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Blini E, Anobile G, Arrighi R. What pupil size can and cannot tell about math anxiety. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024:10.1007/s00426-024-02020-0. [PMID: 39180562 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-02020-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Math Anxiety (MA) consists of excessive fear and worry about math-related situations. It represents a major barrier to numerical competence and the pursuit of STEM careers. Yet, we currently do not dispose of many tools that can capture its multifaceted nature, e.g. moving beyond the exclusive reliance on self-reports and meta-cognition. Here we sought to probe Pupil Size (PS) as a viable tool in the study of MA by administering arithmetic problems to university students in the humanities (N = 70) with various levels of MA. We found that arithmetic competence and performance are indeed negatively associated with MA, and this is accurately tracked by PS. When performance is accounted for, MA does not further modulate PS (before, during, or after calculation). However, the latency of PS peak dilation can add a significant contribution to predicting MA scores, indicating that high MA may be accompanied by more prolonged cognitive effort. Results show that MA and mathematical competence may be too crystalized in young university students to be discernible. We therefore call for early educational interventions to tackle and mitigate this dysfunctional association early on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvio Blini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Building 26, Florence, 50136, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Anobile
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Building 26, Florence, 50136, Italy
| | - Roberto Arrighi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Building 26, Florence, 50136, Italy
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2
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Alben N, Arthur C. Pupil dilation as a function of pitch discrimination difficulty: A replication of Kahneman and Beatty, 1967. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024; 86:1435-1444. [PMID: 37684499 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-023-02765-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
In the present paper, we carry out a replication of a seminal paper by Kahneman, D. & Beatty, J. (1967). Perception & Psychophysics, 2(3),101-105 for using pupillometry as an implicit measure of auditory processing load, specifically, non-verbal auditory processing. While numerous papers since have supported the notion that pupillometry is a fairly reliable index of processing load in general (Zekveld, A. A., Koelewijn, T., and Kramer, S. E. (2018). Trends in Hearing, 22,1-25; Winn, M. B., Wendt, D., Koelewijn, T., and Kuchinsky, S. E. (2018). Trends in Hearing, 22,1-32), they typically have relied on memory recall, and/or more sophisticated cognitive tasks such as language comprehension or split attention. Kahneman and Beatty's paper, despite that it was published more than 50 years ago, continues to be the primary citation to support the claim that pupillometry is a reliable index of task difficulty for a simple non-verbal pitch discrimination task therefore giving us an implicit measure for listening effort (e.g.,Kramer, S. E., Lorens, A., Coninx, F., Zekveld, A. A., Piotrowska, A., & Skarzynski, H. (2013). Language and Cognitive Processes, 28(4),426-442; Schlemmer, K. B., Kulke, F., Kuchinke, L., & Van Der Meer, E. (2005). Psychophysiology, 42(4),465-472; Lisi, M., Bonato, M., and Zorzi, M. (2015). Biological Psychology, 112,39-45). This type of task takes very little explicit memory, is non-verbal, and relies heavily on more low-level, automatic perceptual processing. Using two different replication studies, one exact, and one modified, we only replicated the main result in the modified replication. The true replication failed to replicate on all nine statistical tests. Overall, our findings suggest that pupil dilation can be used as an implicit measure of task difficulty for a simple, non-semantic, auditory task, however, the robustness of the effect appears relatively weak in comparison with the original study, and the amount of variation across participants much greater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Alben
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Claire Arthur
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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3
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Solé Puig M, Bustos Valenzuela P, Romeo A, Supèr H. A Pilot Study to Improve Cognitive Performance and Pupil Responses in Mild Cognitive Impaired Patients Using Gaze-Controlled Gaming. Vision (Basel) 2024; 8:25. [PMID: 38804346 PMCID: PMC11130921 DOI: 10.3390/vision8020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may progress to severe forms of dementia, so therapy is needed to maintain cognitive abilities. The neural circuitry for oculomotor control is closely linked to that which controls cognitive behavior. In this study, we tested whether training the oculomotor system with gaze-controlled video games could improve cognitive behavior in MCI patients. Patients played a simple game for 2-3 weeks while a control group played the same game using a mouse. Cognitive improvement was assessed using the MoCA screening test and CANTAB. We also measured eye pupil and vergence responses in an oddball paradigm. The results showed an increased score on the MoCA test specifically for the visuospatial domain and on the Rapid Visual Information Processing test of the CANTAB battery. Pupil responses also increased to target stimuli. Patients in the control group did not show significant improvements. This pilot study provides evidence for the potential cognitive benefits of gaze-controlled gaming in MCI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Solé Puig
- Unitat d’Avaluació de la Cognició, l’Atenció i l’Aprenentatge (ACAP), 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Patricia Bustos Valenzuela
- Vision and Control of Action Group, Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (P.B.V.)
| | - August Romeo
- Vision and Control of Action Group, Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (P.B.V.)
| | - Hans Supèr
- Unitat d’Avaluació de la Cognició, l’Atenció i l’Aprenentatge (ACAP), 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
- Vision and Control of Action Group, Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (P.B.V.)
