Right-handed University Students Research Articles

Does Dyadic Practice Interfere with the Type of Motor Learning Promoted by Analogy Instructions?

We investigated whether allowing individuals to exchange verbal information during dyadic practice changed the effect of analogy instructions intended to strengthen explicit motor learning by an implicit means. Forty-three right-handed college students performed golf putting, aiming at a target three meters away. Participants were assigned to one of two groups: Dyadic Practice Analogy Instruction or Individual Practice Analogy Instruction. Participants in the Dyadic Practice group were allowed to communicate with one another about the task during their practice. Before practice, participants performed a working memory capacity test. Both groups performed 180 trials of golf distributed across three days. On each day, there were four blocks of 15 trials. On the third day, participants reported the explicit rules they used to learn the task and they completed the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. On the fourth day, they took three learning tests: retention, dual-task transfer, and social pressure transfer tests. Results of the retention test indicated that both groups learned the task comparably. Similarly, there were no significant group differences between the participants' number of explicit rules learned and their motivation levels on either of the transfer tests. Finally, only the participants in the Dyadic Practice Analogy Group showed a significant correlation between their performance on the dual-task transfer test and their working memory capacity. Overall, we found that dyadic practice did not interfere with the implicit type of motor learning promoted by analogy instruction (i.e., implicit learning).

Does Diglossia Impact Brain Structure? Data from Swiss German Early Diglossic Speakers.

(1) Background: Bilingualism has been reported to shape the brain by inducing cortical changes in cortical and subcortical language and executive networks. Similar yet different to bilingualism, diglossia is common in Switzerland, where the German-speaking population switches between an everyday spoken Swiss German (CH-GER) dialect and the standard German (stGER) used for reading and writing. However, no data are available for diglossia, defined as the use of different varieties or dialects of the same language, regarding brain structure. The aim of our study is to investigate if the presence of this type of diglossia has an impact on the brain structure, similar to the effects seen in bilingualism. (2) Methods: T1-weighted anatomical MRI scans of participants were used to compare the grey matter density and grey matter volume of 22 early diglossic CH-GER-speaking and 20 non-diglossic French-speaking right-handed university students, matched for age, linguistics and academic background. The images were processed with Statistical Parametric Mapping SPM12 and analyzed via voxel- and surface-based morphometry. (3) Results: A Bayesian ANCOVA on the whole brain revealed no differences between the groups. Also, for the five regions of interest (i.e., planum temporale, caudate nucleus, ACC, DLPFC and left interior parietal lobule), no differences in the cortical volume or thickness were found using the same statistical approach. (4) Conclusion: The results of this study may suggest that early diglossia does not shape the brain structure in the same manner as bilingualism.

Characteristics of Resting-State Electroencephalogram Network in α-Band of Table Tennis Athletes.

Table tennis athletes have been extensively studied for their cognitive processing advantages and brain plasticity. However, limited research has focused on the resting-state function of their brains. This study aims to investigate the network characteristics of the resting-state electroencephalogram in table tennis athletes and identify specific brain network biomarkers. A total of 48 healthy right-handed college students participated in this study, including 24 table tennis athletes and 24 controls with no exercise experience. Electroencephalogram data were collected using a 64-conductive active electrode system during eyes-closed resting conditions. The analysis involved examining the average power spectral density and constructing brain functional networks using the weighted phase-lag index. Network topological characteristics were then calculated. The results revealed that table tennis athletes exhibited significantly higher average power spectral density in the α band compared to the control group. Moreover, athletes not only demonstrated stronger functional connections, but they also exhibited enhanced transmission efficiency in the brain network, particularly at the local level. Additionally, a lateralization effect was observed, with more potent interconnected hubs identified in the left hemisphere of the athletes' brain. Our findings imply that the α band may be uniquely associated with table tennis athletes and their motor skills. The brain network characteristics of athletes during the resting state are worth further attention to gain a better understanding of adaptability of and changes in their brains during training and competition.

