Search

The 1965 discovery of the P300 component of the electroencephalography (EEG)-based event-related potential (ERP), along with the subsequent identification of its alteration in people with schizophrenia, initiated over 50 years of P300 research in schizophrenia. Here, we review what we now know about P300 in schizophrenia after nearly six decades of research. We describe recent efforts to expand our understanding of P300 beyond its sensitivity to schizophrenia itself to its potential role as a biomarker of risk for psychosis or a heritable endophenotype that bridges genetic risk and psychosis phenomenology. We also highlight efforts to move beyond a syndrome-based approach to understand P300 within the context of the clinical, cognitive, and presumed pathophysiological heterogeneity among people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Finally, we describe several recent approaches that extend beyond measuring the traditional P300 ERP component in people with schizophrenia, including time-frequency analyses and pharmacological challenge studies, that may help to clarify specific cognitive mechanisms that are disrupted in schizophrenia. Moreover, we discuss several promising areas for future research, including studies of animal models that can be used for treatment development.

The ability to accurately decode others' facial expressions is essential for successful social interaction. Previous theories suggest that aspects of parental emotionality-the frequency, persistence and intensity of parents' own emotions-can influence children's emotion perception. Through a combination of mechanisms, parental emotionality may shape how children's brains specialize to respond to emotional expressions, but empirical data are lacking. The present study provides a direct empirical test of the relation between the intensity, persistence and frequency of parents' own emotions and children's neural responses to perceiving emotional expressions. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded as typically developing 3- to 5-year-old children (final Ns = 59 and 50) passively viewed faces expressing different emotional valences (happy, angry and fearful) at full and reduced intensity (100% intense expression and 40% intense expression). We examined relations between parental emotionality and children's mean amplitude ERP N170 and negative central responses. The findings demonstrate a clear relation between parental emotionality and children's neural responses (in the N170 mean amplitude and latency) to emotional expressions and suggest that parents may influence children's emotion-processing neural circuitry.

Alterations in attention to cues signaling the need for inhibitory control play a significant role in a wide range of psychopathology. However, the degree to which motivational and attentional factors shape the neurocomputations of proactive inhibitory control remains poorly understood. The present study investigated how variation in monetary incentive valence and stake modulate the neurocomputational signatures of proactive inhibitory control. Adults (N = 46) completed a Stop-Signal Task (SST) with concurrent EEG recording under four conditions associated with stop performance feedback: low and high punishment (following unsuccessful stops) and low and high reward (following successful stops). A Bayesian learning model was used to infer individual's probabilistic expectations of the need to stop on each trial: P(stop). Linear mixed effects models were used to examine whether interactions between motivational valence, stake, and P(stop) parameters predicted P1 and N1 attention-related event-related potentials (ERPs) time-locked to the go-onset stimulus. We found that P1 amplitudes increased at higher levels of P(stop) in punished but not rewarded conditions, although P1 amplitude differences between punished and rewarded blocks were maximal on trials when the need to inhibit was least expected. N1 amplitudes were positively related to P(stop) in the high punishment condition (low N1 amplitude), but negatively related to P(stop) in the high reward condition (high N1 amplitude). Critically, high P(stop)-related N1 amplitude to the go-stimulus predicted behavioral stop success during the high reward block, providing evidence for the role of motivationally relevant context and inhibitory control expectations in modulating the proactive allocation of attentional resources that affect inhibitory control. These findings provide novel insights into the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying proactive inhibitory control under valence-dependent motivational contexts, setting the stage for developing motivation-based interventions that boost inhibitory control.

Early childhood is characterized by robust developmental changes in cognitive control. However, our understanding of intra-individual change in neural indices of cognitive control during this period remains limited. Here, we examined developmental changes in event-related potential (ERP) indices of cognitive control from preschool through first grade, in a large and diverse sample of children (N = 257). We recorded ERPs during a visual Go/No-Go task. N2 and P3b mean amplitudes were extracted from the observed waveforms (Go and No-Go) and the difference wave (No-Go minus Go, or ∆). Latent growth curve modeling revealed that while N2 Go and No-Go amplitudes showed no linear change, P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes displayed linear decreases in magnitude (became less positive) over time. ∆N2 amplitude demonstrated a linear increase in magnitude (became more negative) over time whereas ∆P3b amplitude was more positive in kindergarten compared to preschool. Younger age in preschool predicted greater rates of change in ∆N2 amplitude, and higher maternal education predicted larger initial P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes in preschool. Our findings suggest that observed waveforms and difference waves are not interchangeable for indexing neurodevelopment, and the developmental trajectories of different ERP indices of cognitive control are component-specific in early childhood.

Human motor learning involves cognitive strategies in addition to implicit adaptation. Differences in systems‐level neurophysiology between strategy‐based and implicit learning remain poorly understood. We asked how the P3 event‐related potential, an electroencephalography signal known to increase during early motor learning, relates to strategy‐based learning and implicit adaptation. We re‐analysed data from two experiments, in which participants (n = 64) reached towards a visual target, with online visual feedback replacing vision of their moving hand. We induced learning by rotating the visual feedback. In the first experiment, feedback rotations were turned on during pairs of two consecutive trials, interspersed between non‐rotated trials. In one condition, feedback was rotated relative to the actual movement, allowing participants to develop a re‐aiming strategy on the second trial of each pair, while it was rotated relative to the target in the other condition, rendering re‐aiming futile. P3 amplitude increased in the first rotated trial in both conditions, but this increase was more pronounced in the re‐aiming condition. In the second experiment, a constant visuomotor rotation was turned on for many consecutive trials. We instructed one group beforehand how to re‐aim successfully, while the other group had to develop a strategy by themselves. P3 amplitude increased during early adaptation only in the latter group. These findings collectively suggest that in the context of motor learning, the P3 ERP is associated with a need to develop, or adjust, a cognitive strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the psychological antecedents of socioeconomic status (SES) on pro-environmental behavior is crucial for effectively encouraging individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds to address environmental issues. Previous research has separately examined the influence of SES and social observation on pro-environmental behavior. However, little is known about whether social observation moderates the influence of SES on proenvironmental behavior, and the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms remain uncharacterized. Using event-related potential (ERPs), we adopted the green purchase paradigm and manipulated subjective SES, to examine whether the influence of SES on pro-environmental behavior is moderated by social observation. The behavioral results revealed that individuals of high SES tended to purchase more eco-friendly products under the observable condition than those in the non-observable condition. The ERP results revealed that participants with high SES exhibited more negative N2 and N400 amplitude during environmental decisions in the non-observable condition than in the observable condition, indicating that high SES individuals experience less cognitive conflict during environmental decisions, which may reflect the attenuated cost--benefit trade-off due to reputational incentives in the presence of observers. Additionally, individuals with high SES exhibited greater reputational motivation when observed, as indicated by larger P3 amplitude. However, these differences were not observed among individuals with low SES. These findings suggest that SES is associated with distinct psychological and behavioral differences in pro-environmental behavior, moderated by social observation, evident across both the early and later stages of environmental decisions in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) scans provide in vivo evidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, their high cost limits their use in