13-18岁青少年表象能力的发展和脑电α波的关系

本研究以188名1318岁青少年为研究对象,采用脑电波超慢涨落分析技术(简称ET),对其12导联脑电波(EEG)进行了记录和分析,并对其表象能力进行了考察。重点探讨了表象能力的发展与脑α波特点之间的关系。结果表明:(1)13～18岁青少年随年龄增长,对表象任务正确反应需要的时间逐渐下降,其反应时变化的转折时期为16岁;(2)男女生之间差异不显著;(3)在句图匹配和心理旋转作业中好组10Hzα波的比率均高于差组,其它频率差异不显著,说明表象能力好组与占主频的α波相联系。     

Varieties of relaxation methods and their unique effects

This paper reviews literature on specific effects of various relaxation methods, and of differences between varieties of two widely-used (and widely modified) methods: progressive relaxation and autogenic training. There is considerable evidence for modality-specific effects. Muscularly-oriented methods have the greatest effects on the musculoskeletal system, autonomically-oriented methods on the autonomic nervous system, etc. Modified methods of Jacobson's progressive relaxation technique have a greater cognitive and less muscular focus than Jacobson's original method, and Norris and Fahrion's autogenic feedback training de-emphasizes hypnotic components of autogenic training compared with Schultz and Luthe's original method. Hypotheses are presented regarding differential effects of these modifications on clinical outcome, on their appeal and usefulness to individuals with various personality profiles, and on possible negative side effects.     

Changes in the prevalence of alpha activity associated with the repetition,performance and magnitude of arithmetical calculations

Summary Changes in prevalence of alpha activity (defined as from 8 to 13 c.p.s.) immediately before and during the solution of twenty arithmetical tasks (multiplications and additions in Hard and Easy categories) by 61 normal subjects, with closed eyes, have been measured above a preset threshold voltage over noise level by a percent time alpha computer. An average prevalence of alpha activity of 64.75% before calculation reduced to an average prevalence of 49.01% during calculations. The prevalence of alpha activity during calculation was significantly increased by repetition of similar arithmetical tasks whereas the prevalence of alpha activity before calculation declined from the beginning to the end of the experiment, thus showing an opposite trend. Prevalence of alpha activity was not related to duration of calculations, but, in contrast, low prevalences of alpha activity during calculation were significantly associated with more numerous errors, particularly in additions. It was found that as the information content of a task increased so the prevalence of alpha activity during its solution declined, especially in additions and Easy multiplications. Calculation times and errors were strongly correlated with information content. These results are evaluated in terms of their possible behavioural significance and of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying attenuation of alpha activity, although the precise theoretical context in which they should be viewed; whether they should be related to habituation, learning, fatigue or solely calculation, may require further clarification.

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Zusammenfassung Veränderungen in der Dominanz (Prävalenz) der Alpha-Aktivität (als 8–13 c.p.s. definiert) wurden kurz vor und während der Lösung von 20 arithmetischen Aufgaben (Multiplikation und Addition in Leichten und Schweren Serien) bei 61 normalen Personen, welche die Augen geschlossen hielten, studiert. Die Messung wurde bei einer festgesetzten (preset) Schwellenspannung über dem Geräuschniveau mit einem Alpha-Zeit-Computer ausgeführt. Dabei ergab sich eine Reduzierung der Alpha-Aktivität von 64,75% vor dem Rechnen auf 49,01% während des Rechnens. Die Alpha-Dominanz während des Rechnens wurde statistisch durch Wiederholung von ähnlichen Aufgaben erhöht; im Gegensatz dazu ging die Alpha-Dominanz vor dem Rechnen progressiv vom Anfang bis zum Ende des Experiments zurück.Die Alpha-Dominanz hatte keine Beziehung zur Dauer des Rechnens; andererseits waren niedrige Frequenzen von Alpha-Aktivität während des Rechnens mit Häufigkeit von Fehlern, vor allem beim Addieren, verbunden. Wenn sich der Informations-inhalt einer Aufgabe erhöhte, so verminderte sich die Alpha-Dominanz während ihrer Lösung, vor allem beim Addieren und bei leichten Multiplikationen. Sowohl Rechen-Zeit wie Fehler waren stark mit dem Informations-inhalt korreliert.Diese Ergebnisse werden hinsichtlich ihrer möglichen Beziehungen zum psychischen Verhaltens-Zustand (Behaviour) und zu den mit Abschwächung der Alpha-Aktivität verbundenen neuro-physiologischen Prozessen analysiert. Eine Klärung des präzisen theoretischen Zusammenhanges, in dem die Resultate gesehen werden sollten, sowie ihre Beziehungen zu Gewöhnung, Lernen, Ermüdung oder zum Rechnen allein, erfordert weiteres Studium.

