scholarly journals Dynamic population coding and its relationship to working memory

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 2260-2268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan M. Meyers
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Population Coding ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Firing Rates ◽  
Sustained Activity ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Population Codes ◽  
Dynamic Population ◽  
Insight Into

For over 45 years, neuroscientists have conducted experiments aimed at understanding the neural basis of working memory. Early results examining individual neurons highlighted that information is stored in working memory in persistent sustained activity where neurons maintained elevated firing rates over extended periods of time. However, more recent work has emphasized that information is often stored in working memory in dynamic population codes, where different neurons contain information at different periods in time. In this paper, I review findings that show that both sustained activity as well as dynamic codes are present in the prefrontal cortex and other regions during memory delay periods. I also review work showing that dynamic codes are capable of supporting working memory and that such dynamic codes could easily be “readout” by downstream regions. Finally, I discuss why dynamic codes could be useful for enabling animals to solve tasks that involve working memory. Although additional work is still needed to know definitively whether dynamic coding is critical for working memory, the findings reviewed here give insight into how different codes could contribute to working memory, which should be useful for guiding future research.

scholarly journals Understanding subprocesses of working memory through the lens of model-based cognitive neuroscience

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne C. Trutti ◽  
Sam Verschooren ◽  
Birte Forstmann ◽  
Russell James Boag
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Cognitive Neuroscience ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Removal Processes ◽  
Back Task

Working memory (WM) refers to a set of processes that makes task-relevant information accessible to higher-level cognitive processes. Recent work suggests WM is supported by a variety of information gating, updating, and removal processes, which ensure only task-relevant information occupies WM. Current neurocomputational theory suggests WM gating is accomplished via ‘go/no-go’ signalling in basal ganglia-thalamus-prefrontal cortex pathways, but is less clear about other subprocesses and brain structures known to play a role in WM. We review recent efforts to identify the neural basis of WM subprocesses using the recently developed reference-back task as a benchmark measure of WM subprocesses. Targets for future research using the methods of model-based cognitive neuroscience and novel extensions to the reference-back task are suggested.

What about the neural basis of crystallized intelligence?

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun Ho Lee ◽  
Yu Yong Choi ◽  
Jeremy R. Gray
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
General Intelligence ◽  
Reasoning Ability ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Crystallized Intelligence ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Fluid Reasoning ◽  
Mental Abilities ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractGeneral intelligence is largely based on two distinguishable mental abilities: crystallized intelligence (gC) and fluid reasoning ability (gF). The target article authors' P-FIT model emphasizes a network of regions throughout the brain as the neural basis for fluid reasoning and/or working memory. However, it provides little significant insight into the neural basis of gC, or how or why gC is more stable than gF across the life span.

Dissociating the Impact of Auditory Access and Language Access in Deaf Children’s Cognitive Development

2020 ◽  
pp. 98-122
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Implicit Learning ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Language Access ◽  
The Impact

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children have been claimed to lag behind their hearing peers in various domains of cognitive development, especially in implicit learning, executive function, and working memory. Two major accounts of these deficits have been proposed: one based on a lack of auditory access, and one based on a lack of language access. This chapter reviews these theories in relation to the available evidence and concludes that there is little evidence of direct effects of diminished auditory access on cognitive development that could not also be explained by diminished language access. Specifically, reports of deficits in implicit learning are not broadly replicable. Some differences in executive function do stem from deafness itself but are not necessarily deficits. Where clinically relevant deficits in executive function are observed, they are inconsistent with the predictions of accounts based on auditory access, but consistent with accounts based on language access. Deaf–hearing differences on verbal working memory tasks may indicate problems with perception and/or language, rather than with working memory. Deaf–hearing differences on nonverbal tasks are more consistent with accounts based on language access, but much more study is needed in this area. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of these findings for psychological theory and for clinical/educational practice and by identifying high-priority targets for future research.

scholarly journals Spontaneous Eye Blinks Predict Executive Functioning in Seniors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessika I. V. Buitenweg ◽  
Jaap M. J. Murre ◽  
K. Richard Ridderinkhof
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Blink Rate ◽  
Memory Updating ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Working Memory Updating

