scholarly journals The “Locus of Learning” Problem: Effects of Stimulus and Task Structure on Temporal Perceptual Learning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rannie Xu ◽  
Russell M. Church ◽  
Yuka Sasaki ◽  
Takeo Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Task Structure ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Sensory Representation ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Task Specificity ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Random Intervals ◽  
Single Interval

AbstractThe ability to discriminate sub-second intervals can be improved with practice, a process known as temporal perceptual learning (TPL). A central question in TPL is whether training improves the low-level sensory representation of a temporal interval or optimizes a set of task-specific response strategies. Here, we trained three groups of participants over five days on a single-interval temporal discrimination task using either fixed intervals (FI) or random intervals (RI). Before and after training, discrimination thresholds were also obtained on an untrained task. Our results revealed that only the FI group showed improvements with five days of training, but this learning did not generalize from the trained task to the untrained task in any group. These results highlight task-specificity in TPL and suggest that training-dependent improvements in timing ability might reflect an active reweighting of decision units, in addition to refinements in the sensory representation of a learned interval.

scholarly journals Effects of stimulus and task structure on temporal perceptual learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rannie Xu ◽  
Russell M. Church ◽  
Yuka Sasaki ◽  
Takeo Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Discrimination Performance ◽  
Task Structure ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Interval Representation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Temporal Intervals ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Temporal Learning ◽  
And Task

AbstractOur ability to discriminate temporal intervals can be improved with practice. This learning is generally thought to reflect an enhancement in the representation of a trained interval, which leads to interval-specific improvements in temporal discrimination. In the present study, we asked whether temporal learning is further constrained by context-specific factors dictated through the trained stimulus and task structure. Two groups of participants were trained using a single-interval auditory discrimination task over 5 days. Training intervals were either one of eight predetermined values (FI group), or random from trial to trial (RI group). Before and after the training period, we measured discrimination performance using an untrained two-interval temporal comparison task. Our results revealed a selective improvement in the FI group, but not the RI group. However, this learning did not generalize between the trained and untrained tasks. These results highlight the sensitivity of TPL to stimulus and task structure, suggesting that mechanisms of temporal learning rely on processes beyond changes in interval representation.

scholarly journals Human perceptual learning is delayed by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor partial agonist D-cycloserine

2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112098634
Author(s):  
Harriet Dempsey-Jones ◽  
Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen ◽  
Michael Browning ◽  
Tamar R Makin ◽  
Marcella L Woud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Partial Agonist ◽  
Tactile Perception ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Tactile Learning ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Learning And Cognition ◽  
To Receive

Background: The optimisation of learning has long been a focus of scientific research, particularly in relation to improving psychological treatment and recovery of brain function. Previously, partial N-methyl-D-aspartate agonists have been shown to augment reward learning, procedural learning and psychological therapy, but many studies also report no impact of these compounds on the same processes. Aims: Here we investigate whether administration of an N-methyl-D-aspartate partial agonist (D-cycloserine) modulates a previously unexplored process – tactile perceptual learning. Further, we use a longitudinal design to investigate whether N-methyl-D-aspartate-related learning effects vary with time, thereby providing a potentially simple explanation for apparent mixed effects in previous research. Methods: Thirty-four volunteers were randomised to receive one dose of 250 mg D-cycloserine or placebo 2 h before tactile sensitivity training. Tactile perception was measured using psychophysical methods before and after training, and 24/48 h later. Results: The placebo group showed immediate within-day tactile perception gains, but no further improvements between-days. In contrast, tactile perception remained at baseline on day one in the D-cycloserine group (no within-day learning), but showed significant overnight gains on day two. Both groups were equivalent in tactile perception by the final testing – indicating N-methyl-D-aspartate effects changed the timing, but not the overall amount of tactile learning. Conclusions: In sum, we provide first evidence for modulation of perceptual learning by administration of a partial N-methyl-D-aspartate agonist. Resolving how the effects of such compounds become apparent over time will assist the optimisation of testing schedules, and may help resolve discrepancies across the learning and cognition domains.

Potential Roles of Military-Specific Response to Natural Disasters—Analysis of the Rapid Deployment of a Mobile Surgical Team to the 2007 Peruvian Earthquake

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Malish ◽  
David E. Oliver ◽  
Robert M. Rush ◽  
Esmeraldo Zarzabal ◽  
Michael J. Sigmon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
United States Military ◽  
Surgical Team ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Health Infrastructure ◽  
Rapid Deployment ◽  
The Military ◽  
Resource Capacity

AbstractThe August 2007 earthquake in Peru resulted in the loss of critical health infrastructure and resource capacity. A regionally located United States Military Mobile Surgical Team was deployed and operational within 48 hours. However, a post-mission analysis confirmed a low yield from the military surgical resource. The experience of the team suggests that non-surgical medical, transportation, and logistical resources filled essential gaps in health assessment, evacuation, and essential primary care in an otherwise resource-poor surge response capability. Due to an absence of outcomes data, the true effect of the mission on population health remains unknown. Militaries should focus their disaster response efforts on employment of logistics, primary medical care, and transportation/evacuation. Future response strategies should be evidence-based and incorporate a means of quantifying outcomes.

