Mental rotation of letters, pictures, and three-dimensional objects in German dyslexic children.

This study examines mental rotation ability in children with developmental dyslexia. Prior investigations have yielded equivocal results that might be due to differences in stimulus material and testing formats employed. Whereas some investigators found dyslexic readers to be impaired in mental rotation, others did not report any performance differences or even superior spatial performance for dyslexia. Here, we report a comparison of mental rotation for letters, three-dimensional figures sensu Shepard and Metzler, and colored pictures of animals or humans in second-grade German dyslexic readers. Findings indicate that dyslexic readers are impaired in mental rotation for all three kinds of stimuli. Effects of general intelligence were controlled. Furthermore, dyslexic children were deficient in other spatial abilities like identifying letters or forms among distracters. These results are discussed with respect to the hypotheses of a developmental dysfunction of the parietal cortex or a subtle anomaly in cerebellar function in dyslexic readers.     

Poor performance on cognitive tasks in depression: Doing too much or not enough?

Depressed people perform poorly on cognitive tasks. It is unclear whether these deficits are due to decreased devotion of task-related resources or to increased attention to non-task-related information. In the present study, we examined the degree to which depressed and healthy adults displayed pupillary motility that varied at the frequency of presented stimuli on a cognitive task, which we interpreted as task-related processing, and at other frequencies, which we interpreted as reflecting intrinsic processing. Depressed participants made more consecutive errors than did controls. More pupillary motility at other frequencies was associated with poorer performance, whereas more pupillary motility at the frequency of presented stimuli was associated with better performance. Depressed participants had more pupillary motility at other frequencies, which partially mediated observed deficits in cognitive performance. These findings support the hypothesis that allocating cognitive resources to intrinsic processing contributes to observed cognitive deficits in depression.     

A mouse with a roof? effects of phonological neighbors on processing of words in sentences in a non-native language

The architecture of the language processing system for speakers of more than one language remains an intriguing topic of research. A common finding is that speakers of multiple languages are slower at responding to language stimuli in their non-native language (L2) than monolingual speakers. This may simply reflect participants' unfamiliarity with words in the L2, however it may also be the reflection of interference from competing lexical alternatives both across and within the participants' multiple languages. In the current studies (one behavioral, one electrophysiological) we investigate how interference from phonologically similar words within the L2 alone may account for problems in auditory language comprehension in non-native speakers. To this end a cross modal lexical priming (CMLP) paradigm was implemented, which allowed us to look for effects of spoken word primes embedded in sentences on the recognition of target stimuli. Specifically, we investigated whether a word such as mouse, which has a close phonological neighbor, house, would show a modulating effect on recognition of a word semantically related to house but not to mouse (i.e., roof). We hypothesized that L2 speakers, less efficient at categorizing phonemes in their L2 would show a difference in the processing of roof preceded by mouse as compared to roof preceded by another unrelated word, such as lamp, due to a residual co-activation of the phonological neighbor mouse. Furthermore, L1 speakers, highly proficient at recognizing phonemes in their native tongue, should show no such effect. The results of both studies clearly support our hypothesis, indicating that phonological neighbors in the L2 may greatly interfere with L2 word recognition.     

The reading ability of good and poor temporal processors among a group of college students

In this study, we examined whether good auditory and good visual temporal processors were better than their poor counterparts on certain reading measures. Various visual and auditory temporal tasks were administered to 105 undergraduates. They read some phonologically regular pseudowords and irregular words that were presented sequentially in the same ("word" condition) and in different ("line" condition) locations. Results indicated that auditory temporal acuity was more relevant to reading, whereas visual temporal acuity was more relevant to spelling. Good auditory temporal processors did not have the advantage in processing pseudowords, even though pseudoword reading correlated significantly with auditory temporal processing. These results suggested that some higher cognitive or phonological processes mediated the relationship between auditory temporal processing and pseudoword reading. Good visual temporal processors did not have the advantage in processing irregular words. They also did not process the line condition more accurately than the word condition. The discrepancy might be attributed to the use of normal adults and the unnatural reading situation that did not fully capture the function of the visual temporal processes. The distributions of auditory and visual temporal processing abilities were co-occurring to some degree, but they maintained considerable independence. There was also a lack of a relationship between the type and severity of reading deficits and the type and number of temporal deficits.     

