scholarly journals Working Memory Depletion Affects Intertemporal Choice Among Internet Addicts and Healthy Controls

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxia Li
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Delay Discounting ◽  
Intertemporal Choice ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Self Report ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls

Addiction to the Internet has emerged as a new kind of addictive behavior. Although previous studies have revealed that impairments in working memory led to suboptimal decision making (e.g., a greater willingness to choose smaller, more immediate rewards), little is known about how working memory affects intertemporal choice in Internet addicts and normal users. Thus, this study’s aim was to investigate the effect of working memory task on intertemporal choice in 33 participants addicted to internet and 25 healthy controls. Participants were administered (a) a test for Internet Addiction, (b) a single delay discounting self-report questionnaire (c) a working memory task. Differences between the Internet addicts and the control group were observed in terms of delay discounting rates, reaction times, and in memory accuracy rates. We observed significantly higher delay discounting rates among individuals addicted to the Internet. Moreover, it was documented that reaction times follow the 4-level working memory condition were significantly longer than follow the 2-level condition, in both the Internet addicts and the control group. The current findings suggest that Internet addicts are more likely to make short-sighted decisions than normal Internet users. The higher the level of working memory, the more likely an individual is to choose the present smaller reward, thus making short-sighted decisions, and have longer response times.

New Contemplation Upon Subjective Memory Complaints as a Self-Report Criterion for MCI Diagnosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merav Papirovitz ◽  
Ariela Gigi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Subjective Memory Complaints ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Memory Complaints ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Subjective memory complaints are a key component in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis. However, studies that examined memory awareness among MCI participants have published contradictory results. One possible explanation for the inconsistent findings could be the disregard from the multidimensional structure of subjective memory. Objectives: The present study is directed at assessing subjective memory among healthy and MCI participants, referring to three main types of memory: episodic, semantic, and working memory. Method: Participants were 123 adults (aged 50-90). They were divided into two groups, the MCI group, and the control group, according to their objective cognitive performance in RAVL or Mo- CA tests. All participants filled a subjective memory questionnaire, assessing their awareness of episodic, semantic, and working memory. Results: MCI participants estimated their semantic memory as significantly lower in comparison to the estimation of the healthy controls. By contrast, MCI participants showed an overestimation of their episodic memory capabilities compared to the control group. No significant difference was found between groups (MCI and healthy controls) in evaluating their working memory. In addi- tion, for both groups, Pearson’s correlation revealed a significant negative correlation between age and semantic memory evaluation. Such correlation was not found for subjective episodic memory. Discussion: Findings suggest that while people with MCI exhibit poor awareness of their episodic and working memory capabilities, their awareness of their decrease in semantic memory is appar- ently intact. Therefore, it is suggested that when using the self-report criterion for MCI diagnosis, clinicians should consider the patient’s’ semantic memory complaints.

scholarly journals Working memory networks and activation patterns in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: comparison with healthy controls

2014 ◽  
Vol 204 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Lycke Brandt ◽  
Tom Eichele ◽  
Ingrid Melle ◽  
Kjetil Sundet ◽  
Andrés Server ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Brain Networks ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Patient Groups

BackgroundSchizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe mental disorders with overlapping genetic and clinical characteristics, including cognitive impairments. An important question is whether these disorders also have overlapping neuronal deficits.AimsTo determine whether large-scale brain networks associated with working memory, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are the same in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and how they differ from those in healthy individuals.MethodPatients with schizophrenia (n = 100) and bipolar disorder (n = 100) and a healthy control group (n = 100) performed a 2-back working memory task while fMRI data were acquired. The imaging data were analysed using independent component analysis to extract large-scale networks of task-related activations.ResultsSimilar working memory networks were activated in all groups. However, in three out of nine networks related to the experimental task there was a graded response difference in fMRI signal amplitudes, where patients with schizophrenia showed greater activation than those with bipolar disorder, who in turn showed more activation than healthy controls. Secondary analysis of the patient groups showed that these activation patterns were associated with history of psychosis and current elevated mood in bipolar disorder.ConclusionsThe same brain networks were related to working memory in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and controls. However, some key networks showed a graded hyperactivation in the two patient groups, in line with a continuum of neuronal abnormalities across psychotic disorders.

