Neurocognitive enhancement: applications and ethical issues

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NEUROSCIENTIFIC PARADIGMS TO INVESTIGATE EMOTIONS IN MULTICOMPLEX SYSTEMS: FROM A "SINGLE-SUBJECT PERSPECTIVE" TO A "DOUBLE-SUBJECT PERSPECTIVE"

Le emozioni sono state largamente indagate da discipline differenti che ne hanno evidenziato il ruolo fondamentale nei processi cognitivi, sociali e comportamentali degli individui. Alla luce di queste evidenze, la presente tesi di dottorato si è proposta di indagare, attraverso l’utilizzo di un approccio multimetodologico caratterizzato dall’uso di elettroencefalografia (EEG), spettroscopia funzionale nel vicino infrarosso (fNIRS) e biofeedback, il ruolo e l’influenza delle emozioni in differenti contesti di vita sociale, passando da una prospettiva “intra-soggettiva” ad una “inter-soggettiva”. Nello specifico, il primo studio ha indagato i correlati neurofisiologici impliciti ed espliciti delle risposte emotive caratterizzanti la presa di decisione morale nel singolo individuo. Il secondo studio, attraverso l’utilizzo dell’hyperscanning, ha osservato i correlati neurofisiologici e i meccanismi di sintonizzazione cerebrale e periferica associati alle risposte emotive di individui interagenti durante uno scambio prosociale. Infine, il terzo studio ha investigato i correlati neurofisiologici e i meccanismi di sintonizzazione emotiva sottostanti un’interazione comunicativa non-verbale. In conclusione, i tre studi si sono proposti di osservare, adottando un livello crescente di complessità, da una prospettiva sul singolo individuo ad una diadica, come l’utilizzo di un approccio multimetodologico possa informare sui meccanismi impliciti ed espliciti delle risposte emotive durante differenti situazioni sociali.Emotions have been extensively investigated by different disciplines, highlighting their fundamental role in individuals’ cognitive, social and behavioral processes. In light of this evidence, the present doctoral thesis aims to investigate, through the use of a multimetodological approach characterized by the use of electroencephalography (EEG), functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), and biofeedback, the role and influence of emotions in different contexts of social life, passing from an “intra-subjective” to an “inter-subjective” perspective. Specifically, the first study has investigated the implicit and explicit neurophysiological correlates of emotional responses characterizing moral decision-making in single individuals. The second study, through the use of the hyperscanning paradigm, has observed the neurophysiological correlates and the brain and peripheral tuning mechanisms associated with emotional responses of interacting individuals during a prosocial exchange. Finally, the third study has investigated the neurophysiological correlates and emotional synthonization mechanisms underlying a non-verbal communicative interaction. In conclusion, the three studies set out to observe, adopting an increasing level of complexity, from a single individual to a dyadic perspective, how using a multimetodological approach can inform about the implicit and explicit mechanisms of emotional responses during different social situations

Intra-Brain Connectivity vs. Inter-Brain Connectivity in Gestures Reproduction: What Relationship?

Recently, the neurosciences have become interested in the investigation of neural responses associated with the use of gestures. This study focuses on the relationship between the intra-brain and inter-brain connectivity mechanisms underlying the execution of different categories of gestures (positive and negative affective, social, and informative) characterizing non-verbal interactions between thirteen couples of subjects, each composed of an encoder and a decoder. The study results underline a similar modulation of intra- and inter-brain connectivity for alpha, delta, and theta frequency bands in specific areas (frontal or posterior regions) depending on the type of gesture. Moreover, taking into account the gestures’ valence (positive or negative), a similar modulation of intra- and inter-brain connectivity in the left and right sides was observed. This study showed congruence in the intra-brain and inter-brain connectivity trend during the execution of different gestures, underlining how non-verbal exchanges might be characterized by intra-brain phase alignment and implicit mechanisms of mirroring and synchronization between the two individuals involved in the social exchange

Affective, Social, and Informative Gestures Reproduction in Human Interaction: Hyperscanning and Brain Connectivity.

