Presentation Of Visual Stimuli Research Articles

Perceptual Response Training for Reduction of Injury Risk Among High School Girls' Soccer Players.

Background/Objectives: Neural processes involved in visual detection, decision-making, and motor plan execution are believed to play a key role in the avoidance of sport-related injuries, but very little evidence exists to guide the development of training activities for the optimization of brain function. Immersive virtual reality provides a means to precisely measure the amount of time that elapses from visual stimulus presentation to the initiation of a motor response (i.e., perceptual latency) or its completion (i.e., response time). Methods: The median value of a metric quantifying both the speed and accuracy (i.e., the rate correct per second of response time) of 50 high school female soccer players was used to assign those who exhibited suboptimal performance to a training program. Training sessions required less than 5 min and the number of sessions completed over a 7-week period ranged from 3 to 13 (median = 5). Results: Among 42 players available for follow-up assessment at 8 weeks after the first practice session (training n = 19; comparison n = 23), the results of regression-discontinuity analyses demonstrated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) for metrics representing fast/accurate movement initiation (i.e., the rate correct score for perceptual latency, p = 0.016) and across-trial consistency (i.e., perceptual latency variability, p = 0.027). From the first practice session to the end of the soccer season, 12 injuries were sustained by 10 players (four concussions and eight musculoskeletal injuries). A time-to-event analysis demonstrated strong associations with perceptual latency variability ≥ 0.143 (Hazard Ratio = 15.43, p = 0.011) and a lifetime history of at least one concussion (Hazard Ratio = 8.84, p = 0.008). Conclusions: The strong association of movement initiation consistency with the avoidance of concussion or musculoskeletal injury suggests that the training program may have a highly beneficial far-transfer effect.

X-Tracker: Automated Analysis of Xenopus Tadpole Visual Avoidance Behavior.

Xenopus laevis tadpoles exhibit an avoidance behavior when they encounter a moving visual stimulus. A visual avoidance event occurs when a moving object approaches the eye of a free-swimming animal at an approximately 90-degree angle and the animal turns in response to the encounter. Analysis of this behavior requires tracking both the free-swimming animal and the moving visual stimulus both prior to and after the encounter. Previous automated tracking software does not discriminate the moving animal from the moving stimulus, requiring time-consuming manual analysis. Here we present X-Tracker, an automated behavior tracking code that can detect and discriminate moving visual stimuli and free-swimming animals and score encounters and avoidance events. X-Tracker is as accurate as human analysis without the human time commitment. We also present software improvements to our previous visual stimulus presentation and image capture that optimize videos for automated analysis, and hardware improvements that increase the number of animal-stimulus encounters. X-Tracker is a high throughput, unbiased, and significant time-saving analysis system that will greatly facilitate visual avoidance behavior analysis of Xenopus laevis tadpoles, and potentially other free-swimming organisms. The tool is available at https://github.com/ClineLab/Tadpole-Behavior-Automation.

Rhythmic Temporal Cues Coordinate Cross-frequency Phase-amplitude Coupling during Memory Encoding.

Accumulating evidence suggests that rhythmic temporal cues in the environment influence the encoding of information into long-term memory. Here, we test the hypothesis that these mnemonic effects of rhythm reflect the coupling of high-frequency (gamma) oscillations to entrained lower-frequency oscillations synchronized to the beat of the rhythm. In Study 1, we first test this hypothesis in the context of global effects of rhythm on memory, when memory is superior for visual stimuli presented in rhythmic compared with arrhythmic patterns at encoding [Jones, A., & Ward, E. V. Rhythmic temporal structure at encoding enhances recognition memory, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 31, 1549-1562, 2019]. We found that rhythmic presentation of visual stimuli during encoding was associated with greater phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between entrained low-frequency (delta) oscillations and higher-frequency (gamma) oscillations. In Study 2, we next investigated cross-frequency PAC in the context of local effects of rhythm on memory encoding, when memory is superior for visual stimuli presented in-synchrony compared with out-of-synchrony with a background auditory beat (Hickey et al., 2020). We found that the mnemonic effect of rhythm in this context was again associated with increased cross-frequency PAC between entrained low-frequency (delta) oscillations and higher-frequency (gamma) oscillations. Furthermore, the magnitude of gamma power modulations positively scaled with the subsequent memory benefit for in- versus out-of-synchrony stimuli. Together, these results suggest that the influence of rhythm on memory encoding may reflect the temporal coordination of higher-frequency gamma activity by entrained low-frequency oscillations.

