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Guo R, Wu J, Zheng Y, Lin X, Zhuang Z, Yin J, Lin Z, Xie L, Ma S. Graph Theory Further Revealed Visual Spatial Working Memory Impairment in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:2811-2823. [PMID: 38737113 PMCID: PMC11088826 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s462268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients may experience cognitive impairments in Visuospatial Working Memory (VSWM), significantly impacting their quality of life. However, the mechanisms underlying these impairments remain poorly understood. Methods We studied functional MRI and graph theory analysis to investigate changes in functional connectivity networks during the Mental Rotation Task (MRT) in IBD patients. Twenty IBD patients (13 males, 7 females; mean age = 34.95 ± 13.80 years; mean disease duration = 2.43 ± 2.37 years) participated in the study. Exclusion criteria encompassed recent use of analgesics, 5-Aminosalicylate, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants within the past three months. Additionally, we recruited 20 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls for comparison. Results Compared to a control group, IBD patients exhibited significantly longer reaction times and reduced accuracy during the MRT. Our analysis revealed abnormalities in multiple nodal attributes within the functional connectivity network, particularly in regions such as the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, right supplementary motor area, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, and bilateral anterior temporal lobe. We observed that the nodal efficiency in the left temporal pole is negatively correlated with Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and positively correlated with response time of MRT. Conclusion Our findings revealed notable abnormalities in multiple node attributes among IBD patients during MRT, providing evidence of cognitive impairments in VSWM in IBD patients. This study found RDW maybe can serve as a clinical indicator for predicting early VSWM impairment in patients with IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiwei Guo
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Wu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanmin Zheng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaona Lin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zelin Zhuang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Yin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhirong Lin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Xie
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuhua Ma
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
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Canarslan F, Chu M. Individual differences in representational gesture production are associated with cognitive and empathy skills. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024:17470218241245831. [PMID: 38531690 DOI: 10.1177/17470218241245831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Substantial individual variation exists in the frequency of gestures produced while speaking. This study investigated the associations between cognitive abilities, empathy levels, and personality traits with the frequency of representational gestures. A cartoon narration task and a social dilemma solving task were used to elicit gestures. Predictor variables were selected based on prior research on individual differences in gesture production and the cognitive and communicative functions of gestures in speech. Our findings revealed that an increased frequency of representational gestures was associated with higher empathy levels in the cartoon narration task. However, in the social dilemma solving task, a higher frequency of representational gestures was associated with lower visuospatial working memory, spatial transformation, and inhibition control abilities. Moreover, no significant relationships were found between verbal working memory, personality traits, and the frequency of representational gestures in either task. These findings suggested that predictor variables for representational gesture production vary depending on the nature of the gesture elicitation task (e.g., spatiomotoric vs. abstract topics). Future research should examine the relationship between individuals' cognitive abilities, empathy and gesture production with across a broader range of topics and in more ecologically valid contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mingyuan Chu
- The School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Manna S, Ghosh Dastidar S, S R, Ahluwalia H, Kaur M. Preferential Impairment of Auditory Working Memory in Long COVID: An Observational Study of Undergraduate Medical Students. Cureus 2024; 16:e51457. [PMID: 38298288 PMCID: PMC10829530 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Long COVID is a multisystem condition with prolonged symptoms that develop after recovery from the COVID-19 infection, often following a mild infection. Few studies have been conducted on cognitive function among medical students after recovery from mild COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the attention span and working memory (WM) capacity of medical students after six months of recovery. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed on 17 young adult medical students who had suffered a mild COVID-19 infection at least six months prior. Eighteen age-matched healthy medical students served as the controls. Audio-visual WM tasks and attention spans were assessed using computerized software for both the cases and controls. Results The mean ages of the case and control were 19.67±1.6 and 20.0±1.2 years, respectively. The most common symptoms among cases were fatigue (33%), weight loss (26%), and nasal stuffiness (13%). The overall proportion of correct responses across all visual and auditory WM tasks (p=0.085) and reaction times (p=0.609) did not differ between the cases and controls. However, the overall target hit rate of the auditory WM task was significantly lower in cases than in controls (p=0.002). This difference was not observed in the visual WM task (p=0.374). Conclusion In the current study, the overall WM functions (visual and auditory combined) and attention span did not differ between cases and controls. However, auditory WM performance was significantly impaired in patients compared with controls, indicating selective impairment of auditory WM in patients with long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumen Manna
- Physiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Shaon Ghosh Dastidar
- Physiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Ramkumar S
- Physiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Himani Ahluwalia
- Physiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Manpreet Kaur
- Physiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IND
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McAteer SM, Ablott E, McGregor A, Smith DT. Dynamic resource allocation in spatial working memory during full and partial report tasks. J Vis 2023; 23:10. [PMID: 36802333 PMCID: PMC9946046 DOI: 10.1167/jov.23.2.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Serial position effects are well-documented in working memory literature. Studies of spatial short-term memory that rely on binary response; full report tasks tend to report stronger primacy than recency effects. In contrast, studies that utilize a continuous response, partial report task report stronger recency than primacy effects (Gorgoraptis, Catalao, Bays, & Husain, 2011; Zokaei, Gorgoraptis, Bahrami, Bays, & Husain, 2011). The current study explored the idea that probing spatial working memory using full and partial continuous response tasks would produce different distributions of visuospatial working memory resources across spatial sequences and, therefore, explain the conflicting results in the literature. Experiment 1 demonstrated that primacy effects were observed when memory was probed with a full report task. Experiment 2 confirmed this finding while controlling eye movements. Critically, Experiment 3 demonstrated that switching from a full to a partial report task abolished the primacy effect and produced a recency effect, consistent with the idea that the distribution of resources in visuospatial working memory depends on the type of recall required. It is argued that the primacy effect in the whole report task arose from the accumulation of noise caused by the execution of multiple spatially directed actions during recall, whereas the recency effect in the partial report task reflects the redistribution of preallocated resources when an anticipated item is not presented. These data show that it is possible to reconcile apparently contradictory findings within the resource theory of spatial working memory and the importance of considering how memory is probed when interpreting behavioral data through the lens of resource theories of spatial working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Ablott
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.,
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Zhu Q, Deng J, Yao M, Xu C, Liu D, Guo L, Zhu Y. Effects of physical activity on visuospatial working memory in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1103003. [PMID: 36874874 PMCID: PMC9974834 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1103003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Physical activity interventions improve cognitive performance, especially visuospatial working memory (VSWM). However, evidence on the effects of these interventions in children, adolescents, and older adults remains scant. This meta-analysis aimed to identify the effects of physical activity on VSWM improvement in healthy individuals and the best exercise intervention program to improve VSWM capacity. Methods We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise interventions targeting VSWM in healthy individuals from Web of Science, MEDLINE, BIOSIS Previews, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data (Chinese) databases, from inception to August 20, 2022. Results Among 21 articles (1,595 healthy participants), the heterogeneity test statistic was I2 = 32.3%, p = 0.053. The mean quality scores of the included articles were 6.9 points (reaction time [RT] studies) and 7.5 points (Score studies). Moreover, 28 RCTs were included (10 RT studies and 18 Score studies), and the subgroup analysis found significant effects for elderly participants, children, interventions involving a higher level of cognitive engagement, low and moderate exercise intensity, chronic exercise, exercise duration ≥60 min, and exercise period ≥90 days. Physical activity had a small but significant positive impact on VSWM in healthy individuals. Current evidence confirms the effects of physical activity on VSWM capacity only in children and seniors but not in young adults. Other age groups, including adolescents and middle-aged adults, have not been studied. Prescription of interventions involving high-level cognitive engagement, low and moderate exercise intensity, chronic exercise, exercise for >30 min per session, and exercise for more than 3 months is recommended for children and seniors. Discussion Future RCTs would be to fill the gap in studies on adolescents and middle-aged adults, and report detailed exercise intervention programs about different age groups.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022354737). INPLASY (https://doi.org/10.37766/inplasy2022.8.0053).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Zhu
- College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Deng
- College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Meixi Yao
- Physical Education College, Zhengzhou University, Henan, China
| | - Chong Xu
- Ministry of Sports and National Defense Education, Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Demin Liu
- College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liya Guo
- College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Zhang Y, Tolmie A, Gordon R. The Relationship between Working Memory and Arithmetic in Primary School Children: A Meta-Analysis. Brain Sci 2022; 13:brainsci13010022. [PMID: 36672004 PMCID: PMC9856839 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in the development of arithmetic ability. However, research findings related to which factors influence the relationship between WM and arithmetic skills are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis aimed to examine the links between WM and arithmetic in primary school children and investigate whether this is dependent on WM domains (i.e., verbal, visual, spatial), child age, arithmetic operation type, and arithmetic task type. A total of 11,224 participants with an age range of 6- to 12 years, from 55 independent samples were included in the meta-analysis. Analysis of 46 studies with 187 effect sizes revealed an overall significant and medium correlation between WM and arithmetic. Heterogeneity analyses indicated that verbal WM showed a stronger correlation with arithmetic than visuospatial WM, and that correlations between verbal WM and arithmetic declined with age, whereas correlations between spatial-sequential, and spatial-simultaneous WM and arithmetic remained stable throughout development. Addition and subtraction were more involved in verbal WM than multiplication and division. Moreover, mental and written arithmetic showed comparable correlations with WM in all domains. These findings suggest moderation effects of WM domains, age, and operation types in the WM-arithmetic relationship and highlight the significant role of verbal WM in arithmetic ability in primary school children.
