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Robison MK, Garner LD. Pupillary correlates of individual differences in n-back task performance. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024; 86:799-807. [PMID: 38326632 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-024-02853-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
We used pupillometry during a 2-back task to examine individual differences in the intensity and consistency of attention and their relative role in a working memory task. We used sensitivity, or the ability to distinguish targets (2-back matches) and nontargets, as the measure of task performance; task-evoked pupillary responses (TEPRs) as the measure of attentional intensity; and intraindividual pretrial pupil variability as the measure of attentional consistency. TEPRs were greater on target trials compared with nontarget trials, although there was no difference in TEPR magnitude when participants answered correctly or incorrectly to targets. Importantly, this effect interacted with performance: high performers showed a greater separation in their TEPRs between targets and nontargets, whereas there was little difference for low performers. Further, in regression analysis, larger TEPRs on target trials predicted better performance, whereas larger TEPRs on nontarget trials predicted worse performance. Sensitivity positively correlated with average pretrial pupil diameter and negatively correlated with intraindividual variability in pretrial pupil diameter. Overall, we found evidence that both attentional intensity (TEPRs) and consistency (pretrial pupil variation) predict performance on an n-back working memory task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K Robison
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
| | - Lauren D Garner
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
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2
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Othman MH, Møller K, Kjaergaard J, Kondziella D. Detecting signatures of consciousness in acute brain injury after stimulation with apomorphine and methylphenidate: protocol for a placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over study. BMJ Neurol Open 2024; 6:e000584. [PMID: 38268756 PMCID: PMC10806905 DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2023-000584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Acute brain injury can lead to states of decreased consciousness, that is, disorder of consciousness (DoC). Detecting signs of consciousness early is vital for DoC management in the intensive care unit (ICU), neurorehabilitation and long-term prognosis. Our primary objective is to investigate the potential of pharmacological stimulant therapies in eliciting signs of consciousness among unresponsive or low-responsive acute DoC patients. Methods In a placebo-controlled, randomised, cross-over setting, we evaluate the effect of methylphenidate and apomorphine in 50 DoC patients with acute traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury admitted to the ICU. Patients are examined before and after administration of the trial drugs using (1) neurobehavioural scales to determine the clinical level of consciousness, (2) automated pupillometry to record pupillary responses as a signature for awareness and (3) near-infrared spectroscopy combined with electroencephalography to record neurovascular coupling as a measure for cortical activity. Primary outcomes include pupillary dilations and increase in cortical activity during passive and active paradigms. Ethics The study has been approved by the ethics committee (Journal-nr: H-21022096) and follows the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. It is deemed to pose minimal risks and to hold a significant potential to improve treatment options for DoC patients. If the stimulants are shown to enhance cortical modulation of pupillary function and neurovascular coupling, this would warrant a large multicentre trial to evaluate their clinical impact. Dissemination Results will be available on EudraCT, clinicaltrialsregister.eu and published in an international peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number EudraCT Number: 2021-001453-31.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwan H Othman
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kirsten Møller
- Department of Neuroanesthesiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Kjaergaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Kondziella
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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3
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Causse M, Mouratille D, Rouillard Y, El Yagoubi R, Matton N, Hidalgo-Muñoz A. How a pilot's brain copes with stress and mental load? Insights from the executive control network. Behav Brain Res 2024; 456:114698. [PMID: 37797721 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
In aviation, mental workload and stress are two major factors that can considerably impact a pilot's flight performance and decisions. Their consequences can be even more dramatic in single-pilot aircraft or with the forthcoming single-pilot operations where the pilot will fly alone and will not be able to be assisted in case of difficulty. An accurate and automatic monitoring of the pilot's mental state could help to prevent the potentially dangerous effects of an excess mental workload and stress. For example, some tasks could be allocated to automation or to a ground-based flight crew if a mental overload or significant stress is detected. In the current study, the brain activity of 20 private pilots was recorded with a fNIRS device during two realistic flight simulator scenarios. The mental workload was manipulated with the added difficulty of a secondary task and stress was induced by a social stressor. Our results confirmed the sensitivity of the fNIRS readings to variations in the mental workload, with increased HbO2 concentration in regions of the executive control network (ECN), in particular in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and in lateral parietal regions, when the difficulty of the secondary task was high. The social stressor also triggered an HbO2 increase in the ECN, especially when it was combined with high mental workload. This latter result suggests that mental workload and stress together can have cumulative effects, and coping with both factors is possible at the expense of an extra recruitment of the ECN. Finally, results also revealed a time-on-task effect, with a progressive reduction of the HbO2 signal in the ECN during the flight scenario, suggesting that these regions are sensitive to short term habituation to the tasks. Overall, fNIRS efficiently indexed mental load, stress, and practice effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Causse
- ISAE-SUPAERO, 10 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, France.
