Alpha and Low Gamma Embedded With White Noise Binaural Beats Modulating Working Memory among Malaysian Young Adult: A Preliminary fMRI Study

@#Introduction: Binaural beats (BB) provisions alpha and gamma have been suggested to modulate working memory (WM), while white noise (WN) acted as a control condition. Methods: The current study overlays WN on alpha and gamma tones to study its modulating role on WM performance. A block-design n-back task paradigm used to determine the effect of load on embedded BB on WM performance using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Six young adults (3 males and 3 females) with mean age of 23.5 ± 0.84 within the Kota Bharu vicinity participated in the study. A repeated-measures ANOVA (p<0.05) on response accuracy indicate medium effect size on condition (η2 =0.420), and large effect sizes on groups (η2 = 0.388) and load (η2 = 0.487). The potential practical difference is more evident on low- (0-back) and high-load (3-back). GWN provision marginally excels, implying its entrainment may benefit WM processing. A repeated-measures ANOVA (p<0.05) on reaction time (RT) implied a large effect size on all variables (condition: η2 =0.065, groups: η2 =0.227 and load: η2 =0.169). It was observed that BB exposure elicits a slow processing speed which worsens RT. The neural correlates suggest activated regions in GWN and AWN are associated with attentional mechanisms and WM processes. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate both embedded BB has a potential to improve WM performance with the cost of slower processing speed. GWN provision modulates attentional mechanisms benefiting WM performance and AWN may enhance performance in extreme ends of WM load.

Impairment of working memory in patients with depressive disorder / 预防医学

Objective@#To analyze the working memory impairment in patients with different degrees of depressive disorder and its influencing factors, so as to provide the basis for the clinical evaluation of cognitive function in patients with depressive disorder. @*Methods@#From January 2019 to November 2020, the patients with depressive disorder were selected in the psychiatry and clinical psychology departments of a tertiary hospital. Demographic information, disease course and medication were collected. Depression subscale ( DEP ) of Mental Health Inventory ( PHI ) was used to measure the degree of depressive disorder. N-back tasks were used to test working memory, with error rate and reaction time as experimental variables to compare the working memory impairment of patients with different degrees of depressive disorder. The multivariate linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for working memory impairment in patients with depressive disorder.@*Results@#A total of 75 patients with depressive disorder were included, including 45 mild cases and 30 moderate and severe cases. The error rates of mild cases and moderate and severe cases in the 3-back task were ( 27.47±20.59 )% and ( 39.60±25.95 )%, the response time between the two groups in 0-back, 1-back, 2-back and 3-back task were ( 458.29±104.19 ) ms and ( 527.90±99.58 )ms,( 499.87±85.46 ) ms and ( 574.57±126.25 ) ms, ( 567.44±114.86 ) ms and ( 675.37±137.54 ) ms, ( 663.76±167.99 ) ms and ( 753.27±152.06 ) ms, the differences between two groups were significant ( P<0.05 ). The multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the severity of depressive disorder was correlated with the response time of 0-back to 3-back tasks and the error rate of 3-back task; whether patients took medicine or not was depressive disorder correlated with the 0-back task response time ( all P<0.05 ). @*Conclusion@#There are differences in working memory impairment among patients with different degrees of depressive disorder and the severity of impairment is correlated with the severity of depressive disorder and the use of antidepressant drugs.

Changes of working memory function and its risk factors in end-stage renal disease patients / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective: To explore the changes of working memory function and its risk factors in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Methods:We prospectively recruited 30 ESRD patients without dialysis and 23 healthy controls in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from August 2016 to December 2017. The n-back working memory task with different loads was used to assess their working memory function; the general information of all the participants, arterial blood pressure and uremic toxins of the patients were collected to analyze the risk factors of working memory changes. Results: The reaction time of working memory with different loads was significantly longer than that in the healthy controls (P0.05). The correlation analysis showed that serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and parathyroid hormone levels were negatively correlated with the accuracy rate of working memory with different loads (P<0.05). Conclusion: The working memory function with different loads was impaired in ESRD patients. The accumulation of uremic toxins might be the risk factor for the working memory impairment in ESRD patients.

