1,721,004 research outputs found
Testing the domain-general nature of monitoring in the spatial and verbal cognitive domains
Get PDFWhile it is well-established that monitoring the environment for the occurrence of relevant events represents a key executive function, it is still unclear whether such a function is mediated by domain-general or domain-specific mechanisms. We investigated this issue by combining event-related potentials (ERPs) with a behavioral paradigm in which monitoring processes (non-monitoring vs. monitoring) and cognitive domains (spatial vs. verbal) were orthogonally manipulated in the same group of participants. They had to categorize 3-dimensional visually presented words on the basis of either spatial or verbal rules. In monitoring blocks, they additionally had to check whether the word displayed a specific spatial configuration or whether it contained a certain consonant. The behavioral results showed slower responses for both spatial and verbal monitoring trials compared to non-monitoring trials. The ERP results revealed that monitoring did not interact with domain, thus suggesting the involvement of common underlying mechanisms. Specifically, monitoring acted on lower-level perceptual processes (as expressed by an enhanced visual N1 wave and a sustained posterior negativity for monitoring trials) and on higher-level cognitive processes (involving larger positive modulations by monitoring trials over frontal and parietal scalp regions). The source reconstruction analysis of the ERP data confirmed that monitoring was associated with increased activity in visual areas and in right prefrontal and parietal regions (i.e., superior and inferior frontal gyri and posterior parietal cortex), which previous studies have linked to spatial and temporal monitoring. Our findings extend this research by supporting the domain-general nature of monitoring in the spatial and verbal domains
Temporal processing and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques
No full textNon-invasive brain stimulation encompasses a collection of technologies and methods used to adjust brain excitability through transcranial stimulation. Within this field, two primary non-invasive brain stimulation modalities are transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electric stimulation (tES). The present chapter includes studies on explicit and implicit timing using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to understand the causal role of specific brain areas in time processing. We conclude that several interconnected areas are involved in processing temporal information. Their contribution depends on the employed time interval duration, the cognitive set involved in the chosen task, and the stimulus modality. Critical observations regarding the specificity of each stimulation method as well as limitations and criticisms of the studies that have used brain stimulation techniques are also discussed
Explicit and implicit timing across the adult lifespan
No full textThe study of whether temporal processing in the millisecond-to-seconds range changes with age is an active and debated research field. Here, we adopted a lifespan approach in which younger to older participants performed both explicit and implicit timing tasks (time bisection and foreperiod tasks, respectively) in a single session. Three hundred seven participants (age range: 20–85 years) took part in the study. Participants performed two timing tasks to test explicit and implicit time processing. Age was used as a continuous predictor to elucidate whether explicit and implicit temporal processing change with increasing age. The results from the explicit timing task showed reduced precision with age, as indexed by a flatter psychometric curve and greater just noticeable difference metrics. By contrast, implicit processing of time was not significantly affected by age, as evinced by a comparable foreperiod effect across age. These findings provide first adult lifespan evidence that only explicit, but not implicit, timing is sensitive to age-related changes
Is task-switching based on domain-general or domain-dependent processes? An event-related potential study.