standard clinical care. Event related potentials (ERPs) may represent an inexpensive and non-invasive additional method for detecting AD pathology. Objective: We investigated whether ERPs, along with neuropsychological data, serve as predictors of amyloid PET status in patients with memory complaints. Methods: Veterans aged 50–100 were recruited from a memory disorders clinic. Participants underwent a neuropsychological battery and an ERP auditory oddball protocol. Twenty-eight patients had a positive amyloid PET scan, and thirty-nine patients had a negative scan. Results: ERP-P200 target amplitude and P200 standard latency were predictors of amyloid PET status. When submitting to ROC analysis, P200 standard latency exhibited the highest specificity and sensitivity in predicting amyloid PET positivity, correctly classifying the amyloid PET status for 86% of patients. Conclusions: ERP-P200 measures are strong indicators of amyloid-β presence in patients from a memory disorder clinic. Increased P200 amplitude and decreased P200 latency in patients with a positive amyloid PET scan may be attributed to hyperactivation of perceptual bottom-up processes compensating for AD-related synaptic loss in the fronto-parietal networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlights Symbolic numeracy first emerges as children learn the meanings of number words and how to use them to precisely count sets of objects. This development starts before children enter school and forms a foundation for lifelong mathematics achievement. Despite its importance, exactly how children acquire this basic knowledge is unclear. Here we test competing theories of early number learning by measuring event‐related brain potentials during a novel number word‐quantity comparison task in 3–4‐year‐old preschool children (N = 128). We find several qualitative differences in neural processing of number by conceptual stage of development. Specifically, we find differences in early attention‐related parietal electrophysiology (N1), suggesting that less conceptually advanced children process arrays as individual objects and more advanced children distribute attention over the entire set. Subsequently, we find that only more conceptually advanced children show later‐going frontal (N2) sensitivity to the numerical‐distance relationship between the number word and visual quantity. The nature of this response suggested that exact rather than approximate numerical meanings were being associated with number words over frontal sites. No evidence of numerical distance effects was observed over posterior scalp sites. Together these results suggest that children may engage parallel individuation of objects to learn the meanings of the first few number words, but, ultimately, create new exact cardinal value representations for number words that cannot be defined in terms of core, nonverbal number systems. More broadly, these results document an interaction between attentional and general cognitive mechanisms in cognitive development. Conceptual development in numeracy is associated with a shift in attention from objects to sets. Children acquire meanings of the first few number words through associations with parallel attentional individuation of objects. Understanding of cardinality is associated with attentional processing of sets rather than individuals. Brain signatures suggest children attribute exact rather than approximate numerical meanings to the first few number words. Number‐quantity relationship processing for the first few number words is evident in frontal but not parietal scalp electrophysiology of young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive inhibitory control plays an important role in phenotype of different diseases/different phases of a disease. One candidate electrophysiological marker of inhibitory control is frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). FAA reflects the relative difference in contralateral frontal brain activity. However, the relationship between FAA and potential behavioral/brain activity indices of reactive inhibitory control is not yet clear. We assessed the relationship between resting-state FAA and indicators of reactive inhibitory control. Additionally, we investigated the effect of modulation of FAA via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We implemented a randomized sham-controlled design with 65 healthy humans (Mage = 23.93, SDage = 6.08; 46 female). Before and after 2-mA anodal tDCS of the right frontal site (with the cathode at the contralateral site) for 20 min, we collected EEG data and reactive inhibitory performance in neutral and food-reward conditions, using the stop signal task (SST). There was no support for the effect of tDCS on FAA or any indices of reactive inhibitory control. Our correlation analysis revealed an association between inhibitory brain activity in the food-reward condition and (pre-tDCS) asymmetry. Higher right relative to left frontal brain activity was correlated with reduced early-onset inhibitory activity and, in contrast, linked with higher late-onset inhibitory control in the food-reward condition. Similarly, event-related potential analyses showed reduced early-onset and enhanced late-onset inhibitory brain activity over time, particularly in the food-reward condition. These results suggest that there can be a dissociation regarding the lateralization of frontal brain activity and early- and late-onset inhibitory brain activity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: This research reveals dissociation between baseline frontal alpha asymmetry and the timing of reactive inhibitory brain activities in food-reward contexts. Whereas inhibitory control performance decreases over time in a stop signal task, electrophysiological indices show reduced early- and heightened late-onset inhibitory brain activity, especially in the reward condition. Additionally, greater right frontal activity correlates with reduced early-onset and increased late-onset inhibitory brain activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Driving situations with solid square taillights were perceived as the most hazardous among all square taillights. • Images comprising solid square taillights were processed faster than other square taillights. • Through-type linear taillights were processed faster than non-through-type linear taillights. • Driving situations with non-through-type linear taillights were perceived as more hazardous during the automatic detection stage. • Driving situations with through-type linear taillights were perceived as more hazardous during the subjective evaluation stage. Rear-end collisions are prevalent during night driving. Taillights are vital in conveying hazards between leading and following vehicles at night. Taillights highlight a vehicle's presence, particularly for vehicles following from behind. Therefore, it is essential to design taillights that maximize the perception of hazards for drivers behind them. This study explored how different taillight shapes affect rear drivers' hazard perceptions during nighttime driving. Two experiments were conducted using ERP measurements to study the effects of taillight shapes (three square types in Experiment 1: solid, array, and contour; two linear types in Experiment 2: through type and non-through type) and the distance to the leading vehicle on participants' hazard perceptions. Participants responded to images of nighttime driving scenarios during the experiments while their ERP and behavioral data were recorded. The stimulus images showed the view from a driver looking at the vehicle ahead on a clear night. The neural process of hazard perception consists of two stages: automatic detection (early) and evaluation (later). In this study, P2 indicated attention bias to the stimulus during the detection stage, and LPP indicated the negative emotion triggered by the stimulus during the evaluation stage. Experiment 1 showed that solid-shaped taillights were perceived as more hazardous and processed faster than other square taillight shapes. Experiment 2 found that non-through-type and through-type linear taillights were perceived as more hazardous during the automatic detection and subjective evaluation stages, respectively. However, the behavioral data showed that through-type taillights were considered more hazardous and were associated with shorter response times. Thus, solid square taillights and through-type linear taillights can be optimal ergonomic solutions. These findings can serve as a reference for taillight designers, manufacturers, and potential car buyers regarding safety considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cognitive impairments are linked to poor treatment response and disease control in allergic asthma. However, there are no studies exploring attention-related functional brain alterations in allergic asthma. Here, we explore attention deficit and its association with clinical characteristics and common neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with allergic asthma. Methods We recruited 38 participants, equally distributed into healthy and asthma groups. Behavioral, neurophysiological, and lung function assessment tools were used in this study. Results Our behavioral data show that allergic asthma induces attention impairment. Additionally, the event-related potentials (ERP) analysis reveals that this attention deficit is associated with a disruption in cognitive processing capability in frontal brain areas. These behavioral and neurophysiological abnormalities were strongly correlated with disease severity and neuropsychiatric comorbidities of asthmatic patients. Conclusion Together, here we propose that disrupted neurophysiological responses in frontal brain areas might lead to