Coffee buzz: It may be good for aging brains

Yippeee! My favorite drug may help me age better. I love this type of
research. Give me another cup of Joe.

http://www.psycport.com/showArticle.cfm?xmlFile=bhsuper%5F2009%5F01%5F28%5FNFLK%5F0000%2D1984%2DKEYWORD%2EMissing%2Exml&provider=

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Motor programming and re-programming

Am interesting post courtesy of the DI blog re motor planning.

http://scienceblogs.com/developin
gintelligence/2009/01/reconstructing_the_brain_in_ac.php

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Wide noise

>

> Interesting research on relation between environmental noise and
> health. Also cool little tech app for iPhone to moniter. Thanks to
> PTJ blog
>
> http://gaggio.blogspirit.com/archive/2009/01/26/widenoise.html
>
>
> Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
> double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Google brain change!

This research has been making the blog and mainstream media rounds for
a few months. I decided to post just in case you missed it. Thanks
totl the ENL blog.

http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/google-is-changing-your-brain.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Blogging on the brain blog carnival

Check it out at the DI blog.

http://scienceblogs.com/developingintelligence/2009/01/blogging_on_the_brain_finally.php

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Brain teasers for your mind

Thanks SHARP BRAINS.

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/01/23/brain-teaser-to-exercise-your-memory-and-reasoning-skills/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

iAbstract: Excercising your brain review

Double click image to enlarge. See prior post for additional info on iAbstract deals.

iAbstract: Aging and cognitive plasticity

The most recent issue of Psychology and Aging had a special section devoted aging and cognitive plasticity. I offer my usual "I give you PDF copies of articles I'm exchange for guest blog posts about the articles" quid-pro-quo deal. Contact me if interested.

Double click on image to enlarge.

Brain ethics program FYI

From the NEUROETHICS AND LAW BLOG.

http://kolber.typepad.com/ethics_law_blog/2009/01/pebs-news-roundup-from-the-johns-hopkins-berman-institute-of-bioethics-program-in-ethics-and-brain-s.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Let's hear it for science, data and statistics

I heard a few exciting phrases in Obama's speech yesterday. One was
restoring science to it's proper place as noted in the article at link
below. The other was substantiating things that are "subject to data
and statistics"

Soothing words to this quantoid.

http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=we-will-restore-science-to-its-righ-09-01-21

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Off task: Why we hicupp

This post strays off my beaten blog path but I found it interesting.
Thanks to the MINDBLOG.

http://mindblog.dericbownds.net/2009/01/why-we-hiccup.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Brain fitness tipping point ?

Interesting post at SHARP BRAINS

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/01/19/brain-fitness-training-heads-towards-its-tipping-point/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Obama work day

One computer for work and one to monitor the Obama stuff. Technology
is great

Good sleep = good learning !

http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/01/slumber-quality-important-for-learning.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Knitted brain: I want one

http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=abby-normal-nope-psychiatrist-knits-2009-01-16

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Interactive brain tour

Thanks to HAPPY NEURON for the tip regarding this resource.

http://blog.happy-neuron.com/brain-anatomy-and-imaging/how-does-the-brain-work/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Is crying good for you? It depends

[double click to enlarge image]

This post about crying behavior is way off task for the focus of my blog. But the title of the article captured my attention, and upon further review, I discovered, much to my delight (and preference for good model-based research) that the article presented a nice conceptual/theoretical model for understanding crying behavior.


Bottom line---according to Rottenberg et al. (2008) a "good cry" may be beneficial...but sometimes it is not and it may exacerbate stress. Crying, like many human behaviors, is the result of a complex interaction of personal individual difference variables and environmental settings. The authors model (see nice visual-graphic represenation above) suggests that the pros/cons of crying are a function of (a) how crying behavior is measured in research, (b) the conditions in the social environment in which a person is operating, (c) individual personality traits of the crier, and (d) the affective (emotional) state of the crier at the time.

Having a "good cry" is not always beneficial...but sometimes it is. Again...the complexity of human behavior is confirmed.

It all "depends"..........

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, personality, crying, emotions, affective

Are older drivers dangerous

Check out post at SHARP BRAINS

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/01/13/research-on-older-drivers-safety/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

The IQ brain clock: Role of basal ganglia and cerebellum

[double click on image to enlarge}

Dr. Ivry, a "mental timing scholar" (aka., IQ Brain Clock doc) has done it again!