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona (UBNeuro), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Research Institute Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Braingaze SL, 08302 Mataró, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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4
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Zheng X, Wang H, Hao T, Chen S, Xu K, Wang Y. Evaluation of mental load using EEG and eye movement characteristics. ERGONOMICS 2024:1-22. [PMID: 38651950 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2024.2342439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Mental load is a major cause of human-induced accidents. In this study, an explosive impact sensitivity experiment was used to induce mental load. A combination of subjective questionnaires and objective prospective time-distance tests were used to judge whether subjects experienced mental load. Four indicators, namely, β, γ, mean pupil diameter, and fixation time were selected by statistical analysis and PCA for the construction of a mental load assessment model. The study found that the occipital lobe was the most sensitive to mental load, especially β and γ bands. Lastly, it was found that subjects showed different degrees of mental load for the same mental load induction task. The results of the study are applicable to the evaluation and monitoring of the mental characteristics of workers and provide a scientific basis for adjusting the mental load of workers over time to reduce the rate of accidents and enhance production efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zheng
- Department of Safety Engineering, College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Huiyu Wang
- Department of Safety Engineering, College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tengteng Hao
- Department of Safety Engineering, College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shoukun Chen
- Department of Safety Engineering, College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Kaili Xu
- Department of Safety Engineering, College of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yicheng Wang
- Department of Digital Information, College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
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5
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Badets A, Jeunet C, Dellu-Hagedorn F, Ployart M, Chanraud S, Boutin A. Conscious awareness of others' actions during observational learning does not benefit motor skill performance. Conscious Cogn 2023; 113:103553. [PMID: 37454403 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The conscious awareness of motor success during motor learning has recently been revealed as a learning factor. In these studies, participants had to learn a motor sequence and to detect when they assumed the execution had reached a maximal fluidity. The consciousness groups showed better motor performance during a delayed post-training test than the non-consciousness control groups. Based on the "similar mechanism" hypothesis between observational and physical practice, we tested this beneficial effect of the conscious awareness of action in an observational learning context. In the present study, two groups learned a motor sequence task by observing a videotaped human model performing the task. However, only the consciousness group had to detect the maximal fluidity of the learning human model during observational practice. Unpredictably, no difference was detected between groups during the post-training test. However, the consciousness group outperformed the non-consciousness control group for tests that assessed the motor knowledges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Badets
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Camille Jeunet
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Mélissa Ployart
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Sandra Chanraud
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Section of Life and Earth Sciences, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Boutin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CIAMS, 91405 Orsay, France; Université d'Orléans, CIAMS, 45067, Orléans, France
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6
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Viglione A, Mazziotti R, Pizzorusso T. From pupil to the brain: New insights for studying cortical plasticity through pupillometry. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1151847. [PMID: 37063384 PMCID: PMC10102476 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1151847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pupil size variations have been associated with changes in brain activity patterns related with specific cognitive factors, such as arousal, attention, and mental effort. The locus coeruleus (LC), a key hub in the noradrenergic system of the brain, is considered to be a key regulator of cognitive control on pupil size, with changes in pupil diameter corresponding to the release of norepinephrine (NE). Advances in eye-tracking technology and open-source software have facilitated accurate pupil size measurement in various experimental settings, leading to increased interest in using pupillometry to track the nervous system activation state and as a potential biomarker for brain disorders. This review explores pupillometry as a non-invasive and fully translational tool for studying cortical plasticity starting from recent literature suggesting that pupillometry could be a promising technique for estimating the degree of residual plasticity in human subjects. Given that NE is known to be a critical mediator of cortical plasticity and arousal, the review includes data revealing the importance of the LC-NE system in modulating brain plasticity and pupil size. Finally, we will review data suggesting that pupillometry could provide a quantitative and complementary measure of cortical plasticity also in pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
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7
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Kosachenko AI, Kasanov D, Kotyusov AI, Pavlov YG. EEG and pupillometric signatures of working memory overload. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14275. [PMID: 36808118 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the physiological correlates of cognitive overload has implications for gauging the limits of human cognition, developing novel methods to define cognitive overload, and mitigating the negative outcomes associated with overload. Most previous psychophysiological studies manipulated verbal working memory load in a narrow range (an average load of 5 items). It is unclear, however, how the nervous system responds to a working memory load exceeding typical capacity limits. The objective of the current study was to characterize the central and autonomic nervous system changes associated with memory overload, by means of combined recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and pupillometry. Eighty-six participants were presented with a digit span task involving the serial auditory presentation of items. Each trial consisted of sequences of either 5, 9, or 13 digits, each separated by 2 s. Both theta activity and pupil size, after the initial rise, expressed a pattern of a short plateau and a decrease with reaching the state of memory overload, indicating that pupil size and theta possibly have similar neural mechanisms. Based on the described above triphasic pattern of pupil size temporal dynamics, we concluded that cognitive overload causes physiological systems to reset, and release effort. Although memory capacity limits were exceeded and effort was released (as indicated by pupil dilation), alpha continued to decrease with increasing memory load. These results suggest that associating alpha with the focus of attention and distractor suppression is not warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra I Kosachenko
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Dauren Kasanov
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Alexander I Kotyusov
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Yuri G Pavlov
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation.,Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Pupil size as a robust marker of attentional bias toward nicotine-related stimuli in smokers. Psychon Bull Rev 2022; 30:596-607. [PMID: 36229711 PMCID: PMC9559544 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02192-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Spatial attention can be magnetically attracted by behaviorally salient stimuli. This phenomenon occasionally conflicts with behavioral goals, leading to maladaptive consequences, as in the case of addiction, in which attentional biases have been described and linked with clinically meaningful variables, such as craving level or dependence intensity. Here, we sought to probe the markers of attentional priority in smokers through eye-tracking measures, by leveraging the established link between eye movements and spatial attention. We were particularly interested in potential markers related to pupil size, because pupil diameter reflects a range of autonomic, affective, and cognitive/attentional reactions to behaviorally significant stimuli and is a robust marker of appetitive and aversive learning. We found that changes in pupil size to nicotine-related visual stimuli could reliably predict, in cross-validated logistic regression, the smoking status of young smokers (showing pupil constriction) better than more traditional proxy measures. The possibility that pupil constriction may reflect a bias toward central vision, for example, attentional capture, is discussed in terms of sensory tuning with respect to nicotine-related stimuli. Pupil size was more sensitive at lower nicotine dependence levels, and at increased abstinence time (though these two variables were collinear). We conclude that pupillometry can provide a robust marker for attentional priority computation and useful indications regarding motivational states and individual attitudes toward conditioned stimuli.
