scholarly journals Cognitive effort and pupil dilation in controlled and automatic processes

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Querino ◽  
Lafaiete dos Santos ◽  
Giuliano Ginani ◽  
Eduardo Nicolau ◽  
Débora Miranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Automatic Processes ◽  
Pupillary Diameter ◽  
Control Task ◽  
Controlled Processes ◽  
Stroop Paradigm

AbstractThe Five Digits Test (FDT) is a Stroop paradigm test that aims to evaluate executive functions. It is composed of four parts, two of which are related to automatic and two of which are related to controlled processes. It is known that pupillary diameter increases as the task’s cognitive demand increases. In the present study, we evaluated whether the pupillary diameter could distinguish cognitive effort between automated and controlled cognitive processing during the FDT as the task progressed. As a control task, we used a simple reading paradigm with a similar visual aspect as the FDT. We then divided each of the four parts into two blocks in order to evaluate the differences between the first and second half of the task. Results indicated that, compared to a control task, the FDT required higher cognitive effort for each consecutive part. Moreover, the first half of every part of the FDT induced dilation more than the second. The differences in pupil dilation during the first half of the four FDT parts were statistically significant between the parts 2 and 4 (p=0.023), and between the parts 3 and 4 (p=0.006). These results provide further evidence that cognitive effort and pupil diameter can distinguish controlled from automatic processes.

scholarly journals Autobiographical memory increases pupil dilation

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 280-287
Author(s):  
Mohamad El Haj ◽  
Steve M. J. Janssen ◽  
Karim Gallouj ◽  
Quentin Lenoble
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Memory Retrieval ◽  
Pupil Size ◽  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Control Task ◽  
Negative Memories

Abstract Background Pupil activity has been widely considered as a “summed index” of physiological activities during cognitive processing. Methodology We investigated pupil dilation during retrieval of autobiographical memory and compared pupil diameter with a control condition in which participants had to count aloud. We also measured pupil diameters retrieval of free (i.e., first memory that comes to mind), positive, and negative memories (memories associated, respectively, with the words “happy” and “sad”). Results Analyses demonstrated larger pupil diameters during the free, positive, and negative autobiographical memory retrieval than during the control task. Analyses also demonstrated no significant differences in pupil diameters across the three autobiographical memory conditions. Conclusion These outcomes demonstrate that, compared with counting, autobiographical retrieval results in a larger pupil size. However, the emotional valence of memories yields non-significant effect on pupil diameters. Our findings demonstrate how autobiographical memory retrieval yields pupil dilation.

Cognitive Processing of Miscommunication in Interactive Listening: An Evaluation of Listener Indecision and Cognitive Effort

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Roche ◽  
Arkady Zgonnikov ◽  
Laura M. Morett
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Mouse Tracking ◽  
Computer Mouse ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Computer Mouse Tracking ◽  
Listening Task ◽  
Processing Effort

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the social and cognitive underpinnings of miscommunication during an interactive listening task. Method An eye and computer mouse–tracking visual-world paradigm was used to investigate how a listener's cognitive effort (local and global) and decision-making processes were affected by a speaker's use of ambiguity that led to a miscommunication. Results Experiments 1 and 2 found that an environmental cue that made a miscommunication more or less salient impacted listener language processing effort (eye-tracking). Experiment 2 also indicated that listeners may develop different processing heuristics dependent upon the speaker's use of ambiguity that led to a miscommunication, exerting a significant impact on cognition and decision making. We also found that perspective-taking effort and decision-making complexity metrics (computer mouse tracking) predict language processing effort, indicating that instances of miscommunication produced cognitive consequences of indecision, thinking, and cognitive pull. Conclusion Together, these results indicate that listeners behave both reciprocally and adaptively when miscommunications occur, but the way they respond is largely dependent upon the type of ambiguity and how often it is produced by the speaker.