attention impairments in patients with allergic asthma. These findings could help characterizing the neuro-pathophysiology of cognitive disorders in allergic asthma, possibly opening the way for development of novel treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Neonatal P1 latencies to speech sounds are associated with rapid serial naming speed at the age of 28 months. • Larger amplitudes and shorter latencies of P1 reflect stronger neural speech encoding and predict better pre-reading skills. • A reduced contribution of the left hemisphere in neural speech encoding is related to poorer pre-reading skills. We longitudinally investigated whether infant P1 and N2 ERPs recorded in newborns and at 28 months could predict pre-reading skills at 28 months and 4–5 years. We recorded ERPs to a pseudoword in newborns and at 28 months in a sample over-represented by infants with familial dyslexia risk. Using multiple linear regression models, we examined P1 and N2 associations with pre-reading skills at 28 months and 4–5 years. Shorter latencies of the newborn P1 predicted faster serial naming at 28 months. Larger amplitudes and shorter latencies of P1 at 28 months predicted better serial naming abilities and auditory working memory across the pre-reading stage. Right-lateralized P1 and N2 were related to poorer pre-reading skills. Infant ERPs, particularly P1, providing information about neural speech encoding abilities, are associated with pre-reading skill development. Infant and early childhood neural speech encoding abilities may work as early predictive markers of reading development and impairment. This study may help to plan early interventions targeting phonological processing to prevent or ameliorate learning deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of music training on the processing of temporal order in Mandarin sentence reading using event-related potentials (ERPs). Two-clause sentences with temporal connectives ("before" or "after") were presented to both musicians and non-musicians. Additionally, a verbal N-back task was utilized to evaluate the participants' working memory capacities. The findings revealed that musicians, but not nonmusicians, demonstrated a more negative amplitude in the second clauses of "before" sentences compared with "after" sentences. In the N-back task, musicians exhibited faster reaction times than nonmusicians in the two-back condition. Furthermore, a correlation was observed between the ERP amplitude differences (before vs. after) and reaction time differences in the N-back task (0-back vs. 2-back) among musicians. These findings suggested that music training enhances the depth of temporal order processing, potentially mediated by improvements in working memory capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social information can be used to optimize decision‐making. However, the simultaneous presentation of multiple sources of advice can lead to a distinction bias in judging the validity of the information. While the involvement of event‐related potential (ERP) components in social information processing has been studied, how they are modulated by (mis)judging an advisor's information validity remains unknown. In two experiments participants performed a decision‐making task with highly accurate or inaccurate cues. Each experiment consisted of an initial, learning, and test phase. During the learning phase, three advice cues were simultaneously presented and the validity of them had to be assessed. The effect of different cue constellations on ERPs was investigated. In the subsequent test phase, the willingness to follow or oppose an advice cue was tested. Results demonstrated the distinction bias with participants over or underestimating the accuracy of the most uncertain cues. The P2 amplitude was significantly increased during cue presentation when advisors were in disagreement as compared to when all were in agreement, regardless of cue validity. Further, a larger P3 amplitude during outcome presentation was found when advisors were in disagreement and increased with more informative cues. As such, the most uncertain cues were related to the smallest P3 amplitude. The findings hint at the possible role of P3 in judging and learning the predictability of social cues. This study provides novel insights into the role of P2 and P3 components during the judgment of social information validity. When considering advice of others during decision making, we often overestimate or underestimate how accurate the advisors' opinions are. In two experiments, we found that two event‐related potentials, P2 and P3, are associated with misjudging social information. Whereas P2 is modulated when observing advisors who disagree, P3 is associated with how informative a cue is for making the correct decision. Altogether, we demonstrate the electrophysiological correlates of (mis)judging social information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parietal P300 wave of event‐related potentials (ERPs) has been associated with various psychological operations in numerous laboratory tasks. This study aims to decompose the P3 wave of ERPs into subcomponents and link them with behavioral parameters, such as the strength of stimulus–response (S‐R) links and GO/NOGO responses. EEGs (31 channels), referenced to linked ears, were recorded from 172 healthy adults (107 women) who participated in two cued GO/NOGO tasks, where the strength of S‐R links was manipulated through instructions. P300 waves were observed in active conditions in response to cues, GO/NOGO stimuli, and in passive conditions when no manual response was required. Utilizing a combination of current source density transformation and blind source separation methods, we decomposed the P300 wave into two distinct components, purportedly originating from different parts of the parietal lobules. The amplitude of the parietal midline component (with current sources around Pz) closely mirrored the strength of the S‐R link across proactive, reactive, and passive conditions. The amplitude of the lateral parietal component (with current sources around P3 and P4) resembled the push–pull activity of the output nuclei of the basal ganglia in action selection‐inhibition operations. These findings provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying action selection processes and the reactivation of S‐R links. We aimed to associate subcomponents of P3 waves in event‐related potentials with behavioral parameters in cued GO/NOGO tasks. The parietal midline component was shown to reflect the strength of stimulus–response (S‐R) links across proactive, reactive, and passive conditions. The lateral parietal component mirrored basal ganglia activity in action selection. These results illuminate neural mechanisms for S‐R links and action selection operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired socioemotional functioning characterizes autistic children, but does weak inhibition control underlie their socioemotional difficulty? This study addressed this question by examining whether and, if so, how inhibition control is affected by face realism and emotional valence in school‐age autistic and neurotypical children. Fifty‐two autistic and 52 age‐matched neurotypical controls aged 10–12 years completed real and cartoon emotional face Go/Nogo tasks while event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. The analyses of inhibition–emotion components (i.e., N2, P3, and LPP) and a face‐specific N170 revealed that autistic children elicited greater N2 while inhibiting Nogo trials and greater P3/LPP and late LPP for real but not cartoon emotional faces. Moreover, autistic children exhibited a reduced N170 to real face emotions only. Furthermore, correlation results showed that better behavioral inhibition and emotion recognition in autistic children were associated with a reduced N170. These findings suggest that neural mechanisms of inhibitory control in autistic children are less efficient and more disrupted during real face processing, which may affect their age‐appropriate socio‐emotional development. Lay Summary: Autistic children are more likely to have weak inhibition skills, which are essential for controlling emotions and supporting better social interaction. Although their cartoon face processing was intact, autistic children experienced greater difficulties identifying and inhibiting real face emotions compared with neurotypical children. This suggests that autistic children have weak inhibitory control and potentially use atypical real face processing strategies to navigate the social world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why should researchers measure psychophysiological processes repeatedly over time? The study of psychophysiology inherently involves sampling biological processes as they manifest over time. The most common approach is to use a brief sample to make conclusions about how individuals or groups differ. Although these types of between‐subject comparisons have utility for understanding individual and group differences, many of the important conceptual questions in the field involve processes that are dynamic, varying within individuals over time. Using examples from the literature on affect regulation, this conceptual review contrasts three types of study designs: the classic single‐observation design and the aggregated and temporally linked repeated observation designs, which have great promise for measuring variables that fluctuate dynamically over time. Importantly, these designs can be integrated to elucidate research questions about risk (when and for whom will the likelihood of an unwanted outcome occurring increase?), mechanisms (how and why does a change in psychophysiology contribute to a change in another