Effect of electronic moxibustion on memory function in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electronic moxibustion on memory function in the patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).@*METHODS@#A total of 59 aMCI patients were randomized into an electronic moxibustion group (30 cases) and a placebo moxibustion group (29 cases). In the electronic moxibustion group, the electronic moxibustion was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Mingmen (GV 4) and Taixi (KI 3), 45 ℃ in temperature, 20 min each time. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week. The treatment for 4 weeks was as one course and 2 courses were required totally. In the placebo moxibustion group, the moxa-free patch was used, 38 ℃ in temperature. The acupoint selection and the treatment frequency were same as the electronic moxibustion group. Before and after treatment, Rivermead behavior memory test (RBMT) was adopted to evaluate the global memory function of the patients in the two groups and the N-back task test was adopted to evaluate working memory function separately. Additionally, the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and its immediate memory, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and its delay recall were adopted to evaluate the global cognitive function and memory function@*RESULTS@#In the electronic moxibustion group, after treatment, RBMT score, N-back accuracy rates, MMSE and MoCA scores and the scores of immediate memory and delay recall were improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (<0.01). In the placebo moxibustion group, the accuracy rates of 1-back and 2-back task and the scores of immediate memory and delay recall were improved obviously as compared with those before treatment (<0.05, <0.01). After treatment, the improvements of RBMT score, the accuracy rates of N-back task and MMSE and MoCA scores in the electronic moxibustion group were higher than those in the placebo moxibustion group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Electronic moxibustion improves memory function in the patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Effect of working memory load on tactile n-back task / Efeito da carga de memória operacional na tarefa n-back tátil / Efecto de la carga de memoria de trabajo en la tarea táctil n-back

The present study investigated the characteristics of tactile working memory using the N-Back Task. The participants (n = 16), all sighted, performed the task with working memory loads equivalent to maintaining one, two, or three letters in the working memory (N-Back 1, N-Back 2, and N-Back 3). The frequency of commission and omission errors was analyzed as a function of memory load. The results indicate an increase in the frequency of omission errors due to this factor. The working memory load did not significantly influence commission errors. In general, our results suggest that the tactile N-Back task may represent a promising method for the assessment of working memory in blind and sighted participants.

O presente estudo investigou as características da memória de trabalho tátil por meio da Tarefa N-Back. Os participantes (n = 16), todos videntes, executaram a tarefa com cargas mnemônicas equivalentes a manutenção de uma, dois ou três letras na memória de trabalho (N-Back 1, N-Back 2 e N-Back 3). Foram analisadas a frequência de erros de comissão e a omissão em função da carga mnemônica. Os resultados apontam um aumento na frequência dos erros de omissão em função desse fator. As comissões não foram influenciadas significativamente pela carga da memória de trabalho. Em linhas gerais, nossos resultados sugerem que a tarefa N-Back tátil pode representar um método promissor para a avaliação da memória de trabalho em participantes videntes e não videntes.

El presente estudio investigó las características de la memoria táctil de trabajo utilizando la Tarea N-Back. Los participantes (n = 16), todos videntes, realizaron la tarea con cargas equivalentes a una, dos o tres letras en la memoria de trabajo (N-Back 1, N-Back 2 y N-Back 3). Los errores de comisión y omisión se analizó de acuerdo con la carga de trabajo. Los resultados indican un aumento en la frecuencia de errores de omisión debido a este factor. Las comisiones no fueron influenciadas significativamente por la carga de memoria de trabajo. En general, nuestros resultados sugieren que la tarea N-Back táctil puede representar un método prometedor para la evaluación de la memoria de trabajo en participantes videntes y no videntes.

