Association between Emotional Intelligence and Hemispheric Activity Asymmetry

The relations between the asymmetry of hemispheric activity using the EEG rhythms in resting and both trait emotional intelligence (EI-IPIP) and self-assessment of emotional reactivity on IAPS stimuli were studied in university students. The obtained EEG patterns of power asymmetry in both low-frequency and high-frequency indicate different variants of the hemispheric dominance in the anterior and posterior regions of the brain, depending not only on the valence of induced emotions, but also on selfassessment of perception or expression of emotional states. Total EI was associated with relatively greater left frontal activation on low frequency delta oscillations and on higher beta2 oscillations in posterior cortex. Using EEG mapping positive relations were found between the right hemispheric delta rhythm and emotional reactivity to negative emotive stimuli and between the left hemispheric delta and positive affect. Self-rating of positive to negative emotion during both EI and IAPS stimuli-induced affect testing was more pronounced in the relationships to asymmetry of hemispheric activity than separate traits EI. Keywords: Emotional intelligence traits, self-assessment of emotional reactivity, EEG, hemispheric asymmetry, frequency band

Aging Associated Specificity in Training Visual Short-Term Memory

There are numerous data in existence, the computerized cognitive training programs (CCTP) maintain or improve the plasticity of the neural networks in the brain. It is known as well that CCTP reduces the probability of cognitive dysfunctions associated with aging. In the chapter, the age-associated specificity in the temporal dynamics of changes in the visuospatial short-term memory (VSWM, also called visuospatial working memory) is presented. VSWM has been analyzed as there are evidence for age-related decline in visuospatial memory associated with hippocampus atrophy in aging. Memory retrieval decline in older women in comparison with young women while computerized training at home is shown. The elderly achieving results which are comparable to the youngs are determined by significantly increased duration while performing the memory tasks. To reveal factors of the CCTP’s efficiency, age-related differences in the attention systems using the Attention Network Test were resolved. In the group of older women, VSWM efficiency is negatively related to the errors of incongruent information selection whereas in young women—to the reaction time while testing. Thus, the success of long-term systematic training of visuospatial memory in old age is strongly related to the high level of executive control

INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMING TECHNOLOGIES ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The article examines the relationship between self-assessment of time spent on computer gaming technologies and academic performance of university students. The novelty of the obtained results is the negative impact of the time spent on computer games on the academic performance of students. The most informative predictor of academic underachievement and the occurrence of academic debt among students is the measure of gaming time per week, i.e. engagement in gaming for more than 10 hours per week is reduced effectiveness in academic activities. The goal is to identify the relationship between engagement in computer gaming technologies and students’ academic performance. The sample consists of 389 students (average age of 19 years) studying in their first and second years at the university. The hypothesis is that the degree of involvement in computer gaming technologies affects students’ academic performance. Research methods: To determine the specifics of gaming engagement and preferences in computer gaming technologies (CGT), we created a questionnaire with questions about gaming activity and CGT preferences. Indices of average performance and academic debt were obtained from the university’s dean’s office databases. Statistical analysis of the data involved the use of correlation and regression analysis. According to the survey results, 75% of the students in the entire sample play computer games. Regression analysis results revealed that longer gaming time (per day, week, year) corresponds to a decrease in academic performance and an increase in student debt. The most informative predictor of students’ performance is the measure of self-assessed gaming time per week, and the most stable relationship between these measures is observed when the gaming time exceeds 10 hours per week. Conclusion: The hypothesis that the degree of involvement in computer gaming technologies affects students’ academic performance has been confirmed. The results of the conducted research can be used for psychological and pedagogical work with students, to inform about the impact of excessive engagement in CGT on academic performance and to prevent the initial signs of computer addiction

Изменения в структуре когнитивных функций и тревожности у кардиохирургических пациентов в зависимости от выраженности стенозов сонных артерий