     

Summarization of videos by analyzing affective state of the user through crowdsource

Video summarization is one of the key techniques to access and manage a huge chunk of videos. Video summarization is used to extract the effective contents of a video sequence to generate a concise representation of its content. The involvement of crowdsourcing models in recent years is effectively used by researchers in E-commerce domain to increase the quality of the data contents. In this paper, we present a video summarization framework based on users emotion while they watch videos by analyzing cerebral activities through Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Three emotions, namely happy, sad and neutral have been extracted from the EEG signals. Video frames have been synchronized with EEG signals and tagged with various emotions. Finally, a crowdsourcing model has been used for effective summarization of the videos. The qualitative assessment of video summarization has been conducted with the help of user ratings using online Google Forms application. EEG signals of 28 users have been recorded while video streams of different emotions. An average accuracy of 83.93% has been recorded in emotion classification using crowdsourcing. Output summarized videos include dynamic video skims and the corresponding audio stream for better understanding.     

Measuring concept semantic relatedness through common spatial pattern feature extraction on EEG signals

We study the semantic relationship between pairs of nouns of concrete objects such as “HORSE - SHEEP” and “SWING - MELON” and how this relationship activity is reflected in EEG signals. We collected 18 sets of EEG records; each set containing 150 events of stimulation. In this work we focus on feature extraction algorithms. Particularly, we highlight Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) as a method of feature extraction. Based on these latter, different classifiers were trained in order to associate a set of signals to a previously learned human answer, pertaining to two classes: semantically related, or not semantically related. The results of classification accuracy were evaluated comparing with other four methods of feature extraction, and using classification algorithms from five different families. In all cases, classification accuracy was benefited from using CSP instead of FDTW, LPC, PCA or ICA for feature extraction. Particularly with the combination CSP-Naïve Bayes we obtained the best average precision of 84.63%.     

Timing of human cortical functions during cognition: role of MEG

Understanding of sensory and cognitive brain processes requires information about activation timing within and between different brain sites. Such data can be obtained by magnetoencephalography (MEG) that tracks cortical activation sequences with a millisecond temporal accuracy. MEG is gaining a well-established role in human neuroscience, complementing with its excellent temporal resolution the spatially more focused brain imaging methods. As examples of MEG's role in cognitive neuroscience, we discuss time windows related to cortical processing of sensory and multisensory stimuli, effects of the subject's own voice on the activity of their auditory cortex, timing of brain activation in reading, and cortical dynamics of the human mirror-neuron system activated when the subject views another person's movements.     

Timing in cognition and EEG brain dynamics: discreteness versus continuity

This article provides an overview of recent developments in solving the timing problem (discreteness vs. continuity) in cognitive neuroscience. Both theoretical and empirical studies have been considered, with an emphasis on the framework of operational architectonics (OA) of brain functioning (Fingelkurts and Fingelkurts in Brain Mind 2:291-29, 2001; Neurosci Biobehav Rev 28:827-836, 2005). This framework explores the temporal structure of information flow and interarea interactions within the network of functional neuronal populations by examining topographic sharp transition processes in the scalp EEG, on the millisecond scale. We conclude, based on the OA framework, that brain functioning is best conceptualized in terms of continuity-discreteness unity which is also the characteristic property of cognition. At the end we emphasize where one might productively proceed for the future research.     

Biofeedback treatment of paradoxical vocal fold motion and respiratory distress in an adolescent girl

In this investigation, we evaluated the effectiveness of surface electromyography (EMG) biofeedback to treat paradoxical vocal fold motion in a 16-year-old girl. EMG biofeedback training occurred once per week over the course of 10 weeks. In a changing criterion design, muscle tension showed systematic changes that corresponded with changes in the criterion. Overall, baseline muscle tension levels were reduced over 60%, with corresponding reductions in episodes of respiratory distress and chest pain. Subjective reports by the patient and the patient's mother indicated improvements in school attendance and overall adaptive functioning.     

Identifying neural correlates of consciousness: the state space approach

This article sketches an idealized strategy for the identification of neural correlates of consciousness. The proposed strategy is based on a state space approach originating from the analysis of dynamical systems. The article then focuses on one constituent of consciousness, phenomenal awareness. Several rudimentary requirements for the identification of neural correlates of phenomenal awareness are suggested. These requirements are related to empirical data on selective attention, on completely intrinsic selection and on globally unconscious states. As an example, neuroscientific findings on synchronized gamma activity are categorized according to these requirements.     

MODIFICATION OF ACTIVITY LEVEL THROUGH BIOFEEDBACK AND OPERANT CONDITIONING1

The biomotometer, an electronic device that simultaneously measures activity and provides auditory feedback to the subject, was used in combination with material reinforcers in two experiments attempting to modify activity level in children. In the first study the activity level of an 11-year-old highly active boy was decreased below mean baseline during conditioning in a classroom setting. His level of activity returned to baseline when feedback was withdrawn. In the second study, activity level of a 10-year-old hypoactive boy was increased over mean baseline level during conditioning in a free-play setting, and returned to slightly below baseline during five extinction trials. Results of these studies indicate that the biomotometer is a useful instrument for modification of activity level.