Cognitive Neuroscience Commons^™

Effects Of Language Immersion Versus Classroom Exposure On Advanced French Learners: An Erp Study, Alexandra Claire Brito

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

University students often report making significant advances in their second language (L2) ability after immersion in a nonnative language through study abroad. The degree to which late L2 learners can become nativelike in terms of L2 performance and brain processing is unclear in second language acquisition research. The link between L2 proficiency and learning context has been characterized in previous research, yet the role of learning experience in attaining nativelike brain processing of L2 remains to be elucidated. This study contrasts learners with advanced French proficiency who have attained this level with no, little, or more immersion experience through study …

Between Speech & Song: Clarifying The Sprechstimme Of Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, Sara M. Paar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since its creation, the technique of Sprechstimme has fascinated the audiences, performers, and composers of twentieth century music. What is it? How is it done? How should it be notated? At the fore of investigations into these questions has been Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire, the work in which Schoenberg debuted this new technique. Much has been written in regard to Schoenberg’s creation and use of Sprechstimme, as well as his own exploration of the speech/song continuum. Composers, conductors, and performers have all tried to make sense of the notation, instructions, and performances Schoenberg left behind. Despite this, confusion, …

Label-Free Fluorescence Spectroscopy For Detecting Key Biomolecules In Brain Tissue From A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Lingyan Shi, Luyao Lu, George Harvey, Thomas Harvey, Adrián Rodríguez-Contreras, Robert R. Alfano

Publications and Research

In this study, label-free fluorescence spectroscopy was used for the first time to determine spectral profiles of tryptophan, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and flavin denine dinucleotide (FAD) in fresh brain samples of a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our results showed that the emission spectral profile levels of tryptophan and NADH were higher in AD samples than normal samples. The intensity ratio of tryptophan to NADH and the change rate of fluorescence intensity with respect to wavelength also increased in AD brain. These results yield an optical method for detecting early stage of AD by comparing spectral profiles …

Cortico-Striatal Coordination Disrupted In Behaviorally Inflexible Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposed Mice, Kristin L. Marquardt

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Up to 61% of adolescent school aged children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have been suspended or expelled. Executive function deficits, like dis-inhibition and cognitive inflexibility, have been proposed to be better predictors of behavioral problems then IQ score, which qualifies these individuals for developmental disability and special school programs. Reversal learning, a widely used behavioral paradigm for assessing cognitive flexibility across species, has been shown to be impaired in rodent models of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Here we show that a mouse model with daily maternal drinking, resulting in a BAC of 85 mg/dl throughout gestation, results in …

Central And Peripheral Difference In Perceptual Bias In Ambiguous Perception Using Dichoptic Stimuli --- Implications For The Analysis-By-Synthesis Process In Visual Recognition, Li Zhaoping Prof

MODVIS Workshop

No abstract provided.

Mapping The Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Vision In The Human Brain, Aude Oliva

MODVIS Workshop

Recognition of objects and scenes is a fundamental function of the human brain, necessitating a complex neural machinery that transforms low level visual information into semantic content. Despite significant advances in characterizing the locus and function of key visual areas, integrating the temporal and spatial dynamics of this processing stream has posed a decades-long challenge to human neuroscience. In this talk I will describe a brain mapping approach to combine magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional MRI (fMRI) measurements, and convolutional neural networks (CNN) by representational similarity analysis to yield a spatially and temporally integrated characterization of neuronal representations when observers perceive visual …

Similarity-Based Fusion Of Meg And Fmri Discerns Early Feedforward And Feedback Processing In The Ventral Stream, Yalda Mohsenzadeh Dr., Radoslaw Martin Cichy Dr., Aude Oliva Dr., Dimitrios Pantazis Dr.

MODVIS Workshop

Successful models of vision, such as DNNs and HMAX, are inspired by the human visual system, relying on a hierarchical cascade of feedforward transformations akin to the ventral stream. Despite these advances, the human visual cortex remains unique in complexity, with feedforward and feedback pathways characterized by rapid spatiotemporal dynamics as visual information is transformed into semantic content. Thus, a systematic characterization of the spatiotemporal and representational space of the ventral visual pathway can offer novel insights in the duration and sequencing of cognitive processes, suggesting computational constraints and new architectures for computer vision models.