GoFish: a foray into open-source, aquatic behavioral automation.

As the most species-rich vertebrate group, fish provide an array of opportunities to investigate the link between ecological interactions and the evolution of behavior and cognition, yet, as an animal model, they are relatively underutilized in studies of comparative cognition. To address this gap, we developed a fully automated platform for behavioral experiments in aquatic species, GoFish. GoFish includes closed-loop control of task contingencies using real-time video tracking, presentation of visual stimuli, automatic food reward dispensers, and built-in data acquisition. The hardware is relatively inexpensive and accessible, and all software components of the platform are open-source. GoFish facilitates experimental automation, allowing for customization of high-throughput protocols and the efficient acquisition of rich behavioral data. We hope this platform proves to be a useful tool for the research community, facilitating refined, reproducible behavioral experiments on aquatic species in comparative cognition, behavioral ecology, and neuroscience.

The effect of interstimulus interval on sustained attention

The ability of nervous systems to filter out irrelevant and repetitive stimuli may prevent animals from becoming ‘saturated’ with excess information. However, animals must be particular about which stimuli to attend to and which to ignore, as mistakes may be costly. Using a comparative approach, we explored the effect of interstimulus interval (ISI) between repeated presentations of visual stimuli presented on a screen to test the decrease in responses (response decrement) of both Trite planiceps jumping spiders and untrained Columba livia pigeons, animals with comparable visual ability despite having structurally different visual systems and brain size. We used ISIs of 2.5 s, 5 s, 10 s, predicting that decreases in ISI would lead to progressively less responses to the stimuli. Following from previous work on T. planiceps, we also manipulated pigeon hunger level, finding that hungry birds were initially more responsive than sated pigeons, but the rate of decrease in responses to the stimulus did not differ between the two groups. While a clear response decrement was seen in both species across all conditions, shorter ISIs resulted in more dramatic response decrements, aligning with previous work and with the resource depletion theory posited in the human-based literature.

Statistical Learning of Incidental Perceptual Regularities Induces Sensory Conditioned Cortical Responses.

Statistical learning of sensory patterns can lead to predictive neural processes enhancing stimulus perception and enabling fast deviancy detection. Predictive processes have been extensively demonstrated when environmental statistical regularities are relevant to task execution. Preliminary evidence indicates that statistical learning can even occur independently of task relevance and top-down attention, although the temporal profile and neural mechanisms underlying sensory predictions and error signals induced by statistical learning of incidental sensory regularities remain unclear. In our study, we adopted an implicit sensory conditioning paradigm that elicited the generation of specific perceptual priors in relation to task-irrelevant audio-visual associations, while recording Electroencephalography (EEG). Our results showed that learning task-irrelevant associations between audio-visual stimuli resulted in anticipatory neural responses to predictive auditory stimuli conveying anticipatory signals of expected visual stimulus presence or absence. Moreover, we observed specific modulation of cortical responses to probabilistic visual stimulus presentation or omission. Pattern similarity analysis indicated that predictive auditory stimuli tended to resemble the response to expected visual stimulus presence or absence. Remarkably, Hierarchical Gaussian filter modeling estimating dynamic changes of prediction error signals in relation to differential probabilistic occurrences of audio-visual stimuli further demonstrated instantiation of predictive neural signals by showing distinct neural processing of prediction error in relation to violation of expected visual stimulus presence or absence. Overall, our findings indicated that statistical learning of non-salient and task-irrelevant perceptual regularities could induce the generation of neural priors at the time of predictive stimulus presentation, possibly conveying sensory-specific information about the predicted consecutive stimulus.

«Оddball»-парадигма электроэнцефалограммы/вызванных потенциалов для изучения восприятия эмоций

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Assessment of evoked potentials using electroencephalography is a classic method for determining a person's response to different types of stimuli. The literature describes EPs that are specific markers of emotional perception. To date, many stimulus bases have been developed and validated for use in EEG EP paradigms, among which images of human faces with emotional expression stand out. It is possible that the perception of this type of stimulus may have its own specificity &amp;mdash; for example, it may occur faster than the perception of other classes of images, since it represents a more significant biological signal. In this review, we wanted to show the features of using affective images in the oddball paradigm, focusing on the use of human faces with emotional expression. This paradigm also belongs to the EEG/EP paradigms, but it has several features. The advantages of this technique are, firstly, its higher sensitivity compared to other paradigms with the presentation of emotional images. Secondly, it is possible, during the passive presentation of visual stimuli, to analyze the rapid automatic reactions that, according to previous studies, accompany the perception of faces. Perhaps the most effective images in the oddball EEG/EP paradigm will be facial expressions. The obtained data by using this paradigm are presented. The data obtained data show differences in both the amplitude and spatial components of the EP associated with different facial expressions &amp;mdash; happy/angry.&lt;/p&gt;