Conscious and Preconscious Uses of Memory in Patients with Depressive and Somatoform Disorders

This study investigated whether conscious and preconscious memory features contribute to discrimination between depressive and somatoform disorders. Thirty-one participants fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for a somatoform disorder and 28 participants fulfilling the criteria for depression were examined within the framework of the process–dissociation paradigm using neutral, health-threatening, and general threatening words in a lexical decision task. Parameters of conscious memory, preconscious memory, and chance were used to compare memory features of both the groups. There was an inverse relationship between conscious and preconscious memory effects for health-threatening stimuli in the group of patients with somatoform disorders but not in the group of depressive patients. Patients with somatoform disorders showed a significantly lower level of conscious memory for health-threatening stimuli than depressive participants. Compared to depressive patients, a more dynamic relationship between decreased conscious and increased preconscious memory for health-related stimuli seems to be characteristic for patients with somatoform disorders.     

The contribution of rapid visual and auditory processing to the reading of irregular words and pseudowords presented singly and in contiguity

This study examined the relative involvement of rapid auditory and visual temporal resolution mechanisms in the reading of phonologically regular pseudowords and English irregular words presented both in isolation and in contiguity as a series of six words. Seventy-nine undergraduates participated in a range of reading, visual temporal, and auditory temporal tasks. The correlation analyses suggested a general timing mechanism across modalities. There were more significant correlations between the visual temporal measures and irregular word reading and between the auditory measures and pseudoword reading. Auditory gap detection predicted pseudoword reading accuracies. The low temporal frequency flicker contrast sensitivity measure predicted the accuracies of isolated irregular words and pseudowords presented in contiguity. However, when a combined speed-accuracy score was used, visible persistence at both low and high spatial frequencies and auditory gap detection were active in the reading of pseudowords presented in contiguity. Sensory processing skills in both visual and auditory modalities accounted for some of the variance in the reading performance of normal undergraduates, not just reading-impaired students.     

Go no-go performance under psychosocial stress: beneficial effects of implementation intentions

Acute stress has been found to have negative and implementation intentions (IIs) to have positive effects on cognitive performance. This study was the first to examine the effects of IIs on executive action control under acute psychosocial stress. Forty-two male subjects aged 21-39 years were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) versus a rest condition. In addition, the instruction to the executive task (a go no-go task) was manipulated (IIs versus standard instruction). After the stress test, a dual-task procedure including a go no-go task was conducted. The TSST resulted in increases in cortisol response, heart rate and state anxiety compared to the rest condition. Acute stress significantly impaired go no-go performance, but only in the group without IIs. We conclude that under acute stress conditions executive functioning is reduced, but the use of IIs can be an effective strategy to overcome this negative effect.     