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Castilla A, Berthoz A, Urukalo D, Zaoui M, Perrochon A, Kronovsek T. Age and sex impact on visuospatial working memory (VSWM), mental rotation, and cognitive strategies during navigation. Neurosci Res 2022; 183:84-96. [PMID: 35905778 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the impact of sex and typical aging on visuospatial working memory (VSWM), mental rotations, and navigational strategies using behavioral information. Fifty healthy participants regrouped in older (OA) and young adults (YA) performed the Walking Corsi test (WalCT) and the Redrawn Mental Rotation Test (MRT) to explore mental rotation abilities. We recorded kinematic data such as locomotion trajectories, and spatial orientations during navigation. We created a new method of data analysis for the WalCT performances and compared it with the classical approach. This original method allowed us to identify cognitive strategies based on errors analysis. Our data suggested that VSWM and mental rotation capacities in locomotion were modulated by age (YA scored higher than OA), and sex (Young Adult Males (YA-M) having higher performance than Young Adult Females (YA-F). We observed a preferential use of cognitive strategies related to sex; YA-F relied more on egocentric strategies whereas YA-M relied more on allocentric strategies. The preferential use of cognitive strategies in the YA group was not observed in the OA group producing more random errors per sequence. The results suggest the effects that age and sex have on VSWM, cognitive strategies, and mental rotation during navigation and highlight the importance of navigational strategies training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Castilla
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Éducation de l'Enfant (LaPsyDÉ), Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France; Laboratoire Psychologie & Neurosciences Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), 114 Bd Malesherbes, 75017 Paris, France; Collège de France, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Biologie, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Alain Berthoz
- Collège de France, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Biologie, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Mohamed Zaoui
- Collège de France, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Biologie, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Téo Kronovsek
- Université de Limoges, HAVAE, EA 6310, F-87000 Limoges, France
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Tikhomirova TN, Malykh AS, Lysenkova IA, Malykh SB. Cross-cultural Analysis of Models of the Relationship between the Cognitive Abilities and Academic Achievement in Primary School Education. Psychol Russ 2021; 14:94-110. [PMID: 36733813 PMCID: PMC9888055 DOI: 10.11621/pir.2021.0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The cognitive predictors of academic achievement are associated both with basic cognitive abilities such as the information processing speed, number sense and visuospatial working memory, as well as with general ability including nonverbal intelligence. However, the ratio between cognitive development and school achievement can depend on sociocultural conditions. Objective The results of a cross-cultural analysis of the relationship between cognitive development and academic achievement during primary education are presented. The analysis was conducted sampling schoolchildren from Russia and Kyrgyzstan, two countries that have a similar organization of the national education system but differ in the level of socioeconomic development. Design The study involved 732 schoolchildren aged 7.7 to 11.8 years studying in Russia and Kyrgyzstan. Information processing speed, visuospatial working memory, and number sense were assessed using each of "Choice Reaction Time," "Corsi Block-Tapping Test," and "Number Sense" computerized tests. Results According to the results, empirical data in both samples show that a model where in information processing speed signifies basic cognitive ability is a key predictor of nonverbal intelligence, working memory, and number sense, and each of these may contribute to individual differences in academic achievement. Notwithstanding the universality of this model, cross-cultural differences were seen to engender a reduction of schoolchildren's academic achievements, given possible impacts of less favorable educational conditions. Conclusion In the relationship between cognitive abilities and academic success at the primary school education, there are both similarities and differences between schoolchildren studying in Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana N. Tikhomirova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia,* Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Artem S. Malykh
- Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Sergey B. Malykh
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia
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Liang Z, Dong P, Zhou Y, Feng S, Zhang Q. Whether verbal and visuospatial working memory play different roles in pupil's mathematical abilities. Br J Educ Psychol 2021; 92:e12454. [PMID: 34418065 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research showed a significant association between mathematics and working memory (WM). However, evidence regarding the different effects of verbal and visuospatial WM on mathematical abilities was very limited. AIMS The current research aims to explore the relationship between verbal and visuospatial WM with mathematical abilities, and how this relationship is moderated by age and math domains. We also wonder whether the results would change when we use several tests for each component and use a latent variable approach for more reliable measurement. SAMPLE 131 first graders and 144 fifth graders from a primary school in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, participated our research. METHODS All participants completed three verbal and three visuospatial WM tasks, mathematics tests, and fluid intelligence test. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the pattern of relations among these constructs. RESULTS The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that verbal WM significantly predicted mathematics achievement for fifth graders, while failed for first graders. However, visuospatial WM played a substantive role in both graders' mathematical performance. The different role of the two WM components also depend on various fields of mathematics. CONCLUSION Our results indicated the distinct influence of verbal and visuospatial WM on primary school students' mathematical abilities and highlighted the developmental and domain-specific effects of WM on mathematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanhong Liang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peiqi Dong
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanlin Zhou
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Feng
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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M PH, M HG, R M HA, M A G, C AG, I K SC. Multiparity decreases the effect of distractor stimuli on a working memory task: An EEG study. Soc Neurosci 2021; 16:277-288. [PMID: 33686923 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2021.1899048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Parity modulates the way in which women respond to infant's affective cues. It is known that the cognitive processing of mothers is affected by a baby crying; however, little information is available regarding the effect of reproductive and caregiving experience on efficiency in managing babies' emotional stimuli while other tasks are being attended. This study characterized the affective score, cognitive performance, and electroencephalographic correlation (rEEG) between prefrontal and parietal cortices in first- (FM) and second-time mothers (SM) while solving a working memory task (vsWM) and simultaneously listening to either an emotional or neutral distractor stimulus. During the vsWM-baby crying condition, both groups reported higher arousal. However, SM reported a lower valence and FM lower dominance. In the vsWM-baby crying condition did SM need less time to solve the cognitive task and present a decreased rEEG between prefrontal areas, and between left prefrontal and parietal areas, though an increased rEEG between parietal areas was observed while listening to both distractor stimuli during performance of the vsWM task. These degrees of cortical synchronization could constitute a cerebral mechanism required to achieve better information maintenance and enhance suppression of distractor effects, which allow the SM women to solve the vsWM task more efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pérez-Hernández M
- Departamento de Fundamentos del Conocimiento, Centro Universitario Del Norte, Universidad De Guadalajara, Colotlán, Jalisco, México
| | - Hernández-González M
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto De Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad De Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Hidalgo-Aguirre R M
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario De Los Valles, Universidad De Guadalajara, Ameca, Jalisco, México
| | - Guevara M A
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto De Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad De Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Amezcua-Gutiérrez C
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto De Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad De Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Sandoval-Carrillo I K
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto De Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad De Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
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Tikhomirova T, Malykh A, Malykh S. Predicting Academic Achievement with Cognitive Abilities: Cross-Sectional Study across School Education. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E158. [PMID: 33080874 PMCID: PMC7602962 DOI: 10.3390/bs10100158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between cognitive abilities and academic achievement across schooling from the first to the eleventh grade was analyzed. Information processing speed, visuospatial working memory, number sense, and fluid intelligence were considered predictors of general academic achievement, which was derived from grades in mathematics, language, and biology. This cross-sectional study involved 1560 pupils who were in grades 1-11 at general education schools and were aged from 6.8 to 19.1 years (50.4% were boys). Information processing speed, visuospatial working memory, and number sense were measured using the Choice Reaction Time, Corsi Block-Tapping, and Number Sense computerized tests, respectively. Fluid intelligence was measured using the paper-and-pencil version of the Standard Progressive Matrices test. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were carried out. It was shown that it is possible to describe the structure of the relationship between cognitive abilities and academic achievement for all levels of schooling with a single model. In this model, information processing speed is the key predictor of fluid intelligence, working memory, and number sense, which in turn contribute to individual differences in academic success. Additionally, the specificity of the relationship between individual indicators of cognitive abilities and academic achievement at each level of schooling was revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Tikhomirova
- Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 125009 Moscow, Russia;
- Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, 125009 Moscow, Russia
| | - Artem Malykh
- Russian Academy of Education, 119121 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey Malykh
- Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 125009 Moscow, Russia;
- Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, 125009 Moscow, Russia
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Bayram E, Litvan I, Wright BA, Grembowski C, Shen Q, Harrington DL. Dopamine effects on memory load and distraction during visuospatial working memory in cognitively normal Parkinson's disease. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 2020; 28:812-828. [PMID: 33021874 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1828804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Visuospatial working memory (WM) impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) are more prominent and evolve earlier than verbal WM deficits, suggesting some differences in underlying pathology. WM is regulated by dopaminergic neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex, but the effect of dopamine on specific processes supporting visuospatial WM are not well understood. Dopamine therapeutic effects on different WM processes may also differ given the heterogeneity of cognitive changes in PD. The present study examined the effect of dopamine therapy on memory load and distraction during visuospatial WM. Exploratory analyses evaluated whether individual differences in medication effects were associated with a gene, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which regulates prefrontal cortex dopamine levels. Cognitively normal PD participants (n = 28) and controls (n = 25) performed a visuospatial WM task, which manipulated memory load and the presence/absence of distractors. PD participants performed the task on and off medication. PD COMT groups were comprised of Met homozygote (lower COMT activity) and heterozygote and Val homozygote carriers (higher COMT activity, Het/Val). The results showed that handling higher memory loads and suppressing distraction were impaired in PD off, but not on medication. Medication improved distraction resistance in Met, but not Het/Val group. COMT did not modulate medication effects on memory load. These findings demonstrate that dopaminergic therapy restores visuospatial WM processes in patients without cognitive impairment and suggest that COMT variants may partly explain the mixed effects of medication on specific processes governed by distinct brain systems. Future investigations into gene-modulated effects of medication could lead to individualized strategies for treating cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ece Bayram
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brenton A Wright
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cailey Grembowski