Bilateral Prefrontal Cortex Blood Flow Dynamics during Silent and Oral Reading Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

This study aimed to investigate blood flow dynamics in the bilateral prefrontal cortex during silent and oral reading using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The subjects were 40 right-handed university students (20.5±1.8 years old, 20 men and 20 women). After completing the NIRS measurements, the subjects were asked to rate their level of proficiency in silent and oral reading, using a 5-point Likert scale. During oral reading, the left lateral prefrontal cortex (Broca's area) was significantly more active than the right side. During silent reading, prefrontal cortex activity was lower than that during oral reading, and there was no significant difference between both sides of the brain. A significant negative correlation was found between the change in oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration in the left and right lateral prefrontal cortex during silent reading and silent reading speed. In addition, students with lower self-reported reading proficiency had significantly greater changes in oxy-Hb concentrations in the left and right lateral prefrontal cortex during silent/oral reading than did students with higher self-reported reading proficiency. Reading task assessment using NIRS may be useful for identifying language lateralization and Broca's area. The results demonstrate that NIRS is useful for assessing effortful reading and may be used to diagnose developmental dyslexia in children. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 92-101, February, 2024.

The Impact of Hemispheric Activity Priming on Choking Under Pressure in Badminton Tasks: A Study of Three Fundamental Skills.

Choking under pressure occurs when an individual experiences a decrease in performance despite their efforts to perform well. The self-focus approach suggests that pressure increases conscious attention on the performance process, disrupting the automatic or overlearned nature of execution. Hemispheric asymmetries in the brain and skilled performance indicate that left-hemispheric activity decreases, while right-hemispheric activity enhances. Previous studies have attempted to prevent choking by inhibiting the left hemisphere or enhancing the right hemisphere's activity. This study examined whether increased hemispheric activity priming can extenuate motor skill failure under pressure in badminton tasks. The study involved 32 right-handed college students who completed five conditions in pressure-free blocks versus choking under-pressure blocks with priming intervention. Results showed a significant improvement in motor learning from pre- to post-tests, but participants still choked under pressure during skill execution. Furthermore, the priming strategy (hand squeezing) did not alleviate the pressure to benefit performance. The study provides evidence of performance decrements under pressure conditions, and the priming strategy did not alleviate choking.

Control of interjoint coordination in the performance of manual circular movements can explain lateral specialization

Between-arm performance asymmetry can be seen in different arm movements requiring specific interjoint coordination to generate the desired hand trajectory. In the current investigation, we assessed between-arm asymmetry of shoulder-elbow coordination and its stability in the performance of circular movements. Participants were 16 healthy right-handed university students. The task consisted of performing cyclic circular movements with either the dominant right arm or the nondominant left arm at movement frequencies ranging from 40% of maximum to maximum frequency in steps of 15%. Kinematic analysis of shoulder and elbow motions was performed through an optoelectronic system in the three-dimensional space. Results showed that as movement frequency increased circularity of left arm movements diminished, taking an elliptical shape, becoming significantly different from the right arm at higher movement frequencies. Shoulder-elbow coordination was found to be asymmetric between the two arms across movement frequencies, with lower shoulder-elbow angle coefficients and higher relative phase for the left compared to the right arm. Results also revealed greater variability of left arm movements in all variables assessed, an outcome observed from low to high movement frequencies. From these findings, we propose that specialization of the left cerebral hemisphere for motor control resides in its higher capacity to generate appropriate and stable interjoint coordination leading to the planned hand trajectory.

Repetitive patterns in the locations of touch errors for two-thumb text entry on a smartphone

This study investigated repetitive patterns in the locations of touch errors as a function of the shapes and positions of soft buttons on a smartphone for two-thumb text entry. Forty-three right-handed college students with smartphone-use experience were recruited for testing. An experimental application was developed, and the locations and frequencies of touch errors were measured for the button combinations of seven shapes and eight positions. More than 70.0 % of touch errors occurred within 2 mm from the boundaries of the buttons. In terms of direction, touch errors were primarily observed below the buttons, across all the button shapes and positions. Simultaneously, touch errors often appeared on the lateral sides of the buttons: (1) close to the proximal phalange of the thumbs when the buttons were placed near the initial positions of the thumbs and (2) close to the initial positions of the thumbs when the buttons were placed near the top and bottom ends of the keyboard.