In a prior post I drooled over the means by which he explained possible different neural models of temporal processing (the IQ Brain Clock) via visual-graphic diagrams. As a result of his most recent article (see prior post link above), I went and found an earlier 2004 publication (with Spencer) that again presents an excellent visual-graphic explanation of hypothesized different neural timing models (see figure above), but more importantly, presents a very nice visual-graphic explanation of the hypothesized role of the basal ganglia (and dopamaine), which have been repeatedly implicated in mental timing and such clinical disorders as Parkinson's (see figure below). I've always known that the basal ganglia play a prominent role in mental timing, but have never been able to grasp (probably reflecting my limitations) the possible "why" or underlying mechanism. They offer an interesting and understandable hypothesis.

[double click on image to enlarge]

In the Ivry and Spencer (2004) article in Current Opinion in Neurobiology, the authors suggest that the basal ganglia works like a gating mechanism....which I have compared to the switch operator function in a railway system (see PPT slide show). According to the authors, who also prominently feature the cerebellum in brain clock timing system models:

• The current evidence does not preclude distributed models or hypotheses that assign a central role for timing to another specialized system, such as the basal ganglia. As reviewed here, the results of imaging and lesion studies are ambiguous with respect to the role of the basal ganglia in timing short intervals. A clear dissociation between the cerebellar and the basal ganglia contributions on temporal processing tasks remains elusive, primarily because similar deficits have been observed in patients with lesions of either structure ..... The cerebellar hypothesis offers a parsimonious account over a broad set of tasks, and neurobiologically feasible models have been developed. Nonetheless, a specialized system hypothesis must be able to account for similar patterns of performance following damage to distinct systems.

• As a starting point, we propose that the basal ganglia are an integral part of decision processes, operating as a threshold mechanism (Figure 2). Activations into the basal ganglia are gated such that only those reaching threshold are implemented [69]. The activation functions for different decisions can reflect multiple factors, such as goals, sensory inputs, and contextual information. These representations engage in a competitive process for control. According to this view, the basal ganglia ensure that response implementation or working memory updating does not occur until a criterion level of activation is reached. Dopamine inputs to the striatum modulate threshold settings, providing one mechanism by which the competition can be biased. Thresholds for reinforced actions are lowered, increasing the likelihood of implementation, even if the input patterns are unchanged.

An excellent and brief article. I will be adding it to the "key timing articles" link section of the IQ Brain Clock.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, biological psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, brain clock, IQ Brain Clock, mental timing, cerebellum, basal ganglia, dopamine, Parkinsons, temporal processing

Boys are to pictures as girls are to _____?

Find answer at ENL blog

http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/boys-think-in-pictures-girls-think-in.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Adult ADHD at work

From BPS blog

http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/01/adult-adhd-leads-to-more-accidents-and.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

CNTRICS: Consensus-based cognitive measurement in schizophrenia--a model worth examinig

[double click on image to enlarge]

Schizophrenia is not my cup of tea...but good cognitive measurement is. Thus, I was intrigued when doing my weekly "IQs Recent Literature of Interest" searching when I stumbled across an intriguing set of articles in the Schizophrenia Bulletin [Vol. 35 (1) 2009].

I was impressed to find that a group of scientists studying a common disorder (schizophrenia) had engaged in a consensus-building process to identify common sets of cognitive measures to use across their various research labs. This was all part of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative. What a good model for improving the quality of research across researchers!

Maybe this model consensus-building activity could be adapted by those of us studying intelligence, the IQ Brain Clock, and cognitive related disorders in education and rehabilitation. Instead of our constant problem in comparing research studies with different measures used by different researchers, we could, at a minimum, at least establish a core set of "marker" measures to embed in each others favorite research batteries. Yes....at times I can be naive....but I believe in the power of consensus-building to improve research...and, more importantly, the probability of improving the quality of life for individuals with cognitive-related deficits and learning disorders. I've made a related plea for the adaptation of a common cognitive nomenclature/taxonomy (CHC theory) in many articles/chapters, most recently in the journal Intelligence.

Below are the abstracts. I've provided a link to the editorial introductory article. If anyone is interested in reading one or more of the other articles, articles that focus on measuring executive control, working memory, social cognitive and affective measures, promising paradigms, and control of attention, let me know...and I'd send a copy, but only in exchange for a guest blog post. The articles are worth a read, if for on other reason, for the nifty way many of the tasks discussed are presented via visual figures (see example of stroop task at the top of this post)--nice stuff.

