1,721,246 research outputs found
Electrophysiological correlates of social information processing for detecting agents in social interaction scenes: P200 and N250 components
No full textAccording to interaction theories, the detection of situated agents and the understanding of their intentions and mental states are mediated by smart perceptual and embodied mechanisms. While the network supporting agency-attribution, actionunderstanding, and grasping of others' mental state is quite known, the actual mental chronometry of such social perception processes is still not clear. We then designed an exploratory study to investigate electrophysiological correlates (ERPs and source localization) of information-processing for the detection of potential agents in realistic interaction scenes. Morphological and statistical analyses of electrophysiological data highlighted that the manipulation the nature of a potential agent, the gesture it executed and the relative position of an interagent was differently associated to the modulation of specific relevant middle-latency ERP components, labelled as P200 and N250, and of their relative intra-cortical current density distribution within the first 300 ms from the appearance of the stimulus
Analisi dei meccanismi di danneggiamento di materiali compositi pultrusi in fibra di vetro tramite emissione acustica e reti neurali
No full textIl crescente interesse verso i materiali compositi pultrusi rinforzati con fibra di vetro dovuto alle loro interessanti caratteristiche meccaniche e al loro costo ridotto è frenato dalla scarsa conoscenza relativa alle modalità di danneggiamento. Per queste ragioni, prove statiche su provini di questo materiale sono state seguite con misurazioni di emissione acustica, al fine di investigare lo sviluppo del danno sotto l’azione di detti carichi. Alla tecnica sono state affiancate tecniche di classificazione dei segnali (reti neurali e algoritmo k-means) per evidenziare i differenti modi di danneggiamento e la loro evoluzione nel tempo. I risultati ottenuti hanno permesso di validare la tecnica dell’emissione acustica e la classificazione tramite reti neurali come coadiuvante di quest’ultima, per permettere di ottenere maggiori informazioni sulla natura del danneggiamento in corso, anche alla luce dell’utilizzo della tecnica per il monitoraggio strutturale
Neurofunctional correlates of interoceptive attentiveness: an EEG source localization study
No full textInteroception refers to the ability to sense modifications of internal bodily states. The accurate perception of internal states is crucial for self-regulation, as well as for higher-order cognitive-affective processes. Despite increasing attention on interoceptive attentiveness (IAtt), little is known about its neurofunctional correlates and potential objective biomarkers of IAtt performance. 36 volunteers took part in this study and were asked to undergo a heart-beat counting task (HCT), a widely-used IAtt task. Central electrophysiological (EEG) and cardiovascular activity was monitored during both resting-state and HCT. Intracortical sources of EEG signals were estimated via eLORETA. Contrast analyses comparing HCT and resting highlighted higher current density estimates for Alpha frequency during the task, with primary cortical seed in the right parahippocampal gyrus. Regression analyses exploring the association between IAtt scores and task-related changes in intracortical current density during HCT have highlighted a positive association for the Beta frequency bands, with primary cortical seeds in cingulate gyrus and insula. Findings add to available literature by further specifying the electrophysiological signature of interoceptive attentivenes
Electrophysiological markers and cognitive profile in aging: implications for screening and intervention
No full textThe aging process is associated to a complex ensemble of structural and functional changes. Focusing on the aging brain, the most reported modification has to do with the progressive atrophy of prefrontal cortices. The decrease in cortical volume is accompanied by a gradual (and greater) decrease of white matter density in anterior portions of the brain and by a progressive reduction of the functionality of the dopaminergic system. Those findings lead to the development of the frontal lobe hypothesis, which states that age-related cognitive and behavioral changes are due to the gradual decline of frontal brain structures. At the same time, functional data highlighted how older people show peculiar compensatory activity involving prefrontal regions when they are engaged in cognitive tasks, thus keeping acceptable performance levels notwithstanding neural losses. Within this scenario, the development of markers able to mirror and track functional decline across physiological and pathological aging processes is one of the most relevant challenges. Traditional paper-and-pencil assessment procedures, indeed, may not be sufficiently sensitive to discriminate small cognitive difficulties occurring, for example, in prodromal phases of degenerative diseases. Oscillatory and event-related electrophysiological measures, instead, are thought to be valuable candidates, them being sensitive to changes in cognitive and functional states, easy to record, non-invasive, and cheaper than alternative instrumental markers based on biochemical, metabolic or neuroimaging methods. Even though most of recent research focused on early pathological signs of Alzheimer Disease and/or Mild Cognitive Impairment, age has been classically associated to decrease in alpha band power and to progressive slowing of EEG rhythms even in healthy elderly people, as well as to prolonged latency of the N2 event-related component, lack of habituation of the P3a component, and reduced/later P3b deflections, mirroring information-processing and allocation of attention resources. In addition, in a recent study integrating cognitive-behavioral (standardized neuropsychological tests and computerized reaction times tasks) and electrophysiological (28-channels resting and taskrelated EEG-ERP) assessment in a sample of healthy old people, we observed relevant correlations between alpha reactivity during eyes open/closed resting and performances at a reaction times task, potentially marking differences in information-processing efficiency. Present and literature evidence point out the potential of EEG-ERP measures to help sketching a finer and more complete picture of cognitive-functional profile even in healthy elderly, and data on age-related changes of oscillatory cortical activity may be deemed as potential targets for future intervention via transcranial alternating current stimulation or neurofeedback techniques
