[The importance of information load in training visual-spatial memory under distributed attention in older women.]

The activation of cognitive reserves and improved neuroplasticity of the brain, found as a result of cognitive training in the elderly, stimulate research in this direction due to the lack of consensus on the effectiveness of such an impact so far. To study the effect of information load during training of visual-spatial memory in conditions of distributed attention, the dynamics of memory and attention indicators was analyzed during ten training sessions in groups of twenty-year-old (GrY) and sixty-year-old (GrO) women. Regardless of the experimental conditions, the GrO differs from the GrY in the lower accuracy of hitting the target spatial spaced stimuli but similar indicators of attention concentration on the centrally located stimulus. An improvement in the accuracy of hitting spatially separated stimuli was found in the GrO only under relatively facilitated conditions of information selection: in the absence of distracting stimuli, while the GrY showed an increase in the efficiency of information selection during training with a greater cognitive load, i. e. with the presentation of distractors: an increase was found not only in the accuracy of getting into goal, but also concentration on the centrally presented stimulus. The results obtained indicate the need to select an individually optimal information load during cognitive training.

[Cognitive Reserves: Prefrontal Cortex or Information Load?]

Information technology is becoming an increasingly important tool of scientific knowledge due to the exponential growth of the number of publications presenting the results of neurobiological and psychological research. To identify predictors of cognitive reserves and methods for their determination based on the developed applied ontology, we performed a bibliometric analysis of publications contained in the PubMed database. It is shown that the annual growth in the number of publications relevant to the topic in the period 1990-2019 was 11%, which is higher than the average for science. We found the following psychophysiological indicators of cognitive reserves to gain the greatest increase in the interest of researchers: prefrontal cortex, beta range (13-30 Hz) of EEG, inhibition and information load. Analysis of the role of these factors suggests that the development and/or realization of cognitive reserves is provided due to inhibitory functions of the prefrontal cortex for the effective selection of relevant stimuli under conditions of information load. The identified predictors of cognitive reserves and the most popular methods of their psychometric assessment can be useful for choosing new areas of research in gerontology.

[Motivational inductors of behavior as reserves of successful aging.]

Aging-associated differences in motivational inducers of behavior the internal control of which promotes «successful¼ aging are studied. The study involved university students and elderly women (20±1,1 and 65,1±5,8 years, respectively). The dominance of cognitive activity in the profile of motivational inducers is established regardless of the age and time period of self-assessment. Age differences are found for the situation of the «future¼: the increase in the importance of physical activity for the elderly and the significantly greater importance of the components «emotional state¼, both in the present and in the future for young female students. Recognition of the priority of cognitive activity did not correspond, however, to the practical implementation of the cognitive training program, presumably due to the age-related weakening of executive control in initiation of new actions.

[Aging-Induced Reorganization of Association Between Intelligence and Characteristics of Attention and Memory].

The relationships between intelligence and indicators of attention systems functions, and recogni- tion of remembered verbal and figural stimuli, as well as the lateral characteristics of verbal memory in older age (64.5 ± 6.3 years, n = 83; 43 women) and in young group (22.0 ± 4.5 years,.n 133; 83 women) have been studied. It was found that the rate of information selection in conflict condi- tions is a. predictor of the level of intelligence, regardless of age. In old age a higher level of intelligence corresponds to shorter time of executive control system while in the young people accurate significant relations between intelligence and functions of attention systems are not found. In the analysis of memory, aging-independent a positive contribution to the intelligence have the words addressed to the left hemisphere; additionally in the young age the contribution of verbal memory when words addressing the right hemisphere, and in the elderly the retrieval of verbal and figural stimuli. Gender specificity in age-associated reorganization of attention and memory as predictors of intelligence was revealed, i.e. age-related changes were more pronounced in men.

[ROLES OF RATIONAL-IRRATIONAL COGNITIVE STYLES IN THE ALPHA RHYTHM REACTIVITY DURING CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT THINKING].

Changes of the alpha1 and alpha2 rhythms during convergent (addition in the mind) and divergent (heuristic task solving) thinking due to rational and irrational cognitive styles were studied. It is shown that the functional activity of the cerebral cortex during convergent thinking was associated with rational style and presented in parietal low-frequency alpha1 biopotentials whereas during divergent thinking - with the irrational, and this effect was produced by widespread regional and frequency differences of alpha1 and alpha2 oscillations in posterior cortex. The originality of ideas correlated with the alpha desynchronization in the posterior cortex in the persons with high intuition, whereas the persons with low intuition characterized by the alpha synchronization.

[Aging-induced differences in relationships between intelligence and self-assessment of quality of life].

