Increasing expertise to a novel script modulates the visual N1 ERP in healthy adults

Neural tuning to print develops when children learn to read and is reflected by a more pronounced left occipito-temporal negativity to orthographic stimuli as compared to non-orthographic false fonts or symbols after around 150–250 ms in their N1, a visual event-related potential (ERP). In adults, initial expertise for a novel script can emerge in less than 2 hours through repeated exposure or training. Here, we aimed to assess changes in the visual N1 related to the process of learning associations between unknown written characters and familiar, spoken syllables or words. Thirty-two healthy literate adults learned to associate a set of foreign characters with either syllables or German words within a single experimental session. EEG was recorded during a visual one-back character repetition detection task in which trained characters, untrained characters and familiar letters were presented before and after the training. A bilateral occipito-temporal increase in the N1 negativity with training was only found for the newly learned characters, but not for the control characters. In conclusion, the present data indicate that expertise to novel characters can be induced by a short character–sound association training and is reflected by a bilateral modulation of the visual N1 amplitude. However, no differentiation was found regarding the comparison of word or syllable training, indicating that the visual N1 most likely reflects gaining expertise driven by phonological associations common to both training types.

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Of cricket chirps and car horns: The effect of nature sounds on cognitive performance

10.31234/osf.io/f5hcz ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stephen Charles Van Hedger ◽

Howard Nusbaum ◽

Luke Clohisy ◽

Susanne M. Jaeggi ◽

Martin Buschkuehl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Performance ◽

Digit Span ◽

Experimental Session ◽

Psychological Benefits ◽

Directed Attention ◽

Attention Restoration ◽

Before And After ◽

Cognitive Benefits ◽

The Aesthetic ◽

Single Experimental Session

The psychological benefits of interacting with nature have been discussed for well over a century. More recently, research has begun to assess how interactions with nature specifically may benefit cognition and cognitive development. Attention Restoration Theory (ART) posits that stimuli found in nature may restore directed attention functioning through reducing demands on the endogenous attention system. In the present experiment, we assessed whether nature-related cognitive benefits extended to auditory presentations of nature. To assess directed attention, we created a composite measure consisting of a backward digit span task and a dual n-back task. Participants completed these cognitive measures and an affective questionnaire before and after listening to and aesthetically judging either nature or urban soundscapes. Relative to participants who were exposed to urban soundscapes, we observed significant improvements in cognitive performance for individuals who listened to nature soundscapes. Urban soundscapes did not systematically affect performance either adversely or beneficially. The improvement in directed attention functioning was not meaningfully related to the aesthetic ratings of the soundscapes. These results provide initial evidence that brief experiences with nature sounds can improve directed attention functioning in a single experimental session.

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Renal function in 29 healthy adults before and after nephrectomy

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.196.4.322 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 196 (4) ◽

pp. 322-324 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

A. G. Krohn

Keyword(s):

Renal Function ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Before And After

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Acute hypoxia impairs dynamic cerebral autoregulation: results from two independent techniques

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/japplphysiol.00498.2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 107 (4) ◽

pp. 1165-1171 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Andrew W. Subudhi ◽