scholarly journals Behavioural and neurophysiological differences in working memory function of depressed patients and healthy controls

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stevan Nikolin ◽  
Yi Yin Tan ◽  
Donel Martin ◽  
Adriano Moffa ◽  
Colleen Loo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Function ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Psychomotor Slowing ◽  
Functional Deficits ◽  
And Gender

Objective: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with deficits in working memory. Several cognitive subprocesses interact to produce working memory, including attention, encoding, maintenenace and manipulation. We sought to clarify the contribution of functional deficits in these subprocesses in MDD by varying cognitive load during a working memory task.Methods: 41 depressed participants and 41 age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed the n-back working memory task at three levels of difficulty (0-, 1-, and 2-back) in a pregistered study. We assessed response times, accuracy, and event-related electroencephalography (EEG), including P2 and P3 amplitudes, and frontal theta power (4-8 Hz). Results: MDD participants had prolonged response times and more positive P3 amplitudes relative to controls. Working memory accuracy, P2 amplitudes and frontal theta event-related synchronisation did not differ between groups at any level of task difficulty.Conclusions: Depression is associated with generalized psychomotor slowing of working memory processes, as well as compensatory hyperactivity in frontal regions.Significance: These findings provide insights into MDD working memory deficits, indicating that depressed individuals dedicate greater levels of cortical processing and cognitive resources to achieve comparable workig memory performance to controls.

scholarly journals Experiential and Strategic Emotional Intelligence Are Implicated When Inhibiting Affective and Non-Affective Distractors: Findings from Three Emotional Flanker N-Back Tasks

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Ming D. Lim ◽  
Damian P. Birney
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Low Load ◽  
Affective Information ◽  
Accuracy Rates

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to a set of competencies to process, understand, and reason with affective information. Recent studies suggest ability measures of experiential and strategic EI differentially predict performance on non-emotional and emotionally laden tasks. To explore cognitive processes underlying these abilities further, we varied the affective context of a traditional letter-based n-back working-memory task. In study 1, participants completed 0-, 2-, and 3-back tasks with flanking distractors that were either emotional (fearful or happy faces) or non-emotional (shapes or letters stimuli). Strategic EI, but not experiential EI, significantly influenced participants’ accuracy across all n-back levels, irrespective of flanker type. In Study 2, participants completed 1-, 2-, and 3-back levels. Experiential EI was positively associated with response times for emotional flankers at the 1-back level but not other levels or flanker types, suggesting those higher in experiential EI reacted slower on low-load trials with affective context. In Study 3, flankers were asynchronously presented either 300 ms or 1000 ms before probes. Results mirrored Study 1 for accuracy rates and Study 2 for response times. Our findings (a) provide experimental evidence for the distinctness of experiential and strategic EI and (b) suggest that each are related to different aspects of cognitive processes underlying working memory.

scholarly journals Perceived stress in the time of COVID-19: the association with brooding and COVID-related rumination in adults with and without migraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilla Nóra Kovács ◽  
Dániel Baksa ◽  
Dóra Dobos ◽  
Nóra Eszlári ◽  
Kinga Gecse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Model ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Similar Degree ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Group Status ◽  
Depressive Rumination ◽  
The Times ◽  
Brooding And Reflection