Below are the abstracts:

Selecting Paradigms From Cognitive Neuroscience for Translation into Use in Clinical Trials: Proceedings of the Third CNTRICS Meeting (click here to read introductory editorial)

• This overview describes the goals and objectives of the third conference conducted as part of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative. This third conference was focused on selecting specific paradigms from cognitive neuroscience that measured the constructs identified in the first CNTRICS meeting, with the goal of facilitating the translation of these paradigms into use in clinical trials contexts. To identify such paradigms, we had an open nomination process in which the field was asked to nominate potentially relevant paradigms and to provide information on several domains relevant to selecting the most promising tasks for each construct (eg, construct validity, neural bases, psychometrics, availability of animal models). Our goal was to identify 1–2 promising tasks for each of the 11 constructs identified at the first CNTRICS meeting. In this overview article, we describe the on-line survey used to generate nominations for promising tasks, the criteria that were used to select the tasks, the rationale behind the criteria, and the ways in which breakout groups worked together to identify the most promising tasks from among those nominated. This article serves as an introduction to the set of 6 articles included in this special issue that provide information about the specific tasks discussed and selected for the constructs from each of 6 broad domains (working memory, executive control, attention, long-term memory, perception, and social cognition).

CNTRICS Final Task Selection: Executive Control

• The third meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) was focused on selecting promising measures for each of the cognitive constructs selected in the first CNTRICS meeting. In the domain of executive control, the 2 constructs of interest were ‘‘rule generation and selection’’ and ‘‘dynamic adjustments in control.’’ CNTRICS received 4 task nominations for each of these constructs, and the breakout group for executive control evaluated the degree to which each of these tasks met prespecified criteria. For rule generation and selection, the breakout group for executive control recommended the intradimensional/ extradimensional shift task and the switching Stroop for translation for use in clinical trial contexts in schizophrenia research. For dynamic adjustments in control, the breakout group recommended conflict and error adaptation in the Stroop and the stop signal task for translation for use in clinical trials. This article describes the ways in which each of these tasks met the criteria used by the breakout group to recommend tasks for further development.

CNTRICS Final Task Selection: Working Memory

• The third meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) was focused on selecting promising measures for each of the cognitive constructs selected in the first CNTRICS meeting. In the domain of working memory, the 2 constructs of interest were goal maintenance and interference control. CNTRICS received 3 task nominations for each of these constructs, and the breakout group for working memory evaluated the degree to which each of these tasks met prespecified criteria. For goal maintenance, the breakout group for working memory recommended the AX-Continuous Performance Task/Dot Pattern Expectancy task for translation for use in clinical trial contexts in schizophrenia research. For interference control, the breakout group recommended the recent probes and operation/ symmetry span tasks for translation for use in clinical trials. This article describes the ways in which each of these tasks met the criteria used by the breakout group to recommend tasks for further development.

CNTRICS Final Task Selection: Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience–Based
Measures

• This article describes the results and recommendations of the third Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia meeting related to measuring treatment effects on social and affective processing. At the first meeting, it was recommended that measurement development focuses on the construct of emotion identification and responding. Five Tasks were nominated as candidate measures for this construct via the premeeting web-based survey. Two of the 5 tasks were recommended for immediate translation, the Penn Emotion Recognition Task and the Facial Affect Recognition and the Effects of Situational Context, which provides a measure of emotion identification and responding as well as a related, higher level construct, context-based modulation of emotional responding. This article summarizes the criteria-based, consensus building analysis of each nominated task that led to these 2 paradigms being recommended as priority tasks for development as measures of treatment effects on negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Perception Measurement in Clinical Trials of Schizophrenia: Promising Paradigms
From CNTRICS

• The third meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) focused on selecting promising measures for each of the cognitive constructs selected in the first CNTRICS meeting. In the domain of perception, the 2 constructs of interest were gain control and visual integration. CNTRICS received 5 task nominations for gain control and three task nominations for visual integration. The breakout group for perception evaluated the degree to which each of these tasks met prespecified criteria. For gain control, the breakout group for perception believed that 2 of the tasks (prepulse inhibition of startle and mismatch negativity) were already mature and in the process of being incorporated into multisite clinical trials. However, the breakout group recommended that steady-state visualevoked potentials be combined with contrast sensitivity to magnocellular vs parvocellular biased stimuli and that this combined task and the contrast-contrast effect task be recommended for translation for use in clinical trial contexts in schizophrenia research. For visual integration, the breakout group recommended the Contour Integration and Coherent Motion tasks for translation for use in clinical trials. This manuscript describes the ways in which each of these tasks met the criteria used by the breakout group to evaluate and recommend tasks for further development.

