Human Attentional Networks: A Connectionist Model

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1678-1689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongbin Wang ◽  
Jin Fan
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Local Error ◽  
Connectionist Model ◽  
Biologically Inspired ◽  
Control Functions ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Normal Human

Recent evidence in cognitive neuroscience has suggested that attention is a complex organ system subserved by at least three attentional networks in the brain, for alerting, orienting, and executive control functions. However, how these different networks work together to give rise to the seemingly unitary mental faculty of attention remains unclear. We describe a connectionist model of human attentional networks to explore the possible interplays among the networks from a computational perspective. This model is developed in the framework of leabra (local, error-driven, and associative, biologically realistic algorithm) and simultaneously involves these attentional networks connected in a biologically inspired way. We evaluate the model by simulating the empirical data collected on normal human subjects using the Attentional Network Test (ANT). The simulation results fit the experimental data well. In addition, we show that the same model, with a single parameter change that affects executive control, is able to simulate the empirical data collected from patients with schizophrenia. This model represents a plausible connectionist explanation for the functional structure and interaction of human attentional networks.

scholarly journals Assessing the Three Attentional Networks and Vigilance in the Adolescence Stages

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 503
Author(s):  
Jasmine Giovannoli ◽  
Diana Martella ◽  
Maria Casagrande
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Early Adolescents ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Late Adolescents ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Middle Adolescence ◽  
Age Range

Attention involves three functionally and neuroanatomically distinct neural networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. This study aimed to assess the attentional networks and vigilance in adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years using the attentional network test for interaction and vigilance (ANTI-V). One hundred and eighty-two adolescents divided into three groups (early adolescents, middle adolescents, late adolescents) participated in the study. The results indicate that after age 15, adolescents adopt a more conservative response strategy and increase the monitoring of self-errors. All the attentional networks seem to continue to develop during the age range considered in this study (10–19 y). Performance improved from early adolescence to middle adolescence and began to stabilize in late adolescence. Moreover, a low level of vigilance seems to harm alerting and orienting abilities.

scholarly journals Selective enhancement of attentional networks in college table tennis athletes: a preliminary investigation

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biye Wang ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Chenglin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Table Tennis ◽  
Control Networks ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Selective Enhancement ◽  
Athlete Group

The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the attentional network in college table tennis athletes. A total of 65 college students categorized as table tennis athlete group or non-athlete group participated in the study. All participants completed the attentional network test (ANT) which measured the alerting, orienting and executive control networks. The results showed a significant difference between the athlete and non-athlete group for executive control network (p < 0.01), while no differences were observed for alerting (p > 0.05) or orienting (p > 0.05) networks. These results combined suggest that college table tennis athletes exhibited selectively enhanced executive control of attentional networks.

scholarly journals Selective enhancement of attentional networks in college table tennis athletes: a preliminary investigation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biye Wang ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Chenglin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Table Tennis ◽  
Control Networks ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Selective Enhancement ◽  
Athlete Group

The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the attentional network in college table tennis athletes. A total of 65 college students categorized as table tennis athlete group or non-athlete group participated in the study. All participants completed the attentional network test (ANT) which measured the alerting, orienting and executive control networks. The results showed a significant difference between the athlete and non-athlete group for executive control network (p <0.01), while no differences were observed for alerting (p>0.05) or orienting (p>0.05) networks. These results combined suggest that college table tennis athletes exhibited selectively enhanced executive control of attentional networks.

scholarly journals Assessing the three attentional networks in children from three to six years: A child-friendly version of the Attentional Network Test for Interaction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Casagrande ◽  
Andrea Marotta ◽  
Diana Martella ◽  
Elisa Volpari ◽  
Francesca Agostini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network ◽  
Attentional Skills ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Child Friendly

AbstractAttention involves three functionally and neuroanatomically distinct neural networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. This study aimed to analyze the development of attentional networks in children aged between 3 and 6 years using a child-friendly version of the Attentional Network Test for Interaction (ANTI), the ANTI-Birds. The sample included 88 children divided into four age groups: 3-year-old, 4-year-old, 5-year-old, 6-year-old children. The results of this study would seem to indicate that between 4 and 6 years, there are no significant changes in attentional networks. Instead, between 3 and 4 years of age, children significantly improve all their attentional skills.

scholarly journals Selective enhancement of attentional networks in college table tennis athletes: a preliminary investigation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biye Wang ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Chenglin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Table Tennis ◽  
Control Networks ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Attentional Network ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Selective Enhancement ◽  
Athlete Group

The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the attentional network in college table tennis athletes. A total of 65 college students categorized as table tennis athlete group or non-athlete group participated in the study. All participants completed the attentional network test (ANT) which measured the alerting, orienting and executive control networks. The results showed a significant difference between the athlete and non-athlete group for executive control network (p <0.01), while no differences were observed for alerting (p>0.05) or orienting (p>0.05) networks. These results combined suggest that college table tennis athletes exhibited selectively enhanced executive control of attentional networks.

scholarly journals Age-Related Changes in Hemispherical Specialization for Attentional Networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Casagrande ◽  
Francesca Agostini ◽  
Francesca Favieri ◽  
Giuseppe Forte ◽  
Jasmine Giovannoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Control ◽  
Hemispheric Asymmetry ◽  
Hemispheric Specialization ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Attentional Processes ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Attentional Network Test

Many cognitive functions face a decline in the healthy elderly. Within the cognitive domains, both attentional processes and executive functions are impaired with aging. Attention includes three attentional networks, i.e., alerting, orienting, and executive control, showing a hemispheric lateralized pattern in adults. This lateralized pattern could play a role in modulating the efficiency of attentional networks. For these reasons, it could be relevant to analyze the age-related change of the hemispheric specialization of attentional networks. This study aims to clarify this aspect with a lateralized version of the Attentional Network Test for Interaction (ANTI)-Fruit. One hundred seventy-one participants took part in this study. They were divided in three age groups: youth (N = 57; range: 20–30); adults (N = 57; range 31–64), and elderly/older people (N = 57; range: 65–87). The results confirmed the previous outcomes on the efficiency and interactions among attentional networks. Moreover, an age-related generalized slowness was evidenced. These findings also support the hypothesis of a hemispheric asymmetry reduction in elderly/older adults.