A Neurocognitive Comparison of Listening to Academic Lectures and Natural Sounds: Implications for Test Validity

ABSTRACT With the advent of new technologies, assessment research has adopted technology-based methods to investigate test validity. This study investigated the neurocognitive processes involved in an academic listening comprehension test, using a biometric technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Sixteen right-handed university students completed two tasks: (1) a linguistic task that involved listening to a mini-lecture (i.e., Listening condition) and answering of questions (i.e., Questions condition) and (2) a non-linguistic task that involved listening to a variety of natural sounds and animal vocalizations (i.e., Sounds condition). The hemodynamic activity in three left brain regions was measured: the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG). The Listening condition induced higher activity in the IFG and pMTG than the Sounds condition. Although not statistically significant, the activity in the dmPFC was higher during the Listening condition than in the Sounds conditions. The IFG was also significantly more active during the Listening condition than in the Questions condition. Although a significant gender difference was observed in listening comprehension test scores, there was no difference in brain activity (across the IFG, dmPFC, and pMTG) between male and female participants. The implications for test validity are discussed.

A one- and two-phased model of aimed movement with eye-hand incompatibility

Aimed movement is ubiquitous and has been extensively investigated. However, little research exists when the hand movements are incompatible with eye movements such as when viewing through a mirror or when performing laparoscopic surgery. An experiment was designed to investigate how individuals perform under one-dimensional and two-dimensional inversion with direct viewing as a reference condition. Twenty-four right-handed university students participated in this experiment and completed all aimed movements with a full-factorial design of movement amplitude at three levels and index of difficulty at 10-levels in three visual conditions of direct, viewing through a mirror (1D inversion) and observing through a right-angled mirror (2D inversion). Learning is rather rapid with direct viewing and with 1D inversion. However, participants take a longer time to stabilize their performance in the 2D inversion condition. Fitts' law is robust under all visual conditions. The eye-hand incompatibility increases movement time with 2D inversion taking the longest movement time. Movement time (MT) was split into initiation time (IT), distance covering time (DCT) and acquisition time (AT) based on submovements. The distance covering part is the first submovement that is primarily ballistic and covers around 90% or more of total amplitude. Furthermore, AT allows the aimed movement to be split into two phases: ballistic and visual control. The results show that the transition from ballistic to visual control happens at lower Index of difficulty (ID) values as the level of incompatibility increases. Based on the experiment and prior research, it is appropriate to use the model MT=a+b ID+c√A as it can account for the two phases of ballistic and visual control.

Effect of Tactile Stimulation on Hand Mental Rotation Among Young Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: In the hand mental rotation task, images and line drawings of hand at different angles are shown to the subjects, and they are asked to choose which hand (left or right) it is. Tactile stimulation is an appropriate technique to improve sensory and motor functions. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of tactile stimulation on the hand mental rotation task. Methods: To meet the study objectives, 91 right-handed university students were selected to participate in this study. They were randomly divided into control (n = 41) and tactile stimulation (n = 50) groups. Participants were asked to perform a hand mental rotation task before and after tactile stimulation. The task required participants to judge the laterality (left or right) of hands as quickly and accurately as possible. The tactile stimulation was applied to the right index fingertip (16 Hz for 30 min). Results: In the tactile stimulation group, all angles for both right- and left-hand participants were analyzed, demonstrating significant decreases in the reaction time (P = 0.004) after tactile stimulation (mean: 1,908.24 ± 375.42 to 1,721.21 ± 428.99 milliseconds). In this group, the response accuracy rate increased considerably (P < 0.001) after tactile stimulation (mean: 78.43% ± 16.58 to 84.38% ± 18.15). In the control group, no significant differences were found between the measured parameters before and after sham stimulation. Conclusions: The current study demonstrated that tactile stimulation could improve hand mental rotation in healthy young adults, probably due to increased brain excitability and plasticity.