Neuroassessment in sports: towards a threefold model on physical-psychological-neurocognitive fitness
No full textProfiling of athletes’ psycho-physical traits is a crucial step in planning, implementing, and monitoring their training schedule. Performance data may provide relevant and reliable information to evaluate athletes’ progress over time and/or rank them against their peers, and to help to profile their strengths/weaknesses, to adapt protocols to their needs, and to identify talent. Yet, the topics of assessment and, specifically, of its implementation in practice are still quite controversial. Indeed, despite the role of neural-cognitive load in modulating performance outcomes, assessment procedures to evaluate athletes’ current performance and their potential often move those factors to the background while focusing primarily on physical determinants of performance and basic physiological measures. Here we introduce a multifaceted model for the definition of performance in sports by pairing the more established constructs of physical fitness and psychological fitness with the construct of neurocognitive fitness. Such a model might foster a perspective change from traditional assessment to neuroassessment, which we identify with the integration of self-report, observational, and physiological measures to sketch the profile of athletes’ neurocognitive efficienc
Hypnotic trance and state of flow compared: a pilot neuropsychological and psychophysiological study
No full textHypnosis and flow are among the most studied states of consciousness. However, scientific investigations in which these states and their psychophysiological signatures are compared are still lacking. Hence, following a preliminary theoretical comparison of the two states of consciousness, in which we pointed out several similarities (i.e. concerning the basic terminology and core constituent concepts of the constructs, the way they arise and develop, involved physiological processes, and even the potential difficulties in modulating such states), we formulated an hypothesis on their relationship and tested experimentally whether and how they were similar. Therefore, we devised a pilot study aiming at investigating – from both a physiological (thanks to EEG recordings) and classical psychological (thanks to a qualitative and quantitative ad hoc self-report battery: FQ, FSS, 5D-ASC) points of view – psychophysiological correlates of the two experimental conditions and at exploring potential common features. We then induced and compared the two altered states of consciousness, namely a hypnotic state induced via a double indirect induction procedure, and a state of flow induced via a PC videogame (flOw). To increase the chances of actually making participants experience those states in the laboratory setting, we focused on a sample that already proved to be able to enter both the states we were interested in. We then opted for a group of clinical psychologists who were specializing as ericksonian psychotherapists (n= 7). There have been two data collection phases. In the first phase, we collected subjective data regarding previous experiences of hypnosis and flow proposed by the subjects, to be used as a reference. In the second phase, in the laboratory, each subject underwent both experimental conditions, and we collected both physiological and self-report subjective data regarding those experiences. Physiological data showed significant variations in the power of delta, alpha and gamma frequency bands, but only in the condition of hypnosis. The state of flow was associated to a qualitative modulation of theta power over prefrontal areas. Subjective data demonstrated that participants qualitatively recognized to be in a flow state during the relative induction condition, with the exception of only one of them. Self-report quantitative data showed that the experimental condition of hypnosis presented similar features with respect to the reference state of flow. To sum up, our main hypothesis was partially verified: while physiological data during the flow condition were less consistent,
hypnosis was overall associated to the slowing of cortical rhythms, and first evidences suggested that hypnosis and flow states may be similar at least for subjective experience
Assessing decision-making skills: preliminary proof-of-concept data for DAssDec - Mod1STY and Mod2STR
No full textFrom a psychological and neuroscientific perspectives, decision-making can be defined as a skill, a function and/or a process we pervasively implement in our everyday life. Embracing a definition of decision-making that describes it as a multicomponential, pervasive, and instrumental ability, the Digitalized Assessment Tool for Decision-Making (DAssDec) - a novel digitalized assessment tool - has been devised with the specific purpose to capture the multifaceted nature of decision-making and to sketch an articulated profile of its many dispositional and situational manifestations. We here introduce preliminary outcomes from proof-of concept and feasibility study performed on the first two domains of the DAssDec Tool - Mod(1STY) and Mod(2STR) - dedicated to decisional styles and strategies. 35 professionals working in managerial departments of a large service company took part in the study. Findings pointed out the feasibility, usability, and practical value of the investigated sections of the DAssDec tool. Also, first quali-quantitative analyses of participants responses and performance at the tasks included in the tested domains have already highlighted the potential of the tool to detect inter-individual differences, thus pairing the opportunity to outline a global profile of a work team with specific individual profiles of decision-making skills and their subjective determinants
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