@article {1687, title = {How struggling adult readers use contextual information when comprehending speech: Evidence from event-related potentials.}, journal = {Int J Psychophysiol}, volume = {125}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 03}, pages = {1-9}, abstract = {

We investigated how struggling adult readers make use of sentence context to facilitate word processing when comprehending spoken language, conditions under which print decoding is not a barrier to comprehension. Stimuli were strongly and weakly constraining sentences (as measured by cloze probability), which ended with the most expected word based on those constraints or an unexpected but plausible word. Community-dwelling adults with varying literacy skills listened to continuous speech while their EEG was recorded. Participants, regardless of literacy level, showed N400 effects yoked to the cloze probability of the targets, with larger N400 amplitudes for less expected than more expected words. However, literacy-related differences emerged in an earlier time window of 170-300 ms: higher literacy adults produced a reduced negativity for strongly predictable targets over anterior channels, similar to previously reported effects on the Phonological Mapping Negativity (PMN), whereas low-literacy adults did not. Collectively, these findings suggest that in auditory sentence processing literacy may not notably affect the incremental activation of semantic features, but that comprehenders with underdeveloped literacy skills may be less likely to engage predictive processing. Thus, basic mechanisms of comprehension may be recruited differently as a function of literacy development-even in spoken language.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Brain Mapping, Comprehension, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Female, Humans, Literacy, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Reading, Speech, Young Adult}, issn = {1872-7697}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.013}, author = {Ng, Shukhan and Payne, Brennan R and Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A L and Federmeier, Kara D} } @article {208, title = {Inhibitory motor control based on complex stopping goals relies on the same brain network as simple stopping.}, journal = {Neuroimage}, volume = {103}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec}, pages = {225-34}, abstract = {

Much research has modeled action-stopping using the stop-signal task (SST), in which an impending response has to be stopped when an explicit stop-signal occurs. A limitation of the SST is that real-world action-stopping rarely involves explicit stop-signals. Instead, the stopping-system engages when environmental features match more complex stopping goals. For example, when stepping into the street, one monitors path, velocity, size, and types of objects and only stops if there is a vehicle approaching. Here, we developed a task in which participants compared the visual features of a multidimensional go-stimulus to a complex stopping-template, and stopped their go-response if all features matched the template. We used independent component analysis of EEG data to show that the same motor inhibition brain network that explains action-stopping in the SST also implements motor inhibition in the complex-stopping task. Furthermore, we found that partial feature overlap between go-stimulus and stopping-template led to motor slowing, which also corresponded with greater stopping-network activity. This shows that the same brain system for action-stopping to explicit stop-signals is recruited to slow or stop behavior when stimuli match a complex stopping goal. The results imply a generalizability of the brain{\textquoteright}s network for simple action-stopping to more ecologically valid scenarios.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Electroencephalography, Female, Goals, Humans, Inhibition (Psychology), Male, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Young Adult}, issn = {1095-9572}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.048}, author = {Wessel, Jan R and Aron, Adam R} } @article {202, title = {Visual processing of contour patterns under conditions of inattentional blindness.}, journal = {J Cogn Neurosci}, volume = {24}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Feb}, pages = {287-303}, abstract = {

An inattentional blindness paradigm was adapted to measure ERPs elicited by visual contour patterns that were or were not consciously perceived. In the first phase of the experiment, subjects performed an attentionally demanding task while task-irrelevant line segments formed square-shaped patterns or random configurations. After the square patterns had been presented 240 times, subjects{\textquoteright} awareness of these patterns was assessed. More than half of all subjects, when queried, failed to notice the square patterns and were thus considered inattentionally blind during this first phase. In the second phase of the experiment, the task and stimuli were the same, but following this phase, all of the subjects reported having seen the patterns. ERPs recorded over the occipital pole differed in amplitude from 220 to 260 msec for the pattern stimuli compared with the random arrays regardless of whether subjects were aware of the patterns. At subsequent latencies (300-340 msec) however, ERPs over bilateral occipital-parietal areas differed between patterns and random arrays only when subjects were aware of the patterns. Finally, in a third phase of the experiment, subjects viewed the same stimuli, but the task was altered so that the patterns became task relevant. Here, the same two difference components were evident but were followed by a series of additional components that were absent in the first two phases of the experiment. We hypothesize that the ERP difference at 220-260 msec reflects neural activity associated with automatic contour integration whereas the difference at 300-340 msec reflects visual awareness, both of which are dissociable from task-related postperceptual processing.