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Service (151), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Qian Shen
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Service (151), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Deborah L Harrington
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Service (151), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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13
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Abstract
The human brain has the high likelihood for committing errors when confronted by a day-to-day situation that demands to process more than four integrated items in working memory, for example driving a car to a new destination in high traffic. However, neural mechanisms underlying the response outcome in working memory is still unclear. High temporal resolution and improved spatial resolution of dense array electroencephalogram (EEG) make it an ideal tool to investigate the dynamics of brain networks. In the present study, the brain activity of twenty healthy male volunteers was investigated during correct and error trials of visuospatial working memory task using dense array EEG. Independent brain components were identified using independent component analysis (ICA). Event-related spectral perturbations (ERSP) were computed for each independent component using Morlet wavelet transform for the frequency range of 3-70 Hz. ERSP of independent component clusters identified using K-means algorithm were statistically compared between correct and error trials. Delta and theta power increased in the component cluster located at cingulate gyrus before the error response of visuospatial working memory task. The current study findings suggest that cingulate oscillatory activity might reflect the quality of memory representation and intensity of target uncertainty during the visuospatial search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suriya Prakash Muthukrishnan
- Stress and Cognitive Electroimaging Laboratory, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunaina Soni
- Stress and Cognitive Electroimaging Laboratory, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ratna Sharma
- Stress and Cognitive Electroimaging Laboratory, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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14
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Petra CV, Visu-Petra L, Buta M, Tămaș MM, Benga O, Rednic S. A Computerized Assessment of Verbal and Visuospatial Memory (Dys)functions in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2020; 13:619-629. [PMID: 32801959 PMCID: PMC7414973 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s261312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease associated with various degrees of impairment across different cognitive domains. We aimed to provide a detailed computerized investigation of verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory (dys)functions in RA patients, assessing both accuracy and response speed, while relating them to age, disease-related activity, affective problems, psychomotor speed and other clinical parameters. Patients and Methods The study included 29 RA patients (mean age 50.6 ± 12.3 years, 79% female) and 30 controls (matched according to age, gender and education), assessed with short-term and working memory tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA). Results RA patients were significantly slower on the basic processing speed test (Motor Screening Test, p =0.003). Their short-term information storage (verbal and visuospatial) was comparable to controls, yet this similar accuracy came at the expense of a longer response time to retain information correctly (on spatial span, p = 0.04). On tasks with higher executive demands, both visuospatial and verbal working memory were compromised, as RA patients took longer (p = 0.004) and had a higher number of total errors (p = 0.02) when conducting a strategic memory-guided search (Spatial Working Memory), and had a significantly lower verbal working memory span on the backwards digit recall test (p = 0.02). Conclusion The findings of this study emphasize the usefulness of performing computerized tests to detect subtle signs of cognitive impairment and of intact performance, which can inform memory training protocols for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Vasile Petra
- Department of Rheumatology, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Laura Visu-Petra
- Developmental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Monica Buta
- Developmental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Maria Magdalena Tămaș
- Department of Rheumatology, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Oana Benga
- Developmental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Simona Rednic
- Department of Rheumatology, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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15
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Libovner Y, Fariborzi M, Tabba D, Ozgur A, Jafar T, Lur G. Repeated Exposure to Multiple Concurrent Stresses Induce Circuit Specific Loss of Inputs to the Posterior Parietal Cortex. J Neurosci 2020; 40:1849-61. [PMID: 31949108 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1838-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe loss of excitatory synapses in key brain regions is thought to be one of the major mechanisms underlying stress-induced cognitive impairment. To date, however, the identity of the affected circuits remains elusive. Here we examined the effect of exposure to repeated multiple concurrent stressors (RMS) on the connectivity of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in adolescent male mice. We found that RMS led to layer-specific elimination of excitatory synapses with the most pronounced loss observed in deeper cortical layers. Quantitative analysis of cortical projections to the PPC revealed a significant loss of sensory and retrosplenial inputs to the PPC while contralateral and frontal projections were preserved. These results were confirmed by decreased synaptic strength from sensory, but not from contralateral, projections in stress-exposed animals. Functionally, RMS disrupted visuospatial working memory performance, implicating disrupted higher-order visual processing. These effects were not observed in mice subjected to restraint-only stress for an identical period of time. The PPC is considered to be a cortical hub for multisensory integration, working memory, and perceptual decision-making. Our data suggest that sensory information streams targeting the PPC may be impacted by recurring stress, likely contributing to stress-induced cognitive impairment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Repeated exposure to stress profoundly impairs cognitive functions like memory, attention, or decision-making. There is emerging evidence that stress not only impacts high-order regions of the brain, but may affect earlier stages of cognitive processing. Our work focuses on the posterior parietal cortex, a brain region supporting short-term memory, multisensory integration, and decision-making. We show evidence that repeated stress specifically damages sensory inputs to this region. This disruption of synaptic connectivity is linked to working memory impairment and is specific to repeated exposure to multiple stressors. Altogether, our data provide a potential alternative explanation to ailments previously attributed to downstream, cognitive brain structures.
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16
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Wang C, Xu T, Geng F, Hu Y, Wang Y, Liu H, Chen F. Training on Abacus-Based Mental Calculation Enhances Visuospatial Working Memory in Children. J Neurosci 2019; 39:6439-6448. [PMID: 31209171 PMCID: PMC6697396 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3195-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) involves temporary storage and manipulation of an imaginary abacus closely related to the function of visuospatial working memory (VSWM). The present study thus investigated the effects of AMC training on VSWM and its neural correlates. A total of 144 human subjects (67 boys) were assigned to AMC or control groups at their entry to primary school. The AMC group received 2 h AMC training per week for 5 school years, whereas the control group spent the time in activities, such as conventional calculation and reading. Raven's Intelligence Test was administered both before and after training. Two arithmetic tests and a VSWM task were conducted after training. Among these participants, fMRI data were collected from 64 children for the VSWM task. Behavioral results indicated that the AMC group outperformed controls on both arithmetic and VSWM tasks, but not on Raven's Intelligence Test. While the two groups activated similar regions during the VSWM task, the AMC group showed greater activation than the controls in frontal, parietal, and occipital areas. Interestingly, the activation of right middle frontal gyrus mediated the relation between the arithmetic ability and the VSWM performance in the AMC group, suggesting that the frontal region may be the neural substrate underlying the transfer effect from AMC training to VSWM. Although the transfer effects seem quite limited considering the length and intensity of the training, these findings suggest that long-term AMC training not only improves arithmetic ability but also has a potential positive effect on VSWM.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Plasticity of working memory is one of the most rapidly expanding research fields in the developmental and cognitive sciences. Previous studies suggest that abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) relies on a visuospatial imaginary strategy, which is closely related to visuospatial working memory (VSWM). However, the impacts of AMC training on VSWM and the underlying neural basis remain unclear. Here, we found that AMC training enhanced VSWM in children, which was accompanied by altered activation in frontal, parietal, and occipital areas. Moreover, we observed that activation in right middle frontal gyrus played a significant mediation role in the transfer of AMC training to VSWM. These findings provide a new perspective to VSWM training and also advance our understanding of related brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjie Wang
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Department of Optical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Tianyong Xu
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Fengji Geng
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China, and
| | - Yunqi Wang
- School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huafeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Department of Optical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Feiyan Chen
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China,
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17
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Türközer HB, Hasoğlu T, Chen Y, Norris LA, Brown M, Delaney-Busch N, Kale EH, Pamir Z, Boyacı H, Kuperberg G, Lewandowski KE, Topçuoğlu V, Öngür D. Integrated assessment of visual perception abnormalities in psychotic disorders and relationship with clinical characteristics. Psychol Med 2019; 49:1740-1748. [PMID: 30178729 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291718002477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The visual system is recognized as an important site of pathology and dysfunction in schizophrenia. In this study, we evaluated different visual perceptual functions in patients with psychotic disorders using a potentially clinically applicable task battery and assessed their relationship with symptom severity in patients, and with schizotypal features in healthy participants. METHODS Five different areas of visual functioning were evaluated in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (n = 28) and healthy control subjects (n = 31) using a battery that included visuospatial working memory (VSWM), velocity discrimination (VD), contour integration, visual context processing, and backward masking tasks. RESULTS The patient group demonstrated significantly lower performance in VD, contour integration, and VSWM tasks. Performance did not differ between the two groups on the visual context processing task and did not differ across levels of interstimulus intervals in the backward masking task. Performances on VSWM, VD, and contour integration tasks were correlated with negative symptom severity but not with other symptom dimensions in the patient group. VSWM and VD performances were also correlated with negative sychizotypal features in healthy controls. CONCLUSION Taken together, these results demonstrate significant abnormalities in multiple visual processing tasks in patients with psychotic disorders, adding to the literature implicating visual abnormalities in these conditions. Furthermore, our results show that visual processing impairments are associated with the negative symptom dimension in patients as well as healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tuna Hasoğlu
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, and Harvard Medical School,Boston, MA,USA
| | - Yue Chen
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, and Harvard Medical School,Boston, MA,USA
| | | | - Meredith Brown
- Department of Psychology,Tufts University,Medford, MA,USA
| | | | - Emre H Kale
- Brain Research Center, Ankara University,Ankara,Turkey
| | - Zahide Pamir
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Bilkent University,Ankara,Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Boyacı
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Bilkent University,Ankara,Turkey
| | - Gina Kuperberg
- Department of Psychology,Tufts University,Medford, MA,USA
| | | | - Volkan Topçuoğlu
- Department of Psychiatry,Marmara University School of Medicine,Istanbul,Turkey
| | - Dost Öngür
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, and Harvard Medical School,Boston, MA,USA
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18