Brain functional connectivity changes in long-term mental stress

Long-term psychological stress can highly influence brain structure and functions. However, there are only a few studies using electroencephalogram (EEG) that have examined this fact. The current study demonstrates a brain-computer interface (BCI) to classify EEG correlates of long-term mental stress in various mental states. The study was performed on 26 healthy right-handed university students and the examination period was considered as a long-term mental stressor. Two groups of subjects were selected based on their stress levels evaluated by the perceived stress scale (PSS-14). The subjects' EEG data were collected during eyes-open resting state and while they exposed to positive and negative emotional stimuli scored by self-assessment manikin questionnaire (SAM). Several types of features were extracted from EEG data including power spectrum density (PSD), laterality index (LI), correlation coefficient (CC), Canonical correlation analysis (CCA), magnitude square coherence estimation (MSCE), mutual information (MI), phase-slope index (PSI), Granger causality (GC) and directed transfer function (DTF). Subsequently, the extracted features were discriminated using several types of classifiers including knearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM) and naive Bayesian (NB) classifiers. The proposed BCI was validated by one leave out method and investigation was done in different time windows using low and high-frequency resolutions, 7 and 36 frequency bands respectively. The results showed that the proposed system can accurately recognize the subjects' stress level in various mental states. Moreover, the MI as a functional and DTF as effective connectivity methods yield the highest classification accuracy compared to other feature extraction methods.

Effects of the differences in mental states on the mirror system activities when observing hand actions

BackgroundIt is known that the activities of the mirror system are related to imitation and understanding of the intention of an action. It has been reported that the activity of the mirror system is higher for observations for imitating and understanding the intention of an action than for simple observations. However, observations that facilitate the mirror system’s activities, if they are observations intending to imitate an action or observations for understanding the intention of an action, have not been clarified to date.MethodsThe types of observations of actions that highly facilitate mirror system activities were investigated. Participants were right-handed university students (N = 23). They observed videos showing hand actions following three types of instructions: (1) to observe the videos intending to understand the intention of the action (action understanding, AU), to observe the videos intending to imitate the hand action (imaginarily imitation, II), and to observe the videos without any intention (observation, OB). Brain waves during observation were measured, and the suppression rate of 8–10 Hz (lower mu/α) and 10–12 Hz (upper mu/α) in the central and occipital regions of the brain was calculated. The rate of suppression was compared among the conditions using a repeated measures analysis of variance for each region.ResultsThere was a main effect of the condition in the central region in 10–12 Hz. The degree of suppression in the AU condition was significantly larger than SO condition (p < 0.05) and II condition (p < 0.1). However, there were no differences among conditions in 8–10 Hz, the occipital region, or in either frequency band.ConclusionsThese results suggest that activities of the mirror system are enhanced when observing an action with the purpose of understanding the intention of the action. Differences in the mirror system activities according to the changes of inner states might be better reflected in high-frequency mu waves.

Why does the Quiet Eye improve aiming accuracy? Testing a motor preparation hypothesis with brain potential.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the Quiet Eye (QE) acquired over time is associated with motor preparation processes by using movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs). Eighteen male, right-handed college students voluntarily participated in this study. Participants performed a dart throw while wearing an eye-tracking system and electrode cap to measure electroencephalogram waveforms (EEG). After performing the dart task, participants were randomly assigned to a Quiet Eye training group (QET) or control training group (CT). Six subjects were excluded due to incomplete electroencephalography (EEG) data. MRCPs were analysed separately within 4 QE categories: High performance score and Long fixation time (HL), High performance score and Short fixation time (HS), Low performance score and Long fixation time (LL), and Low performance score and Short fixation time (LS). Results revealed that although the QET group acquired QE characteristics, MRCPs did not differ between the two groups. Thus, a longer-term experimental design may be necessary to observe EEG changes. Furthermore, QE durations may relate to not only motor programming but also online control.

