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Memory function assessment under propofol anaesthesia
274
Posters session 2 / International Journal of Psychophysiology 69 (2008) 242–275
schemes in thinking and to find a quick optimal solutions in problem situations. Distinguished are 3 psychological parameters of creativity: fluency, flexibility and originality (Guilford, 1971). These parameters of creativity are important characteristics to understand how successfully process of creativity proceeds. However, creativity tests are designed in a such a way that each test task measures all the creativity parameters (fluency, flexibility and originality), with no separation of these parameters. Most of psychophysiological studies of creativity were performed using the creativity tasks with no separation of these parameters (Martindale, 1975; Petsche, 1996: Molle, 1999: Carlsson, 2000; Razoumnikova, 2000; Bechtereva et al., 2000, 2004; HowardJones, 2005). The aim of our study was to elaborate original test for creativity parameters such as fluency, flexibility and originality, which were measured separately in each task and were suitable for further psychophysiological research. Three types of tasks were developed. Sets of 11 nouns in each task served as stimuli. All the words were appeared in series in the centre of computer monitor. The Fluency task was to create as much as possible interrelated sentences using appearing words from one semantic area. The Flexibility task was to create interrelated sentences using appearing words from different semantic areas. The Originality task was to create interrelated sentences in unusual way using appearing words from one semantic area. The 15 healthy volunteers participated in investigation. When the subjects performed tasks, the vegetative characteristics (heart rate, skin potentials) were measured. Analysis of vegetative characteristics revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between creativity tasks. Statistically significance differences were revealed only in comparisons for each creative task versus rest. According to self-reports of volunteers, the quantitative characteristics for fluency, flexibility and originality were calculated. In order to compare the validity of our test to the standard creativity tests we adjust to Spearman's rank correlation (r = 0.66 at p b 0.05). It indicates that our test correlate the standard test. So, we may suppose that our test measures the same psychological feature (creativity) as a standard test. Therefore we can use our test of creativity parameters for psychophysiological research. Using our test for further psychophysiological study may allow us to obtain more authentic view on brain organization of separate creativity parameters. Supported by grant NSh -1131.2008.4.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.561 Memory function assessment under propofol anaesthesia B. Aydin a, N. Gokmen b, A. Oniz a, M. Ozgoren a Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Biophysics, Turkey b Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Anaesthesia and Reanimation, Izmir, Turkey
a
In recent years, there are a number of researches on learning during anaesthesia, some demonstrating significant implicit memory occurrence (Veselis, 2007; Deeprose et al., 2004; Andrade, 2005). Auditory or verbal stimuli are commonly used in the search of implicit or explicit memory functions. To assess the implicit learning system Word Stem Completion Test is frequently used. We investigated whether any type of memory function persists during anesthesia. This study focuses on the more recent studies in the literature that measured implicit memory for intraoperative stimuli when the patients were unconscious at the time of memory formation. This study was performed at Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine in twelve subjects. We used a modified test which can be described in three blocks to define the memory processes. The first block is Modified Auditory Verbal Learning test which was held prior to second block. The second block is the period during which stimuli can be applied to different conscious states (i.e. anaesthesia, coma, sleep). As the third block, Modified Word Recognition Test (MWRT) and Modified Word Stem Completion Test (MWSC) were held. The preliminary results indicate that the recall rates of the words and nonwords given during anesthesia is 32.94%, the words and nonwords given prior to anesthesia is 77.77%; the words given both prior to anesthesia and during anesthesia is 82.63%. The unrecalled results of the words given to the MWRT are 84.02% which indirectly indicates test reliability. In conclusion, the results indicate possible implicit memory during general anesthesia (BIS 40–60). When the BIS values were around 20, no implicit memory functions were obtained. Our study suggested that the recall rates of the words and nonwords given both prior to anesthesia and during anesthesia indicate higher scores. The findings of our group point to applicability of this paradigm under anesthesia, sleep and pathological processes.