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Goltermann J, Redlich R, Dohm K, Zaremba D, Repple J, Kaehler C, Grotegerd D, Förster K, Meinert S, Enneking V, Schlaghecken E, Fleischer L, Hahn T, Kugel H, Jansen A, Krug A, Brosch K, Nenadic I, Schmitt S, Stein F, Meller T, Yüksel D, Fischer E, Rietschel M, Witt SH, Forstner AJ, Nöthen MM, Kircher T, Thalamuthu A, Baune BT, Dannlowski U, Opel N. Apolipoprotein E Homozygous ε4 Allele Status: A Deteriorating Effect on Visuospatial Working Memory and Global Brain Structure. Front Neurol 2019; 10:552. [PMID: 31191441 PMCID: PMC6545528 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Theoretical background: The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype is known to be one of the strongest single-gene predictors for Alzheimer disease, which is characterized by widespread brain structural degeneration progressing along with cognitive impairment. The ε4 allele status has been associated with brain structural alterations and lower cognitive ability in non-demented subjects. However, it remains unclear to what extent the visuospatial cognitive domain is affected, from what age onward changes are detectable and if alterations may interact with cognitive deficits in major depressive disorder (MDD). The current work investigated the effect of APOE ε4 homozygosity on visuospatial working memory (vWM) capacity, and on hippocampal morphometry. Furthermore, potential moderating roles of age and MDD were assessed. Methods: A sample of n = 31 homozygous ε4 carriers was contrasted with n = 31 non-ε4 carriers in a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of non-demented, young to mid-age participants (mean age = 34.47; SD = 13.48; 51.6% female). Among them were n = 12 homozygous ε4 carriers and n = 12 non-ε4 carriers suffering from MDD (39%). VWM was assessed using the Corsi block-tapping task. Region of interest analyses of hippocampal gray matter density and volume were conducted using voxel-based morphometry (CAT12), and Freesurfer, respectively. Results: Homozygous ε4 carriers showed significantly lower Corsi span capacity than non-ε4 carriers did, and Corsi span capacity was associated with higher gray matter density of the hippocampus. APOE group differences in hippocampal volume could be detected but were no longer present when controlling for total intracranial volume. Hippocampal gray matter density did not differ between APOE groups. We did not find any interaction effects of age and MDD diagnosis on hippocampal morphometry. Conclusion: Our results point toward a negative association of homozygous ε4 allele status with vWM capacity already during mid-adulthood, which emerges independently of MDD diagnosis and age. APOE genotype seems to be associated with global brain structural rather than hippocampus specific alterations in young- to mid-age participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janik Goltermann
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ronny Redlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Dohm
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dario Zaremba
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jonathan Repple
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claas Kaehler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | | | - Susanne Meinert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Verena Enneking
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Lara Fleischer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Harald Kugel
- Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andreas Jansen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Core-Facility BrainImaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Axel Krug
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Brosch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Igor Nenadic
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Simon Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Frederike Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tina Meller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Dilara Yüksel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Elena Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas J Forstner
- School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Anbupalam Thalamuthu
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils Opel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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19
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Libedinsky CD, Fernandez PF. Graded Memory: A Cognitive Category to Replace Spatial Sustained Attention and Working Memory
. Yale J Biol Med 2019; 92:121-125. [PMID: 30923479 PMCID: PMC6430177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In this opinion article we challenge the commonly-held notion that visuospatial working memory and visuospatial sustained selective attention are two ontologically different cognitive categories. We start by discussing the general idea of cognitive categories, and then review some of the key behavioral and neural evidence both in favor of and against the separability of these processes. We then discuss a theoretical framework that could be useful for understanding the neural implementations of cognitive categories. We conclude that the evidence is insufficient to support the assumption that spatial working memory and spatial sustained attention are independent categories, and that further experimentation is necessary to determine the ontological independence of the two processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo D. Libedinsky
- Department of Psychology, NUS, Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology, NUS, Singapore, Singapore,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore,To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Camilo D. Libedinsky, National University of Singapore, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Block AS4, #03-39, 9 Arts Link, Singapore 117570; Tel: +65 9271 1190 (HP),
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20
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Chew CS, Forte JD, Reeve RA. Implications of Change/Stability Patterns in Children's Non-symbolic and Symbolic Magnitude Judgment Abilities Over One Year: A Latent Transition Analysis. Front Psychol 2019; 10:441. [PMID: 30890984 PMCID: PMC6411817 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-symbolic magnitude abilities are often claimed to support the acquisition of symbolic magnitude abilities, which, in turn, are claimed to support emerging math abilities. However, not all studies find links between non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude abilities, or between them and math ability. To investigate possible reasons for these different findings, recent research has analyzed differences in non-symbolic/symbolic magnitude abilities using latent class modeling and has identified four different magnitude ability profiles residing within the general magnitude ability distribution that were differentially related to cognitive and math abilities. These findings may help explain the different patterns of findings observed in previous research. To further investigate this possibility, we (1) attempted to replicate earlier findings, (2) determine whether magnitude ability profiles remained stable or changed over 1 year; and (3) assessed the degree to which stability/change in profiles were related to cognitive and math abilities. We used latent transition analysis to investigate stability/changes in non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude abilities of 109 5- to 6-year olds twice in 1 year. At Time 1 and 2, non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude abilities, number transcoding and single-digit addition abilities were assessed. Visuospatial working memory (VSWM), naming numbers, non-verbal IQ, basic RT was also assessed at Time 1. Analysis showed stability in one profile and changes in the three others over 1 year. VSWM and naming numbers predicted profile membership at Time 1 and 2, and profile membership predicted math abilities at both time points. The findings confirm the existence of four different non-symbolic-symbolic magnitude ability profiles; we suggest the changes over time in them potentially reflect deficit, delay, and normal math developmental pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert A. Reeve
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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21
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Soltanlou M, Artemenko C, Dresler T, Fallgatter AJ, Ehlis AC, Nuerk HC. Math Anxiety in Combination With Low Visuospatial Memory Impairs Math Learning in Children. Front Psychol 2019; 10:89. [PMID: 30766500 PMCID: PMC6365936 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Math anxiety impairs academic achievements in mathematics. According to the processing efficiency theory (PET), the adverse effect is the result of reduced processing capacity in working memory (WM). However, this relationship has been examined mostly with correlational designs. Therefore, using an intervention paradigm, we examined the effects of math anxiety on math learning. Twenty-five 5th graders underwent seven training sessions of multiplication over the course of 2 weeks. Children were faster and made fewer errors in solving trained problems than untrained problems after learning. By testing the relationship between math anxiety, WM, and math learning, we found that if children have little or no math anxiety, enough WM resources are left for math learning, so learning is not impeded. If they have high math anxiety and high visuospatial WM, some WM resources are needed to deal with math anxiety but learning is still supported. However, if they have high math anxiety and low visuospatial WM capacity, math learning is significantly impaired. These children have less capacity to learn new math content as cognitive resources are diverted to deal with their math anxiety. We conclude that math anxiety not only hinders children's performance in the present but potentially has long-lasting consequences, because it impairs not only math performance but also math learning. This intervention study partially supports the PET because only the combination of high math anxiety and low WM capacity seems critical for hindering math learning. Moreover, an adverse effect of math anxiety was observed on performance effectiveness (response accuracy) but not processing efficiency (response time).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Soltanlou
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christina Artemenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresler
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Excellence Cluster, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- Department of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Germany
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22
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Abstract
Visuospatial working memory allows us to hold multiple visual objects over short delays. It is typically tested by presenting an array of objects, then after a delay showing a 'probe' indicating which memory item to recall or reproduce by adjusting a target feature. However, recent studies demonstrate that information at the time of probe can disrupt recall. Here, in three experiments we test whether traditional memory probes, which contain features that compete with the feature to be recalled, may themselves interfere with performance. We asked participants to report the direction of one of the several coloured arrows in memory, based on its colour. First, we demonstrate that recall is better when the probe is initially just a coloured dot, rather than a coloured arrow which has to be adjusted to match orientation memory, consistent with interference from features of the probe itself. Second, this interference is present even when a mask follows the memory array, suggesting that the interference does not work by degrading immediate or iconic memory. Finally, when items are shown sequentially, the first and last items are invulnerable to probe interference. Our findings support recent theories of associative recall, in which probes reactivate features in WM, retrieving information by pattern completion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younes Adam Tabi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Sanjay G Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK
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23
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Wang Z, Jing J, Igarashi K, Fan L, Yang S, Li Y, Jin Y. Executive function predicts the visuospatial working memory in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Autism Res 2018; 11:1148-1156. [PMID: 30095242 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) always show working memory deficits. However, research findings on the factors that affected the working memory in ASD and ADHD were inconsistent. Thus, we developed the present study to investigate the association of executive function (EF) with the visuospatial working memory (VSWM) in ASD and ADHD. Three groups of participants were examined: 21 children with ASD, 28 children with ADHD and 28 typically developing (TD) children as the controls. All participants completed two tests: the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Corsi Block Tapping Test for measuring EF and VSWM, respectively. The WCST included four domains: categories achieved (CA), perseverative errors (PE), failures to maintain set (FMS), and total errors (TE). The findings indicated that (1) the ASD group showed poorer performance in VSWM than the ADHD and TD groups; (2) for the ASD group, VSWM was positively correlated with CA, and was negatively correlated with PE and TE; (3) for the ADHD group, FMS showed a negative relationship with VSWM; and (4) TE predicted the performance of VSWM in ASD group, while FMS predicted VSWM in ADHD group. The study results suggested that VSWM was impaired in ASD but not in ADHD. Also, the EF domains were differently correlated with the VSWM performance in ASD and ADHD. Our study suggests that we should consider different intervention targets of working memory and EF contributions in improving the cognitive capacity of ASD and ADHD. Autism Res 2018, 11: 1148-1156. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: The present study compared the visuospatial working memory (VSWM) in three groups of children: autism (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and typically developed children (TD). The ASD group showed poorer VSWM than the ADHD and TD groups. The total error of executive function predicted the performance of VSWM in ASD, while failures to maintain set predicted VSWM in ADHD . These findings suggested that we should consider the different working memory and executive function training targets to increase cognitive capacity of ASD and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengjian Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jin Jing