Gestural communication characterizes daily individuals' interactions in order to share information and to modify others' behavior. Social neuroscience has investigated the neural bases which support recognizing of different gestures. The present research, through the use of the hyperscanning approach, that allows the simultaneously recording of the activity of two or more individuals involved in a joint action, aims to investigate the neural bases of gestural communication. Moreover, by using hyperscanning paradigm we explore the inter-brain connectivity between two inter-agents, the one who performed the gesture (encoder) and the one who received it (decoder), with functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the reproduction of affective, social and informative gestures with positive and negative valence. Result showed an increase in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (O2Hb) and inter-brain connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for affective gestures, in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) for social gestures and the frontal eye fields (FEF) for informative gestures, for both encoder and decoder. Furthermore, it emerged that positive gestures activate more the left DLPFC, with an increase in inter-brain connectivity in DLPFC and SFG. The present study revealed the relevant function of the type and valence of gestures in affecting intra- and inter-brain connectivity

Affective, Social, and Informative Gestures Reproduction in Human Interaction: Hyperscanning and Brain Connectivity.

Gestural communication characterizes daily individuals' interactions in order to share information and to modify others' behavior. Social neuroscience has investigated the neural bases which support recognizing of different gestures. The present research, through the use of the hyperscanning approach, that allows the simultaneously recording of the activity of two or more individuals involved in a joint action, aims to investigate the neural bases of gestural communication. Moreover, by using hyperscanning paradigm we explore the inter-brain connectivity between two inter-agents, the one who performed the gesture (encoder) and the one who received it (decoder), with functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the reproduction of affective, social and informative gestures with positive and negative valence. Result showed an increase in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (O2Hb) and inter-brain connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for affective gestures, in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) for social gestures and the frontal eye fields (FEF) for informative gestures, for both encoder and decoder. Furthermore, it emerged that positive gestures activate more the left DLPFC, with an increase in inter-brain connectivity in DLPFC and SFG. The present study revealed the relevant function of the type and valence of gestures in affecting intra- and inter-brain connectivity

Contenuti, animazione o interattivit\ue0: correlati neurofisiologici della pubblicit\ue0 su app

Storicamente gli studi in ambito advertising si sono focalizzati sulla pubblicit\ue0 cartacea, televisiva e sul web. Poco spazio \ue8 stato destinato alle piattaforme mobile, in particolare alle app. Gli effetti di diversi contenuti, la presenza di animazione e/o interattivit\ue0 nei banner e come queste propriet\ue0 interagiscono in ambiente app sono poco conosciuti. Al fine di sondare tali effetti i metodi self-report standard utilizzati in precedenza risultano essere limitati, limitandosi ad aspetti estrinseci e di livello esplicito del comportamento. A questo riguardo, le neuroscienze forniscono un supporto, nello specifico l\u2019utilizzo dell\u2019approccio multimetodo garantisce dati relativi anche alle componenti implicite del comportamento. La presente ricerca ha voluto verificare l\u2019impatto della animazione (dinamicit\ue0/staticit\ue0), dell\u2019interattivit\ue0 (interattivo/non interattivo) e del contenuto tematico della piattaforma (attualit\ue0, salute ed ambiente). Ai soggetti \ue8 stato chiesto di utilizzare una app di notizie su di uno smartphone precedentemente predisposto, contenente stimoli pubblicitari randomizzati. In particolare sono state predisposte 4 tipologie pubblicitarie costruite a partire dalla matrice 2x2, ottenuta dall\u2019intersezione delle propriet\ue0 di animazione e interattivit\ue0. L\u2019attivit\ue0 cerebrale (le bande alpha, beta, delta e theta dello spettro elettroencefalografico, EEG), gli indici autonomici [Heart Rate (HR) Skin Conductance Level (SCL) e Skin Conductance Response (SCR)] e i movimenti degli occhi (fissazioni oculari) sono state misurate utilizzando l\u2019EEG, il biofeedback e l\u2019eye-tracking su di un campione di millennial italiani (n=18). I risultati hanno evidenziato, per entrambi i banner dinamici e per il contenuto di attualit\ue0, un aumento del power di theta nella corteccia prefrontale dell\u2019emisfero sinistro ed una maggiore frequenza media di fissazione. Inoltre, in relazione al contenuto di attualit\ue0, \ue8 emersa una maggiore attivazione della SCR. Le differenze emerse possono ricondursi a una capacit\ue0 dei banner dinamici e app contenenti attualit\ue0 di favorire un maggior engagement emotivo e richiamare l\u2019attenzione selettiva dello user. I risultati comportano due possibili ricadute operative: l\u2019animazione dovrebbe essere presente come elemento principale nello stimolo pubblicitario; la scelta della piattaforma dovrebbe poggiare sull\u2019analisi dei contenuti delle piattaforme durante il marketing process

