably higher scores than the blocked group, who performed better than the control group. When comparing the pretest to the random transfer test, the random group improved 56.7%, the blocked group 24.8%, and the control group only 6.2%. These findings demonstrate the contextual interference effect to be robust and beneficial even to skilled learners in a complex sport setting.

Effects of a 6-Week Straw Phonation in Water Exercise Program on the Aging Voice

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1018-1032
Author(s):  
Chia-Hsin Wu ◽  
Roger W. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Aging Voice ◽  
Before And After

Purpose Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises with tubes or straws have been widely used for a variety of voice disorders. Yet, the effects of longer periods of SOVT exercises (lasting for weeks) on the aging voice are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of a 6-week straw phonation in water (SPW) exercise program. Method Thirty-seven elderly subjects with self-perceived voice problems were assigned into two groups: (a) SPW exercises with six weekly sessions and home practice (experimental group) and (b) vocal hygiene education (control group). Before and after intervention (2 weeks after the completion of the exercise program), acoustic analysis, auditory–perceptual evaluation, and self-assessment of vocal impairment were conducted. Results Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the two groups in smoothed cepstral peak prominence measures, harmonics-to-noise ratio, the auditory–perceptual parameter of breathiness, and Voice Handicap Index-10 scores postintervention. No significant differences between the two groups were found for other measures. Conclusions Our results supported the positive effects of SOVT exercises for the aging voice, with a 6-week SPW exercise program being a clinical option. Future studies should involve long-term follow-up and additional outcome measures to better understand the efficacy of SOVT exercises, particularly SPW exercises, for the aging voice.

Dendrobium officinalis Flower Improves Learning and Reduces Memory Impairment by Mediating Antioxidant Effect and Balancing the Release of Neurotransmitters in Senescent Rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 402-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin-Zi Li ◽  
Shan-Shan Lei ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Fu-Chen Zhou ◽  
Ye-Hui Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Brain Aging ◽  
Morris Water Maze Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Histopathological Analysis ◽  
Hippocampal Damage ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
Mao B ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Brain

Aim and Objective: The Dendrobium officinalis flower (DOF) is popular in China due to common belief in its anti-aging properties and positive effects on “nourish yin”. However, there have been relatively few confirmatory pharmacological experiments conducted to date. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether DOF has beneficial effects on learning and memory in senescent rats, and, if so, to determine its potential mechanism of effect. Materials and Methods: SD rats were administrated orally DOF at a dose of 1.38, or 0.46 g/kg once a day for 8 weeks. Two other groups included a healthy untreated control group and a senescent control group. During the 7th week, a Morris water maze test was performed to assess learning and memory. At the end of the experiment, serum and brain samples were collected to measure concentrations of antioxidant enzymes, including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GSH-Px) in serum, and the neurotransmitters, including γ-aminobutyric acid (γ-GABA), Glutamic (Glu), and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in the brain. Histopathology of the hippocampus was assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Results: The results suggested that treatment with DOF improved learning as measured by escape latency, total distance, and target quadrant time, and also increased levels of γ-GABA in the brain. In addition, DOF decreased the levels of MDA, Glu, and MAO-B, and improved SOD and GSHPx. Histopathological analysis showed that DOF also significantly reduced structural lesions and neurodegeneration in the hippocampus relative to untreated senescent rats. Conclusion: DOF alleviated brain aging and improved the spatial learning abilities in senescent rats, potentially by attenuating oxidative stress and thus reducing hippocampal damage and balancing the release of neurotransmitters.

scholarly journals Audience Response Software as a Learning Tool in University Courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 350
Author(s):  
Ana María Díez-Pascual ◽  
María Pilar García García Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Audience Response ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Questions And Answers ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Teaching Learning

The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become a fundamental tool in all areas of today’s society, including higher education. Lessons cannot be envisaged without the use of tools such as computers, tablets or mobile devices. Many lecturers use audience response systems (ARS) to keep their classes engaged. ARS software allows teachers to interact with students via polls, text responses, or multiple-choice questions displayed via their mobile devices. A new example of the use of this type of devices in education is gamification, a technique that uses a set of activities with ludic character as a learning methodology in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and competences. One of the most used gamification tools is Kahoot!, a free learning application based on a mixture of game and creativity, which encourages attention and participation of students through questions and answers formulated by the teacher and designed in a way that students respond via their mobile phones. This paper examines the use of Kahoot! in a subject belonging to the chemistry area. In order to assess the benefits of this tool, it was tested in a group of students to review the knowledge and skills acquired during the theoretical lessons prior to the exams, and the academic results were compared with those of a control group of students who did not use the tool. The results demonstrate that the use of Kahoot! led to an improvement in the teaching–learning process of the students and a noteworthy rise in their marks, and that its positive effects rise with increasing the frequency of use of this didactic tool.