To discern the feedforward and …

Modeling The Mechanisms Of Reward Learning That Bias Visual Attention, Jason Hays, Fabian Soto Phd

MODVIS Workshop

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Ocular Dominance On Visual Processing In College Students, William A. Holland

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

V. Abstract

The role of ocular dominance in processing visual memory and analytic tasks is unknown. Previous research variably showed both significant effects and no effect of ocular dominance on visual perception, motor control and sports performance. Consequently, the goal of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between ocular dominance and visual processing under a variety of computer gaming tasks. This was accomplished by first determining subjects’ ocular dominance through the use of the Miles test, and then proceeding to examine the subjects’ visual performance on four different Lumosity games under three conditions: left eye, right …

Detecting Cognitive Load During Working Memory Tasks Utilizing A Digitizer Tablet, Cassandra K. Ward, Pradyumn Srivastava

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this line of research is to determine whether the ‘Digitizer’ is a reliable and valid way to measure cognitive load during dual working memory-drawing tasks. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at the University of Arkansas in a research laboratory, and participants included seven right-handed healthy adults with normal or corrected vision and no reading difficulty. The participants were selected on a volunteer basis. The study required participants to draw circles while continuously performing in three conditions – one baseline and two working memory experimental tasks, administered in counterbalanced order. The baseline task was to read an 8 …

The Relationship Between Habitual Dietary Protein Intake And Dual Task Performance In Sedentary, Recreationally Active, And Masters Athlete Older Adults, Whitney L. Freeman

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

As the body ages, physical and cognitive declines can result in balance and mobility deficits, but research has shown that proper nutrition and exercise can help maintain physical and mental capacity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between habitual dietary protein intake and dual task performance in sedentary (SED), recreationally active (RA), and masters athletes (MA). To measure physical activity levels, the Rapid Physical Activity Questionnaire (RAPA) was completed by all participants. The participants were placed into a high or low protein group using the ASA-24 hour dietary recall. If the participant consumed less than 0.8 …

On The Origin Of Sensory Errors, Jonathan R. Flynn

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Estimation of perceptual variables is imprecise and prone to errors. Although the properties of these perceptual errors are well characterized, the physiological basis for these errors is unknown. One previously proposed explanation for these errors is the trial-by-trial variability of the responses of sensory neurons that encode the percept. Initially, it would seem that a complicated electrophysiological experiment would need to be performed to test this hypothesis. However, using a strong theoretical framework, I demonstrate that it is possible to determine statistical characteristics of the physiological mechanism responsible for perceptual errors solely from a behavioral experiment. The basis for this …

Functional Human Grin2b Promoter Polymorphism And Variation Of Mental Processing Speed In Older Adults, Yang Jiang, Ming Kuan Lin, Gregory A. Jicha, Xiuhua Ding, Sabrina L. Mcilwrath, David W. Fardo, Lucas S. Broster, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard J. Kryscio, Robert H. Lipsky

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

We investigated the role of a single nucleotide polymorphism rs3764030 (G > A) within the human GRIN2B promoter in mental processing speed in healthy, cognitively intact, older adults. In vitro DNA-binding and reporter gene assays of different allele combinations in transfected cells showed that the A allele was a gain-of-function variant associated with increasing GRIN2B mRNA levels. We tested the hypothesis that individuals with A allele will have better memory performance (i.e. faster reaction times) in older age. Twenty-eight older adults (ages 65-86) from a well-characterized longitudinal cohort were recruited and performed a modified delayed match-to-sample task. The rs3764030 polymorphism was …

Functional Neural Connectivity Associated With Moral Processing In Healthy And Antisocial Samples, Samantha Jean Fede

Psychology ETDs

Although research finds that brain abnormalities during moral decisions underlie traits that lead to crime, understanding of these neural dynamics is limited. Here we use two samples to explore the role network engagement and components during moral processing. We used independent component analysis and functional network connectivity analysis to examine hemodynamic response during an fMRI task of moral processing. Eighty-four community and 539 incarcerated adult men and women participated; MANCOVA and machine learning algorithms were used to identify individual and group differences in both samples. We found patterns of neural engagement and connectivity consistent with proposed models of moral cognition …