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Kazue Igarashi
- Clinical Center for Developmental Disorders, Shirayuri College, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lijun Fan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Siyuan Yang
- Guangzhou Children's Hospital, Guangzhou, 510120 , China
| | - YongMei Li
- Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yu Jin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
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24
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Pan Y, Tan Z, Gao Z, Li Y, Wang L. Neural Activity Is Dynamically Modulated by Memory Load During the Maintenance of Spatial Objects. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1071. [PMID: 30018577 PMCID: PMC6037890 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Visuospatial working memory (WM) is a fundamental but severely limited ability to temporarily remember selected stimuli. Several studies have investigated the underlying neural mechanisms of maintaining various visuospatial stimuli simultaneously (i.e., WM load, the number of representations that need to be maintained in WM). However, two confounding factors, namely verbal representation and encoding load (the number of items that need to be encoded into WM), have not been well controlled in previous studies. In this study, we developed a novel delayed-match-to-sample task (DMST) controlling for these two confounding factors and recorded scalp EEG signals during the task. We found that behavioral performance deteriorated severely as memory load increased. Neural activity was modulated by WM load in a dynamic manner. Specifically, higher memory load induced stronger amplitude in occipital and central channel-clusters during the early delay period, while the inverse trend was observed in central and frontal channel-clusters during late delay. In addition, the same inverse memory load effect, that was lower memory load induced stronger amplitude, was observed in occipital channel-cluster alpha power during late delay. Finally, significant correlations between neural activity and individual reaction time showed a role of late-delay central and frontal channel-cluster amplitude in predicting behavioral performance. Because the occipital cortex is important for visual information maintenance, the decrease in alpha oscillation was consistent with the cognitive role that is “gating by inhibition.” Together, our results from a well-controlled DMST suggest that WM load not exerted constant but dynamic effect on neural activity during maintenance of visuospatial objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Pan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyao Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China
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25
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Abstract
It is proposed that emotional and cognitive functions may be differentiated based on sex. However, it is still unknown whether this assumption could be generalized for all emotional faces and working memory (WM) functions. To examine this, 50 females, and 60 males performed an emotion recognition task, consisting of a series of emotional faces as well as three working memory tasks from Cambridge Neuropsychological test battery (CANTAB); namely, spatial working memory (SWM), stocking of Cambridge (SOC), and intra/extradimensional shifts tasks (IED). The results found that females had faster response times in recognition of both positive and negative faces as compared to males. Furthermore, it was observed that while females were better on SWM task processing, males performed better on IED and four move SOC tasks, illustrating that processing of WM components may differentiate by sex. It has been concluded that emotional and cognitive functions are indeed sensitive to sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahmi Saylik
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Art and Science, Mus Alparslan University, Mus, Turkey
| | - Evren Raman
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Brunel University London, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Andre J Szameitat
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Brunel University London, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
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26
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Pazzaglia F, Meneghetti C, Ronconi L. Tracing a Route and Finding a Shortcut: The Working Memory, Motivational, and Personality Factors Involved. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:225. [PMID: 29899694 PMCID: PMC5988874 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Wayfinding (WF) is the ability to move around efficiently and find the way from a starting point to a destination. It is a component of spatial navigation, a coordinate and goal-directed movement of one’s self through the environment. In the present study, the relationship between WF tasks (route tracing and shortcut finding) and individual factors were explored with the hypothesis that WF tasks would be predicted by different types of cognitive, affective, motivational variables, and personality factors. A group of 116 university students (88 F.) were conducted along a route in a virtual environment and then asked first to trace the same route again, and then to find a shortcut between the start and end points. Several instruments assessing visuospatial working memory, mental rotation ability, self-efficacy, spatial anxiety, positive attitude to exploring, and personality traits were administered. The results showed that a latent spatial ability factor (measured with the visuospatial working memory and mental rotations tests) – controlled for gender – predicted route-tracing performance, while self-report measures of anxiety, efficacy, and pleasure in exploring, and some personality traits were more likely to predict shortcut-finding performance. We concluded that both personality and cognitive abilities affect WF performance, but differently, depending on the requirements of the task.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Meneghetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Ronconi
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy, and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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27
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Morita Y, Ebara F, Morita Y, Horikawa E. Increased activity in the right prefrontal cortex measured using near-infrared spectroscopy during a flower arrangement task. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2018; 22:34-39. [PMID: 28826276 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2017.1366527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Flower arrangement program (FAP) horticultural therapy promotes psychological, social and physiological wellness and recovery. Moreover, FAPs have been used to evaluate the outcomes related to visuospatial working memory; yet, most of these studies used subjective outcome measures such as behavioural observations and questionnaires. Few studies report objective evaluations of FAP effects in humans. In the present study, we measured the effects of an FAP task on frontal lobe activity in healthy participants using near-infrared spectroscopy. We quantified salivary amylase levels as an indicator of stress level during the FAP. METHODS The FAP task involved a predetermined arrangement pattern of natural materials (flowers and leaves) that required the participants to identify where a given material should be placed and temporarily memorise the designated position to complete the flower arrangement. The FAP task was compared to the block-tapping task (BTT), which is routinely used to evaluate visuospatial working memory. RESULTS Both the FAP task and BTT positively stimulated the right prefrontal cortex; however, stress was more effectively limited during the performance of the FAP task. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that FAP therapy may be useful for the rehabilitation of patients who are sensitive to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Morita
- a Graduate School of Medicine , Saga University , Saga , Japan
| | - Fumio Ebara
- b Faculty of Agriculture , Center for Education and Research in Agricultural Innovation, Saga University , Saga , Japan
| | | | - Etsuo Horikawa
- a Graduate School of Medicine , Saga University , Saga , Japan
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28
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Shipstead Z, Nespodzany A. The contribution of disengagement to temporal discriminability. Memory 2017; 26:691-696. [PMID: 29119868 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1399143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The present study examines the idea that time-based forgetting of outdated information can lead to better memory of currently relevant information. This was done using the visual arrays task, along with a between-subjects manipulation of both the retention interval (1 s vs. 4 s) and the time between two trials (1 s vs. 4 s). Consistent with prior work [Shipstead, Z., & Engle, R. W. (2013). Interference within the focus of attention: Working memory tasks reflect more than temporary maintenance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39, 277-289; Experiment 1], longer retention intervals did not lead to diminished memory of currently relevant information. However, we did find that longer periods of time between two trials improved memory for currently relevant information. This replicates findings that indicate proactive interference affects visual arrays performance and extends previous findings to show that reduction of proactive interference can occur in a time-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Shipstead
- a Department of Psychology , Alma College , Alma , MI , USA
| | - Ashley Nespodzany
- b School of Social and Behavioral Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , AZ , USA
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29
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Belham FS, Tavares MCH, Satler C, Garcia A, Rodrigues RC, Canabarro SLDS, Tomaz C. Negative Facial Expressions - But Not Visual Scenes - Enhance Human Working Memory in Younger and Older Participants. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:668. [PMID: 29018342 PMCID: PMC5623007 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have investigated the influence of emotion on memory processes across the human lifespan. Some results have shown older adults (OA) performing better with positive stimuli, some with negative items, whereas some found no impact of emotional valence. Here we tested, in two independent studies, how younger adults (YA) and OA would perform in a visuospatial working memory (VSWM) task with positive, negative, and neutral images. The task consisted of identifying the new location of a stimulus in a crescent set of identical stimuli presented in different locations in a touch-screen monitor. In other words, participants should memorize the locations previously occupied to identify the new location. For each trial, the number of occupied locations increased until 8 or until a mistake was made. In study 1, 56 YA and 38 OA completed the task using images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Results showed that, although YA outperformed OA, no effects of emotion were found. In study 2, 26 YA and 25 OA were tested using facial expressions as stimuli. Data from this study showed that negative faces facilitated performance and this effect did not differ between age groups. No differences were found between men and women. Taken together, our findings suggest that YA and OA’s VSWM can be influenced by the emotional valence of the information, though this effect was present only for facial stimuli. Presumably, this may have happened due to the social and biological importance of such stimuli, which are more effective in transmitting emotions than IAPS images. Critically, our results also indicate that the mixed findings in the literature about the influence of aging on the interactions between memory and emotion may be caused by the use of different stimuli and methods. This possibility should be kept in mind in future studies about memory and emotion across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Schechtman Belham
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Clotilde H Tavares
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Corina Satler
- Faculty of Ceilandia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Ana Garcia
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Euro-American University Center (UNIEURO), Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Rosângela C Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Soraya L de Sá Canabarro
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Carlos Tomaz
- Neuroscience Research Program, CEUMA University, São Luís, Brazil
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30
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Gosselin D, De Koninck J, Campbell K. Novel Measures to Assess the Effects of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Sensory, Working, and Permanent Memory. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1607. [PMID: 29033864 PMCID: PMC5625020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleepiness has repeatedly been demonstrated to affect performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. While the effects of total sleep deprivation (TSD) have been extensively studied, acute partial sleep deprivation (PSD), a more frequent form of sleep loss, has been studied much less often. The present study examined the effects of sleep deprivation on novel tasks involving classic sensory, working, and permanent memory systems. While the tasks did implicate different memory systems, they shared a need for effortful, sustained attention to maintain successful performance. Because of the novelty of the tasks, an initial study of the effects of TSD was carried out. The effects of PSD were subsequently examined in a second study, in which subjects were permitted only 4 h of sleep. A general detrimental effect of both total and PSD on accuracy of detection was observed and to a lesser extent, a slowing of the speed of responding on the different tasks. This overall effect is best explained by the often-reported inability to sustain attention following sleep loss. Specific effects on distinct cognitive processes were also observed, and these were more apparent following total than PSD.