A user-friendly visual brain-computer interface based on high-frequency steady-state visual evoked fields recorded by OPM-MEG

Objective. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) shares a comparable time resolution with electroencephalography. However, MEG excels in spatial resolution, enabling it to capture even the subtlest and weakest brain signals for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Leveraging MEG’s capabilities, specifically with optically pumped magnetometers (OPM-MEG), proves to be a promising avenue for advancing MEG-BCIs, owing to its exceptional sensitivity and portability. This study harnesses the power of high-frequency steady-state visual evoked fields (SSVEFs) to build an MEG-BCI system that is flickering-imperceptible, user-friendly, and highly accurate. Approach. We have constructed a nine-command BCI that operates on high-frequency SSVEF (58–62 Hz with a 0.5 Hz interval) stimulation. We achieved this by placing the light source inside and outside the magnetic shielding room, ensuring compliance with non-magnetic and visual stimulus presentation requirements. Five participants took part in offline experiments, during which we collected six-channel multi-dimensional MEG signals along both the vertical (Z-axis) and tangential (Y-axis) components. Our approach leveraged the ensemble task-related component analysis algorithm for SSVEF identification and system performance evaluation. Main Results. The offline average accuracy of our proposed system reached an impressive 92.98% when considering multi-dimensional conjoint analysis using data from both the Z and Y axes. Our method achieved a theoretical average information transfer rate (ITR) of 58.36 bits min−1 with a data length of 0.7 s, and the highest individual ITR reached an impressive 63.75 bits min−1. Significance. This study marks the first exploration of high-frequency SSVEF-BCI based on OPM-MEG. These results underscore the potential and feasibility of MEG in detecting subtle brain signals, offering both theoretical insights and practical value in advancing the development and application of MEG in BCI systems.

Plastic vasomotion entrainment.

The presence of global synchronization of vasomotion induced by oscillating visual stimuli was identified in the mouse brain. Endogenous autofluorescence was used and the vessel 'shadow' was quantified to evaluate the magnitude of the frequency-locked vasomotion. This method allows vasomotion to be easily quantified in non-transgenic wild-type mice using either the wide-field macro-zoom microscopy or the deep-brain fiber photometry methods. Vertical stripes horizontally oscillating at a low temporal frequency (0.25 Hz) were presented to the awake mouse, and oscillatory vasomotion locked to the temporal frequency of the visual stimulation was induced not only in the primary visual cortex but across a wide surface area of the cortex and the cerebellum. The visually induced vasomotion adapted to a wide range of stimulation parameters. Repeated trials of the visual stimulus presentations resulted in the plastic entrainment of vasomotion. Horizontally oscillating visual stimulus is known to induce horizontal optokinetic response (HOKR). The amplitude of the eye movement is known to increase with repeated training sessions, and the flocculus region of the cerebellum is known to be essential for this learning to occur. Here, we show a strong correlation between the average HOKR performance gain and the vasomotion entrainment magnitude in the cerebellar flocculus. Therefore, the plasticity of vasomotion and neuronal circuits appeared to occur in parallel. Efficient energy delivery by the entrained vasomotion may contribute to meeting the energy demand for increased coordinated neuronal activity and the subsequent neuronal circuit reorganization.

Plastic vasomotion entrainment

The presence of global synchronization of vasomotion induced by oscillating visual stimuli was identified in the mouse brain. Endogenous autofluorescence was used and the vessel ‘shadow’ was quantified to evaluate the magnitude of the frequency-locked vasomotion. This method allows vasomotion to be easily quantified in non-transgenic wild-type mice using either the wide-field macro-zoom microscopy or the deep-brain fiber photometry methods. Vertical stripes horizontally oscillating at a low temporal frequency (0.25 Hz) were presented to the awake mouse, and oscillatory vasomotion locked to the temporal frequency of the visual stimulation was induced not only in the primary visual cortex but across a wide surface area of the cortex and the cerebellum. The visually induced vasomotion adapted to a wide range of stimulation parameters. Repeated trials of the visual stimulus presentations resulted in the plastic entrainment of vasomotion. Horizontally oscillating visual stimulus is known to induce horizontal optokinetic response (HOKR). The amplitude of the eye movement is known to increase with repeated training sessions, and the flocculus region of the cerebellum is known to be essential for this learning to occur. Here, we show a strong correlation between the average HOKR performance gain and the vasomotion entrainment magnitude in the cerebellar flocculus. Therefore, the plasticity of vasomotion and neuronal circuits appeared to occur in parallel. Efficient energy delivery by the entrained vasomotion may contribute to meeting the energy demand for increased coordinated neuronal activity and the subsequent neuronal circuit reorganization.