CNTRICS Final Task Selection: Control of Attention

• The construct of attention has many facets that have been examined in human and animal research and in healthy and psychiatrically disordered conditions. The Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) group concluded that control of attention—the processes that guide selection of taskrelevant inputs—is particularly impaired in schizophrenia and could profit from further work with refined measurement tools. Thus, nominations for cognitive tasks that provide discrete measures of control of attention were sought and were then evaluated at the third CNTRICS meeting for their promise for future use in treatment development. This article describes the 5 nominated measures and their strengths and weaknesses for cognitive neuroscience work relevant to treatment development. Two paradigms, Guided Search and the Distractor Condition Sustained Attention Task, were viewed as having the greatest immediate promise for development into tools for treatment research in schizophrenia and are described in more detail by their nominators.

Technorati Tags: psychology, school psychology, educational psychology, cognition, neuropsychology, neuroscience, schizophrenia, CNTRICS, cognition, intelligence, CHC, CHC theory, Cattell-Horn-Carroll

100 interesting brain facts

Thanks to the BRAIN INJURY blog doe this post.

http://braininjury.blogs.com/braininjury/2009/01/100-fascinating-facts-about-the-human-brain.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Happy 2009

Time and language: Special journal issue

Recent research has established that time (the IQ Brain Clock) is very important in speech and language acquisition and behavior. Reflecting this consensus is a new issue of the journal Language Learning that is devoted to the topic of time/temporal processing and language.

I simply do not have the "time" (no pun intended) to read this issue. Listed below is a statement of the journals mission, followed by a listing of the articles in this special issue. I've provided a link to the introductory editorial (click here). If any reader is interested in reading a copy of any of the articles, in exchange for a summary that would be posted as a guest blog post at the IQ Brain Clock blog, drop me an email (iap@earthlink.net)

• Language Learning is a scientific journal dedicated to the understanding of language learning broadly defined. It publishes research articles that systematically apply methods of inquiry from disciplines including psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, educational inquiry, neuroscience, ethnography, sociolinguistics, sociology, and semiotics. It is concerned with fundamental theoretical issues in language learning such as child, second, and foreign language acquisition, language education, bilingualism, literacy, language representation in mind and brain, culture, cognition, pragmatics, and intergroup relations. A subscription includes an annual supplement - a volume from the Best of Language Learning Series or the Language Learning Monograph Series - as well as a biennial monograph - the Language Learning-Max Planck Institute Cognitive Neurosciences Series.

Foreword. (2008). Language Learning, 58, 217-224.

Baggio, G. (2008). Processing Temporal Constraints: An ERP Study. Language Learning, 58, 35-55.

Burt, C. D. B. (2008). Time, Language, and Autobiographical Memory. Language Learning, 58, 123-141.

Carota, F., & Sirigu, A. (2008). Neural Bases of Sequence Processing in Action and Language. Language Learning, 58, 179-199.

Casasanto, D. (2008). Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Whorf? Crosslinguistic Differences in Temporal Language and Thought. Language Learning, 58, 63-79.

Dewaele, J. M., Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2008). Effects of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Sociobiographical Variables on Communicative Anxiety and Foreign Language Anxiety Among Adult Multilinguals: A Review and Empirical Investigation. Language Learning, 58(4), 911-960.

Ellis, N. C. (2008). Temporal Cognition and Temporal Language the First and Second Times Around. Commentary on McCormack and Hoerl. Language Learning, 58, 115-121.

Evans, V. (2008). Simulation Semantics and the Linguistics of Time. Commentary on Zwaan. Language Learning, 58, 27-33.
Graham, S., & Macaro, E. (2008). The role of metacognition in second/foreign language teaching and learning. Language Learning, 58(4), 747-783.