Changes in upper limb muscle activity during smartphone usage while in stable and unstable positions and during gait

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the influence of smartphone usage on the upper limb muscles while in stable and unstable positions and during gait. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted with 20 right-handed university students between 20 and 27 years of age. Experiments were carried out on students who have used cell phones for more than a year. In this study, experiments were performed with one-handed and two-handed smartphone operations while on stable ground, and the same parameters were measured during smartphone use on unstable ground and during gait. Subjects were instructed to write a text message in Korean on the smartphone for 3 minutes. This was repeated 3 times, with a rest period of 10 seconds given between each 3-minute period. Electromyography was used to record the muscle activity of the upper trapezius, extensor carpi radialis, extensor pollicis longus, and abductor pollicis (AP) during phone operation. Results: The muscle activity value for the right AP in one-handed and the left-AP in two-handed operations was statistically higher than the other muscles in the stable position and during gait (p<0.0001). Also, the right AP in the one- handed operation condition was statistically higher than the two-handed condition (p<0.0001). Conclusions: The use of smartphones while in a stable position resulted in high muscle activity of the right upper limb AP. However, in an unstable position, there were no significant differences from the other muscle activities. Using smartphone while assuming various positions may lead to musculoskeletal disorders in different places.

Stress and Perception of Emotional Stimuli: Long-term Stress Rewiring the Brain.

Introduction:Long-term stressful situations can drastically influence one’s mental life. However, the effect of mental stress on recognition of emotional stimuli needs to be explored. In this study, recognition of emotional stimuli in a stressful situation was investigated. Four emotional conditions, including positive and negative states in both low and high levels of arousal were analyzed.Methods:Twenty-six healthy right-handed university students were recruited within or after examination period. Participants’ stress conditions were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14). All participants were exposed to some audio-visual emotional stimuli while their brains responses’ were measured using the Electroencephalography (EEG) technique. During the experiment, the subject’s perception of emotional stimuli is evaluated using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) questionnaire. After recording, EEG signatures of emotional states were estimated from connectivity patterns among 8 brain regions. Connectivity patterns were calculated using Phase Slope Index (PSI), Directed Transfer Function (DTF), and Generalized Partial Direct Coherence (GPDC) methods. The EEG-based connectivity features were then labeled with SAM responses. Subsequently, the labeled features were categorized using two different classifiers. Classification accuracy of the system was validated by leave-one-out method.Results:As expected, performance of the system is significantly improved by grouping the subjects to stressed and stress-free groups. EEG-based connectivity pattern was influenced by mental stress level.Conclusion:Changes in connectivity patterns related to long-term mental stress have overlapped with changes caused by emotional stimuli. Interestingly, these changes are detectable from EEG data in eyes-closed condition.

Researching Hemispheric Specialization in the Control of Final Position Accuracy Using the Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Transcranial Direct Current Simulation (tDCS) can improve or disrupt brain functions and can therefore be used to investigate hemispheric specialization. Accordingly, this study was designed to research hemispheric specialization in the control of final position accuracy by comparing the effects of tDCS on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the right and left hemispheres. Forty-three right-handed male university students (aged 21.34±1.61) volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided into the right DLPFC, left DLPFC, sham, and practice groups, including 12, 11, 9, and 11 participants, respectively. After learning motor skills in two days, the participants practiced final position accuracy in one day. They were asked to move the cursor toward the centers of targets appearing randomly at the top, middle, and bottom on the right side of a monitor as accurately and quickly as they could. At the time of practice, the participants received anodic stimulation in one hemisphere and cathodic stimulation in the other. The results indicated that the left anodic/right cathodic group (left DLPFC) showed the worst performance, which may be caused by the inhibitory effects of cathodic stimulations in the right DLPFC. Therefore, it is predicted that the right hemisphere may have greater specialization in final position accuracy of movement.

