创造性思维的脑机制

创造性思维是创造性的核心。近年来,脑电和脑成像技术的发展为研究创造性思维的神经基础提供了有力的技术支持,对创造性思维的脑机制研究取得了较大进展。创造性思维的脑机制研究主要包括顿悟的脑机制、发散性思维的脑机制、远距离联想的脑机制、言语创造性和图画创造性的对比的脑机制研究。研究结果显示创造性思维需要多个脑区的参与,因不同的认知任务其关键脑区而有所不同。对创造性思维的脑机制研究进行了总结,对这些研究可能存在创造性思维究竟应该定义为“领域一般的”还是“领域特殊的”的解释进行了讨论,并指出了研究中可能存在的基线任务设置问题和未来研究中需要在研究手段、研究设计、研究领域等方面加以改进的建议     

青老年组不同难度下心算活动的脑功能磁共振成像研究

应用功能磁共振成像技术研究不同心算难度下脑区的活动以及年龄的影响。14名志愿者（20～29岁青年和60～69岁老年被试各7名）参加了该实验。实验任务为2个难度水平的连续减法心算,分别为1000—3和1000—17。结果表明：（1）心算加工激活了额叶和顶叶的许多脑区;（2）大脑左半球是心算加工的优势半球,但随着心算难度加大,大脑一侧化程度下降,而年老加剧了这一趋势;（3）青年组进行简单心算（1000—3）时,额中回未见明显激活,而老年组进行简单心算时,该脑区被明显激活。总体上,额叶和顶叶在心算活动中起着重要作用,而任务难度和年龄对心算加工时脑活动的影响以额中回区最为明显。     

体育锻炼促进认知功能的脑机制

不同类型的体育锻炼对各种群体的多种认知功能均具有促进作用, 而相关的生理机制也在不同水平得到研究。在微观水平, 体育锻炼有利于脑细胞的营养供给和能量代谢, 并且能促进神经元的存活和突触生成。在宏观水平, 体育锻炼不仅能够提升海马和小脑等脑结构的体积, 还影响脑区激活水平和脑区间功能连接。值得注意的是, 体育锻炼对认知的促进效应受到诸多因素的影响, 比如个体差异、时间, 以及体育锻炼和认知刺激的相互作用等, 这些影响因素也为在两个水平上系统地阐明体育锻炼促进认知的脑机制提供了新的视角。     

适于自然情境脑成像研究的分析方法:被试间相关及其应用

被试间相关分析是一种基于大脑活动的时间模式的数据分析方法。该方法通过计算接收相同刺激时被试间脑区活动的一致性,探讨认知加工与脑区功能的关系。与传统的基于激活水平的数据分析方法相比,该方法不需要设置严格的实验条件,能更好地应用于自然情境下的脑成像研究。文章介绍了被试间相关分析的基本原理和方法,分析了该方法如何识别认知功能脑区及其可靠性,并结合其在自然情境脑成像以及特定研究领域的应用,阐明被试间相关在自然情境脑成像研究中的优势,以及该方法在多个研究领域的广泛应用扩展了认知神经科学研究的深度和广度。     

人类超常记忆的认知神经科学研究综述

借助脑成像技术,人类超常记忆研究揭示出:世界记忆大师与常人存在显著的脑功能差异,如海马等区域的激活;随着领域内训练增加,知识与经验逐渐取代一般能力来影响记忆活动,如在空间记忆任务上相关脑区激活量减少且集中;行为层面的记忆理论找到了相应的电生理基础,如国际象棋记忆的"组块"位于颞叶,音乐领域的"长时工作记忆"与脑区负波有关.同时,期待更多从生理层面上来揭示人类超常记忆能力实质的研究.     