„ Den Alkoholiker“ gibt es nicht

Zusammenfassung:  Im Gegensatz zur lange vorherrschenden Konzentration auf die Behandlung des Entzugs und der Abh?ngigkeit, haben sich durch neuere Befunde Tendenzen entwickelt, die Therapie Alkoholabh?ngiger wieder st?rker auf die tats?chlichen individuellen Hintergründe auszurichten. Besonders hilfreich für eine verbesserte therapeutische Transparenz erwiesen sich die aktuellen Erkenntnisse neuro-biologischer Befunde. Damit erkl?ren sich viele bisher r?tselhafte Hintergründe einer Abh?ngigkeitsbildung und suchtbedingte Stereotype, speziell „Craving“ (massives Alkoholverlangen) und die krisenhaften Turbulenzen und Rückfallstendenzen auch nach l?ngerer Abstinenz. Die süchtige Umprogrammierung des mesolimbischen Belohnungssystems macht auch die rasche Reaktivierung des Abh?ngigkeits-prozesses bei neuerlichem Alkoholkonsum besser verst?ndlich. Da allerdings zu akzeptieren ist, dass die neurobiologischen Ver?nderungen keinesfalls die Ursache, sondern erst die Konsequenz einer süchtigen Umprogrammierung darstellen, muss sich die therapeutische Aufmerksamkeit wieder vermehrt auf die individuellen Hintergründe einer Suchtentwicklung fokussieren: Spezielles Interesse gilt hier schon seit l?ngerem den pathologischen Mustern der überanpassung und Selbstentwertung, die sich als Folge einer Dekompensation des Selbstwertregulationssystems entwickeln. Zahlreiche Befunde weisen darauf hin, dass gerade der Versuch, Selbstwertprobleme, permanente Verunsicherung und soziale ?ngste mit Alkohol zu „behandeln“, ein deutlich erh?htes Abh?ngigkeitsrisiko bewirkt. Daraus ergibt sich die Aufgabe einer zus?tzlichen therapeutischen Ver?nderung derartiger Hintergrundfaktoren, da andernfalls eine Alkoholrückf?lligkeit auf dem Boden dieser Muster programmiert w?re. Die somit gegebene Vielfalt individueller Entwicklungsfaktoren und Verlaufsbilder best?tigt auch eindrucksvoll die inzwischen weitgehend akzeptierte Not-wendigkeit einer syndrombezogenen und verlaufsorientierten Individualisierung der Langzeittherapie und damit eine Abkehr von kategorial orientierten, kollektiven Behandlungskonzepten.

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Summary:  In contrast to the long prevailing concentration towards the treatment of withdrawal symptoms and addiction, latest experiences and medical findings support tendencies towards individually designed treatment concepts, taking into consideration individual root causes. Recent consolidated findings in neurobiology have proved valuable for an improved therapeutic understanding since puzzling processes in the development of addiction, as well as the context and dynamic of addictive stereotypes, the phenomenon of craving and critical turbulences can now be explained. Furthermore, it is now better understood, why the mesolimbic gratification system reprogrammed with addictive features can provoke relapse and the recurrance of addictive behaviour immediately after reuptake of alcohol consumption. Since those neurobiological findings mentioned above have to be considered a consequence of addictive processes, the instances leading to the primary onset of addictive behaviour have to be brought into the therapeutical focus. Here, special emphasis has been placed on pathological behavioural patterns such as over-conformity and self-devaluation which might develop after decompensation of the self-concept regulation system. On-site findings in diverse fields of addiction research point towards an increased risk of self medication efforts as compensation efforts of self-worth problems, personal instability or social anxiety. As a result, any therapeutic intervention would intend to alter such background factors since they might be seen as elevated risk potential for relapse. The highly visible diversity of possible alternatives regarding developmental factors and aetiopathology impressively supports the widely accepted necessity for individually designed syndrome, as well as process-oriented, treatment concepts, thus abandoning categorically oriented universal approaches.

     

Orangutan leaf-carrying for nest-building: Toward unraveling cultural processes

We report an empirical study on leaf-carrying, a newly discovered nest-building technique that involves collecting nest materials before reaching the nest site. We assessed whether leaf-carrying by rehabilitant orangutans on Kaja Island, Central Kalimantan, owes to cultural influences. Findings derive from ca 600 h observational data on nesting skills and nesting associations in Kaja’s 42 resident rehabilitants, which yielded 355 nests and 125 leaf-carrying cases by 34 rehabilitants. Regional contrasts with 14 other communities (7 rehabilitant, 7 wild) indicated cultural influences on leaf-carrying on Kaja. Association data showed exceptional social learning opportunities for leaf-carrying on Kaja, with residents taking differential advantage of these opportunities as a function of development, experience, and social position. Juvenile males with basic nesting skills were most influenced by social input. Most (27) leaf-carriers had probably learned leaf-carrying when caged and 7 probably learned it on Kaja. Social priming was probably the main impetus to leaf-carrying on Kaja, by simply prompting observers to copy when leaf-carrying associates collected nesting materials, what they collected, and where they used their collected materials. Implications concern acquisition processes and ontogenetic schedules that orchestrate sets of features—needs or interests, cognitive abilities, social preferences—which enable cultural transmission.