Effect of endogenous attention on detection of weak gustatory and olfactory flavors

The effect of endogenous attention on the detectability of weak flavorants was examined in an absolute detection (two-alternative forced-choice) task. Attention to sucrose improved the detectability of sucrose, a gustation-based flavorant, both when the alternative was water and when it was vanillin. But attention to vanillin did not improve the detectability of vanillin, an olfaction-based flavorant, either when the alternative was water or when it was sucrose. Nor did attention improve the detectability of vanillin when the alternative was citric acid, a tastant that is qualitatively less similar to vanillin than is sucrose. Attention had no positive effect on the detection of either sucrose or vanillin when it was mixed with the other substance. These findings suggest that although it is possible to attend selectively to gustatory flavors, it may be more difficult to attend selectively to olfactory flavors--perhaps because attention to flavors, which are taken in the mouth, is directed spatially toward the tongue, where gustatory, but not olfactory, receptors are located.     

The Temporal Automated System for Taste Experiments (TASTE).

We describe a new, open flow device for presenting taste stimuli to human subjects under controlled conditions of timing. The device delivers each stimulus as a mist to the participant's tongue through one of 16 nozzles attached to a linear slide. Software controls the position of the slide, the duration of the stimulus, and the duration of the pre- and poststimulus water rinses and records the responses of the participant. Temporal characteristics of this system make it especially applicable to studies on the role of attention in taste perception.     

Numerical distance effect in developmental dyscalculia

Children in third and fourth grades suffering from developmental dyscalculia (DD) and typically developing children were asked to compare numbers to a standard. In two separate blocks, they were asked to compare a number between 1 and 9 to 5, or a two-digit number between 10 and 99 to 55. In the single-digit comparisons, DD children were comparable to the control group in reaction time but showed a difference in error rates. In the two-digit number comparisons, DD children presented a larger distance effect than the controls. In addition, they were more influenced by the problem size than controls were. Assuming an analog representation of quantities, this suggests that quantities are less differentiated in those with DD than in typically developing children.     

The role of inhibition and speed of processing in mathematics

The current study highlights the importance of inhibitory ability in facilitating performance in mathematics. To understand the role of inhibition in mathematical knowledge, this study tested 102 college students on a series of standardized complex math exercises. Inhibition tasks varied by task and stimuli (letters, numbers, and arrows). The result showed stronger associations between math abilities and strength of inhibition with more inhibition found for the flanker task (involving inhibition of peripheral stimuli) than for the Navon task (requiring inhibition of a potential response). The results supported the view that Inhibition in general (which is not unique to numerical stimuli) is associated with math abilities. General, rather than specific inhibition was associated with math abilities and finally, speed of processing masked the relationship between math and inhibition. These results confirm the assumption that the relation between inhibition and math performance is modulated by the task that measures the inhibition, and by additional predictors such as processing speed.     

How are counselling and therapeutic services experienced by orthodox Jewish primary schools in North-West London? What are the cultural sensitivities,attitudes and beliefs of senior staff members in these schools?

This study investigates how Jewish senior staff at orthodox Jewish primary schools in North-West London experience therapeutic services such as counselling for their students and community. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with seven female orthodox Jewish participants was employed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results highlighted six broad themes covering the school’s view of counselling and other therapeutic services. Uptake of counselling was often low. Negative parental attitudes, stigma, fear of local authorities and lack of culturally appropriate signposting were some of the factors determining whether counselling services were accessed or not, and why. The importance of the therapist’s own religion and the language used to describe therapy was also significant. Further research into increasing awareness of mental health needs for orthodox Jewish schools and to increase uptake of therapeutic services should be undertaken and has implications cross culturally.     

Genetic Counseling and Testing for FSHD (Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy) in the Israeli Population

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), is a dominantly inherited, late onset, progressive disease. At present, no treatment or prevention of symptoms are available. There is considerable clinical variability, even within families. The gene whose defect causes FSHD has not been identified, but molecular diagnosis can be made by analyzing D4Z4 repeat length on chromosome 4q35. The results can support or rule out the clinical diagnosis of FSHD, but there are also "gray zone", non-conclusive results. During the years 2000-6, 66 individuals (including 7 asymptomatic individuals), were tested in our institute for D4Z4 repeat number. In 77% of the cases the results were conclusive: two thirds of them supported a diagnosis of FSHD while in a third this diagnosis was ruled out. In 23% the results were in the gray zone. Cognitive involvement was rare, occurring only when the D4Z4 repeat size was very small (<15 kb). Maximal utilization of the existing molecular test for FSHD demands detailed clinical and family pedigree information. We recommend that comprehensive genetic counseling always be given before and after molecular testing for FSHD, in addition to the neurological follow-up. Presymptomatic testing should only be offered when complete molecular evaluation can be offered, including 4qA and 4qB variant analysis.     

The demise of short-term memory revisited: empirical and computational investigations of recency effects

In the single-store model of memory, the enhanced recall for the last items in a free-recall task (i.e., the recency effect) is understood to reflect a general property of memory rather than a separate short-term store. This interpretation is supported by the finding of a long-term recency effect under conditions that eliminate the contribution from the short-term store. In this article, evidence is reviewed showing that recency effects in the short and long terms have different properties, and it is suggested that 2 memory components are needed to account for the recency effects: an episodic contextual system with changing context and an activation-based short-term memory buffer that drives the encoding of item-context associations. A neurocomputational model based on these 2 components is shown to account for previously observed dissociations and to make novel predictions, which are confirmed in a set of experiments.