| | - Damien Mouratille
- ISAE-SUPAERO, 10 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, France; CLLE, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France; ENAC, Université de Toulouse, France
| | | | | | - Nadine Matton
- CLLE, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France; ENAC, Université de Toulouse, France
| | - Antonio Hidalgo-Muñoz
- CLLE, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France; ENAC, Université de Toulouse, France; Instituto de Neurosciencias de Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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4
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Zou L, Herold F, Ludyga S, Kamijo K, Müller NG, Pontifex MB, Heath M, Kuwamizu R, Soya H, Hillman CH, Ando S, Alderman BL, Cheval B, Kramer AF. Look into my eyes: What can eye-based measures tell us about the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance? JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2023; 12:568-591. [PMID: 37148971 PMCID: PMC10466196 DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing interest to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that drive the positive associations of physical activity and fitness with measures of cognitive performance. To better understand those mechanisms, several studies have employed eye-based measures (e.g., eye movement measures such as saccades, pupillary measures such as pupil dilation, and vascular measures such as retinal vessel diameter) deemed to be proxies for specific neurobiological mechanisms. However, there is currently no systematic review providing a comprehensive overview of these studies in the field of exercise-cognition science. Thus, this review aimed to address that gap in the literature. METHODS To identify eligible studies, we searched 5 electronic databases on October 23, 2022. Two researchers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using a modified version of the Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise (TESTEX scale, for interventional studies) and the critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute (for cross-sectional studies). RESULTS Our systematic review (n = 35 studies) offers the following main findings: (a) there is insufficient evidence available to draw solid conclusions concerning gaze-fixation-based measures; (b) the evidence that pupillometric measures, which are a proxy for the noradrenergic system, can explain the positive effect of acute exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive performance is mixed; (c) physical training- or fitness-related changes of the cerebrovascular system (operationalized via changes in retinal vasculature) are, in general, positively associated with cognitive performance improvements; (d) acute and chronic physical exercises show a positive effect based on an oculomotor-based measure of executive function (operationalized via antisaccade tasks); and (e) the positive association between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive performance is partly mediated by the dopaminergic system (operationalized via spontaneous eye-blink rate). CONCLUSION This systematic review offers confirmation that eye-based measures can provide valuable insight into the neurobiological mechanisms that may drive positive associations between physical activity and fitness and measures of cognitive performance. However, due to the limited number of studies utilizing specific methods for obtaining eye-based measures (e.g., pupillometry, retinal vessel analysis, spontaneous eye blink rate) or investigating a possible dose-response relationship, further research is necessary before more nuanced conclusions can be drawn. Given that eye-based measures are economical and non-invasive, we hope this review will foster the future application of eye-based measures in the field of exercise-cognition science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liye Zou
- Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Group Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany.
