The sense of agency as tracking control

Does sense of agency (SoA) arise merely from action-outcome associations, or does an additional real-time process track each step along the chain? Tracking control predicts that deviant intermediate steps between action and outcome should reduce SoA. In two experiments, participants learned mappings between two finger actions and two tones. In later test blocks, actions triggered a robot hand moving either the same or a different finger, and also triggered tones, which were congruent or incongruent with the mapping. The perceived delay between actions and tones gave a proxy measure for SoA. Action-tone binding was stronger for congruent than incongruent tones, but only when the robot movement was also congruent. Congruent tones also had reduced N amplitudes, but again only when the robot movement was congruent.We suggest that SoA partly depends on a real time tracking control mechanism, since deviant intermediate action of the robot reduced SoA over the tone

The association between frailty and MRI features of cerebral small vessel disease

Abstract: Frailty is a common syndrome in older individuals that is associated with poor cognitive outcome. The underlying brain correlates of frailty are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between frailty and MRI features of cerebral small vessel disease in a group of non-demented older individuals. We included 170 participants who were classified as frail (n = 30), pre-frail (n = 85) or non-frail (n = 55). The association of frailty and white matter hyperintensity volume and shape features, lacunar infarcts and cerebral perfusion was investigated by regression analyses adjusted for age and sex. Frail and pre-frail participants were older, more often female and showed higher white matter hyperintensity volume (0.69 [95%-CI 0.08 to 1.31], p = 0.03 respectively 0.43 [95%-CI: 0.04 to 0.82], p = 0.03) compared to non-frail participants. Frail participants showed a non-significant trend, and pre-frail participants showed a more complex shape of white matter hyperintensities (concavity index: 0.04 [95%-CI: 0.03 to 0.08], p = 0.03; fractal dimensions: 0.07 [95%-CI: 0.00 to 0.15], p = 0.05) compared to non-frail participants. No between group differences were found in gray matter perfusion or in the presence of lacunar infarcts. In conclusion, increased white matter hyperintensity volume and a more complex white matter hyperintensity shape may be structural brain correlates of the frailty phenotype

Modelling human choices: MADeM and decision‑making

Research supported by FAPESP 2015/50122-0 and DFG-GRTK 1740/2. RP and AR are also part of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics FAPESP grant (2013/07699-0). RP is supported by a FAPESP scholarship (2013/25667-8). ACR is partially supported by a CNPq fellowship (grant 306251/2014-0)

Abstracts from the 8th International Conference on cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications

This work was supported by a restricted research grant of Bayer AG

A.S.Neill and Summerhill : An Analasis of his Reception and Impact

Die Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Einfluß Alexander Neills und seiner Schule Summerhill im Spiegel sowohl der deutschen als auch der internationalen Rezeption. In ersten Teil 'Literarisches' wird Neills Leben mit Fokus auf sein öffentliches Wirken beschrieben. Alle seine Bücher und die meisten seiner Artikel werden analysiert und der sie begleitenden öffentlichen Diskussion gegenübergestellt. Der zweite Teil, 'Profanes' beschäftigt sich mit der Diskussion, die in 'populären Tagesmedien' über Neill und seine Schule geführt wurde. Die Geschichte der Schulinspektionen und die öffentliche Diskussion über die immer wieder angedrohte Schließung wird chronologisch beschrieben. Weiterhin geht es um Film-, TV- und Radioberichte sowie Kunstwerke die Neill als Person der Zeitgeschichte zum Gegenstand haben. Der dritte Teil 'Akademisches' greift die chronologische Darstellung aus Teil Eins erneut auf und analysiert alle umfassenderen Schriften, die zu Neill und Summerhill in den Jahren seit Neills Tod erschienen sind. Wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen über Neill und Summerhill werden in einem zusammenfassenden Kapitel beschrieben. Im Resümee der Arbeit wird die aktuelle Diskussion um Neill aufgegriffen und Neills fortwährende Bedeutung für die pädagogische Diskussion aufgezeigt. So ermöglicht es Summerhill auch heute noch Kindern als Individuen in einer demokratischen Gesellschaft aufzuwachsen. Sie erwerben Fähigkeiten, die den Anforderungen unserer Gesellschaft entsprechen. Gleichzeitig erleben sie eine harmonische Kindheit ohne Wettbewerb und Zwang oder Überbehütung durch Erwachsene. Ehemalige 'Summerhill-Kinder' integrieren sich in die Gesellschaft und erwerben ein überdurchschnittliches Bildungsniveau. Die Bibliographie listet chronologisch alle verfügbare Literatur über Neill und Summerhill auf. Ein Sonderkapitel beschreibt die Rezeption Neills in Japan und Asien. Eine abschließende Liste allerThe thesis deals primarily with the German, but also considers the international response to and influence of A.S. Neill and his school “Summerhill”. The first part of the thesis, “Literarisches”, outlines the story of A.S. Neill’s life, focusing largely on his publications. All of his books and most of his articles are discussed, as is the debate which accompanied them. Part Two of the thesis, “Profanes”, returns to the discussion of the way that Neill was portrayed and understood in the popular media of the day. The history of inspections and the related discussions about the threat of closure are described chronologically. Further text deals with film, television and radio programmes on Summerhill, and examples of artwork which relate to Neill as an important personality of our time. Part Three, “Akademisches”, concludes the chronological survey begun in Part One with a brief characterisation of all publications on Neill and Summerhill which have appeared since his death. Academic and scholarly publications on Neill and Summerhill are described in a concluding chapter. In the résumé of the thesis, the recent discussion about Neill’s educational idea and its importance are reflected. It is shown that Neill’s concepts, as embodied in Summerhill, give children the opportunity to grow up as individuals in a democratic society, developing skills that are appropriate to the needs of our modern world. Children at Summerhill have a secure and harmonious childhood, without competition and adult interference or over-protection. Once they leave Summerhill, former pupils are able to integrate harmoniously into society, and many attain high educational standards. The Bibliography lists in chronological order all available articles and books which have a connection with Neill and Summerhill. A special chapter describes the reception of Neill’s ideas and work in Japan and Asia. A final section lists all publications by Neill