Relationships between a self-assessment of quality of life and level of verbal, figurative and social intelligence in three age groups of students (middle age 63,9±5,8, 32±7,2, and 19,7±1,5 years; 90 % women) are studied. The group of elderly people differed from younger in low values of an integrated indicator physical health according to SF-36 questionnaire, especially - on scales physical and role functioning, and decreased figurative and social intelligence at relative constancy of verbal IQ. The different age-associated forms of interrelation of components of intelligence and quality of life are found: positive correlation between social intelligence and role functioning scores at senior persons; more numerous positive correlations between verbal and figurative intelligence and indicators of quality of life including integrated indicator of mental health in the thirty-year-old group; and positive correlation between verbal intelligence and values on a scale physical functioning, but negative correlations between figurative intelligence and role functioning and between social intelligence and an integrated indicator physical health for the twenty-year-old group. Therefore, continuous education and IQ increasing during professional activity and after retirement it is possible to consider as prognostic valuable factors of «successful¼ aging.

[Attention system functions and their relationship with self-reported health in patients with brain damage due to tumor].

AIM: To compare parameters of attention in healthy people and patients with neoplasms in different regions of the cerebral cortex and to evaluate quality of life (QoL) indices with regard to impairment of different attention systems. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients with oncological lesions of the brain (mean age 56.5±8.8 years) who did not undergo surgery were studied. Tumor localization was confirmed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography, the tumor type was histologically verified. A control group included 18 healthy people matched for age, sex and education level. To determine attention system functions, we developed a computed version of the Attention Network Test. Error rate and reaction time for correct responses to the target stimulus, displayed along with neutral, congruent and incongruent signals, were the indicators of the efficacy of selective processes. QoL indices were assessed using SF-36 health survey questionnaire. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The readiness to respond to incoming stimuli was mostly impaired in patients with brain tumors. Efficacy of executive attention, assessed as the increase in the number of errors in selection of visual stimuli, was decreased while temporary parameters of the functions of this system were not changed in patients compared to controls. The SF-36 total score was stable in patients with marked reduction in scores on the Role and Emotional Functioning scales. The most severe health impairment measured on the SF-36 scales of role/social emotional functioning and viability was recorded in patients with the lesions of frontal cortical areas compared to temporal/parietal areas. The relationship between SF-36 Health self-rating and attention systems was found. This finding puts the question of the importance of attention characteristics and QoL for survival prognosis of patients with brain tumors.

[Effects of Aging Brain and Activation Methods of Its Compensatory Resources].

The review contains recently finding mechanisms of aging brain and of age-associated imbalances of architecture and functions of brain neural systems. The compensatory resources of a brain and the methods of its cognitive training influencing the integrity and development of intellectual functions are described. It is shown meaning life style in dynamics of brain aging.

[Age Effect on Relationship Between Intelligence and EEG Characteristics].

Age effect on EEG correlates of psychometrically estimated intelligence (IQ) in the younger (N = 132, age mean = 21.8 ± 3.1) and elder groups (N = 84, age mean = 64.1 ± 6.6) was studied. Regression analysis of individual alpha peak frequency's meanings, total power of biopotentials in eight frequency ranges indicated that a decrease of IQ correlates with age increase, or with decrease of individual alpha peak frequency with positive contribution of the alpha3 power and negative--of the beta1. High meaning of the alpha3 power and low meaning of the beta1 are the predictors of high intelligence in the younger group. High intelligence in the elder group is accompanied by a trend to increase of the individual alpha peak frequency and to decrease of the theta/beta1 power ration together with significant decrease of the alpha3/alpha2 power ratio.

[Cognitive functions and personality traits in patients with brain tumors: the role of lesion localization].

Personality traits and cognitive functions were studied depending on a tumor localization in the brain in 21 neurosurgical patients and the results were compared with a control group. In patients with brain damage, mostly affected were personality traits associated with emotion regulation and social interaction (neuroticism, psychoticism and social conformity). Increases in psychoticism and decreases in neuroticism were more expressed in patients with a left-hemisphere localization of tumors. The tumor-induced decrease in cognitive abilities was more presented in performing figurative tasks and less in verbal ones. Verbal functions were more decreased in the group with frontal localization of tumor compared to that with parietal localization.

[Intelligence and creativity changes induced by pathological growth of space-occupying cerebral lesion].

Creativity and intelligence changes depending on tumor localization in frontal or parietal cortex before surgical procedure in 24 patients in comparison with control group are studied. Brain damage-induced intelligence impairment and a decrease of fluency, flexibility of figural divergent thinking, and originality of verbal one without specificity of tumor localization were found. Intelligence decrease was more presented while performing of figural tasks and least of all in verbal ones. The left prefrontal brain damage induced a decrease of all components of intelligence and a trend to a decrease of verbal creativity and figural fluency. The right parietal brain lesion was more associated with a decline of divergent thinking originality.

