Divided Attention Research Articles

Searching Across Realities: Investigating ERPs and Eye-Tracking Correlates of Visual Search in Mixed Reality.

Mixed Reality allows us to integrate virtual and physical content into users' environments seamlessly. Yet, how this fusion affects perceptual and cognitive resources and our ability to find virtual or physical objects remains uncertain. Displaying virtual and physical information simultaneously might lead to divided attention and increased visual complexity, impacting users' visual processing, performance, and workload. In a visual search task, we asked participants to locate virtual and physical objects in Augmented Reality and Augmented Virtuality to understand the effects on performance. We evaluated search efficiency and attention allocation for virtual and physical objects using event-related potentials, fixation and saccade metrics, and behavioral measures. We found that users were more efficient in identifying objects in Augmented Virtuality, while virtual objects gained saliency in Augmented Virtuality. This suggests that visual fidelity might increase the perceptual load of the scene. Reduced amplitude in distractor positivity ERP, and fixation patterns supported improved distractor suppression and search efficiency in Augmented Virtuality. We discuss design implications for mixed reality adaptive systems based on physiological inputs for interaction.

Divided Attention Has Limited Effects on Speech Sensorimotor Control.

When vowel formants are externally perturbed, speakers change their production to oppose that perturbation both during the ongoing production (compensation) and in future productions (adaptation). To date, attempts to explain the large variability across individuals in these responses have focused on trait-based characteristics such as auditory acuity, but evidence from other motor domains suggests that attention may modulate the motor response to sensory perturbations. Here, we test the extent to which divided attention impacts sensorimotor control for supralaryngeal articulation. Neurobiologically healthy speakers were exposed to random (Experiment 1) or consistent (Experiment 2) real-time auditory perturbation of vowel formants to measure online compensation and trial-to-trial adaptation, respectively. In both experiments, participants completed two conditions: one with a simultaneous visual distractor task to divide attention and one without this secondary task. Divided visual attention slightly reduced online compensation, but only starting > 300 ms after vowel onset, well beyond the typical duration of vowels in speech. Divided attention had no effect on adaptation. The results from both experiments suggest that the use of sensory feedback in typical speech motor control is a largely automatic process unaffected by divided visual attention, suggesting that the source of cross-speaker variability in response to formant perturbations likely lies within the speech production system rather than in higher-level cognitive processes. Methodologically, these results suggest that compensation for formant perturbations should be measured prior to 300 ms after vowel onset to avoid any potential impact of attention or other higher-order cognitive factors.

Sartre's Exclusion Claim: Perception and Imagination as Radically Distinct Consciousnesses

AbstractIn The Imaginary Jean‐Paul Sartre makes what will strike many as an implausibly strong claim, namely that perception and imagination are incompatible kinds of experience ‐ I call this the exclusion claim. This paper offers a reconstruction of Sartre's exclusion claim. First, it frames the claim in terms of cross‐modal attention distribution, such that it is not possible to simultaneously attend to what one is imagining and what one is perceiving. However, this leaves it open that a subject can simultaneously imagine and perceive on the condition that either the perceived or imagined objects are not attended to. While this is a philosophically plausible position it fails to do justice to Sartre's intended position, which suggests a more radical exclusion between perception and imagination. In light of this section 3 develops a supplementary argument to remove one of the possible configurations of attention that the ban on divided attention leaves in place by arguing that the objects of imagining must be attended to, which follows from Sartre's characterisation of imagination as spontaneous. The resulting exclusion is as follows: attentive perception excludes imagination (and vice versa), given that the latter is necessarily attentive, but attentive imagination can co‐occur with non‐attentive or background perception (in this sense the exclusion is asymmetric in a way that Sartre fails to recognise). In concluding I detail how from this exclusion we get an important consequence – which Sartre wants the exclusion claim to have – namely that it rules out an imagination‐based solution to the problem of perceptual presence.