Meta-analysis of brain functional images under N-back and DMTS paradigm in human working memory / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To study the similarities and differences in brain activation under N-back and DMTS paradigms of working memory. Methods Through searching of BrainMap function database by the combination keywords,a total of 122 articles with 122 experiments ( N-back: 67 experiments,937 sub-jects,900 foci;Delayed Matched to Sample: 55 experiments,806 subjects,872 foci). Maps were analyzed using the FDR PN (P<0. 0001) method based coordinates of the Montreal Neurological Institute ( MNI) space. Results In the combine of the N-back and DMTS paradigms,these regions were activated including the bilateral inferior parietal lobe (Left: -36,-52,44; Right: 38,-52,48) and insula(Left:-34,22,0;Right:34,24,2),the superior frontal gyrus (2,16,50) and inferior frontal gyrus (-44,8,30) of the left brain,and the middle frontal ( 46,36,24) and sub-gyral ( 30,4,56) of the right brain. The N-back paradigm was similar to the above results,whereas the DMTS paradigm only activated the precentral gyrus (-50,8, 34) of the left brain and the right insula ( 34,24,4) . Conclusion The neural circuit of working memory is the frontal-parietal networks. N-back paradigm with the brain activation consists to the neural circuit of work-ing memory. However,DMTS paradigm activates less brain regions and is inconsistent to the neurons of work-ing memory.

A study on correlation between verbal memory and working memory in patients with alcohol dependence / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the correlation between verbal memory and working memory in patients with alcohol dependence (AD).Methods A total of 40 patients with AD and 40 health controls were included in this study.N-back task was used to evaluate the verbal working memory.20 sets of phrases were used to evaluate long-term verbal memory.Results Correct number of verbal memory in AD group ((5.15±0.92)times) was lower than that of HC group ((7.35±3.07) times) after one-week baseline test,and the difference was statistically significant (t=4.344,P＜ 0.01).Compared with HC group ((1 436.37±192.50) ms,(1.08±0.89) times,(4.00±0.85) times,respectively),AD group((1 535.40± 192.50) ms,(1.90± 1.57)times,(2.60± 1.39)times) showed significantly impaired reply reaction time of 2-back,error number of 1-back and 2-back (t=-2.112,P=0.038;t=-2.899,P=0.005;t=-5.433,P＜0.01).The error number of 2-back task in AD group was negative correlated with verbal memory after one-week baseline test (r=-0.427,P=0.006).Conclusion The verbal memory is impaired in AD patients.Long-term verbal memory damage have a certain correlation with working memory.

Effect of working memory training task on visual contrast sensitivity for college students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the influence on college students' contrast sensitivity how dual N-back working memory training task based on Gabor,and to provide new training method for improving the contrast sensitivity.Methods 42 college students were randomly divided into three groups:a control group (17 students) ; a working memory training group (13 students) ; and a Gabor orientation training group (12 students).The control group received no training,while the working memory training group and the Gabor orientation training group received N-back working memory training and Gabor training,respectively,over three weeks (5 days a week,approx.half an hour per day).The above-mentioned two training methods performed with the same visual stimulus,i.e.,the Gabor patch with a fixed spatial frequency and contrast.The contrast sensitivity of the 42 students was measured and recorded using OPTEC6500 before and after training.Results In the working memory training group,a salient gain in contrast sensitivity was observed after the training (before:(1.48 ± 0.26) log,after:(1.87 ± 0.13)log),with a statistically significant difference (t =-6.20,P ＜ 0.05),while both the Gabor orientation training group (before:(1.75 ± 0.19) log,after:(1.68 ± 0.30) log) and the control group (before:(1.67 ±0.25) log,after:(1.61 ± 0.26) log)) showed no statistically significant difference (P ＞ 0.05) in terms of contrast sensitivity.Conclusion N-back working memory training shows a positive effect on improving contrast sensitivity in Gabor identification training,and can be used as a means to improve contrast sensitivity.

Tarefa N-back auditiva: desempenho entre diferentes grupos etários / Auditory N-back task: different age groups performance

Um dos instrumentos mais utilizados internacionalmente para avaliação da Memória de Trabalho (MT) é a Tarefa N-back Auditiva. Recursos para avaliação desse sistema são escassos no Brasil. O presente estudo objetiva observar o desempenho da Tarefa N-back Auditiva em indivíduos de diferentes faixas etárias: 27 crianças, 22 pré-adolescentes, 26 adultos e 27 idosos. Os resultados mostram que o grupo etário influencia no desempenho da Tarefa N-back Auditiva. A acurácia foi aumentando na transição da infância para a pré-adolescência e seguiu em crescimento até a adultez. Observou-se um declínio no desempenho de idosos. Os dados da Tarefa N-back Auditiva corrobora a trajetória desenvolvimental, sugerindo que essa tarefa possa ser utilizada no contexto experimental. Pesquisas de normatização contribuirão para melhor compreensão dessa tarefa.