Relationship Between Structure And Functional Connectivity Within The Default Mode Network, Andrei A. Vakhtin

Psychology ETDs

We proposed a novel measure of conceptualizing dynamic functional network connectivity (FNC) in the human brain using flexibility of functional connectivity (fFC), which captures the variance of functional connectivity across time. In task-free fMRI scans (N = 122), this measure was demonstrated to correspond to the underlying structural connectivity (SC) within the default mode network (DMN), while static functional connectivity (sFC) did so to a relatively low degree. As SC likely does not develop to facilitate task-free brain function, but rather to integrate information during cognitive engagement, we argue that fFC can estimate the potential functional connectivity exhibited outside of …

Tuning Up The Old Brain With New Tricks: Attention Training Via Neurofeedback, Yang Jiang, Reza Abiri, Xiaopeng Zhao

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Neurofeedback (NF) is a form of biofeedback that uses real-time (RT) modulation of brain activity to enhance brain function and behavioral performance. Recent advances in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and cognitive training (CT) have provided new tools and evidence that NF improves cognitive functions, such as attention and working memory (WM), beyond what is provided by traditional CT. More published studies have demonstrated the efficacy of NF, particularly for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. In contrast, there have been fewer studies done in older adults with or without cognitive impairment, with some notable exceptions. The focus of this …

P24. The Birds And The Beats: Perception Of A Beat In An Avian Model, Brendon Samuels

Western Research Forum

Background: Beat perception is a complex cognitive skill that enables humans to “feel” the beat in music, and is an essential component of synchronization of behavior and dance. The mechanisms in the human brain that facilitate beat perception are not entirely understood, and have only been studied thus far using non-invasive techniques. Some animals, such as songbirds, also seem to be able to detect a beat in rhythms, though this has never been formally tested independent of motor synchronization.

Methods: An operant experiment is used to assess if European starlings, a type of songbird, are capable of categorizing …

P34. The Effects Of Standing Desks On Classroom Performance Of University Students, Siobhan Smith

Western Research Forum

Background:

It is well established that there are many health risks associated with prolonged sedentary time.¹ Unfortunately, research conducted on university students is limited but yet they experience excessive periods of sitting time during class and while studying.

Methods:

Recently, we investigated the effect of sitting, dynamic sitting, and standing desks on classroom performance of university students.² Participants performed three 3-minute classroom simulations, one for each of the three desks. The order of the desks and simulations were randomized. Each of the simulations included a different typing and memory task.

Results:

Results showed no significant difference in the …

The Impact Of Various Predator Perceptions On Stress Response And Spatial Memory In Birds, Chlöe S. N. Carter

Western Research Forum

The Impact of Various Predator Perceptions on Stress Response and Spatial Memory in Birds

Background

This project will explore the impact of environmental stressors on the cognitive abilities of birds. Predator perception has been demonstrated to elicit a stress response by elevating stress hormones which can alter the behaviour of birds. The aim of this study is to observe if chronic stress from differently perceived threats of predation in an individual’s environment will lead to differences in the spatial memory abilities in two species of birds. I predict that chronic stress resulting from predator stimuli will impair the bird’s performance …

The Healthy Brain Network Serial Scanning Initiative: A Resource For Evaluating Inter-Individual Differences And Their Reliabilities Across Scan Conditions And Sessions, David O'Connor, Natan Vega Potler, Meagan Kovacs, Ting Xu, Lei Ai, John Pellman, Tamara Vanderwal, Lucas C. Parra, Samantha Cohen, Satrajit Ghosh, Jasmine Escalera, Natalie Grant-Villegas, Yael Osman, Anastasia Bui, R. Cameron Craddock, Michael P. Milham

Publications and Research

Background: Although typically measured during the resting state, a growing literature is illustrating the ability to map intrinsic connectivity with functional MRI during task and naturalistic viewing conditions. These paradigms are drawing excitement due to their greater tolerability in clinical and developing populations and because they enable a wider range of analyses (e.g., inter-subject correlations). To be clinically useful, the test-retest reliability of connectivity measured during these paradigms needs to be established. This resource provides data for evaluating test-retest reliability for full-brain connectivity patterns detected during each of four scan conditions that differ with respect to level of engagement (rest, …