Effects of time-compressed speech training on multiple functional and structural neural mechanisms involving the left superior temporal gyrus

Time-compressed speech is an artificial form of rapidly presented speech. Training with time-compressed speech (TCSSL) in a second language leads to adaptation toward TCSSL. Here, we newly investigated the effects of 4 weeks of training with TCSSL on diverse cognitive functions and neural systems using the fractional amplitude of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) with the left superior temporal gyrus (STG), fractional anisotropy (FA), and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) of young adults by magnetic resonance imaging. There were no significant differences in change of performance of measures of cognitive functions or second language skills after training with TCSSL compared with that of the active control group. However, compared with the active control group, training with TCSSL was associated with increased fALFF, RSFC, and FA and decreased rGMV involving areas in the left STG. These results lacked evidence of a far transfer effect of time-compressed speech training on a wide range of cognitive functions and second language skills in young adults. However, these results demonstrated effects of time-compressed speech training on gray and white matter structures as well as on resting-state intrinsic activity and connectivity involving the left STG, which plays a key role in listening comprehension

Effects of time-compressed speech training on multiple functional and structural neural mechanisms involving the left superior temporal gyrus

Time-compressed speech is an artificial form of rapidly presented speech. Training with time compressed speech in a second language leads to adaptation toward time-compressed speech in a second language and toward time compressed speech in different languages. However, the effects of training with time-compressed speech of a second language (TCSSL) on diverse cognitive functions and neural mechanisms beyond time compressed speech-related activation are unknown. We investigated the effects of 4 weeks of training with TCSSL on the fractional amplitude of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) of 0.01–0.08 Hz, resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) with the left superior temporal gyrus (STG), fractional anisotropy (FA), and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) of young adults by magnetic resonance imaging. There were no significant differences in change of performance of measures of cognitive functions or second language skills after training with TCSSL compared with that of the active control group. However, compared with the active control group, training with TCSSL was associated with increased fALFF, RSFC, and FA and decreased rGMV involving areas in the left STG. These results lacked evidence of a far transfer effect of time compressed speech training on a wide range of cognitive functions and second language skills in young adults. However, these results demonstrated effects of time compressed speech training on gray and white matter structures as well as on resting-state intrinsic activity and connectivity involving the left STG, which plays a key role in listening comprehension

Lenticular nucleus correlates of general self-efficacy in young adults

General self-efficacy (GSE) is an important factor in education, social participation, and medical treatment. However, the only study that has investigated the direct association between GSE and a neural correlate did not identify specific brain regions, rather only assessed brain structures, and included older adult subjects. GSE is related to motivation, physical activity, learning, the willingness to initiate behaviour and expend effort, and adjustment. Thus, it was hypothesized in the present study that the neural correlates of GSE might be related to changes in the basal ganglia, which is a region related to the abovementioned self-efficacy factors. This study aimed to identify the brain structures associated with GSE in healthy young adults (n = 1204, 691 males and 513 females, age 20.7 ± 1.8 years) using regional grey matter density and volume (rGMD and rGMV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) analyses of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The findings showed that scores on the GSE Scale (GSES) were associated with a lower MD value in regions from the right putamen to the globus pallidum; however, there were no significant association between GSES scores and regional brain structures using the other analyses (rGMD, rGMV, and FA). Thus, the present findings indicated that the lenticular nucleus is a neural correlate of GSE

Regional homogeneity, resting-state functional connectivity and amplitude of low frequency fluctuation associated with creativity measured by divergent thinking in a sex-specific manner

Brain connectivity is traditionally thought to be important for creativity. Here we investigated the associations of creativity measured by divergent thinking (CMDT) with resting-state functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) measures and their sex differences. We examined these relationships in the brains of 1277 healthy young adults. Whole-brain analyses revealed a significant interaction between verbal CMDT and sex on (a) regional homogeneity within an area from the left anterior temporal lobe (b) on the resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the mPFC and the left inferior frontal gyrus and (c) on fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in several distinct areas, including the precuneus and middle cingulate gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, and cerebellum. These interactions were mediated by positive correlations in females and negative correlations in males. These findings suggest that greater CMDT in females is reflected by (a) regional coherence (regional homogeneity) of brain areas responsible for representing and combining concepts as well as (b) the efficient functional connection (RSFC) between the key areas for the default state of cognitive activity and speech production, and (c) greater spontaneous neural activity (fALFF) during the resting of brain areas involved in frontal lobe functions, default cognitive activities, and language functions. Furthermore, these findings suggest that the associations between creativity and resting state brain connectivity patterns are different between males and females