Highlights. The article revealed that severe (more than 50%) carotid artery (CA) stenosis was associated with significant slowdown of the information selection processes, and these patients were characterized by older age and tendency to an increase in trait anxiety compared to the patients without CA stenosis.It was found that the reduced attention and memory was a typical feature of the cognitive status in patients with severe CA stenosis in the early postoperative period of cardiac surgery in comparison with the patients without CA stenosis. At the same time the speed characteristics indicators of the information selection processes in these patients are positively related to state anxiety.Aim. The cardiac surgery patients were studied in order to analyze the postoperative changes in the efficiency of selection information and memory processes depending on the degree of carotid artery (CA) stenosis (including more than 50%) and the age and the role of the trait anxiety indicator assessed before surgery.Methods. The prospective study included 229 patients undergoing elected coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or CABG and carotid endarterectomy (CEE). Each study participant underwent clinical, instrumental and extended psychometric examination before cardiac surgery and at 7-10 days after surgery. The evaluation of the extracranial vessels state was carried out before surgery using color duplex scanning. Based on the results of assessing the extracranial vessels state, all patients were divided into three groups: no stenosis (n = 124), CA stenosis less than 50% (n = 69) and more than 50% (n = 36).Results. It was found out that the patients with CA stenoses more than 50% are characterized by a slower reaction under different conditions of visual stimuli selection and by an older age as compared with patients with no stenoses as well as patients with stenoses less than 50%. In the postoperative period of cardiac surgery in comparison with testing before surgery there was an improvement in the information selection stability (an increase in the number of processed symbols per 4 minute of the Bourdon's test (p<0.00006)) and short-term memory (p = 0.03) only in the group of patients without stenoses. The patients with stenoses of less than 50% had an increase the of the information selection stability but the short-term memory decrease (p<0.05) whereas the group with stenoses more than 50% had a decrease in both the stability of information selection and short-term memory (p<0,05). Additional factors of cognitive deficit in CA stenosis patients were trait anxiety associated with memory impairment and a history of stroke that related to a decrease in the effectiveness of a complex visual-motor reaction.Conclusion. The comprehensive analysis of the cognitive status of cardiac surgery patients with different severity of CA stenosis showed that an increase in the age and stenosis degree is the factor of the reaction time slowdown under different conditions of information selection. To differentiate groups of patients depending on the severity of stenosis in the postoperative period the testing short-term memory and stability of attention is informative. These indicators improve in the group without stenosis but decrease in the group with pronounced stenosis. The trait anxiety and the history of stroke were the additional factors of memory impairment due to CA stenosis.Основные положения. Впервые показано, что выраженный (более 50%) стеноз сонных артерий (СА) приводит к значимому замедлению формирования реакции при селекции информации и эти пациенты характеризуются старшим возрастом и тенденцией к росту личностной тревожности по сравнению с больными с отсутствием стенозов СА.Обнаружено, что отличительной особенностью когнитивного статуса пациентов с выраженными стенозами СА в раннем послеоперационном периоде кардиохирургического вмешательства служат снижение объема внимания и ухудшение памяти в сравнении с больными с отсутствием стенозов СА, при этом скоростные показатели селекции информации положительно связаны с личностной тревожностью.Цель. Проанализировать послеоперационные изменения эффективности селекции информации и памяти в зависимости от степени стеноза сонных артерий (СА) (более 50%) и возраста пациентов и выяснить роль показателя личностной тревожности, измеренного до оперативного вмешательства.Материалы и методы. В проспективное исследование включены 229 больных, перенесших изолированное коронарное шунтирование (КШ) либо КШ в сочетании с каротидной эндартерэктомией. Клиническое, инструментальное и расширенное психометрическое обследование выполнено до вмешательства и на 7-10-е сут после операции. Оценка состояния экстракраниальных сосудов проведена до операции с использованием цветного дуплексного сканирования. По результатам этой оценки сформированы три группы пациентов: отсутствие стеноза СА (n = 124), стеноз СА менее 50% (n = 69) и более 50% (n = 36).Результаты. Больные со стенозами СА более 50% отличаются от пациентов с отсутствием стенозов и стенозами менее 50% более медленной реакцией в разных условиях селекции зрительных стимулов и старшим возрастом. В послеоперационном периоде кардиохирургических вмешательств только в группе лиц без стенозов отмечено улучшение устойчивости селекции информации (увеличение количества обрабатываемых за 4 минуты символов теста корректурной пробы Бурдона; p<0,00006) и кратковременной памяти (р = 0,03) в сравнении с тестированием до операции. У пациентов со стенозами менее 50% наряду с повышением устойчивости селекции информации показатели кратковременной памяти снижались (р<0,05), а в группе со стенозами более 50% отмечено как уменьшение устойчивости селекции информации, так и кратковременной памяти (р<0,05). Дополнительными факторами когнитивного дефицита при стенозе СА выступают личностная тревожность, связанная с ухудшением памяти, и наличие ОНМК в анамнезе, ассоциированное со снижением эффективности сложной зрительно-моторной реакции.Заключение. В результате комплексного анализа когнитивного статуса кардиохирургических пациентов с разной выраженностью стенозов СА установлено, что увеличение возраста и степени стеноза служит фактором замедления формирования ответа в разных условиях селекции информации. Для дифференциации групп больных в зависимости от выраженности стеноза в послеоперационном периоде информативно тестирование кратковременной памяти и устойчивости внимания, показатель которого улучшается в группе без стеноза, но снижается в группе с выраженным стенозом

Clustering of indicators of the cognitive status in cardiac surgery patients to assess the risk of postoperative decline

The aim of the study. To determine the informational value of psychometric indicators used for the integral assessment of cognitive status in cardiac patients, and to find those that would help differentiate the individual sensibility to postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD).Materials and methods. The clustering methods were analyzed the extended psychometric testing data in 256 cardiac surgery patients. The psychometric testing carried out 3–5 days before and on days 7–10 after surgery using the psychophysiological complex program “Status PF”.Results. The cluster analysis revealed that the most informative tests for a screening risk assessment of POCD are the testing the speed of response to visual stimuli with feedback of changes in the stimuli exposition according to the individual reaction time and the testing short-term memory (memorized words). While the analysis of postoperative psychometric indicators, the patients in a modified clustering group were characterized by a deterioration of verbal memory and a decrease of the time reaction to visual stimuli whereas that its observed acceleration in the general “stable” group.Conclusion. The clustering methods enabled the identification of cardiac surgery patients in the preoperative stage who had less cognitive reserve for recovery after surgery. The changes in the relationship of complex visual and motor response, attention, and memory indicators, which depended on the belonging to the identified clusters, suggest that the preoperative period is characterized by the dedifferentiation of cognitive functions indicating a cognitive deficit

ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ВИРТУАЛЬНОЙ РЕАЛЬНОСТИ ДЛЯ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЯ КОГНИТИВНЫХ ФУНКЦИЙ И КАЧЕСТВА ЖИЗНИ: ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ ДЛЯ КАРДИОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПАЦИЕНТОВ С ИШЕМИЕЙ МОЗГА

HighlightsWe present an overview of publications on neurological and cardiac rehabilitation programs using virtual reality technologies. Training that involves multitasking and combining cognitive and physical tasks with interactive scenarios is most effective in terms of the improvement of the quality of life of patients with coronary artery disease. Ecotherapy in virtual environment is a promising way to reduce anxiety and stress. The review presents the analysis of publications focused on neurological and cardiac rehabilitation programs using virtual reality technologies (VRT), involving the integration of multisensory and multidomain tasks, as well as a meta-analysis of such studies. It is shown that VRTs make it possible to simulate interactive scenarios for simulating vigorous activity with given visual, tactile and kinesthetic sensations and with the appropriate correction in accordance with the needs of various users. It is noted that when developing programs based on VRT, it is necessary to take into account the degree of immersion of users in the virtual environment and symptoms of virtual reality sickness.The analysis of meta-reviews of published articles indicates the need to continue research in this field due to the wide variety of rehabilitation programs, used indicators of cognitive functions and health status in heterogeneous populations of healthy individuals and cardiac patients involved in training.The results obtained allow us to conclude that neurological and cardiac rehabilitation is the most effective when it involves training with multitasking and combined cognitive and physical tasks in VR. Ecotherapy in virtual environment is a promising way to reduce anxiety and stress.Основные положенияПредставлен обзор публикаций о программах нейро- и кардиореабилитации с использованием технологий виртуальной реальности. Для улучшения качества жизни пациентов с ишемической болезнью сердца наиболее эффективна тренировка с помощью многозадачности и совмещения когнитивной и физической нагрузки с применением интерактивных сценариев. Для снижения тревожности и стресса перспективна экотерапия в виртуальной среде. В обзоре представлены публикации о программах нейро- и кардиореабилитации с использованием технологий виртуальной реальности, включающих интеграцию мультисенсорных и мультидоменных заданий, а также метаанализ таких исследований. Технологии виртуальной реальности позволяют моделировать интерактивные сценарии для имитации активной деятельности с заданными визуальными, тактильными и кинестетическими ощущениями и их коррекцией в соответствии с потребностями различных пользователей. При разработке программ на основе технологий виртуальной реальности необходимо учитывать степень погружения пользователей в виртуальную среду и симптомы киберболезни. Результаты метаобзоров свидетельствуют о необходимости исследований в данном направлении вследствие большого разнообразия программ реабилитации, используемых показателей когнитивных функций и состояния здоровья у привлеченных к тренировке разнородных популяций здоровых лиц и кардиологических пациентов.Для нейро- и кардиореабилитации наиболее эффективна тренировка с использованием многозадачности и совмещения когнитивной и физической нагрузок на основе технологий виртуальной реальности. Для снижения тревожности и стресса перспективна экотерапия в виртуальной среде

Sex differences in the Simon task help to interpret sex differences in selective attention.

In the last decade, a number of studies have reported sex differences in selective attention, but a unified explanation for these effects is still missing. This study aims to better understand these differences and put them in an evolutionary psychological context. 418 adult participants performed a computer-based Simon task, in which they responded to the direction of a left or right pointing arrow appearing left or right from a fixation point. Women were more strongly influenced by task-irrelevant spatial information than men (i.e., the Simon effect was larger in women, Cohen's d = 0.39). Further, the analysis of sex differences in behavioral adjustment to errors revealed that women slow down more than men following mistakes (d = 0.53). Based on the combined results of previous studies and the current data, it is proposed that sex differences in selective attention are caused by underlying sex differences in core abilities, such as spatial or verbal cognition

Functional neuroimaging of visual creativity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: The generation of creative visual imagery contributes to technological and scientific innovation, and production of visual art. The underlying cognitive and neural processes are however poorly understood. Methods: This review synthesises functional neuroimaging studies of visual creativity. Seven functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and 19 electroencephalography (EEG) studies were included, comprising 27 experiments and around 800 participants. Results: Activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of the fMRI studies comparing visual creativity to non-rest control tasks yielded significant clusters in thalamus, left fusiform gyrus, and right middle and inferior frontal gyri. The EEG studies revealed a tendency for decreased alpha power during visual creativity compared to baseline, but comparisons of visual creativity to non-rest control tasks revealed inconsistent findings. Conclusions: The findings are consistent with suggested contributions to visual creativity of prefrontally-mediated inhibition, evaluation and working memory, as well as visual imagery processes. Findings are discussed in relation to prominent theories of the neural basis of creativity