40 research outputs found
Desynchronizing effect of high-frequency stimulation in a generic cortical network model
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TCES) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
are two different applications of electrical current to the brain used in
different areas of medicine. Both have a similar frequency dependence of their
efficiency, with the most pronounced effects around 100Hz. We apply
superthreshold electrical stimulation, specifically depolarizing DC current,
interrupted at different frequencies, to a simple model of a population of
cortical neurons which uses phenomenological descriptions of neurons by
Izhikevich and synaptic connections on a similar level of sophistication. With
this model, we are able to reproduce the optimal desynchronization around
100Hz, as well as to predict the full frequency dependence of the efficiency of
desynchronization, and thereby to give a possible explanation for the action
mechanism of TCES.Comment: 9 pages, figs included. Accepted for publication in Cognitive
Neurodynamic
The Name-Letter-Effect in Groups: Sharing Initials with Group Members Increases the Quality of Group Work
Although the name-letter-effect has been demonstrated reliably in choice contexts, recent research has called into question the existence of the name-letter-effectâthe tendency among people to make choices that bear remarkable similarity with the letters in their own name. In this paper, we propose a connection between the name-letter-effect and interpersonal, group-level behavior that has not been previously captured in the literature. Specifically, we suggest that sharing initials with other group members promotes positive feelings toward those group members that in turn affect group outcomes. Using both field and laboratory studies, we found that sharing initials with group members cause groups to perform better by demonstrating greater performance, collective efficacy, adaptive conflict, and accuracy (on a hidden-profile task). Although many studies have investigated the effects of member similarity on various outcomes, our research demonstrates how minimal a degree of similarity among members is sufficient to influence quality of group outcomes