| | - Fabian Herold
- Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Group Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ludyga
- Department of Sport, Exercise, and Health, University of Basel, Basel 4052, Switzerland
| | - Keita Kamijo
- Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Chukyo University, Nagoya 466-8666, Japan
| | - Notger G Müller
- Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Group Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Matthew B Pontifex
- Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Matthew Heath
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London ON N6A 3K7, Canada; Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, University of Western Ontario, London ON, N6A 3K7, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Ryuta Kuwamizu
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0006, Japan
| | - Hideaki Soya
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0006, Japan; Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0006, Japan
| | - Charles H Hillman
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Soichi Ando
- Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Brandon L Alderman
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Boris Cheval
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva 1205, Switzerland; Laboratory for the Study of Emotion Elicitation and Expression (E3Lab), Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva 1205, Switzerland
| | - Arthur F Kramer
- Department of Psychology, Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Fekri Azgomi H, F Branco LR, Amin MR, Khazaei S, Faghih RT. Regulation of brain cognitive states through auditory, gustatory, and olfactory stimulation with wearable monitoring. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12399. [PMID: 37553409 PMCID: PMC10409795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37829-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inspired by advances in wearable technologies, we design and perform human-subject experiments. We aim to investigate the effects of applying safe actuation (i.e., auditory, gustatory, and olfactory) for the purpose of regulating cognitive arousal and enhancing the performance states. In two proposed experiments, subjects are asked to perform a working memory experiment called n-back tasks. Next, we incorporate listening to different types of music, drinking coffee, and smelling perfume as safe actuators. We employ signal processing methods to seamlessly infer participants' brain cognitive states. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed safe actuation in regulating the arousal state and enhancing performance levels. Employing only wearable devices for human monitoring and using safe actuation intervention are the key components of the proposed experiments. Our dataset fills the existing gap of the lack of publicly available datasets for the self-management of internal brain states using wearable devices and safe everyday actuators. This dataset enables further machine learning and system identification investigations to facilitate future smart work environments. This would lead us to the ultimate idea of developing practical automated personalized closed-loop architectures for managing internal brain states and enhancing the quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Fekri Azgomi
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Luciano R F Branco
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
| | - Md Rafiul Amin
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
| | - Saman Khazaei
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
| | - Rose T Faghih
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77004, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
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6
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Yeung MK. The prefrontal cortex is differentially involved in implicit and explicit facial emotion processing: An fNIRS study. Biol Psychol 2023; 181:108619. [PMID: 37336356 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive research, the differential roles of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in implicit and explicit facial emotion processing remain elusive. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging technique that can measure changes in both oxyhemoglobin (HbO) and deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) concentrations. Currently, how HbO and HbR change during facial emotion processing remains unclear. Here, fNIRS was used to examine and compare PFC activation during implicit and explicit facial emotion processing. Forty young adults performed a facial-matching task that required either emotion discrimination (explicit task) or age discrimination (implicit task), and the activation of their PFCs was measured by fNIRS. Participants attempted the task on two occasions to determine whether their activation patterns were maintained over time. The PFC displayed increases in HbO and/or decreases in HbR during the implicit and explicit facial emotion tasks. Importantly, there were significantly greater changes in PFC HbO during the explicit task, whereas no significant difference in HbR changes between conditions was found. Between sessions, HbO changes were reduced across tasks, but the difference in HbO changes between the implicit and explicit tasks remained unchanged. The test-retest reliability of the behavioral measures was excellent, whereas that of fNIRS measures was mostly poor to fair. Thus, the PFC plays a specific role in recognizing facial expressions, and its differential involvement in implicit and explicit facial emotion processing can be consistently captured at the group level by changes in HbO. This study demonstrates the potential of fNIRS for elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying facial emotion recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Yeung
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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7
