内外动机对青少年记忆的影响及其神经机制

动机是一切行为的核心, 动机可分为外在和内在动机。青少年时期既是记忆的关键期, 也是动机发展的特殊时期。然而, 目前关于内外动机影响青少年记忆的研究才刚刚起步, 尚不清楚外在和内在动机影响青少年记忆的规律和机制是否一致, 也不清楚二者如何交互影响记忆。本研究将结合认知范式和脑成像技术, 考察外在和内在动机如何分别影响以及交互影响青少年记忆。这将有助于更加全面、深刻理解内外动机影响青少年记忆的独特规律和机制, 为科学提升青少年动机和记忆效果提供研究证据。     

恐惧学习的发展认知神经机制研究回顾与展望

恐惧可以帮助个体快速地评估危险情景,并调动生理和行为反应来应对危险刺激。恐惧发展始于婴儿时期,神经回路表现为杏仁核未参与恐惧反应,但杏仁核功能连接可以预测早期恐惧反应;发展到童年期的恐惧学习特点为安全学习不足和过度泛化,其根源是负责辨别刺激的海马还处于发育中;进入青春期恐惧加工主要特征是由于前额叶发育较晚导致的消退能力弱。恐惧虽有益于人类生存,但恐惧异常会引发焦虑障碍,本文从恐惧的习得、消退和泛化三个阶段,对比了焦虑与健康青少年的恐惧学习差异。最后,文章从增加婴儿时期研究、创新青少年恐惧研究范式和开发安全有效的干预手段三个方面对未来研究提出展望,以期进一步推动恐惧研究的发展。     

自闭症谱系障碍个体的注意解离

注意解离是注意定向网络的重要组成部分, 指在注意转移过程中对原来刺激进行注意分离的过程。自闭症个体注意解离的早期受损会直接影响其它重要功能的发展, 尤其是唤醒调节和共同注意发展。采用间隙重叠范式的研究发现, 自闭症个体注意解离能力是否异常还存在争议, 被试年龄及取样、测量指标和刺激特征可能是影响的因素; 其神经机制可能涉及额叶、顶叶、小脑和胼胝体等脑区。未来应从脑机制研究入手, 综合考虑被试特征、研究方法和刺激特征对注意解离结果的影响, 明确其在自闭症早期预测和识别中的作用。     

Surprisingly Neuroplastic Human Brains: Reading,Science, Philosophy,Theology

Human brains, dramatically more complex than anything else in the known universe, are marvelously mutable. Recent neuroscience focuses on how humans create cumulative transmissible cultures which in turn shape mental development. When cultures become literate, cognitive powers escalate. Although until recently only a comparative few learned to read and write, this takes place with the serendipitous re-use of pattern recognizing capacities, such as those for recognizing faces. With sustained reading diligence, as required during education in science, philosophy, and theology, this results in advanced cognitive skills.     

神经重用假说的汉语情绪词汇加工证据

神经重用假说认为对词的情绪效应可以不经语义形成而先行产生, 这更有助于人类适应环境。为了检验这一假说, 设计脑电实验和行为实验, 记录被试加工汉语厌恶情绪词和中性词的特征。结果发现, 170 ms左右厌恶词与中性词的ERPs发生分离, 且在枕部出现情绪刺激视觉注意关联的EPN; 厌恶词与中性词N400差异波溯源定位于脑岛附近, 其最大激活点时间窗口开始于380 ms。这表明在情绪词汇的语义分析之前就出现了情绪效应, 结果支持了神经重用假说。     

Neural Efficiency in Expert Cognitive-Motor Performers During Affective Challenge

Skilled individuals demonstrate a spatially localized or relatively lower response in brain activity characterized as neural efficiency when performing within their domain of expertise. Elite athletes are experts in their chosen sport and thus must be not only adept in the motor domain but must be resilient to performing under the stress of high-level competition. Such stability of performance suggests this population processes emotion and mental stress in an adaptive and efficient manner. This study sought to determine if athletes with a history of successful performance under circumstances of mental stress demonstrate neural efficiency during affective challenges compared to age-matched controls. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the blood-oxygen level–dependent response was recorded during emotional challenge induced by sport-specific and general unpleasant images. The athletes demonstrated neural efficiency in brain regions critical to emotion regulation (prefrontal cortex) and affect (insula) independently of their domain of expertise, suggesting adaptive processing of negative events and less emotional reactivity to unpleasant stimuli.     

The wonderful adventures of Nils: or Taking leave of childhood

The relationship between neuroscience and psychoanalysis is studied by taking “the new mechanism of neuroscience” under scrutiny. That new trend stresses that neuroscientific explanations are mechanistic explanations in particular. Since the issue of psychological mechanisms lies at the core of psychoanalysis, it is crucial to study the relationship between neural and psychological mechanisms. The authors argue that neuroscience cannot verify psychoanalytic theories. However, by combining neuroscientific and psychoanalytic (psychological) viewpoints, it will be possible to approach a more holistic picture of psychological phenomena, here suggested by a new conception of defense mechanisms.     

汉字识别中亚词汇语音和语义信息在N170上的神经适应

视觉词汇识别的事件相关电位(ERP)研究发现早期的脑电成分N170具有对词汇的敏感性, 可能反映了字形、语音和语义加工, 目前还没有得到统一的结论。本研究利用汉字形声字声旁表音和形旁表义的独特性, 使用神经适应范式深入考察了N170对汉字亚词汇语音和语义信息的敏感性。实验1操纵了连续汉字的声旁和整字读音重复呈现探究其诱发的神经适应性, 结果发现了左侧电极的N170对声旁和整字读音重复都产生了神经适应。实验2进一步操纵形旁和整字语义的重复呈现, 结果发现左侧N170仅对整字语义相似性具有神经适应性, 而右侧N170对形旁和整字语义重复都产生了神经适应。实验结果表明, 左侧N170不仅对整字语音和语义信息敏感, 还对亚词汇的声旁信息敏感; 而右侧N170对整字语义以及亚词汇的形旁信息敏感。     

绝对音高者对音乐的加工及其神经机制

绝对音高感是一种特殊的音高命名能力。通过论述绝对音高能力与音乐加工的关系,发现绝对音高者具有对音高、音程和旋律的加工优势,但他们对相对音高的加工存在劣势。同时,与非绝对音高者相比,绝对音高者大脑结构和功能都表现出特殊性。未来研究应进一步厘清音乐训练对绝对音高者音乐加工的影响。