Individual features of the temporal dynamics of inhibitory processes in visual short-term memory depending on the content of stimuli and memorization training

Introduction. Age-related changes in cognitive functions are caused by various processes: degrading inhibitory control, decrease in the volume of working memory, or a slowdown in the speed of thought processes. However, there is no unanimous opinion on the dynamics of these processes and their interactions yet. Based on this, our research goal became finding the temporal dynamics and individual relationship of the effects of proactive interference (Retrival-Induced Forgeting (RIF)) and learning to remember (Retrieval-Based Learning (RBL)) depending on the content of the presented stimuli as well as the age-related specifics of memorization when training the short-term visual memory. Materials and methods. Memory training was carried out in a mode independently organized by the study participants using a computerized memorization program in a proactive interference model, including five sessions of visual presentation of stimuli. University students participated in the first part of the study, aimed at clarifying the meaning of the content of two different sets of stimuli, (220 people, 20.4 ± 1.9 years old), whereas second part aimed to determine the age-related characteristics of visual short-term memory training in a group of students, (70 subjects, 21.7±2.5 years) and a group of elderly women (25 subjects, 64.4±6.3 years). Research results. The results of the memory trace retrieval analysis showed that the RIF effect dominates over the RBL effect regardless of the content of the stimuli, but at different rates of its development depending on the set of stimuli used. With significant individual diversity in the combination of memory strategies, the RIF effect dominated at the initial stage of stimulus presentation (67.6% of cases) and gradually replaced by RBL (56.2% in the fifth run of the experiment). Analysis of age-related characteristics of the effectiveness of short-term visual memory training showed that when it is independently organized, maintaining activity is observed in 32% of university students and 50% in the elderly group. Along with this. Only average of ten approaches to complete this task accompanied by a further decrease in the number of training participants. Comparison of the results of the first three training sessions revealed a significant increase in the memory index in both groups compared to the initial value and the presence of a RIF effect with a further more rapid increase in the efficiency of memorization in students. Conclusion. Proactive interference while memorization of visual stimuli repeatedly presented in five sessions, appears regardless of their content, age of the subjects and memorization training. The efficiency of memorization due to training grows faster in the group of students and accompanied by the combination of the RIF and RBL effects that is characterized by individual diversity without a significant effect on the final result of the memory retrieval.

Cognitive effort assessment through pupillary responses: Insights from multinomial processing tree modeling and neural interconnections

The pupillary responses of humans exhibit variations in size, which are mediated by optic and oculomotor cranial nerves. Due to their sensitivity and high resolution of pupillary responses, they are used for a long time as measurement metrics of cognitive effort. Investigating the extent of cognitive effort required during tasks of varying difficulty is crucial for understanding the neural interconnections underlying these pupillary responses. This study aims to assess human cognitive efforts involved in visually presented cognitive tasks using the multinomial processing tree (MPT) model, an analytical tool that disentangles and predicts distinct cognitive processes, resulting in changes in pupil diameter. To achieve this, a pupillary response dataset was collected during mental multiplication (MM) tasks and visual stimuli presentations as cognitive tasks. MPT model describes observed response frequencies across various response categories and determines the transition probabilities from one latent state to the next. The expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is employed with MPT model to estimate parameter values based on response frequency within each category. Both group-level and individual subject-to-subject comparisons are conducted to estimate cognitive effort. The results reveal that in the group comparison and with respect to task difficulty level, that subject’s knowledge on MM task influences the successfully solve the problem. Regarding individual analysis, no significant differences are observed in parameters related to correct recall, problem-solving ability, and time constraint compliance. However, some significant differences are found in parameters associated with the perceived difficulty level and ability to recall the correct answers. MPT model combined with EM algorithm constitutes a probabilistic model that enhances pupillary responses identification related to the cognitive effort. Potential applications of this model include disease diagnostics based on parameter values and identification of neural pathways that are involved in the pupillary response and subject’s cognitive effort. Furthermore, efforts are underway to connect this psychological model with an artificial neural network.