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Fietz J, Pöhlchen D, Brückl TM, Brem AK, Padberg F, Czisch M, Sämann PG, Spoormaker VI. Data-Driven Pupil Response Profiles as Transdiagnostic Readouts for the Detection of Neurocognitive Functioning in Affective and Anxiety Disorders. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023:S2451-9022(23)00149-0. [PMID: 37348604 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive functioning is a relevant transdiagnostic dimension in psychiatry. As pupil size dynamics track cognitive load during a working memory task, we aimed to explore if this parameter allows identification of psychophysiological subtypes in healthy participants and patients with affective and anxiety disorders. METHODS Our sample consisted of 226 participants who completed the n-back task during simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging and pupillometry measurements. We used latent class growth modeling to identify clusters based on pupil size in response to cognitive load. In a second step, these clusters were compared on affective and anxiety symptom levels, performance in neurocognitive tests, and functional magnetic resonance imaging activity. RESULTS The clustering analysis resulted in two distinct pupil response profiles: one with a stepwise increasing pupil size with increasing cognitive load (reactive group) and one with a constant pupil size across conditions (nonreactive group). A larger increase in pupil size was significantly associated with better performance in neurocognitive tests in executive functioning and sustained attention. Statistical maps of parametric modulation of pupil size during the n-back task showed the frontoparietal network in the positive contrast and the default mode network in the negative contrast. The pupil response profile of the reactive group was associated with more thalamic activity, likely reflecting better arousal upregulation and less deactivation of the limbic system. CONCLUSIONS Pupil measurements have the potential to serve as a highly sensitive psychophysiological readout for detection of neurocognitive deficits in the core domain of executive functioning, adding to the development of valid transdiagnostic constructs in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fietz
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Tanja M Brückl
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Padberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Victor I Spoormaker
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
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8
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Brunyé TT, Drew T, Kerr KF, Shucard H, Powell K, Weaver DL, Elmore JG. Zoom behavior during visual search modulates pupil diameter and reflects adaptive control states. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282616. [PMID: 36893083 PMCID: PMC9997932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptive gain theory proposes that the dynamic shifts between exploration and exploitation control states are modulated by the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system and reflected in tonic and phasic pupil diameter. This study tested predictions of this theory in the context of a societally important visual search task: the review and interpretation of digital whole slide images of breast biopsies by physicians (pathologists). As these medical images are searched, pathologists encounter difficult visual features and intermittently zoom in to examine features of interest. We propose that tonic and phasic pupil diameter changes during image review may correspond to perceived difficulty and dynamic shifts between exploration and exploitation control states. To examine this possibility, we monitored visual search behavior and tonic and phasic pupil diameter while pathologists (N = 89) interpreted 14 digital images of breast biopsy tissue (1,246 total images reviewed). After viewing the images, pathologists provided a diagnosis and rated the level of difficulty of the image. Analyses of tonic pupil diameter examined whether pupil dilation was associated with pathologists' difficulty ratings, diagnostic accuracy, and experience level. To examine phasic pupil diameter, we parsed continuous visual search data into discrete zoom-in and zoom-out events, including shifts from low to high magnification (e.g., 1× to 10×) and the reverse. Analyses examined whether zoom-in and zoom-out events were associated with phasic pupil diameter change. Results demonstrated that tonic pupil diameter was associated with image difficulty ratings and zoom level, and phasic pupil diameter showed constriction upon zoom-in events, and dilation immediately preceding a zoom-out event. Results are interpreted in the context of adaptive gain theory, information gain theory, and the monitoring and assessment of physicians' diagnostic interpretive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tad T. Brunyé
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States of America
| | - Trafton Drew
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Kathleen F. Kerr
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Hannah Shucard
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Kate Powell
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States of America
| | - Donald L. Weaver
- Department of Pathology, University of Vermont and Vermont Cancer Center, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Joann G. Elmore
- David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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He Y, Yang T, He C, Sun K, Guo Y, Wang X, Bai L, Xue T, Xu T, Guo Q, Liao Y, Liu X, Wu S. Effects of audiovisual interactions on working memory: Use of the combined N-back + Go/NoGo paradigm. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1080788. [PMID: 36874804 PMCID: PMC9982107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1080788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Approximately 94% of sensory information acquired by humans originates from the visual and auditory channels. Such information can be temporarily stored and processed in working memory, but this system has limited capacity. Working memory plays an important role in higher cognitive functions and is controlled by central executive function. Therefore, elucidating the influence of the central executive function on information processing in working memory, such as in audiovisual integration, is of great scientific and practical importance. Purpose This study used a paradigm that combined N-back and Go/NoGo tasks, using simple Arabic numerals as stimuli, to investigate the effects of cognitive load (modulated by varying the magnitude of N) and audiovisual integration on the central executive function of working memory as well as their interaction. Methods Sixty college students aged 17-21 years were enrolled and performed both unimodal and bimodal tasks to evaluate the central executive function of working memory. The order of the three cognitive tasks was pseudorandomized, and a Latin square design was used to account for order effects. Finally, working memory performance, i.e., reaction time and accuracy, was compared between unimodal and bimodal tasks with repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results As cognitive load increased, the presence of auditory stimuli interfered with visual working memory by a moderate to large extent; similarly, as cognitive load increased, the presence of visual stimuli interfered with auditory working memory by a moderate to large effect size. Conclusion Our study supports the theory of competing resources, i.e., that visual and auditory information interfere with each other and that the magnitude of this interference is primarily related to cognitive load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang He
