Rozdzielczość czasowa, pamięć robocza a rodzaje błędów w Teście Matryc Ravena – badanie pilotażowe

CelCelem badania pilotażowego było sprawdzenie zależności pomiędzy rozdzielczością czasową w zakresie milisekundowym, pamięcią roboczą oraz inteligencją psychometryczną z uwzględnieniem analizy jakościowej błędów w Teście Matryc Ravena w wersji dla Zaawansowanych TMZ. MetodaTrzydzieści sześć osób (24 mężczyzn i 12 kobiet, w wieku 17–19 lat) wykonało zadanie polegające na prezentowaniu par bodźców w szybkim następstwie czasowym, a następnie rozwiązywało zadanie mierzące pamięć roboczą Automated Operation Span Task Aospan oraz TMZ. Rozdzielczość czasową mierzono za pomocą progu postrzegania kolejności bodźców PPK, wyznaczanego za pomocą algorytmu adaptacyjnego dla poprawności 75%. WynikiWykazano tendencję do rzadszego popełniania błędów typu Błędna Zasada w TMZ przez osoby uzyskujące niskie wartości PPK: rho(34) = 0,46, p < 0,05. Ponadto zaobserwowano związek między wynikami Aospan i TMZ, dla procentu poprawnie odpamiętanych liter (rho(34) = 0,55, p < 0,01), zaś dla procentu poprawnie odpamiętanych sekwencji (rho(34) = 0,43, p = 0,05). KonkluzjePrezentowane badanie jest pierwszym, w którym wykazano związek czasowego opracowywania informacji na poziomie milisekund z typami błędów popełnianymi w teście inteligencji ogólnej. Osoby, które uzyskały wyższe progi postrzegania kolejności bodźców częściej stosowały przy wyborze odpowiedzi jakościowo odmienne od poprawnych reguły rozumowania, co może odzwierciedlać mniejsze zasoby pamięci roboczej potrzebne do odkrycia właściwej reguły.

A Combination of Ice Ingestion and Head Cooling Enhances Cognitive Performance during Endurance Exercise in the Heat

his study assessed the effectiveness of head cooling during exercise in the heat on cognitive performance, either alone or with ice ingestion. Ten healthy males, non-acclimatized to heat, ran (70% V̇O2peak) for 2×30 min in heat (35 ± 0.9°C, 68.2 ± 6.9% RH). Participants completed 3 trials: 10 min of head cooling during exercise (HC); precooling with crushed ice (7gikg-1) and head cooling during exercise (MIX); or no-cooling/control (CON). Working memory was assessed using the automated operation span task (OSPAN) and serial seven test (S7). Following MIX, S7 scores were improved compared to CON (12 ± 9.5, p = 0.004, d = 1.42, 0.34-2.28) and HC (4 ± 5.5, p = 0.048, d = 0.45, -0.47 to 1.3) during exercise. Moderate to large effect sizes were recorded for S7 and OSPAN following MIX and HC compared to CON, suggesting a tendency for improved cognitive performance during exercise in heat. Following precooling (MIX), core body temperature (Tc) and forehead temperature (Th) were lower compared to baseline (-0.75 ± 0.37°C, p < 0.001; -0.31 ± 0.29°C, p = 0.008, respectively) but not in HC or CON (p > 0.05). Thermal sensation (TS) was lower in MIX and HC compared to CON during exercise (p < 0.05). The reduction in Tc, Th and TS with MIX may have attenuated the effect of heat and subsequently improved working memory during exercise in heat.

Effects of Water Restriction and Supplementation on Cognitive Performances and Mood among Young Adults in Baoding, China: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