情绪影响行为抑制的脑机制

行为抑制是一种重要的执行功能。考察情绪影响行为抑制的脑机制, 将有助于理解个体如何适应环境, 特别是如何在情绪情境中控制自己的行为。近年来, 研究者开始使用脑成像技术考察情绪影响行为抑制的脑机制。研究发现, 在情绪影响行为抑制的过程中不仅涉及前额叶抑制控制系统和边缘结构情绪加工系统, 而且涉及这两个系统的相互作用, 即情绪加工与行为抑制加工的整合。腹外侧前额皮层、背外侧前额皮层、前扣带回、杏仁核、脑岛等脑区在情绪加工与行为抑制加工的整合中起着重要的作用, 但情绪整合到行为抑制加工中的时间进程还不清楚。今后的研究应着眼于情绪影响行为抑制的时间进程、神经网络、个体差异的影响以及改进研究范式等方向。     

演绎推理是基于规则还是模型?——来自空间推理的证据

对空间推理的研究有助于探明其加工机制以及验证心理逻辑理论和心理模型理论。行为研究通过考察多种影响空间推理的因素(如心理模型数量、前提的对象顺序等)证实了心理模型理论的预测。脑成像的研究表明,空间推理活动主要激活枕-顶-额脑区网络,顶区可能是推理的特异性脑区。研究的结果同样支持心理模型理论。未来的研究应该整合演绎推理的不同理论,加强对不同演绎推理任务的研究,并将脑成像技术与EEG或ERP结合起来,进一步探明人类空间推理的机制。     

语义知识神经表征的fMRI研究：通道特异性或类别特异性？

在同一实验中同时考虑类别与通道二个因素,并采用典型的语义提取任务应用功能磁共振成像技术探讨了语义知识的神经基础,结果发现不同类型的语义知识的脑激活模式（含左梭形回的激活）无论在范围还是强度上存在很大的相似性;而且,在严格的统计阈值下,不存在通道或是类别特异性激活的脑区。结果提示语义知识的神经表征分布于整个大脑皮层;在提取物体语义知识时都会同时激活该物体的视觉表象。另外,研究观察到的语义提取过程中BA9区的激活进一步证实并扩展了关于“汉语和表音文字在皮层组织上存在重要差异的观点”。     

计算的脑机制研究进展

采用计算任务来探讨脑机制已成为国外研究大脑活动的重要领域。该文阐述了神经心理学和脑成像领域有关计算的脑机制研究。神经心理学及脑损伤的研究结果表明,大脑两侧顶下小叶和左前额叶与计算加工有关。ERP、PET和fMRI脑成像研究结果显示,数字命名与比较、心算、精算和估算等不同计算任务,其所激活的脑部位有所差异,但是大脑两侧顶下小叶和左前额叶可能是计算加工的主要脑部位。由于研究材料、方法和程序的不同,大脑皮层的广泛区域都有可能参与计算加工。     

抑制控制与高级认知功能的关系

近年来抑制控制与高级认知功能关系的研究受到了越来越多的重视。大量实证研究表明, 抑制控制是解释工作记忆、阅读理解、液态智力等高级认知功能个体差异的一个重要机制。脑成像研究表明, 抑制控制与工作记忆和液态智力等高级认知功能都激活了前额叶和顶叶等共同脑区。同时, 认知发展和认知老化, 以及认知干预领域的研究都一致表明, 抑制控制与高级认知功能关系密切。未来研究应注意抑制控制的定义和测量问题, 以及脑机制和训练干预等方面的问题。     

Gray matter correlates of fluid,crystallized, and spatial intelligence: Testing the P-FIT model

The parieto-frontal integration theory (P-FIT) nominates several areas distributed throughout the brain as relevant for intelligence. This theory was derived from previously published studies using a variety of both imaging methods and tests of cognitive ability. Here we test this theory in a new sample of young healthy adults (N = 100) using a psychometric battery tapping fluid, crystallized, and spatial intelligence factors. High resolution structural MRI scans (3T) were obtained and analyzed with Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM). The main findings are consistent with the P-FIT, supporting the view that general intelligence (g) involves multiple cortical areas throughout the brain. Key regions include the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, Broca's and Wernicke's areas, the somato-sensory association cortex, and the visual association cortex. Further, estimates of crystallized and spatial intelligence with g statistically removed, still share several brain areas with general intelligence, but also show some degree of uniqueness.     

