Research on Emotion Recognition and Dementias: Foundations and Prospects

Background: The study of emotion recognition could be crucial for detecting alterations in certain cognitive areas or as an early sign of neurological disorders. Objective: The main objective of the study is to characterize research development on emotion recognition, identifying the intellectual structure that supports this area of knowledge, and the main lines of research attracting investigators’ interest. Methods: We identified publications on emotion recognition and dementia included in the Web of Science Core Collection, analyzing the scientific output and main disciplines involved in generating knowledge in the area. A co-citation analysis and an analysis of the bibliographic coupling between the retrieved documents elucidated the thematic orientations of the research and the reference works that constitute the foundation for development in the field. Results: A total of 345 documents, with 24,282 bibliographic references between them, were included. This is an emerging research area, attracting the interest of investigators in Neurosciences, Psychology, Clinical Neurology, and Psychiatry, among other disciplines. Four prominent topic areas were identified, linked to frontotemporal dementia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s and Huntington disease. Many recent papers focus on the detection of mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Impaired emotion recognition may be a key sign facilitating the diagnosis and early treatment of different neurodegenerative diseases as well as for triggering the necessary provision of social and family support, explaining the growing research interest in this area.

Gradients of receptor expression in the macaque cortex

Dynamics and functions of neural circuits depend on synaptic interactions mediated by receptors. Therefore, a comprehensive map of receptor organization is needed to understand how different functions may emerge across distinct cortical regions. Here we use in-vitro receptor autoradiography to measure the density of 14 neurotransmitter receptor types in 109 areas of macaque cortex. We integrate the receptor data with other anatomical, genetic and functional connectivity data into a common cortical space. We uncovered a principal gradient of increasing receptor expression per neuron aligned with cortical hierarchy from early sensory cortex to higher cognitive areas. A second gradient, primarily driven by 5-HT1A receptors, peaks in the anterior and subcallosal cingulate, suggesting that the macaque may be a promising animal model for major depressive disorder. The receptor gradients may enable rapid, reliable information processing in sensory cortical areas and slow, flexible integration of information in higher cognitive areas.

Teaching Aids and Manipulative Teaching Means

The subject matter of this essay concerns the use of manipulatives and teaching aids in the teaching of mathematics for the 1st and 2nd grade of primary school, combined with educational robotics applications. In particular, the use of the programmable bee-bot floor robot combines procedures that involve the use of manipulative means (creating a track as a cardboard model, painting, assembling), teaching aid tools (demonstration of the programmable bee-bot floor robot), and finally, the comprehension of simple programming and mathematical concepts. Through the implementation of an educational scenario aiming to familiarize students with the basic geometric concepts, mathematical operations (multiplication table), basic algorithmic structures (simple problems and step solving), there will be involvement with the cognitive areas of informatics (basic programming concepts)) and mathematics (geometry, calculations).

The fronto-parietal network connects more strongly to central than peripheral V1

ABSTRACTCentral and peripheral vision are important for distinct aspects of everyday life. We use central vision to read and peripheral vision to get the gist of a scene. To understand how these differences are reflected in connectivity between V1 and higher-order cognitive areas, we examined the differential connectivity of V1 that represent central and peripheral vision. We used diffusion-weighted-imaging and resting-state blood-oxygen-level-dependent data to examine structural and functional connectivity. The present results demonstrate strong evidence that centrally-representing portions of V1 are more strongly functionally and structurally connected to the fronto-parietal network than are peripherally representing portions of V1. This suggests that these patterns of connections between central V1 and the fronto-parietal network are direct and support attention-demanding visual tasks. Overall, our findings contribute to understanding how the human brain processes visual information and forms a baseline for any modifications in processing that might occur with training or experience.