[Hypoxia-induced reaction of cardiorespiratory system in persons with different creativity].

The associations between creativity characteristics and tolerance of young healthy subjects to experimentally induced normobaric hypoxia were studied. Inhalation of a gas mix with the lowered content of oxygen (10% O2) proceeded during time necessary for arterial hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) decrease to 80%. In the restoration period subjects breathed usual air during time necessary for SaO2 restoration to reference values. Creativity indicators: originality and fluency of the images created with use of subtests of Torrens "Circles" and "Incomplete figures", and of the sentences--with use of nouns from the remote semantic categories, were defined before hypoxia testing. Positive relationships between figurative originality and hypoxia tolerance indicators, i.e. decrease of SaO2 time and of calculated factor intended for reflecting restoration speed of respiratory system functions, were found. In the analysis of cardiovascular system reactivity, negative correlations between figurative originality and verbal fluency and heart rate in situations of a hypoxia and of cardiorespiratory system function restoration were revealed. Increase of ability to original figurative thinking also corresponded with smaller difference of heart rate increase in restoration situation compared with rest. The obtained associations between characteristics of creative thinking and experimental hypoxia-induced reactivity of cardiovascular and pulmonary systems indicate general mechanism of the nervous regulation underlying adaptive behavior and homeostasis.

[Sex differences in relationship between creativity and hemispheric information processing in global and local levels].

Sex differences in creativity related global-local hemispheric selective processing were examined by hierarchical letter presenting in conditions of their perception and comparison. Fifty-six right-handed males and 68 females (aged 17-22 years) participated in the experiments. Originality-imagery was assessed by a computer-based Torrance 'Incomplete Figures' test software. Verbal creativity was valued by original sentence using of three nouns from remote semantic categories. The results show that irrespectively of the sex factor and the type of creative thinking, its originality is provided by high speed of right-hemispheric processes of information selection on the global level and delay in the interhemispheric communication. Relationships between originality of ideas and hemispheric attentional characteristics are presented mostly in men while verbal creative problem solving, and in women while figurative original thinking. Originality of verbal activity in men is more associated with success of selective processes in the left hemisphere, but in women--with selective functions of both hemispheres. Figurative thinking in men is less related to hemispheric characteristics of attention compared with women. Increase of figurative originality in women is accompanied acceleration of processes of selection of the information in the right hemisphere, and also higher efficiency of local attention as well as speeds ofglobal processing in the left hemisphere.

[Relationship between creativity and hemispheric information processing: effect of handedness].

Effect of handedness in creativity-related global and local hemispheric selective processing was examined with lateralized presentation of hierarchical letters. Eighty-four university students (aged 17-22 years) participated in the study. Handedness was determined by Annett questionnaire. Originality of imagery was assessed by a computer-based Torrance 'Incomplete Figures' test. Verbal creativity was assessed by the results of the sentence construction with three nouns belonging to remote semantic categories. The results show that higher figural originality is provided by an increase in both right-hemispheric and interhemispheric interference processes at the global/local or congruent/noncongruent level. Verbal originality is associated with an increase in the right-hemispheric interference between congruent and noncongruent stimuli at the local attention level and with a decrease in interhemispheric interference at the global level. A decrease in the typical preference of the right hand is accompanied by the higher creativity and acceleration of the right-hemispheric interference processes.

[Selection of visual hierarchical stimuli between global and local aspects in men and women].

Sex differences in global-local hemispheric selective processing were examined by hierarchical letter presenting in conditions of their perception and comparison. Fifty-six right-handed males and 68 females (aged 17-22 years) participated in the experiment. During interference between global and local aspects of stimuli the mean reaction times for correct global responses was quicker than local responses, and the right hemisphere has been dominated during global selective processing independently from the sex. Sex differences in perception of visual hierarchical stimuli were more pronounced than in comparison condition: men prefer mostly the right-hemispheric global strategy of information processing, but women--the left-hemispheric local one. Dominance of global strategy in men and local strategy in women during visual hierarchical stimuli perception together with no sex differences in correct responses indicates possibility of similar results in cognitive activity by different ways.

[Topographic characteristics of cortex activity in delta-, alpha2-, and gamma2- frequency bands related to social creativity].