No full textThe Effect of the Symbolic Meaning of Speed on Implicit Timing
No full textIt has been demonstrated that the stimulus’s features, including size, brightness, numerosity, and
loudness, can affect the perception of subjective and explicit time. But, in a daily life situation, actual
events presumably involve an implicit processing of time rather than an explicit processing, with
some studies suggesting that the presentation of emotional stimuli before the target stimulus influences
implicit timing. The present study aims to test the implicit component of temporal processing
that the symbolic meaning of speed might influence. We used a time foreperiod task in which
participants were first presented with a warning signal recalling the meaning of fast or slow speed,
followed by the target. Our study shows significant main effects of the presented image cue and
foreperiod effect. We observed faster reaction time when the target was preceded by a faster image
compared to a slow image and in dependence of the factor of weight. Based on this, we conclude the
symbolic meaning of speed can affect implicit timing by altering how the brain interprets temporal
data
Foreperiod priming in temporal preparation: Testing current models of sequential effects
No full textTask-switching preparation across semantic and spatial domains: An event-related potential study
Get PDFPrevious event-related potential (ERP) studies have identified the specific electrophysiological markers of advance preparation in cued task-switching paradigms. However, it is not yet completely clear whether there is a single task-independent preparatory mechanism for task-switching or whether preparation for a switch can be selectively influenced by the domain of the task to be performed. To address this question, we employed a cued-task switching paradigm requiring participants to repeat or to switch between a semantic and a spatial task. The behavioural results showed a significant switch cost for both domains. The ERP findings, however, revealed that switch and repeat trials for semantic and spatial domains differed in the amplitude modulation of an early P2 and a sustained negativity both expressed over fronto-central scalp regions. Further differences between the two domains also emerged over posterior-parietal electrodes. This pattern of data thus shows that advance preparation in task-switching can be selectively modulated by the domain of the task to be performed
Spectro-temporal Unfolding of Temporal Orienting of Attention
No full textAbstractAll behaviors unfold over time, therefore, our ability to perceive and adapt our behavior according to the temporal constraints of our environment is likely a fundamental requirement for successful behavior (Nobre et al., 2007). Temporal preparation has been defined as our ability to anticipate and prepare an optimal response to forthcoming events in our environment (Nobre et al., 2007). Temporal preparation requires integration of different types of temporal information. On the one hand, information can be provided by temporal predictions, i.e. temporal orienting of attention. On the other hand, information can be afforded by the duration of the previous temporal events, namely the sequential effects (e.g., Capizzi et al., 2012). In this project we are focusing in the time-frequency analysis during the delay period (i.e., foreperiod) from the cue onset until the target onset at the short interval. We followed the results of Capizzi et al.’s (2013) study which showed that the CNV component was increased in the delay period when the previous foreperiod was short as compared to long (Cappizi et al., 2013).Recent studies are concerned with the question of how oscillatory brain activity can provide a mechanism for regulating our temporal behavior (Cravo et al., 2011; Praamstra & Pope, 2007; Rohenkohl & Nobre, 2011). Oscillatory brain activity may be one of the mechanisms underlying the operation of different brain areas during cognitive functions (Buzsaki, 2006). When brain activity is recorded at the level of neural populations, the activity assumes a rhythmic temporal structure. Spectral analysis or time-frequency analysis is the study of brain rhythms. Using time-frequency analysis one can characterize the modulation of certain brain rhythms as those unfold in time. Additionally, different brain regions can engage in synchronized brain activity in certain frequency bands. Such synchronization may support inter-areal communication, which is likely fundamental to many of the cognitive functions producing behavior. Studying brain rhythms therefore has the potential of revealing mechanisms underlying cognitive function and behavior (Fries, 2009).Previous studies in the field of temporal preparation (Cravo et al., 2011; Rohenkohl & Nobre, 2011) have investigated oscillatory brain activity and how it is modulated over the time intervals in which target events are expected. Specifically, desynchronization of low frequency power (<30Hz) has been documented following the time course of predictable time intervals. In this project, we were interested in investigating the spectro-temporal profile of both temporal orienting and the sequential effects during the preparatory interval (foreperiod). Time/frequency analyses was focused on epochs locked to the cue onset and compared EEG activity related to early vs. late temporal expectations (temporal orienting) and EEG activity related to previous short vs. previous long foreperiods (sequential effects).With the aforementioned approach we aim to clarify whether or not sequential effects and temporal orienting effects are mediated by the same brain activity. The behavioral data from the previous study of Capizzi et al. (2012) indicated that temporal orienting and sequential effects are different aspects of temporal preparation and that sequential effects are related to automatic rather than to controlled processing unlike the temporal orienting effect. Time frequency analysis was performed in a total of fourteen subjects; cue locked analysis showed that when an early cue is followed by a short interval there is higher power in lower frequencies as compared to the power when a late cue is followed by a short interval. These results signify a difference in the power representation of the temporal preparation for explicit cuing compared when temporal preparation is guided by the presentation of a regular rhythm suggesting the involvement of dissociable mechanism
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