Assessment and Training of Perceptual-Motor Function: Performance of College Wrestlers Associated with History of Concussion.

Concussion may affect sport performance capabilities related to the visual perception of environmental events, rapid decision-making, and the generation of effective movement responses. Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers a means to quantify, and potentially enhance, the speed, accuracy, and consistency of responses generated by integrated neural processes. A cohort of 24 NCAA Division I male wrestlers completed VR assessments before and after a 3-week VR training program designed to improve their perceptual-motor performance. Prior to training, the intra-individual variability (IIV) among 40 successive task trials for perceptual latency (i.e., time elapsed between visual stimulus presentation and the initiation of movement response) demonstrated strong discrimination between 10 wrestlers who self-reported a history of concussion from 14 wrestlers who denied ever having sustained a concussion (Area Under Curve ≥ 0.750 for neck, arm, and step movements). Natural log transformation improved the distribution normality of the IIV values for both perceptual latency and response time (i.e., time elapsed between visual stimulus presentation and the completion of movement response). The repeated measures ANOVA results demonstrated statistically significant (p < 0.05) pre- and post-training differences between groups for the IIV in perceptual latency and the IIV in response time for neck, arm, and step movements. Five of the six IIV metrics demonstrated a statistically significant magnitude of change for both groups, with large effect sizes. We conclude that a VR assessment can detect impairments in perceptual-motor performance among college wrestlers with a history of concussion. Although significant post-training group differences were evident, VR training can yield significant performance improvements in both groups.

Stimulus intensity and temporal configuration interact during bimodal learning and memory in honey bees.

Multimodal integration is a core neural process with a keen relevance during ecological tasks requiring learning and memory, such as foraging. The benefits of learning multimodal signals imply solving whether the components come from a single event. This challenge presumably depends on the timing and intensity of the stimuli. Here, we used simultaneous and alternate presentations of olfactory and visual stimuli, at low and high intensities, to understand how temporal and intensity variations affect the learning of a bimodal stimulus and its components. We relied on the conditioning of the proboscis extension response (PER) to train honey bees to an appetitive learning task with bimodal stimuli precisely controlled. We trained bees to stimuli with different synchronicity and intensity levels. We found that synchronicity, order of presentation, and intensity significantly impacted the probability of exhibiting conditioned PER responses and the latency of the conditioned responses. At low intensities, synchronous bimodal inputs produced maximal multisensory enhancement, while asynchronous temporal orders led to lower performances. At high intensities, the relative advantage of the synchronous stimulation diminished, and asynchronous stimuli produced similar performances. Memory retention was higher for the olfactory component and bimodal stimuli compared to the visual component, irrespective of the training's temporal configuration. Bees retained the asynchronous bimodal configuration to a lesser extent than the synchronous one, depending on the stimulus intensity. We conclude that time (synchrony), order of presentation, and intensity have interdependent effects on bee learning and memory performance. This suggests caution when assessing the independent effects of each factor.

О корректности математической модели вызванной активности первичной зрительной коры

We propose a mathematical model that formalizes the macro- and meso-level dynamics of electrical potentials in the primary visual cortex of subjects, which corresponds to the presentation of visual stimuli to them. The mathematical framework is based on a twolayer neural field model, represented by a system of integro-differential equations, where the deep layer of the neural field models electrical activity that does not depend directly on the spatial orientation of the visual stimuli, whereas the activity of the superficial layer is sensitive to spatially oriented stimuli. The experimental design of presenting a series of visual stimuli is formalised in the present study in terms of an impulse control problem for the aforementioned two-layer neural field model. We propose a special metric space for construction of a unique solution to the control problem under standard assumptions for mathematical neurobiology regarding the functions involved in the modeling equations. We formulate sufficient conditions for continuous dependence of the solutions on the impulse control.

Whole-Brain Electrophysiology in Drosophila during Sleep and Wake.