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9
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Contemori G, Saccani MS, Bonato M. Multitasking Effects on Perception and Memory in Older Adults. Vision (Basel) 2022; 6:48. [PMID: 35997379 PMCID: PMC9396999 DOI: 10.3390/vision6030048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Performing multiple tasks in parallel is detrimental to performance, a phenomenon generically referred to as dual-task interference (DTi). Several variables can modulate DTi at the individual level, and increasing age is typically described as negatively affecting response costs. In this study, we investigated, in 252 healthy adults aged between 50 and 89 years, how age modulates the detrimental effect of DTi during the encoding of images. We combined a visual memory task and a sustained attention task (i.e., an auditory version of the continuous performance task, ACPT) in three separate blocks. In the first block, participants had to perform a four-alternative forced-choice recognition of previously memorized images without having attended to ACPT sounds during the encoding. In the second block, during memorization, participants had to press a response key when detecting the letter "X" within a stream of letters (Low Load). In the third block, they had to respond only when the letter "X" was preceded by the letter "A" (High Load). The results showed that overall performance linearly decreased with age. In contrast with our predictions, DTi was stable across different ages. Finally, using a cluster-based approach, we found that participants who paid the highest costs when dual-tasking also demonstrated, on a self-administered cognitive screening significantly lower scores than peers. These new types of tests, which ask for concurrent task performance, might become useful for detecting outlier performance that might anticipate or correlate with aging-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Contemori
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Silvia Saccani
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Mario Bonato
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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10
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Sharma M, Vemuri K. Accepting Human-like Avatars in Social and Professional Roles. ACM TRANSACTIONS ON HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1145/3526026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Humans report perceptions of unease or eeriness as humanoid/android robots and digital avatars approach human-like physical resemblance, a phenomenon alluded by the Uncanny Valley theory. This study extends the discussions on interactions and acceptance of digital avatars with findings from three experiments. In the first, perceptive evaluation of actors in clips from computer-generated animation and a live-action version of the same movie was examined. In the second experiment, we considered short clips with highly realistic digital avatars to measure recognition ability, the extent of eeriness, and specific physical features identified as unreal. The fixation area and pupil size variation recorded using an eye tracker were analyzed to infer attention to the body, face, and emotional response, respectively. Building on these findings, the third experiment looked at acceptance in roles requiring human skill, empathy, and cognitive ability. The results show that based on perceptions from physical attributes, the eeriness scores diverge from the uncanny valley theory as human-likeness increases. The realistic CGI and mocap technology could have helped cross the valley. Visual attention inferred from gaze behavior was similar for live-action and CGI. At the same time, we observe pupil size changes reflecting emotions like eeriness when the avatars either talked or smiled. Proficiency and acceptance scores were lower for roles requiring complex social cognition processes, such as friends and judicial decision-making. Interestingly, real-life stereotypes of gender roles were transferred to digital avatars too. The findings suggest an ambiguity in accepting human-like avatars in social and professional interactions, emphasizing the need for a multi-dimensional approach when applying the uncanny valley theory. A detailed and contextual examination is imperative as technological advancements have placed humans closer to co-existing with digital or physical android/humanoid robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Medha Sharma
- Cognitive Science Lab, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
| | - Kavita Vemuri
- Cognitive Science Lab, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
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11
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Gnyawali S, Feigl B, Adhikari P, Zele AJ. The role of melanopsin photoreception on visual attention linked pupil responses. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1986-2002. [PMID: 35357050 PMCID: PMC9324975 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
A decision during a visual task is marked by a task‐evoked pupil dilation (TEPD) that is linked to the global cortical arousal state. Melanopsin expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) form the afferent pathway for this pupil response. Melanopsin activation also influences mood and arousal and increases activity in decision‐making brain areas that receive direct ipRGC projections. Here, an optical photostimulation method controlled the excitations of all five photoreceptor classes in the human eye to isolate melanopsin‐mediated photoreception. We hypothesised that the TEPD can be driven by directing active visual covert attention through the ipRGC pathway. When observers are completely certain of the stimulus presence, melanopsin‐directed stimulation produces a TEPD of similar amplitude to a cone‐directed stimulation, with their combination producing larger amplitudes. This dilation is satisfactorily modelled by linear addition with a higher melanopsin weighting in ipRGCs. Visual reaction times were longest in response to melanopsin‐directed lights. Next, we asked whether the afferent photoreceptor input and decision certainty, controlled by priming the observer's a priori expectation, interact to drive the TEPD. Signal detection analysis showed that by fixing the predecision certainty (bias), the phasic arousal and TEPD amplitude vary with observer criterion (c′) and sensitivity (d′) but not with preferential activation of melanopsin. The signature feature of the melanopsin response during attention was a biphasic TEPD. We conclude that active covert attention can be modulated by visual information mediated via ipRGCs, but that phasic arousal responses marked using the TEPD are not increased by higher levels of melanopsin activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh Gnyawali
