Measurement of Brain Activity Underlying Information Processing

2018 ◽  
pp. 72-101
Author(s):  
Näätänen Risto
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Brain Activity

scholarly journals Toward Model Building for Visual Aesthetic Perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianli Liu ◽  
Edwin Lughofer ◽  
Xianyi Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Aesthetic Appreciation ◽  
Aesthetic Perception ◽  
Unified Framework ◽  
Neural Underpinnings ◽  
The Aesthetic

Several models of visual aesthetic perception have been proposed in recent years. Such models have drawn on investigations into the neural underpinnings of visual aesthetics, utilizing neurophysiological techniques and brain imaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography, and electroencephalography. The neural mechanisms underlying the aesthetic perception of the visual arts have been explained from the perspectives of neuropsychology, brain and cognitive science, informatics, and statistics. Although corresponding models have been constructed, the majority of these models contain elements that are difficult to be simulated or quantified using simple mathematical functions. In this review, we discuss the hypotheses, conceptions, and structures of six typical models for human aesthetic appreciation in the visual domain: the neuropsychological, information processing, mirror, quartet, and two hierarchical feed-forward layered models. Additionally, the neural foundation of aesthetic perception, appreciation, or judgement for each model is summarized. The development of a unified framework for the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the aesthetic perception of visual art and the validation of this framework via mathematical simulation is an interesting challenge in neuroaesthetics research. This review aims to provide information regarding the most promising proposals for bridging the gap between visual information processing and brain activity involved in aesthetic appreciation.

Modulation of Alpha Activity in the Parieto-occipital Area by Distractors during a Visuospatial Working Memory Task: A Magnetoencephalographic Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoe Ichihara-Takeda ◽  
Shogo Yazawa ◽  
Takashi Murahara ◽  
Takanobu Toyoshima ◽  
Jun Shinozaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Alpha Activity ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Visuospatial Working Memory ◽  
Occipital Area ◽  
Spectral Evolution ◽  
Oscillatory Brain Activity

Oscillatory brain activity is known to play an essential role in information processing in working memory. Recent studies have indicated that alpha activity (8–13 Hz) in the parieto-occipital area is strongly modulated in working memory tasks. However, the function of alpha activity in working memory is open to several interpretations, such that alpha activity may be a direct neural correlate of information processing in working memory or may reflect disengagement from information processing in other brain areas. To examine the functional contribution of alpha activity to visuospatial working memory, we introduced visuospatial distractors during a delay period and examined neural activity from the whole brain using magnetoencephalography. The strength of event-related alpha activity was estimated using the temporal spectral evolution (TSE) method. The results were as follows: (1) an increase of alpha activity during the delay period as indicated by elevated TSE curves was observed in parieto-occipital sensors in both the working memory task and a control task that did not require working memory; and (2) an increase of alpha activity during the delay period was not observed when distractors were presented, although TSE curves were constructed only from correct trials. These results indicate that the increase of alpha activity is not directly related to information processing in working memory but rather reflects the disengagement of attention from the visuospatial input.

scholarly journals The Dynamics of Error Processing in the Human Brain as Reflected by High-Gamma Activity in Noninvasive and Intracranial EEG

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Völker ◽  
Lukas D. J. Fiederer ◽  
Sofie Berberich ◽  
Jiří Hammer ◽  
Joos Behncke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Error Processing ◽  
Intracranial Eeg ◽  
High Gamma ◽  
Related Response ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Oscillatory Brain Activity