scholarly journals Pupil Dilation with Intracameral Epinephrine Hydrochloride during Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
A-Yong Yu ◽  
Hua Guo ◽  
Qin-Mei Wang ◽  
Fang-Jun Bao ◽  
Jing-Hai Huang
Keyword(s):  
Intraocular Lens ◽  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Surgical Performance ◽  
Corneal Incision ◽  
Iol Implantation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Contralateral Eye ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Time Point

Objective. To investigate mydriatic effect of intracamerally injected epinephrine hydrochloride during phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.Methods. Eighteen cataract patients for bilateral phacoemulsification were enrolled. To dilate pupil, one eye was randomly selected to receive intracamerally 1 mL epinephrine hydrochloride 0.001% for 1 minute after corneal incision (intracameral group), and the contralateral eye received 3 drops of compound tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 0.5% at 5-minute intervals 30 minutes before surgery (topical group). Pupil diameters were measured before corneal incision, before ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) injection, after OVD injection, before IOL implantation, and at the end of surgery.Results. At each time point, the mean pupil diameter in the intracameral group was2.20±0.08,5.09±0.20,6.76±0.19,6.48±0.18, and5.97±0.24 mm, respectively, and in the topical group it was7.98±0.15,7.98±0.15,8.53±0.14,8.27±0.16, and7.93±0.20 mm, respectively. The topical group consistently had larger mydriatic effects than the intracameral group (P<0.05). The onset of mydriatic effect was rapid in the intracameral group. There was no difference in surgical performance or other parameters between groups.Conclusions. Intracameral epinephrine hydrochloride appears to be an alternative to the mydriatic modalities for phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. In comparison with topical mydriatics, intracameral epinephrine hydrochloride offers easier preoperative preparation, more rapid pupil dilation, and comparable surgical performance.

scholarly journals Using Apps in Formal Education to Improve Executive Functions in Preschoolers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Panesi ◽  
Lucia Ferlino
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
General Level ◽  
Developmental Problems ◽  
Preschool Period

The term Executive Functions (EFs) refers to a set of higher order cognitive processes that are critical for goal directed behaviour. They include inhibition (i.e., the ability to suppress task-irrelevant cognitive processing and ignore salient yet irrelevant features of the situation), shifting (i.e.  the ability to switch between different operations or levels of processing), and updating (i.e. the ability to encode, hold and monitor incoming information in working memory, replacing information that is no longer relevant with new information). The most notable developmental change in children’s EFs occurs during the preschool period, and this is associable to and predictive of children’s general learning ability. For this reason, efforts to develop EFs in preschoolers is of vital importance. In recent years, only few studies have investigated the effect of EFs intervention on preschoolers, despite the potential preventive effect of early intervention on later developmental problems. A number of related solutions have been proposed over the years, including both paper-and-pencil activities and digital applications (e.g., software and videogames). However, few attempt have been made to integrate the many advantages of traditional, low-cost playful activities with the (often) powerful affordances of digital technologies. Hence, we propose just such a hybrid solution, with a set of mobile applications (apps) designed to foster EF development among early learners in education settings. We opted for such a solution as mobile apps have proved to be familiar, highly usable and well accepted among young children. At a more general level, this contribution seeks to provide useful input on the affordances and indicators that can help guide the effective choice of apps useful for developing EFs, and how these tools can be optimally introduced and employed in traditional teaching and learning programs.

scholarly journals Priming Younger and Older Adults’ Sentence Comprehension: Insights from Dynamic Emotional Facial Expressions and Pupil Size Measures

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Nella Carminati ◽  
Pia Knoeferle
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sentence Processing ◽  
Pupil Size ◽  
Sentence Comprehension ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Emotional Facial Expressions ◽  
Visual World ◽  
Positivity Effect ◽  
Positive Valence