Auditory cortical representation of music favours the perceived beat

Previous research has shown that musical beat perception is a surprisingly complex phenomenon involving widespread neural coordination across higher-order sensory, motor and cognitive areas. However, the question of how low-level auditory processing must necessarily shape these dynamics, and therefore perception, is not well understood. Here, we present evidence that the auditory cortical representation of music, even in the absence of motor or top-down activations, already favours the beat that will be perceived. Extracellular firing rates in the rat auditory cortex were recorded in response to 20 musical excerpts diverse in tempo and genre, for which musical beat perception had been characterized by the tapping behaviour of 40 human listeners. We found that firing rates in the rat auditory cortex were on average higher on the beat than off the beat. This ‘neural emphasis’ distinguished the beat that was perceived from other possible interpretations of the beat, was predictive of the degree of tapping consensus across human listeners, and was accounted for by a spectrotemporal receptive field model. These findings strongly suggest that the ‘bottom-up’ processing of music performed by the auditory system predisposes the timing and clarity of the perceived musical beat.

Elementos psicopedagógicos en niños de preescolar y factores de protección

The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate cognitive, motor and emotional aspects of preschool children in order to identify risk factors within the development in the second childhood. The problem of various factors directly influences the school culture, in this way, the study was based on mentioned evaluations, with students who presented behavioral problems, in order to find indicators that explain the type of behavior performed by the minor that causes disturbance in the school context in the teaching process. For this, the methodology used was of a non-experimental qualitative / transversal type, through a non-probabilistic sampling of the type subject. The contribution obtained within the investigation is observed with quantifiable linear frequency data (92%), the direct influence of the inappropriate behavior of minors related to domestic violence, using the school context as a means of affective and effective protection, not obtaining significant data in cognitive areas.

Modeling the Skunkworks Technology

Management view the skunkworks approach as an enriched environment composed of individuals possessing the required experience critical in the formulation of strategy to advance efficiency and effectiveness in the firm. It is a purpose-built forum where learning happens by sharing experiences to design and implement new products in at least four modalities. The first is its capability to ignite the company's mission by co-construction a shared vision. Organizations need to appreciate what the future may look like. The second is the collective experience of its membership where new ideas can lead to the design and implementation of the technology to progress the job. A company must do all it can to differentiate itself to compete successfully. The third is its ability to create diffuse and distribute knowledge to cognitive areas where it will be put into organizational context. The fourth is the need to sustain change by continuing to learn and improve. This chapter models the skunkworks technology.

Minirefleksje nad maksikwestiami, czyli o aksjologicznych aspektach praworządności

MINI REFLECTIONS ON MAXI ISSUES — ABOUT AXIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE LAW AND ORDERThe first part of the draft aims at presenting the law and order as a philosophical construct with regard to dichotomous divisions. The scope of the discourse has been reduced to two planes, also referred to as problems. The first, understanding the designations of opposition of such terms as eunomy — isonomy. The second, selective presentation of the opposing types of the law and order in the key of conceptual correlation: the law and order — legality, the subjective law and order — the objective law and order, the formal law and order — the material law and order.The second part of the study is an attempt to understand the law and order in the optics of the axiological and legal binomial. Analogically to the first part of the publication, the methodological symmetry was maintained. The analyzes were made in two cognitive areas. The first is the definition of the material law and order understood in an inclusive way, including the attributes of the law and order. The second one is an attempt to select the principles-values from which the epicurean therapeutical tetrapharmacon should be composed in relation to the law and order.

Where pseudo-hallucinations meet dissociation: a cluster analysis

Objectives: The possible link between cognitive areas of perception and integration of consciousness was examined using assessments of hallucinations and derealisation/depersonalization. Methods: Sixty-five subjects in three main diagnostic groups – posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD) and schizophrenia – identified by their treating psychiatrist as hearing voices were surveyed regarding characteristics of hallucinations, derealisation/depersonalization, delusions and childhood/adult trauma. Results: A cluster analysis produced two clusters predominantly determined by variables of hallucinations measures, childhood sexual abuse and derealisation/depersonalization scores. Conclusions: History of childhood trauma and variability in derealisation/depersonalization scores were better predictors of external, negative, uncontrollable voices than diagnosis of BPD or PTSD. The potential links between dissociative states and pseudo-hallucinations are discussed.