Gullberg, M., & Indefrey, P. (2008). Cognitive and Neural Prerequisites for Time in Language: Any Answers? Language Learning, 58, 207-216.

Jackson, C. (2008). Proficiency Level and the Interaction of Lexical and Morphosyntactic Information During L2 Sentence Processing. Language Learning, 58(4), 875-909.

Kempe, V., & Brooks, P. J. (2008). Second Language Learning of Complex Inflectional Systems. Language Learning, 58(4), 703-746.

Klein, W. (2008). Time in Language, Language in Time. Language Learning, 58, 1-12.

Kolk, H. (2008). Time in Agrammatic Aphasia. Commentary on Wearden. Language Learning, 58, 173-177.

Lazarte, A. A., & Barry, S. (2008). Syntactic Complexity and L2 Academic Immersion Effects on Readers' Recall and Pausing Strategies for English and Spanish Texts. Language Learning, 58(4), 785-834.

McCormack, T., & Hoerl, C. (2008). Temporal Decentering and the Development of Temporal Concepts. Language Learning, 58, 89-113.

Muysken, P. (2008). Nominal Tense. Time for Further Whorfian Adventures? Commentary on Casasanto. Language Learning, 58, 81-88.

Roberts, L. (2008). Processing Temporal Constraints and Some Implications for the Investigation of Second Language Sentence Processing and Acquisition. Commentary on Baggio. Language Learning, 58, 57-61.

Sheen, Y. (2008). Recasts, Language Anxiety, Modified Output, and L2 Learning. Language Learning, 58(4), 835-874.

Tendolkar, I. (2008). How Semantic and Episodic Memory Contribute to Autobiographical Memory. Commentary on Burt. Language Learning, 58, 143-147.

Toni, I. (2008). Sequential Event Processing: Domain Specificity or Task Specificity? Commentary on Carota and Sirigu. Language Learning, 58, 201-205.

Wearden, J. H. (2008). The Perception of Time: Basic Research and Some Potential Links to the Study of Language. Language Learning, 58, 149-171.

Zwaan, R. A. (2008). Time in Language, Situation Models, and Mental Simulations. Language Learning, 58, 13-26.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, language, speech and language, time, temporal processing, IQ Brain Clock, Language Learning

Manic Mother: A recommended new blog site

I would strongly recommend that all my bog readers (IQs Corner; IQ Brain Clock; Mobile IQ) check out a new blog site called Manic Mother. I would urge you to visit regularly, and if you are a blog master yourself, create a link to this site and give it an FYI post at your blog. Spread the word. This is a brand-spanking new blog that will take off.

Why? Simply because it is a new wonderful site by my tremendous daughter Beth...who is not afraid to share her biploar (manic depressive) experiences with the world. I'm so damn proud of her. She, when approximately 13-14 years of age, was properly diagnosed as BP (long before it became a sexy " must have-'it-will-excuse-my-behavior' " diagnosis and an easy out from accepting responsibility for one's behavior). She is now a wonderful mother of two young boys and has started the Manic Mother blog.

Beth is an extremely insightful, creative, gifted and sensitive person who has tremendous insights into living, living just beyond the edge, coming back from the edge (and beyond) etc. She has tremendous insights on being a mother....with or without BP.

Check it out. I will be adding it to all my blog rolls.

Good luck Beth. You make me proud.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, education, mental health, bipolar, manic depression, Manic Mother, psychiatry, mothers, mothering, families

Top 10 SharpBrains brain fitness books

http://m.beta.bloglines.com/items?mode=unread&subid=39777030&sort=desc

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

NIH funds TBI treatment studies

http://www.psycport.com/showArticle.cfm?xmlFile=knightridder%5F2009%5F01%5F02%5F%5F0000%2D0594%2DTB%2DStudy%2Dto%2Dpinpoint%2Dbest%2Drehab%2Dtreatments%2Dfor%2Dtraumatic%2Dbrain%2Dinjuries%2D0102%2Exml&provider=

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Interactive multimedia resource list

Thanks to IMR for the great resource list.

http://interactivemultimediatechnology.blogspot.com/2008/12/interactive-multimedia-resources.html

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)

Best brain fitness 2008

Thanks to SHARP BRAINS for being the best brain fitness resource of
the year.

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/12/31/brain-fitness-update-best-of-2008/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone (IQMobile). (If message includes an image-
double click on it to make larger-if hard to see)