Abstract Background The main goal of this research was to explore whether migraineurs had a higher level of perceived stress than healthy controls during the times of the coronavirus and related restrictive measures, and to examine the relationship between different subtypes of rumination and perceived stress in these groups. We measured two facets of depressive rumination, brooding and reflection, along with rumination about the current COVID-19 situation to see whether these different subtypes of rumination explained perceived stress among migraineurs and healthy controls. Methods Healthy adults (n = 64) and migraine patients (n = 73) filled out self-report questionnaires online. A multiple linear regression model was used to test whether depressive rumination (i.e. brooding and reflection) and COVID-related rumination explained perceived stress among adults with and without migraine during the times of COVID-19, after controlling for gender, age, migraine/control group status and migraine disability. Results Although we did not find any difference in the level of perceived stress among migraineurs and the control group, perceived stress was more strongly associated with brooding as well as COVID-related rumination among migraineurs than healthy controls. COVID-related rumination and brooding (but not reflection) explained the level of perceived stress after controlling for gender, age, migraine/control group status and migraine disability. Conclusions The similar degree of perceived stress among migraineurs and the control group may imply that there is great variation in the personal experience of people regarding the pandemic, that may be determined by numerous other factors. Our results demonstrate that ruminating about the pandemic and related difficulties, as well as brooding (but not reflection) appear to be associated with higher level of perceived stress during the times of the coronavirus. This association was slightly stronger among migraineurs, hinting at the increased vulnerability of this patient group in stressful situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results also suggest that ruminating about the pandemic and its consequences is weakly associated with trait-level depressive rumination, thus may be more contingent on specific factors.

scholarly journals Temporomandibular disorders in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and at-risk individuals in the Dutch population: a cross-sectional study

RMD Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e001485
Author(s):  
Johanna M Kroese ◽  
Catherine M C Volgenant ◽  
Wim Crielaard ◽  
Bruno Loos ◽  
Dirkjan van Schaardenburg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Early Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Temporomandibular Disorders ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Joint Disease ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Pain Diagnosis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) and individuals at-risk of RA.Methods150 participants were recruited in three groups (50 per group): (1) patients with ERA (2010 EULAR criteria) (2) at-risk individuals and (3) healthy controls. All participants were tested for seropositivity of rheumatoid factor and anticitrullinated protein antibodies. A possible TMD diagnosis was determined according to the standardised and validated diagnostic criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) in five categories: myalgia, arthralgia, articular disc displacement, degenerative joint disease and headache attributed to TMD. Results were tested for the prevalence of TMD (all categories combined) and TMD pain (myalgia and/or arthralgia). To investigate a possible role for bruxism, a probable sleep and/or awake bruxism diagnosis was determined based on self-report and several clinical features.ResultsThe prevalence of any TMD diagnosis did not differ between the three groups. However, at-risk individuals more often had a TMD-pain diagnosis than healthy controls (p=0.046). No such difference was found between the ERA group and the control group. However, within the ERA group, seronegative patients had a TMD-pain diagnosis more often than seropositive patients (4/12 (33%) vs 3/38 (8%), p=0.048). Participants with a TMD-pain diagnosis were more often diagnosed with probable sleep bruxism than those without a TMD-pain diagnosis.ConclusionThe prevalence of TMD pain is increased in individuals at-risk of RA and seronegative ERA patients, and is associated with bruxism signs and symptoms. These results suggest that health professionals should be alert to TMD pain in these groups.

scholarly journals Physical Health Profile and Associated Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Dyg Sperling ◽  
Nina Dalkner ◽  
Christina Berndt ◽  
Eva Fleischmann ◽  
Michaela Ratzenhofer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased psychological strain on public mental health and may impact behavioral, mental, and physical health, presumably with effects on patients with severe mental disorders. This study examines pandemic-related physical and mental health and (compensatory) behavioral changes, in patients with BD as compared to healthy control individuals.Method: Physical and mental health and self-reported changes in daily structure and behavior due to the pandemic were assessed using a self-constructed questionnaire and the brief symptom inventory (BSI) in Germany, Austria, and Denmark in individuals with BD and a healthy control group.Results: The present study included 118 individuals with BD and 215 healthy controls. Individuals with BD reported statistically significant higher physical risk burden, increased weight gain, more physical comorbidities, and a decrease in physical activity and they further reported higher rates of COVID-19 testing, had more worries concerning health, and experienced more anxiety but less social distancing.Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have a greater impact on physical health in individuals with BD than in healthy controls. Individuals with BD appear to be having more difficulties compensating their behavior due to the pandemic which could amplify the effect of risk factors associated with poorer physical health. This highlights the necessity for optimizing and targeting the overall treatment of both mental and physical health in patients with BD during periods with far-reaching changes such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Limitations: Sampling issues and self-report forms, selectivity (missing elderly, and those lacking access or knowledge of technology).