The Teacher as Listener: A Theory of Pedagogical Listening in the Literature Classroom

ABSTRACT Getting students talking about a work of literature — sharing and interrogating their own and each other’s textual interpretations and responses — is vital for the teaching and learning of literature. If a classroom community of readers is constituted by such talking, then responsive teaching involves a lot of listening. What, precisely, might be the role(s) of the teacher as listener? Beginning with three classroom vignettes, and then drawing from psychoanalytic theory, pragmatist aesthetics, and philosophy of dialogue, this article theorises a distinctly pedagogical listening. One role of the teacher as a listener in the literature classroom can be interpreting and intervening in ‘textual problems’ that typically arise in moments of confusion or surprise — students’ and/or their teacher’s — throughout interpretive discussion. Such pedagogical listening can instantiate, among other qualities discussed in this article, a double consciousness or divided attention. This article concludes by suggesting specific classroom practices and conditions for pedagogical listening.

Surgical treatment of meningiomas improves neurocognitive functioning and quality of life – a prospective single-center study

Background and purposeEarly diagnosis and the refinement of treatment of patients with intracranial meningiomas have brought quality of life (QoL) and neurocognitive functioning as outcome measures into focus. The aim of this study is a comprehensive assessment of neurocognitive function, quality of life and the presence of depression in meningioma patients before and after surgery.MethodsPatients with MRI diagnosis of intracranial meningioma and indication for surgery were prospectively included. A clinical neuropsychologist performed neurocognitive assessments within 3 months before and 12 months after surgery. The test battery included investigation of selective and divided attention, verbal and figural memory, executive functioning, and word fluency. Self-report questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms, QoL, and disease coping were administered. Raw values and t-values were compared pre-and postoperatively. Outcome was stratified by tumor- and peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) volumes, postoperative resolution of PTBE and WHO grade. The study included 18 predominantly female patients (83%) with a median age of 59 years and mostly CNS WHO grade 1 meningiomas (83%).ResultsThere was a significant postoperative improvement in the ability to selectively react under stress, in working memory and improved delayed reproduction of verbal and visual memory content. QoL improved regarding a reduction in physical problems, an improvement in energy, and social functioning. There was a trend towards worse preoperative scores in all tests, and greater postoperative improvement in patients with PTBE. Tumor volume had no effect on the measured outcome. The patients did not suffer from depressive symptoms before the surgery but improved postoperatively and most patients had an active, problem-oriented coping strategy.ConclusionResection of intracranial meningiomas leads to an improvement in multiple neurocognitive domains and QoL. There is a trend towards poorer preoperative neurocognitive functioning and greater postoperative improvement in patients with PTBE. Depression appears to play a minor role in the context of neurocognitive functioning and disease coping.

7280 Pituitary Dysfunction Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Female Athletes: Neuropsychological and Psychological Functioning