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianqi Yang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chunyan He
- Department of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kewei Sun
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yaning Guo
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiuchao Wang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lifeng Bai
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Aviation University of Air Force, Changchun, China
| | - Ting Xue
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Aviation University of Air Force, Changchun, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Psychology Section, Secondary Sanatorium of Air Force Healthcare Center for Special Services, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingjun Guo
- Psychology Section, Secondary Sanatorium of Air Force Healthcare Center for Special Services, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liao
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xufeng Liu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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10
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Guo X, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Wu C. Programming ability prediction: Applying an attention-based convolutional neural network to functional near-infrared spectroscopy analyses of working memory. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1058609. [PMID: 36532289 PMCID: PMC9751487 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1058609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Although theoretical studies have suggested that working-memory capacity is crucial for academic achievement, few empirical studies have directly investigated the relationship between working-memory capacity and programming ability, and no direct neural evidence has been reported to support this relationship. The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. Using a between-subject design, 17 programming novices and 18 advanced students performed an n-back working-memory task. During the experiment, their prefrontal hemodynamic responses were measured using a 48-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device. The results indicated that the advanced students had a higher working-memory capacity than the novice students, validating the relationship between programming ability and working memory. The analysis results also showed that the hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex can be used to discriminate between novices and advanced students. Additionally, we utilized an attention-based convolutional neural network to analyze the spatial domains of the fNIRS signals and demonstrated that the left prefrontal cortex was more important than other brain regions for programming ability prediction. This result was consistent with the results of statistical analysis, which in turn improved the interpretability of neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Guo
- School of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuzhong Zhang
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Chennan Wu
- School of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China
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da Silva Soares R, Ambriola Oku AY, Barreto CSF, Ricardo Sato J. Applying functional near-infrared spectroscopy and eye-tracking in a naturalistic educational environment to investigate physiological aspects that underlie the cognitive effort of children during mental rotation tests. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:889806. [PMID: 36072886 PMCID: PMC9442578 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.889806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial cognition is related to academic achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains. Neuroimaging studies suggest that brain regions' activation might be related to the general cognitive effort while solving mental rotation tasks (MRT). In this study, we evaluate the mental effort of children performing MRT tasks by measuring brain activation and pupil dilation. We use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) concurrently to collect brain hemodynamic responses from children's prefrontal cortex (PFC) and an Eye-tracking system to measure pupil dilation during MRT. Thirty-two healthy students aged 9-11 participated in this experiment. Behavioral measurements such as task performance on geometry problem-solving tests and MRT scores were also collected. The results were significant positive correlations between the children's MRT and geometry problem-solving test scores. There are also significant positive correlations between dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) hemodynamic signals and visuospatial task performances (MRT and geometry problem-solving scores). Moreover, we found significant activation in the amplitude of deoxy-Hb variation on the dlPFC and that pupil diameter increased during the MRT, suggesting that both physiological responses are related to mental effort processes during the visuospatial task. Our findings indicate that children with more mental effort under the task performed better. The multimodal approach to monitoring students' mental effort can be of great interest in providing objective feedback on cognitive resource conditions and advancing our comprehension of the neural mechanisms that underlie cognitive effort. Hence, the ability to detect two distinct mental states of rest or activation of children during the MRT could eventually lead to an application for investigating the visuospatial skills of young students using naturalistic educational paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raimundo da Silva Soares
- Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Yumi Ambriola Oku
- Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Cândida S. F. Barreto
- South African National Research Foundation Research Chair, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - João Ricardo Sato
- Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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12