scholarly journals The influence of visual working memory representations on attention bias to threat in individuals with high trait anxiety

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 204380871987614
Author(s):  
Nisha Yao ◽  
Marcus A. Rodriguez ◽  
Mengyao He ◽  
Mingyi Qian
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Attention Bias ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Negative Valence ◽  
Memory Representations ◽  
High Trait Anxiety ◽  
The Relationship

Experimental studies have yielded discrepant results regarding the relationship between anxiety and attention bias to threat. Cognitive factors modulating the presence of threat-related attention bias in anxiety have drawn growing attention. Previous research demonstrated that visual working memory (WM) representations can guide attention allocation in a top-down manner. Whether threat-related WM representations affected the presence of attention bias in anxiety awaits examination. Combining a memory task and a dot-probe task, this study investigated how WM representations of faces with neutral or negative expressions modulated the attention bias to threat among highly anxious individuals versus controls. Results showed that highly anxious individuals developed more pronounced attention bias to threat when maintaining WM representations of negative faces as compared to the control group. There were no significant between-group effects when the WM representations were neutral. These results suggested that highly anxious individuals were more susceptible to the influence of mental representations with negative valence on attention deployment.

scholarly journals Does working memory protect against auditory distraction in older adults?

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yatin Mahajan ◽  
Jeesun Kim ◽  
Chris Davis
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Correct Response ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Visual Task ◽  
Oddball Paradigm ◽  
Younger Adults

Abstract Background Past research indicates that when younger adults are engaged in a visual working memory task, they are less distracted by novel auditory stimuli than when engaged in a visual task that does not require working memory. The current study aimed to determine whether working memory affords the same protection to older adults. Method We examined behavioral and EEG responses in 16 younger and 16 older adults to distractor sounds when the listeners performed two visual tasks; one that required working memory (W1) and the other that did not (W0). Auditory distractors were presented in an oddball paradigm, participants were exposed to either standard tones (600 Hz: 80%) or various novel environmental sounds (20%). Results It was found that: 1) when presented with novel vs standard sounds, older adults had faster correct response times in the W1 visual task than in the W0 task, indicating that they were less distracted by the novel sound; there was no difference in error rates. Younger adults did not show a task effect for correct response times but made slightly more errors when a novel sound was presented in the W1 task compared to the W0 task. 2) In older adults (but not the younger adults), the amplitude of N1 was smaller in the W1 condition compared to the W0 condition. 3) The working memory manipulation had no effect on MMN amplitude in older adults. 4) For the W1 compared to W0 task, the amplitude of P3a was attenuated for the older adults but not for the younger adults. Conclusions These results suggest that during the working memory manipulation older adults were able to engage working memory to reduce the processing of task-irrelevant sounds.

Order Information in Working Memory: fMRI Evidence for Parietal and Prefrontal Mechanisms

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 130-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christy Marshuetz ◽  
Edward E. Smith ◽  
John Jonides ◽  
Joseph DeGutis ◽  
Thomas L. Chenevert
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Item Memory ◽  
Order Information ◽  
Order Condition ◽  
Order Task ◽  
Common Process ◽  
The Subject

Working memory is thought to include a mechanism that allows for the coding of order information. One question of interest is how order information is coded, and how that code is neurally implemented. Here we report both behavioral and fMRI findings from an experiment that involved comparing two tasks, an item-memory task and an order-memory task. In each case, five letters were presented for storage, followed after a brief interval by a set of probe letters. In the case of the item-memory task, the two letters were identical, and the subject responded to the question, “Was this letter one of the items you saw?”. In the case of the order-memory task, the letters were different, and subjects responded to the question, “Are these two letters in the order in which you saw them?”. Behaviorally, items that were further apart in the sequence elicited faster reaction times and higher accuracy in the Order task. Areas that were significantly more activated in the Order condition included the parietal and prefrontal cortex. Parietal activations overlapped those involved in number processing, leading to the suggestion that the underlying representation of order and numbers may share a common process, coding for magnitude.

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