References Veselis, R.A., 2007. Memory: a guide for anaesthetists. Best Practice and Research in Clinical Anaesthesiology 21 (3), 297–312. Deeprose, C., Andrade, J., Varma, S., Edwards, N., 2004. Unconscious learning during surgery with propofol anaesthesia. British Journal of Anaesthesia 92 (2), 171–177. Andrade, J., 2005. Does memory priming during anesthesia matter? Anesthesiology 103 (5), 919–920.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.562 Memory as a fundamental concept of neurophysiological theory: The informational aspect A.D. Redozubov Gazpromtrubinvest, Top-management, Saint-Petersburg, Russia According to the current theoretical concepts and experimental data, the physiological basis of memory is formed by changes in intraneuronal metabolism, which are manifested, in particular, as the long-term modifications of the excitability of synaptic contacts. These modifications result from environmental changes and lead to specific rearrangements of the natural neuronal networks and to the development of new neural network structures. The concept of engram was initially rather vague and implied only that certain changes occur in the brain as a result of the effects of stimuli on certain receptors. At present, engrams are generally believed to be the above structural changes in the organization of neuronal networks. In our view, it is expedient to better scrutinize the concept of engram by defining it as the neuronal structure resulting from the inflow of new information. Because engrams are rather stable, it is conceivable that each one is implicated as a whole in the encephalic informational processes. Therefore we believe that it is reasonable to regard encephalic processes as informational exchange between separate engrams, and to regard the responses of engrams to stimuli as a sort of informational cluster. Let us term such informational exchange between engrams as coded thinking, and the engrams that produce the specific informational clusters, as the words of the internal informational exchange. At every moment, a specific group of engrams is activated as a result of either the internal informational exchange or the inflow of information from the outside. Let us term such set of engrams as the current informational representation. In the course of evolution of any current informational representation, some engrams become activated, whereas others become deactivated. Thus, by suggesting the above terminology we can describe the flow of mental processes as the dynamics of the current informational representations. This description method makes it possible to use the formal apparatus of information transfer theory, and the concepts introduced in this way are well representable physically.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.563 Electrophysiological correlates of voice processing in children O. Rogier, S. Roux, C. Barthélémy, N. Bruneau⁎ INSERM U930, Tours, France Université François-Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France CHRU Tours, Hôpital Bretonneau, Service de Pédopsychiatrie, Tours, France Voice is one of the most important social stimuli. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in adults have localized voice processing along the upper bank of the superior temporal sulcus (STS), particularly on the right side (review in Belin et al., Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2004). These cerebral regions, also called temporal voice areas (TVA), mature early since neonates clearly discriminate this particular auditory stimulus, as demonstrated using behavioural methods (DeCasper and Fifer, Science, 1980). The aim of the present study was to evidence electrophysiological correlates of voice processing in children. Twelve 6–7-year-old children participated in this study. Cortical auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded during passive listening to human vocal sounds (foreign words, laughs, sighs, coughs…) and environmental sounds (alarms, cars, musical instruments, streams…). Stimuli were derived
Posters session 2 / International Journal of Psychophysiology 69 (2008) 242–275
schemes in thinking and to find a quick optimal solutions in problem situations. Distinguished are 3 psychological parameters of creativity: fluency, flexibility and originality (Guilford, 1971). These parameters of creativity are important characteristics to understand how successfully process of creativity proceeds. However, creativity tests are designed in a such a way that each test task measures all the creativity parameters (fluency, flexibility and originality), with no separation of these parameters. Most of psychophysiological studies of creativity were performed using the creativity tasks with no separation of these parameters (Martindale, 1975; Petsche, 1996: Molle, 1999: Carlsson, 2000; Razoumnikova, 2000; Bechtereva et al., 2000, 2004; HowardJones, 2005). The aim of our study was to elaborate original test for creativity parameters such as fluency, flexibility and originality, which were measured separately in each task and were suitable for further psychophysiological research. Three types of tasks were developed. Sets of 11 nouns in each task served as stimuli. All the words were appeared in series in the centre of computer monitor. The Fluency task was to create as much as possible interrelated sentences using appearing words from one semantic area. The Flexibility task was to create interrelated sentences using appearing words from different semantic areas. The Originality task was to create interrelated sentences in unusual way using appearing words from one semantic area. The 15 healthy volunteers participated in investigation. When the subjects performed tasks, the vegetative characteristics (heart rate, skin potentials) were measured. Analysis of vegetative characteristics revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between creativity tasks. Statistically significance differences were revealed only in comparisons for each creative task versus rest. According to self-reports of volunteers, the quantitative characteristics for fluency, flexibility and originality were calculated. In order to compare the validity of our test to the standard creativity tests we adjust to Spearman's rank correlation (r = 0.66 at p b 0.05). It indicates that our test correlate the standard test. So, we may suppose that our test measures the same psychological feature (creativity) as a standard test. Therefore we can use our test of creativity parameters for psychophysiological research. Using our test for further psychophysiological study may allow us to obtain more authentic view on brain organization of separate creativity parameters. Supported by grant NSh -1131.2008.4.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.561 Memory function assessment under propofol anaesthesia B. Aydin a, N. Gokmen b, A. Oniz a, M. Ozgoren a Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Biophysics, Turkey b Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Anaesthesia and Reanimation, Izmir, Turkey
