Running During Encoding Improves Word Learning for Children

The learning of new information is an important task in everyday life, especially at a young age. Acute physical exercise can facilitate cognitive processes in multiple ways, and previous studies have shown that memory can profit from physical exercise before and during the encoding of vocabulary. The current study investigates the interplay of movement and vocabulary learning and also addresses lifespan differences in these effects. Participants were recruited in a recreational basketball club. Children (n = 24, Mage = 12.3 years; 13 girls), young adults (n = 30, Mage = 21.5 years; 17 women), and older adults (n = 24, Mage = 59.3 years; 9 women) learned 20 new pseudo-words, which corresponded to a German word. In a between-subjects design, encoding took place either while standing, while running, or while running and dribbling a basketball. Recall was assessed three times throughout the learning session and on the following day. In children, more words could be remembered in the running condition compared to the standing condition. There were no differences between conditions for the young and older adults. Age-dependent reasons for this pattern of results are discussed and embedded into the literature of physical exercise. Our result suggests that implementing learning activities into children’s physical education or exercise activities could be beneficial

Implementing Full‐Body Movements in a Verbal Memory Task: Searching for Benefits but Finding Mainly Costs

Studies on “embodiment” show that moving your body can enhance cognition. We investigated such effects in a verbal memory task across age. In Study 1, children, adolescents, and young adults (N = 148) were tested in group sessions and reproduced number series of increasing length. In the “embodied” condition, subjects walked to numbered gymnastic mats. In the “sitting” condition, the numbers were presented visually. All age groups, except the youngest, showed a deterioration of verbal memory performance in the embodied condition compared to sitting. In Study 2, young adults (n = 33, Mage = 24.5 years) and children (n = 28, Mage = 7.3 years) were tested individually, with smaller target fields. There were no differences in verbal memory performance between the conditions. This indicates that “embodiment” does not always lead to performance enhancements. Instead, moving through space while thinking represents a dual-task situation, causing performance decrements across age

Table tennis expertise influences dual-task costs in timed and self-initiated tasks

Theories on resource sharing predict that performances will suffer under dual-task conditions. However, in creases in skill level should decrease attentional resources needed to perform a task, resulting in a reduction of dual-task costs. The current study investigates whether table tennis experts are better able than novices to keep up their motor and cognitive performances in a dual-task situation. Two different cognitive tasks, 3-back and Counting Backwards in steps of 7, and two different table tennis tasks, returns and serves, were assessed in each possible cognitive-motor task combination in a within-subjects design. While 3-back and returns were timed, Counting Backwards and serves were self-initiated. We assumed that self-initiated tasks increase dual-task costs, since the scheduling of the responses requires attentional resources. As predicted, dual-task costs of novices were considerably higher (35%) than those of experts, who did not show costs (− 1%). The predicted increase of costs for self-initiated tasks was only observed in the experts, while novices showed a tendency to reduce their dual task costs for self-initiated tasks. It is argued that this is due to the psychometric properties of the underlying task, since timed tasks were specified by a fixed number of targets and responses. We conclude that cognitive-motor dual-task costs may be a valuable measure of sporting skill, over and above “pure” motor or cognitive performances

Negative Effects of Embodiment in a Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Task in Children, Young Adults, and Older Adults

Studies examining the effect of embodied cognition have shown that linking one’s body movements to a cognitive task can enhance performance. The current study investigated whether concurrent walking while encoding or recalling spatial information improves working memory performance, and whether 10-year-old children, young adults, or older adults (Mage = 72 years) are affected differently by embodiment. The goal of the Spatial Memory Task was to encode and recall sequences of increasing length by reproducing positions of target fields in the correct order. The nine targets were positioned in a random configuration on a large square carpet (2.5 m × 2.5 m). During encoding and recall, participants either did not move, or they walked into the target fields. In a within-subjects design, all possible combinations of encoding and recall conditions were tested in counterbalanced order. Contrary to our predictions, moving particularly impaired encoding, but also recall. These negative effects were present in all age groups, but older adults’ memory was hampered even more strongly by walking during encoding and recall. Our results indicate that embodiment may not help people to memorize spatial information, but can create a dual-task situation instead

Tennis expertise reduces costs in cognition but not in motor skills in a cognitive-motor dual-task condition