AbstractError detection in motor behavior is a fundamental cognitive function heavily relying on cortical information processing. Neural activity in the high-gamma frequency band (HGB) closely reflects such local cortical processing, but little is known about its role in error processing, particularly in the healthy human brain. Here we characterize the error-related response of the human brain based on data obtained with noninvasive EEG optimized for HGB mapping in 31 healthy subjects (15 females, 16 males), and additional intracranial EEG data from 9 epilepsy patients (4 females, 5 males). Our findings reveal a comprehensive picture of the global and local dynamics of error-related HGB activity in the human brain. On the global level as reflected in the noninvasive EEG, the error-related response started with an early component dominated by anterior brain regions, followed by a shift to parietal regions, and a subsequent phase characterized by sustained parietal HGB activity. This phase lasted for more than 1 s after the error onset. On the local level reflected in the intracranial EEG, a cascade of both transient and sustained error-related responses involved an even more extended network, spanning beyond frontal and parietal regions to the insula and the hippocampus. HGB mapping appeared especially well suited to investigate late, sustained components of the error response, possibly linked to downstream functional stages such as error-related learning and behavioral adaptation. Our findings establish the basic spatio-temporal properties of HGB activity as a neural correlate of error processing, complementing traditional error-related potential studies.Significance StatementThere is great interest to understand how the human brain reacts to errors in goal-directed behavior. An important index of cortical and subcortical information processing is fast oscillatory brain activity, particularly in the high-gamma band (above 50 Hz). Here we show that it is possible to detect signatures of errors in event-related high-gamma responses with noninvasive techniques, characterize these responses comprehensively, and validate the EEG procedure for the detection of such signals. In addition, we demonstrate the added value of intracranial recordings pinpointing the fine-grained spatio-temporal patterns in error-related brain networks. We anticipate that the optimized noninvasive EEG techniques as described here will be helpful in many areas of cognitive neuroscience where fast oscillatory brain activity is of interest.

scholarly journals Information Processing in the Brain as Optimal Entropy Transport: A Theoretical Approach

Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 1231
Author(s):  
Carlos Islas ◽  
Pablo Padilla ◽  
Marco Antonio Prado
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Optimal Transport ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Entropy Condition ◽  
Informational Entropy ◽  
Information Theoretic ◽  
Entropy Transport ◽  
Monge Ampere ◽  
The Brain

We consider brain activity from an information theoretic perspective. We analyze the information processing in the brain, considering the optimality of Shannon entropy transport using the Monge–Kantorovich framework. It is proposed that some of these processes satisfy an optimal transport of informational entropy condition. This optimality condition allows us to derive an equation of the Monge–Ampère type for the information flow that accounts for the branching structure of neurons via the linearization of this equation. Based on this fact, we discuss a version of Murray’s law in this context.

scholarly journals The brain-bases of responsiveness variability under moderate anaesthesia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Deng ◽  
Nicola Taylor ◽  
Adrian M. Owen ◽  
Rhodri Cusack ◽  
Lorina Naci
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Clinical Anaesthesia ◽  
Powerful Approach ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Brain

AbstractAnaesthesia combined with functional neuroimaging provides a powerful approach for understanding the brain mechanisms that change as consciousness fades. Although propofol is used ubiquitously in clinical interventions that reversibly suppress consciousness, its effect varies substantially between individuals, and the brain bases of this variability remain poorly understood. We asked whether three networks that are primary sites of propofol-induced sedation and key to conscious cognition — the dorsal attention (DAN), executive control (ECN), and default mode (DMN) network — underlie responsiveness variability under anaesthesia. Healthy participants (N=17) underwent propofol sedation inside the fMRI scanner at dosages of ‘moderate’ anaesthesia, and behavioural responsiveness was measured with a target detection task. To assess information processing, participants were scanned during an active engagement condition comprised of a suspenseful auditory narrative, in addition to the resting state. A behavioural investigation in a second group of non-anesthetized participants (N=25) qualified the attention demands of narrative understanding, which we then related to the brain activity of participants who underwent sedation. 30% of participants showed no delay in reaction times relative to wakefulness, whereas the others, showed significantly delayed and fragmented responses, or full omission of responses. These responsiveness differences did not relate to information processing differences. Rather, only the functional connectivity within the ECN during wakefulness differentiated the participants’ responsiveness level, with significantly stronger connectivity in the fast relative to slow responders. Consistent with this finding, fast responders had significantly higher grey matter volume in the frontal cortex aspect of the ECN. For the first time, these results show that responsiveness variability during propofol anaesthesia relates to inherent differences in brain function and structure within the executive control network, which can be predicted prior to sedation. These results shed light on the brain bases of responsiveness differences and highlight novel markers that may help to improve the accuracy of awareness monitoring during clinical anaesthesia.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Event-Related Potentials Triggered by Unexpected Events during Simulated Driving and Influence of Vigilance