Abstract Disclosure: L.Ó. Eggertsdóttir Claessen: None. M.K. Jónsdóttir: None. H. Kristjánsdóttir: None. S.H. Lund: None. I. Unnsteinsdóttir Kristensen: None. H.Á. Sigurjónsdóttir: None. Background: Pituitary dysfunction (PD), as well as neuropsychological and psychological symptoms, have been reported following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). These symptoms may be due to the brain injury itself or PD as hypopituitarism (HP) can have neuropsychological and psychological effects. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report neuropsychological and psychological outcomes in female athletes with PD following sport-related mTBI. Subjects: Female athletes aged 18 to 45 years currently active in or retired from soccer, team handball, basketball, ice hockey, and martial arts who answered an online questionnaire regarding mTBI history and mental health were included (n = 508). Of the 308 women who reported one or more mTBI, 166 (53.8%) accepted to participate in a further interview and neuropsychological tests. All 166 women were subsequently invited to participate in a medical interview. Of those 151 accepted (90.9%) and 131 (86.7%) of them participated in pituitary hormone screening blood tests (SBT). Methods: The online questionnaire included a post-concussion symptom scale, and mental health scales evaluating symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, and quality of life. Sleep disturbances were evaluated, and neuropsychological tests were performed in the psychological interview. The Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). Executive functioning, visual search, motor and processing speed, divided attention, working memory, and intellectual abilities were also measured. The SBT were taken at 8 a.m. and included S-IGF1 (age dependant reference range), S-cortisol (values < 350 nmol/L were considered abnormal), S-prolactin (reference range 4.79 - 23.3 μg/L), S-TSH (reference range 0.270 - 4.20 mIU/L), S-fT4 (reference range 12 - 22 pmol/L), S-FSH, S-oestrogen, and S-progesterone measurements. If SBT were repeatedly O-RV, detailed endocrinological tests were performed for each axis as indicated. Results: Following a detailed endocrinological evaluation, 16 women were diagnosed with PD (HP n = 6, hyperprolactinemia n = 10) following mTBI. Women with PD had a significantly higher mean SART error score than women with normal pituitary function (PF) (16.7 and 12.8 respectively; p = 0.04). No other significant differences in neuropsychological outcome were found between the two groups. Moreover, there was not a significant difference with regards to mTBI symptoms, anxiety, depression, stress, QOL or insomnia between women with PD and those with normal PF. Conclusions: Sustained attention or inhibitory performance may be affected in women with PD following mTBI as they had a higher mean SART error score than women with normal PF. No other significant difference in neuropsychological or psychological outcome was demonstrated. Presentation: 6/3/2024

How do parents experience video triage when seeking care for their acute ill children? A qualitative study in a Danish out-of-hours primary care setting

ObjectiveThe objective is to explore parents’ experiences with telephone contacts to out-of-hours primary care (OOH-PC) that include use of one-way video (video triage).DesignA qualitative interview study using Braun and Clarke’s...

Facial emotion recognition in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is defined as a persistent pattern of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning anofd development. Increased emotional reactivity and impaired emotion regulation are established findings in children with ADHD. Impairments in executive functions such as impulse control and working memory, in turn, have also been suggested to have a negative effect on emotion recognition. However, studies exploring suspected deficits in the ability to recognise facial emotions in ADHD have to date yielded controversial results. We sought to clarify the mechanism of possible emotion recognition dysfunction in children with ADHD. Methods Sixty-one children diagnosed with ADHD (aged 10.36 ± 1.89 years) and a control group (N = 78; aged 9.6 ± 1.8 years) were evaluated with questionnaires and computerized tests for cognitive and facial emotion recognition capacity. Results The ADHD group displayed more behavioural issues and performed worse in cognitive tests compared to the control group. Group status (i.e. ADHD vs. control group) did not predict facial emotion recognition when controlled for age, IQ and sex in linear regression models. Performance in Divided Attention predicted facial emotion recognition in linear regression in the ADHD group. Conclusions Individuals with ADHD showed facial emotion recognition capacity similar to a typically developing control group. Good performance in a cognitive test assessing divided attention predicted capacity for facial emotion recognition, but only in the ADHD group.