Dual-process theories predict performance reductions under dual-task situations (= situations where two tasks have to be processed and executed simultaneously), because limited cognitive resources have to be shared between concurrent tasks. Increases in expertise should reduce the attentional resources needed to perform a motor task, leading to reduced dual-task costs. The current studies investigated whether expert tennis players (performance ratings of 1 to 14 in the German system) show smaller costs compared to intermediate players (performance ratings of 15 to 23). Two studies assessed single- and dual-task performance in a within-subject design in the same tennis task, returning balls into a target field. Two different cognitive tasks were used, a 3-back working memory task in study 1, and a vocabulary-learning task (episodic memory) in study 2. As predicted, performance in both cognitive tasks was reduced during dual-tasking, while the accuracy of tennis returns remained stable under cognitive challenge. These findings indicate that skilled tennis players show a task-prioritization strategy in favor of the tennis task in a dual-task situation. In study 1, intermediate players showed higher overall dual-task costs than experts, but the group differences in dual-task costs did not reach significance in study 2. This may have been due to less pronounced expertise-differences between the groups in study 2. The findings replicate and extend previous expertise studies in sports to the domain of tennis. We argue that an athlete's ability to keep up cognitive and motor performances in challenging dual-task situations may be a valid indicator of skill level

Bewegung und Kognition : Einflüsse von simultaner Bewegung auf die Gedächtnisleistung