Measuring Neural Responses to Apparel Product Attractiveness

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to investigate a neural mechanism of apparel product attractiveness and (b) to compare consumers’ brain responses to apparel product attractiveness with their self-reported responses. Based on Davidson’s frontal asymmetry theory, the researchers explored whether hemispheric asymmetry actually exists when consumers view apparel products with different levels of attractiveness. A total of 34 right-handed college students participated in the electroencephalography experiment. Measurements were obtained by recording the electrical activity of the left and right frontal areas of the brain while subjects were viewing apparel products. Supporting Davidson’s theory, the researchers found that a statistically significant difference of frontal asymmetry exists between attractive and unattractive apparel products. The findings of this study suggest that the frontal asymmetry score can be an alternative way to measure consumers’ unconscious responses to apparel product attractiveness.

Enhanced functional connectivity properties of human brains during in-situ nature experience.

In this study, we investigated the impacts of in-situ nature and urban exposure on human brain activities and their dynamics. We randomly assigned 32 healthy right-handed college students (mean age = 20.6 years, SD = 1.6; 16 males) to a 20 min in-situ sitting exposure in either a nature (n = 16) or urban environment (n = 16) and measured their Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. Analyses revealed that a brief in-situ restorative nature experience may induce more efficient and stronger brain connectivity with enhanced small-world properties compared with a stressful urban experience. The enhanced small-world properties were found to be correlated with “coherent” experience measured by Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). Exposure to nature also induces stronger long-term correlated activity across different brain regions with a right lateralization. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional activities during in-situ environmental exposures and imply that a nature or nature-like environment may potentially benefit cognitive processes and mental well-being.

Effects of Practice and Psychological Pressure on Interpersonal Coordination Failures.

Although sports players in the same team try to manage their interpersonal coordination for improved performance, failures such as hesitations and collisions are often seen in interpersonal coordination between teammates. However, it is unclear what factors influence the occurrence of such hesitations and collisions. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of practice and psychological pressure on the occurrence of hesitations and collisions. A total of 80 right-handed university students (aged 19.1 years ± 0.8; 32 males and 48 females) were randomly assigned into pairs and were instructed to perform a serial-tapping task cooperatively. An apparatus had five buttons in a row, which flashed once in each trial in a quasi-random order. When a flashing button was hit, a corresponding light went off and another button flashed. The participants were instructed that the task was to hit a flashing button as quickly and accurately as possible, and either member of the pair could hit the button. They performed 80 practice trials, 10 trials as a control test, and 10 trials as a pressure test. Before the pressure test, pressure was added by informing them about audience and confiscation of the prize if they could not fulfill a criterion. As a result, the occurrence rates of hesitations and collisions and the performance time significantly decreased from the first 40 trials to the next 40 trials of the practice session. Under pressure, state anxiety, the intention to cooperate, and the occurrence rates of hesitations and collisions increased, though heart rate and performance time did not change. These results suggested that interpersonal coordination improved with practice but deteriorated under pressure.

Nonverbal auditory working memory: Can music indicate the capacity?

Different working memory (WM) mechanisms that underlie words, tones, and timbres have been proposed in previous studies. In this regard, the present study developed a WM test with nonverbal sounds and compared it to the conventional verbal WM test. A total of twenty-five, non-music major, right-handed college students were presented with four different types of sounds (words, syllables, pitches, timbres) that varied from two to eight digits in length. Both accuracy and oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb) were measured. The results showed significant effects of number of targets on accuracy and sound type on oxyHb. A further analysis showed prefrontal asymmetry with pitch being processed by the right hemisphere (RH) and timbre by the left hemisphere (LH). These findings suggest a potential for employing musical sounds (i.e., pitch and timbre) as a complementary stimuli for conventional nonverbal WM tests, which can additionally examine its asymmetrical roles in the prefrontal regions.