- Melanopsin Photoreception and Visual Science Laboratories, Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Beatrix Feigl
- Melanopsin Photoreception and Visual Science Laboratories, Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia.,Queensland Eye Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Prakash Adhikari
- Melanopsin Photoreception and Visual Science Laboratories, Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew J Zele
- Melanopsin Photoreception and Visual Science Laboratories, Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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12
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Klatt S, Noël B, Brocher A. Pupil size in the evaluation of static and dynamic stimuli in peripheral vision. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250027. [PMID: 33970935 PMCID: PMC8109806 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been evidenced that in attention-window tasks, the participants fixate on the center of a screen while inspecting two stimuli that appear at the same time in parafoveal vision. Such tasks have successfully been used to estimate a person's breadth of attention under various conditions. While behavioral investigations of visual attention have often made use of response accuracy, recent research has shown that the pupil size can also be used to track shifts of attention to the periphery. The main finding of previous studies is that the harder the evaluation of the stimuli becomes, e.g., because they appear farther away from the central fixation point, the stronger the pupils dilate. In this paper, we present experimental data suggesting that in an attention-window task, the pupil size can also be used to assess whether the participants attend to static, non-moving, or dynamic, moving stimuli. That is, regression models containing information on presentation mode (static vs. dynamic) and the visual angle between spatially separated stimuli better predict accuracy of perception and pupil dilation than model without these sources of information. This finding is useful for researchers who aim at understanding the human attentional system, including potential differences in its sensitivity to static and dynamic objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Klatt
- Institute of Sports Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Benjamin Noël
- Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Brocher
- CRC Prominence in Language, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institut für Deutsche Sprache und Literatur I, Cologne, Germany
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13
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Ciricugno A, Bartlett ML, Gwinn OS, Carragher DJ, Nicholls MER. The effect of cognitive load on horizontal and vertical spatial asymmetries. Laterality 2021; 26:706-724. [PMID: 33906579 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2021.1920972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Healthy individuals typically show a leftward attentional bias in the allocation of spatial attention along the horizontal plane, a phenomenon known as pseudoneglect, which relies on a right hemispheric dominance for visuospatial processing. Also, healthy individuals tend to overestimate the upper hemispace when orienting attention along the vertical plane, a phenomenon that may depend on asymmetric ventral and dorsal visual streams activation. Previous research has demonstrated that when attentional resources are reduced due to increased cognitive load, pseudoneglect is attenuated (or even reversed), due to decreased right-hemispheric activations. Critically, whether and how the reduction of attentional resources under load modulates vertical spatial asymmetries has not been addressed before. We asked participants to perform a line bisection task both with and without the addition of a concurrent auditory working memory task with lines oriented either horizontally or vertically. Results showed that increasing cognitive load reduced the typical leftward/upward bias with no difference between orientations. Our data suggest that the degree of cognitive load affects spatial attention not only in the horizontal but also in the vertical plane. Lastly, the similar effect of load on horizontal and vertical judgements suggests these biases may be related to only partially independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ciricugno
- IRCCS C. Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Megan L Bartlett
- College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Owen S Gwinn
- College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Daniel J Carragher
- College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael E R Nicholls
- College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
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14
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Pupillometry as a reliable metric of auditory detection and discrimination across diverse stimulus paradigms in animal models. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3108. [PMID: 33542266 PMCID: PMC7862232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82340-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimates of detection and discrimination thresholds are often used to explore broad perceptual similarities between human subjects and animal models. Pupillometry shows great promise as a non-invasive, easily-deployable method of comparing human and animal thresholds. Using pupillometry, previous studies in animal models have obtained threshold estimates to simple stimuli such as pure tones, but have not explored whether similar pupil responses can be evoked by complex stimuli, what other stimulus contingencies might affect stimulus-evoked pupil responses, and if pupil responses can be modulated by experience or short-term training. In this study, we used an auditory oddball paradigm to estimate detection and discrimination thresholds across a wide range of stimuli in guinea pigs. We demonstrate that pupillometry yields reliable detection and discrimination thresholds across a range of simple (tones) and complex (conspecific vocalizations) stimuli; that pupil responses can be robustly evoked using different stimulus contingencies (low-level acoustic changes, or higher level categorical changes); and that pupil responses are modulated by short-term training. These results lay the foundation for using pupillometry as a reliable method of estimating thresholds in large experimental cohorts, and unveil the full potential of using pupillometry to explore broad similarities between humans and animal models.