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 7274
Author(s):  
Pukyeong Seo ◽  
Hyun Kim ◽  
Kyung Hwan Kim
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Early Component ◽  
Spatiotemporal Characteristics ◽  
Sensory Information Processing ◽  
Related Potentials

We investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of brain activity due to sudden events during monotonous driving and how it changes with vigilance level. Two types of sudden events, emergency stop and car drifting, were presented using driving simulator, and event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured. From the ERPs of both types of events, an early component representing sensory information processing and a late component were observed. The early component was expected to represent sensory information processing, which corresponded to visual and somatosensory/vestibular information processing for the sudden stop and lane departure tasks, respectively. The late components showed spatiotemporal characteristics of the well-known P300 component for both types of events. Common characteristic brain activities occurred in response to sudden events, regardless of the type. The modulation of brain activity due to the vigilance level also shared common characteristics between the two types. We expect that our results will contribute to the development of an effective means to assist drivers’ reactions to ambulatory situations.

PET as Part of an Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding Processes Involved in Reading

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 287-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Fiez ◽  
Steven E. Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Positron Emission Tomography ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Emission Tomography ◽  
Brain Blood Flow ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Task Conditions

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a recently developed technology that can be used to create images of brain blood flow, which is related to brain activity. By acquiring images of brain blood flow during different task conditions, investigators can isolate activity changes related to specific types of information processing. Several examples demonstrate how regions involved in reading can be identified, and how the results are most interpretable when information from other disciplines is considered.

scholarly journals Altered functional integration of brain activity is a marker of impaired cognitive performance following sleep deprivation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan E. Cross ◽  
Florence B. Pomares ◽  
Alex Nguyen ◽  
Aurore A. Perrault ◽  
Aude Jegou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Functional Integration ◽  
Nrem Sleep ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Network Integration

AbstractSleep deprivation (SD) leads to impairments in cognitive function. Here, we tested the hypothesis that cognitive changes in the sleep-deprived brain can be explained by information processing within and between large scale cortical networks. We acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of 20 healthy volunteers during attention and executive tasks following a regular night of sleep, a night of sleep deprivation, and a recovery nap containing non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Overall, sleep deprivation is associated with increased cortex-wide functional integration, driven by a greater integration within cortical networks. The relative degree of functional segregation in the sleep deprived state was tightly associated with deficits in cognitive performance. This was a distinct and better marker of cognitive impairment than conventional indicators of homeostatic sleep pressure, as well as the pronounced thalamocortical connectivity changes that occurs towards falling asleep. The ratio of within vs between network integration in the cortex increased further in the recovery NREM sleep, suggesting that prolonged wakefulness drives the cortex toward a state resembling sleep. Importantly, restoration of the balance between segregation and integration of cortical activity was also related to performance recovery after the nap, demonstrating a bi-directional effect. These results demonstrate that intra- and inter-individual differences in network integration and segregation during task performance may play a critical role in identifying vulnerability to cognitive impairment in the sleep deprived state.Significance StatementSleep deprivation has significant negative consequences for cognitive function. Understanding how changes in brain activity underpin the changes in cognition is important not only to discover why performance declines following extended periods of wakefulness, but also for answering the fundamental question of why we require regular and recurrent sleep for optimal performance. Finding neural correlates that predict performance deficits following sleep deprivation also has the potential to understand which individuals are particularly vulnerable to sleep deprivation, and what aspects of brain function may protect them from the negative consequences on cognitive performance. Finally, understanding how perturbations to regular (well-rested) brain functioning such as with sleep deprivation, will provide important insight into how underlying principles of information processing in the brain may support cognition more generally.

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