Evidence of parallel processing during divided attention to faces

Evidence of parallel processing during divided attention to faces

B - 84 Memory and Attention Predict Narcissistic Personality Characteristics

Abstract Objective Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) entails grandiosity, lack of empathy, and a need for admiration. Research suggests a distinct cognitive profile linked to narcissistic characteristics, including facial recognition and memory issues. Our study examined memory and attention predictors of NPD characteristics in a non-clinical sample, filling a research gap. Method Young adult (M = 19.9, SD = 3.4) university students (N = 109) were participants. They identified primarily as women (52.3%) or men (47.7%) and White (65.1%) or African American (29.4%). Measures included Test of Everyday Attention (Robertson et al., 1996) and the Wechsler Memory Scale – IV (Wechsler, 2009) to assess memory and attention functioning. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – III (Millon et al., 2006) was used to measure narcissistic personality disorder characteristics. The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-4 (Brown et al., 2010) was used to estimate IQ. Results Regression analysis revealed significant associations between memory/attention facets and NPD characteristics, F(7, 101) = 2.18, p = 0.04, adj. R2 = 0.07, 95% CI [0, 0.12]. Divided attention (β = −0.236, p = 0.02) and associative memory (β = −0.222, p = 0.04) were significant predictors. After controlling for IQ, associative memory remained significant (β = −0.257, p = 0.02), while divided attention did not (β = −0.102, p = 0.32). Verbal list learning emerged as a risk factor (β = 0.258, p = 0.04). Conclusions Our findings align with prior research, indicating cognitive correlates of NPD, particularly poorer associative memory and better verbal list learning. These results suggest a unique cognitive profile for NPD, characterized by high verbal list learning and poor associative memory. Understanding these cognitive underpinnings sheds light on the complexity of NPD and may inform interventions.

A - 59 An Exploration of a Passive Decision Making Style within the Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome Population and its Contribution to Social Isolation

Abstract Objective Recent research has shown that Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) may reduce decision-making independence. In this way, CDS may include a prognosis of social disengagement due to symptoms of the disorder such as apathy, low motivation, passivity, and low energy. This poster investigates the relationship between CDS symptoms and social disengagement and explores possible treatment focuses that could increase individuals’ connection to others and the world around them. Data Selection Information regarding this poster was obtained through a review of the literature including peer-reviewed articles from 2019–2024. Articles were gathered from the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Journal of Attention Disorders, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Child Neuropsychology, and Research in Developmental Disabilities. Informal analyses were used to determine themes including keywords such as sluggish cognitive tempo, cognitive disengagement syndrome, decision-making, social isolation, and apathy. Data Synthesis CDS is associated with lower levels of assertiveness and higher levels of passivity than in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Inattentive Type (ADHD-IN) population. Current research suggests CDS is associated with social isolation influenced by difficulty initiating conversations and being more likely to engage in anxious rumination during conversations. Treatment interventions for CDS should target shyness, task-unrelated thought patterns, behavioral inhibition, hyperreactivity to social stressors, socially isolating behavioral addictions, verbal inhibition, and difficulty with divided attention. Conclusions Based on conclusions drawn in this poster, future studies should examine the impact of loneliness on social initiation frequency within the CDS population. The development of a questionnaire that aims to differentiate ADHD-IN from CDS may also be useful.

Determinants of Multilevel Discourse Outcomes in Anomia Treatment for Aphasia.

Individuals with aphasia identify discourse-level communication (i.e., language in use) as a high priority for treatment. The central premise of most aphasia treatments is that restoring language at the phoneme, word, and/or sentence level will generalize to discourse. However, treatment-related changes in discourse-level communication are modest, are poorly understood, and vary greatly among individuals with aphasia. In response, this study consisted of a multilevel discourse analysis of archival, monologic discourse outcomes across two high-intensity Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) clinical trials. Aim 1 evaluated changes in theoretically motivated discourse outcomes representing lexical-semantic processing, lexical diversity, grammatical complexity, and discourse informativeness. Aim 2 explored the potential moderating role of nonlanguage cognitive factors (semantic memory, divided attention, and executive function) on discourse outcomes. This study was a retrospective analysis of archival monologic discourse outcomes after intensive SFA for n = 60 (Aim 1) and a subset n = 44 (Aim 2). Outcome measures included lexical-semantic processing (% semantic errors), lexical diversity (moving average type-token ratio), grammatical complexity (mean utterance length), and discourse informativeness (% correct information units). Bayesian generalized mixed-effects models were used to examine changes across four study time points: enrollment, entry, exit, and 1-month follow-up. The present study found no evidence for meaningful or statistically reliable improvements in monologue discourse performance after SFA when measured using standard, general-topic discourse stimuli. There was weak and inconsistent evidence that nonlanguage cognitive factors may play a role in moderating treatment response. These findings indicate a clear need to pair theoretically informed treatments designed to facilitate generalization to discourse with intentional measurement paradigms designed to capture it. Furthermore, there is a clear need to examine how established treatments, restorative or compensatory, can better facilitate generalization to discourse-level communication. These priorities are critical for meaningfully improving everyday communication and reducing the profound communication and psychosocial consequences of aphasia. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26524081.