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15
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Bayramova R, Toffalini E, Bonato M, Grassi M. Auditory selective attention under working memory load. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2020; 85:2667-2681. [PMID: 33146781 PMCID: PMC8440250 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-020-01437-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Can cognitive load enhance concentration on task-relevant information and help filter out distractors? Most of the prior research in the area of selective attention has focused on visual attention or cross-modal distraction and has yielded controversial results. Here, we studied whether working memory load can facilitate selective attention when both target and distractor stimuli are auditory. We used a letter n-back task with four levels of working memory load and two levels of distraction: congruent and incongruent distractors. This combination of updating and inhibition tasks allowed us to manipulate working memory load within the selective attention task. Participants sat in front of three loudspeakers and were asked to attend to the letter presented from the central loudspeaker while ignoring that presented from the flanking ones (spoken by a different person), which could be the same letter as the central one (congruent) or a different (incongruent) letter. Their task was to respond whether or not the central letter matched the letter presented n (0, 1, 2, or 3) trials back. Distraction was measured in terms of the difference in reaction time and accuracy on trials with incongruent versus congruent flankers. We found reduced interference from incongruent flankers in 2- and 3-back conditions compared to 0- and 1-back conditions, whereby higher working memory load almost negated the effect of incongruent flankers. These results suggest that high load on verbal working memory can facilitate inhibition of distractors in the auditory domain rather than make it more difficult as sometimes claimed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Bayramova
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
| | - Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
| | - Mario Bonato
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy.
| | - Massimo Grassi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
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16
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DiNuzzo M, Mascali D, Moraschi M, Bussu G, Maugeri L, Mangini F, Fratini M, Giove F. Brain Networks Underlying Eye's Pupil Dynamics. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:965. [PMID: 31619948 PMCID: PMC6759985 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Phasic changes in eye’s pupil diameter have been repeatedly observed during cognitive, emotional and behavioral activity in mammals. Although pupil diameter is known to be associated with noradrenergic firing in the pontine Locus Coeruleus (LC), thus far the causal chain coupling spontaneous pupil dynamics to specific cortical brain networks remains unknown. In the present study, we acquired steady-state blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data combined with eye-tracking pupillometry from fifteen healthy subjects that were trained to maintain a constant attentional load. Regression analysis revealed widespread visual and sensorimotor BOLD-fMRI deactivations correlated with pupil diameter. Furthermore, we found BOLD-fMRI activations correlated with pupil diameter change rate within a set of brain regions known to be implicated in selective attention, salience, error-detection and decision-making. These regions included LC, thalamus, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), dorsal anterior cingulate and paracingulate cortex (dACC/PaCC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and right anterior insular cortex (rAIC). Granger-causality analysis performed on these regions yielded a complex pattern of interdependence, wherein LC and pupil dynamics were far apart in the network and separated by several cortical stages. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence of the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) in the networks identified by the brain regions correlated to the pupil diameter change rate. No significant correlations were observed between pupil dynamics, regional activation and behavioral performance. Based on the involved brain regions, we speculate that pupil dynamics reflects brain processing implicated in changes between self- and environment-directed awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniele Mascali
- Fondazione Santa Lucia (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Centro Fermi - Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Moraschi
- Fondazione Santa Lucia (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Centro Fermi - Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Bussu
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Michela Fratini
- Fondazione Santa Lucia (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,CNR Nanotec, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Giove
- Fondazione Santa Lucia (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Centro Fermi - Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Rome, Italy
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17
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Romeo Z, Bonato M, Zorzi M, Spironelli C. Electrophysiological correlates of spatial processing during multitasking. Neuropsychologia 2019; 133:107152. [PMID: 31376427 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Multitasking is ubiquitous in everyday life. It can have a detrimental effect on several cognitive abilities including spatial processing in both brain-damaged and healthy participants. The present study investigated, in healthy adults, the electrophysiological mechanisms associated with correct detection vs. misdetection of peripheral visual target(s) while processing concurrent visual or auditory stimuli. Correct responses were coupled with increased N1 amplitude under visual (i.e., intra-modal) load but not under auditory (i.e., cross-modal) load. Under visual load, error responses were associated to opposite patterns on N1/N2 components for unilateral and bilateral stimuli. In particular, errors were marked by significantly reduced N1 and N2 amplitude for the left and right visual field, respectively, whereas higher N1 amplitude was found for errors to bilateral targets. This suggests that early negative components represent the biological marker of target awareness under visual load, whereby correct target detection is grounded on a threshold criterion. These results provide an electrophysiological correlate for the allocation of capacity-limited cognitive resources during the concurrent processing of multiple and heterogeneous visual stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario Bonato
- Department of General Psychology and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Zorzi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of General Psychology and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Spironelli
- Department of General Psychology and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy.