Sleep studies in Drosophila melanogaster rely mostly on behavioral read-outs to support molecular or circuit-level investigations in this model. Electrophysiology can provide an additional level of understanding in these studies to, for example, investigate changes in brain activity associated with sleep manipulations. In this protocol, we describe a procedure for performing multichannel local field potential (LFP) recordings in the fruit fly, with a flexible system that can be adapted to different experimental paradigms and situations. The approach uses electrodes containing multiple recording sites (16), allowing the acquisition of large amounts of neuronal activity data from a transect through the brain while flies are still able to sleep. The approach starts by tethering the fly, followed by positioning it on an air-supported ball. A multichannel silicon probe is then inserted laterally into the fly brain via one eye, allowing for recording of electrical signals from the retina through to the central brain. These recordings can be acquired under spontaneous conditions or in the presence of visual stimuli, and the minimal surgery promotes long-term recordings (e.g., overnight). Sleep and wake can be tracked using infrared cameras, which allow for the measurement of locomotive activity as well as microbehaviors such as proboscis extensions during sleep. The protocol has been optimized to promote subject survivability, which is an important factor when performing long-term (∼16-h) recordings. The approach described here uses specific recording probes, data acquisition devices, and analysis tools. Although it is expected that some of these items might need to be adapted to the equipment available in different laboratories, the overall aim is to provide an overview on how to record electrical activity across the brain of behaving (and sleeping) flies using this kind of approach and technology.

Passive exposure to visual motion leads to short-term changes in the optomotor response of aging zebrafish

Numerous studies have shown that prior visual experiences play an important role in sensory processing and adapting behavior in a dynamic environment. A repeated and passive presentation of visual stimulus is one of the simplest procedures to manipulate acquired experiences. Using this approach, we aimed to investigate exposure-based visual learning of aging zebrafish and how cholinergic intervention is involved in exposure-induced changes. Our measurements included younger and older wild-type zebrafish and achesb55/+ mutants with decreased acetylcholinesterase activity. We examined both within-session and across-day changes in the zebrafish optomotor responses to repeated and passive exposure to visual motion. Our findings revealed short-term (within-session) changes in the magnitude of optomotor response (i.e., the amount of position shift by fish as a response to visual motion) rather than long-term and persistent effects across days. Moreover, the observed short-term changes were age- and genotype-dependent. Compared to the initial presentations of motion within a session, the magnitude of optomotor response to terminal presentations decreased in the older zebrafish. There was a similar robust decrease specific to achesb55/+ mutants. Taken together, these results point to short-term (within-session) alterations in the motion detection of adult zebrafish and suggest differential effects of neural aging and cholinergic system on the observed changes. These findings further provide important insights into adult zebrafish optomotor response to visual motion and contribute to understanding this reflexive behavior in the short- and long-term stimulation profiles.

Invited Session IV: Extended reality--applications in vision science and beyond: Improving augmented reality through perceptual science.

Augmented reality (AR) systems make it possible to present visual stimuli that intermix and interact with people's view of the natural world. But building an AR system that merges stimuli with our natural visual experience is hard. AR systems often suffer from technical and visual limitations, such as small eyeboxes, limited brightness, and narrow visual field coverage. An integral part of AR system development, therefore, is perceptual research that improves our understanding of when and why these limitations matter. I will describe a suite of perceptual studies designed to provide guidance for engineers on the visibility and appearance of wearable optical see-through AR displays. Our results highlight the idiosyncrasies of how our visual system integrates information from the two eyes, the multifaceted nature of perceptual phenomena in AR, and the trade-offs that are currently necessary to create an AR system that is both wearable and compelling.

A Treatment Evaluation of Successive and Simultaneous Visual Stimulus Presentation During Tact Training with Children with Autism

A Treatment Evaluation of Successive and Simultaneous Visual Stimulus Presentation During Tact Training with Children with Autism

Event-Related Desynchronization of MEG Alpha-Band Oscillations during Simultaneous Presentation of Audio and Visual Stimuli in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Alpha-band (8-12 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) or a decrease in alpha power in electro- and magnetoencephalography (EEG and MEG) reflects the involvement of a neural tissue in information processing. It is known that most children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in information processing, and, thus, investigation of alpha oscillations is of particular interest in this population. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in this neural activity in individuals with ASD; however, little is known about alpha ERD during simultaneous presentation of auditory and visual stimuli in children with and without ASD. As alpha oscillations are intimately related to attention, and attention deficit is one of the common co-occurring conditions of ASD, we predict that children with ASD can have altered alpha ERD in one of the sensory domains. In the present study, we used MEG to investigate alpha ERD in groups of 20 children with ASD and 20 age-matched typically developing controls. Simple amplitude-modulated tones were presented together with a fixation cross appearing on the screen. The results showed that children with ASD had a bilateral reduction in alpha-band ERD in the auditory but not visual cortex. Moreover, alterations in the auditory cortex were associated with a higher presence of autistic traits measured in behavioral assessment.