AbstractAs the world’s population is aging rapidly, cognitive training is an extensively used approach to attempt improvement of age-related cognitive functioning. With increasing numbers of older adults required to remain in the workforce, it is important to be able to reliably predict future functional decline, as well as the individual advantages of cognitive training. Given the correlation between age-related decline and striatal dopaminergic function, we investigated whether eye blink rate (EBR), a non-invasive, indirect indicator of dopaminergic activity, could predict executive functioning (response inhibition, switching and working memory updating) as well as trainability of executive functioning in older adults. EBR was collected before and after a cognitive flexibility training, cognitive training without flexibility, or a mock training. EBR predicted working memory updating performance on two measures of updating, as well as trainability of working memory updating, whereas performance and trainability in inhibition and switching tasks could not be predicted by EBR. Our findings tentatively indicate that EBR permits prediction of working memory performance in older adults. To fully interpret the relationship with executive functioning, we suggest future research should assess both EBR and dopamine receptor availability among seniors.

Towards Interconnected Blockchains

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Ankur Lohachab ◽  
Saurabh Garg ◽  
Byeong Kang ◽  
Muhammad Bilal Amin ◽  
Junmin Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Layered Architecture ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
Effective Development ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Game Changer

Unprecedented attention towards blockchain technology is serving as a game-changer in fostering the development of blockchain-enabled distinctive frameworks. However, fragmentation unleashed by its underlying concepts hinders different stakeholders from effectively utilizing blockchain-supported services, resulting in the obstruction of its wide-scale adoption. To explore synergies among the isolated frameworks requires comprehensively studying inter-blockchain communication approaches. These approaches broadly come under the umbrella of Blockchain Interoperability (BI) notion, as it can facilitate a novel paradigm of an integrated blockchain ecosystem that connects state-of-the-art disparate blockchains. Currently, there is a lack of studies that comprehensively review BI, which works as a stumbling block in its development. Therefore, this article aims to articulate potential of BI by reviewing it from diverse perspectives. Beginning with a glance of blockchain architecture fundamentals, this article discusses its associated platforms, taxonomy, and consensus mechanisms. Subsequently, it argues about BI’s requirement by exemplifying its potential opportunities and application areas. Concerning BI, an architecture seems to be a missing link. Hence, this article introduces a layered architecture for the effective development of protocols and methods for interoperable blockchains. Furthermore, this article proposes an in-depth BI research taxonomy and provides an insight into the state-of-the-art projects. Finally, it determines possible open challenges and future research in the domain.

scholarly journals Effects of neuroactive metabolites of the tryptophan pathway on working memory and cortical thickness in schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junchao Huang ◽  
Jinghui Tong ◽  
Ping Zhang ◽  
Yanfang Zhou ◽  
Yimin Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Tryptophan Pathway ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Therapeutic Development ◽  
Tryptophan Metabolites ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractA number of tryptophan metabolites known to be neuroactive have been examined for their potential associations with cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Among these metabolites, kynurenic acid (KYNA), 5-hydroxyindole (5-HI), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) are documented in their diverse effects on α-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and/or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), two of the receptor types thought to contribute to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. In this study, serum levels of KYNA, 5-HI, and QUIN were measured in 195 patients with schizophrenia and in 70 healthy controls using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; cognitive performance in MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery and cortical thickness measured by magnetic resonance imaging were obtained. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower serum KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN (p = 0.02) levels, and increased 5-HI/KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN/KYNA ratios (p < 0.001) compared with healthy controls. Multiple linear regression showed that working memory was positively correlated with serum 5-HI levels (t = 2.10, p = 0.04), but inversely correlated with KYNA concentrations (t = −2.01, p = 0.05) in patients. Patients with high 5-HI and low KYNA had better working memory than other subgroups (p = 0.01). Higher 5-HI levels were associated with thicker left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (t = 3.71, p = 2.94 × 10−4) in patients. The different effects of 5-HI and KYNA on working memory may appear consistent with their opposite receptor level mechanisms. Our findings appear to provide a new insight into the dynamic roles of tryptophan pathway metabolites on cognition, which may benefit novel therapeutic development that targets cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