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18
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Oliva M. Pupil size and search performance in low and high perceptual load. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:366-376. [PMID: 30552642 PMCID: PMC6420443 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-00677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The ability to focus on a task while disregarding irrelevant information is an example of selective attention. The perceptual-load hypothesis argues that the occurrence of early or late selection mechanisms is determined by task-relevant perceptual load. Additionally, evidence shows that pupil size serves as proxy of locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) activity, a system associated with cognitive and attentional mediation. Here, we assessed pupil baseline (and pupil dilation) as predictors of load-related early and late selection performance. Participants were asked to search for a target in conditions of high and low perceptual load, while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. The results showed that pupil baseline size, measured prior trial onset, significantly predicted the upcoming search efficiency only in low perceptual load, when-according to the perceptual-load hypothesis-all perceptual information receives attentional resources. In addition, pupil dilation was linked to the time course of perceptual processing and predicted response times in both perceptual load conditions, an association that was enhanced in high load. Thus, this study relates attentional selection mechanisms, as defined by the perceptual-load theory, with pupil-related LC-NE activity. Because pupil baseline predicted attentional performance in low load but not in high load, this suggests that different attentional mechanisms are involved, one in which the LC-NE system plays a key role (low load) and one in which it is less relevant (high load). This suggests that the degree with which LC-NE influences behavioral performance is related to the perceptual load of the task at hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Oliva
- Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- MAPP, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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19
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Zekveld AA, Koelewijn T, Kramer SE. The Pupil Dilation Response to Auditory Stimuli: Current State of Knowledge. Trends Hear 2019; 22:2331216518777174. [PMID: 30249172 PMCID: PMC6156203 DOI: 10.1177/2331216518777174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The measurement of cognitive resource allocation during listening, or listening effort, provides valuable insight in the factors influencing auditory processing. In recent years, many studies inside and outside the field of hearing science have measured the pupil response evoked by auditory stimuli. The aim of the current review was to provide an exhaustive overview of these studies. The 146 studies included in this review originated from multiple domains, including hearing science and linguistics, but the review also covers research into motivation, memory, and emotion. The present review provides a unique overview of these studies and is organized according to the components of the Framework for Understanding Effortful Listening. A summary table presents the sample characteristics, an outline of the study design, stimuli, the pupil parameters analyzed, and the main findings of each study. The results indicate that the pupil response is sensitive to various task manipulations as well as interindividual differences. Many of the findings have been replicated. Frequent interactions between the independent factors affecting the pupil response have been reported, which indicates complex processes underlying cognitive resource allocation. This complexity should be taken into account in future studies that should focus more on interindividual differences, also including older participants. This review facilitates the careful design of new studies by indicating the factors that should be controlled for. In conclusion, measuring the pupil dilation response to auditory stimuli has been demonstrated to be sensitive method applicable to numerous research questions. The sensitivity of the measure calls for carefully designed stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana A Zekveld
- 1 Section Ear & Hearing, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands.,2 Linnaeus Centre HEAD, The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Sweden.,3 Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Thomas Koelewijn
- 1 Section Ear & Hearing, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Sophia E Kramer
- 1 Section Ear & Hearing, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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20
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Dalmaso M, Castelli L, Galfano G. Microsaccadic rate and pupil size dynamics in pro-/anti-saccade preparation: the impact of intermixed vs. blocked trial administration. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 84:1320-1332. [PMID: 30603866 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-018-01141-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged fixation can lead to the generation of tiny and fast eye movements called microsaccades, whose dynamics can be associated with higher cognitive mechanisms. Saccade preparation is also reflected in microsaccadic activity, but the few studies on this topic provided mixed results. For instance, fewer microsaccades have been observed when participants were asked to prepare for an anti-saccade (i.e., a saccade in the opposite direction to the target) as compared to a pro-saccade (i.e., a saccade executed towards a target), but null results have also been reported. In the attempt to shed new light on this topic, two experiments were carried out in which the context of presentation of pro- and anti-saccade trials was manipulated. Pupil size was also recorded, as a further index of cognitive load. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to prepare and perform pro- and anti-saccades in response to a peripheral target, according to a central instruction cue provided at the beginning of each trial (intermixed condition). In Experiment 2, the same task was employed, but pro- and anti-saccade trials were delivered in two distinct blocks (blocked condition). In both experiments, greater saccadic latencies and lower accuracy emerged for anti- than for pro-saccades. However, in the intermixed condition, a lower microsaccadic rate and a greater pupil size emerged when participants prepared for anti- rather than pro-saccades, whereas these differences disappeared in the blocked condition. These results suggest that contextual factors may play a key role in shaping oculomotor dynamics linked to saccade preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Dalmaso
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.