One of the most internationally used instruments for evaluation of Working Memory (WM) is the Auditory N-Back Task. In Brazil, resources to evaluate this system are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of different age subjects in auditory n-back tasks. We divided the 102 subjects in four groups: 27 children, 22 adolescents, 26 young adults and 27 older adults. The results demonstrate an age-related difference in the n-back task performance. The accuracy increased in the transition from childhood to adolescence and kept growing from adolescence to adulthood. We also found a decrease in the performance of aged subjects. The Auditory N-Back Task results are in agreement with WM development trajectory, and so, it demonstrates to be an adjusted instrument to evaluate this system in experimental setting.

The influence of N-back working memory training with Gabor signal on visual function and fluid intelligence / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate influence on adults'visual function and fluid intelligence with N-back working memory training based on Gabor signal.MethodsControlling group including 13 adults had no training,training group including 14 adults received an eight-days training,half an hour a day.The stimulus was N-back training which has on improved Gabor signal with adjustable spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity.The contrast sensitivity and fluid intelligence were record using OPTEC 6500 and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices before and after training,then the data was analyzed and processed by SPSS.ResultsContrast sensitivity:there was a siguificant different of the contrast sensitivity between pretest and posttest ( ( 1.93 ± 0.17 ) log,( 1.76 ±0.20 ) log) in training group ( t =-4.579,P =0.001 ).Fluid intelligence:there was a significant different of fluid intelligence between pretest and posttest( ( 129.9 ± 9.0 ) scores,( 113.7 4-16.0 ) scores ) in training group ( t =-4.373,P =0.001 ),and superior to controlling group,which also had a statistical significance (F =1.353,P =0.004).ConclusionThe method of N-back working memory training based on Gabor signal not only enhances working memory and fluid intelligence,but also improves the visual function effectively,and more various effect is acquired comparing to traditional training method.

Working Memory Deficits in Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis and Schizophrenia / 대한정신분열병학회지

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether verbal and spatial working memory functions were impaired not only in patients with schizophrenia but also in people at ultra-high risk for first-episode psychosis. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (M 13, F 12) with schizophrenia (SPR), 21 people at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR)(M 10, F 11) and 19 normal controls (NC)(M 10, F 9) were recruited. The working memory was assessed by using the verbal and spatial n-back test. The working memory load increased incrementally from the 0-back to the 3-back condition. RESULTS: SPR performed significantly lower than NC and UHR in terms of hit rates of verbal and spatial n-back test. UHR subjects conducted significantly lower than NC and higher in trend-level than SPR in terms of hit rates of verbal and spatial n-back test. These differences were derived from the high working memory load (2-back and 3-back), not from the low working memory load (0-back and 1-back). There was no significant difference between the verbal and spatial n-back test across the three groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that verbal and spatial working memory dysfunction may be general rather than differential in terms of stimuli modality, and this working memory deficit may be an important trait factor in schizophrenia.

Tarefa N-Back Visual: construção de um instrumento de avaliação de memória de trabalho para crianças / Visual N-Back Task: development of an assessment instrument to working memory for children / Tarea N-back Visual: construcción de un instrumiento de evaluación de la memória de trabajo para niños

Prejuízos em tarefas que avaliem a WM têm sido observados em estudos com crianças acometidas por trans-tornos psiquiátricos com características neurodesenvolvimentais. Objetivo: elaborar estímulos visuais para serem usados na tarefa N-Back para crianças de 6 a 12 anos. Método: serão apresentadas fotos selecionadas de animais. Realizou-se um estudo com 38 crianças. Resultados: observou-se que os animais dos estímulos do N-Back são facilmente reconhecidos pelas crianças. Conclusão: a partir deste estudo preliminar, a tarefa N-Back mostrou-se apta à utilização em larga escala. Os dados deverão receber medidas de padronização e normatização...