process of interest?), and interventions (how and when should interventions take place to modify an outcome?). Researchers are encouraged to implement intensive sampling in their research, which can be conducted in traditional laboratory settings (e.g., fMRI, event‐related brain potentials, and heart rate variability) and in ecologically valid contexts in everyday life using ambulatory assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research on task switching has shown that the reconfiguration of stimulus–response mappings across trials is associated with behavioral switch costs. Here, we investigated the effects of switching representations of target‐defining features in visual search (attentional templates). Participants searched for one of two color‐defined target objects that changed predictably every two trials (Experiment 1) or every four trials (Experiment 2). Substantial costs were observed for search performance on target switch relative to target repeat trials. Preparatory target template activation processes were tracked by measuring N2pc components (indicative of attentional capture) to a rapid series of task‐irrelevant color singleton probes that appeared during the interval between search displays, and either matched the currently relevant or the other target color. N2pcs to relevant target color probes emerged from 800 ms before search display onset on target repetition trials, reflecting the activation of a corresponding color template. Crucially, probe N2pcs only emerged immediately before target onset on target switch trials, indicating that preparatory template activation was strongly delayed. In contrast, irrelevant color singleton probes did not trigger N2pcs on either repeat or switch trials, suggesting the absence of any target template inertia across trials. These results show that switching the identity of search targets delays preparatory target template activation and impairs subsequent attentional guidance processes. They suggest that performance costs on switch versus repeat trials are associated with differences in the time course of task preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the central nervous system, often associated with cognitive impairment. This impairment frequently presents itself as deficiencies in short-term memory, attention, and information processing speed. This research was designed to investigate P300 in patients with MS and its correlation with their cognitive function and their state of fatigue and depression. This work included two groups: the control group (20 subjects) and the study group (30 MS patients). Evaluation encompassed clinical history, audiological assessment, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the fatigue severity scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, Addenbrooke's cognitive examination, and P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs). Results: The study group exhibited varying degrees of fatigue and depression. The scores of Addenbrooke's cognitive evaluation were reduced in the MS group. The MS group exhibited a considerably prolonged P300 latency compared to the control group. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of P300 in assessing cognitive function in persons diagnosed with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison is central in human life and can be especially challenging in depression and social anxiety. We assessed event‐related potentials and emotions using a social comparison task in which participants received feedback on both their own and a co‐player's performance, in participants with depression and/or social anxiety (n = 63) and healthy controls (n = 72). Participants reported more negative emotions for downward (being better than the co‐player [participant correct, co‐player wrong]) and upward (being worse than the co‐player [participant wrong, co‐player correct]) comparisons versus even outcomes, with these effects being stronger in depression and social anxiety. At the Medial Frontal Negativity, both controls and depressed participants showed a more negative amplitude for upward comparison versus both the participant and co‐player performing wrong. Socially anxious subjects showed the opposite effect, possibly due to greater expectations about being worse than others. The P300 decreased for downward and upward comparisons compared to even outcomes, which may relate to the higher levels of conflict of social inequality. Depressed and socially anxious subjects showed a blunted P300 increase over time in response to the task outcomes, suggesting deficits in allocating resources for the attention of incoming social information. The LPP showed increased amplitude for downward and upward comparison versus the even outcomes and no group effect. Emotional findings suggest that social comparisons are more difficult for depressed and socially anxious individuals. Event‐related potentials findings may shed light on the neural substrates of these difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is clinically diagnosed when a defined constellation of symptoms manifests over a specific duration with notable severity. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is characterized by the presence of five or more symptoms persisting for at least two weeks. As a profound mental health condition affecting millions globally, depression presents a considerable challenge for researchers and clinicians alike. In pediatric and adolescent populations, depression can precipitate adverse outcomes, including substance abuse, academic difficulties, risky sexual behaviors, physical health problems, impaired social relationships, and a markedly elevated risk of suicide—up to thirty times higher than the general population. This paper details a study that evaluated the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alone vs. CBT combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in a treatment program. The study cohort comprised sixteen (16) children and adolescents diagnosed with depression (eight males and eight females) and sixteen (16) typically developing peers (eight males and eight females) aged from 9 to 15 years (Mean age = 11.94, standard deviation = 2.02). Initial assessments employed Event-Related Potentials (ERPs), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), and reaction time measurements. The results reveal that participants with depression exhibit cognitive deficits in attention and memory, as evidenced by prolonged P300 latencies. Following intervention with either CBT alone or CBT combined with medication, the depressed participants demonstrated significant improvements, evidenced by lower CDI scores, reduced P300 latencies, and faster reaction times, both compared to their pre-treatment status and relative to the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tackles the Garden of Forking Paths, as a challenge for replicability and reproducibility of ERP studies. Here, we applied a multiverse analysis to a sample ERP N400 dataset, donated by an independent research team. We analyzed this dataset using 14 pipelines selected to showcase the full range of methodological variability found in the N400 literature using systematic review approach. The selected pipelines were compared in depth by looking into statistical test outcomes, descriptive statistics, effect size, data quality, and statistical power. In this way we provide a worked example of how analytic flexibility can impact results in research fields with high dimensionality such as ERP, when analyzed using standard null‐hypothesis significance testing. Out of the methodological decisions that were varied, high‐pass filter cut‐off, artifact removal method, baseline duration, reference, measurement latency and locations, and amplitude measure (peak vs. mean) were all shown to affect at least some of the study outcome measures. Low‐pass filtering was the only step which did not notably influence any of these measures. This study shows that even some of the seemingly minor procedural deviations can influence the conclusions of an ERP study. We demonstrate the power of multiverse analysis in both identifying the most reliable effects in a given study, and for providing insights into consequences of methodological decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can originate cognitive impairment (CI), but the cognitive assessment is not routinely performed. • Most of MS patients in this review showed abnormalities in the event-related potentials (ERPs), suggesting effective CI in MS. • ERPs seem to help detect possible cognitive impairment earlier and may facilitate the use of preventive measures. This systematic review aimed to evaluate if event-related potentials (ERPs) can be a relevant tool for cognitive dysfunction diagnosis in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Four databases were consulted (PubMed, Embase, Scielo, and Web of Science). The included studies should include adults with clear MS diagnoses, independently of having cognitive complaints, and all should have been submitted to ERPs (P300, N400 or mismatch negativity (MMN)). The main outcomes evaluated were ERPs' amplitude and/or latency. 