| | - Luigi Castelli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Galfano
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy
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21
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Walle KM, Nordvik JE, Espeseth T, Becker F, Laeng B. Multiple object tracking and pupillometry reveal deficits in both selective and intensive attention in unilateral spatial neglect. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 41:270-289. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1536735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kjersti Mæhlum Walle
- Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan Egil Nordvik
- Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway
| | | | - Frank Becker
- Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bruno Laeng
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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22
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Künstler ECS, Penning MD, Napiórkowski N, Klingner CM, Witte OW, Müller HJ, Bublak P, Finke K. Dual Task Effects on Visual Attention Capacity in Normal Aging. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1564. [PMID: 30233452 PMCID: PMC6129777 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Older adults show higher dual task performance decrements than younger adults. While this is assumed to be related to attentional capacity reductions, the precise affected functions are not specified. Such specification is, however, possible based on the "theory of visual attention" (TVA) which allows for modeling of distinct attentional capacity parameters. Furthermore, it is unclear whether older adults show qualitatively different attentional effects or whether they show the same effects as younger adults experience under more challenging conditions. By varying the complexity of the secondary task, it is possible to address this question. In our study, participants performed a verbal whole report of briefly presented letter arrays. TVA-based fitting of report performance delivered parameters of visual threshold t0, processing speed C, and visual short-term memory (VSTM) storage capacity K. Furthermore, participants performed a concurrent motor task consisting of continuous tapping of a (simple or complex) sequence. Both TVA and tapping tasks were performed under single and dual task conditions. Two groups of 30 younger adults each performed either the simple or complex tapping, and a group of 30 older adults performed the simple tapping condition. In older participants, VSTM storage capacity declined under dual task conditions. While no such effect was found in younger subjects performing the simple tapping sequence under dual task conditions, the younger group performing the complex tapping task under dual task conditions also showed a significant VSTM capacity reduction. Generally, no significant effect on other TVA parameters or on tapping accuracy was found. Comparable goodness-of-fit measures were obtained for the TVA modeling data in single and dual tasks, indicating that tasks were executed in a qualitatively similar, continuous manner, although quantitatively less efficiently under dual- compared to single-task conditions. Taken together, our results show that the age-specific effects of motor-cognitive dual task interference are reflected by a stronger decline of VSTM storage capacity. They support an interpretation of VSTM as central attentional capacity, which is shared across visual uptake and concurrent motor performance. Capacity limits are reached earlier, and already under lower motor task complexity, in older compared to younger adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melanie D. Penning
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Natan Napiórkowski
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Carsten M. Klingner
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W. Witte
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Hermann J. Müller
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Bublak
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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23
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Naert L, Bonato M, Fias W. Asymmetric Spatial Processing Under Cognitive Load. Front Psychol 2018; 9:583. [PMID: 29740371 PMCID: PMC5924786 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial attention allows us to selectively process information within a certain location in space. Despite the vast literature on spatial attention, the effect of cognitive load on spatial processing is still not fully understood. In this study we added cognitive load to a spatial processing task, so as to see whether it would differentially impact upon the processing of visual information in the left versus the right hemispace. The main paradigm consisted of a detection task that was performed during the maintenance interval of a verbal working memory task. We found that increasing cognitive working memory load had a more negative impact on detecting targets presented on the left side compared to those on the right side. The strength of the load effect correlated with the strength of the interaction on an individual level. The implications of an asymmetric attentional bias with a relative disadvantage for the left (vs the right) hemispace under high verbal working memory (WM) load are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Naert
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mario Bonato
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Wim Fias
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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24
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Motion and position shifts induced by the double-drift stimulus are unaffected by attentional load. Atten Percept Psychophys 2018; 80:884-893. [DOI: 10.3758/s13414-018-1492-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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25
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Berger SE, Harbourne RT, Horger MN. Cognition-Action Trade-Offs Reflect Organization of Attention in Infancy. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 54:45-86. [PMID: 29455866 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This chapter discusses what cognition-action trade-offs in infancy reveal about the organization and developmental trajectory of attention. We focus on internal attention because this aspect is most relevant to the immediate concerns of infancy, such as fluctuating levels of expertise, balancing multiple taxing skills simultaneously, learning how to control attention under variable conditions, and coordinating distinct psychological domains. Cognition-action trade-offs observed across the life span include perseveration during skill emergence, errors and inefficient strategies during decision making, and the allocation of resources when attention is taxed. An embodied cognitive-load account interprets these behavioral patterns as a result of limited attentional resources allocated across simultaneous, taxing task demands. For populations where motor errors could be costly, like infants and the elderly, attention is typically devoted to motor demands with errors occurring in the cognitive domain. In contrast, healthy young adults tend to preserve their cognitive performance by modifying their actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Berger
- The College of Staten Island and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Regina T Harbourne
- John G. Rangos School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Melissa N Horger
- The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
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26
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Puma S, Matton N, Paubel PV, Raufaste É, El-Yagoubi R. Using theta and alpha band power to assess cognitive workload in multitasking environments. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 123:111-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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27