The brain is approximately 75% water. Therefore, insufficient water intake may affect the cognitive performance of humans. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of water restriction and supplementation on cognitive performances and mood, and the optimum amount of water to alleviate the detrimental effects of dehydration, among young adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 76 young, healthy adults aged 18–23 years old from Baoding, China. After fasting overnight for 12 h, at 8:00 a.m. of day 2, the osmolality of the first morning urine and blood, cognitive performance, and mood were measured as a baseline test. After water restriction for 24 h, at 8:00 a.m. of day 3, the same indexes were measured as a dehydration test. Participants were randomly assigned into four groups: water supplementation group (WS group) 1, 2, or 3 (given 1000, 500, or 200 mL purified water), and the no water supplementation group (NW group). Furthermore, participants were instructed to drink all the water within 10 min. Ninety minutes later, the same measurements were performed as a rehydration test. Compared with the baseline test, participants were all in dehydration and their scores on the portrait memory test, vigor, and self-esteem decreased (34 vs. 27, p < 0.001; 11.8 vs. 9.2, p < 0.001; 7.8 vs. 6.4, p < 0.001). Fatigue and TMD (total mood disturbance) increased (3.6 vs. 4.8, p = 0.004; 95.7 vs. 101.8, p < 0.001) in the dehydration test. Significant interactions between time and volume were found in hydration status, fatigue, vigor, TMD, symbol search test, and operation span test (F = 6.302, p = 0.001; F = 3.118, p = 0.029; F = 2.849, p = 0.043; F = 2.859, p = 0.043; F = 3.463, p = 0.021) when comparing the rehydration and dehydration test. Furthermore, the hydration status was better in WS group 1 compared to WS group 2; the fatigue and TMD scores decreased, and the symbol search test and operation span test scores increased, only in WS group 1 and WS group 2 (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between them (p > 0.05). Dehydration impaired episodic memory and mood. Water supplementation improved processing speed, working memory, and mood, and 1000 mL was the optimum volume.

Reexamining the “Brain Drain” Effect: Does Ward et al. (2017) Replicate?

The present study was a pre-registered direct replication of Ward et al.’s (2017) second experiment (OSF pre-registration found at: https://osf.io/5fq4r). This replication assigned both smartphone location (on desk, in pocket/bag, or outside of the testing room) and smartphone power (on, or off) for a total of six conditions. Participants completed an automated operation span (OSpan) task, a cue-dependent go/no-go task, and the smartphone attachment and dependency inventory. It was hypothesized that performance on an attention-demanding task (i.e., the OSpan task) would be worse for those in closer proximity to their smartphone (on desk) and that those with greater smartphone attachment and dependency would have a larger “brain drain” effect. Using the same tasks and conditions as in Ward et al.’s (2017) second experiment, the present study found that the “brain drain” effect did not replicate: there was no difference between smartphone location conditions on performance on either the o-span task or the go/no-go task. These findings demonstrate that the mere presence of one’s smartphone may not be enough to affect cognitive performance. Understanding these effects is crucial in a time where smartphones are a basic necessity.

Effects of Depressed Mood on Syllogistic Reasoning: The Buffering Role of High Working Memory Span

Previous research provided consistent evidence for the existence of the unique cognitive limitation in depressed mood: the impairment of the construction of mental models. In the current research, we applied the classical paradigm using categorical syllogisms to examine the relationship between depressed mood and integrative reasoning, aiming at gathering research evidence on the moderating role of the operation span of working memory. Specifically, we examine the hypothesis that high working memory capacity is a buffering variable and acts as a protective factor preventing the negative impact of depressed mood on syllogistic reasoning. A categorical syllogism, in the simpler evaluative form, consists of two premises (that are assumed to be true) and a conclusion that is to be evaluated as valid (when it follows logically from the premises) or invalid (when it does not follow from the premises). In the cover story, we informed participants that they would read about some observations carried out in a normal garden (believable conclusions) versus in a garden with radical genetic transformations (unbelievable conclusions) in order to stimulate the emergence of belief bias. The participants were 115 high school students who filled out the BDI scale and completed the OSPAN task. In line with predictions, there were main effects of depressed mood and operation span on the accuracy of performance (worse performance in the group with a high in comparison to a low level of depressed mood and much worse performance in low compared to high OSPAN participants). The analyses yielded a strong interaction effect of Depressed mood × OSPAN × Conflict. For participants with high levels of working memory capacity, there were no limitations related to a high level of depressed mood in syllogistic reasoning. On the other hand, a different pattern emerged for participants with low working memory span. In this group, participants with a high level of depressed mood in comparison to those with a low level of depressed mood showed much higher limitations in syllogistic reasoning, especially in reasoning concerning conflict syllogisms. We discuss the implications of this research for recent therapeutic programs using computerized cognitive tasks aimed at individuals with a high level of depressed mood.