}, keywords = {Adult, Attention, Awareness, Brain, Brain Mapping, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Visual, Female, Humans, Male, Perceptual Masking, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Visual Perception}, issn = {1530-8898}, doi = {10.1162/jocn_a_00111}, author = {Pitts, Michael A and Mart{\'\i}nez, Ant{\'\i}gona and Hillyard, Steven A} } @article {212, title = {Neural substrates of time perception and impulsivity.}, journal = {Brain Res}, volume = {1406}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Aug 11}, pages = {43-58}, abstract = {

Several studies provide empirical evidence for the association between impulsivity and time perception. However, little is known about the neural substrates underlying this function. This investigation examined the influence of impulsivity on neural activation patterns during the encoding and reproduction of intervals with durations of 3, 9 and 18s using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-seven subjects participated in this study, including 15 high impulsive subjects that were classified based on their self-rating. FMRI activation during the duration reproduction task was correlated with measures of two self-report questionnaires related to the concept of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, BIS; Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, ZTPI). Behaviorally, those individuals who under-reproduced temporal intervals also showed lower scores on the ZTPI future perspective subscale and higher scores on the BIS. FMRI activation revealed an accumulating pattern of neural activity peaking at the end of the 9- and 18-s intervals within right posterior insula. Activations of brain regions during the reproduction phase of the timing task, such as those related to motor execution as well as to the {\textquoteright}core control network{\textquoteright} - encompassing the inferior frontal and medial frontal cortices, the anterior insula as well as the inferior parietal cortex - were significantly correlated with reproduced duration, as well as with BIS and ZTPI subscales. In particular, the greater activation in these regions the shorter were the reproduced intervals, the more impulsive was an individual and the less pronounced the future perspective. Activation in the core control network, thus, may form a biological marker for cognitive time management and for impulsiveness.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Impulsive Behavior, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Personality Inventory, Reaction Time, Self Report, Surveys and Questionnaires, Time Factors, Time Perception, Young Adult}, issn = {1872-6240}, doi = {10.1016/j.brainres.2011.06.048}, author = {Wittmann, Marc and Simmons, Alan N and Flagan, Taru and Lane, Scott D and Wackermann, Ji{\v r}{\'\i} and Paulus, Martin P} } @article {211, title = {Accumulation of neural activity in the posterior insula encodes the passage of time.}, journal = {Neuropsychologia}, volume = {48}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Aug}, pages = {3110-20}, abstract = {

A number of studies have examined the perception of time with durations ranging from milliseconds to a few seconds, however the neural basis of these processes are still poorly understood and the neural substrates underlying the perception of multiple-second intervals are unknown. Here we present evidence of neural systems activity in circumscribed areas of the human brain involved in the encoding of intervals with durations of 9 and 18s in a temporal reproduction task using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During the encoding there was greater activation in more posterior parts of the medial frontal and insular cortex whereas the reproduction phase involved more anterior parts of these brain structures. Intriguingly, activation curves over time show an accumulating pattern of neural activity, which peaks at the end of the interval within bilateral posterior insula and superior temporal cortex when individuals are presented with 9- and 18-s tone intervals. This is consistent with an accumulator-type activity, which encodes duration in the multiple seconds range. Given the close connection between the dorsal posterior insula and ascending internal body signals, we suggest that the accumulation of physiological changes in body states constitutes our experience of time. This is the first time that an accumulation function in the posterior insula is detected that might be correlated with the encoding of time intervals.

}, keywords = {Adult, Analysis of Variance, Brain Mapping, Cerebral Cortex, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Reaction Time, Time Factors, Time Perception, Young Adult}, issn = {1873-3514}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.06.023}, author = {Wittmann, Marc and Simmons, Alan N and Aron, Jennifer L and Paulus, Martin P} } @article {194, title = {Atypical face versus object processing and hemispheric asymmetries in 10-month-old infants at risk for autism.}, journal = {Biol Psychiatry}, volume = {66}, year = {2009}, month = {2009 Nov 15}, pages = {950-7}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have documented atypicalities in face/object processing in children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). To investigate whether such atypicalities may reflect a genetically mediated risk factor present early in development, we measured face/object processing in 10-month-old high-risk infants who carry some of the genes associated with ASD because they have an older sibling diagnosed with the disorder.

METHODS: We employed event-related potentials (ERPs) to measure cortical responses to pictures of faces and objects, the objects being toys. Latencies and amplitudes of four ERP components (P100, N290, P400, and Nc) were compared between 20 high-risk infants and 20 low-risk control subjects (infants with no family history of ASD).

RESULTS: Responses to faces versus objects differed between high- and low-risk infants for the latencies of the N290 and P400. Differences were driven by faster responses to faces than objects in low-risk, but not high-risk, infants (P400) and, conversely, faster responses to objects than faces in high-risk, but not low-risk, infants (N290). Object responses were also faster in high-risk than low-risk infants (both N290 and P400). Left versus right hemisphere responses also differed between high- and low-risk infants for the amplitudes of the P100, N290, and P400; collapsed across faces/objects, low-risk, but not high-risk, infants exhibited hemisphere asymmetries.

CONCLUSIONS: Genetic risk for ASD is associated with atypical face versus object processing and an atypical lack of hemispheric asymmetry early in life. These atypicalities might contribute to development of the disorder.

}, keywords = {Analysis of Variance, Autistic Disorder, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cerebral Cortex, Child, Child, Preschool, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Face, Female, Fourier Analysis, Functional Laterality, Humans, Infant, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Risk}, issn = {1873-2402}, doi = {10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.07.031}, author = {McCleery, Joseph P and Akshoomoff, Natacha and Dobkins, Karen R and Carver, Leslie J} }