Ronney B. Panerai ◽

Robert C. Roach

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Autoregulation ◽

Acute Hypoxia ◽

Latin Squares ◽

Differential Sensitivity ◽

Experimental Session ◽

Assessment Techniques ◽

Frequency Components ◽

Autoregulation Index ◽

Single Experimental Session ◽

Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation

We investigated the effect of acute hypoxia (AH) on dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA) using two independent assessment techniques to clarify previous, conflicting reports. Twelve healthy volunteers (6 men, 6 women) performed six classic leg cuff tests, three breathing normoxic (FiO2 = 0.21) and three breathing hypoxic (FiO2 = 0.12) gas, using a single blinded, Latin squares design with 5-min washout between trials. Continuous measurements of middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (CBFv; DWL MultiDop X2) and radial artery blood pressure (ABP; Colin 7000) were recorded in the supine position during a single experimental session. Autoregulation index (ARI) scores were calculated using the model of Tiecks et al. (Tiecks FP, Lam AM, Aaslid R, Newell DW. Stroke 26: 1014–1019, 1995) from ABP and CBFv changes following rapid cuff deflation (cuff ARI) and from ABP to CBFv transfer function, impulse, and step responses (TFA ARI) obtained during a 4-min period prior to cuff inflation. A new measure of %CBFv recovery 4 s after peak impulse was also derived from TFA. AH reduced cuff ARI (5.65 ± 0.70 to 5.01 ± 0.96, P = 0.04), TFA ARI (4.37 ± 0.76 to 3.73 ± 0.71, P = 0.04), and %Recovery (62.2 ± 10.9% to 50.8 ± 9.9%, P = 0.03). Slight differences between TFA and cuff ARI values may be attributed to heightened sympathetic activity during cuff tests as well as differential sensitivity to low- and high-frequency components of CA. Together, results provide consistent evidence that CA is impaired with AH. In addition, these findings demonstrate the potential utility of TFA ARI and %Recovery scores for future CA investigations.

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Effects of a school readiness intervention on electrophysiological indices of external response monitoring in children in foster care

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579420000164 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Jacqueline Bruce ◽

Katherine C. Pears ◽

Jennifer Martin McDermott ◽

Nathan A. Fox ◽

Philip A. Fisher

Keyword(s):

Foster Care ◽

School Readiness ◽

Performance Feedback ◽

Flanker Task ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Response Monitoring ◽

Significant Group ◽

Children In Foster Care ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study examined the impact of a school readiness intervention on external response monitoring in children in foster care. Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data were collected during a flanker task from children who received the Kids In Transition to School (KITS) Program (n = 26) and children who received services as usual (n = 19) before and after the intervention. While there were no significant group differences on the behavioral data, the ERP data for the two groups of children significantly differed. Specifically, in contrast to the children who received services as usual, the children who received the KITS Program displayed greater amplitude differences between positive and negative performance feedback over time for the N1, which reflects early attention processes, and feedback-related negativity, which reflects evaluation processes. In addition, although the two groups did not differ on amplitude differences between positive and negative performance feedback for these ERP components before the intervention, the children who received the KITS Program displayed greater amplitude differences than the children who received services as usual after the intervention. These results suggest that the KITS Program had an effect on responsivity to external performance feedback, which may be beneficial during the transition into kindergarten.

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Cognitive functioning before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): A quantitative meta-analysis in healthy adults

Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107395 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 141 ◽

pp. 107395 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ronak Patel ◽

Francesca Silla ◽

Shayna Pierce ◽

Jennifer Theule ◽

Todd A. Girard

Keyword(s):

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Before And After

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Effects of Depressive Symptoms, Feelings, and Interoception on Reward-Based Decision-Making: Investigation Using Reinforcement Learning Model

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci10080508 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 508

Author(s):

Hiroyoshi Ogishima ◽

Shunta Maeda ◽

Yuki Tanaka ◽

Hironori Shimada

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Reinforcement Learning ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

Learning Task ◽

Experimental Manipulation ◽

Detection Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Before And After ◽

Experimental Group

Background: In this study, we examined the relationships between reward-based decision-making in terms of learning rate, memory rate, exploration rate, and depression-related subjective emotional experience, in terms of interoception and feelings, to understand how reward-based decision-making is impaired in depression. Methods: In all, 52 university students were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. To manipulate interoception, the participants in the experimental group were instructed to tune their internal somatic sense to the skin-conductance-response waveform presented on a display. The participants in the control group were only instructed to stay relaxed. Before and after the manipulation, the participants completed a probabilistic reversal-learning task to assess reward-based decision-making using reinforcement learning modeling. Similarly, participants completed a probe-detection task, a heartbeat-detection task, and self-rated scales. Results: The experimental manipulation of interoception was not successful. In the baseline testing, reinforcement learning modeling indicated a marginally-significant correlation between the exploration rate and depressive symptoms. However, the exploration rate was significantly associated with lower interoceptive attention and higher depressive feeling. Conclusions: The findings suggest that situational characteristics may be closely involved in reward exploration and highlight the clinically-meaningful possibility that intervention for affective processes may impact reward-based decision-making in those with depression.