The relationship between processing speed and regional white matter volume in healthy young people

Processing speed is considered a key cognitive resource and it has a crucial role in all types of cognitive performance. Some researchers have hypothesised the importance of white matter integrity in the brain for processing speed; however, the relationship at the whole-brain level between white matter volume (WMV) and processing speed relevant to the modality or problem used in the task has never been clearly evaluated in healthy people. In this study, we used various tests of processing speed and Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) analyses, it is involves a voxel-wise comparison of the local volume of gray and white, to assess the relationship between processing speed and regional WMV (rWMV). We examined the association between processing speed and WMV in 887 healthy young adults (504 men and 383 women; mean age, 20.7 years, SD, 1.85). We performed three different multiple regression analyses: we evaluated rWMV associated with individual differences in the simple processing speed task, word–colour and colour–word tasks (processing speed tasks with words) and the simple arithmetic task, after adjusting for age and sex. The results showed a positive relationship at the whole-brain level between rWMV and processing speed performance. In contrast, the processing speed performance did not correlate with rWMV in any of the regions examined. Our results support the idea that WMV is associated globally with processing speed performance regardless of the type of processing speed task

Effects of Natural Reduced Water on Cognitive Function, Body Composition, and Psychological Function in Older Adults: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Natural reduced water is natural water that contains active hydrogen and reduces oxidation. It is rare in the world, and in Japan, it is produced in the Hita area of Oita Prefecture (Hita Tenryosui water). Previous studies in humans have examined the effects of natural reduced water on diabetes, which is one of the known risks for dementia. Animal studies of natural reduced water have revealed anti-obesity and anti-anxiety effects. However, the effects of natural reduced water on cognitive function, body composition, and psychological function in humans are unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between these items in elderly people who continuously consume natural reduced water. In this study, we recruited participants aged between 65 and 74 years. The participants were randomly and blindly assigned to a natural reduced water (Hita Tenryosui water) group or a control (tap water) group and drank 1 L of water daily for 6 months. Cognitive function, body composition, and psychological function were measured before and after the 6-month intervention period

Effects of Natural Reduced Water on Cognitive Function, Body Composition, and Psychological Function in Older Adults: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Natural reduced water is natural water that contains active hydrogen and reduces oxidation. It is rare in the world, and in Japan, it is produced in the Hita area of Oita Prefecture (Hita Tenryosui water). Previous studies in humans have examined the effects of natural reduced water on diabetes, which is one of the known risks for dementia. Animal studies of natural reduced water have revealed anti-obesity and anti-anxiety effects. However, the effects of natural reduced water on cognitive function, body composition, and psychological function in humans are unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between these items in elderly people who continuously consume natural reduced water. In this study, we recruited participants aged between 65 and 74 years. The participants were randomly and blindly assigned to a natural reduced water (Hita Tenryosui water) group or a control (tap water) group and drank 1 L of water daily for 6 months. Cognitive function, body composition, and psychological function were measured before and after the 6-month intervention period

A user-oriented evaluation of digital libraries: case study the 'electronic journals' service of the library and information service of the University of Patras, Greece

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοRespondents were asked to indicate which factors would discourage them from accessing an e-journals service. The choices provided by the questionnaire are detailed in Table XVIII. There was also the "other" option where users could indicate any other factor. A total of 203 people responded to this question. The most common reason cited for not reading an e-journal was the lack of enough information relevant to the users' interests - 51.2 per cent mentioned it

Rhythm working memory tasks.

<p>A sample rhythm pattern was presented at the beginning of each trial. Each rhythm pattern consisted of three repeats of a three-pure-tone sequence. The participants were required to memorize the rhythm pattern within 6 s (encoding phase), to maintain the rhythm information for 6–12 s (maintenance phase), and reproduce it by tapping with the right index finger, left index finger or right foot, or by articulation within 8 s (retrieval phase). We used 20 rhythmic patterns for each participant. The two out of three durations (SOA1, SOA2 and IUI) in each pattern were constantly same. The SOA and IUI were chosen from six possible durations (0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 or 1.2 s) so that the duration of each rhythmic pattern ranged from 4 to 6 s. Abbreviations: SOA, stimulus onset asynchrony; IUI, inter-unit-interval.</p