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31
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Toril P, Reales JM, Mayas J, Ballesteros S. Effects of age and type of picture on visuospatial working memory assessed with a computerized jigsaw-puzzle task. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 2017; 25:852-873. [PMID: 28914146 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2017.1377680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the effect of age and color in a computerized version of the jigsaw-puzzle task. In Experiment 1, young and older adults were presented with puzzles in color and black-and-white line drawings, varying in difficulty from 4 to 9 pieces. Older adults performed the task better with the black-and-white stimuli and younger adults performed better with the color ones. In Experiment 2, new older and young adults identified the same fragmented pictures as fast and accurately as possible. The older group identified the black-and-white stimuli faster than those presented in color, while the younger adults identified both similarly. In Experiment 3A, new older and young groups performed the puzzle task with the same color pictures and their monochrome versions. In Experiment 3B, participants performed a speeded identification task with the two sets. The findings of these experiments showed that older adults have a memory not a perceptual difficulty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Toril
- a Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain.,b Department of Basic Psychology II , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain
| | - José M Reales
- a Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain.,c Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain
| | - Julia Mayas
- a Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain.,b Department of Basic Psychology II , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain
| | - Soledad Ballesteros
- a Studies on Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain.,b Department of Basic Psychology II , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia , Madrid , Spain
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32
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Formoso J, Barreyro JP, Jacubovich S, Injoque-Ricle I. Possible Associations between Subitizing, Estimation and Visuospatial Working Memory (VSWM) in Children. Span J Psychol 2017; 20:E27. [PMID: 28578725 DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2017.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Researchers have focused on identifying the mechanisms involved in subitizing and its differences with estimation. Some suggest that subitizing relies on a visual indexing system in charge of the simultaneous individuation of objects that is also used by visuospatial working memory (VSWM). In adults, studies found associations between subitizing and VSWM, in the absence of correlation between VSWM and estimation. The present study analyzed the performance of 120 4 and 6-year-old children in three tasks: dot enumeration to measure subitizing capacity, quantity discrimination for estimation, and Corsi Block-tapping task for VSWM. In the enumeration task RTs (F(9, 1062)=720.59, MSE=734394, p<.001, η2=.86) and errors (F(9, 1062)=42.15, MSE=.194, p<.001, η2=.26.) increased with the array, but this growth was statistically significant only from 4 dots onward. Each subject's subitizing range was estimated by fitting RTs with a sigmoid function of number of dots and obtaining the bend point of the curve. Data fit (age 4: R 2 = .88; SD = .08; age 6: R 2 = .91, SD = .08) showed a mean subitizing range of 2.79 (SD = .66) for 4 year-olds and of 3.11 (SD = .64) for 6 year-olds. Subitizing ranges and average RTs showed low association with storage (r = .274; p < .05; r = -.398; p < .001) and average RTs with concurrent processing (r = -.412; p < .001) in VSWM. Subitizing range and speed showed no association with estimation speed and a poor association with accuracy (r = .234, p < .01; r = -.398, p < .001), which suggests independent systems for small and large quantities. Subitizing and estimation measures correlated with VSWM (p < .01), which suggests that both processes may require VSWM resources.
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33
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Gunduz Can R, Schack T, Koester D. Movement Interferes with Visuospatial Working Memory during the Encoding: An ERP Study. Front Psychol 2017; 8:871. [PMID: 28611714 PMCID: PMC5447076 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study focuses on the functional interactions of cognition and manual action control. Particularly, we investigated the neurophysiological correlates of the dual-task costs of a manual-motor task (requiring grasping an object, holding it, and subsequently placing it on a target) for working memory (WM) domains (verbal and visuospatial) and processes (encoding and retrieval). Thirty participants were tested in a cognitive-motor dual-task paradigm, in which a single block (a verbal or visuospatial WM task) was compared with a dual block (concurrent performance of a WM task and a motor task). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were analyzed separately for the encoding and retrieval processes of verbal and visuospatial WM domains both in single and dual blocks. The behavioral analyses show that the motor task interfered with WM and decreased the memory performance. The performance decrease was larger for the visuospatial task compared with the verbal task, i.e., domain-specific memory costs were obtained. The ERP analyses show the domain-specific interference also at the neurophysiological level, which is further process-specific to encoding. That is, comparing the patterns of WM-related ERPs in the single block and dual block, we showed that visuospatial ERPs changed only for the encoding process when a motor task was performed at the same time. Generally, the present study provides evidence for domain- and process-specific interactions of a prepared manual-motor movement with WM (visuospatial domain during the encoding process). This study, therefore, provides an initial neurophysiological characterization of functional interactions of WM and manual actions in a cognitive-motor dual-task setting, and contributes to a better understanding of the neuro-cognitive mechanisms of motor action control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumeysa Gunduz Can
- Neurocognition and Action – Biomechanics Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
- Cognitive Interaction Technology – Center of Excellence, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
| | - Thomas Schack
- Neurocognition and Action – Biomechanics Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
- Cognitive Interaction Technology – Center of Excellence, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
- Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
| | - Dirk Koester
- Neurocognition and Action – Biomechanics Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
- Cognitive Interaction Technology – Center of Excellence, Bielefeld UniversityBielefeld, Germany
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34
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Gu LH, Chen J, Gao LJ, Shu H, Wang Z, Liu D, Yan YN, Li SJ, Zhang ZJ. The Effect of Apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) on Visuospatial Working Memory in Healthy Elderly and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients: An Event-Related Potentials Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:145. [PMID: 28567013 PMCID: PMC5434145 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 is the only established risk gene for late-onset, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Previous studies have provided inconsistent evidence for the effect of APOE ε4 status on the visuospatial working memory (VSWM). Objective: The aim was to investigate the effect of APOE ε4 on VSWM with an event-related potential (ERP) study in healthy controls (HC) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients. Methods: The study recorded 39 aMCI patients (27 APOE ε4 non-carriers and 12 APOE ε4 carriers) and their 43 matched controls (25 APOE ε4 non-carriers and 18 APOE ε4 carriers) with an 64-channel electroencephalogram. Participants performed an N-back task, a VSWM paradigm that manipulated the number of items to be stored in memory. Results: The present study detected reduced accuracy and delayed mean correct response time (RT) in aMCI patients compared to HC. P300, a positive component that peaks between 300 and 500 ms, was elicited by the VSWM task. In addition, aMCI patients showed decreased P300 amplitude at the central–parietal (CP1, CPz, and CP2) and parietal (P1, Pz, and P2) electrodes in 0- and 1-back task compared to HC. In both HC and aMCI patients, APOE ε4 carriers showed reduced P300 amplitude with respect to non-carriers, whereas no significant differences in accuracy or RT were detected between APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers. Additionally, standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis (s-LORETA) showed enhanced brain activation in the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) during P300 time range in APOE ε4 carriers with respect to non-carriers in aMCI patients. Conclusion: It demonstrated that P300 amplitude could predict VSWM deficits in aMCI patients and contribute to early detection of VSWM deficits in APOE ε4 carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Hua Gu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Jiu Chen
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Li-Juan Gao
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Hao Shu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Zan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Duan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China
| | - Yan-Na Yan
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical UniversityXinxiang, China
| | - Shi-Jiang Li
- Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, MilwaukeeWI, United States
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast UniversityNanjing, China.,Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical UniversityXinxiang, China
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Donolato E, Giofrè D, Mammarella IC. Differences in Verbal and Visuospatial Forward and Backward Order Recall: A Review of the Literature. Front Psychol 2017; 8:663. [PMID: 28522982 PMCID: PMC5415597 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
How sequential, verbal and visuospatial stimuli are encoded and stored in memory is not clear in cognitive psychology. Studies with order recall tasks, such as the digit, and Corsi span, indicate that order of presentation is a crucial element for verbal memory, but not for visuospatial memory. This seems to be due to the different effects of forward and backward recall in verbal and visuospatial tasks. In verbal span tasks, performance is worse when recalling things in backward sequence rather than the original forward sequence. In contrast, when it comes to visuospatial tasks, performance is not always worse for a modified backward sequence. However, worse performance in backward visuospatial recall is evident in individuals with weak visuospatial abilities; such individuals perform worse in the backward version of visuospatial tasks than in the forward version. The main aim of the present review is to summarize findings on order recall in verbal and visuospatial materials by considering both cognitive and neural correlates. The results of this review will be considered in the light of the current models of WM, and will be used to make recommendations for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Donolato
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
| | - David Giofrè
- Department of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool, UK
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
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Xing Q, Sun H. Differential Impact of Visuospatial Working Memory on Rule-based and Information-integration Category Learning. Front Psychol 2017; 8:530. [PMID: 28439250 PMCID: PMC5384164 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that the category learning system is a mechanism with multiple processing systems, and that working memory has different effects on category learning. But how does visuospatial working memory affect perceptual category learning? As there is no definite answer to this question, we conducted three experiments. In Experiment 1, the dual-task paradigm with sequential presentation was adopted to investigate the influence of visuospatial working memory on rule-based and information-integration category learning. The results showed that visuospatial working memory interferes with rule-based but not information-integration category learning. In Experiment 2, the dual-task paradigm with simultaneous presentation was used, in which the categorization task was integrated into the visuospatial working memory task. The results indicated that visuospatial working memory affects information-integration category learning but not rule-based category learning. In Experiment 3, the dual-task paradigm with simultaneous presentation was employed, in which visuospatial working memory was integrated into the category learning task. The results revealed that visuospatial working memory interferes with both rule-based and information-integration category learning. Through these three experiments, we found that, regarding the rule-based category learning, working memory load is the main mechanism by which visuospatial working memory influences the discovery of the category rules. In addition, regarding the information-integration category learning, visual resources mainly operates on the category representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou UniversityGuangzhou, China
- Management School, Jinan UniversityGuangzhou, China
| | - Hailong Sun
- Management School, Jinan UniversityGuangzhou, China