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Similarities in Metabolic Flexibility and Hunger Hormone Ghrelin Exist between FTO Gene Variants in Response to an Acute Dietary Challenge

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11102518 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2518 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica Danaher ◽

Christos G. Stathis ◽

Matthew B. Cooke

Keyword(s):

Serum Insulin ◽

Substrate Oxidation ◽

Experimental Session ◽

Metabolic Flexibility ◽

Fto Gene ◽

Anthropometric Measures ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

And Gender ◽

Fto Rs9939609 ◽

Single Experimental Session

The rs9939609 polymorphism of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been associated with obesity, and studies have also shown that environmental/lifestyle interaction such as dietary intake might mediate this effect. The current study investigates the postprandial hormonal regulators of hunger and indirect markers of substrate utilisation and metabolic flexibility following a dietary challenge to determine if suppression of circulating ghrelin levels and/or reduced metabolic flexibility exist between FTO genotypes. One hundred and forty seven healthy, sedentary males and females (29.0 ± 0.7 yrs; 70.2 ± 1.1 kg; 169.1 ± 0.8 cm; 24.5 ± 0.3 kg/m2) complete a single experimental session. Anthropometric measures, circulating levels of active ghrelin, insulin and glucose, and substrate oxidation via indirect calorimetry, are measured pre-prandial and/or post-prandial. The FTO rs9939609 variant is genotyped using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Metabolic flexibility (∆RER) is similar between FTO genotypes of the rs9939609 (T > A) polymorphism (p > 0.05). No differences in pre-prandial and/or postprandial substrate oxidation, plasma glucose, serum insulin or ghrelin are observed between genotypes (p > 0.05). These observations are independent of body mass index and gender. Altered postprandial responses in hunger hormones and metabolic flexibility may not be a mechanism by which FTO is associated with higher BMI and obesity in healthy, normal-weighted individuals.

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Native and Nonnative Speakers' Processing of a Miniature Version of Japanese as Revealed by ERPs

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/0898929055002463 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 1229-1244 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

Jutta L. Mueller ◽

Anja Hahne ◽

Yugo Fujii ◽

Angela D. Friederici

Keyword(s):

Sentence Processing ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

L2 Acquisition ◽

Behavioral Skills ◽

Word Category ◽

L2 Processing ◽

Proficiency Level ◽

Before And After ◽

On Line

Several event-related potential (ERP) studies in second language (L2) processing have revealed a differential vulnerability of syntax-related ERP effects in contrast to purely semantic ERP effects. However, it is still debated to what extent a potential critical period for L2 acquisition, as opposed to the attained proficiency level in the L2, contributes to the pattern of results reported in previous ERP studies. We studied L2 processing within the model of a miniature version of a natural language, namely Japanese, specifically constructed to assure high proficiency of the learners. In an auditory ERP experiment, we investigated sentence processing of the “Mini-Japanese” in Japanese native speakers and German volunteers before and after training. By making use of three different types of violation, namely, word category, case, and classifier violations, native and nonnative ERP patterns were compared. The three types of violation elicited three characteristic ERP patterns in Japanese native speakers. The word category violation elicited an anteriorly focused, broadly distributed early negativity followed by a P600, whereas the case violation evoked a P600 which was preceded by an N400. The classifier violation led solely to a late left distributed negativity with an anterior focus. Although the P600 was similar for Japanese natives and learners, the N400 and the anterior negativities were not present in the learner group. The differences across groups suggest deviant neural processes in on-line syntactic and thematic processing in the L2 learners despite high behavioral skills.

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