425 studies were obtained initially from all databases, with 26 studies fulfilling the eligibility criteria. P300 was the most used ERP (25 studies), showing a reduced amplitude or an increased latency in 84% of those. N400 was evaluated in one study, showing also abnormal results. MMN was addressed in two studies with inconsistent findings. Some studies further suggest that ERPs may show earlier abnormal results compared with neuropsychological tests. Most MS patient groups revealed ERP abnormalities, suggesting that these neurophysiological tests may be a relevant and appropriate diagnostic aid method for cognitive impairment in MS. The use of ERPs in MS patients seems able to demonstrate cognitive impairment and its use should be considered as part of the regular patient evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback is a fundamental aspect of aphasia treatments. However, learning from feedback is a cognitively demanding process. At the most basic level, individuals must detect feedback and extract outcome-related information (i.e., feedback processing). Neuroanatomical and neuropsychological differences associated with post-stroke aphasia may influence feedback processing and potentially how people with aphasia (PWA) respond to feedback-based treatments. To better understand how post-stroke aphasia affects feedback-based learning, the current study leverages event-related potentials (ERPs) to (1) characterize the relationship between feedback processing and learning, (2) identify cognitive skills that are associated with feedback processing, and (3) identify behavioural correlates of feedback-based learning in PWA. Seventeen PWA completed a feedback-based novel word learning task. Feedback processing was measured using the feedback-related negativity (FRN), an ERP hypothesized to reflect the detection and evaluation of outcomes communicated via feedback. Individuals also completed neuropsychological assessments of language (phonological processing, verbal short-term memory) and executive functioning. PWA elicited an FRN that was sensitive to feedback valence. The magnitude of the FRN was not associated with novel word learning but was strongly correlated with performance on another feedback-based task, the Berg Card Sort. Cognitive variables (information updating, selective attention) but not language variables were associated with novel word learning. For PWA, feedback processing may be associated with learning in some but not all feedback-based contexts. These findings may inform future research in determining which variables moderate the relationship between feedback processing and learning with the long-term goal of identifying how feedback can be modified to support successful learning during aphasia rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate auditory hypersensitivity and cortical function in migraine patients using the Hyperacusis Questionnaire and the Event-Related Potential (ERP) technique. The study analyzes alterations in the latency and amplitude of the event-related potentials MMN and P300 components. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the physiological relationship between migraine and auditory hypersensitivity. Seventeen migraine patients were admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Peking University People's Hospital from June 2023 to September 2023. Nineteen matched healthy subjects were also selected. All participants underwent the pure tone audiometry and the auditory brainstem response test to determine hearing thresholds, the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, and an ERP examination. The Oddball classical paradigm was used as the stimulation task, and electroencephalography signals were recorded synchronously. The scores of the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, latency and amplitude of MMN and P300 component were compared between the migraine group and the control group, and their correlation was analyzed. The latency of MMN at the Fz and Cz sites in migraine patients was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the amplitudes were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The variances in latency and amplitude of P300 at Cz and Pz sites in migraine patients were not statistically significant when compared with the control group. (P > 0.05). The Hyperacusis Questionnaire was negatively correlated with MMN latency, with a correlation coefficient of − 0.374 (P = 0.025), and positively correlated with MMN amplitude, with a correlation coefficient of 0.378 (P = 0.023). There was no significant similarity between the Hyperacusis Questionnaire and P300 latency and amplitude (P > 0.05). Overall, auditory hypersensitivity was enhanced in individuals with migraines compared to healthy individuals, leading to faster information processing, while there may be less impairment in cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Corrective feedback can be received immediately after an action or with a temporal delay. Neuroimaging studies suggest that immediate and delayed feedback are processed by the striatum and medial temporal lobes (MTL), respectively. Age-related changes in the striatum and MTL may influence the efficiency of feedback-based learning in older adults. The current study leverages event-related potentials (ERPs) to evaluate age-related differences in immediate and delayed feedback processing and consequences for learning. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) captures activity in the frontostriatal circuit while the N170 is hypothesized to reflect MTL activation. Methods: 18 younger (Myears = 24.4) and 20 older (Myears = 65.5) adults completed learning tasks with immediate and delayed feedback. For each group, learning outcomes and ERP magnitudes were evaluated across timing conditions. Results: Younger adults learned better than older adults in the immediate timing condition. This performance difference was associated with a typical FRN signature in younger but not older adults. For older adults, impaired processing of immediate feedback in the striatum may have negatively impacted learning. Conversely, learning was comparable across groups when feedback was delayed. For both groups, delayed feedback was associated with a larger magnitude N170 relative to immediate feedback, suggesting greater MTL activation. Discussion and conclusion: Delaying feedback may increase MTL involvement and, for older adults, improve category learning. Age-related neural changes may differentially affect MTL- and striatal-dependent learning. Future research can evaluate the locus of age-related learning differences and how feedback can be manipulated to optimize learning across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Event‐related potentials (ERPs) have been used with the concealed information test (CIT) to detect concealed recognition of specific stimuli (i.e., “probes”). While most research has focused on the P300 component, which is larger for infrequent probes than for frequent control stimuli (i.e., “irrelevants”), some studies have investigated an earlier ERP component, the anterior N2, with mixed results. Although some studies have reported a larger anterior N2 for probes than irrelevants (N2 enhancement), other studies, including our own, have not found such an effect. The present study aimed to replicate and extend our previous findings using the same CIT paradigm and measurement parameters. Results of Bayesian analyses show strong evidence against the hypothesis of anterior N2 enhancement by probes, replicating our previous work. Bayesian analyses also show strong evidence against the hypothesis of N2 enhancement for the three components revealed by a temporal principal component analysis (PCA) conducted to disentangle potentially overlapping ERP effects. In conclusion, whereas the CIT has shown promise in detecting recognition of specific information, anterior N2 enhancement cannot be used as an electrophysiological measure of concealed information across CIT paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In cognitive behavioral experiments, we often asked participants to make judgments within a deadline. However, the most common instruction of "do the task quickly and accurately" does not highlight the importance of the balance between being fast and accurate. Methods: Our research aimed to explore how instructions about speed or accuracy affect perceptual process, focus on event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related oscillations (EROs) of two brain responses for visual stimuli, known as P1 and N1. Additionally, we compared the conventional analysis approach with principal component analysis (PCA) based methods to analyze P1 and N1 ERP amplitude and ERO power. Results: The results showed that individuals instructed to respond quickly had lower P1 amplitude and alpha ERO than those who prioritized accuracy, using the PCA-based approach. However, these two groups had no differences between groups in the N1 theta band using both methods. The traditional time-frequency analysis method could not detect any ERP or ERO distinctions between groups due to limitations in detecting specific components in time or frequency domains. That means PCA is effective in separating these components. Discussion: Our findings indicate that the instructions given regarding speed and accuracy impact perceptual process of subjects during cognitive behavioral experiments. We suggest that future researchers should choose their instructions carefully, considering the purpose of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the realm of emerging e-commerce platforms, the influence of online shopping events, specifically online carnival promotions (OSC), on consumer behavior is a significant area of interest. This paper delves into the effects of such promotions on consumer perceptions, a topic that has not been extensively explored in academic research. Methods: To investigate this phenomenon, two distinct studies were conducted. The first study employed a questionnaire-based experiment involving 220 participants, divided into two groups. The first study examined the mediating role of cognitive legitimacy in the relationship between OSC events organized by new e-commerce platforms and the perceptions of consumers. The second study utilized an eventrelated potentials (ERPs) experiment with 33 participants to explore the differences in consumer perceptions between OSC promotions and general promotions by new e-commerce platforms. This study measured the brain's response to promotional stimuli to gain insights into the cognitive processes involved. Results: The first study yielded results that suggest OSC activities can facilitate the establishment of cognitive legitimacy for new e-commerce platforms. This, in turn, was found to be associated with an increase in positive purchase intentions among consumers. In the second study, the ERPs data indicated that exposure to OSC promotional materials elicited larger P2 and N2 ERP components when participants were presented with the logo of a new e-commerce platform. This was in contrast to the response to general promotional materials, suggesting a heightened cognitive and perceptual engagement with OSC promotions. Discussion: The findings from both studies collectively imply that OSC promotions have a distinct impact on consumer perceptions and cognitive processes. The implicit memory triggered by these promotions appears to influence the identification of new platforms and the mechanisms of cognitive control during online shopping. This, in turn, may have implications for explicit consumer behavior, suggesting that OSC promotions could be a powerful tool for shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors in the e-commerce space. The results underscore the importance of understanding the nuances of consumer engagement with new e-commerce platforms and the role of promotional strategies in fostering a positive brand image and consumer loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evaluation stress can impair inhibitory control, limiting the ability of children to perform cognitively. However, evidence on protective factors is lacking as stress-induced cognitive impairments are poorly understood. High physical activity has been related to better inhibitory control and has the potential to buffer the response to a stressor. We investigated the association of physical activity and stress-induced changes in inhibitory control as well as its underlying cognitive control processes (i.e., conflict monitoring and resolution). Method: Participants (10 to 13 y) with either low (N = 55) or high moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (N = 55) completed the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C) and a control task in a randomized order. During both conditions, salivary cortisol was collected. Additionally, a computerized Stroop task was administered before and after the experimental conditions. The N200 and positive slow wave (PSW) components of event-related potentials elicited by the Stroop task were recorded using electroencephalography. Results: In comparison to the control task, the TSST-C elicited a pre-to post-test decrease of accuracy on incompatible trials. Path-analyses further revealed that this decrease was related to low physical activity and a reduced PSW amplitude. However, both the N200 and PSW amplitudes did not mediate the relation between physical activity groups and performance on the Stroop task. Conclusion: In children, evaluation stress decreases inhibitory control partly due to a reduced effectiveness of conflict resolution processes. Only children with high physical activity maintain inhibitory control after facing the stressor. However, this protective effect cannot be attributed to changes in conflict monitoring and resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is a key developmental period for the emergence of psychopathology. Reward-related brain activity increases across adolescence and has been identified as a potential neurobiological mechanism of risk for different forms of psychopathology. The reward positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential component that indexes reward system activation and has been associated with both concurrent and family history of psychopathology. However, it is unclear whether the RewP is also associated with higher-order psychopathology subfactors and whether this relationship is present across different types of reward. Methods: In a sample of 193 adolescent females and a biological parent, the present study examined the association between adolescent and parental psychopathology subfactors and adolescent RewP to monetary and social reward. Results: Results indicated that the adolescent and parental distress subfactors were negatively associated with the adolescent domain-general RewP. The adolescent and parental positive mood subfactors were negatively associated with the adolescent domain-general and domain-specific monetary RewP, respectively. Conversely, the adolescent and parental fear/obsessions subfactors were positively associated with the adolescent domain-general RewP. The associations between parental and adolescent psychopathology subfactors and the adolescent RewP were independent of each other. Conclusions: The RewP in adolescent females is associated with both concurrent and parental psychopathology symptoms, suggesting that it indexes both severity and risk for higher-order subfactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The long-term effects of COVID-19 started to be reported and it was referred to as long-covid syndrome for cases lasting longer than 12 weeks, while the pandemic was continuing in the world. The most prominent expression of longcovid syndrome was its symptoms on the nervous system. These effects were called "brain fog" due to long covid syndrome. In this study, we aimed to examine the neurocognitive effects in participants who had illness with COVID-19. Methods: For this purpose, 36 participants of similar age group who had COVID-19 within 12 weeks of their diagnosis, as well as 35 participants who had not been diagnosed with COVID-19, were included in the study. In this study, an auditory task prepared to test the orientation effect called Simon effect was applied to the participants. EEG recordings were taken simultaneously. During the task, event-related potentials were recorded on the recordings of all participants. Results: In the behavioral results of the study, there was no difference in the test success rate between the groups. However, the patient group showed an increase in task completion and reaction times compared to the control group. In the event-related potential recordings, almost all wave amplitude and latency were the same for the two groups in congruent stimulus presentation. On the contrary, a significant difference was observed between N2 amplitude and latencies in incongruent stimulus presentation. However, P3 Δt in the covid group increased compared to the control group. The increase in reaction time in the covid group observed in our study results was also confirmed in electrophysiologic measurements. Conclusion: The results showed that COVID-19 decreased the inhibitory process during the formation of attention and preparation of response to stimuli. COVID-19-induced brain fog occurred in the pre-processing steps of attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multiple sclerosis can lead to various functional alterations of sensorimotor brain networks. • The value of resting-state EEG or dynamic EEG during a motor tastk to assess motor impaiment in multiple sclerosis was reviewed. • EEG biomarkers could be used to develop future neuromodulation therapy of disease-related motor disorders in multiple sclerosis. Electroencephalography (EEG) can highlight significant changes in spontaneous electrical activity of the brain produced by altered brain network connectivity linked to inflammatory demyelinating lesions and neuronal loss occurring in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this review, we describe the main EEG findings reported in the literature to characterize motor network alteration in term of local activity or functional connectivity changes in patients with MS (pwMS). A comprehensive literature search was conducted to include articles with quantitative analyses of resting-state EEG recordings (spectrograms or advanced methods for assessing spatial and temporal dynamics, such as coherence, theory of graphs, recurrent quantification, microstates) or dynamic EEG recordings during a motor task, with or without connectivity analyses. In this systematic review, we identified 26 original articles using EEG in the evaluation of MS-related motor disorders. Various resting or dynamic EEG parameters could serve as diagnostic biomarkers of motor control impairment to differentiate pwMS from healthy subjects or be related to a specific clinical condition (fatigue) or neuroradiological aspects (lesion load). We highlight some key EEG patterns in pwMS at rest and during movement, both suggesting an alteration or disruption of brain connectivity, more specifically involving sensorimotor networks. Some of these EEG biomarkers of motor disturbance could be used to design future therapeutic strategies in MS based on neuromodulation approaches, or to predict the effects of motor training and rehabilitation in pwMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults (OA) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) have a high risk of developing persistent post-injury cognitive impairments. Lower pre-morbid cognitive reserve (CR) is increasingly investigated as a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in OA. However, how CR protects against effects of mTBI at the brain level remains largely understudied. We examined 22 OA who sustained mTBI (mean 67.69 years, SD 5.11) in the sub-acute phase and 15 age- and CR-matched healthy OA (mean 68 years, SD 5.55) performing a three-level visual N-back task using electroencephalography. We calculated inverse efficiency