Neural circuits of emotion regulation: a comparison of mindfulness-based and cognitive reappraisal strategies

Dealing with one's emotions is a core skill in everyday life. Effective cognitive control strategies have been shown to be neurobiologically represented in prefrontal structures regulating limbic regions. In addition to cognitive strategies, mindfulness-associated methods are increasingly applied in psychotherapy. We compared the neurobiological mechanisms of these two strategies, i.e. cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness, during both the cued expectation and perception of negative and potentially negative emotional pictures. Fifty-three healthy participants were examined with functional magnetic resonance imaging (47 participants included in analysis). Twenty-four subjects applied mindfulness, 23 used cognitive reappraisal. On the neurofunctional level, both strategies were associated with comparable activity of the medial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. When expecting negative versus neutral stimuli, the mindfulness group showed stronger activations in ventro- and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, supramarginal gyrus as well as in the left insula. During the perception of negative versus neutral stimuli, the two groups only differed in an increased activity in the caudate in the cognitive group. Altogether, both strategies recruited overlapping brain regions known to be involved in emotion regulation. This result suggests that common neural circuits are involved in the emotion regulation by mindfulness-based and cognitive reappraisal strategies. Identifying differential activations being associated with the two strategies in this study might be one step towards a better understanding of differential mechanisms of change underlying frequently used psychotherapeutic interventions.

Hypertension and cognitive decline among patients of Alzheimer's disease

Objective. The main aim of our study is to assess the effect of hypertension on the decline in cognitive impairment among Alzheimer’s patients. Methods. We analyzed the data of AD patients enrolled in Baylor ADMDC in a prospective study design. We divided AD patients into two groups based on the definition of hypertension. We described a decline in cognitive impairment as a change of 5 points in mini-mental state examination score (MMSE) from the baseline visit. Results. Independent of covariates, AD patients with hypertension did not exhibit a significant decline in cognitive impairment after adjustment of covariates, age, race and education (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.07, p value 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.84-1.39) than AD patients without hypertension. In addition, AD patients with hypertension did not experience decline in cognitive impairment sooner than AD patients without hypertension. (P value 0.83). Conclusions . Hypertension is not associated with cognitive impairment over time among patients with Alzheimer’s disease enrolled in Baylor ADMDC after other potential confounders were taken into account. These findings should not be interpreted as a basis for discouraging appropriate medical treatment of hypertension in AD patients. Greater efforts should be made to improve the recognition of hypertension as a modifiable risk factor for decline in cognitive impairment in AD population. ^

Children's auditory perception and cognitive processing skills in adverse listening situations

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Cerebellar language and cognitive functions in childhood: A comparative review of the clinical research

Background: Recent research addressing evidence from functional neuroimaging studies, neurophysiological research, and new advances in neuropsychology together with traditional cerebellar lesion studies have recently implicated the cerebellum in adult language and cognitive functions. However, more limited information is currently available in describing the functional connectivity present in the paediatric population. Aims: It is the purpose of this paper to review recent clinical research pertaining to paediatric populations, outlining the impact of site of lesion and specific associated clinical changes in children with cerebellar disturbances. Main contribution: The specific contribution of the right cerebellar hemisphere to language function is identified to also exist in the paediatric population, highlighting the existence of functional connections between this region of the brain and left frontal cortical areas early in development. Conclusions: Implications for future research in paediatric populations are extensive, as a greater awareness and an understanding of the recently acknowledged involvement of the cerebellum in cognition and nonmotor linguistic function is anticipated to also add new dimension and direction to the analysis of childhood language outcomes associated with the cerebellum.

A review of the perceptual and cognitive issues associated with the use of head-up displays in commercial aviation

A head-up display (HUD) is a projection of symbology into the pilot's forward field of view that enables the pilot to monitor the instrumentation while, theoretically, also viewing the external domain. Although the HUD has been shown to improve flight performance, there are perceptual and cognitive issues that need to be addressed. This article reviews selected literature that investigates these issues and the possible solutions posed and identifies areas that remain in doubt.

Bridging the gap between stylistic and cognitive approaches to authorship analysis using systemic functional linguistics and multidimensional analysis

In the present state of the art of authorship attribution there seems to be an opposition between two approaches: cognitive and stylistic methodologies. It is proposed in this article that these two approaches are complementary and that the apparent gap between them can be bridged using Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and in particular some of its theoretical constructions, such as codal variation. This article deals with the theoretical explanation of why such a theory would solve the debate between the two approaches and shows how these two views of authorship attribution are indeed complementary. Although the article is fundamentally theoretical, two example experimental trials are reported to show how this theory can be developed into a workable methodology of doing authorship attribution. In Trial 1, a SFL analysis was carried out on a small dataset consisting of three 300-word texts collected from three different authors whose socio-demographic background matched across a number of parameters. This trial led to some conclusions about developing a methodology based on SFL and suggested the development of another trial, which might hint at a more accurate and useful methodology. In Trial 2, Biber's (1988) multidimensional framework is employed, and a final methodology of authorship analysis based on this kind of analysis is proposed for future research. © 2013, EQUINOX PUBLISHING.