Smell and 3D Haptic Representation: A Common Pathway to Understand Brain Dynamics in a Cross-Modal Task. A Pilot OERP and fNIRS Study

Cross-modal perception allows olfactory information to integrate with other sensory modalities. Olfactory representations are processed by multisensory cortical pathways, where the aspects related to the haptic sensations are integrated. This complex reality allows the development of an integrated perception, where olfactory aspects compete with haptic and/or trigeminal activations. It is assumed that this integration involves both perceptive electrophysiological and metabolic/hemodynamic aspects, but there are no studies evaluating these activations in parallel. The aim of this study was to investigate brain dynamics during a cross-modal olfactory and haptic attention task, preceded by an exploratory session. The assessment of cross-modal dynamics was conducted through simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recording, evaluating both electrophysiological and hemodynamic activities. The study consisted of two experimental sessions and was conducted with a sample of ten healthy subjects (mean age 25 5.2 years). In Session 1, the subjects were trained to manipulate 3D haptic models (HC) and to smell different scents (SC). In Session 2, the subjects were tested during an attentive olfactory task, in order to investigate the olfactory event-related potentials (OERP) N1 and late positive component (LPC), and EEG rhythms associated with fNIRS components (oxy- Hb and deoxy-Hb). The main results of this study highlighted, in Task 1, a higher fNIRS oxy-Hb response during SC and a positive correlation with the delta rhythm in the central and parietal EEG region of interest. In Session 2, the N1 OERP highlighted a greater amplitude in SC. A negative correlation was found in HC for the deoxy-Hb parietal with frontal and central N1, and for the oxy-Hb frontal with N1 in the frontal, central and parietal regions of interests (ROIs). A negative correlation was found in parietal LPC amplitude with central deoxy-Hb. The data suggest that cross-modal valence modifies the attentional olfactory response and that the dorsal cortical/metabolic pathways are involved in these responses. This can be considered as an important starting point for understanding integrated cognition, as the subject could perceive in an ecological context

The use of a neuroscientific approach to investigate behavioral and neurophysiological responsiveness after the gift exchange

Aims: Recently, social neurosciences have investigated the neurophysiological correlates underlying specific moments of social interactions, such as gift exchange that involves the experience of positive emotions, as gratitude. The present research aimed to investigate the possible effects of gratitude experienced during gift exchange on behavioral and neurophysiological responsiveness. Methods: Neural activity, autonomic responsiveness and behavioral performance of 16 friends, coupled in dyads, were recorded during the execution of a joint attentional task before or after a gift exchange, that occurred for 8 dyads at the task beginning and for the other in the task middle. For the recording of electroencephalographic (EEG), hemodynamic, through the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and autonomic activity (heart rate, HR; skin conductance level, SCL), a hyperscanning paradigm was used. Intra and inter-brain analyses were conducted. Results: From the results, an increase of behavioral performance and autonomic responses (HR, SCL) emerged after gift exchange. EEG results showed an increase of delta and theta intra- and inter-brain connectivity after gift exchange, highlighting the presence of neural coupling mechanisms. fNIRS results revealed an increase of oxygenated hemoglobin (O2Hb) in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) after gift exchange, highlighting the role of this area in social and emotional processes. Furthermore, inter-brain analysis showed an increase in behavioral performance and greater autonomic synchronization of HR index. Conclusion: The present research shows how prosocial behavior experienced following gift exchange is able to increase mechanisms of shared cognition, adoption of joint strategies and cooperation inducing positive effects on individuals\u2019 cognitive performance

Ethics into the (brain) company: from moral people to moral organization?

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