Das Forschungsfeld Bewegung und Kognition beschäftigt mehrere wissenschaftliche Disziplinen, wie die Psychologie, die Erziehungswissenschaften und die Sportwissenschaften. Ebenso vielfältig sind auch die theoretischen Grundlagen, die versuchen, die wechselseitige Wirkung von Bewegung und Kognition zu erklären. Die hier vorgestellte kumulative Dissertation diskutiert die drei maßgeblich relevanten Forschungsschwerpunkte unter der Fragestellung, wie simultane Bewegung die Gedächtnisleistung verbessern kann. In diesem Kontext wird der Forschungsschwerpunkt der Doppelaufgabenforschung, der Forschungsschwerpunkt der akuten physischen Belastung und der Forschungsschwerpunkt Embodied Cognition betrachtet, die bisher weitestgehend unabhängig voneinander untersucht wurden. In Beitrag 1 wurden Embodiment-Effekte bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen in einer verbalen Arbeitsgedächtnisaufgabe untersucht. Entgegengesetzt der Erwartungen konnten in zwei Experimenten jedoch keine positiven Effekte von Embodiment nachgewiesen werden, was zum einen auf die Aufgabenspezifität, als auch auf mögliche Doppelaufgabeneffekte zurückgeführt werden kann. Die Beiträge 2 und 3 beschäftigen sich maßgeblich mit den Effekten von akuter physischer Belastung auf das Gedächtnis. In Beitrag 2 lernten Studenten Wortlisten mithilfe einer zuvor gelernten Gedächtnisstrategie auswendig, während sie sich entweder nicht bewegten, langsame Kniebeugen, oder schnelle Kniebeugen machten. Es wurde vermutet, dass die Gedächtnisleistung der Studenten mit zunehmender physischer Aktivierung zunimmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten jedoch lediglich Leistungseinbußen in beiden bewegten Bedingungen. Wie bereits in Beitrag 1 erwähnt, können auch diese Leistungseinbußen zum Teil anhand der Doppelaufgabenforschung erklärt werden. Zudem wird vermutet, dass sich die physische Aktivierung, je nachdem ob sie durch eine Kraft- oder eine Ausdauerbelastung induziert wurde, unterschiedlich auf die Gedächtnisleistung auswirkt. In Beitrag 3 konnten die positiven Effekte einer physischen Aktivierung auf die Gedächtnisleistung bei Kinder gezeigt werden, die während des Einprägens von Wörtern eine gewisse Strecke gelaufen sind. Für junge und ältere Erwachsene zeigte sich kein Unterschied zwischen den körperlich aktiven und nicht aktiven Testbedingungen. Diese altersspezifischen Unterschiede in den Ergebnissen können auf die Intensität der körperlichen Aktivierung, als auch auf die unterschiedliche Verwendung von Gedächtnisstrategien zwischen den Altersgruppen zurückgeführt werden. Beitrag 4 untersucht verschiedene Gegenstände (sog. „fidget tools“), Bewegungen (Kritzeln und Zeichnen) und ein Getränkesupplement, die nach Aussage von Verkäufern und wissenschaftlicher Literatur die Gedächtnisleistung verbessern sollten. Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigten jedoch, dass das Verwenden eines Fidget tools, das Kritzeln und Zeichnen und die Einnahme des Supplements die Gedächtnisleistung nicht veränderte oder sogar zu einer Verminderung der Gedächtnisleistung führte. Dieses Ergebnis wird im Rahmen der Studie anhand der theoretischen Konzepte der Doppelaufgabenforschung diskutiert. Somit zeigen die vier in die Dissertation eingebetteten Studien sowohl die Relevanz der einzelnen Forschungsschwerpunkte, als auch die Limitationen, die bei einer einseitigen Betrachtung entstehen. Hiermit ebnen die Studien den Weg für ein forschungsfeldübergreifendes Modell, das in der Dissertation erstellt wird. Dieses Modell integriert die Kernaussagen der einzelnen Forschungsschwerpunkte und ruft dazu auf, die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse im Forschungsfeld der Effekte von simultaner Bewegung auf die Gedächtnisleistung zu berücksichtigen.The research field Movement and Cognition is based on multiple scientific disciplines, like psychology, educational sciences, and sports sciences. The underlying theories dealing with the mutual effects of movement and cognition vary just as much. This cumulative dissertation discusses the three most relevant research areas, focusing on the question how simultaneous movement can improve memory performance. Research on dual-tasking, on acute physical exercise, and on embodied cognition are taken into account, which had been examined independently of one another before. In Paper 1 embodiment effects in children, adolescents, and young adults have been investigated in a verbal working memory task. Contrary to our expectations, no positive effects of embodiment could be shown in two experiments. This can be attributed to the specificity of the task used, as well as to possible dual-task effects that occurred. Paper 2 and 3 both investigate the effects of acute physical exercise on memory. In paper 2 students learned word-lists using a previously learned mnemonic strategy while they either did not move, did slow squats, or did fast squats. We hypothesized that the memory performance of students would increase with increasing physical activation. However, the results showed performance reductions in both active conditions. As already mentioned in paper 1, these performance costs can be partially explained by the dual-task literature. In addition, it is possible that the effects of a physical activation on memory performance are dependent on the type of exercise used, namely endurance or resistance exercise. In paper 3, the positive effects of acute physical exercise could be shown in children who ran a specific distance while encoding words. Young and older adults however were neither positively nor negatively affected by the active or the non-active test conditions. These age-specific differences of the results could be attributed to the intensity of the exercise and to age-specific differences in the use of memory strategies. Paper 4 investigates various fidget tools, movements (doodling and drawing), and a neuro-enhancing supplement, that should all improve memory performance following the statements of the vendors and some scientific literature. However, the results of the study show that the use of a fidget tool, doodling and drawing, and the consumption of the supplement did not change memory performance. Some of these conditions even led to performance decrements. The paper discusses this result in relation to the dual-tasking literature. To conclude, the four empirical studies included in this cumulative dissertation show the relevance of the three research fields, as well as the limitations that arise from a one-sided view. Therefore, the studies pave the way for a new research model that is proposed in the dissertation. This conceptual model calls for the integration of the knowledge of all three research fields in a unifying framework that investigates the effects of concurrent movement on memory performance.The research field Movement and Cognition is based on multiple scientific disciplines, like psychology, educational sciences, and sports sciences. The underlying theories dealing with the mutual effects of movement and cognition vary just as much. This cumulative dissertation discusses the three most relevant research areas, focusing on the question how simultaneous movement can improve memory performance. Research on dual-tasking, on acute physical exercise, and on embodied cognition are taken into account, which had been examined independently of one another before. In Paper 1 embodiment effects in children, adolescents, and young adults have been investigated in a verbal working memory task. Contrary to our expectations, no positive effects of embodiment could be shown in two experiments. This can be attributed to the specificity of the task used, as well as to possible dual-task effects that occurred. Paper 2 and 3 both investigate the effects of acute physical exercise on memory. In paper 2 students learned word-lists using a previously learned mnemonic strategy while they either did not move, did slow squats, or did fast squats. We hypothesized that the memory performance of students would increase with increasing physical activation. However, the results showed performance reductions in both active conditions. As already mentioned in paper 1, these performance costs can be partially explained by the dual-task literature. In addition, it is possible that the effects of a physical activation on memory performance are dependent on the type of exercise used, namely endurance or resistance exercise. In paper 3, the positive effects of acute physical exercise could be shown in children who ran a specific distance while encoding words. Young and older adults however were neither positively nor negatively affected by the active or the non-active test conditions. These age-specific differences of the results could be attributed to the intensity of the exercise and to age-specific differences in the use of memory strategies. Paper 4 investigates various fidget tools, movements (doodling and drawing), and a neuro-enhancing supplement, that should all improve memory performance following the statements of the vendors and some scientific literature. However, the results of the study show that the use of a fidget tool, doodling and drawing, and the consumption of the supplement did not change memory performance. Some of these conditions even led to performance decrements. The paper discusses this result in relation to the dual-tasking literature. To conclude, the four empirical studies included in this cumulative dissertation show the relevance of the three research fields, as well as the limitations that arise from a one-sided view. Therefore, the studies pave the way for a new research model that is proposed in the dissertation. This conceptual model calls for the integration of the knowledge of all three research fields in a unifying framework that investigates the effects of concurrent movement on memory performance.Universität des Saarlande

Can acute resistance exercise facilitate episodic memory encoding?