Damages in tasks which evaluate WM have been observed in studies with children affect by psychiatrical disorders with neurodevelopmental characteristics. Aim: To elaborate visual stimuli to be used in N-Back tasks.Method: Selected animal pictures will be virtually presented. Initially, a study with 38 children from 6 to 12 years old has been applied. Results: It has been observed that the animals used as stimuli for the N-Back are easily recognized by the children. Conclusion: From this preliminary study, the construction of the N-Back task for Brazilian child population proved capable of being used in large scale. Data obtained must be normatized measures...

Prejuicios en tareas que evaluan la memória de trabajo se hano observado em estúdios com niños afectados por trastornos psiquiátricos com características del desarollo neurológico. Objetivo: desarollar estímulos visuales que se utilizarán en la tarea N-back para niños de 06 a 12 años. Método: fotos selecionadas de animales fueron presentados a 38 niños. Resultados: se ha observado que los estímulos de animales de la Tarea N-Back fueron facilmente reconocidos por los niños. Conclusión: desde este estudio preliminar se mostró que la construccionón de la tarea N-Back Visual para población brasileña infantil es capaz de ser usada a gran escala. Los datos obtenidos devén tener medidas de padronización e normatización...

The deficit of verbal working memory in dyslexia children / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the deficit features of verbal working memory of dyslexia children by comparing with normal children. Methods Seventeen normal children and fifteen dyslexia children finished the classic verbal n-back task which involved three memory updating difficulty levels. Results Dyslexia children ((81.7±7.0)%,(70.8±12.0)%,(60.0±7.0)%)performed worse than NC ((88. 6 ±6. 0)% , (83. 5 ± 7.0)% ,(75.6 ±9.0)%)in all memory updating levels(n = 0,1 ,2) (P<0.01). In the performances related to memory updating operating,when the difficulty of the updating rised dyslexia children(25. 9 ± 12. 0)% revealed greater decline than normal children(14.2 ± 12.0)% (P<0.01). Conclusion Dyslexia children demonstrate the deficit in the basic level of working memory, which was showed as the bad performance of n-back task in updating level zero, and also they had problems in memory updating,which was showed as the greater updating effect. Memory updating was regarded as the advanced procession of verbal working memory.

Deactivation Network of Parametric Digit n-back Working Memory Task in Normal Subjects:An fMRI Study / 中国临床心理学杂志

Objective: To explore task induced deactivation(TID) brain regions in WM task and its significance.Methods: 35 normal subjects receiving fMRI with a parametric digit n-back task(n=1,n=2,n=3 task) were employed,with an 0-back control condition.On the basis of behavioral performance of 3 back task in experiment,normal subjects whose accuracy exceeding or equal to 85% were included in high performing normal subjects(HPNS) group.Preprocessing,statistical analysis and result display of functional data were performed by SPM2.Results: For HPNS,task induced deactivation brain regions included: medial prefrontal cortex(MPFC),cingulate,right inferior frontal gyrus(BA47),multiple regions in bilateral temporal lobe.Within the scope of 2back load level,deactivation of TID brain regions increased with increasing load,and most TID regions showed platform manifestation once the 2back level was exceeded.Conclusion: TID network is essential for accurate performance of WM.

Effects of Age on Teenager's Working Memory:Related An Event-related Potential Study / 中国临床心理学杂志

Objecttive: The article analyzed how neurophysiological signals of adolescent's working memory(WM) change with increasing age.Methods: We recorded ERP from 52 healthy subjects aged from 14 to 22 years old in three groups.Our experiment consisted of 4 subexperiments and had two types of working memory tasks: spatial working memory and verbal working memory tasks,furthermore,every task included two levels of difficulty.Results: ①Reaction time was faster with increasing age,there was significant difference in accuracy of complicated tasks in different age groups with junior high school group significantly lower than others;②There was significant difference between junior high school group and college group in frontal P200 amplitude and its latency had no significant difference in the three groups;③Occipital P100 amplitude was descending when age was increasing and there had significant difference in latency between junior high school group and college group;④Occipital N160 amplitude was increasing with age and the latency was descending with age and there was significant difference between junior high school group and college group;⑤Average amplitude of parietal P300 was increasing with age and junior high school group's was significantly lower than the other two groups'.Conclusion: Teenager's working memory changes unevenly with age.