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Wu YJ, Tseng P, Huang HW, Hu JF, Juan CH, Hsu KS, Lin CC. The Facilitative Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Visuospatial Working Memory in Patients with Diabetic Polyneuropathy: A Pre-post Sham-Controlled Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:479. [PMID: 27733822 PMCID: PMC5039168 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus can lead to diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and cognitive deficits that manifest as peripheral and central neuropathy, respectively. In this study we investigated the relationship between visuospatial working memory (VSWM) capacity and DPN severity, and attempted to improve VSWM in DPN patients via the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Sixteen DPN patients and 16 age- and education-matched healthy control subjects received Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) for baseline cognitive assessment. A forward- and backward-recall computerized Corsi block tapping task (CBT), both with and without a concurrent motor interference task was used to measure VSWM capacity. Each DPN patient underwent a pre-treatment CBT, followed by tDCS or sham treatment, then a post-treatment CBT on two separate days. We found that although patients with severe DPN (Dyck’s grade 2a or 2b) showed comparable general intelligence scores on WAIS-IV as their age- and education-matched healthy counterparts, they nonetheless showed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on MOCA and working memory deficit on digit-span test of WAIS-IV. Furthermore, patients’ peripheral nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was positively correlated with their VSWM span in the most difficult CBT condition that involved backward-recall with motor interference such that patients with worse NCV also had lower VSWM span. Most importantly, anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC was able to improve low-performing patients’ VSWM span to be on par with the high-performers, thereby eliminating the correlation between NCV and VSWM. In summary, these findings suggest that (1) MCI and severe peripheral neuropathy can coexist with unequal severity in diabetic patients, (2) the positive correlation of VSWM and NCV suggests a link between peripheral and central neuropathies, and (3) anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC can improve DPN patients’ VSWM, particularly for the low-performing patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jen Wu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung UniversityTainan, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung UniversityTainan, Taiwan
| | - Philip Tseng
- Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityTaipei, Taiwan; Brain and Consciousness Research Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical UniversityNew Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Han-Wei Huang
- Department of Neurology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jon-Fan Hu
- Department of Psychology and Institute of Cognitive Science, College of Social Sciences, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hung Juan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University Jhongli, Taiwan
| | - Kuei-Sen Hsu
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chou-Ching Lin
- Department of Neurology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan
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Abstract
Researchers have reported benefits of working memory training in various populations, however, the training gains in preterm population is still inadequately studied. This study aimed to investigate the transfer and lasting effects of an online working memory training program on a group of preterm children aged between 4 and 6 years (mean gestational age = 28.3 weeks; mean birth weight = 1153 grams). Children were asked to perform the Cogmed JM at home for approximately 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Their nontrained working memory and attention were assessed pre-training, post-training, and at 5-week follow-up. Parent ratings on children's executive functions were obtained at the three time points. Results revealed that significant improvements in verbal working memory was emerging in preterm children at 5-week follow-up, while significant gains in visuospatial working memory was found post-training and at 5-week follow-up in age-matched term-born children. These results indicated that working memory training has benefits on preterm children; however, the gains are different from those observed in term-born children. No significant differences in attention and parent-rated EF were found in either group across time. The possible explanations for the training benefits observed in preterm children were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara S C Lee
- a Educational Psychology, University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | - Jacqueline Pei
- a Educational Psychology, University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | - Gail Andrew
- b Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | - Kimberly A Kerns
- c Psychology, University of Victoria , Victoria , British Colombia , Canada
| | - Carmen Rasmussen
- d Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Pediatrics , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
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Toril P, Reales JM, Mayas J, Ballesteros S. Video Game Training Enhances Visuospatial Working Memory and Episodic Memory in Older Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:206. [PMID: 27199723 PMCID: PMC4859063 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this longitudinal intervention study with experimental and control groups, we investigated the effects of video game training on the visuospatial working memory (WM) and episodic memory of healthy older adults. Participants were 19 volunteer older adults, who received 15 1-h video game training sessions with a series of video games selected from a commercial package (Lumosity), and a control group of 20 healthy older adults. The results showed that the performance of the trainees improved significantly in all the practiced video games. Most importantly, we found significant enhancements after training in the trained group and no change in the control group in two computerized tasks designed to assess visuospatial WM, namely the Corsi blocks task and the Jigsaw puzzle task. The episodic memory and short-term memory of the trainees also improved. Gains in some WM and episodic memory tasks were maintained during a 3-month follow-up period. These results suggest that the aging brain still retains some degree of plasticity, and that video game training might be an effective intervention tool to improve WM and other cognitive functions in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Toril
- Studies of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain; Department of Basic Psychology II, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Reales
- Studies of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain; Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Mayas
- Studies of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain; Department of Basic Psychology II, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain
| | - Soledad Ballesteros
- Studies of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain; Department of Basic Psychology II, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)Madrid, Spain
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40
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Chien HY, Gau SSF, Isaac Tseng WY. Deficient visuospatial working memory functions and neural correlates of the default-mode network in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2016; 9:1058-1072. [PMID: 26829405 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In addition to the essential features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), namely social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors, individuals with ASD may suffer from working memory deficits and an altered default-mode network (DMN). We hypothesized that an altered DMN is related to working memory deficits in those with ASD. A total of 37 adolescents with ASD and 36 age- and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls were analyzed. Visuospatial working memory performance was assessed using pattern recognition memory (PRM), spatial recognition memory (SRM), and paired-associates learning (PAL) tasks. The intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of the DMN was indexed by the temporal correlations between the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging signals of pairs of DMN regions, including those between the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and between the PCC and parahippocampi (PHG). The corresponding structural connectivity of the DMN was indexed by the generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) of the dorsal and ventral cingulum bundles on the basis of diffusion spectrum imaging data. The results showed that ASD adolescents exhibited delayed correct responses in PRM and SRM tasks and committed more errors in the PAL task than the TD controls did. The delayed responses during the PRM and SRM tasks were negatively correlated with bilateral PCC-mPFC iFCs, and PAL performance was negatively correlated with right PCC-PHG iFC in ASD adolescents. Furthermore, ASD adolescents showed significant lower GFA in the right cingulum bundles than the TD group did; the GFA value was negatively correlated with SRM performance in ASD. Our results provide empirical evidence for deficient visuospatial working memory and corresponding neural correlates within the DMN in adolescents with ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1058-1072. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Yun Chien
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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41
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Pulina F, Carretti B, Lanfranchi S, Mammarella IC. Improving spatial-simultaneous working memory in Down syndrome: effect of a training program led by parents instead of an expert. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1265. [PMID: 26379590 PMCID: PMC4547001 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the visuospatial component of working memory (WM) is selectively impaired in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), the deficit relating specifically to the spatial-simultaneous component, which is involved when stimuli are presented simultaneously. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of a computer-based program for training the spatial-simultaneous component of WM in terms of: specific effects (on spatial-simultaneous WM tasks); near and far transfer effects (on spatial-sequential and visuospatial abilities, and everyday memory tasks); and maintenance effects (1 month after the training). A comparison was drawn between the results obtained when the training was led by parents at home as opposed to an expert in psychology. Thirty-nine children and adolescents with DS were allocated to one of two groups: the training was administered by an expert in one, and by appropriately instructed parents in the other. The training was administered individually twice a week for a month, in eight sessions lasting approximately 30 min each. Our participants' performance improved after the training, and these results were maintained a month later in both groups. Overall, our findings suggest that spatial-simultaneous WM performance can be improved, obtaining specific and transfer gains; above all, it seems that, with adequate support, parents could effectively administer a WM training to their child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pulina
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Lanfranchi
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Irene C Mammarella
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padova, Italy
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42
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Lou W, Shi L, Wang D, Tam CWC, Chu WCW, Mok VCT, Cheng ST, Lam LCW. Decreased activity with increased background network efficiency in amnestic MCI during a visuospatial working memory task. Hum Brain Mapp 2015; 36:3387-403. [PMID: 26032982 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the working memory impairment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However, the neurophysiological basis of the working memory deficit in aMCI is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the abnormal activity during encoding and recognition procedures, as well as the reorganization of the background network maintaining the working memory state in aMCI. Using event-related fMRI during a visuospatial working memory task with three recognition difficulty levels, the task-related activations and network efficiency of the background network in 17 aMCI patients and 19 matched controls were investigated. Compared with cognitively healthy controls, patients with aMCI showed significantly decreased activity in the frontal and visual cortices during the encoding phase, while during the recognition phase, decreased activity was detected in the frontal, parietal, and visual regions. In addition, increased local efficiency was also observed in the background network of patients with aMCI. The results suggest patients with aMCI showed impaired encoding and recognition functions during the visuospatial working memory task, and may pay more effort to maintain the cognitive state. This study extends our understanding of the impaired working memory function in aMCI and provides a new perspective to investigate the compensatory mechanism in aMCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wutao Lou
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Center for Medical Image Computing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lin Shi
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Chow Yuk Ho Center of Innovative Technology for Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Defeng Wang
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Research Center for Medical Image Computing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Shun Hing Institute of Advanced Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cindy W C Tam
- Department of Psychiatry, North District Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Winnie C W Chu
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Vincent C T Mok
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Sheung-Tak Cheng