When visual attention is divided in the flash-lag effect.

The flash-lag effect (FLE) occurs when a flash's position seems to be delayed relative to a continuously moving object, even though both are physically aligned. Although several studies have demonstrated that reduced attention increases FLE magnitude, the precise mechanism underlying these attention-dependent effects remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the influence of visual attention on the FLE by manipulating the level of attention allocated to multiple stimuli moving simultaneously in different locations. Participants were cued to either focus on one moving stimulus or split their attention among two, three, or four moving stimuli presented in different quadrants. We measured trial-wise FLE to explore potential changes in the magnitude of perceived displacement and its trial-to-trial variability under different attention conditions. Our results reveal that FLE magnitudes were significantly greater when attention was divided among multiple stimuli compared with when attention was focused on a single stimulus, suggesting that divided attention considerably augments the perceptual illusion. However, FLE variability, measured as the coefficient of variation, did not differ between conditions, indicating that the consistency of the illusion is unaffected by divided attention. We discuss the interpretations and implications of our findings in the context of widely accepted explanations of the FLE within a dynamic environment.

Analysing lower limb motion and muscle activation in athletes with ankle instability during dual-task drop-jump

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of chronic ankle instability (CAI) on athletes’ lower extremity mechanics during bounce drop-jump landings with divided attention. Thirty Division I physical education voluntarily participated in the study. They performed two sets of bounce drop jumps: one set with a divided attention task and the other without. The obtained data were analysed using a paired t-test to compare the outcomes between the divided attention (DA) and non-divided attention (NDA) tasks. Athletes with CAI, during the DA task, displayed higher vertical landing forces, increased ankle inversion velocity, and greater range of motion of the ankle, knee, and hip in the frontal and transverse planes. They also exhibited insufficient neuromuscular preparation of the rectus femoris muscle. Notably, distinct kinematic alterations were observed in the ankle, knee, and hip joints regarding frontal and transverse lower-extremity kinematics. The findings suggest that athletes with CAI experience decreased activation of the rectus femoris muscle, which may impact their dynamic postural stability from pre-landing to ascending phases. Furthermore, the results indicate that individuals with CAI closely replicate the injury mechanisms encountered during a drop-jump landing task with divided attention. These insights offer valuable information about the real-time challenges faced by athletes with CAI.

VT-VT: a slip detection model for transformer-based visual-tactile fusion

Slip detection plays a crucial role in robotic operations and has received increasing attention in the field of robotics. We introduced a slip detection model called VT-VT, based on the fusion of vision and touch using a transformer architecture. The model leverages the advantages of a 'divided spatial-temporal attention' mechanism, capturing global contextual information more effectively and exhibiting high sensitivity to potential temporal features during the slipping process. To validate the effectiveness of VT-VT, we conducted experiments on a public slip detection dataset, achieving a test accuracy of up to 90.52%, significantly outperforming a convolutional neural network–long short-term memory model combined with different feature extraction networks. Furthermore, this study revealed the impact of different patch size values, different modal perception modes, and varying lighting conditions on the performance of the VT-VT model. Moreover, we analyzed the real-time capabilities of the VT-VT model.

Efficacy of Computerized vs. Traditional Cognitive Interventions for the Treatment of Chronic mTBI Symptoms Among Service Members.