Predicting dyslexia using prereading skills:the role of sensorimotor and cognitive abilities

Background: It is well established that phonological awareness, print knowledge and rapid naming predict later reading difficulties. However, additional auditory, visual and motor difficulties have also been observed in dyslexic children. It is examined to what extent these difficulties can be used to predict later literacy difficulties. Method: An unselected sample of 267 children at school entry completed a wide battery of tasks associated with dyslexia. Their reading was tested 2, 3 and 4 years later and poor readers were identified (n = 42). Logistic regression and multiple case study approaches were used to examine the predictive validity of different tasks. Results: As expected, print knowledge, verbal short-term memory, phonological awareness and rapid naming were good predictors of later poor reading. Deficits in visual search and in auditory processing were also present in a large minority of the poor readers. Almost all poor readers showed deficits in at least one area at school entry, but there was no single deficit that characterised the majority of poor readers. Conclusions: Results are in line with Pennington’s (2006) multiple deficits view of dyslexia. They indicate that the causes of poor reading outcome are multiple, interacting and probabilistic, rather than deterministic. Keywords: Dyslexia; educational attainment; longitudinal studies; prediction; phonological processing.

Adaptation in knowledge-based teams: An examination of team composition, leader sensegiving, and cognitive, behavioral, and motivational mechanisms

Organizations are increasingly relying on teams to do the work that has traditionally been done by individuals. At the same time, the environments in which these organizations and teams operate have been becoming progressively more complex and uncertain. These trends raise important questions about the factors that enable teams to adapt. In response to these questions, the current study sought to identify the cognitive, behavioral, and motivational processes and emergent states that promote a team's adaptation to unforeseen changes and novel events, and the team compositional characteristics and leadership processes that enabled these processes and emergent states. Two hundred twenty two undergraduate students from a large Southeastern University composed 74 3-person teams, and participated in a computerized decision-making simulation where each team formed the governing body (i.e., Mayor's cabinet) for two separate simulated cities, and made strategic decisions about city operations. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three roles, distributing expertise and creating mutual interdependence. External team leader sensegiving was manipulated through video recorded communications from an external team leader. Results indicate that team cognitive ability, achievement striving, and psychological collectivism, as well as external team leader sensegiving, were all related to the similarity and quality of team members' strategy-focused mental models (cognitive emergent states), and to the amount of information sharing among members (behavioral process). In turn, teams with more similar and higher quality mental models, and who shared greater levels of information, were found to have a greater ability to react and adapt to environmental changes, and to have greater levels of decision-making effectiveness. Results indicate a pattern of relationships consistent with hypotheses, and have important implications for organizations and knowledge-based teams charged with management responsibilities. Organizations should staff teams with the compositional characteristics that enable the development of similar and high quality mental models, and that promote information sharing among teammates. Similarly, organizations which train and develop leaders to engage in sensegiving behaviors enable team adaptability and promote enhanced decision-making effectiveness when faced with unforeseen changes and novel situations.

Examination of the impact of personality, social, and cognitive factors on the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors among multi-problem youth: The utility of an integrative framework

Research has identified a number of putative risk factors that places adolescents at incrementally higher risk for involvement in alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and sexual risk behaviors (SRBs). Such factors include personality characteristics such as sensation-seeking, cognitive factors such as positive expectancies and inhibition conflict as well as peer norm processes. The current study was guided by a conceptual perspective that support the notion that an integrative framework that includes multi-level factors has significant explanatory value for understanding processes associated with the co-occurrence of AOD use and sexual risk behavior outcomes. This study evaluated simultaneously the mediating role of AOD-sex related expectancies and inhibition conflict on antecedents of AOD use and SRBs including sexual sensation-seeking and peer norms for condom use.^ The sample was drawn from the Enhancing My Personal Options While Evaluating Risk (EMPOWER: Jonathan Tubman, PI), data set (N = 396; aged 12-18 years). Measures used in the study included Sexual Sensation-Seeking Scale, Inhibition Conflict for Condom Use, Risky Sex Scale. All relevant measures had well-documented psychometric properties. A global assessment of alcohol, drug use and sexual risk behaviors was used.^ Results demonstrated that AOD-sex related expectancies mediated the influence of sexual sensation-seeking on the co-occurrence of alcohol and other drug use and sexual risk behaviors. The evaluation of the integrative model also revealed that sexual sensation-seeking was positively associated with peer norms for condom use. Also, peer norms predicted inhibition conflict among this sample of multi-problem youth. ^ This dissertation research identified mechanisms of risk and protection associated with the co-occurrence of AOD use and SRBs among a multi-problem sample of adolescents receiving treatment for alcohol or drug use and related problems. This study is informative for adolescent-serving programs that address those individual and contextual characteristics that enhance treatment efficacy and effectiveness among adolescents receiving substance use and related problems services.^

Effects of worked examples and algebra problem -solving skill on error and cognitive load

This study determined the levels of algebra problem solving skill at which worked examples promoted learning of further problem solving skill and reduction of cognitive load in college developmental algebra students. Problem solving skill was objectively measured as error production; cognitive load was subjectively measured as perceived mental effort. ^ Sixty-three Ss were pretested, received homework of worked examples or mass problem solving, and posttested. Univarate ANCOVA (covariate = previous grade) were performed on the practice and posttest data. The factors used in the analysis were practice strategy (worked examples vs. mass problem solving) and algebra problem solving skill (low vs. moderate vs. high). Students in the practice phase who studied worked examples exhibited (a) fewer errors and reduced cognitive load, at moderate skill; (b) neither fewer errors nor reduced cognitive load, at low skill; and (c) only reduced cognitive load, at high skill. In the posttest, only cognitive load was reduced. ^ The results suggested that worked examples be emphasized for developmental students with moderate problem solving skill. Areas for further research were discussed. ^