scores of performance from accuracy and reaction times. Event-related potentials served as neurocognitive correlates of attentional (P2) and working memory (P3) processing. Overall, mTBI OA performed worse than healthy OA (p = 0.031). Lower CR generally decreased performance (p < 0.001). Furthermore, with increasing task difficulty, task performance was more affected by CR (p = 0.004). At the brain level, P2 amplitude was lower in mTBI OA than in healthy OA (p = 0.05). There was no clear effect of CR on P2 or P3 measures. As mTBI OA with lower CR performed worse on a working-memory task, lower CR may be a risk factor for worse recovery after mTBI in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a prevalent, heterogeneous, and debilitating disorder that often emerges in adolescence, and there is a need to better understand vulnerability processes to inform more targeted intervention efforts. Psychophysiological methods, like event‐related potentials (ERPs), can offer unique insights into the cognitive and emotional processes underlying depression vulnerability. I review my and others' research examining ERP measures of reward responsiveness in youth depression and present a conceptual model of the development of low reward responsiveness, its role in depression vulnerability, and potential windows for targeted intervention. There is evidence that a blunted reward positivity (RewP) is observable in children at risk for depression, appears to be shaped in part by early social experiences, and predicts later depressive symptoms in combination with other risk factors like stress exposure. Further, a component consistent with RewP is reliably elicited in response to social acceptance feedback in computerized peer interaction tasks and demonstrates unique associations with social contextual factors and depressive symptoms, supporting the utility of developing psychophysiological tasks that may better capture youths' real‐world experiences and social risk processes. In addition, I address the translational implications of clinical psychophysiological research and describe a series of studies showing that a reduced RewP predicts greater reductions in depressive symptoms with treatment but is not modifiable by current treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy. Finally, I describe our preliminary efforts to develop a positive emotion‐focused intervention for the offspring of depressed mothers, informed by the RewP literature, and describe future directions for translating psychophysiological research to intervention and prevention. In this review, I summarize research on depression vulnerability showing relatively consistent evidence of blunted reward responsiveness (measured by event‐related potentials) in children and adolescents at risk for depression that appears to be shaped in part by early social experiences and predicts later depressive symptoms in combination with other risk factors like stress exposure. I highlight the importance of examining reward processing in the social domain and offer future directions to translate psychophysiology research into intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intro: Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique for measuring brain activity that is widely used in neuroscience research. Event-related potentials (ERPs) in the EEG make it possible to study sensory and cognitive processes in the brain. Previous reports have shown that aerobic exercise can have an impact on components of ERPs such as amplitude and latency. However, they focused on the measurement of ERPs after exercise. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the feasibility of measuring ERPs during cycling, and to assess the impact of cycling on ERPs during cycling. Methods: We followed the PRISMA guidelines for new systematic reviews. To be eligible, studies had to include healthy adults and measure ERPs during cycling. All articles were found using Google Scholar and by searching references. Data extracted from the studies included: objectives of ERP studies, ERP paradigm, EEG system, study population data, exercise characteristics (duration, intensity, pedaling cadence), and ERP and behavioral outcomes. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool was used to assess study bias. Results: Twenty studies were selected. The effect of cycling on ERPs was mainly based on a comparison of P3 wave amplitude between cycling and resting states, using an attentional task. The ERP paradigm most often used was the auditory oddball task. Exercise characteristics and study methods varied considerably. Discussion: It is possible to measure ERPs during cycling under conditions that are likely to introduce more artifacts, including a 3-h athletic exercise session and cycling outdoors. Secondly, no assessment of the effect of cycling on ERPs was possible, because the methods differed too widely between studies. In addition, the theories proposed to explain the results sometimes seemed to contradict each other. Although most studies reported significant results, the direction of the effects was inconsistent. Finally, we suggest some areas for improvement for future studies on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiorespiratory fitness is known to protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Specifically, it has been shown that physical activity and fitness are beneficial for executive functions that are crucial for independent living up to old age. In this study, 115 individuals aged 80 years and older underwent a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment using the two-minute step test and had their electroencephalogram recorded during a colored flanker task in order to measure executive function performance. Cardiorespiratory fitness was related to quicker responses during the flanker task. A mediation analysis was carried out to determine whether these positive effects were mediated through event-related potentials (N1, N2, or P3) or motor-related cortical potentials (MRCP). Cardiorespiratory fitness was related to better visual discriminative processing as indicated by larger occipital N1 amplitudes. In addition, fitness was associated with larger MRCP amplitudes, which are a correlate of the response generation process. Fitness was not found to have a significant effect on fronto-central N2 or parietal P3, which are thought to capture cognitive control processes such as conflict detection and response inhibition. Moreover, all effects reported were present in all three flanker trial conditions (congruent, neutral, and incongruent). Thus, these results indicate that the quicker response times in fitter people were related to visual processing and motor response generation rather than cognitive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the central nervous system, often associated with cognitive impairment. This impairment frequently presents itself as deficiencies in short-term memory, attention, and information processing speed. This research was designed to investigate P300 in patients with MS and its correlation with their cognitive function and their state of fatigue and depression. This work included two groups: the control group (20 subjects) and the study group (30 MS patients). Evaluation encompassed clinical history, audiological assessment, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the fatigue severity scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination, and P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs). Results The study group exhibited varying degrees of fatigue and depression. The scores of Addenbrooke’s cognitive evaluation were reduced in the MS group. The MS group exhibited a considerably prolonged P300 latency compared to the control group. Conclusion This study demonstrates the effectiveness of P300 in assessing cognitive function in persons diagnosed with MS.

Abstract This study aims to investigate auditory hypersensitivity and cortical function in migraine patients using the Hyperacusis Questionnaire and the Event-Related Potential (ERP) technique. The study analyzes alterations in the latency and amplitude of the event-related potentials MMN and P300 components. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the physiological relationship between migraine and auditory hypersensitivity. Seventeen migraine patients were admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Peking University People’s Hospital from June 2023 to September 2023. Nineteen matched healthy subjects were also selected. All participants underwent the pure tone audiometry and the auditory brainstem response test to determine hearing thresholds, the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, and an ERP examination. The Oddball classical paradigm was used as the stimulation task, and electroencephalography signals were recorded synchronously. The scores of the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, latency and amplitude of MMN and P300 component were compared between the migraine group and the control group, and their correlation was analyzed. The latency of MMN at the Fz and Cz sites in migraine patients was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P 0.05). The Hyperacusis Questionnaire was negatively correlated with MMN latency, with a correlation coefficient of − 0.374 (P = 0.025), and positively correlated with MMN amplitude, with a correlation coefficient of 0.378 (P = 0.023). There was no significant similarity between the Hyperacusis Questionnaire and P300 latency and amplitude (P > 0.05). Overall, auditory hypersensitivity was enhanced in individuals with migraines compared to healthy individuals, leading to faster information processing, while there may be less impairment in cognitive function.