- Department of Health and Physical Education, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.,Department of Clinical Psychology, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Linda C W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Claessen MHG, van der Ham IJM, van Zandvoort MJE. Computerization of the standard corsi block-tapping task affects its underlying cognitive concepts: a pilot study. Appl Neuropsychol Adult 2014; 22:180-8. [PMID: 25258029 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2014.892488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The tablet computer initiates an important step toward computerized administration of neuropsychological tests. Because of its lack of standardization, the Corsi Block-Tapping Task could benefit from advantages inherent to computerization. This task, which requires reproduction of a sequence of movements by tapping blocks as demonstrated by an examiner, is widely used as a representative of visuospatial attention and working memory. The aim was to validate a computerized version of the Corsi Task (e-Corsi) by comparing recall accuracy to that on the standard task. Forty university students (Mage = 22.9 years, SD = 2.7 years; 20 female) performed the standard Corsi Task and the e-Corsi on an iPad 3. Results showed higher accuracy in forward reproduction on the standard Corsi compared with the e-Corsi, whereas backward performance was comparable. These divergent performance patterns on the 2 versions (small-to-medium effect sizes) are explained as a result of motor priming and interference effects. This finding implies that computerization has serious consequences for the cognitive concepts that the Corsi Task is assumed to assess. Hence, whereas the e-Corsi was shown to be useful with respect to administration and registration, these findings also stress the need for reconsideration of the underlying theoretical concepts of this task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel H G Claessen
- a Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute , Utrecht University , Utrecht , The Netherlands
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44
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Herbik A, Geringswald F, Thieme H, Pollmann S, Hoffmann MB. Prediction of higher visual function in macular degeneration with multifocal electroretinogram and multifocal visual evoked potential. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2014; 34:540-51. [PMID: 25160891 DOI: 10.1111/opo.12152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Visual search can be guided by past experience of regularities in our visual environment. This search guidance by contextual memory cues is impaired by foveal vision loss. Here we compared retinal and cortical visually evoked responses in their predictive value for contextual cueing impairment and visual acuity. METHODS Multifocal electroretinograms to flash stimulation (mfERGs; 103 locations; 55.8° diameter) and visual evoked potentials to pattern-reversal stimulation (mfVEPs; 60 locations; 48.6° diameter) were recorded monocularly in participants with age-related macular degeneration (n = 14 and 16, respectively). Response magnitudes were calculated as the respective signal-to-noise ratios for each eccentricity. Visual acuities (logMAR, range: 0.0-1.2) and contextual cueing effects on visual search (reaction time gain, range: -0.14-0.15) were correlated with the signal-to-noise ratios. A step-wise regression analysis was applied separately to the mfERG- and mfVEP-dataset to determine the eccentricity range and the processing stage that is critical for these visual functions. RESULTS Central mfERGs (1.0-3.2°) were the sole predictor of contextual cueing of visual search (p = 0.006), but they were not significant predictors of visual acuity. In contrast, central mfVEPs (1.3-3.2°) were the sole predictor of visual acuity (p < 0.001), but they were not significant predictors of contextual cueing. CONCLUSIONS Contextual cueing is more dependent on parafoveal mfERG magnitude while visual acuity is more dependent on parafoveal mfVEP magnitude. The relation of contextual cueing to parafoveal mfERG magnitudes indicates the predictive value of retinal bipolar cell activity for this advanced level of visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Herbik
- Department of Ophthalmology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
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45
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van Ewijk H, Heslenfeld DJ, Luman M, Rommelse NN, Hartman CA, Hoekstra P, Franke B, Buitelaar JK, Oosterlaan J. Visuospatial working memory in ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls. J Atten Disord 2014; 18:369-78. [PMID: 23569155 DOI: 10.1177/1087054713482582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to (a) test the usefulness of visuospatial working memory (VSWM) as an endophenotype for ADHD and (b) study the developmental trajectory of VSWM in ADHD. METHOD A total of 110 ADHD patients, 60 unaffected siblings, and 109 controls, aged 8 to 29 years, were assessed on VSWM functioning. Multilevel analyses were carried out to account for the correlation between measurements within families. RESULTS ADHD patients showed impaired VSWM performance compared with unaffected siblings and controls, with comparable performance between unaffected siblings and controls. Impaired VSWM in ADHD patients was not more pronounced on higher memory loads, signifying executive rather than storage deficits as an underlying mechanism. ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and controls showed parallel developmental trajectories of VSWM. CONCLUSION Current findings question the usefulness of VSWM as a neurocognitive endophenotype for ADHD and provide unique insights into the developmental trajectory of VSWM in ADHD.
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46
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Cromheeke S, Herpoel LA, Mueller SC. Childhood abuse is related to working memory impairment for positive emotion in female university students. Child Maltreat 2014; 19:38-48. [PMID: 24271026 DOI: 10.1177/1077559513511522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Childhood abuse is an important risk factor for depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use later in life. One possible mechanism underlying this association could be deficits in cognitive processing of emotional information. This study tested the impact of distracting emotional information on working memory performance in 21 young women with a history of sexual and physical abuse during childhood/adolescence (mean age = 20.0), and compared their performance to 17 individuals reporting nonabuse-related childhood stress (mean age = 19.6) and a control group of 17 women without a history of childhood stress (mean age = 20.0). During the most difficult distractor condition, working memory accuracy for positive versus neutral incidental emotional stimuli was reduced in women reporting a history of abuse relative to both control groups (with and without nonabuse-related childhood stress). The current results reveal aberrant responses to positive stimuli and are consistent with the notion of persistent influence of childhood abuse on processes critical for emotional well-being and emotion control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Cromheeke
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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47
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Cansino S, Hernández-Ramos E, Estrada-Manilla C, Torres-Trejo F, Martínez-Galindo JG, Ayala-Hernández M, Gómez-Fernández T, Osorio D, Cedillo-Tinoco M, Garcés-Flores L, Beltrán-Palacios K, García-Lázaro HG, García-Gutiérrez F, Cadena-Arenas Y, Fernández-Apan L, Bärtschi A, Rodríguez-Ortiz MD. The decline of verbal and visuospatial working memory across the adult life span. Age (Dordr) 2013; 35:2283-302. [PMID: 23558670 PMCID: PMC3825012 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-013-9531-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
It has been well established that working memory abilities decrease with advancing age; however, the specific time point in the adult life span at which this deficit begins and the rate at which it advances are still controversial. There is no agreement on whether working memory declines equally for visuospatial and verbal information, and the literature disagrees on how task difficulty may influence this decay. We addressed these questions in a lifespan sample of 1,500 participants between 21 and 80 years old. The n-back task was used, with letters and circles presented at different positions around an imaginary circle, to evaluate working memory in the verbal and visuospatial domains, respectively. The participants' task was to judge whether the current stimulus matched a stimulus that was shown n trials prior. Both domains were evaluated in two levels of difficulty: 1-back and 2-back. The comparison across decades showed that discrimination in the visuospatial and 1-back tasks started to decline earlier in women than in men; however, discrimination was equal between the sexes in the verbal and 2-back tasks. Performance on tasks in the visuospatial domain exhibited more pronounced decline than in those in the verbal domain. The rate of decline in working memory accuracy was superior in 2-back tasks than in 1-back tasks, independent of the domain. These results revealed that the effects of aging on working memory are less dependent on the type of information and more reliant on the resources demanded by the task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene Cansino
- Laboratory of NeuroCognition, Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Avenida Universidad 3004, Colonia Copilco Universidad, Building D, Second floor, Room 12, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico,
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Wing VC, Tang YL, Sacco KA, Cubells JF, George TP. Effect of COMT Val(158)Met genotype on nicotine withdrawal-related cognitive dysfunction in smokers with and without schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2013; 150:602-3. [PMID: 24084577 PMCID: PMC5346073 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C. Wing
- Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Schizophrenia Division, Complex Mental Illness, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada,Address for Correspondence: Victoria C. Wing, Ph.D Affiliate Research Scientist Schizophrenia Division Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Tel: 416-535-8501 x4882 Fax: 416-979-4676
| | - Yi-Lang Tang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kristi A. Sacco
- Program for Research in Smokers with Mental Illness (PRISM) and Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joseph F. Cubells
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, Departments of Human Genetics Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tony P. George
- Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Schizophrenia Division, Complex Mental Illness, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada, Program for Research in Smokers with Mental Illness (PRISM) and Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Deeprose C, Zhang S, Dejong H, Dalgleish T, Holmes EA. Imagery in the aftermath of viewing a traumatic film: using cognitive tasks to modulate the development of involuntary memory. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2012; 43:758-64. [PMID: 22104657 PMCID: PMC3545201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2011.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Revised: 10/02/2011] [Accepted: 10/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Involuntary autobiographical memories that spring unbidden into conscious awareness form part of everyday experience. In psychopathology, involuntary memories can be associated with significant distress. However, the cognitive mechanisms associated with the development of involuntary memories require further investigation and understanding. Since involuntary autobiographical memories are image-based, we tested predictions that visuospatial (but not other) established cognitive tasks could disrupt their consolidation when completed post-encoding. METHODS In Experiment 1, participants watched a stressful film then immediately completed a visuospatial task (complex pattern tapping), a control-task (verbal task) or no-task. Involuntary memories of the film were recorded for 1-week. In Experiment 2, the cognitive tasks were administered 30-min post-film. RESULTS Compared to both control and no-task conditions, completing a visuospatial task post-film reduced the frequency of later involuntary memories (Expts 1 and 2) but did not affect voluntary memory performance on a recognition task (Expt 2). LIMITATIONS Voluntary memory was assessed using a verbal recognition task and a broader range of memory tasks could be used. The relative difficulty of the cognitive tasks used was not directly established. CONCLUSIONS An established visuospatial task after encoding of a stressful experience selectively interferes with sensory-perceptual information processing and may therefore prevent the development of involuntary autobiographical memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Deeprose
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK.
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Abstract
Attention and visuospatial working memory (VWM) share very similar characteristics; both have the same upper bound of about four items in capacity and they recruit overlapping brain regions. We examined whether both attention and VWM share the same processing resources using a novel dual-task costs approach based on a load-varying dual-task technique. With sufficiently large loads on attention and VWM, considerable interference between the two processes was observed. A further load increase on either process produced reciprocal increases in interference on both processes, indicating that attention and VWM share common resources. More critically, comparison among four experiments on the reciprocal interference effects, as measured by the dual-task costs, demonstrates no significant contribution from additional processing other than the shared processes. These results support the notion that attention and VWM share the same processing resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Feng
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Toronto, ON, Canada
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