Social creativity-related topographic changes of the delta, alpha2, and gamma2 power were studied using 19-channel EEG. Originality and fluency indices of social thinking were evaluated on basis of specially developed 'divergent' task solution that stimulated different interpretations of social scenes; complex visual stimuli (architectural building) were used as control task. 'Divergent' task performing was characterized by both the greater power of the delta and alpha2 rhythms mostly in the right hemisphere and widespread increase in the gamma2 power as compared with the control task. Positive correlations between delta and gamma2 rhythms in baseline condition were revealed in the fronto-parietal cortex, and this relationship between low- and high-frequency oscillations while 'divergent' task performing was found in the right posterior cortex. Special topographic patterns of delta and gamma2 activity as predictors of social creativity were obtained using multiple regression analysis. These patterns can be interpreted as EEG correlates of a summation of endogenous and exogenous components of social thinking.

Gender-related differences in changes in the coherence of cortical biopotentials during image-based creative thought: relationship with action efficacy.

The aim of the present work was to study the characteristics of cortical interactions during performance of an image-based creative task in men and women with high and low levels of creativity. Subjects were divided into groups on the basis of the median originality score. EEG recordings were made in baseline conditions and during performance of the task (the Torrance Tests of Creating Thinking, "Incomplete Figures"). EEG coherence was calculated in six frequency ranges, from theta1 to beta2. Total coherence was analyzed for each of 16 leads calculated separately for intrahemisphere and interhemisphere coherence links. Differences in changes in coherence evoked by performing the task between subjects with high and low levels of originality were seen at the theta2, alpha1, and alpha2 frequencies. These differences resulted from decreases in coherence at low levels of originality, accompanied by increases in coherence in the theta1 and alpha 2 ranges and, at high levels of originality, a less significant decrease in the alpha2 range. The alpha2 range also showed an interaction between the gender, creativity, laterality, and electrode position factors on analysis of task performance-linked intrahemisphere coherence of cortical biopotentials. The patterns of the spatial distributions of coherence across the hemispheres were found to be similar in men and women with opposite levels of creativity, while task-linked changes in coherence in the anterior areas of the left and posterior areas of the right hemisphere were larger in high-creativity men as compared with those with low creativity. The results are evaluated in relation to the possibility that men and women use different cognitive strategies to achieve identical results from creative activity.

[The characteristics of cortical interactions in high and low verbal creative subjects].

The characteristics of cortical interactions depending on level of creative achievements were investigated in 40 right-handed subjects (22 men and 18 women). The subjects were divided into the two groups with high and low ability by the originality score median split. EEG was recorded in rest and during task performance (the verbal creative task "Cognitive synthesis"). EEG coherence was computed in the six frequency range from 4 to 30 Hz. Total values of coherence for each of 16 sites, calculated separately for intrahemispheric and interhemispheric connections were analyzed. It was revealed that subjects with higher originality scores (OS) in comparison to low original ones were characterized by decreased the theta 1.2 rhythms interhemispheric coherence, that was expressed in the frontal cortex, and increased beta1-rhythm interhemispheric coherence in the occipital and temporoparietal regions of the brain. The obtained results are discussed from the point of view of the contribution of the right and left hemispheres of the brain to processes "top-down" and "bottom-up" regulation during creative thinking.

Changes in the coherence of cortical biopotentials during performance of a verbal creative task in men and women.

Changes in EEG coherence patterns evoked by performance of a verbal creative task were studied in 14 men and 13 women (university students). EEG coherence was calculated in six frequency ranges from 4 to 30 Hz. The experiment consisted of two series: in the first, the task was performed with the instruction to "create a sentence;" in the second, the instruction was to "create an original sentence." Independently of the instruction given, the reactivity of total coherence of biopotentials (experimental data minus the corresponding baseline measure) in all subjects was negative in the theta-1 and alpha-2 frequency ranges, while reactivity in the beta-2 range was positive. Gender-related differences linked with the type of experimental instruction were seen in changes in intrahemisphere coherence of biopotentials, and these were indifferent in relation to EEG frequencies. Performance of the verbal creative task with the instruction to "create an original sentence" was accompanied in women by substitution of right-hemisphere dominance (greater levels of coherence in the right hemisphere compared with the left) by left-hemisphere dominance as compared to performance with the instruction to "create a sentence," while the reverse changes were seen in men.

[EEG correlates of social creativity].

EEG correlates of social creativity defined as ability to originally and flexibly interpret social significant situations were studied. It was found that the alpha2 and gamma2 rhythms are specific bands which make it possible to tell the difference between social creativity and control task. Solving socially significant problems in experimental conditions is accompanied by an increase in the power of the delta and gamma2 bands and desynchronization in the alpha2 band less pronounced in divergent tasks than during the interpretation of convergent visual stimuli.