Background: Prior visual-world research has demonstrated that emotional priming of spoken sentence processing is rapidly modulated by age. Older and younger participants saw two photographs of a positive and of a negative event side-by-side and listened to a spoken sentence about one of these events. Older adults’ fixations to the mentioned (positive) event were enhanced when the still photograph of a previously-inspected positive-valence speaker face was (vs. wasn’t) emotionally congruent with the event/sentence. By contrast, the younger adults exhibited such an enhancement with negative stimuli only. Objective: The first aim of the current study was to assess the replicability of these findings with dynamic face stimuli (unfolding from neutral to happy or sad). A second goal was to assess a key prediction made by socio-emotional selectivity theory, viz. that the positivity effect (a preference for positive information) displayed by older adults involves cognitive effort. Method: We conducted an eye-tracking visual-world experiment. Results: Most priming and age effects, including the positivity effects, replicated. However, against our expectations, the positive gaze preference in older adults did not co-vary with a standard measure of cognitive effort - increased pupil dilation. Instead, pupil size was significantly bigger when (both younger and older) adults processed negative than positive stimuli. Conclusion: These findings are in line with previous research on the relationship between positive gaze preferences and pupil dilation. We discuss both theoretical and methodological implications of these results.

Detecting Deception: Effect of Auditory and Visual Stimuli on Pupil Dilation

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Kiho Kim ◽  
Yeonsil Lee ◽  
Hui-Teak Kim ◽  
Jang-Han Lee
Keyword(s):  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Lie Detection ◽  
Emotional Arousal ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Question Type ◽  
Sensory Stimulus ◽  
Eye Tracker ◽  
Control Question

We investigated the effects of auditory and visual stimuli on pupil dilation induced by emotional arousal during deception. The 33 participants were free to select to be in either a guilty or a not-guilty group. The guilty group performed a theft crime mission, and the not-guilty group performed a legal mission. To detect deception, we measured their pupil diameter with an eye tracker, and they completed the Control Question Test that is typically employed in polygraph tests, and which is based on a comparison of physiological responses to crime-relevant questions and comparison questions. This test was presented via one of three stimuli: auditory, visual, or dual sensory (auditory and visual simultaneously). The findings revealed that the diameter of the pupils of the guilty group increased differently according to the question type when both auditory and visual stimuli were presented simultaneously. Results suggest that pupil dilation could be the deception discriminant, and the use of more than one sensory stimulus may support lie detection in forensic investigations.

scholarly journals Young Soccer Players With Higher Tactical Knowledge Display Lower Cognitive Effort

2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felippe da S. L. Cardoso ◽  
Sixto González-Víllora ◽  
José Guilherme ◽  
Israel Teoldo
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Performance Tasks ◽  
Soccer Video ◽  
Tactical Knowledge ◽  
Mobile Eye Tracking

The present study aimed to investigate whether the form and amount of declarative tactical knowledge (DTK) and procedural tactical knowledge (PTK) influence cognitive effort during soccer performance among young players. We assessed 36 male players from a Brazilian first-division soccer club; participants averaged 14.89 ( SD = 1.42) years of age. We evaluated DTK from video simulation tests and PTK through the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer. We assessed cognitive effort by measures of pupil diameter using Mobile Eye Tracking-XG while players viewed soccer video scenes and made game-related play decisions. After the assessment of tactical knowledge, we categorized the sample according to players’ tactical knowledge into participants with higher and lower PTK and higher and lower DTK. Subsequently, we examined the both PTK and DTK groups on cognitive effort. Our results suggest that tactical knowledge influences cognitive effort in that players with higher PTK and DTK displayed less cognitive effort during soccer performance tasks. In conclusion, we observed that PTK and DTK influenced the cognitive effort younger soccer players expended while viewing soccer scenes and making soccer performance decisions.