Many somatic illnesses (e.g. hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary and cardiac diseases, hepatitis C, kidney and heart failure, HIV infection, Sjogren's disease) may impact central nervous system functions resulting in emotional, sensory, cognitive or even personality impairments. Event-related potential (ERP) methodology allows for monitoring neurocognitive processes and thus can provide a valuable window into these cognitive processes that are influenced, or brought about, by somatic disorders. The current review aims to present published studies on the relationships between somatic illness and brain function as assessed with ERP methodology, with the goal to discuss where this field of study is right now and suggest future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consideration of the fairness to local communities in the development of public facilities is not only a moral imperative, but also essential for achieving social performance of projects. Despite acknowledging the importance of identity influence, existing literature remains a significant dearth in examining the influence of diverse stakeholders on local residents' (un)fairness perceptions toward public projects, as well as an excessive reliance on self-reported methods. Therefore, this study adopted a judge-advisor-system to investigate neural and behavioral responses during the assessment of perceived unfairness caused by an assumptive newly planned waste-to-energy (WTE) project near communities of participants. Event-related potentials were measured, while participants judged the degree of two kinds of perceived unfairness (i.e., economy and health) under the influence of three stakeholders (i.e., governments, experts, and local residents). The neurocognitive results show that local individuals experienced negative emotions triggered by moral dilemmas of tradeoff between self- and other-interests when assessing both economic and health unfairness, with stronger ambivalence under economic conditions. Then, it is found that participants devoted more motivated cognitive effort into governments as authority to seek advice for addressing the dilemma in economic unfairness, yet, for treating health unfairness, they attached greater attention to both external experts as authority and local residents as ingroup members. This study contributes to the understanding of the emotions and cognitions of disadvantaged groups in the context of facilities, such as WTE, and opens a new avenue of research in infrastructure and stakeholder management to explore neurocognitive mechanisms of local residents' unfairness perception under the influence of different stakeholders. The findings yield valuable inputs for developing socially and morally responsible policies and strategies that consider and respect the concerns of local communities in public projects by leveraging the power of identity-based group influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify neurophysiological differences in information processing by the brain during passive reading and semantic categorization of individual words within a phrase. Materials and methods. The research involved 25 natural science students of Nizhny Novgorod universities. In the course of the experiment, the subjects were presented with word combinations consisting of an attribute and a noun on a computer monitor. In the first series of presentations, the task was to classify the attribute (target condition) and read the noun (non-target condition), in the second, to classify the noun and read the attribute. This allowed us to assess the restructuring of information processing when changing the task within a phrase, as well as to compare the processing of the word in the first and second positions in the target and non-target conditions. Using the 21-channel Neuron-Spectrum-4/VPM electroencephalograph (Neurosoft, Russia), event-related potentials (ERPs) obtained during the response to presented stimuli were recorded. Results. No differences were observed in attribute processing between the target and non-target conditions when tasks changed. For nouns, differences were revealed in ERP components between the target and non-target conditions. There was a more pronounced peak of the P200 component, a less pronounced peak of the N400 and a late negative wave of the N700 component during the categorization of nouns compared to their passive reading. Thus, when performing different tasks within a phrase, the brain changes the nature of verbal information processing, which is manifested in strengthening early lexical access, followed by the facilitation of lexico-semantic processing and activation of cognitive control mechanisms at the latest stages during the categorization of the second word in a phrase (noun) compared to its passive reading.

Lu Hou,1,&ast; Jing Zhang,2,&ast; Jing Liu,3 Chang Chen,1 Xuezheng Gao,4 Limin Chen,4 Zhenhe Zhou,1,3 Hongliang Zhou5 1Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi City, 214151, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Psychiatry, Huaian Third People’s Hospital, Huaian City, 223021, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Humanities and Management Science, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu City, 241000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi City, 214151, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Psychology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi City, 214151, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhenhe Zhou, Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi City, 214151, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-1-335-811-8986, Fax +86-510-83219366, Email zhouzh@njmu.edu.cn Hongliang Zhou, Department of Psychology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi City, 214151, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-1-536-525-1126, Fax +86-510-85808820, Email Hongliangzh2022@hotmail.comPurpose: Nicotine withdrawal is a multifaceted physiological and psychological process that can induce a spectrum of mood disturbances. Gaining a more nuanced understanding of how pure nicotine withdrawal influences cognitive control functions may provide valuable insights for the enhancement of smoking cessation programs. This study investigated changes in inhibitory control function in smokers after 2-hour nicotine withdrawal using the event-related potential (ERP) technique.Participants and Methods: 28 nicotine dependence (ND) patients and 28 health controls (HCs) completed a smoking-cued Go/No-go task containing two different types of picture stimuli, smoking-cued and neutral picture stimuli. We analyzed the behavioral and ERP data using a mixed model Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).Results: No-go trials accuracy rate (ACC) at baseline (time 1) was lower in the ND group compared to HCs with smoking-cued stimuli, and No-go trials ACC after 2-hour nicotine withdrawal (time 2) was not lower in the ND group compared to HCs. When confronted with smoking-cued stimuli, the No-go trials ACC was higher in time 2 than in time 1 in the ND group. For the ERP component, the No-go N2 amplitudes in the ND group with smoking-cued stimuli were lower than that of HCs, whereas after 2-hour nicotine withdrawal, the ND group’s No-go N2 amplitudes higher than that at time 1, and did not differ from that of HCs. No-go P3 amplitudes were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: Evidenced from ERP data, ND patients have an inhibitory control dysfunction in the face of smoking cues, which is mainly manifested in the early stage of response inhibition rather than in the late stage. Two-hour nicotine withdrawal improves inhibitory control dysfunction in ND patients. The No-go N2 component is an important and sensitive neuroelectrophysiological indicator of inhibitory control function in ND patients.Keywords: nicotine dependence, inhibitory control, 2-hour nicotine withdrawal, event-related potentials, Go/No-go task

Introduction: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) may affect working memory (WM), which impacts problem-solving, decision-making, language comprehension, and learning. Limited research exists on how ARHL affects WM using N-back tasks, but studying this is crucial for understanding neural markers and associated cognitive processes. Our study explores the impact of ARHL on WM using behavioral and electrophysiological measures and how it correlates with speech-in-noise scores in older individuals with ARHL. Method: The study involved two groups, each with 20 participants aged 60–80. Group 1 had individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, while Group 2 had age- and education-matched controls with normal or near-normal hearing. Participants underwent audiological assessments and completed cognitive tests, including simple reaction time and N-back tests. During the performance of cognitive tasks, a simultaneous electroencephalography was recorded. Data analysis included behavioral and event-related potentials, source estimation, and functional connectivity analysis. Results: The study revealed significantly poor accuracy, longer reaction time, and smaller P300 amplitude among individuals with ARHL, even after controlling for general slowing. Individuals with ARHL experience compromised neural activity, particularly in the temporal and parietal regions, which are vital for cognition and WM. Furthermore, individuals with ARHL exhibited poor communication between the superior temporal gyrus and insulae regions among the brain regions mediating WM during the 1-back task. Also, the study found a strong correlation between hearing measures and WM outcomes. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that individuals with ARHL have impaired WM compared to those with normal hearing. This indicates a potential link between ARHL and cognitive decline, which could significantly affect daily life and quality of life. The widely used WM test with simultaneous EEG recording and source estimation analysis would further validate the usefulness of the study in assessing WM in this population.