Oculomotor inhibition markers of working memory load

Abstract Involuntary eye movements occur constantly even during fixation and were shown to convey information about cognitive processes. They are inhibited momentarily in response to external stimuli (oculomotor inhibition, OMI), with a time and magnitude that depend on stimulus saliency, attention, and expectations. It was recently shown that the working memory load for numbers modulates the microsaccade rate; however, the generality of the effect and its temporal properties remain unclear. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between OMI and the working memory load for simple colored shapes. Participants (N = 26) maintained their fixation while their eyes were tracked; they viewed briefly flashed colored shapes accompanied by small arrows indicating the shapes to be memorized (1/2/3). After a retention period, a probe shape appeared for matching. The microsaccade rate modulation and temporal properties were analyzed for the memory encoding, maintenance, and retrieval phases. Microsaccade inhibition was stronger when more shapes were memorized, and performance improved when microsaccades were suppressed during maintenance and retrieval. This occurred even though the physical stimuli were identical in number under all conditions. Thus, oculomotor inhibition may play a role in silencing the visual input while processing current stimuli and is generally related to processing time and load

Late Life Alcohol Use and Gender Differences among former Soviet Union Immigrants

Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union tend to drink more frequently than other Israelis. However, little is known about alcohol consumption among older Former Soviet Union immigrants in Israel. In the current study, male and female Former Soviet Union immigrants residing in independent living facilities were studied to determine their patterns of alcohol use and attitudes toward drinking. Interviews were conducted using a modified version of the CAGE instrument. Findings show that men use alcohol more than women, believe they need to reduce consumption, and are more likely to be criticized and feel guilty about their drinking behavior. Additional research is needed to further understand the extent of improper alcohol use among late life immigrants and older people in the country. Such information should be applied to the development of policy and services that will address their quality of life needs