Effects of Short-Term Mission Trips on Recipients’ Self-Esteem and Readiness for Self-Directed Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 009164712110115
Author(s):  
Charissa H. W. Wong ◽  
Li Neng Lee ◽  
Alberto Pérez Pereiro
Keyword(s):  
Self Esteem ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Group Post ◽  
Mission Trips

Short-term Christian overseas volunteer trips, also known as short-term mission trips (STMs), have become increasingly prevalent (Howell & Dorr, 2007). However, research on these programs has been limited. This quasi-experimental study adds to the literature by quantitatively measuring the effects of an STM from Singapore to Thailand. STM recipients’ ( n = 44) self-esteem and readiness for self-directed learning (RSDL) were compared across timepoints – pre-test, post-test, follow-up – and with a control group ( n = 50). It was hypothesized that recipients would experience an increase in self-esteem and RSDL such that their scores would be higher than the control group post-STM. Results provide partial support for the hypotheses; while improvements among recipients were either not significant (for self-esteem) or not long-lasting (for RSDL), recipients had higher scores than the control group post-STM. This suggests that STMs have some, albeit limited, positive effects. Recommendations for promoting greater and longer-lasting effects are offered.

scholarly journals N-Acetylcysteine improves intestinal function and attenuates intestinal autophagy in piglets challenged with β-conglycinin

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiyun Wang ◽  
Chengcheng Li ◽  
Meng Peng ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Di Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peptide Transporter ◽  
Mucosal Barrier ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Intestinal Function ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Fatty Acid Binding ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Mucosal Barrier Function

Abstractβ-Conglycinin (β-CG), an anti-nutritional factor, is a major allergen in soybeans to induce intestinal dysfunction and diarrhea in neonatal animals, including piglets and human infants. This study with a piglet model determined the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on intestinal function and autophagy in response to β-CG challenge. Twenty-four 12-day-old piglets (3.44 ± 0.28 kg), which had been weaned at 7 days of age and adapted for 5 days after weaning, were randomly allocated to the control, β-CG, and β-CG + NAC groups. Piglets in the control group were fed a liquid diet containing 10% casein, whereas those in the β-CG and β-CG + NAC groups were fed the basal liquid diets containing 9.5% casein and 0.5% β-CG for 2 days. Thereafter, pigs in the β-CG + NAC group were orally administrated with 50 mg (kg BW)−1 NAC for 3 days, while pigs in the other two groups were orally administrated with the same volume of sterile saline. NAC numerically reduced diarrhea incidence (− 46.2%) and the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, but increased claudin-1 and intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (iFABP) protein abundances and activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the jejunum of β-CG-challenged piglets. Although β-CG challenge decreased the villus height, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and mRNA levels of claudin-1 and occludin, no significant differences were observed in these indices between the control and β-CG + NAC groups, suggesting the positive effects of NAC supplementation on intestinal mucosal barrier function. Moreover, NAC increased the concentrations of citrulline and D-xylose in the plasma, as well as the expression of genes for aquaporin (AQP) 3, AQP4, peptide transporter 1 (PepT1), sodium/glucose co-transporter-1 (SGLT-1), potassium inwardly-rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 13 (KCNJ13), and solute carrier family 1 member 1 (SLC1A1) in the jejunum, demonstrating that NAC augmented intestinal metabolic activity and absorptive function. Remarkably, NAC decreased Atg5 protein abundance and the LC3II/LC3I ratio (an indicator of autophagy) in the jejunum of β-CG-challenged piglets. Taken together, NAC supplementation improved intestinal function and attenuated intestinal autophagy in β-CG-challenged piglets.

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