Alerting Network Dysfunction in Early Multiple Sclerosis

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 757-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucía Crivelli ◽  
Mauricio F. Farez ◽  
Claudio D. González ◽  
Marcela Fiol ◽  
Alejandra Amengual ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Control Networks ◽  
Attentional Networks ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Attentional Network Test ◽  
Computerized Task ◽  
Remitting Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

AbstractThe objective of this study is to assess attention in recently diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Twenty-seven patients with early multiple sclerosis and low clinical disability scores (EDSS<2) and 27 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls underwent attention assessment using the Attentional Network Test, a computerized task designed to measure efficiency independently in 3 attentional networks (Alerting, Orienting and Executive Control). MS patients had significantly less efficiency in the Alerting network (p = .006). In contrast, in the Orienting and Executive Control networks, they did not differ from controls. A significant interaction between Alerting and Executive Control was also found in the MS patients (p = .007). Early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis particularly affects the Alerting domain of attention, whereas the Orienting and Executive Control domains are not affected. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–7)

Observations on a Relationship between Steroid Metabolism and the Concentration of Plasma Fibrinogen

1963 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 400-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A Amundson ◽  
L. O Pilgeram
Keyword(s):  
Blood Coagulation ◽  
Methyl Ether ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Plasma Fibrinogen ◽  
Steroid Metabolism ◽  
Specific Site ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
A Chain

SummaryEnovid (5 mg norethynodrel and 0.075 mg ethynylestradiol-3-methyl ether) therapy in young normal human subjects causes an increase in plasma fibrinogen of 32.4% (P >C 0.001). Consideration of this effect together with other effects of Enovid on the activity of specific blood coagulatory factors suggests that the steroids are exerting their effect at a specific site of the blood coagulation and/or fibrinolytic system. The broad spectrum of changes which are induced by the steroids may be attributed to a combination of a chain reaction and feed-back control.

Relationship Between Mepacrine-Labelled Dense Body Number, Platelet Capacity to Accumulate 14C-5-HT and Platelet Density in the Bernard-Soulier and Hermansky-Pudlak Syndromes

1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (02) ◽  
pp. 694-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Rendu ◽  
A T Nurden ◽  
M Lebret ◽  
J P Caen
Keyword(s):  
Dense Body ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
Dense Bodies ◽  
Storage Organelle ◽  
Hereditary Disorders ◽  
Labelling Procedure ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome ◽  
Bernard Soulier Syndrome

SummaryWe have used the mepacrine-labelling procedure to measure the dense body (serotonin storage organelle) content of the platelets of 2 hereditary disorders where abnormalities in dense body number were suspected. The platelets were incubated with mepacrine and examined by fluorescence microscopy. A mean number of 5.4 ± 0.8 (SD) dense bodies per platelet was calculated from the data obtained using platelets isolated from 40 normal human subjects. In contrast the platelets of 2 patients with the Bernard-Soulier syndrome contained an average of 14 and 17 labelled granules. This increase was associated with a much greater capacity of the platelets to accumulate 14C-5-HT. The opposite result was obtained using the platelets from 2 patients with the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome which contained few granules labelled by mepacrine and took up less 14C-5-HT than normal human platelets. Centrifugation of the patients’ platelets on discontinuous sucrose gradients showed that the platelets of the 2 Bemard-Soulier patients were much denser than normal whereas a high proportion of low density platelets was observed in the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. These results further define the platelet abnormalities in the two syndromes and suggest that dense body number may be one of the factors governing platelet density.

ADRENERGIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ACTH SECRETION IN MAN

1973 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshikatsu Nakai ◽  
Hiroo Imura ◽  
Teruya Yoshimi ◽  
Shigeru Matsukura
Keyword(s):  
Intravenous Infusion ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Blocking Agent ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Plasma Acth ◽  
Acth Secretion ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
Alpha Receptors ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
Adrenergic Blocking

ABSTRACT In order to determine if an adrenergic mechanism is involved in the secretion of corticotrophin (ACTH), the effect of adrenergic-blocking or -stimulating agent on plasma ACTH, cortisol and glucose levels was studied in normal human subjects. The intravenous infusion of methoxamine, an alpha adrenergic-stimulating agent, caused a rise in plasma ACTH and cortisol. This increase in plasma ACTH and cortisol was significantly inhibited by the simultaneous administration of phentolamine, an alpha adrenergic-blocking agent, in combination with methoxamine. The intravenous infusion of propranolol, a beta adrenergic-blocking agent, caused no significant change in plasma ACTH and cortisol, although it enhanced the plasma ACTH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. On the other hand, alpha adrenergicblockade by intravenous infusion of phentolamine significantly suppressed the plasma ACTH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. These studies suggest a stimulatory effect of alpha receptors and a possible inhibitory effect of beta receptors on ACTH secretion in man.

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