a
In recent years, there are a number of researches on learning during anaesthesia, some demonstrating significant implicit memory occurrence (Veselis, 2007; Deeprose et al., 2004; Andrade, 2005). Auditory or verbal stimuli are commonly used in the search of implicit or explicit memory functions. To assess the implicit learning system Word Stem Completion Test is frequently used. We investigated whether any type of memory function persists during anesthesia. This study focuses on the more recent studies in the literature that measured implicit memory for intraoperative stimuli when the patients were unconscious at the time of memory formation. This study was performed at Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine in twelve subjects. We used a modified test which can be described in three blocks to define the memory processes. The first block is Modified Auditory Verbal Learning test which was held prior to second block. The second block is the period during which stimuli can be applied to different conscious states (i.e. anaesthesia, coma, sleep). As the third block, Modified Word Recognition Test (MWRT) and Modified Word Stem Completion Test (MWSC) were held. The preliminary results indicate that the recall rates of the words and nonwords given during anesthesia is 32.94%, the words and nonwords given prior to anesthesia is 77.77%; the words given both prior to anesthesia and during anesthesia is 82.63%. The unrecalled results of the words given to the MWRT are 84.02% which indirectly indicates test reliability. In conclusion, the results indicate possible implicit memory during general anesthesia (BIS 40–60). When the BIS values were around 20, no implicit memory functions were obtained. Our study suggested that the recall rates of the words and nonwords given both prior to anesthesia and during anesthesia indicate higher scores. The findings of our group point to applicability of this paradigm under anesthesia, sleep and pathological processes.
References Veselis, R.A., 2007. Memory: a guide for anaesthetists. Best Practice and Research in Clinical Anaesthesiology 21 (3), 297–312. Deeprose, C., Andrade, J., Varma, S., Edwards, N., 2004. Unconscious learning during surgery with propofol anaesthesia. British Journal of Anaesthesia 92 (2), 171–177. Andrade, J., 2005. Does memory priming during anesthesia matter? Anesthesiology 103 (5), 919–920.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.562 Memory as a fundamental concept of neurophysiological theory: The informational aspect A.D. Redozubov Gazpromtrubinvest, Top-management, Saint-Petersburg, Russia According to the current theoretical concepts and experimental data, the physiological basis of memory is formed by changes in intraneuronal metabolism, which are manifested, in particular, as the long-term modifications of the excitability of synaptic contacts. These modifications result from environmental changes and lead to specific rearrangements of the natural neuronal networks and to the development of new neural network structures. The concept of engram was initially rather vague and implied only that certain changes occur in the brain as a result of the effects of stimuli on certain receptors. At present, engrams are generally believed to be the above structural changes in the organization of neuronal networks. In our view, it is expedient to better scrutinize the concept of engram by defining it as the neuronal structure resulting from the inflow of new information. Because engrams are rather stable, it is conceivable that each one is implicated as a whole in the encephalic informational processes. Therefore we believe that it is reasonable to regard encephalic processes as informational exchange between separate engrams, and to regard the responses of engrams to stimuli as a sort of informational cluster. Let us term such informational exchange between engrams as coded thinking, and the engrams that produce the specific informational clusters, as the words of the internal informational exchange. At every moment, a specific group of engrams is activated as a result of either the internal informational exchange or the inflow of information from the outside. Let us term such set of engrams as the current informational representation. In the course of evolution of any current informational representation, some engrams become activated, whereas others become deactivated. Thus, by suggesting the above terminology we can describe the flow of mental processes as the dynamics of the current informational representations. This description method makes it possible to use the formal apparatus of information transfer theory, and the concepts introduced in this way are well representable physically.
doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.05.563 Electrophysiological correlates of voice processing in children O. Rogier, S. Roux, C. Barthélémy, N. Bruneau⁎ INSERM U930, Tours, France Université François-Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France CHRU Tours, Hôpital Bretonneau, Service de Pédopsychiatrie, Tours, France Voice is one of the most important social stimuli. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in adults have localized voice processing along the upper bank of the superior temporal sulcus (STS), particularly on the right side (review in Belin et al., Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2004). These cerebral regions, also called temporal voice areas (TVA), mature early since neonates clearly discriminate this particular auditory stimulus, as demonstrated using behavioural methods (DeCasper and Fifer, Science, 1980). The aim of the present study was to evidence electrophysiological correlates of voice processing in children. Twelve 6–7-year-old children participated in this study. Cortical auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded during passive listening to human vocal sounds (foreign words, laughs, sighs, coughs…) and environmental sounds (alarms, cars, musical instruments, streams…). Stimuli were derived