Military service members (SMs) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI or concussion) frequently report cognitive and behavioral difficulties. Currently, military clinical guidelines recommend clinician-run, manualized cognitive rehabilitation (CR) to treat these symptoms; however, it is unclear whether this approach adequately addresses the unique needs of warfighters. Computerized cognitive training (CCT) programs represent an innovative, promising approach to treating cognitive difficulties; however, whether these programs can effectively remediate cognitive impairment in individuals with mTBI remains unclear. A total of 65 SMs with a history of at least 1 diagnosed mTBI were recruited from a military hospital. Participants received 1 of 2 interventions: Clinician-run, manualized CR (Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness [SCORE]; n = 37), consisting of 60 total intervention hours over 6 weeks, or CCT (n = 28), in which participants trained with either a commercial CCT (n = 14) or noncommercial CCT (n = 14), for a total of 12 hours over 4 weeks. Participants were assessed pre- and postintervention, using a combination of self-report and objective outcome measures: Key Behaviors Change Inventory (KBCI), a self-report measure of functional difficulties; Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), an objective cognitive assessment that measures both information processing speed and sustained and divided attention; and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), an objective cognitive assessment that measures information processing speed. Mixed ANOVA revealed no interaction effect between intervention type and time (pre- and postassessment) on the PASAT (P = .643, ηp2 = 0.003), SDMT (P = .423, ηp2 = 0.010), or KBCI (P = .434, ηp2 = 0.010); however, there was a significant within-group main effect (time) on all 3 outcome measures (PASAT P < .001, ηp2 = 0.54; SDMT P < .001, ηp2 = 0.25; and KBCI P = .001, ηp2 = 0.15). On average, participants showed improvement over baseline on the PASAT (SCORE delta = 6.98, SD = 7.25, P < .001; CCT delta = 7.79, SD = 6.45, P < .001), SDMT (SCORE delta = 4.62, SD = 8.82, P = .003; CCT delta = 6.58, SD = 10.81, P = .003), and KBCI (SCORE delta = -3.22, SD = 7.09, P = .009; CCT delta = -2.00, SD = 4.72, P = .033). Additional analysis comparing the relative effectiveness of the 2 different CCTs revealed that while training with either program resulted in improved performance on the PASAT (P < .001, ηp2 = 0.627), SDMT (P = .003, ηp2 = 0.286), and KBCI (P = .036, ηp2 = 0.158), there was no interaction effect of CCT program type and change over time for any measure (PASAT P = .102, ηp2 = 1.00; SDMT P = .317, ηp2 = 0.038; and KBCI P = .719, ηp2 = 0.005). We showed that CCT programs do not differ in efficacy compared to clinician-run, manualized CR for treating symptoms associated with mTBI; however, exploratory analyses suggest that each approach may have distinct advantages for treating specific symptoms. Additionally, we showed that the improvement in the CCT intervention did not differ between those who trained using the commercial program vs. those who trained with the noncommercial program.

Effects of Concurrent Training on Resuscitation and Cognitive Performance in Paramedics-A Pilot Study.

Paramedics work under physically and cognitively demanding conditions to provide emergency care. As physical fitness could positively impact the quality of patient care, we investigated within a pilot study whether concurrent training (CT) affects work-related performance parameters in paramedics. At baseline (T1), 16 paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation whereby resuscitation performance (RP; total resuscitation quality, compressions with correct frequency, and correct ventilation), cognitive performance (CP; reaction time, divided attention, and working memory), and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed (pre-exertion). Then, participants climbed seven floors carrying 20 kg of gear before completing the same assessments again (post-exertion). The baseline testing was followed by a CT intervention (12 weeks, three sessions/week). After the intervention (T2), the two-stage testing was repeated. We analyzed whether the pre-exertion and post-exertion values, as well as the difference between the pre-exertion and post-exertion values, changed from T1 to T2. Nine paramedics (male: N = 7; age = 26.3 (SD = 8.17) years) took part in the study. The comparison of the pre-exertion values showed significantly better reaction times (p = 0.001) and divided attention (p = 0.02) and a trend toward greater working memory and RP parameters at T2. Regarding the post-exertion values, significant improvements in working memory (p = 0.03) and a trend toward improved reaction time, divided attention, and RP occurred at T2. The difference between the pre- and post-exertion values did not change for any parameter from T1 to T2. HRV decreased significantly from pre- to post-exertion (T1: p = 0.01, T2: p = 0.01). These results indicate that CT is a promising training concept to improve RP and CP in paramedics and should therefore be investigated further to increase patient care quality.