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Wahn B, König P. Can Limitations of Visuospatial Attention Be Circumvented? A Review. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1896. [PMID: 29163278 PMCID: PMC5665179 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In daily life, humans are bombarded with visual input. Yet, their attentional capacities for processing this input are severely limited. Several studies have investigated factors that influence these attentional limitations and have identified methods to circumvent them. Here, we provide a review of these findings. We first review studies that have demonstrated limitations of visuospatial attention and investigated physiological correlates of these limitations. We then review studies in multisensory research that have explored whether limitations in visuospatial attention can be circumvented by distributing information processing across several sensory modalities. Finally, we discuss research from the field of joint action that has investigated how limitations of visuospatial attention can be circumvented by distributing task demands across people and providing them with multisensory input. We conclude that limitations of visuospatial attention can be circumvented by distributing attentional processing across sensory modalities when tasks involve spatial as well as object-based attentional processing. However, if only spatial attentional processing is required, limitations of visuospatial attention cannot be circumvented by distributing attentional processing. These findings from multisensory research are applicable to visuospatial tasks that are performed jointly by two individuals. That is, in a joint visuospatial task requiring object-based as well as spatial attentional processing, joint performance is facilitated when task demands are distributed across sensory modalities. Future research could further investigate how applying findings from multisensory research to joint action research may facilitate joint performance. Generally, findings are applicable to real-world scenarios such as aviation or car-driving to circumvent limitations of visuospatial attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basil Wahn
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Peter König
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.,Institut für Neurophysiologie und Pathophysiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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28
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Koenig S, Uengoer M, Lachnit H. Pupil dilation indicates the coding of past prediction errors: Evidence for attentional learning theory. Psychophysiology 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Koenig
- Department of Psychology; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Marburg Germany
| | - Metin Uengoer
- Department of Psychology; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Marburg Germany
| | - Harald Lachnit
- Department of Psychology; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Marburg Germany
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29
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Mückschel M, Gohil K, Ziemssen T, Beste C. The norepinephrine system and its relevance for multi-component behavior. Neuroimage 2017; 146:1062-1070. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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30
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Wahn B, Ferris DP, Hairston WD, König P. Pupil Sizes Scale with Attentional Load and Task Experience in a Multiple Object Tracking Task. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168087. [PMID: 27977762 PMCID: PMC5157994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have related changes in attentional load to pupil size modulations. However, studies relating changes in attentional load and task experience on a finer scale to pupil size modulations are scarce. Here, we investigated how these changes affect pupil sizes. To manipulate attentional load, participants covertly tracked between zero and five objects among several randomly moving objects on a computer screen. To investigate effects of task experience, the experiment was conducted on three consecutive days. We found that pupil sizes increased with each increment in attentional load. Across days, we found systematic pupil size reductions. We compared the model fit for predicting pupil size modulations using attentional load, task experience, and task performance as predictors. We found that a model which included attentional load and task experience as predictors had the best model fit while adding performance as a predictor to this model reduced the overall model fit. Overall, results suggest that pupillometry provides a viable metric for precisely assessing attentional load and task experience in visuospatial tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basil Wahn
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Daniel P. Ferris
- Human Neuromechanics Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - W. David Hairston
- Human Research and Engineering Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, MD, United States of America
| | - Peter König
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
- Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Blini E, Romeo Z, Spironelli C, Pitteri M, Meneghello F, Bonato M, Zorzi M. Multi-tasking uncovers right spatial neglect and extinction in chronic left-hemisphere stroke patients. Neuropsychologia 2016; 92:147-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Causse M, Peysakhovich V, Fabre EF. High Working Memory Load Impairs Language Processing during a Simulated Piloting Task: An ERP and Pupillometry Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:240. [PMID: 27252639 PMCID: PMC4879132 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the important amount of visual and auditory linguistic information that pilots have to process, operating an aircraft generates a high working-memory load (WML). In this context, the ability to focus attention on relevant information and to remain responsive to concurrent stimuli might be altered. Consequently, understanding the effects of WML on the processing of both linguistic targets and distractors is of particular interest in the study of pilot performance. In the present work, participants performed a simplified piloting task in which they had to follow one of three colored aircraft, according to specific written instructions (i.e., the written word for the color corresponding to the color of one of the aircraft) and to ignore either congruent or incongruent concurrent auditory distractors (i.e., a spoken name of color). The WML was manipulated with an n-back sub-task. Participants were instructed to apply the current written instruction in the low WML condition, and the 2-back written instruction in the high WML condition. Electrophysiological results revealed a major effect of WML at behavioral (i.e., decline of piloting performance), electrophysiological, and autonomic levels (i.e., greater pupil diameter). Increased WML consumed resources that could not be allocated to the processing of the linguistic stimuli, as indexed by lower P300/P600 amplitudes. Also, significantly, lower P600 responses were measured in incongruent vs. congruent trials in the low WML condition, showing a higher difficulty reorienting attention toward the written instruction, but this effect was canceled in the high WML condition. This suppression of interference in the high load condition is in line with the engagement/distraction trade-off model. We propose that P300/P600 components could be reliable indicators of WML and that they allow an estimation of its impact on the processing of linguistic stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Causse
- Département Conception et Conduite des Véhicules Aéronautiques et Spatiaux, Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'EspaceToulouse, France; Ecole de Psychologie, Université LavalQuébec, QC, Canada
| | - Vsevolod Peysakhovich
- Département Conception et Conduite des Véhicules Aéronautiques et Spatiaux, Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace Toulouse, France
| | - Eve F Fabre
- Département Conception et Conduite des Véhicules Aéronautiques et Spatiaux, Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace Toulouse, France
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