The functional anatomy of inspection time: a pilot fMRI study

Seven healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain while performing an inspection time task. Employing a block-type design, the task had three difficulty levels: a control condition, an easy (200 ms stimulus duration), and a more difficult (40 ms) discrimination. Based on group results, there were widespread significant areas of difference in brain activation and deactivation when pairwise comparisons were conducted among the three task conditions. When the difficult condition was compared with the easy condition, there was relative activation in areas of the following brain regions: cingulate gyrus and some frontal and parietal lobe areas. Areas within the following regions showed relative deactivation (greater blood oxygenation level-dependent, BOLD, signal in the easy condition): frontal, temporal, and parietal lobe. There were overlaps between these areas and those found to be active while performing higher cognitive tasks in other functional brain imaging studies. These pilot data encourage future studies of the functional anatomy of inspection time and its relevance to psychometric intelligence.     

The Neural Architecture of General Knowledge

Cognitive performance varies widely between individuals and is highly influenced by structural and functional properties of the brain. In the past, neuroscientific research was principally concerned with fluid intelligence, while neglecting its equally important counterpart crystallized intelligence. Crystallized intelligence is defined as the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills that are valued by one's culture. The accumulation of crystallized intelligence is guided by information storage capacities and is likely to be reflected in an individual's level of general knowledge. In spite of the significant role general knowledge plays for everyday life, its neural foundation largely remains unknown. In a large sample of 324 healthy individuals, we used standard magnetic resonance imaging along with functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to examine different estimates of brain volume and brain network connectivity and assessed their predictive power with regard to both general knowledge and fluid intelligence. Our results demonstrate that an individual's level of general knowledge is associated with structural brain network connectivity beyond any confounding effects exerted by age or sex. Moreover, we found fluid intelligence to be best predicted by cortex volume in male subjects and functional network connectivity in female subjects. Combined, these findings potentially indicate different neural architectures for information storage and information processing. © 2019 European Association of Personality Psychology     

Effects of divided attention in the word-fragment completion task with unique and multiple solutions

A study with 114 young adults investigated the correlations of intelligence factors and working-memory capacity with reaction time (RT) tasks. Within two sets of four-choice RT tasks, stimulus–response compatibility was varied over three levels: compatible, incompatible, and arbitrary mappings. Two satisfactory measurement models for the RTs could be established: A general factor model without constraints on the loadings and a nested model with two correlated factors, distinguishing compatible from arbitrary mappings, with constraints on the loadings. Structural models additionally including factors for working memory and intelligence showed that the nested model with correlated factors is superior in fit. Working-memory capacity and fluid intelligence were correlated strongly with the nested factor for the RT tasks with arbitrary mappings, and less with the general RT factor. The results support the hypothesis that working memory is needed to maintain arbitrary bindings between stimulus representations and response representations, and this could explain the correlation of working-memory capacity with speed in choice RT tasks.     

工作记忆训练对认知功能和大脑神经系统的影响

工作记忆训练成为近年来提升个体认知绩效的一种有效方式。工作记忆训练主要是指采用工作记忆广度任务、刷新任务以及各种复杂工作记忆任务在计算机上以循序渐进的方式进行训练。近年来的研究发现, 工作记忆训练能提升工作记忆、流体智力、抑制、注意、阅读和数学等认知功能。神经机制的研究发现：工作记忆训练引起大脑额-顶区域激活减弱, 而皮层下结构包括纹状体和尾状核区域的激活增强; 工作记忆训练减少了大脑灰质的数量, 增强了大脑白质的功能连通性; 工作记忆训练引起尾状核上多巴胺受体的变化。未来的研究需要在研究设计、被试人群、研究手段上进一步确认和扩展工作记忆训练的有效性和内在认知神经机制。     

Relationships between factors of intelligence and brain volume

The recent explosion of studies aimed at determining the biological basis of intelligence has revealed that cognitive ability has a strong biological substrate. This study expands on this literature by examining the relation between cognitive ability and MRI-measured brain volume and head size in a sample of adult male siblings recruited from the London, Ontario community in Canada. It was found that brain volume correlated with IQ at 0.35 (P<0.01), thus replicating the results of past studies. Corrections for restriction of range and attenuation in both this and past studies suggest that the population value of the brain volume-IQ correlation is closer to 0.50. Head size variables, with one exception, also showed the expected positive correlations with IQ. The results of a vector analysis on factor scores indicated that the more highly g-loaded a test was the more highly it correlated with brain volume (r=0.59, P<0.01). The sum of the data suggested that although brain volume (and to a lesser extent, head size) is predictive of g, fluid ability, and memory, it does not predict crystallized ability. Unexpectedly, the higher the spatial imaging loading of a test, the less its correlation with brain volume (vector correlation=−0.84, P<0.001).     