Long-term cognitive and affective consequences of mild traumatic brain injury: comparison with older adults

ABSTRACT Objective Memory and affective processing were compared in young adults with a remote mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), to healthy younger and older adults. We evaluated memory performance when encoding was done under multi-tasking (divided attention) conditions, likely to exacerbate cognitive and psychological symptoms in mTBI. Methods Participants studied pairs of unrelated words under either full or divided attention conditions. Memory for single words (item memory) and for pairs of words (associative memory) was then assessed in sequential independent recognition tests, under full attention. Results Associative memory was poorer than item memory, and worse when encoding was done under divided than full attention. The decline in recognition accuracy from full to divided attention conditions on the associative memory test was significantly greater in mTBI compared to young adults and was similar in magnitude to that observed in older adults under full attention. Self-reported mental and total fatigue increased significantly as performance on the memory tests, following the divided attention condition, decreased, but only in the mTBI group. Conclusions Results show lingering memory deficits, and suggest that cognitive tasks may be experienced as psychologically more demanding in those with a mTBI, even months or years after injury.

Combined Endovascular-Microsurgical Treatment for a Parietal Brain Arteriovenous Malformation and Neuropsychological Implications: An Operative 2-Dimensional Video Case: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are complex vascular anomalies characterized by abnormal veins and arteries, lacking capillary beds. With an average 2.4% annual risk of hemorrhage, AVMs pose a significant challenge in treatment, especially in high-grade cases. Risk factors of hemorrhage include young age, previous rupture, and deep or infratentorial locations. 1-10 In this operative video, a 34-year-old man presented with a history of seizures and progressive headaches over 15 years. Clinical examination revealed a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15 and neuropsychological deficits including divided attention, working memory, verbal and semantic memory, and arithmetic skills. Digital subtraction angiography confirmed an AVM Spetzler-Martin III in the right parietal lobe, with venous drainage toward the superior sagittal sinus and involvement of the superior longitudinal fasciculus. After multiple embolizations, microsurgical resection was performed successfully. Postoperatively, the patient experienced no complications, with follow-up angiography demonstrating complete AVM exclusion. The patient consent to the procedure and to the publication of his/her image. This study was approved by the ethics committee of our institution. Despite its size and location in a noneloquent area, the AVM affected neuropsychological function. The combined endovascular-microsurgical approach proved effective, highlighting the importance of considering anatomical, functional, and neuropsychological factors in AVM treatment to maximize success in achieving complete obliteration and curative outcomes.

The role of attention in the emergence of the evaluative and incidental self-reference effects

ABSTRACT The self-reference effect (SRE) is a memory advantage produced by encoding information in a self-relevant manner. The “evaluative” SRE arises when people engage in explicit self-evaluation/reflection to process to-be-remembered items, while the “incidental” SRE occurs when self-referential information (e.g., one’s own name) is co-presented with to-be-remembered items but is irrelevant to a given task. Using a divided-attention paradigm, the present study examined potential differences in the attentional requirements of the evaluative and incidental SREs. During encoding, personality-trait words were presented simultaneously with the participant’s own or a celebrity’s name. The participants’ task was either to evaluate whether each word described themselves/the celebrity (evaluative encoding) or to indicate the location of each word (incidental encoding), in the presence or absence of a secondary task. A subsequent recognition test with a remember/know procedure showed better overall recognition and enhanced episodic recollection for words presented with one’s own name vs. another name, with this SRE being larger in the evaluative than incidental encoding condition. Critically, divided attention at encoding attenuated the magnitudes of both evaluative and incidental SREs to a comparable degree in overall recognition and episodic recollection. These findings suggest that both the evaluative and incidental SREs are resource-demanding, effortful mnemonic benefits.