Behavioural and electrophysiological modulations induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy elderly and Alzheimer’s disease patients: A pilot study

Available online 26 August 2019Objective To investigate whether anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can modify cognitive performance and neural activity in healthy elderly and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Methods Fourteen healthy elderly and twelve AD patients performed a working memory task during an electroencephalogram recording before and after receiving anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Behavioural performance, event-related potentials (P200, P300) and evoked cortical oscillations were studied as correlates of working memory. Results Anodal tDCS increased P200 and P300 amplitudes in healthy elderly. Cathodal tDCS increased P200 amplitude and frontal theta activity between 150 and 300 ms in AD patients. Improved working memory after anodal tDCS correlated with increased P300 in healthy elderly. In AD patients, slight tendencies between enhanced working memory and increased P200 after cathodal tDCS were observed. Conclusions Functional neural modulations were promoted by anodal tDCS in healthy elderly and by cathodal tDCS in AD patients. Significance Interaction between tDCS polarity and the neural state (e.g., hyper-excitability exhibited by AD patients) suggests that appropriate tDCS parameters (in terms of tDCS polarity) to induce behavioural improvements should be chosen based on the participant’s characteristics. Future studies using higher sample sizes should confirm and extend the present findings.This study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health GR-2011-02349998 to MCP and the European Commission Marie-Skłodowska Curie Actions, Individual Fellowships; 655423-NIBSAD to JC

Electrophysiological Evidence of Atypical Spatial Attention in Those with a High Level of Self-reported Autistic Traits

Selective attention is atypical in individuals with autism spectrum conditions. Evidence suggests this is also the case for those with high levels of autistic traits. Here we investigated the neural basis of spatial attention in those with high and low levels of self-reported autistic traits via analysis of ERP deflections associated with covert attention, target selection and distractor suppression (the N2pc, NT and PD). Larger N2pc and smaller PD amplitude was observed in those with high levels of autistic traits. These data provide neural evidence for differences in spatial attention, specifically, reduced distractor suppression in those with high levels of autistic traits, and may provide insight into the experience of perceptual overload often reported by individuals on the autism spectrum

Calidad y fiabilidad en la proyección de plantas industriales

El proyecto de una planta industrial y de sus instalaciones constituye una previsión de la producción que en éstas se llevará a cabo; es también un producto al que se asocian requisitos de calidad y fiabilidad al igual que a los productos finales que saldrán de sus instalaciones. Sin embargo, no siempre este enfoque se corresponde con el control de la calidad de los proyectos en las metodologías y regulaciones vigentes. El presente trabajo representa una contribución metodológica al aseguramiento de la calidad de este complejo producto que es una planta industrial, con un enfoque moderno para que sirva de base al perfeccionamiento de este complejo processo.<br>The following work is aimed lo describe a modern approach for quality assurance of industrial plants design by means of a methodological contribution that can be taken as a basis for design improvement. Key questions whose answers are the basis for a proper quality assurance approach oriented to this complex process are described. Main quality specifications are pointed out. finally, design process errors and their classified causes, quality improvement oriented countermeasures as well as reliability considerations and quality evaluation of design are also described