Transitioning to a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee: Executive functioning during single and dual-task gait

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nerrolyn Ramstrand ◽  
David F Rusaw ◽  
Saffran Filippa Möller
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Prosthetic Knee ◽  
Testing Occasion ◽  
Before And After

Background: Walking with a prosthesis requires substantial concentration on behalf of the user and places increased demands on executive functions. Little is known of the effects that prosthetic knee joint prescription may have on executive functioning. Objectives: Evaluate executive functioning in trans-femoral prosthesis users during single and dual-task walking, before and after they transition to a Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee unit. Study Design: Multiple case-study design. Methods: Single and dual task gait was evaluated while recording cortical brain activity. Testing occasion 1 occurred prior to participants receiving their microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee, while testing occasion 2 was conducted a minimum of 8 months after they had been fitted with an microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee. Results: During single-task level walking and walking while performing a dual-task key finding test, executive functions, measured as the relative haemodynamic response in the frontal cortex, reduced for most, but not all participants after transitioning to an Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee. There did not appear to be any difference when participants performed a trail walk test. Conclusions: Results suggest Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee prosthetic knees may have a positive effect on executive functioning for some individuals who have undergone a lower-limb amputation. A larger, longitudinal study with careful control of extraneous variables (e.g. age, training) is needed to confirm results and determine causality. Clinical relevance This article provides some evidence to suggest that prosthetic prescription may influence executive functioning and that microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee mechanisms may reduce cognitive effort when walking.

The effects of rivastigmine on processing speed and brain activation in patients with multiple sclerosis and subjective cognitive fatigue

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1351-1361 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Huolman ◽  
P Hämäläinen ◽  
V Vorobyev ◽  
J Ruutiainen ◽  
R Parkkola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Single Dose ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Cognitive Fatigue ◽  
Serial Addition ◽  
The Right

Background: Cognitive decline and fatigue are typical in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, there is no official medication for either of these symptoms. Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of a single dose of rivastigmine on processing speed and associated brain activity in patients with MS and subjective cognitive fatigue. Methods: Fifteen patients with MS and subjective cognitive fatigue and 13 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, gender and education performed a neuropsychological assessment and functional (f)MRI. A modified version of the Paced Visual Serial Addition Test (mPVSAT) was used as the behavioural task during fMRIs. After the first scanning session, both groups were randomly divided into two subgroups receiving either rivastigmine or placebo. A single dose of rivastigmine or placebo was administrated double-blindly and 2.5 hours later the scanning was repeated. Results: At baseline, the patients with MS showed slower processing speed in mPVSAT compared with the HCs. They also demonstrated stronger bilateral frontal activation after sustained cognitive effort than the HCs. Performance improvement and a further activation increase in the left anterior frontal cortex and additional activation in the right cerebellum were observed in patients who received rivastigmine but not in patients on placebo, or in HCs with placebo or rivastigmine. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that rivastigmine may improve cognitive processing speed by enhancing compensatory brain activation in patients with MS.

Patterns of Impairment in Executive Functions within Unipolar and Bipolar Depression

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S212-S212
Author(s):  
B. Suciu ◽  
R. Paunescu ◽  
I. Miclutia
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Unipolar Disorder ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Executive Impairment

IntroductionThe majority of studies revealed that cognitive deficits are an important aspect in many psychiatric illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. In the past, cognitive impairment was considered part of depression and it was expected to diminish as other mood symptoms improved with treatment.MethodThis study is based on the review of recent literature, performed in order to understand the dimension of executive impairment in unipolar and bipolar depression.ResultsBoth unipolar and bipolar depressed patients display cognitive deficits in several cognitive domains within executive functions. Different subcomponents of executive functions are altered in both types of patients, but impairments in sustained attention appear specific in bipolar depression while dysfunctional divided attention is reported in unipolar disorder. Studies describe deficits in planning strategies and monitoring processes that are characteristically impaired in unipolar depressed patients. Also these subjects tend to make more perseverative responses suggesting set shifting deficits and moreover they require longer time and more cognitive effort in order to accomplish tasks involving inhibitory control or cognitive flexibility. Other findings suggest that bipolar I depressed patients perform worse than bipolar II depressed patients and unipolar depressed patients across all executive functions especially in the decision making process that is considered to be a trait marker for bipolar disorder with no differences between the two types of bipolar subjects.ConclusionsExecutive functions represent a term that includes a higher order of cognitive abilities with deficits that are present in both disorders but display slightly different patterns of impairment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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