Research has shown benefts of physical exercise on memory performance when carried out before or after a memory task. The efects of concurrent physical exercise and particularly resistance exercise are still inconclusive. The current study investigates the infuence of resistance exercise with two intensities (fast and slow squats) on performance in a wordlist learning task using a within-subject design. Sport students (N=58, Mage=23 years; 26 women) were trained in a mnemonic technique to encode word lists (method of loci). In each session they were asked to encode two lists, each consisting of 20 words. During encoding, participants either performed one squat per word (fast-squat-condition), one squat every second word (slow-squat-condition), or stayed seated (control-condition). Participants performed three sessions for each condi tion, in counterbalanced order. Heart rates difered signifcantly according to exercise intensity. Memory performances in the sitting condition were better, compared to the exercise conditions. Performance in sitting and the fast squat conditions improved similarly over time, while performance in the slow squat condition increased faster, and reached the level of the fast squat condition at the end of the study phase. We conclude that light to moderate resistance exercise while working on an episodic memory task may rather represent a dual-task situation (=two tasks that compete for attentional resources). Especially doing a squat every second word may represent an inhibition task that people have to get used to. Future studies should include biochemical markers of arousal and neuronal plasticity in addition to heart rate

Autonomous Observations in Antarctica with AMICA

The Antarctic Multiband Infrared Camera (AMICA) is a double channel camera operating in the 2-28 micron infrared domain (KLMNQ bands) that will allow to characterize and exploit the exceptional advantages for Astronomy, expected from Dome C in Antarctica. The development of the camera control system is at its final stage. After the investigation of appropriate solutions against the critical environment, a reliable instrumentation has been developed. It is currently being integrated and tested to ensure the correct execution of automatic operations. Once it will be mounted on the International Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope (IRAIT), AMICA and its equipment will contribute to the accomplishment of a fully autonomous observatory.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, Advances in Astronomy Journal, Special Issue "Robotic Astronomy", Accepted 11 February 201

Giant cystic brain metastasis from ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma: Case report and review of the literature

Background: Ovarian brain metastases represent a very rare occurrence and without treatment, prognosis is very poor, with a median survival of one month. We present a unique case of a patient affected by a giant cystic intracerebral metastasis (>7 cm) secondary to an ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma, along with a review of the literature regarding large cystic ovarian metastases and their management. Case description: A 49-years-old female patient was admitted to our institution because she presented progressive headache and altered consciousness. Brain computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the presence of a giant left frontal intracerebral cystic lesion. The patient underwent a surgical removal of an ovarian high-grade papillary serous adenocarcinoma three years before. We performed a left frontal craniotomy and microsurgical removal of the brain lesion, achieving a safe macroscopic total resection, thanks to intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM). The post-operative period was uneventful with a complete recovery. Post-operative brain MRI showed a complete removal of the lesion. Conclusions: The presence of a giant cystic metastasis with symptoms of intracranial hypertension needs a radical and safe surgical removal, along with the management of a multidisciplinary oncologic group. Keywords: Brain metastasis, Ovarian carcinoma, Cystic, Gian

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks and tissues collected from wild birds in Romania

Abstract. Anaplasma phagocytophilum are potentially emerging tick-borne pathogen, whereas many issues about ecology, reservoir host specificity, are still unclear. The material analyzed in this study was collected along 5 years (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) of fieldwork from 88 locations, from 32 out of 42 counties of Romania. A total of 3,794 birds belonging to 125 species were assessed, made up by 879 carcasses and 2,915 alive birds. A total of 278 birds belonging to 37 species were found infested with ticks (9.53%), with individual prevalence ranging from 0 to 50%. Anaplasma spp. were detected in 8 cases (1.7%) of 459 analyzed ticks collected from two specimens of Rook one Robin, one Blackbird and one Chaffinch. The ticks found to carry Anaplasma spp., were Haemaphysalis concinna (1 larvae), I. arboricola (4 larvae), and I. ricinus (2 larvae and 2 nymphs). Tissue samples resulted in the detection of Anaplasma spp. from heart of one Robin and one Song Thrush, with a relative prevalence of 1.66%. The low prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in bird-fed ticks corresponds to previous investigations, suggesting that birds have a reduced reservoir competence for human granulocytic anaplasmosis agents