Dual language use in sign-speech bimodal bilinguals: fNIRS brain-imaging evidence

The brain basis of bilinguals’ ability to use two languages at the same time has been a hotly debated topic. On the one hand, behavioral research has suggested that bilingual dual language use involves complex and highly principled linguistic processes. On the other hand, brain-imaging research has revealed that bilingual language switching involves neural activations in brain areas dedicated to general executive functions not specific to language processing, such as general task maintenance. Here we address the involvement of language-specific versus cognitive-general brain mechanisms for bilingual language processing. We study a unique population, bimodal bilinguals proficient in signed and spoken languages, and we use an innovative brain-imaging technology, functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS; Hitachi ETG-4000). Like fMRI, the fNIRS technology measures hemodynamic change, but it is also advanced in permitting movement for unconstrained speech and sign production. Participant groups included (i) hearing ASL–English bilinguals, (ii) ASL monolinguals, and (iii) English monolinguals. Imaging tasks included picture naming in “Monolingual mode” (using one language at a time) and in “Bilingual mode” (using both languages either simultaneously or in rapid alternation). Behavioral results revealed that accuracy was similar among groups and conditions. By contrast, neuroimaging results revealed that bilinguals in Bilingual mode showed greater signal intensity within posterior temporal regions (“Wernicke’s area”) than in Monolingual mode. Significance: Bilinguals’ ability to use two languages effortlessly and without confusion involves the use of language-specific posterior temporal brain regions. This research with both fNIRS and bimodal bilinguals sheds new light on the extent and variability of brain tissue that underlies language processing, and addresses the tantalizing questions of how language modality, sign and speech, impact language representation in the 7brain.     

Placing inspection time, reaction time, and perceptual speed in the broader context of cognitive ability: The VPR model in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

The idea that information processing speed is related to cognitive ability has a long history. Much evidence has been amassed in its support, with respect to both individual differences in general intelligence and developmental trajectories. Two so-called elementary cognitive tasks, reaction time and inspection time, have been used to compile this evidence, but most studies have used either one or the other. Relations between speed and fluid intelligence have tended to be stronger than those between speed and crystallized intelligence, but studies testing this have confounded verbal abilities with crystallized intelligence and spatial/perceptual abilities with fluid intelligence. Questions have also been raised regarding whether speed contributes directly to general intelligence or to more specific cognitive abilities to which general intelligence also contributes. We used 18 ability and speed measures in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936, assessed at approximately age 70, to construct alternative versions of the Verbal-Perceptual-Image Rotation (Johnson & Bouchard, 2005a) model of cognitive ability to test different hypotheses regarding these issues. Though differences in the extents to which our models fit the data were relatively small, they suggested that reaction and inspection time tasks were comparable indicators of information processing speed with respect to general intelligence, that verbal and spatial abilities were similarly related to information processing speed, and that spatial, verbal, and perceptual speed abilities were more directly related to information processing speed than was general intelligence. We discuss the theoretical implications of these results.     

Why is working memory related to fluid intelligence?

Nearly 1,000 adults performed a battery of cognitive tests and working memory tasks requiring simultaneous storage and processing of information. Because the amount of to-be-remembered information, or set size, varied randomly across trials, the relation between fluid intelligence and working memory could be examined across different levels of complexity and across successive trials in the working memory tasks. Strong influences of fluid intelligence were apparent in the simplest versions and on the initial trials in the working memory tasks, which suggests that the relation between working memory and fluid intelligence is not dependent on the amount of information that must be maintained, or on processes that occur over the course of performing the tasks.