Evidence for Cognitive Decline in Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: People with chronic pain (CP) sometimes report impaired cognitive function, including a deficit of attention, memory, executive planning, and information processing. However, the association between CP and cognitive decline was still not clear. Our study aimed to assess the association of CP as a risk factor with cognitive decline among adults.Methods: We included data from clinical studies. Publications were identified using a systematic search strategy from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to October 10, 2020. We used the mean cognitive outcome data and the standard deviations from each group. The standardized mean difference (SMD) or odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were performed for each cognitive decline outcome. I2-values were assessed to quantify the heterogeneities.Results: We included 37 studies with a total of 52,373 patients with CP and 80,434 healthy control participants. Because these studies used different evaluative methods, we analyzed these studies. The results showed CP was associated with cognitive decline when the short-form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) mental component summary (SMD = −1.50, 95% CI = −2.19 to −0.81), the Montreal cognitive assessment (SMD = −1.11, 95% CI = −1.60 to −0.61), performance validity testing (SMD = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.74 to 4.37), or operation span (SMD = −1.83, 95% CI = −2.98 to −0.68) were used. However, we got opposite results when the studies using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems classification (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 0.97 to 2.56), the Mini-Mental State Examination (SMD = −0.42, 95% CI = −0.94 to 0.10; OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.91 to 1.42), and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status memory component (SMD = −0.06, 95% CI = −0.37 to 0.25).Conclusion: There may be an association between CP and the incidence of cognitive decline when some cognitive, evaluative methods were used, such as short-form 36 health survey questionnaire, Montreal cognitive assessment, performance validity testing, and operation span.

The role of working memory capacityin interpreting performance

This study aims to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) capacity and the performance of student interpreters defined as the quality of their interpreting output. To measure WM capacity, we administered Korean and English reading span tasks, and an operation span task. The WM scores were analysed for correlation with simultaneous interpreting (SI) and consecutive interpreting (CI) scores. The results were mixed: (1) the CI score showed no correlation with any of the WM span tasks and (2) the SI score correlated with only one WM span task, the operation span task. Given that the participants received shorter training in SI than in CI, we can tentatively conclude that interpreting performance is influenced more by WM capacity when the interpreter performs a less familiar type of interpreting. Further research is needed to find out why the reading span tasks and the operation span task showed different relationships with SI.

The Influence of Slow-Paced Breathing on Executive Function

The aim of this experiment was to test the immediate effects of slow-paced breathing on executive function. Slow-paced breathing is suggested to increase cardiac vagal activity, and the neurovisceral integration model predicts that higher cardiac vagal activity leads to better executive functioning. In total, 78 participants (41 men, 37 women; Mage = 23.22 years) took part in two counterbalanced experimental conditions: a 3 × 5 min slow-paced breathing condition and a television viewing control condition. After each condition, heart rate variability was measured and participants performed three executive function tasks: the color-word match Stroop (inhibition), the automated operation span task (working memory), and the modified card sorting task (cognitive flexibility). Results showed that performance on executive function tasks was better after slow-paced breathing compared to control, with higher scores observed for Stroop interference accuracy, automated operation span score, and perseverative errors, but not Stroop interference reaction times. This difference in executive function between experimental conditions was not mediated by cardiac vagal activity. Therefore, findings only partially align with predictions of the neurovisceral integration model. Slow-paced breathing appears a promising technique to improve immediate executive function performance. Further studies are recommended that address possible alternative underlying mechanisms and long-term effects.

Head Cooling Prior to Exercise in the Heat Does Not Improve Cognitive Performance

This study investigated the effectiveness of head cooling on cognitive performance after 30 min and 60 min of running in the heat. Ten moderately-trained, non-heat-acclimated, male endurance athletes (mean age: 22 ± 6.6 y; height: 1.78 ± 0.10 m; body-mass: 75.7 ± 15.6 kg; VO2peak: 51.6 ± 4.31 mL-1>kg-1>min) volunteered for this study. Participants performed two experimental trials: head cooling versus no-cooling (within-subjects factor with trial order randomized). For each trial, participants wore a head-cooling cap for 15 min with the cap either cooled to 0°C (HC) or not cooled (22°C; CON). Participants then completed 2 × 30 min running efforts on a treadmill at 70% VO2peak in hot conditions (35°C, 70% relative humidity), with a 10 min rest between efforts. Working memory was assessed using an operation span (OSPAN) task immediately prior to the 15 min cooling/no-cooling period (22°C, 35% RH) and again after 30 min and 60 min of running in the heat. Numerous physiological variables, including gastrointestinal core temperature (Tc) were assessed over the protocol. Scores for OSPAN were similar between trials, with no interaction effect or main effects for time and trial found (p = 0.58, p = 0.67, p = 0.54, respectively). Forehead temperature following precooling was lower in HC (32.4 ± 1.6°C) compared with CON (34.5 ± 1.1°C) (p = 0.01), however, no differences were seen in Tc, skin temperature, heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion between HC and CON trials at any time point assessed (p > 0.05). In conclusion, despite HC reducing forehead temperature prior to exercise, it did not significantly improve cognitive performance during (half-time break) or after subsequent exercise in hot environmental conditions, compared to a no cooling control.