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He Y, Guo Z, Wang X, Sun K, Lin X, Wang X, Li F, Guo Y, Feng T, Zhang J, Li C, Tian W, Liu X, Wu S. Effects of Audiovisual Interactions on Working Memory Task Performance—Interference or Facilitation. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070886. [PMID: 35884692 PMCID: PMC9313432 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The combined n-back + Go/NoGo paradigm was used to investigate whether audiovisual interactions interfere with or facilitate WM. (2) Methods: College students were randomly assigned to perform the working memory task based on either a single (visual or auditory) or dual (audiovisual) stimulus. Reaction times, accuracy, and WM performance were compared across the two groups to investigate effects of audiovisual interactions. (3) Results: With low cognitive load (2-back), auditory stimuli had no effect on visual working memory, whereas visual stimuli had a small effect on auditory working memory. With high cognitive load (3-back), auditory stimuli interfered (large effect size) with visual WM, and visual stimuli interfered (medium effect size) with auditory WM. (4) Conclusions: Audiovisual effects on WM follow the resource competition theory, and the cognitive load of a visual stimulus is dominated by competition; vision always interferes with audition, and audition conditionally interferes with vision. With increased visual cognitive load, competitive effects of audiovisual interactions were more obvious than those with auditory stimuli. Compared with visual stimuli, audiovisual stimuli showed significant interference only when visual cognitive load was high. With low visual cognitive load, the two stimulus components neither facilitated nor interfered with the other in accordance with a speed–accuracy trade-off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang He
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Zhihua Guo
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xinlu Wang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Kewei Sun
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xinxin Lin
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xiuchao Wang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Fengzhan Li
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Yaning Guo
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Tingwei Feng
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Junpeng Zhang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Congchong Li
- School of Public Health, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Wenqing Tian
- School of Public Health, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Xufeng Liu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
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13
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Yeung MK. Frontal cortical activation during emotional and non-emotional verbal fluency tests. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8497. [PMID: 35589939 PMCID: PMC9120192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12559-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been growing recognition of the utility of combining the verbal fluency test and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess brain functioning and to screen for psychiatric disorders. Recently, an emotional analogue of the semantic fluency test (SFT) has been developed that taps partly different processes from conventional verbal fluency tests. Nevertheless, neural processing during the emotional SFT remains elusive. Here, fNIRS was used to compare frontal cortical activation during emotional and non-emotional SFTs. The goal was to determine whether the emotional SFT activated overlapping yet distinct frontal cortical regions compared with the conventional, non-emotional SFT. Forty-three healthy young adults performed the emotional and non-emotional SFTs while hemodynamic changes in the bilateral frontopolar, dorsomedial, dorsolateral, ventrolateral, and posterolateral frontal cortices were measured by fNIRS. There were significant increases in oxyhemoglobin concentration and significant decreases in deoxyhemoglobin concentration (i.e., activation) in frontopolar, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral frontal regions during both the non-emotional and emotional SFTs. Also, complementary analyses conducted on changes in the two chromophores using classical and Bayesian hypothesis testing suggested that comparable frontal cortical regions were activated while performing the two tests. This similarity in activation occurred in a context where non-emotional and emotional SFT performances exhibited differential relationships with the overall level of negative mood symptoms. In conclusion, frontal cortical activation during the emotional SFT is similar to that during the conventional, non-emotional SFT. Given that there is evidence for discriminant validity for the emotional SFT, the neural mechanisms underlying the uniqueness of this test warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Yeung
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. .,University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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14
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Chen C, Long R, Pu Z, Massar SAA. Limited evidence for enhanced working memory performance and effort allocation in the face of loss versus gain incentives: A preregistered (non) replication. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14083. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Chen
- Sleep and Cognition Laboratory, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Royston Long
- Sleep and Cognition Laboratory, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhenghao Pu
- Sleep and Cognition Laboratory, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Stijn A. A. Massar
- Sleep and Cognition Laboratory, Centre for Sleep and Cognition, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
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15
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Steinhauer SR, Bradley MM, Siegle GJ, Roecklein KA, Dix A. Publication guidelines and recommendations for pupillary measurement in psychophysiological studies. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14035. [PMID: 35318693 PMCID: PMC9272460 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A variety of psychological and physical phenomena elicit variations in the diameter of pupil of the eye. Changes in pupil size are mediated by the relative activation of the sphincter pupillae muscle (decrease pupil diameter) and the dilator pupillae muscle (increase pupil diameter), innervated by the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches, respectively, of the autonomic nervous system. The current guidelines are intended to inform and guide psychophysiological research involving pupil measurement by (1) summarizing important aspects concerning the physiology of the pupil, (2) providing methodological and data-analytic guidelines and recommendations, and (3) briefly reviewing psychological phenomena that modulate pupillary reactivity. Because of the increased ease and tractability of pupil measurement, the goal of these guidelines is to promote accurate recording, analysis, and reporting of pupillary data in psychophysiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart R Steinhauer
- Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, VISN 4 MIRECC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Greg J Siegle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Annika Dix
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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