A Hippocampal Signature of Perceptual Learning in Object Recognition

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 787-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Guggenmos ◽  
Marcus Rothkirch ◽  
Klaus Obermayer ◽  
John-Dylan Haynes ◽  
Philipp Sterzer
Keyword(s):  
Object Recognition ◽  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Transfer Of Learning ◽  
Behavioral Training ◽  
Enhancing Effect ◽  
Monetary Rewards ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Perceptual Performance ◽  
Recognition Of Objects

Perceptual learning is the improvement in perceptual performance through training or exposure. Here, we used fMRI before and after extensive behavioral training to investigate the effects of perceptual learning on the recognition of objects under challenging viewing conditions. Objects belonged either to trained or untrained categories. Trained categories were further subdivided into trained and untrained exemplars and were coupled with high or low monetary rewards during training. After a 3-day training, object recognition was markedly improved. Although there was a considerable transfer of learning to untrained exemplars within categories, an enhancing effect of reward reinforcement was specific to trained exemplars. fMRI showed that hippocampus responses to both trained and untrained exemplars of trained categories were enhanced by perceptual learning and correlated with the effect of reward reinforcement. Our results suggest a key role of hippocampus in object recognition after perceptual learning.

PRESTAGING VERSUS MOBILITY OF RESPONSE EQUIPMENT INVENTORIES

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (2) ◽  
pp. 1361-1365
Author(s):  
Barry A. McFarland ◽  
Steven Kegelman
Keyword(s):  
Planning Process ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Identical Response ◽  
The Us ◽  
Protection Strategies ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive ◽  
The Many

ABSTRACT One of the many valuable aspects of Area Contingency Plans (ACPs) in the US is the identification of environmentally sensitive sites. Over recent years the natural evolution of the area planning process has commonly involved development of site specific response strategies for protection of these environmentally sensitive locations. Whether called Geographic Response Plans (GRPs), Site Specific Response Strategies (SSRS), or Geographic Response Strategies (GRSs) these plans typically identify the equipment and personnel needed to accomplish the prescribed strategies. Once strategies are developed, there is incentive to prestage equipment near the identified site to maximize the ability to implement the strategy identified in the plan. Regulatory agencies are now exerting additional pressure by requiring oil spill removal organizations (OSROs) to exercise these strategies on an annual or triennial basis. This pressure results in multiple competing OSROs prestaging similar or identical response inventories at or near the same sites. As a result, a growing percentage of the response equipment on the U.S. West Coast is now prestaged in duplicate or triplicate small stockpiles throughout coastal areas. Many of these prestaged packages are very site specific and include permanent mooring sites or equipment. This equipment is now configured to effectively protect a specific site. It may no longer be as flexible or as easily used under different conditions or at other locations. As a greater percentage of the equipment inventory becomes prestaged, what does this mean in terms of overall response mobility? Has the mobility of equipment or cascading of response equipment been affected? The combination of multiple OSROs, the increasing number of protection strategies, and the need to regularly exercise these strategies is resulting is an decreasingly mobile equipment inventory. At what point does this affect the tactical planning process? Is there a way to optimize preplanning and still achieve equipment flexibility?

Facilitating Effect of 15-Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Tactile Perceptual Learning

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1577-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed A. Karim ◽  
Anne Schüler ◽  
Yiwen Li Hegner ◽  
Eva Friedel ◽  
Ben Godde
Keyword(s):  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Somatosensory Cortex ◽  
Discrimination Training ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Tactile Discrimination ◽  
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation ◽  
Functional Deficits

Recent neuroimaging studies have revealed that tactile perceptual learning can lead to substantial reorganizational changes of the brain. We report here for the first time that combining high-frequency (15 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) with tactile discrimination training is capable of facilitating operant perceptual learning. Most notably, increasing the excitability of SI by 15-Hz rTMS improved perceptual learning in spatial, but not in temporal, discrimination tasks. These findings give causal support to recent correlative data obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging studies indicating a differential role of SI in spatial and temporal discrimination learning. The introduced combination of rTMS and tactile discrimination training may provide new therapeutical potentials in facilitating neuropsychological rehabilitation of functional deficits after lesions of the somatosensory cortex.

scholarly journals Trends in interest of COVID-19 on Polish Internet

2020 ◽  
pp. 258-275
Author(s):  
Andrzej Jarynowski ◽  
Monika Wójta-Kempa ◽  
Vitaly Belik
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
News Media ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Public Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Information Campaigns ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Polish Government

INTRODUCTION. This study aims to investigate the social interest in SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in the Internet media during the epidemic in Poland and serves as a complement to longitudinal surveys monitoring public perception in real time. METHODS. We quantitatively analyzed “coronavirus” digital footprints on the Internet, in particular, on Google, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia and electronic media represented by EventRegistry, from 15.01 to 07.04.2020 (before and after official introduction of COVID-19 to Poland on 04.03.2020). We present results on trend analysis supported by statistical techniques. RESULTS. We identified six major temporal clusters of the interest on the topic COVID-19: 1) Chinese, 2) Italian, 3) Waiting, 4) Mitigations, 5) Physical distancing and Lockdown, 6) Anti-crisis shield. There was an exponential increase of the interest when the Polish government “declared a war against disease” around 11/12.03.2020 with a massive response activity. Later on, there was a decay in the interest with additional phases related to physical distancing and an anti-crisis legislation act associated with pronounced local peaks. We have found that declarations of response strategies by the Polish prime minister or the minister of health gathered the highest attention of Internet users. So already enacted or in force events do not affect the interest to such an extent. We have observed very weak or even negative correlations between a colloquial search term “antiviral mask” in Google, encyclopaedic definition in Wikipedia “SARS-CoV-2” as well as official COVID-19 incidence series, implying different mechanisms governing the search for knowledge, panic related behaviour and actual burden of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS. Traditional and social media do not only reflect reality, but also create it. Interest in COVID-19 (measured by topic intensity on the Internet) is unrelated to the officially notified viral pressure (measured by incidence) and probably physical risk of acquiring infection in Poland. As traditional media are ahead of social media in time, we advise to choose traditional news media for a quick dissemination of information, however for a greater impact, social media should be used. Otherwise public information campaigns might have less impact on society than expected.

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