The Application of the Blockchain Technology in Voting Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Jun Huang ◽  
Debiao He ◽  
Mohammad S. Obaidat ◽  
Pandi Vijayakumar ◽  
Min Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Voting Systems ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Formal Expression ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Peer Network ◽  
Peer To Peer Network ◽  
Insight Into

Voting is a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or a group of individuals. However, conventional voting systems tend to be centralized, which are known to suffer from security and efficiency limitations. Hence, there has been a trend of moving to decentralized voting systems, such as those based on blockchain. The latter is a decentralized digital ledger in a peer-to-peer network, where a copy of the append-only ledger of digitally signed and encrypted transactions is maintained by each participant. Therefore, in this article, we perform a comprehensive review of blockchain-based voting systems and classify them based on a number of features (e.g., the types of blockchain used, the consensus approaches used, and the scale of participants). By systematically analyzing and comparing the different blockchain-based voting systems, we also identify a number of limitations and research opportunities. Hopefully, this survey will provide an in-depth insight into the potential utility of blockchain in voting systems and device future research agenda.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Framework and Propositions for the Acceptance of Mobile Services

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Rao ◽  
Indrit Troshani
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Services ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Consumer Adoption ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Lead Users ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Insight Into

Mobile services are heralded to create a tremendous spectrum of business opportunities. User acceptance of these services is of paramount importance. Consequently, a deeper insight into theory-based research is required to better understand the underlying motivations that lead users to adopting mobile services. As mobile services bring additional functional dimensions, including hedonic and experiential aspects, using extant models for predicting mobile services acceptance by individuals may be inadequate. The aim of this paper is to explore, analyse and critically assess the use of existing acceptance theories in the light of the evolving and ubiquitous mobile services and their underlying technologies. Constructs affecting consumer adoption behaviour are discussed and relevant propositions are made. Managerial implications are explored and future research directions are also identified.

scholarly journals Intersectionality and Cognitive Impairment Risk in Older Persons With HIV: Age, Ethnicity, and LGBT Status

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 724-724
Author(s):  
Monica Rivera Mindt ◽  
Micah Savin ◽  
Angela Summers ◽  
Jordan Stiver ◽  
Alex Slaughter
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Regressions ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Living With Hiv

Abstract The Latinx population is disproportionately affected by HIV-infection and older Latinx persons living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for neurocognitive impairment (NCI). However, no studies have examined whether intersectionality (including Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender [LGBT] status) increases NCI risk. This study investigated whether LGBT status increases NCI risk in 126 PLWH (Ages 19-73 years; 74% Male; 66% Latinx, 34% NHW) who completed a comprehensive NC battery. Domain average T-scores were based on demographically-corrected norms. Multiple regressions revealed that after accounting for covariates (cocaine use, premorbid IQ) and other dimensions of intersectionality (age, ethnicity), LGBT status significantly contributed to NCI risk in attention/working memory (B=-4.50, p=.01) and executive functioning (trend-level; B=-3.67, p=.06). LGBT status, a key dimension of intersectionality, should be considered in NC assessment of PLWH. Future research is needed to identify factors (e.g., discrimination) that may confer increased NCI risk in this population.

Export von (Militär-)Musikinstrumenten von Berlin nach Zentral- und Südamerika um 1900

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-317
Author(s):  
Christian Breternitz
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sheet Music ◽  
International Context ◽  
Military Bands ◽  
Musical Taste ◽  
Insight Into

The article outlines the significance of Prussian military music of the 19th and early 20th centuries in an international context. It focuses on deliveries of musical instruments and sheet music by the Berlin company C. W. Moritz to Central and South America around 1900. The delivery lists of 1897/98 for the Colombian military bands show that they were equipped according to the Prussian model, which goes back to the ideas of Wilhelm Wieprecht. He reformed and standardised the Prussian military music system between the 1830s and 1860s, thus creating the basis for its success. The sheet music enclosed with the musical instruments gives an insight into the popular musical taste of the period around 1900, which was increasingly introduced to Central and South America. Future research will ask what impact such imports of music and musical instruments had on the development of music in Central and South America. (Vorlage)

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