Event-related potential correlates of visuo-tactile motion processing in congenitally deaf humans

Barefoot walking improves cognitive ability in adolescents

Walking can have a positive impact on cognitive function in adolescents. This study aimed to compare the effects of walking with sneakers and barefoot on cognitive ability in adolescents. Fifty-nine adolescent male students were included in the study and assigned to the control (n = 20), sneaker (n = 19), and barefoot (n = 20) groups. The barefoot and sneakers group performed a 40-min walking exercise four times a week for 12 weeks during the morning physical activity time, while the control group performed self-study. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain activity variables were measured before and after the exercise program. The results showed that after 12 weeks, the barefoot group had a significant decrease in Gamma and H-beta waves and a significant increase in sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) and Alpha waves. Conversely, the control group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves and increase in Theta waves. The sneaker group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves alone. In an eyes-open resting state, the barefoot group showed a significant increase in H-beta, M-beta, SMR, and Alpha waves. The barefoot group also had a significant increase in cognitive speed and concentration and a significant decrease in brain stress. Taken together, barefoot walking can effectively enhance cognitive ability in adolescents, as demonstrated by the significant variation in EEG activity. This research highlights the potential benefits of barefoot walking as a simple and effective form of exercise for enhancing cognitive function in adolescents.

Somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals: How does the brain adapt as a function of sensory and linguistic experience? A critical review

How do deaf and deafblind individuals process touch? This question offers a unique model to understand the prospects and constraints of neural plasticity. Our brain constantly receives and processes signals from the environment and combines them into the most reliable information content. The nervous system adapts its functional and structural organization according to the input, and perceptual processing develops as a function of individual experience. However, there are still many unresolved questions regarding the deciding factors for these changes in deaf and deafblind individuals, and so far, findings are not consistent. To date, most studies have not taken the sensory and linguistic experiences of the included participants into account. As a result, the impact of sensory deprivation vs. language experience on somatosensory processing remains inconclusive. Even less is known about the impact of deafblindness on brain development. The resulting neural adaptations could be even more substantial, but no clear patterns have yet been identified. How do deafblind individuals process sensory input? Studies on deafblindness have mostly focused on single cases or groups of late-blind individuals. Importantly, the language backgrounds of deafblind communities are highly variable and include the usage of tactile languages. So far, this kind of linguistic experience and its consequences have not been considered in studies on basic perceptual functions. Here, we will provide a critical review of the literature, aiming at identifying determinants for neuroplasticity and gaps in our current knowledge of somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals.