Keynote Speakers
Professor Giacomo Rizzolatti
Department of Neurosciences,
University of Parma, Italy
Professor Tim Shallice
Institute of Cognitive
Neuroscience, University College
London and SISSA, Trieste, Italy
First Meeting of the
Federation of the
European Societies of
Neuropsychology (ESN)
Professor David Milner
Department of Psychology,
University of Durham
2-5 September 2008
Edinburgh
Social Events
Welcome Whisky Tasting
Tuesday 2nd September 2008
ESN Conference Dinner
Wednesday 3rd September 2008
Traditional Scottish Ceilidh Dance
Thursday 4th September 2008
Assembly Rooms
54 George Street
Edinburgh
2-5 September 2008
EH2 2LR Assembly Rooms
54 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2LR
http://www.fesn.eu/conference/home
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Contents
Introduction to the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology ...................... 2
Constitution of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology ....................... 3
Founding members of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology ..... 10
Local Organising Committee .................................................................................................... 11
Scientific Committee ................................................................................................................ 11
General Information ................................................................................................................. 12
Meeting Information ................................................................................................................ 13
Social Events ............................................................................................................................. 14
Welcome Whisky Tasting ................................................................................................. 14
ESN Conference Dinner .................................................................................................... 14
Traditional Scottish Ceilidh Dance ................................................................................... 14
NESTCOM Workshop ................................................................................................................ 15
Provisional Timetable ....................................................................................................... 16
Timetable.................................................................................................................................. 17
Author Guidelines .................................................................................................................... 25
Keynote Speakers ..................................................................................................................... 26
Professor Giacomo Rizzolatti ........................................................................................... 26
Professor Tim Shallice (Freda Newcombe Lecture) ......................................................... 26
Professor David Milner ..................................................................................................... 26
Cortex Prize Lecture 2008 ........................................................................................................ 27
Symposia Speakers ................................................................................................................... 28
Language & the motor system ............................................................................................. 28
Lesion overlap analyses ........................................................................................................ 28
The neuropsychology of bodily representations and schemas, and the legacy of Pierre
Bonnier ................................................................................................................................. 29
Contributions of TMS to cognitive neuroscience ................................................................. 29
Neuropsychological perspectives on disorders of emotion and motivation ....................... 30
Updates on spatial neglect syndrome and related disorders .............................................. 30
Cognitive rehabilitation ........................................................................................................ 31
Neuroscience of joint action ................................................................................................ 32
Musical cognition ................................................................................................................. 32
Neural substrates of memory dsorders in neurodegenerative diseases: Confrontation from
multiple neuroimaging approaches ..................................................................................... 33
Bodies, actions and emotions: What do they have in common? ........................................ 33
Cognition and sign language ................................................................................................ 34
Cognitive neuroscience of social interaction ....................................................................... 34
Cerebellum and language .................................................................................................... 35
Neuropsychology of perception and action ......................................................................... 35
Individual Paper Presenters ..................................................................................................... 36
Poster Presenters ..................................................................................................................... 41
Symposia Abstracts .................................................................................................................. 61
Individual Paper Abstracts ....................................................................................................... 97
Poster Abstracts ..................................................................................................................... 112
Notes ...................................................................................................................................... 231
1
Introduction to the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology
ESN 2004, Modena
From the very beginning, Neuropsychology has been an international enterprise with a
strong European component. However, there has been little effort to bring together
European researchers working in this area. Following a series of successful bilateral
meetings, the Neuropsychological Societies of France, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy
decided to organize a joint meeting as the basis for a future European network of
Neuropsychological Societies. This first meeting took place in Modena (Italy) form April 18th
to April 20th, 2004. It saw the participation of more than 500 delegates representing the
majority of European countries, including many delegates from Eastern Europe and a few
participants from Asia, North and Central America. The meeting was opened by a welcome
address by Ennio De Renzi who gave an historical photographic overview of the first steps of
European Neuropsychology. The keynote lecture was delivered by Giacomo Rizzolatti, who
presented an interesting review of recent progress in the understanding of the mirrorneuron system and its role in imitation and language. The conference programme included
four plenary sessions, each organized by one of the four promoting Societies. In addition,
several symposia, oral and poster sessions animated the meeting for a total of 300
presentations. The highlights of the four plenary sessions were published in Neurocase vol.
11 (2):145-155.
Paolo Nichelli
ESN 2006, Toulouse
The 2nd Meeting of the European Societies of Neuropsychology held in Toulouse in October
2006 gathered about 500 attendees from many European countries; 350 abstracts were
received among which oral presentations and posters were selected. The outcome of further
on-site reviewing by members of the Scientific Committee ended up with a selection of 20
papers. Authors were offered the opportunity to submit these contributions as short papers
in a special issue of Behavioural Neurology which has been issued in April 2008 (Behavioural
Neurology, 2008; 19(1-2)). The program of the next meeting in Edinburgh as well the
number and quality of submitted abstracts makes one foresee the first formal meeting of
the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology as a major event in our
multidisciplinary domain.
Jean François Demonet
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Constitution of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology
This constitution was adopted on January 11th, 2008.
CONTENTS
GENERAL
MEMBERS
name, objects, powers, general structure
Qualifications, application, subscription, register,
withdrawal, expulsion
CONGRESS MEETINGS
(meetings of members) general, notice, procedure
MANAGEMENT
maximum number, eligibility, election/retiral/
COMMITTEE/MEETINGS re-election, termination of office, register, office
bearers, powers, personal interests; procedure
ADMINISTRATION
committees, operation of bank accounts etc.,
minutes, accounting records and annual accounts,
notices
MISCELLANEOUS
dissolution, alterations to the constitution,
interpretation, initial management committee
members
clauses 1-4
clauses 5-10
clauses 11-14
clauses 15-51
clauses 52-59
clauses 60-63
GENERAL
Name
1. The name of the Federation is "THE FEDERATION OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETIES OF
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY" (hereinafter referred to as "the Federation"). The logo of the
Federation will be based on the European Flag. It will consist of a circle of twelve gold
stars on a blue background encircling the acronym of the Federation "ESN".
Objects
2. The objects of the Federation shall be to further the scientific and professional issues
within the field of neuropsychology, including cognitive neuropsychology, clinical
neuropsychology, behavioural neurology, neuroimaging and neuropsychological
rehabilitation.
Powers
3. In pursuance of the objects set out in clause 2 (but not otherwise), the Federation
shall have the following powers:a. To encourage and help develop European programmes of clinical and
experimental neuropsychological research along with pre- and postgraduate
teaching and to put forward any instances related to neuropsychology to the
relevant political or beaurocratic bodies as the Federation may deem fit. The
Federation may also engage in other activities which contribute to the
advancement of neuropsychology and related topics within Europe and will
liaise with other relevant scientific and clinical bodies.
b. To carry on any other activities which further any of the above objects.
c. To improve, manage, develop, or otherwise deal with, all or any part of the
property and rights of the Federation.
d. To employ such staff as are considered appropriate for the proper conduct of
the Federation’s activities.
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e. To engage such consultants and advisers as are considered appropriate from
time to time.
f. To effect insurance of all kinds (which may include officers’ liability
insurance).
g. To invest any funds which are not immediately required for the Federation’s
activities in such investments as may be considered appropriate (and to
dispose of, and vary, such investments).
h. To take such steps as may be deemed appropriate for the purpose of raising
funds for the Federation’s activities.
i. To accept grants, donations and legacies of all kinds (and to accept any
reasonable conditions attaching to them).
j. To do anything which may be incidental or conducive to the furtherance of
any of the Federation’s objects.
General structure
4. The structure of the Federation shall consist of:a. the ORDINARY MEMBERS - who have the right to attend the Congress
meetings
b. the COUNCIL MEMBERS– consisting of the presidents of the affiliated national
societies or their delegates who must be full members of the Federation.
Congress meetings of the Federation will initially take place every two years.
c. the MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE – who hold regular virtual meetings via
telephone or electronic communications during the period between Congress
meetings, and generally control and supervise the activities of the Federation;
in particular, the management committee is responsible for monitoring the
financial position of the Federation.
MEMBERS
Qualifications for membership
5.
a. Ordinary Membership shall be open to any person who is a member of
European Societies of neuropsychology which partakes in the Federation. The
Federation may set up a mechanism to accept as members any persons or
societies who are not current members of any of the federated societies but
whose primary affiliation is in Europe or in neighbouring countries and who
are active and established researchers in some area of neuropsychology;
b. Council Membership shall be open to any person who is a president of the
affiliated national societies of the Federation or their delegate plus the
elected President of the Federation;
c. Management Committee Membership shall be open to the President, VicePresident, Treasurer, and the Organiser of the next Congress meeting, plus
two co-opted members to be agreed by Council members.
6. Normally no more than three Management Committee members shall have the same
country of membership.
Application for membership
7. The Council members may, at their discretion, refuse to admit any person to
membership.
8. Members (if they are a national society) shall require to pay an annual membership
subscription; unless and until otherwise determined by the members, the amount of
the annual membership subscription shall be determined by the Federation.
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a. The Council members may vary the amount of the annual membership
subscription and/or the date on which it falls due in each year, by way of a
resolution to that effect passed at a Congress meeting.
b. If the membership subscription payable by any member remains outstanding
more than three months after the date on which it fell due (and providing
he/she has been given at least one written reminder) the management
committee may, by resolution to that effect, expel him/her from
membership.
c. A person who ceases (for whatever reason) to be a member shall not be
entitled to any refund of the membership subscription.
Withdrawal from membership
9. Any person who wishes to withdraw from membership shall sign, and lodge with the
Federation, a written notice to that effect; on receipt of the notice by the Federation,
s/he shall cease to be a member.
Expulsion from membership
10. Any person may be expelled from membership by way of a resolution passed by
majority vote at a Congress meeting (meeting of members), providing the following
procedures have been observed:a. at least 21 days’ notice of the intention to propose the resolution must be
given to the member concerned, specifying the grounds for the proposed
expulsion
b. the member concerned shall be entitled to be heard on the resolution at the
Congress meeting at which the resolution is proposed.
CONGRESS MEETINGS (meetings of members)
Congress meetings (meetings of members)
11. The Council members shall convene a Congress meeting initially every two years (but
excluding the year in which the Federation is formed);
12. The business of each Congress meeting shall include:a. a report by the chair on the activities of the Federation
b. consideration of the annual accounts of the Federation
13. The Council members may convene a special Congress meeting at any time.
Council members
14. The Council shall consist of the presidents of the affiliated national societies or their
delegates. There shall be a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, a
representative from the previous two Congress meetings of the Federation and a
member of the organising committee of the next Congress.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE/MEETINGS
Management committee meetings
15. The management committee shall convene a management committee meeting when
required, to deal with the day-to-day management of the Federation;
16. The business of each management committee meeting shall include:a. a report by the chair on the activities of the Federation
b. consideration of the annual accounts of the Federation
17. The management committee may convene a special management committee
meeting at any time.
Notice of management committee
18. At least 14 clear days’ notice must be given (in accordance with clause 61) of any
management committee meeting; the notice must indicate the general nature of any
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business to be dealt with at the meeting and, in the case of a resolution to alter the
constitution, must set out the terms of the proposed alteration.
19. The reference to "clear days" in clause 18 shall be taken to mean that, in calculating
the period of notice, the day after the notice is posted, and also the day of the
meeting, should be excluded.
20. Notice of every management committee meeting shall be given (in accordance with
clause 60) to all the members of the Federation, and to all the members of the
Council and management committee via their respective National Societies.
Procedure at management committee meetings
21. No business shall be dealt with at any management committee meeting unless a
quorum is present; the quorum for a management committee meeting shall be half
the total number of members plus one, present in person.
22. The chair of the Federation shall (if present and willing to act as chairperson) preside
as chairperson of each management committee meeting; if the chair is not present
and willing to act as chairperson within 15 minutes after the time at which the
meeting was due to commence, the members of the management committee
present at the meeting shall elect from among themselves the person who will act as
chairperson of that meeting.
23. The chairperson of a management committee meeting may, with the consent of the
meeting, adjourn the meeting to such time and place as the chairperson may
determine.
24. Every member shall have one vote, which (whether on a show of hands or on a secret
ballot) must be given personally.
25. If there is an equal number of votes for and against any resolution, the chairperson of
the meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote.
26. A resolution put to the vote at a management committee meeting shall be decided
on a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by the chairperson (or by at
least two members present in person at the meeting).
27. If a secret ballot is demanded, it shall be taken at the meeting and shall be conducted
in such a manner as the chairperson may direct; the result of the ballot shall be
declared at the meeting at which the ballot was demanded.
Maximum number of management committee members
28. The maximum number of members of the management committee shall be 7. The
management committee shall consist of a president, vice-president, treasurer,
secretary, a representative of the next Congress organising committee and two
further members.
Eligibility
29. A person shall not be eligible for election/appointment to the Council or
management committee unless he/she is a member of the Federation.
Election, retiral, re-election
30. The duration of office for each of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and
Secretary shall be two years for both the Council and the management committe.
They could be re-elected.
31. Each European Society of Neuropsychology which partakes in the Federation shall be
responsible for appointing its representative Council member.
Termination of office
32. A member of the Council and/or management committee shall automatically vacate
office if:-
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a. he/she becomes incapable for medical reasons of fulfilling the duties of
his/her office and such incapacity is expected to continue for a period of more
than six months
b. he/she ceases to be a member of the Federation
c. he/she becomes an employee of the Federation
d. he/she resigns office by notice to the Federation
e. he/she is absent (without permission of the management committee) from
more than three consecutive meetings of the management committee, and
the management committee resolve to remove him/her from office.
Register of members
33. The Secretary of the management committee and Council shall maintain a register of
Ordinary members, Council members and management committee members, setting
out the full name and address of each member, the date on which each such person
became a member, and the date on which any person ceased to hold office as a
member. This information could be indirectly maintained by liaising with the relevant
partaking societies. Rights of accessing such lists of members’ details shall be
reserved and shall not be used for commercial purposes.
Office bearers
34. The management committee members shall elect from among themselves such
other office bearers (if any) as they consider appropriate.
35. All of the office bearers shall cease to hold office at the conclusion of each Congress
meeting, but shall then be eligible for re-election.
36. A person elected to any office shall cease to hold that office if he/she ceases to be a
member of the management committee or if he/she resigns from that office by
written notice to that effect.
Powers of management committee
37. Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, the day-to-day management of the
Federation and its assets and undertaking shall be managed by the management
committee, who may exercise all the powers of the Federation. The management
committee has the power to decide on all matters of the Federation when such
decisions cannot be delayed until the next Congress meeting.
38. A meeting of the management committee at which a quorum is present may exercise
all powers exercisable by the management committee.
Advisory Board
39. The Council members shall nominate an Advisory Board of up to seven members. No
more than two members of the Advisory Board shall have the same country of
membership.
40. The Advisory Board shall have the role of advising the members and management
committee on scientific matters including, but not limited to, the programme for the
next Congress.
Personal interests
41. A member of the Council and/or management committee who has a personal
interest in any transaction or other arrangement which the Federation is proposing
to enter into, must declare that interest at a meeting of the management committee;
he/she will be debarred (in terms of clause 42) from voting on the question of
whether or not the Federation should enter into that arrangement.
42. For the purposes of clause 41, a person shall be deemed to have a personal interest
in an arrangement if any partner or other close relative of his/hers or any firm of
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which he/she is a partner or any limited company of which he/she is a substantial
shareholder or director, has a personal interest in that arrangement.
43. Provided he/she has declared his/her interest - and has not voted on the question of
whether or not the Federation should enter into the relevant arrangement - a
member of the Council and/or management committee will not be debarred from
entering into an arrangement with the Federation in which he/she has a personal
interest (or is deemed to have a personal interest under clause 53) and may retain
any personal benefit which he/she gains from his/her participation in that
arrangement.
44. No member of the Council and/or management committee may serve as an
employee (full time or part time) of the Federation, and no member of the Council
and/or management committee may be given any remuneration by the Federation
for carrying out his/her duties as a member of the Council and/or management
committee.
45. The members of the Council and/or management committee may be paid all
travelling and other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with their
attendance at meetings of the Council and/or management committee, or meetings
of committees, or otherwise in connection with the carrying-out of their duties.
Procedure at management committee meetings
46. Any member of the management committee may call a meeting of the management
committee or request the secretary to call a meeting of the management committee.
47. Questions arising at a meeting of the management committee shall be decided by a
majority of votes; if an equality of votes arises, the chairperson of the meeting shall
have a casting vote.
48. Unless he/she is unwilling to do so, the chair of the Federation shall preside as
chairperson at every management committee meeting at which he/she is present; if
the chair is unwilling to act as chairperson or is not present within 15 minutes after
the time when the meeting was due to commence, the management committee
members present shall elect from among themselves the person who will act as
chairperson of the meeting.
49. The management committee may, at its discretion, allow any person who they
reasonably consider appropriate, to attend and speak at any meeting of the
management committee; for the avoidance of doubt, any such person who is invited
to attend a management committee meeting shall not be entitled to vote.
50. A management committee member shall not vote at a management committee
meeting (or at a meeting of a committee) on any resolution concerning a matter in
which he/she has a personal interest which conflicts (or may conflict) with the
interests of the Federation; he/she must withdraw from the meeting while an item of
that nature is being dealt with.
51. For the purposes of clause 50, a person shall be deemed to have a personal interest
in a particular matter if any partner or other close relative of his/hers or any firm of
which he/she is a partner or any limited company of which he/she is a substantial
shareholder or director, has a personal interest in that matter.
ADMINISTRATION
Delegation to sub-committees
52. The management committee may delegate any of their powers to any subcommittee consisting of one or more management committee members and such
other persons (if any) as the management committee may determine; they may also
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delegate to the chair of the Federation (or the holder of any other post) such of their
powers as they may consider appropriate.
53. Any delegation of powers under clause 43 may be made subject to such conditions as
the management committee may impose and may be revoked or altered.
54. The rules of procedure for any sub-committee shall be as prescribed by the
management committee.
Holding of property
55. The title to all property (including any land or buildings, the tenant’s interest under
any lease and (so far as appropriate) any investments) shall be held either in the
names of the chair, treasurer and secretary of the Federation (and their successors in
office) or in name of a nominee company holding such property in trust for the
Federation; any person or body in whose name the Federation’s property is held shall
act in accordance with the directions issued from time to time by the management
committee.
Minutes
56. The management committee shall ensure that minutes are made of all proceedings
at management committee meetings and Congress meetings; a minute of any
meeting shall include the names of those present, and (as far as possible) shall be
signed by the chairperson of the meeting.
Accounting records and annual accounts
57. The management committee shall ensure that proper accounting records are
maintained in accordance with all applicable statutory requirements.
58. The management committee shall prepare annual accounts, complying with all
relevant statutory requirements; if an audit is required under any statutory
provisions or if they otherwise think fit, they shall ensure that an audit of such
accounts is carried out by a qualified auditor.
Notices
59. Any notice which requires to be given to a member under this constitution shall be in
writing, except notice of a Congress meeting which does not need to be given in
writing; such a notice may either be via the respective National Society; given
personally to the member or be sent by post in a pre-paid envelope addressed to the
member at the address last intimated by him/her to the Federation or by sending it
to their registered e-mail address together with a standard header.
MISCELLANEOUS
Dissolution
60. If the management committee determines that it is necessary or appropriate that the
Federation be dissolved, it shall convene a meeting of the members; not less than 21
days’ notice of the meeting (stating the terms of the proposed resolution) shall be
given.
61. If a proposal by the management committee to dissolve the Federation is confirmed
by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the management committee
meeting convened under clause 60, the management committee shall have power to
dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Federation - and any assets
remaining after satisfaction of the debts and liabilities of the Federation shall be
transferred to some other charitable body or bodies having objects similar to those
of the Federation; the identity of the body or bodies to which such assets are
transferred shall be determined by the members of the Federation at, or prior to, the
time of dissolution.
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62. For the avoidance of doubt, no part of the income or property of the Federation shall
be paid or transferred (directly or indirectly) to the members, either in the course of
the Federation’s existence or on dissolution.
Alterations to the constitution
63. The constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of
the society representatives.
Founding members of the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology
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British Neuropsychological Society (BNS)
Danish Neuropsychological Society
Gesellschaft für NeuroPsychologie Österreich - GNPÖ (Austrian Society for
Neuropsychology)
Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie, GNP (German Neuropsychological Society)
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologie - NVN (Dutch Neuropsychological
Society)
Neuropsychology Special Interest Group of the Psychological Society of Ireland
Norwegian Neuropsychological Society
Seccão de Neurologia do Comportamento da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia
(Behavioral Neurology Section of the Portuguese Society of Neurology)
Societa’ Italiana di Neuropsicologia - SINP (Italian Society of Neuropsychology)
Société de Neuropsychologie de Langue Française
Spanish Federation of Neuropsychological Societies
Suomen Neuropsykologinen Yhdistys (Finnish Neuropsychological Society)
Swedish Neuropsychological Society
Swiss Society of Neuropsychologists
Vlaamse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologie (VVNP) - Flemish Society for
Neuropsychology.
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Local Organising Committee
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh
 Sarah E. MacPherson (Chair)
 Sharon Abrahams
 Thomas H. Bak
 James Brockmole
 Sergio Della Sala
 Robert D. McIntosh
British Neuropsychological Society
 Martin G. Edwards, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham
 M. Jane Riddoch, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Scottish Neuropsychology Network
 Robert Taylor, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Western General Hospital,
Edinburgh
Scientific Committee
Marja Äikiä
Suomen Neuropsykologinen Yhdistys
Jean-François Démonet
Société de Neuropsychologie de Langue Française
Maite Garolera
Federation of Spanish Societies of
Neuropsychology
Erik Hessen
Norwegian Neuropsychological Association
Narinder Kapur
British Neuropsychological Society
Elisabetta Ladavas
Societa’ Italiana di Neuropsicologia
Christophe Lafosse
Vlaamse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologia
Hendrik Niemann
Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie
Niall Pender
Neuropsychology Special Interest Group of the
Psychological Society of Ireland
Maria Isabel Segurado Pavao Martins
Catarino Petiz
Portuguese Society of Behavioral Neurology
Radek Ptak
Schweizerische Vereinigung der
Neuropsychologinnen und Neuropsychologen
Jarl Risberg
Sveriges Neuropsykologers Förening
Randi Starrfelt
Selskabet Danske Neuropsykologer
Wilhelm Strubreither
Gesellschaft für NeuroPsychologie Österreich
Guy Vingerhoets
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologie
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General Information
Conference Venue
54 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2LR
Opening Hours
Wednesday 3rd September
Thursday 4th September
Friday 5th September
09:00-18:00
09:00-18:00
09:00-13:00
Registration Fees
Full Delegate
Student Delegate
WFN-RGACD Delegates (20% discount)
£240
£170
£190
The registration fees include:
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Admission to the NESTCOM Workshop on Tuesday 2nd September at 14:00,
Psychology Department, 7 George Square, Edinburgh
Admission to the Welcome Whisky Tasting on Tuesday 2nd September at 18:30, 54
George Street, Edinburgh
Admission to all sessions, poster areas and technical support
Delegate pack
Refreshments during the coffee breaks
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Meeting Information
Badges
All participants are kindly requested to wear their badge at all times throughout the
meeting.
Certificates of Attendance
Certificates of attendance for pre-registered participants can be requested at the conference
welcome desk.
Cloakrooms
A cloakroom is provided during the conference. Please make sure that no personal effects
are left overnight.
Coffee Breaks
During the breaks, coffee and tea will be available in the Supper Room beside the posters.
Insurance
The organisers cannot be held liable for medical, travel or personal claims. Participants are
strongly advised to seek personal insurance cover.
Lost and Found
Lost items should be handed into the conference information desk.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones must be switched off in the conference.
No Smoking
Please remember that smoking is prohibited within the Assembly Rooms.
Official Language
The official language of the conference is English.
Tourism
Edinburgh Convention Bureau will provide an information stand manned by volunteers at
the conference. The volunteers have expert knowledge on Edinburgh and Scotland and will
answer any tourist related questions delegates may have. The stand will be manned on
Wednesday 3rd September and the morning of Thursday 4th September.
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Social Events
Welcome Whisky Tasting
Tuesday 2nd September 2008
Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, Edinburgh
Time: 18:00
Attendance at the Whisky Tasting is included in your conference fee.
ESN Conference Dinner
Wednesday 3rd September 2008
South Hall, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh
Time: 19:00
£37 per person for 3 courses plus coffee.
Traditional Scottish Ceilidh Dance
Thursday 4th September 2008
Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh
Time: 21:00 – 01:00
£15 per person. There will be a licensed bar at the venue selling refreshments.
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NESTCOM Workshop
Minds, brains, networks, communication and robots:
Neurocomputational perspectives in neuropsychology
Satellite Symposium to First Meeting of Federation of the European Societies of
Neuropsychology
Tuesday 2nd September 2008 14:00-18:00
F21, Department of Psychology, 7 George Square, Edinburgh
Organisers
Prof. Friedermann Pulvermüller
Prof. Stefan Wermter
Prof. Vittorio Gallese
Dr. Michael Knowles
Martin Page
A recent and fruitful enterprise in neuroinformatics and robotics is to build computer models of
cognition that exploit neuroimaging and neurophysiological data, including evidence from monkeys.
New explanatory models of neuronal function use principles from neuroscience and brain-inspired
architectures to provide a mechanistic basis for human language, action and perception systems,
including their activation dynamics in brain space and real time. Such models of human and animal
cognition can be implemented in robots, allowing them to employ neuroscientifically grounded
perception action networks in the generation of language and "thought". The more realistic models
of cognition may eventually lead to a better understanding of the cognitive processes and their
underlying neurophysiological patterns.
This will be the second workshop organized by the Nestcom project to highlight “What it means to
communicate” – in terms of brain mechanisms, physiological activations, cognitive processes and
sub-processes, AI software, neural network features and architectures, and robotics. The first
International workshop held at ICANN’07, centred on the neural, computational and cognitive
principles of communication. The Edinburgh workshop will focus on embodied communication,
symbols and meaning in humans, animals and robots. Speakers will address specific questions in the
science of language and communication integrating across research disciplines. Demonstrating for
example, how neuroscience can improve robots, how models of neuroinformatics can inspire
neuroimaging studies of cognition, how cognitive science can widen the scope of both experiments
in neuroscience and network models. The overarching aim of the workshop is to increase the general
awareness of cross-disciplinary work on neuroscience, robotics, language and communication.
15
NESTCOM Workshop Provisional Timetable
Time
2.00pm
2.30pm
3.00pm
3.30pm
4.00pm
4.15pm
4.45pm
5.15pm
5.45pm
Speaker
Affiliation
Giovanni Buccino and Vittorio Gallese
University of Parma
Juan Carlos Gómez
University of St. Andrews
John Taylor
King’s College, University of London
Denis Mareschal
Birkbeck, University of London
Break
Stefan Wermter
University of Sunderland
Martin Pickering
University of Edinburgh
Friedemann Pulvermüller and Max
MRC, Cambridge
Garagnani
Discussion and Closing Remarks
16
Timetable
Wednesday 3rd September 2008
09:00 onwards Conference Registration in Foyer of Assembly Hall
10:00-11:00 OPENING KEYNOTE LECTURE in Music Hall
“The mirror neuron system: A mechanism for action and intention understanding” by Professor Giacomo Rizzolatti
11:00-12:30
Music Hall
Language & the Motor System
Ballroom
Lesion Overlap Analyses
Edinburgh Suite
Individual Papers
11:00-11:20
When language affects perception and when perception
affects language
11:00-11:20
Challenges for lesion mapping
11:00-11:15
Retrograde amnesia: The role of medial temporal, lateral
temporal and frontal lobe
pathology
Gabriella Vigliocco et al.
Masud Husain et al.
Peter Bright & Michael D. Kopelman
11:15-11:30
Remembering to remember: a TMS investigation of
prospective memory
Alberto Costa et al.
17
11:20-11:40
Grounding meaning in actions and perceptions: A role for
logical circuits
11:20-11:40
New strategies in imaging-based lesion-symptom analysis
11:30-11:45
Spatial working memory in normal ageing and Mild Cognitive
Impairment: Tapping the episodic buffer?
Friedemann Pulvermüller
Hans-Otto Karnath
11:40-12:00
Language in action
11:40-12:00
Using MRI to predict patients’ reading ability after stroke
Giovanni Buccino
12:00-12:20
I do, I do not
Cathy J. Price
12:00-12:20
Voxel-based lesion−symptom mapping and applications
Laurien Aben et al.
12:00-12:15
Changes in fMRI following neuropsychological rehabilitation
therapy of the dysexecutive syndrome
Marco Tettamanti
Ayse Pinar Saygin
Kirsten F. Lamberts et al.
Roy P.C. Kessels et al.
11:45-12:00
Memory self-efficacy and psychosocial factors in stroke
Wednesday 3rd September 2008
12:30-14:00 LUNCH BREAK
& POSTERS SESSION 1 in Supper Room
14:00-15:30
Music Hall
The Neuropsychology of Bodily Representations and
Schemas, and the Legacy of Pierre Bonnier
Ballroom
Contributions of TMS to Cognitive Neuroscience
Sponsored by MagStim Company Ltd
Edinburgh Suite
14:00-14:20
Plasticity of space and body representations
14:00-14:20
Human motor plasticity as revealed by TMS
14:00-14:15
Word and number reading in the brain: evidence from a
voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping study
Alessandro Farnè
Angela Sirigu et al.
14:20-14:40
Regression of facial macrosomatognosia (hyperschematia)
after vestibular stimulation.
Individual Papers
Fabrizio Piras & Paola Marangolo
14:15-14:30
Colour facilitates naming of real world objects in healthy and
aphasic subjects
14:20-14:40
Reflexive and preparatory selection and suppression of salient
information in the right and left posterior parietal cortex
Evelyn M.S. Mohr
14:30-14:45
Long-term outcomes of an intensive intervention in
developmental dyslexia: “Start with the basics and then
read!"
Carmel Mevorach et al.
Rode Gilles et al.
Mélanie Jucla et al.
14:40-15:00
How do we think we are: cognitive representations of the
body
14:40-15:00
Facilitation of semantic processing with TMS
14:45-15:00
Establishing the link between visual crowding and reading
problems in posterior cortical atrophy
Patrick Haggard
15:00-15:20
Multisensory spatial determinants of bodily actions
Michal Lavidor
15:00-15:20
Embodied empathy for pain
Sebastian J. Crutch & Elizabeth K. Warrington
15:00-15:15
Cerebellar neurocognition: a new avenue in cognitive and
behavioural neuroscience
Angelo Maravita & Nadia Bolognini
Salvatore M. Aglioti et al.
Peter Mariën et al.
15:15-15:30
Dissociating action and linguistic knowledge for functional
objects with transcranial
magnetic stimulation
Emily S. Cross et al.
15:30-16:30 AFTERNOON TEA & & POSTERS SESSION 2 in Supper Room
18
16:30-18:00
Music Hall
Neuropsychological Perspectives on Disorders of Emotion and
Motivation
Wednesday 3rd September 2008
Ballroom
Edinburgh Suite
Updates on Spatial Neglect Syndrome and Related Disorders
Individual Papers
16:30-16:50
Neuropsychological deficits in borderline personality disorder
16:30-16:45
Behavioural and anatomical features of productive symptoms
associated with neglect
16:30-16:45
Implicit sequence learning in persons with Parkinson’s disease
Thomas Beblo
Gabriella Bottini
16:45-17:00
Attention and cognitive control in hemineglect
Eric Kerckhofs et al.
16:50-17:10
Effectiveness of mood induction in patients with affective
disorder and healthy volunteers: a meta-analysis
Siegfried Gauggel et al.
Masud Husain et al.
17:00-17:15
The connectional
anatomy of visual neglect
17:00-17:15
The connectional anatomy of visual neglect
16:45-17:00
Odor-cued autobiographical memory recall in patients with
Alzheimer’s disease
Patricia Montanes et al.
17:00-17:15
Distinct patterns of verb lexicon’s degradation in semantic
dementia compared with Alzheimer’s disease
Paolo Bartolomeo
Paolo Bartolomeo
Deborah Meligne et al.
17:10-17:30
Negative symptoms, apathy and depression as influences on
cognitive functioning in schizophrenia
17:15-17:30
Space misperceptions, space misproductions and unilateral
spatial neglect
17:15-17:30
Category-specific preservation of expert knowledge in
semantic dementia
Stefan Lautenbacher
17:30-17:50
Major depression: experimental evidence for a motivational
origin of cognitive impairment
Fabrizio Doricchi
17:30-17:45
Neglect, graviceptive misperception and postural
abnormalities
Elizabeth Jefferies et al.
17:30-17:45
Word retrieval deficits in Motor Neurone Disease
Armin Scheurich et al.
Christophe Lafosse
Sharon Abrahams et al.
17:45-18:00
Grey and white matter damage assessed by voxelwise analysis
correlates with cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease
Laura Serra et al.
19:00 CONFERENCE DINNER at South Hall, Pollack Halls, Holyrood Park Road
19
09:30-11:00
Thursday 4th September 2008
Ballroom
Neuroscience of Joint Action
Music Hall
Cognitive Rehabilitation
09:30-09:42
Reminiscence and identity: An evaluation of group and individual
interventions in dementia.
Edinburgh Suite
Musical Cognition
09:30-09:50
The Neural Basis of Task Sharing and Turn Taking
09:30-09:45
Musical memory: neuroimaging and clinical data
Natalie Sebanz
Herve Platel
09:45-10:00
Musical disorders in epileptic patients
Adam Bevins et al.
09:42-09:54
Virtual planning and prospective memory: sensitivity of a VR
task to brain injury and the efficacy of a periodic alert
rehabilitation
Jonathan J. Evans et al.
09:54-10:06
JAAM: Towards a more ecologically-valid assessment of
dysexecutive syndrome using Virtual Reality
09:50-10:10
Impact of social setting on action planning
Séverine Samson
10:00-10:15
Disorders of complex-sound processing
Ashok S. Jansari
Antje Holländer & Wolfgang Prinz
Timothy D. Griffiths
10:06-10:18
Social cognition deficits influence the effectivity of cognitive
rehabilitation of dysexecutive problems
10:10-10:30
Yin, Yang and the neural basis of complementary action
10:15-10:30
Sensory motor Integration and Desintegration in highly skilled
musicians
Jacoba M. Spikman et al.
10:18-10:30
Visual dual-task training vs. visual exploration training in
neglect patients: effects on tests and functional tasks.
Luciano Fasotti & Marlies van Kessel
10:30-10:42
Efficacy of Time Pressure Management (TPM) in stroke
patients with slowed information
processing
Caroline M. van Heugten et al.
Roger D. Newman-Norlund et al.
10:30-10:50
Joint action with an impaired Theory of Mind
10:30-10:45
Moving out of sync: Sensorimotor synchronization in
Parkinson's disease
Glyn W. Humphreys & Joanna Bedford
Simone Dalla Bella
10:42-10:54
Effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation program
Sascha Rasquin
11:00-11:30 MORNING COFFEE in Supper Room
20
Eckart Altenmüller & Hans-Christian Jabusch
11:30-13:00
Thursday 4th September 2008
Ballroom
Music Hall
Neural Substrates of Memory Disorders in Neurodegenerative
Diseases: confrontation from Multiple Neuroimaging
Approaches
Edinburgh Suite
Bodies, Actions and Emotions: What do they have in common?
Cognitive & Sign Language
11:30-11:50
MRI- and DTI-based in vivo imaging of neuronal degeneration
in AD
11:30-11:50
The left posterior parietal cortex processes spatial
relationships among body parts
11:30-11:45
Cognition and sign language
Jerker Rönnberg & Mary Rudner
Corrado Corradi-Dell'Acqua
11:45-12:00
The impact of sign language use on the cognitive neural
systems for action perception and production
11:50-12:10
Memory and executive in relation to fronto-striatal brain systems
11:50-12:10
Processing emotions in body expressions
Karen Emmorey
12:00-12:15
Temporal and spatial processing in working memory for sign
and speech
Lars Nyberg
Julie Grezes
Mary Rudner et al.
12:10-12:30
The influence of emotions expressed by bodily and non bodily
stimuli on imitative responses
12:15-12:30
Lexical processing in spanish sign language (LSE)
Karl Herholz
12:30-12:50
A multimodal neuroimaging perspective on early Alzheimer’s
disease
Alessandro Grecucci & Raffaella Ida Rumiati
12:30-12:50
Action psychophysics and neurophysiology
Manuel Carreiras
12:30-12:45
Arithmetic and phonological processes in deaf native signers
Gaël Chételat et al.
Nick E. Barraclough et al.
Josefine Andin et al.
12:45-13:00
What is the role of vision and visual-spatial abilities in
processing British Sign Language(BSL)
Stefan Teipel et al.
12:10-12:30
Clinical correlates of in-vivo measurements of cortical
acetylcholine esterase activity in dementia
Bencie Woll
13:00-14:00 LUNCH BREAK
& POSTERS SESSION 3 in Supper Room
21
14:00-15:30
Music Hall
Cognitive Neuroscience of Social Interaction
Thursday 4th September 2008
Ballroom
Cerebellum and Language
14:00-14:20
Visual, somatic and motor components of action simulation
14:00-14:20
Speech and response coordination during multitasking in
cerebellar dysfunction
Alessio Avenanti & Salvatore M. Aglioti
Irene Daum
Edinburgh Suite
Individual Papers
14:00-14:15
Functional and anatomical correlates of number interval
bisection: the organization of the decimal system in the brain
Sheila Merola et al.
14:15-14:30
The influence of visual feedback in direct pointing and space
bisection in patients with hemispatial neglect
14:20-14:40
Reading motor intentions in another person’s eyes
14:20-14:40
The cerebellum and verbal working memory
Stéphanie Rossit et al.
14:30-14:45
Associations between visual memory and hemispatial neglect
Cristina Becchio & Umberto Castiello
Julie A. Fiez et al.
Riitta Luukkainen-Markkula et al.
14:40-15:00
Emotion and cognition in social interaction
14:40-15:00
Does linguistic production require cerebellar processing?
14:45-15:00
Dissociation between endogenous and exogenous covert
attention shifts following posterior parietal cortex lesion
Giuseppe di Pellegrino et al.
Marco Molinari & Maria G Leggio
15:00-15:20
Self and other in the somatosensory system
15:00-15:20
Language and Learning Disabilities
Annabelle Blangero et al.
15:00-15:15
Collicular vision guides non-conscious behaviour
Andrea Serino et al.
Stefano Vicari & Deny Menghini
Marco Tamietto et al.
15:15-15:30
Bodies: Felt, represented and mirrored; studies in
somatoparaphrenia and anosognosia for hemiplegia
Aikaterini Fotopoulou & Michael A. Kopelman
15:30-16:30 AFTERNOON TEA & & POSTERS SESSION 4 in Supper Room
16:30-17:30 KEYNOTE LECTURE in Music Hall
“The organisation of supervisory control: effects of different prefrontal lesions” by Professor Tim Shallice
21:00-01:00 Traditional Scottish Ceilidh Dance in Music Hall
22
09:10-10:10
Friday 5th September 2008
Ballroom
Individual Papers
Music Hall
Cortex Prize Lecture
09:10-09:25
Pro- and anti-pointing in hemispatial neglect
09:10-10:10
Orienting of spatial attention and the interplay between the
senses
Emiliano Macaluso
Monika Harvey et al.
09:25-09:40
Registering discrepancies in anosognosia for motor deficit:
what happens when intended movement and visual feedback
conflict?
Paul M. Jenkinson et al.
09:40-09:55
When family looks strange and strangers look normal. A rare
case of selectively impaired face perception and recognition
Joost Heutink et al.
09:55-10:00
Faces are special. A computational analysis
Eric Postma & Jacqueline Postma
10:10-11:10 KEYNOTE LECTURE in Music Hall
“Visual Form Agnosia - A Case Study” by Professor David Milner
11:10-11:30 MORNING COFFEE in Supper Room
23
Edinburgh Suite
11:30-13:00
Music Hall
Neuropsychology of Perception and Action
Sponsored by Elsevier/Neuropsychologia
Friday 5th September 2008
Ballroom
Edinburgh Suite
11:30-11:45
Perceptual and motor deficits in the visual periphery in optic
ataxia
Annabelle Blangero et al.
11:45:12:00
There may be more to reaching than meets the eye: Rethinking optic ataxia
Stephen R. Jackson
12:00-12:15
Visual form agnosia in a stroke patient
Hans-Otto Karnath et al.
12:15-12:30
Why is the visual form agnostic patient DF better in
visuomotor than in perceptual tasks?
Thomas Schenk
12:30-12:45
The limits on action in visual form agnosia: implications for the
normal brain
Robert D. McIntosh et al.
12:45-13:00
Spared visual control of action following large bilateral lesions
of occipitotemporal cortex
Melvyn A. Goodale et al.
14:00-17:00 ESN BUSINESS MEETING (OPEN TO ALL) – F21, Psychology Department, 7 George Square, Edinburgh
24
Author Guidelines
If you are a chairperson:
Locate your session room as early as possible.
You should be in your conference room 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the session.
Speakers are requested to keep strictly to their allocated time.
Chairpersons should make every effort to avoid delays in the schedule.
If you are a speaker:
Locate your session room as early as possible.
You should be in your conference room at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.
Please follow the chairperson’s instructions regarding timing of your talk.
If you are a poster presenter:
Posters will be displayed in the Supper Room where delegates will congregate for coffee
breaks. Your poster presentation will be allocated to one of the poster sessions and during
that session you should stand by your poster. As a large number of posters will be displayed
during the poster sessions, you should ensure that your poster is up ahead of your allocated
session starting. Your poster should be a maximum size of A0 and oriented in portrait style
(the long dimension is vertical). Landscape posters WILL NOT be accepted.
The poster session will give you the opportunity to discuss your poster with conference
delegates. However, we would recommend that you also prepare copies of a printed
version of your poster with the details of the research and/or a sign-up sheet on which
interested people can request further information.
There are 4 poster sessions:
Wednesday 3rd September 13:00-14:00
Posters should be up on Wednesday morning and removed IMMEDIATELY after the poster
session is over at 2pm.
Wednesday 3rd September 15:30-16:30
Posters should go up on Wednesday afternoon at 2pm (after the morning poster session
ends) and removed by the end of the day.
Thursday 4th September 13:00-14:00
Posters should be up on Thursday morning and removed IMMEDIATELY after the poster
session is over at 2pm.
Thursday 4th September 15:30-16:30
Posters should go up on Thursday afternoon at 2pm (after the morning poster session ends)
and removed by the end of the day.
25
Keynote Speakers
Wednesday 3rd September 10:00-11:00
Professor Giacomo Rizzolatti
Department of Neurosciences, University of Parma, Italy
The mirror neuron system: A mechanism for action and intention understanding
Thursday 4th September 16:30-17:30
Professor Tim Shallice (Freda Newcombe Lecture)
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London and SISSA, Trieste, Italy
The organisation of supervisory control: effects of different prefrontal lesions
In the original version of the Norman and Shallice Supervisory System model of cognitive control this
system was treated as a ‘black box’. In a later version developed with Paul Burgess, it was argued
that the system was internally modular but with the component subsystems, such as those located
predominantly in left and right lateral prefrontal cortices respectively, having rather abstract
functions, namely in these cases, the controlling of the generation of new strategies and of the active
checking of non-routine actions. Evidence will be reviewed mainly from neuropsychological studies
of neurological patients which supports the idea of the internal modularity of the Supervisory
System. These involve analyses of anterior attentional and reaction time tasks, of problem-solving,
and of memory retrieval studies, carried out with a variety of collaborators including Don Stuss, Carlo
Reverberi and Martha Turner. Broad analogies will be drawn with the internal structure of certain
symbolic artificial intelligence expert systems programs.
Friday 5th September 10:00-11:00
Professor David Milner
Department of Psychology, University of Durham
Visual form agnosia - A case study
My colleagues and I have now been studying patient D.F. for a little over 20 years, and the
cumulative observations provide a unique insight into her pattern of visual abilities and disabilities.
Our initial observations, in conjunction with neurophysiological work on the primate parietal cortex,
led to a new formulation of the functions of the two streams of cortical visual processing (Goodale &
Milner, TINS, 1992; Milner & Goodale “The Visual Brain in Action”, 1995). More recent work, using
neuroimaging, has revealed that D.F.’s agnosia is caused by a bilateral lesion of the lateral occipital
cortical area (LO), and this finding in turn has led to further research that has shed light on the role of
area LO in both visual perception and attention.
26
Cortex Prize Lecture 2008
Friday 5th September 09:10-10:10
Emiliano Macaluso
Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
Orienting of spatial attention and the interplay between the senses
In every moment of our daily life the brain has to combine complex sensory signals about the
external world with ongoing goals and expectations. Here I will discuss the role of attention in this
process, and I will examine possible underling neural mechanisms. As a prototypical example, I will
consider recent findings in the fields of multisensory integration and spatial attention. The allocation
of spatial attention involves taking into account endogenous factors, e.g. information about
behavioural relevance and task set, as well as the (multi)sensory input arising from the external
world. Traditional views of stimulus-driven attentional control posit that the latter occur
automatically and independently from endogenous control. I propose a revision of this idea, showing
that endogenous and stimulus-driven mechanisms of spatial orienting can interact, jointly
contributing and influencing each other in the selection of relevant spatial locations. Accordingly, a
supramodal attention control system in fronto-parietal cortex receives convergent input from
different sensory modalities, and it integrates multisensory external signals with current goals
andtask-related information. This attentional control system exerts top-down modulatory influences
back onto sensory-specific areas, enhancing the processing of stimuli at the selected location when
they match the current task requirements. However, in line with the more traditional view,
multisensory spatial processing can also bypass attention control and affect sensory responses while
voluntary attention is engaged somewhere else. In this case, the communication between the senses
does not engage fronto-parietal networks, but may occur via direct projections between sensoryspecific areas. These diverse routes (some automatic, some under attention control) jointly
contribute to the integration spatial representations across the senses, and constitute a flexible
mechanism for spatial orienting. The flexibility of this system may be exploited to develop new
strategies to promote recovery of spatial deficits after brain lesion.
27
Symposia Speakers
Wednesday 3rd September 11:00-12:30
Language & the motor system
When language affects perception and when perception affects language
Gabriella Vigliocco, Lotte Meteyard & Bahador Bahrami
Grounding meaning in actions and perceptions: A role for logical circuits
Friedemann Pulvermüller
Language in action
Giovanni Buccino
I do, I do not
Marco Tettamanti
Wednesday 3rd September 11:00-12:30
Lesion overlap analyses
Challenges for lesion mapping
Masud Husain, Elizabeth Coulthard & Parashkev Nachev
New strategies in imaging-based lesion-symptom analysis
Hans-Otto Karnath
Voxel-based Lesion Symptom Mapping and Applications
Ayse Pinar Saygin, Fred Dick, Stephen Wilson & Nina Dronkers
Using MRI to predict patients’ reading ability after stroke
Cathy J Price
28
Wednesday 3rd September 14:00-15:30
The neuropsychology of bodily representations and schemas, and the legacy of Pierre Bonnier
Plasticity of space and body representations
Alessandro Farnè
Regression of facial macrosomatognosia (hyperschematia) after vestibular stimulation.
Rode Gilles, G. Vallar, P. Revol, C. Tilikete, D. Boisson & Y. Rossetti
How do we think we are: cognitive representations of the body
Patrick Haggard
Multisensory spatial determinants of bodily actions
Angelo Maravita & Nadia Bolognini
Wednesday 3rd September 14:00-15:30
Contributions of TMS to cognitive neuroscience
Sponsored by MagStim Company Ltd
http://www.magstim.com/index.html
Human motor plasticity as revealed by TMS
Angela Sirigu, Karen Reilly & Catherine Mercier
Reflexive and preparatory selection and suppression of salient information in the right and
left posterior parietal cortex
Carmel Mevorach, Glyn W. Humphreys & Lilach Shalev
Facilitation of semantic processing with TMS
Michal Lavidor
Embodied empathy for pain
Salvatore M. Aglioti, Ilaria Bufalari & Ilaria Minio-Paluello
29
Wednesday 3rd September 16:30-18:00
Neuropsychological perspectives on disorders of emotion and motivation
Neuropsychological deficits in borderline personality disorder
Thomas Beblo
Effectiveness of mood induction in patients with affective disorder and healthy volunteers: a
meta-analysis
Siegfried Gauggel, S Brisebois, S Jäger & S Gruber
Negative symptoms, apathy and depression as influences on cognitive functioning in
schizophrenia
Stefan Lautenbacher
Major depression: experimental evidence for a motivational origin of cognitive impairment
Armin Scheurich, P. Hurks, Martin P.J. van Boxtel, J. Dijkstra & J. Jolles
Wednesday 3rd September 16:30-18:00
Updates on spatial neglect syndrome and related disorders
Behavioural and anatomical features of productive symptoms associated with
neglect
Gabriella Bottini
Attention and cognitive control in hemineglect
Masud Husain, Elizabeth Coulthard, Victoria Singh-Curry & Paul Bays
The connectional anatomy of visual neglect
Paolo Bartolomeo
Space misperceptions, space misproductions and unilateral spatial neglect
Fabrizio Doricchi
Neglect, graviceptive misperception and postural abnormalities
Christophe Lafosse
30
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Cognitive rehabilitation
Reminiscence and identity: An evaluation of group and individual interventions in dementia.
Adam Bevins1, Catherine Haslam 1, Sophie Hayward1,
S. Alexander Haslam1, Jolanda Jetten2 & James Tonks 1
Virtual planning and prospective memory: sensitivity of a VR task to brain injury and the
efficacy of a periodic alert rehabilitation
Jonathan J. Evans, Siobhan Sweeney, Denyse Kersel, Robin Morris & Tom Manly
JAAM: Towards a more ecologically-valid assessment of dysexecutive syndrome using Virtual
Reality
Ashok S. Jansari
Social cognition deficits influence the effectivity of cognitive rehabilitation of dysexecutive
problems
Jacoba M. Spikman, D Boelen, KF Lamberts, WH Brouwer & L Fasotti
Visual dual-task training vs. visual exploration training in neglect patients: effects on tests
and functional tasks.
Luciano Fasotti1 & Marlies van Kessel2
Efficacy of Time Pressure Management (TPM) in stroke patients with slowed information
processing
Caroline M. van Heugten, I Winkens, L Fasotti & D Wade
Effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation program.
Sascha Rasquin, CM van Heugten, I. Winkens & W. Bakx
31
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Neuroscience of joint action
The Neural Basis of Task Sharing and Turn Taking
Natalie Sebanz
Impact of social setting on action planning
Antje Holländer & Wolfgang Prinz
Yin, Yang and the neural basis of complementary action
Roger D. Newman-Norlund, Ruud G. J. Meulenbroek, Harold Bekkering, Alex M. J. van Zuijlen,
Hein T. van Schie & Majken Hulstijn
Joint action with an impaired Theory of Mind
Glyn W. Humphreys & Joanna Bedford
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Musical cognition
Musical memory: neuroimaging and clinical data
Herve Platel
Musical disorders in epileptic patients
Séverine Samson
Disorders of complex-sound processing
Timothy D. Griffiths
Sensory motor Integration and Desintegration in highly skilled musicians
Eckart Altenmüller & Hans-Christian Jabusch
Moving out of sync: Sensorimotor synchronization in Parkinson's disease
Simone Dalla Bella
32
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Neural substrates of memory dsorders in neurodegenerative diseases: Confrontation from
multiple neuroimaging approaches
MRI- and DTI-based in vivo imaging of neuronal degeneration in AD
Stefan Teipel, Thomas Meindl & Harald Hampel
Memory and executive in relation to fronto-striatal brain systems
Lars Nyberg
Clinical correlates of in-vivo measurements of cortical acetylcholine esterase activity in
dementia
Karl Herholz
A multimodal neuroimaging perspective on early Alzheimer’s disease
Gaël Chételat, Béatrice Desgranges, Jean-Claude Baron & Francis Eustache
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Bodies, actions and emotions: What do they have in common?
The left posterior parietal cortex processes spatial relationships among body parts
Corrado Corradi-Dell'Acqua
Processing emotions in body expressions
Julie Grezes
The influence of emotions expressed by bodily and non bodily stimuli on imitative responses
Alessandro Grecucci & Raffaella Ida Rumiati
Action psychophysics and neurophysiology
Nick E. Barraclough, Rebecca H. Keith, Dengke Xiao, Mike W. Oram & David I. Perrett
33
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Cognition and sign language
Cognition and sign language
Jerker Rönnberg & Mary Rudner
The impact of sign language use on the cognitive neural systems for action perception and
production
Karen Emmorey
Temporal and spatial processing in working memory for sign and speech
Mary Rudner, Jerker Rönnberg & Lena Davidsson
Lexical processing in spanish sign language (LSE)
Manuel Carreiras
Arithmetic and phonological processes in deaf native signers
Josefine Andin, Mary Rudner & Jerker Rönnberg
What is the role of vision and visual-spatial abilities in processing British Sign Language(BSL):
studies with 3 groups of users of BSL: deaf-blind signers, signers with right hemisphere
lesions, a signer with developmental visual-spatial deficits (Williams’ syndrome)
Bencie Woll
Thursday 4th September 14:00-15:30
Cognitive neuroscience of social interaction
Visual, somatic and motor components of action simulation
Alessio Avenanti & Salvatore M. Aglioti
Reading motor intentions in another person’s eyes
Cristina Becchio & Umberto Castiello
Emotion and cognition in social interaction
Giuseppe di Pellegrino, Laura Moretti & Giovanna Moretto
Self and other in the somatosensory system
Andrea Serino, Giulia Giovagnoli & Elisabetta Làdavas
34
Thursday 4th September 14:00-15:30
Cerebellum and language
Speech and response coordination during multitasking in cerebellar dysfunction
Irene Daum
The cerebellum and verbal working memory
Julie A. Fiez, Susan Ravizza & Sara Guediche
Does linguistic production require cerebellar processing?
Marco Molinari & Maria G Leggio
Language and Learning Disabilities
Stefano Vicari & Deny Menghini
Friday 5th September 11:30-13:00
Neuropsychology of perception and action
Sponsored by Elsevier/Neuropsychologia
Perceptual and motor deficits in the visual periphery in optic ataxia
Annabelle Blangero, Yves Rossetti, Alain Vighetto, Hisaaki Ota & Laure Pisella
There may be more to reaching than meets the eye: Re-thinking optic ataxia
Stephen R. Jackson
Visual form agnosia in a stroke patient
Hans-Otto Karnath, Johannes Rueter & Marc Himmelbach
Why is the visual form agnostic patient DF better in visuomotor than in perceptual tasks?
Thomas Schenk
The limits on action in visual form agnosia: implications for the normal brain
Robert D. McIntosh, H. Chris Dijkerman, Mark Mon-Williams & A. David Milner
Spared visual control of action following large bilateral lesions of occipitotemporal cortex
Melvyn A. Goodale, Marla E. Wolf, Gordon N. Dutton & Jody C. Culham
35
Individual Paper Presenters
Wednesday 3rd September
11:00-11:15
Retrograde amnesia: The role of medial temporal, lateral temporal and frontal
lobe pathology
Peter Bright & Michael D. Kopelman
11:15-11:30
Remembering to remember: a TMS investigation of prospective memory
Alberto Costa, Massimiliano Oliveri, Francesco Barban, Sara Torriero, Silvia
Salerno, Emanuele Lo Gerfo, Giacomo Koch, Carlo Caltagirone & Giovanni
Augusto Carlesimo
11:30-11:45
Spatial working memory in normal ageing and Mild Cognitive Impairment:
Tapping the episodic buffer?
Roy P.C. Kessels, Olga Meulenbroek, Guillén Fernández & Marcel G.M. Olde
Rikkert
11:45-12:00
Memory self-efficacy and psychosocial factors in stroke
Laurien Aben, Jan J.V. Busschbach, Rudolf W.H.M. Ponds & Gerard M. Ribbers
12:00-12:15
Changes in fMRI following neuropsychological rehabilitation therapy of the
dysexecutive syndrome
Kirsten F. Lamberts, R.J. Renken, Wiebo H. Brouwer & Jacoba M. Spikman
36
Wednesday 3rd September
14:00-14:15
Word and number reading in the brain: evidence from a voxel-based lesionsymptom mapping study
Fabrizio Piras & Paola Marangolo
14:15-14:30
Colour facilitates naming of real world objects in healthy and aphasic subjects
Evelyn M.S. Mohr
14:30-14:45
Long-term outcomes of an intensive intervention in developmental dyslexia:
“Start with the basics and then read!"
Mélanie Jucla, Stéphanie Iannuzzi & Jean-François Démonet
14:45-15:00
Establishing the link between visual crowding and reading problems in
posterior cortical atrophy
Sebastian J. Crutch & Elizabeth K. Warrington
15:00-15:15
Cerebellar neurocognition: a new avenue in cognitive and behavioural
neuroscience
Peter Mariën, Jo Verhoeven & Philippe Paquier
15:15-15:30
Dissociating action and linguistic knowledge for functional objects with
transcranial
magnetic stimulation
Emily S. Cross, Nichola J. Rice, Antonia F. Hamilton, George L. Wolford & Scott
T. Grafton
37
Wednesday 3rd September
16:30-16:45
Implicit sequence learning in persons with Parkinson’s disease
Eric Kerckhofs, Jochen Vandenbossche, Natacha Deroost & Eric Soetens
16:45-17:00
Odor-cued autobiographical memory recall in patients with Alzheimer’s
disease
Patricia Montanes, Diana Matallana, Elena Nuñez, Sandra Molano & Luz
Helena Andrade
17:00-17:15
Distinct patterns of verb lexicon’s degradation in semantic dementia
compared with Alzheimer’s disease
Deborah Meligne, Karine Duvignau, Marion Fossard & Jean-François
Démonet
17:15-17:30
Category-specific preservation of expert knowledge in semantic dementia
Elizabeth Jefferies, Tim Rogers, Sheeba Eshan & Matt Lambon Ralph
17:30-17:45
Word retrieval deficits in Motor Neurone Disease
Sharon Abrahams, Devoshree Chatterjee, Katherine Meade & Harriet
Johnston
17:45-18:00
Grey and white matter damage assessed by voxelwise analysis correlates with
cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease
Laura Serra, Mara Cercignani, Delia Lenzi, Roberta Perri, Lucia Fadda, Patrizia
Pantano, Eraldo Paulesu, Emiliano Macaluso, Carlo Caltagirone & Marco
Bozzali
38
Thursday 4th September
14:00-14:15
Functional and anatomical correlates of number interval bisection: the
organization of the decimal system in the brain
Sheila Merola, Paola Guariglia, Marilena Aiello, Michela Bruschini, Wim
Gevers, Francesco Tomaiuolo & Fabrizio Doricchi
14:15-14:30
The influence of visual feedback in direct pointing and space bisection in
patients with hemispatial neglect
Stéphanie Rossit, Keith Muir, Ian Reeves, George Duncan & Monika Harvey
14:30-14:45
Associations between visual memory and hemispatial neglect
Riitta Luukkainen-Markkula, Ina M. Tarkka, Kauko Pitkänen, Juhani Sivenius &
Heikki Hämäläinen
14:45-15:00
Dissociation between endogenous and exogenous covert attention shifts
following posterior parietal cortex lesion
Annabelle Blangero, Aarlenne Khan & Laure Pisella
15:00-15:15
Collicular vision guides non-conscious behaviour
Marco Tamietto, Franco Cauda, Katiuscia Sacco, Federico Cossa, Sergio Duca,
Giuliano Geminiani & Beatrice de Gelder
15:15-15:30
Bodies: Felt, represented and mirrored; studies in somatoparaphrenia and
anosognosia for hemiplegia
Aikaterini Fotopoulou & Michael A. Kopelman
39
Friday 5th September
09:10-09:25
Pro- and anti-pointing in hemispatial neglect
Monika Harvey, B. Olk, K. Muir, G. Duncan, I. Reeves & S. Rossit
09:25-09:40
Registering discrepancies in anosognosia for motor deficit: what happens
when intended movement and visual feedback conflict?
Paul M. Jenkinson, Nicola M.J. Edelstyn, Richard Stephens & Simon J. Ellis
09:40-09:55
When family looks strange and strangers look normal. A rare case of
selectively impaired face perception and recognition
Joost Heutink, Wiebo H. Brouwer, Evelien Kums, Andrew W. Young & Anke
Bouma
09:55-10:10
Faces are special. A computational analysis
Eric Postma & Jacqueline Postma
40
Poster Presenters
Wednesday 3rd September 13:00-14:00
1.
Sensorimotor plasticity associated with adaptation to time-compressed speech
Patti Adank & Joseph T. Devlin
2.
The Hatfield Image Test (HIT): a new picture test and norms for experimental and
clinical use
Rebecca L. Adlington, Keith R Laws & Tim M. Gale
3.
A case study of long-lasting mirror writing
Valentina Gerarda Angelillo, Luigi Trojano, Natascia De Lucia & Dario Grossi
4.
Early detection of cognitive impairment in aging and dementia
Olga Bruna, Miguel Puyuelo, Noemí Cullell, Victoria Villalta, Anna Dergham, Gema
Nieves, Judit Subirana, Carles Virgili & Elisabeth H. Wiig
5.
Role of manipulability in object naming: a study on temporal lobes tumours
Fabio Campanella, Miran Skrap & Tim Shallice
6.
The bimodal bilingual brain: an fMRI investigation of signed language and speech
reading in deaf and hearing adults
Cheryl M. Capek, Bencie Woll, Mairead MacSweeney, Dafydd Waters, Anthony S.
David, Philip K. McGuire, Michael J. Brammer & Ruth Campbell
7.
Interactions and dissociations between time, numerosity and space processing
Marinella Cappelletti, Elliot Freeman & Lisa Cipolotti
8.
Can patterns of hand use suggest a marker for atypical language lateralisation?
David P. Carey, Patricia E.G. Bestelmeyer, Catriona J. Stevenson & Hannah Carver
9.
Change in neuropsychological function in people with mild Alzheimer disease after one
year of cognitive training
Noemi Cerulla, J.C. Cejudo, M. Garolera, D. Rodriguez, T. Rey, L. Delgado & C. Civit
10. Effect of normal and pathological aging on episodic musical learning memory
Sylvain Clément & Séverine Samson
11. The effect of a perceptual fading training on the categorical perception of a voicing
continuum
Gregory Collet, Cécile Colin, Ingrid Hoonhorst, Paul Deltenre, Willy Serniclaes &
Jacqueline Leybaert
12. Nouns and verbs in the brain: A metanalysis of 27 fMRI and PET studies
Davide Crepaldi, Manuela Berlingeri, Isabella Cattinelli, Eraldo Paulesu, Alberto
Borghese & Claudio Luzzatti
41
13. Item retrieval and competition in noun and verb generation: an fMRI study
Cristiano Crescentini, Emiliano Macaluso & Tim Shallice
14. Apraxic agraphia following a vascular lesion in the right cerebellum: two case reports
Hyo Jung De Smet, H. Baillieux, P.F. Paquier & P. Mariën
15. Effect of stressful life events on cognitive decline in normal ageing individuals
Jeanette Dijkstra, K. Smeets, M. van Boxtel, J. Prickaerts & G. Kenis
16. Multi-element processing in developmental dyslexia: evidence from single case studies
and data modelling
Matthieu Dubois, Søren Kyllingsbæk & Sylviane Valdois
17. Selective deficit of orthographic input lexicon in two Italian surface dyslexics
Alessia Folegatti, Lorenzo Pia, Anna Berti & Roberto Cubelli
18. The mental representation of musical notation: the SNOARC effect
Antonia Fumarola, C. Umiltà & K. Priftis
19. The Queen Square Test of Auditory Cognition (QSTAC): a novel neuropsychological
battery for assessing patients with dementia
Johanna C. Goll, Sebastian J. Crutch, Elizabeth K. Warrington & Jason D. Warren
20. Neural correlates underlying musical and verbal semantic memory
Mathilde Groussard, F. Viader, B. Landeau, B. Desgranges, F. Eustache & H. Platel
21. Musical semantics is relatively spared in semantic dementia
Julia C. Hailstone, Rohani Omar, Jane E. Warren & Jason D. Warren
22. Effectiveness of a new comprehensive and multi-dimensional intervention in older
women with cognitive complaints
Esther M. Hoogenhout, Renate H. M. de Groot, Sil Aarts & Jelle Jolles
23. Separating numerical and non-numerical encyclopaedic knowledge: Evidence from a
patient with posterior cortical atrophy
Elfriede Karner. L. Zamarian, T. Benke & M. Delazer
24. The identification of refractory disorders in dementia
Mary L. Keilty, Elizabeth K. Warrington & Sebastian J. Crutch
25. Left middle frontal gyrus and left motor area in the processing of grammatical and
semantic information. A TMS study
Emanuele Lo Gerfo, Massimiliano Oliveri, Sara Torriero, Giacomo Koch, Silvia Salerno &
Carlo Caltagirone
26. Effects of prenatal testosteron on lateralization in children
Jessica Lust, Reint Geuze, Ton Groothuis, Bernd Riedstra Cornelieke van de Beek, Peggy
Cohen-Kettenis & Anke Bouma
42
27. Determinant of motor performance across the age span
Jason A. Martin, C. Hughes, D.Peters & M.G.Edwards
28. Category specificity in Alzheimer’s disease: a normal ageing effect?
F. Javier Moreno-Martinez & Keith R. Laws
29. Time estimation abilities in traumatic brain injury patients: A study in the range of
minutes
Christine Moroni, L. Danjou, P. Mouquet & M.Noulhiane
30. A selective deficit in the appreciation and recognition of brightness: brightness
agnosia?
Tanja C.W. Nijboer, Gudrun M.S. Nys, Maarten J. van der Smagt & Edward H.F. de Haan
31. Effects of prismatic adaptation on time representation
Massimiliano Oliveri, Barbara Magnani & Francesca Frassinetti
32. When all hypotheses are right: A comparative VBM study of adult normal and dyslexic
readers
Cyril Pernet & Jean Francois Demonet
33. Alzheimer’s disease and memory semantic deficit: a feature listing study
Roberta Perri, Gian Daniele Zannino, Carlo Caltagirone & Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo
34. Category-specific impairment in semantic dementia? Evidence from 35 cases
Jonin Pierre-Yves, C. Merck, E. Leray & S. Belliard
35. Effects of optokinetic stimulation on mental number interval bisection: Evidence from
neglect
Konstantinos Priftis, M. Pitteri, F. Meneghello, C. Umiltà & M. Zorzi
36. Comparison of objective and subjective measures in ageing
Kate Richardson-Frankton, G. Mazzoni, & C. Guerrini
37. An orange is a ball is not a fruit: the origin of misidentifications in associative visual
agnosia
Estelle Robert, M. Di Pietro, A. Schnider & R. Ptak
38. Serial position effects in speech production: Contrasting patterns in patients with
different loci of impairment
Cristina Romani, Andrew Olson & Claudia Galluzzi
39. Effects of TMS on different stages of motor and non-motor verb processing in the
primary motor cortex
Raffaella I. Rumiati, Liuba Papeo, Antonio Vallesi & Alessio Isaja
40. Numerical recodification and quantitative number knowledge: evidence of double
dissociation
María Pilar Salguero-Alcañiz, Jose Ramón & Alameda-Bailén
43
41. Word reading and word bisection in spatial neglect: opposite results, the same
interpretation
Silvia Savazzi, Francesca Mancini, Lucio Posteraro & Gianluigi Veronesi
42. A PET study of words recognition in patients with bilateral cochlear implants
Kuzma Strelnikov, E. Eter, J. Rouger, S. Lagleyre, J-F. Demonet, P. Barone & O. Deguine
43. Assessment of lateralization during various language tasks: a functional Transcranial
Doppler study
Nathalie Stroobant, Diewertje Buijs & Guy Vingerhoets
44. How Does Implicit Learning Age? Evidence in Children, Young People and Elderly
People
Marcela Tenorio, Ricardo Rosas D., Francisco Ceric & María Teresa Aravena
45. Pitch height in your hands: an alternative account for SMARC effect
Pietro Davide Trimarchi & Claudio Luzzatti
46. Musical Assessment during the intracarotid propofol procedure in a professional
musician: A case of refractory epilepsy
I. Trujillo Pozo, I.M. Martín Monzón, P. Villalobos López, G. Moreno Castro, M. Oliver
Romero, J.J. Rodríguez Uranga, J.M. Montero Elena, A. González García, F. Villalobos
Chaves, & M.D. Jiménez Hernández
47. Reciprocal modulation between semantic and temporal information in healthy humans
Patrizia Turriziani, Daniela Smirni, Patrizia Pecoraro, Lisa Cipolotti & Massimiliano
Oliveri
48. New perspectives in foreign accent syndrome
Jo W. Verhoeven & Peter Mariën
49. Transcortical sensory aphasia with preserved spontaneous speech and naming:
Characteristics and recovery
Mile G. Vukovic & Irena Vukovic
50. Lexico-semantic and perceptual processing of fingerspelling and dynamic text
Dafydd Waters, Cathy J. Price, Bencie Woll, Ferath Kherif & Mairéad MacSweeney
51. Odor identification: an indicator for future cognitive decline?
Eike Wehling, Steven Nordin, Martin Andersson, Arvid Skjerve, Jonn-Terje Geitung, Ivar
Reinvang & Astri J. Lundervold
44
Wednesday 3rd September 15:30-16:30
1.
“Closing-in behaviour” in Alzheimer’s disease and Fronto-temporal dementia
Elisabetta Ambron, Francesca Allaria, Robert D. McIntosh & Sergio Della Sala
2.
Thinking touch: Unravelling the mechanisms behind tactile imagery
Helen A. Anema, Alyanne M. de Haan & H. Chris Dijkerman
3.
Is motor imagery influenced by personal neglect and proprioceptive deficits?
Ulrike M. Baas, P. Gander, N. Ritz, K. Gutbrod, R. Müri & W. Perrig
4.
Neuropsychological processes of motor imagery compared with motor scripts and
action verbs. ERPs applied to motor representation
Michela Balconi & Edoardo Santucci
5.
Cognitive correlates of anosognosia in cortical and sub-cortical frontal dementia
Anna Maria Barbarulo, Dario Grossi, Gianfranco Puoti, Roberto Cotrufo & Luigi Trojano
6.
Rhythm cueing of cognitive functions: Training effects in ideomotor-apraxia
Nicolò F. Bernardi, Silvia Aggujaro, Franco Molteni, Angelo Maravita & Claudio Luzzatti
7.
TMS-based evidence for the independence of ventriloquism effect and audio-visual
integration
Caterina Bertini, Fabrizio Leo, Alessio Avenanti & Elisabetta Làdavas
8.
Variability in performance: Is it informative?
Mario Bonato, Konstantinos Priftis, Roberto Marenzi & Marco Zorzi
9.
The Role of Basal Ganglia in Action Imitation: Neuropsychological Evidence from
Parkinson’s disease Patients
Carolina Bonivento, G.W.Humphreys, R.I.Rumiati & E. Biasutti
10. Eye scanpaths during perception and imagery of a map of France
Clémence Bourlon, B. Oliviero, C. Duret & P. Bartolomeo
11. An explanatory theory of higher brain function
Peter G. Burton
12. Anti-saccades and anti-pointing in right hemisphere lesioned patients: evidence for
selective impairment in patients with neglect
Stephen H. Butler, Stephanie Rossit, Bettina Olk, Keith Muir & Monika Harvey
13. Covert shifts of attention resist distraction: implications for the premotor theory
Antimo Buonocore & Robert D. McIntosh
14. Functionality-dependent tool embodiment
Lucilla Cardinali, F. Frassinetti, C. Brozzoli, A. C. Roy, C. Urquizar & A. Farnè
45
15. An integrated evaluation approach for topographical disorientation
Laura Carelli, Francesca Morganti, Maria Luisa Rusconi, Flavia Mattioli & Giuseppe Riva
16. On the possible interaction between egocentric and allocentric Representation
Rossella Cogliano, Dario Grossi & Luigi Trojano
17. Extrastriate body area activity during haptic body exploration
Marcello Costantini, Cosimo Urgesi, Gaspare Galati, Gian Luca Romani & Salvatore
Maria Aglioti
18. Visual context and grip planning in participants with left and right hemiparetic cerebral
palsy
Céline Crajé, John van der Kamp & Bert Steenbergen
19. Direct stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex disrupts visually guided grasping in
an epilepsy patient
Chris Dijkerman, Joost Meekes, Edward de Haan & Frans Leijten
20. The role of parietal-frontal disconnection in unilateral spatial neglect: a DTI - MRI study
Fabrizio Doricchi, Sheila Merola, Marika Urbansky, Mara Cercignani, Michel Thiebaut
de Schotten, Paolo
Bartolomeo, Marco Bozzali & Francesco Tomaiuolo
21. Effects of modafinil and methylphenidate on perceptual processing speed and shortterm memory storage capacity parameters
Kathrin Finke, Chris Dodds, Peter Bublak, Ralf Regenthal, Frank Baumann, Tom Manlysa
& Ulrich Müller
22. Mental practice in patients with multiple sclerosis
Susanne Glatzl & T. Berger
23. Moyamoya syndrome: Neuropsychological sequelae in a young girl
Cathy M. Grant, Arleta Starza-Smith & Peter Rankin
24. A case study of congenital prosopagnosia: Its relationships with visual memory and
learning
Anne-Marie J. Hufty, Marina Gasparini, Emanuela Salati, Delia Lenzia, Gian Luigi Lenzi &
Giuseppe Bruno
25. Prism adaptation speeds up recovery of neglect in the acute phase post stroke
Rients B. Huitema, Patrick C. Vroomen & Wiebo H. Brouwer
26. Planning and control of discrete bimanual actions in right- and left-handers
Loes Janssen, Marieke van der Graaff, Ruud Meulenbroek & Bert Steenbergen
27. Regret and conscience when causing a damage for another person
Boris Kotchoubey
46
28. Balint’ syndrome due to bilateral posterior/parietal infarction, rehabilitation strategies
and goal measurement
Anna Marino & Stine Poulsen
29. The influence of increased phasic alertness on spatial and non-spatial deficits in neglect
patients
Ellen Matthias, i.K. Peter Bublak, Hermann Müller, Werner X. Schneider, Ingo Keller &
Kathrin Finke
30. How automatic is the hand’s automatic pilot?
Amy Mulroue & Robert D. McIntosh
31. ERP, ophthalmological, neuropsychological and MRI assessment of visual processing in
preterm children
Michelle A. O'Reilly, Brigitte Vollmer, Faraneh-Vargha-Khadem, Brian Neville, Alan
Connelly, John Wyatt, Chris Timms & Michelle de Haan
32. Mental imagery and hemispheric specialization: a brain-damaged patients study
Liana Palermo, R. Nori, L. Piccardi, F. Giusberti & C. Guariglia
33. Cross-modal recalibration of auditory spatial perception: New evidence from neglect
and hemianopia
Claudia Passamonti, Ilja Frissen & Elisabetta Làdavas
34. To recover or not from optic ataxia relies on a critical lesion site
Marie-Therese Perenin & Simon Clavagnier
35. An fMRI investigation of the cortical network underlying detection and categorization
abilities in hemianopic patients.
Celine Perez, O. Coubard, C. Cavezian, F. Andersson, G. Doucet, O. Gout & S. Chokron
36. Object-centered pseudoneglect for nonverbal stimuli
Lorenzo Pia, Marco Neppi-Modona, Alessia Folegatti & Sara Rosso
37. Congenital prosopagnosia: a neuropsychological study on two siblings.
Marta Ponari, Angela de'Santis, Alfredo Postiglione & Dario Grossi
38. Effects of supranuclear progressive palsy on the redundant target
Konstantinos Priftis, A. Cagnin, S. Savazzi, E. Gasparoli, M. Pitteri, R. Manara, C. Umiltà
& M. Zorzi
39. The influence of hemispatial neglect on constructional performance in copying a cube
Kathleen Roten, Christophe Lafosse, & Kim Van Cleempoel
40. Hypnotizability - dependent modulation of postural control: effects of the alteration of
the visual and leg proprioceptive input
Enrica Santarcangelo, E. Scattina, A. Macerata, G. Carli & D. Manzoni
47
41. Repetita iuvant: Object-centred neglect in non-verbal visual stimuli induced by
repeated exposure
Silvia Savazzi, Francesca Mancini, Gianluigi Veronesi & Lucio Posteraro
42. Quantitative, parametric assessment of attentional components in adults with
attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD)
Wolfgang Schwarzkopf, Kristina Fast, Michael Riedel, Werner X. Schneider, Hermann J.
Müller, Hans-J. Möller & Kathrin Finke
43. Separating sensation and perception in human touch
Grazia Spitoni, Gaspare Galati, Gabriella Antonucci, Patrick Haggard & Luigi Pizzamiglio
44. Motor imagery and rehabilitation: How specific is the training?
Bert Steenbergen & Celine Craje
45. Neural fate of conscious and nonconscious perception of fearful body language in
hemispatial neglect
Marco Tamietto, Franco Cauda, Katiuscia Sacco, Federico Cossa, Sergio Duca, Giuliano
Geminiani & Beatrice de Gelder
46. Readiness potentials in hemiplegic patients: Evidence from a single-case
Diana Torta, Lorenzo Pia, Alessia Folegatti, Marco Neppi-Modona, Sergio Vighetti,
Paola Perozzo, Lorys Castelli, Paolo Cerrato & Anna Berti
47. Apperceptive “hemi-propopagnosia”: A case of persistent prosopomet amorphopsia
for the left side of space
Luigi Trojano, Sara Salzano, Massimiliano Conson, *Valentino Manzo, *Angiola Maria
Fasanaro & Dario Grossi
48. The role of white matter disconnection in left visual neglect
Marika Urbanski, Michel Thiebaut de Schotten Sebastian Rodrigo, Catherine
Oppenheim, Jean-François Méder, Emmanuel Touzé, Karynne Moreau Marianne
Blanchard, Catherine Loeper-Jeny, Bruno Dubois & Paolo Bartolomeo
49. Dysfunction of right hemisphere attentional networks in attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder
Nathalie Vaes, Sarah Geeraerts,Karl Verfaillie, Christophe Lafosse & Erik
Vandenbussche
50. Dorsal stream dysfunction in Williams Syndrome: A study of egocentric and allocentric
perception
Marieke van Asselen, Inês Bernardino & Miguel Castelo-Branco
51. Impairment of elementary visuomotor processes in preterm born children: proposal for
a pathogenic mechanism
Koen Van Braeckel, P.R. Butcher, R.H. Geuze, A.F. Bos & A. Bouma
52. Oculomotor distractors in unilateral visual neglect
Stefan Van der Stigchel & T.C.W. Nijboer
48
53. Reversed neglect for number space:A single case study
Jean-Philippe van Dijck, Wim Gevers, Christophe Lafosse, Fabrizio Doricchi & Wim Fias
54. Distinguishing the frontal and parietal components of egocentric neglect
Vincent Verdon, C.-A. Hauert & P. Vuilleumier
55. Toward a better understanding of apraxia: Neural correlates of functional tool
knowledge
Guy Vingerhoets
49
Thursday 4th September 13:00-14:00
1.
Cerebellum and cognition: a meta-analysis
Kristien Aarts, R.K.C. Kessels & M.J.E. van Zandvoort
2.
High accuracy detection of malingered depressive syndrome
Sara Agosta & Giuseppe Sartori
3.
Cognitive deficits after STN-DBS
Luisa A. Albuquerque, Miguel Coelho & Isabel Pavão Martins
4.
Is a mannequin action so different from a human one? An empirical ERP study on
action representation of biological and non-biological
Michela Balconi & Davide Crivelli
5.
The frontal variant of Alzheimer’s disease: A comparison with typical Alzheimer’s
disease and frontotemporal dementia
Anna Maria Barbarulo, Luigi Trojano, Gianfranco Puoti, Roberto Cotrufo & Dario Grossi
6.
The effect of attention on learning disorders in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1
Evelien M. Barendse, Femke K. Aarsen, Marc P.H. Hendriks & Lianne C. Krab
7.
Mental fatigue and coping after traumatic brain injury
Angélique Belmont, Nathalie Agar & Philippe Azouvi
8.
Exploration of pruritus by fonctional neuro-imaging
Laure Bergeret, Pierre Celsis, David Black & Jennifer Theunis
9.
Identification and recognition of facial expressions in Alzheimer’s disease
Soline Bogey, Céline Borg, Catherine Thomas-Antérion, Brigitte Nevers & Bernard
Laurent
10. Abnormal emotional stimuli processing in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease
Céline Borg, Catherine Thomas-Anterion, Soline Bogey, Mélanie Julien & Bernard
Laurent
11. The Functional Independence Measure as an indication for functional outcome in
stroke patients
Ann Bosmans & Christophe Lafosse
12. Type 1 diabetes: a four year follow-up on cognitive functioning
Ineke Brands, E. van Duinkerken, J M. L. Henselmans, J.W. van der Beek Boter, R.P.L.M.
Hoogma,
L.J.Kappelle, E.H.F. de Haan; R.P.C. Kessels & G.J. Biessels
13. Preservation of crystallised intelligence in delirium
Laura Brown, Harriet S. Ferner, Jennie Robertson, Nicholas L. Mills, Renzo Pessotto, Ian
J. Deary & Alasdair M. J. MacLullich
50
14. Characteristics of category fluency words: An analysis of differences between mild
cognitive impairment & Alzheimer's disease
Vanessa Buckley, Shane O'Mara, David Robinson, Conor O'Luanaigh, Erin Tehee, Irene
Bruce, Brian Lawlor & Robert Coen
15. Psychological and neuropsychological aspects of chronic pain: on the need for
individual profile analysis
Teresa Burke, Frances Dawson & Catherine Norton
16. Validation study of the scale SCOPA-COG in patients with Parkinson's disease
Noemi Calzado, M.Aguilar, ,L. Casas, D.Badenes & O.García
17. Theory of mind in neurodegenerative diseases
Marco Cavallo, Sharon Abrahams, Ivan Enrici, Sarah E. MacPherson & Mauro Adenzato
18. Coping styles after acquired brain injury
Gisela Claessens, S.Z. Stapert, I. Brands & C. van Heugten
19. Effects of constraint induced movement therapy on motor planning in young children
with congenital hemiparesis
Céline Crajé, Pauline B.M. Aarts & Bert Steenbergen
20. Impaired vocal emotion recognition in patients with medial temporal lobe resection
including amygdale
Delphine Dellacherie, Pascal Belin, Michel Baulac & Séverine Samson
21. Emotional dysfunction in ambulant, aggressive, forensic psychiatric patients:
Alexithymia and decision making in a clinical sample (current research, preliminary
results)
Ralf P.M. De Werd, J.I.M. Egger, S. Feddes, M.P.H. Hendriks & B.H. Bulten
22. Altered coupling between resting state networks in autism spectrum disorders:
Implications for social cognition
Sjoerd J. Ebisch, Roel M. Willems, Dante Mantini, Vittorio Gallese, Wouter B. Groen,
Jan K. Buitelaar, Rutger Jan van der Gaag, Gian Luca Romani & Harold Bekkering
23. The assessment of premorbid functioning in Greek: challenges and solutions
Alexandra Economou
24. Emotion recognition in late Parkinson´s disease: a study of facial expression and
emotional prosody
Silvia M. Fernandes, Luisa Albuquerque, Maurício Martins, Miguel Coelho & Isabel
Pavão Martins
25. Cognitive predictors of quality of life change for schizophrenic participants in a
cognitive rehabilitation program
Maite Garolera, S.Guijarro, G.Garrido, L.Fernandez-de la Cruz, I.Ramos & M.C.Ramirez
51
26. Depressive mood and cognition after ischemic stroke
Marleen J.J. Gerritsen, Annemarie C. Visser-Keizer & Betto G. Deelman
27. Social cognition impairments in patients with Motor Neurone disease
Alessandra Girardi, Sarah E. MacPherson & Sharon Abrahams
28. Subsyndromal mood symptoms, cognition, and psychosocial functioning in euthymic
bipolar patients
Marc P.H. Hendriks, R.M. Van Erp Taalman Kip, J.I.M. Egger, E.G. Hartong, J. Jeuken &
W.M.A. Verhoeven
29. Conscious and unconscious processing of fear after right amygdala damage: a single
case ERP study
Joost Heutink, Wiebo H. Brouwer, Bauke M. de Jong & Anke Bouma
30. Depression in multiple sclerosis: Reactive or endogenous?
Kathryn L. Holden & Claire Isaac
31. Effects of age on multisensory integration and social interaction
Edyta Monika Hunter & Sarah E. MacPherson
32. The Role of Abstract Reasoning in Emotional Processing in Schizophrenia
Lana Marija Ilankovic, Rolf Engel, Michael Riedel & Kristina Fast
33. Establishing the cultural (in-)appropriateness of neuropsychological tests
Mary H. Kosmidis, Eleni Aretouli & Amaryllis Malegiannaki
34. In pursuit of cognitive processes in acute coma
Boris Kotchoubey, J. Daltrozzo, N. Wioland, V. Mutschler, P. Lutun, A. Jaeger, B. Calon,
A. Meyer & T. Pottecher
35. The effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation health care unit on the outcome of stroke
Christophe Lafosse, K. Wille, G. Vanhoydonck, M. Troch, N. Vaes, C. Sneyers, E.
Vantichelt, K. Aerts, M. Moeremans & L. Dereymaeker
36. The underlying mechanisms of verbal fluency deficits in semantic dementia (SD) and
frontotemporal dementia (fv-FTD)
Mickael Laisney, Vanessa Matuszewski, Florence Mézenge, Bénédicte Giffard, Serge
Belliard, Vincent de la Sayette, Francis Eustache & Béatrice Desgranges
37. Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological measures: Evolution and correlation
during late childhood
Martin Lauterbach, Isabel Pavão Martins, Brenda Townes, Peter Slade, Tim DeRouen,
Michael Martin, Alexandre Castro Caldas & Jorge Leitão
38. Cognitive dysfunction in acute coronary syndrome patients
L. Roldán, I. León, R. Cánovas, J. Cimadevilla, J. Peinado & A. Cárdenas
52
39. Neural circuits of perceiving unexpected emotional reaction of someone else: an
effective connectivity study on empathy
Evelyne Lepron & Jean-François Démonet
40. The effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) on cognitive functioning among
individuals with Major Depressive Disorder
Maeve A. Mangaoang, S. Beatty, E.T. Burke, B. Hannigan, S.M. O’Mara & J.V. Lucey
41. Decision making impairment in high-functioning multiple sclerosis patients
Cristina Mapelli, Stefania Rota, Valeria Isella & Ildebrando Marco Appollonio
42. Clusters of behavioral, social, emotional and cognitive profiles in patients with
frontotemporal dementia
Diana L. Matallana, P. Montanes, C. Santacruz, P. Reyes, C. Cano & F. Matamoros
43. Emotional facial expression comprehension, laterality, EEG alpha band power and
behavioural inhibition (BIS) and activation (BAS)
Guido Mazza & Michela Balconi
44. Neuropsychological follow-up of patients with refractory epilepsy treated with deep
brain stimulation
Marijke Miatton, Evert Thiery, Kristl Vonck, Paul Boon, Dirk Van Roost & Guy
Vingerhoets
45. Emotion in moral judgement: a psychophysiological study
Giovanna Moretto, Elisabetta Làdavas, Flavia Mattioli & Giuseppe di Pellegrino
46. Binge drinking and decision making in college students
Nayara Mota-Miranda, M. Parada, M. Corral, A. Crego, M.C. Fernández-Eire, F.
Caamaño, S. Rodríguez-Holguín, & F. Cadaveira
47. Evaluation of cognitive mesures before treatment of revascularation in patients with
severe carotid stenosis
Silvia Muntal, L. Casas, D. Badenes & M. Aguilar
48. Significant cognitive differences between first-episode psychosis and chronic patients
matched one on one
Natalia Ojeda, Javier Peña, Pedro Sanchez, Rafael Segarra, Iñaki Eguiluz, Edorta
Elizagarate, Ana Blanca Yoller, Jesus Ezcurra & Miguel gutierrez
49. Neuropsychological follow up over a three-year period in a case of neuro-metabolic
disease (Wilson’s disease)
Jayshree Panchal & P. Vesey
50. The profile of cognitive impairment in cardiac arrest patients may vary according to the
overall severity of cogitive deficits
Erja T. Poutiainen & Marjaana Tiainen
53
51. The role of mirror neurons in processing vocal emotions: Evidence from
psychophysiological data
Vijayachandra Ramachandra, Sara Lisiewski & Nina DePalma
52. Cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a longitudinal population-based study
Yael D. Reijmer, E. van den Berg, R.P.C. Kessels, L.J. Kappelle & G.J. Biessels
53. Electrophysiological correlates of monetary gains and losses in a competitive context:
An ERP investigation
Davide Rigoni, Sara Agosta, Giuseppe Sartori & Rino Rumiati
54. Visuoperceptive and executive deficit in children born prematurely
Lola Roldán-Tapia, Maria Mar Sanchez-Joya, Lourdes Martinez-Cazorla &Julio RamosLizana
55. The impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive functions in alcohol dependence
Claudia I. Rupp, Eliane Norcia, Martin Kurz & W.Wolfgang Fleischhacker
56. Functional independence between arithmetical operations
María Pilar Salguero-Alcañiz, José Ramón & Alameda-Bailén
57. Cognitive defects and pathological gambling in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Gabriella Santangelo, Luigi Trojano, Carmine Vitale, Francesca Verde, Dario Grossi &
Paolo Barone
58. Regional cerebral blood flow changes related to passive finger movements in persistent
vegetative state
Stein Silva, Jean François Demonet & Isabelle Loubinoux
59. Novelty-seeking and risk-taking in Parkinson's disease
Victoria Singh-Curry, Nico Bunzeck, Richard Perry, Peter Bain, Emrah Duzel & Masud
Husain
60. Gray and white matter volume reductions in adolescents with history of extremely and
very preterm birth
Sara Soria-Pastor, Ana Narberhaus,, Carme Junqué, Mónica Giménez, Dolors Segarra,
Núria Bargalló, Francesc Botet
61. Effect of remote mild-to-moderate TBI on cognitive reserve: a report from the
Maastricht Aging Study
Sven Z. Stapert, P.W.M. van Gerven, M.P.J. van Boxtel, H. Gielen & J.J. Jolles
62. Hanging and consequent brain damage in children and adolescents: A case study
Daniel L. Stark, K.A. Treece & A. Starza-Smith
63. Management of condition-specific cognitive impairments in the context of neurorehabilitation of children post-encephalitis
Emily J. Talbot & Arleta Starza-Smith
54
64. Not all impulsivities worsen after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in
Parkinson’s disease: A follow-up study
Diana M.E. Torta, Lorys Castelli, Maurizio Zibetti, Michele Lanotte, Leonardo Lopiano &
Giuliano C Geminiani
65. Cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or other vascular risk
factors: a systematic review
Esther van den Berg, R.P. Kloppenborg, L.J. Kappelle, R.P.C. Kessels & G.J. Biessels
66. Training of socials skills improves coping skills in brain injury patients, first results
Annemarie C. Visser-Keizer & M.C. Schonherr
67. Directional diffusion and cognitive impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Nele Warlop, J. Debruyne, E. Achten & G. Vingerhoets
68. Measuring Quality of Life in Children Post-Encephalitis: Presentation of Three Cases
Jennifer H. Wilson, Arleta Starza-Smith & Emily
69. SD-root squared: Semantic dementia without surface dyslexia in spanish
Maximiliano A. Wilson, Macarena M. Martínez-Cuitiño, Brendan S. Weekes & Cristina
Burani
70. Neuropsychological profile of Noonan syndrome
Ellen Wingbermühle, J.I.M. Egger, W.M.A. Verhoeven, C.J.A.M. Van der Burgtand & S.
Tuinier
71. Neuropsychological profile of patients in a prodromal state of psychosis – a prospective
study
Ronan Zimmermann, U. Gschwandtner, M.O. Pflueger, J. Aston, S. Borgwardt, R.D.
Stieglitz & A. Riecher-Rössler
55
Thursday 4th September 15:30-16:30
1.
Ongoing reality monitoring versus mood state in determining confabulation
Ana Bajo, Simon Fleminger & Michael Kopelman
2.
Is Mild Cognitive Impairment a stable diagnostic entity?
Lia M.A.E. Baars, M.P.J. van Boxtel, J.B. Dijkstra, P.J. Visser, F.R.J. Verhey & J. Jolles
3.
Cognitive reserve in healthy elders: correlation with brain volume and brain function
during a working memory task
David Bartrés-Faz, Cristina Solé-Padullés, Carme Junqué, Lorena Rami, Beatriz Bosch,
Núria Bargalló, Raquel Sanchez-Valle & José Luis Molinuevo
4.
Walking memory in brain-damaged patients
Filippo Bianchini, L. Piccardi, G. Iaria & C. Guariglia
5.
Unraveling stress, difficulty and attentional demand in psychophysiological responses
during executive tasks
Mickael Causse, Josette Pastor, Jean-Michel Sénard & Jean-François Démonet
6.
Remembering Intentions after traumatic brain injury: Factors underlying prospective
memory failure
Melanie E. Clune, Teresa Burke, Alberto Blanco-Campal, Niall Pender, Simone Carton,
Donncha O'Brien, Jack Phillips & Mark Delargy
7.
Lateral bias in working memory
Stephen Darling, Sergio Della Sala & Robert H. Logie
8.
Ranking your cognition
Julie Debrabant, L.A. Schoo & M.J.E. van Zandvoort
9.
How to acquire right and flexible knowledge
Emilie E.D. Decrette, Bérengère Guillery-Girard, Cécile Lebrun-Givois, Catherine
Thomas-Anterion & Bernard Laurent
10. New long term memory in amnesiacs after an interference-free delay
Michaela Dewar, Sergio Della Sala, Nelson Cowan & Yuriem Fernandez Garcia
11. Positive effects of an individual tailored memory training on general well being in
patients with dementia
Jeanette Dijkstra, P. Scholte & S. Bouwens
12. Effects of unilateral left and right anteromedial thalamic lesions on spatial and verbal
memory
Nicky M.J. Edelstyn, Andrew R. Mayes & Simon J. Ellis
56
13. Verbal memory in schizophrenia: the role of the executive dysfunction
Lorena Fernandez-de la Cruz, Mª Carmen Ramírez, Irene Ramos, Gemma Garrido &
Maite Garolera
14. Verbal working memory measures in elderly people and Alzheimer’s disease patients
Sara Fernández-Guinea, M.L. Delgado, J. Álvarez-Linera, A. Frank & E. Pérez
15. The Alzheimer’s disease patients and healthy older adults performance in two versions
of the Stroop task
Mª Rosario García-Viedma, Sara Fernández-Guinea & Rafael Martos Montes
16. Frontal-parietal network involved in negative priming
Chiara Guerrini, T. L. Hodgson, P. Andres & N. J. Thai
17. Alteration of functional connectivity during word recognition memory task in early
Parkinson’s disease
Naroa Ibarretxe-Bilbao, Carme Junque & Mojtaba Zarei
18. Visual attention in discrete bimanual actions: reflection of hemispheric differences in
motor planning?
Loes Janssen, Marieke Beuting, Ruud Meulenbroek & Bert Steenbergen
19. Neuronal correlates of contextual extinction and renewal in posttraumatic stress
disorder
Simone Lang, Beate M. Herbert & Herta Flor
20. Provoked confabulations and intrusions in mild Alzheimer’s dementia
Ana Llorente, C. Bindschaedler, C. Cáceres & A. Esparcia
21. Autobiographical memory in amnesic mild cognitive impairment
Federica Lucchelli, Ilaria Bizzozero, Maria Cristina Saetti & Hans Spinnler
22. Impaired executive control functions and depression: Syndrome or symptom linked?
Pia Lyche, Rune Jonassen, Tore C. Stiles & Nils Inge Landrø
23. Distentangling headedness from the constituent position in Italian compound
processing: Evidence from priming effects
Marco Marelli, Davide Crepaldi & Claudio Luzzatti
24. Intensity of attention deficit due to right hemisphere infarction, rehabilitation
strategies and their measurement
Anna Marino & Stine Poulsen
25. Memory accuracy and executive functions in healthy young and older adults: the roles
of semantic and phonological interference
Hans J. Markowitsch & Martina Piefke
57
26. Familiarity and recollection in schizophrenia
Clara D. Martin, Caroline Huron, François Guillem, Jean-Yves Baudouin, Fabrice
Guillaume, Nicolas Franck & Guy Tiberghien
27. Developing tools for assessing working memory capacity in the Greek population
Elvira Masoura, Mary H. Kosmidis & Eleni Loukopoulou
28. Women with Alzheimer’s disease show greater category fluency impairment
F. Javier Moreno-Martinez, Keith R. Laws & Joerg Shultz
29. Memory functioning and hippocampal abnormality in adolescents with antecedents of
very preterm birth and perinatal asphyxia or intraventricular hemorrhage
Ana Narberhaus, Dolors Segarra, Sara Soria, Monica Giménez, Xavier Caldu & Francesc
Botet
30. Reduced false recognition in amnesia could be a result of impaired item-specific
memory rather than impaired gist memory.
Jack Nissan, Sharon Abrahams & Sergio Della Sala
31. How do psychopathological factors and memory disorders interact during transient
global amnesia?
Audrey Noel, Peggy Quinette, Bérengère Guillery-Girard, Jacques Dayan, Pascale
Piolino, Sophie Marquis, Vincent de la Sayette, Fausto Viader, Béatrice Desgranges &
Francis Eustache
32. Visual memory in healthy young men and women and sex hormone cycles
Cecilia Otero Dadín & Dolores Rodríguez Salgado
33. Effects of alcohol binge drinking on the WCST-3 performance
María Parada, N. Mota-Miranda, M. Corral, A. Crego, M.C. Fernández-Eire, F. Caamaño,
S. Rodríguez-Holguín & F. Cadaveira
34. Memory binding deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Mario A. Parra, Sergio Della Sala, Sharon Abrahams, Robert Logie, Katia Fabi, & Leandro
Provinciali
35. Dysexecutive features in the minimal hepatic encephalopathy
Bruno Peixoto, Laudino Lopez, Jorge Areias, Rute Cerqueira & Jorge Arias
36. Alzheimer’s disease and memory semantic deficit: a feature listing study
Roberta Perri, Gian Daniele Zannino, Carlo Caltagirone & Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo
37. Working memory impairment compromises episodic memory formation in at-risk
mental state individuals for psychosis
Marlon O. Pflueger, U. Gschwandtner, R. Zimmermann, J. Aston, S. Borgwardt, R.D.
Stieglitz & A. Riecher-Rössler
58
38. Different spatial memory systems are involved in small and large-scale environments:
evidence from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Laura Piccardi, M. Baulac, A. Berthoz , M. Denos, S. Dupont, C. Guariglia & S. Samson
39. An fMRI study of face memory recognition in schizophrenia
Giuseppina Rametti,Carme Junqué, Pere Vendrell, Rosa Catalán, Rafael Penadés, Nuria
Bargalló & Miguel Bernardo
40. Insight, attention and executive function in Schizophrenic patients
Irene Ramos, Silvina Guijarro, Lorena Fernandez-de la Cruz, M.Carmen Ramirez,
Gemma Garrido & Maite Garolera
41. The emotional Stroop task in young and healthy subjects
Marta Ramos-Goicoa, María Pouso & Montserrat Zurrón
42. aF/N-M, a new associative face/name memory test: comparison of young, elderly and
“mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) subjects
Caroline Reilhac, Jérémie Pariente, Jean-François Demonet & Michèle Puel
43. The role of working memory during new path learning
Silvia Rizzo, Vincent Walsh, Emanuela Bricolo & Costanza Papagno
44. Verbal and visual memory across the menstrual cycle in healthy young women
Dolores Rodríguez-Salgado & Cecilia Otero-Dadín
45. Implicit and explicit motor learning in young children
Irene J. Roozen, Ria Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Sabine Janssen & Bert Steenbergen
46. Differential role of the hippocampus in successful memory encoding
Cristina P.M. Rosazza, L. Minati., F. Ghielmetti, A. Erbetta, E. Maccagnano, F. Villani, F.
Epifani & M.G. Bruzzone
47. Attention complaints in healthy adults are associated with reduced Quality of Life and
objective neuropsychological impairment
Dymphie M.J.M Scholtissen-In de Braek, P. Hurks, Martin P.J. van Boxtel, J. Dijkstra & J.
Jolles
48. The role of the posterior parietal cortex on episodic memory retrieval
Linda A. Schoo & M.J.E. van Zandvoort
49. Loss of metric information with spared categorical information in open-loop
antipointing
Alessio Toraldo, V. Manfredi, I. Curti, S. Bosoni, G. Mora & A. Zaliani
50. “Anisometry”: perceptual or visuo-motor?
Alessio Toraldo, V. Manfredi, I. Curti, D. Rivolta, S. Bosoni & C. Pistarini
59
51. Suppressing unwanted memory: what’s in the brain?
Sara Torriero, Alberto Costa, Patrizia Turriziani, Massimiliano Oliveri & Carlo
Caltagirone
52. Varieties of mental flexibility in mild cognitive impairment
Egberdina J. van der Hulst, Kevin J. Manning, Eleanor M. Neijstrom, Chiadi U. Onyike &
Jason Brandt
53. Frontal executive function following concussion: A need to modify assessment?
Mareen Weber & Martin G. Edwards
60
Symposia Abstracts
Wednesday 3rd September 11:00-12:30
Language & the motor system
When language affects perception and when perception affects language
Gabriella Vigliocco, Lotte Meteyard & Bahador Bahrami
Department of Psychology University College London
In this talk we present experiments that assess interactions between word comprehension and lowlevel motion perception. In a first study we established that listening to words referring to motion up
or down affected perceptual sensitivity in making a motion/no-motion judgement for random dots
kinematiks (RDK) presented at threshold. These results indicate that language automatically engages
low-level perceptual representations. In a second experiment, we found that passively observing RDK
at threshold affected RTs in a lexical decision task for words referring to motion up or down. Again,
this result suggest that language engages low level perceptual representations. Crucially, however,
no effect of the RDK on the lexical decision task was observed when the display presented
unambiguous motion, thus suggesting that interactions between language and perception can be
modulated by attention, but only when the visual stimulus is unambiguous.
Grounding meaning in actions and perceptions: A role for logical circuits
Friedemann Pulvermüller
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge
The talk will review neuroscience evidence for such grounding of referential semantics in action- and
perception knowledge. When understanding action words, the motor cortex lights up
instantaneously, and, critically, this motor activation reflects referential features of action-related
language. The motor system is also relevant for processing action-related words, as magnetic
stimulation and neurological disease affecting the motor system demonstrate. Similar points can be
made for sensory brain systems and words with object reference. Even the processing of idioms
including action words (kick the habit/grasp the idea) differentially elicits semantic somatotopy.
However, mechanistically speaking, action and perception grounding is not enough for meaning.
When learning what a square is, the infant may encounter a range of very different perceptions and
may become involved in numerous different actions. These may provide relevant information for
grounding referential meaning of the word, but there is need for computational devices linking
features and separating relevant from irrelevant ones. A mechanism for dynamically linking
perceptual and action features in semantic processing requires logical elements that compute NON,
AND, OR or XOR functions from sensory and motor features. As they are located just anterior to
action and perception systems, inferior and dorsolateral prefrontal, and anterior temporal and
parahippocampal cortex, respectively, are particularly well-suited for housing XOR neurons operating
on actions and perceptions.
61
Language in action
Giovanni Buccino
Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma
By means of fMRI, it has been found that during listening to sentences expressing actions carried out
with the hand, the mouth or the foot, different sectors of the premotor cortex, largely overlapping
those involved during the execution and observation of those same actions, become active. It has
been shown that the modulation of the motor system also occurs during processing language
material related to abstract content. In this study participants were asked to read sentences
expressing a “transfer” of either a concrete or an abstract object (Antonio gives you a piece of pizza;
Antonio gives you a piece of news). As control, they read sentences where this “transfer” was lacking
(Antonio watches TV with you). MEPs recorded from hand muscles increased during reading
sentences expressing a concrete or an abstract transfer as compared to sentences where this
transfer was lacking. As a whole, these data show a modulation of the motor system during language
processing, but they do not disentangle whether this involvement is fundamental to language
comprehension or rather a side effect. A very recent behavioural study addressed this issue:
participants were required to read and listen to different verbs expressing either concrete actions
(carried out either with the hand or the foot) or abstract actions in a lexical decision task and in a
semantic task, respectively.
I do, I do not
Marco Tettamanti
Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy
Psycholinguistic research has provided evidence that negation interferes with the access to
conceptual representations of the negated items (Kaup et al., 2007). If negation indeed determines a
reduced access to the mental representations of negated concepts, anatomically distinct modulatory
effects for concrete or abstract semantic content should be expected. My talk will be focused on the
results of an event-related fMRI experiment characterized by the factorial combination of polarity
(affirmation or negation) and concreteness (action-related or abstract). In this study, subjects
passively listened to either abstract or action-related affirmative and negative sentences. Abstract
sentences described operations in which no physical entities were involved, such as “Ora apprezzo la
fedeltà” (“Now I appreciate loyalty”). Action-related sentences, instead, described actions involving
physical entities, such as “Ora premo il bottone” (“Now I push the button”). Classic General Linear
Model and Effective Connectivity analyses showed that, irrespective of the level of concreteness
(action-related vs. abstract), sentential negation was associated with a deactivation of pallido-cortical
areas. Crucially, negation induced distinct effects for action-related vs. abstract sentences. In the
case of negative action-related sentences, a reduction of both activations and connection stengths
occurred within the left-hemispheric fronto-parieto-temporal system for action representation. For
negative abstract sentences, there was a deactivation of the posterior cingulate cortex.
62
Wednesday 3rd September 11:00-12:30
Lesion overlap analyses
Challenges for lesion mapping
Masud Husain, Elizabeth Coulthard & Parashkev Nachev
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience & Institute of Neurology, UCL and Imperial College
Lesion mapping presents an important way to gain insights into both brain function and
neuropsychological syndromes. However, traditional methods have limitations, both in terms of
speed of execution and operator dependency, as well as the strength of inferences that can be made
from them. In this talk, we consider the challenges that confront us if we are to advance lesion
mapping to a more useful and useable method that can be applied broadly in the research
community. We discuss difficulties in normalizing brain lesions into standard space, segmenting
lesions from healthy brain and the importance of the timing of scans relative to brain insult and
behavioural testing. Some attempts to circumvent or solve some of these problems will be
introduced including a new enantiomorphic method (Nachev et al., 2008) which provides an accurate
and relatively fast way to perform lesion extraction and normalization in large groups.
New strategies in imaging-based lesion-symptom analysis
Hans-Otto Karnath
Center for Neurology, Section for Neuropsychology, University of Tuebingen
The lecture intends to give the background and an overview of the most recent strategies in imagingbased lesion studies and their applications to clinical groups. It will cover themes like processing MRI
images from stroke patients, subtraction as well as voxel-wise statistical analysis strategies. In
addition, the lecture intends to exemplify these methods to clinical groups, like patients suffering
from spatial neglect after right hemisphere stroke.
63
Voxel-based Lesion Symptom Mapping and Applications
Ayse Pinar Saygin, Fred Dick, Stephen Wilson & Nina Dronkers
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience & Institute of Neurology, UCL
Voxel-based lesion−symptom mapping (VLSM) is a recent lesion analysis method that has been
developed to analyze the relationship between tissue damage and behaviour on a voxel-by-voxel
basis. In the vast majority of the literature on lesion analysis, patients have been categorised either
by lesion or by behaviour. In the former case, researchers study the performance of a group of
patients with a common region of injury (for example, inferior parietal lobule). In the latter approach,
patients are classified according to whether or not they show a specific behavioural impairment, and
a lesion overlay is constructed using the lesion reconstructions of the impaired patients. VLSM
method on the other hand allows (i) avoiding predefining lesion region(s) of interest; (ii) avoiding
specifying performance levels to be considered ‘impaired’ or‘not impaired’; (iii) exploring the
independence of effects between different lesion foci, (iv) using templates and methods that are
commonly used in the functional neuroimaging literature, thus making the closest possible
comparisons of lesion results to functional neuroimaging data. I will present the rationale of the
method, describe the procedure, show several example domains to which it has been applied (e.g.,
language, vision, attention) and discuss advantages and limitations of this and similar methods.
Using MRI to predict patients’ reading ability after stroke
Cathy J Price
Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, UCL
64
Wednesday 3rd September 14:00-15:30
The neuropsychology of bodily representations and schemas, and the legacy of Pierre Bonnier
Plasticity of space and body representations
Alessandro Farnè
Espace et Action, Inserm unité 864, Lyon-Bron, France
Updating representations of the body (e.g., Body Schema, BS) and its action-space (e.g., the
peripersonal space, Pps) is essential for efficient motor control during development and skilful tooluse in the adult life. The almost one-century-old hypothesis that tool-use induces plastic changes
resulting in the tool being incorporated in the BS is widely accepted, and intuitive enough to become
a popular notion. Strong, although indirect support to this hypothesis comes from the effects of tooluse on multisensory coding of Pps, largely documented in the normal and pathological brain, which
will be critically reviewed. However, emphasis will be put on one specific question: Is the body space
affected by tool-use? Whether tools are truly embodied in the BS remains actually unknown, as tooluse has never been shown to affect arm motor behaviour. New evidence will be provided and
discussed for the incorporation of a tool in the BS, by showing that free-hand movements are
kinematically different after training in tool-use. These findings speak in favour of genuine
tool-embodiment in the body schema.
Regression of facial macrosomatognosia (hyperschematia) after vestibular stimulation.
Rode Gilles1, G. Vallar2, P. Revol1, C. Tilikete3, D. Boisson1 & Y. Rossetti1
1Université
de Lyon, Inserm UMR-S 864, Bron and Hospices Civils de
Lyon, Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Hôpital Henry Gabrielle,
Saint-Genis-Laval, France
2Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Milano-Bicocca, and the IRCCS Istituto
Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
3Université de Lyon, Inserm UMR-S 864, Bron and Hospices Civils de
Lyon, Service de Neuro-ophtlamologie, Hôpital Neurologique, Bron, France
Macro or microsomatognosia refers to a disorder of the body image in which the patient perceives a
part or parts of his body as disproportionately large or small. We reported a patient who, following a
left lateral medullary (Wallenberg) infarct reported a persistent macrosomatognosia limited to his
left face. Examination revealed a persistent left facial hypalgesia affecting the 3 parts of left
trigeminal nerve and pain. We assessed the effects of caloric vestibular (CVS) and transcutaneous
electrical stimulations (TENS) on this body image disorder and facial pain. Findings highlight a double
dissociation: the CVS involved a dramatic regression of macrosomatognosia without effect on pain
although the TENS produced inverse effects. This improvement lasted 48 hours while the
improvement of pain was only obtained during TENS. This facial macrosomatognosia corresponds to
a higher-order deficit of somatosensory perception in relation to the body image and could fit to a
‘hyperschematia’ (Bonnier, 1905). Present findings show that CVS may favour the restoration of body
image. These effects lend support to the view that afferent inputs from the vestibular system can
affect in a specific fashion the activity of cerebral structures involved in the building up and updating
of topographic awareness of the body parts.
65
How do we think we are: cognitive representations of the body
Patrick Haggard
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL
How much do we know about our own bodies as physical objects? Interestingly, the somatic
senses are silent about many features of body structure. As a result, people's judgements
about the position, size, and structure of unseen body parts reveal some striking illusions. I
will report recent work with healthy volunteers showing some novel distortions of the
perception of the size and structure of the hand, using the "in-between task" initially
developed for studies of finger agnosia.
Multisensory spatial determinants of bodily actions
Angelo Maravita & Nadia Bolognini
Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
When we move around to reach or avoid objects we use and integrate multiple sensory information
coming through all our senses in order to construct a unitary, multisensory perceptual word. In
particular we continuously monitor the position of our limbs and of target objects, through vision,
proprioception and touch. This allows us to update the position of our effectors during movements in
order to maintain the representation of any tactile stimulus to the skin in spatial register to
peripersonal visual stimuli for an efficient integration of vision and touch. Here data will be
presented from brain-damaged neglect patients and from normal human observers undergoing
repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, showing that an altered representation of egocentric
space typical of unilateral neglect, or a disruption of posterior parietal cortex following TMS, induce a
deficit in integrating spatially coincident visual and tactile stimuli following changes of hand
posture.These data support the view that multisensory, visual-tactile integration requires an intact
representation of the space around us and the continuous monitoring of our body posture, critically
allowed by the parietal cortex.
66
Wednesday 3rd September 14:00-15:30
Contributions of TMS to cognitive neuroscience
Sponsored by MagStim Company Ltd
http://www.magstim.com/index.html
Human motor plasticity as revealed by TMS
Angela Sirigu, Karen Reilly & Catherine Mercier
Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, CNRS, Lyon, France
Background: Limb amputation results in plastic reorganization of connections between the brain and
muscles, with the cortical motor representation of the missing limb shrinking to the benefit of
adjacent body parts. Surprisingly, the corresponding mental representation does not suffer a similar
fate but instead persists as a phantom limb endowed with sensory and motor qualities. How can
cortical reorganization after amputation be reconciled with the existence of phantom limb sensations
in the brain? Methods: We used TMS to map phantom movement sensations while recording stump
muscle activity in amputees. Results and Discussion: TMS elicited sensations of movement in the
phantom hand when applied over the hand area of the motor cortex (M1). I will argue that phantom
limb sensations arise from the maintenance of a representation of the missing limb within M1. I will
suggest that two levels of hand movement representation might coexist in M1. At one level, limb
movements would be specified in terms of arm and hand motor commands and at another level arm
and hand representations are specified as muscles synergies. Thus, M1 reorganisation after
amputation concerns primarily the muscular map but not the arm and hand motor command map.
Within this framework, phantom limb sensations would be triggered by hand motor command
activation which survives despite deafferentation of the hand muscular map.
Reflexive and preparatory selection and suppression of salient information in the right and
left posterior parietal cortex
Carmel Mevorach, Glyn W. Humphreys & Lilach Shalev
University of Birmingham
Background: Attentional cues can trigger activity in the parietal cortex in anticipation of visual
displays, and this activity may in turn induce changes in other areas of the visual cortex, hence
implementing attentional selection. In a recent TMS study (Mevorach, Humphreys & Shalev, 2006,
Nat. Neuro.) it was shown that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) can utilize the relative saliency (a
non-spatial property) of a target and distractor to bias visual selection. But whether this is done in
anticipation of the visual display or as a response to its occurrence is not clear. Methods: Here we
used online triple-pulse TMS over the right or left PPC prior to or after the onset of Global/Local
displays. Results: When delivered after the onset of the display, TMS to right PPC disrupted the
selection of the more salient aspect of the hierarchical letter. In contrast, left PPC TMS delivered
prior to the onset of the stimulus disrupted responses to the lower saliency stimulus. Discussion:
These findings suggest that selection and suppression of saliency, rather than being ‘two sides of the
same coin’ are fundamentally different processes. Selection of saliency seems to operate reflexively
whereas suppression of saliency relies on a preparatory phase that ‘sets-up’ the system in order to
effectively ignore saliency.
67
Facilitation of semantic processing with TMS
Michal Lavidor
Department of Psychology, University of Hull
Previous research suggests that the right hemisphere (RH) may contribute uniquely to the processing
of metaphoric language. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) of the right posterior superior
temporal sulcus (rPSTS) disrupted processing of novel but not conventional metaphors, while TMS
over the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) selectively impaired processing of conventional but not novel
metaphors. This finding confirms the specialization of the RH in the activation of a broader range of
related meanings than the LH, including novel, nonsalient meanings.The other, surprising findings
was the faster responses to novel metaphors following TMS over the left PSTS. I will discuss possible
accounts for such facilitation within a broader framework of TMS-induced facilitation of semantic
processing of various tasks.
Embodied empathy for pain
Salvatore M. Aglioti, Ilaria Bufalari & Ilaria Minio-Paluello
University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy
Studies indicate that imagining or seeing other individuals in pain may trigger an empathic mapping
of the others’ physical and emotional state. At least two forms of empathy for pain can be
postulated. The first, possibly based on affective resonance, may deal with emotional sharing and
with the evaluation of social bonds and interpersonal relations. The second, based on somatomotor
resonance, may be primarily concerned with mapping external stimuli onto one’s own body. Here we
report a series of transcranial magnetic stimulation studies investigating the sensorimotor side of
empathy for pain. We report that healthy individuals observing needles penetrating hands or feet of
a human model present a consistent amplitude reduction of motor evoked potentials, which was
specific to observation of the pricked muscle. This inhibition correlated with the observer’s subjective
rating of the sensory qualities of the pain attributed to the model and with sensory but not
emotional state-or trait- empathy measures. The inhibitory effect, which can be considered an index
of pain resonance between onlooker and model, is lacking in individuals with Asperger Syndrome.
This indicates that their empathic difficulties do not only involve cognitive-affective dimensions but
also in the basic embodied sensorimotor resonance with others.
68
Wednesday 3rd September 16:30-18:00
Neuropsychological perspectives on disorders of emotion and motivation
Neuropsychological deficits in borderline personality disorder
Thomas Beblo
Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bethel, Ev. Hospital Bielefeld
Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) show a pervasive pattern of instability in their
interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affective states, a reduced ability to inhibit impulsive
behavior, self-harm, and a wide range of comorbid psychiatric disorders. The majority of these
patients reports to be victim of abuse of different kinds. Clinical reports characterized BPD patients
as temporarily suffering from psychotic and dissociative symptoms, with disturbances of perception
and of cognition, including abnormalities of language, memory, attention, and executive functions.
Neuropsychological studies indeed demonstrate deficits in the domains of memory, attention and
executive functions. However, these deficits are rather mild. Nonverbal functions seem to be more
disturbed than verbal functions. In addition, BPD patients show an attentional bias towards
emotionally negative stimuli. In a recent study, our group found evidence for a reduced consistency
of cognitive performance. This result indicates that instability as a characteristic feature of patients
with BPD may also be true with regard to cognitive functioning. Although the mentioned findings
seem to characterize the neuropsychological profile in BPD, their specificity is still a matter of
debate.
Effectiveness of mood induction in patients with affective disorder and healthy volunteers: a
meta-analysis
Siegfried Gauggel, S Brisebois, S Jäger & S Gruber
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital Aachen
Mood induction procedures (MIPs) often serve as a tool for emotion elicitation in experimental
studies. Thus, they promote research on the relationship of emotion, cognition and behavior.
However, little is known so far about the clinical effectiveness of MIPs in patients with affective
disorders. In a preliminary approach data from 15 studies that assessed self-reported mood in adult
samples with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD, total N=472) and their appropriate healthy controls
(N=392) were synthesized with meta-analytical techniques. Elated and depressed moods were
induced with: movie, music, affective pictures, autobiographical memory script, rumination and
distraction, imagination and combined MIPs. Regarding all MIPs effect sizes in patients with MDD
ranged from 0.58 to 1.82 and from -0.27 to -1.26. For healthy controls effect sizes ranged from 0.17
to 2.51 and from -0.09 to -2.78. Overall, the present data indicate lower affective shifts in patient
samples. Further, compared to results from meta-analyses with non-clinical samples different MIPs
were effective in patient samples.
69
Negative symptoms, apathy and depression as influences on cognitive functioning in
schizophrenia
Stefan Lautenbacher
Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg
Negative symptoms have been accepted to belong to the psychopathological core of schizophrenia.
Amongst others apathy and anhedonia are part of this complex of symptoms, suggesting that
patients with schizophrenia may suffer substantially from motivational/emotional problems.
Furthermore, an association between negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunctions has been
observed in a series of studies. The question arises whether cognitive dysfunctions are caused or
maintained in parts by the motivational/emotional problems of schizophrenic patients. A similar
scenario seems to exist in cases with primary depression. The empirical evidence for influence of
negative symptoms, apathy and depression on cognitive functioning will be presented and discussed.
Whereas it is beyond any doubt that these (conceptually overlapping) variables are critical
modulators of cognition in schizophrenia, the exact mechanisms of action have still not been
determined.
Major depression: experimental evidence for a motivational origin of cognitive impairment
Armin Scheurich, P. Hurks, Martin P.J. van Boxtel, J. Dijkstra & J. Jolles
Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz
Background: Empirical evidence supports the existence of cognitive deficits in major depressive
disorder (MDD). Goal-setting instructions are effective in inducing higher achievement motivation.
The goal-setting approach was used to investigate the capability of depressed patients to increase
cognitive performance. Methods: 60 patients with current unipolar and nonpsychotic major
depression and 60 matched healthy control subjects were investigated. Goal-setting instructions
were delivered during neuropsychological assessment and compared with standard instructions.
Effects on neuropsychological performance were assessed by use of AVLT, Symbol Digit Test, RWT
and ZVT. Results: Goal-setting significantly improved patients’ memory and learning performance
by 10% as well as visual scanning and complex psychomotor performance by 13%. In both domains
goal-setting was more effective in patients reaching even performance of control subjects with goal
setting. Discussion: Cognitive deficits of depressive patients in domains of memory and psychomotor
performance are influenced by motivational shortcomings. Low self-efficacy might prevent
depressive patients to self-set and follow challenging achievement goals. Further experiments are
needed to validate assessment instructions in psychiatric patients. Moreover, goal-setting might be
useful in behavioural therapy e.g. for building up pleasant activities.
70
Wednesday 3rd September 16:30-18:00
Updates on spatial neglect syndrome and related disorders
Behavioural and anatomical features of productive symptoms associated with
neglect
Gabriella Bottini
Department of Psychology, University of Pavia, Italy
Unilateral Neglect is often characterized, especially in the very acute phase, by several productive
symptoms that may occur in the personal and peripersonal space. A commmon "peripersonal"
productive symptom is perseveration which typically manifests while patients perform a cancellation
task: they tend to cross many times the same stimulus almost always located in the contralesional
space. Mechanisms underlying this disorder of perception and/or exploration is still unclear.One of
these could be an allochiric phenomenon that makes patients "see" left stimuli in the right side of
space. In the acute phase neglect patients may also show somatoparaphrenia which is a typical
productive symptom occurring in the bodily space. Interestingly enough some of these subjects also
perseverate in the peripersonal space. If there is any anatomical and behavioural link between these
two disorders is still not clear. In my talk I will present some cases of Neglect showing perseveration
and/or somatoparaphrenia and will discuss some hypotheses underlying these impairments. Some
anatomical evidences will also be presented.
Attention and cognitive control in hemineglect
Masud Husain, Elizabeth Coulthard, Victoria Singh-Curry & Paul Bays
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute of Neurology, UCL
Although the deployment of attention in the neglect syndrome is known to be impaired there has
been relatively little investigation of whether the deficit is in stimulus-driven or goal-directed
attention mechanisms. Here we probe the nature of the attention deficit using eye movements to
measure bottom-up capture by irrelevant stimuli while patients perform a goal-directed search. Our
findings reveal similar, graded deficits across space for both stimulus-driven and goal-directed
attention, consistent with the view that posterior parietal cortex makes a crucial contribution to both
these processes. In a second study, we went on to examine how neglect patients exert control in
situations of response conflict. Flexible behaviour in humans often requires rapid choices to be
made between conflicting action plans. We found that right parietal neglect patients demonstrate
facilitation (speeding) of rightward movements in the presence of conflicting leftward response
plans. In contrast, neglect patients with frontal damage have an augmented cost of conflict for both
leftward and rightward movements. Our findings indicate a critical role for right parietal regions in
action planning when there is response competition. The results of both studies will be discussed in
the context of emerging views on parietal contributions to attention and cognitive control.
71
The connectional anatomy of visual neglect
Paolo Bartolomeo
INSERM UMR_S 610, Hôpital Salpêtrière, Paris, France
The study of left visual neglect is important for understanding the brain mechanisms of
consciousness, perception and attention, but its anatomical correlates are currently the object of
intense debate. Most studies indicate the inferior parietal lobule, consistent with the known role of
posterior parietal cortex in spatial attention and perceptual salience. Others implicate the rostral
superior temporal gyrus, suggesting a segregation of spatial awareness in the ventral cortical visual
stream. The underlying subcortical association circuits have received less attention. However,
accumulating evidence obtained using a variety of methods indicates that severe deficits of spatial
awareness can result from damage to long-range white matter pathways within and between the
hemispheres. In particular, disruption of caudo-rostral pathways in the right hemisphere, such as
components of the superior longitudinal fasciculus or the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus have
been associated with neglect signs. Thus, neglect would not result from the dysfunction of a single
cortical region, but from the disruption of large networks made up of distant cortical regions. This
evidence, often present in previous studies but frequently overlooked, is consistent with the
existence of distributed cortical networks for orienting of attention and perceptual selection in the
normal brain.
Space misperceptions, space misproductions and unilateral spatial neglect
Fabrizio Doricchi
Universita' "La Sapienza" - Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma Italy
Several lines of clinical evidence suggest that patients with neglect can suffer misperception and
misproduction of spatial distances and size. Whether these impairments are fundamental to the
neglect syndrome or whether they are symptoms associated to specific forms of the syndrome was
debated in recent years. We review and report new evidence suggesting that space misperception
and misproduction are not necessarily associated to neglect and that their presence is better
predicted by specific functional impairments associated to neglect. Clinical and testing criteria for
differentiating space misperceptions and misproductions associated to spatial neglect from other
clinical syndromes as metamorphopsia, hyper/hyposchematia or perseveration are proposed.
72
Neglect, graviceptive misperception and postural abnormalities
Christophe Lafosse
Rehabilitation Hospital Hof ter Schelde, Antwerp, Belgium; Catholic University of Leuven
and Lessius University College, Belgium
Background: We have aimed to demonstrate the existence of a biased postural body scheme in
patients with neglect and postural abnormalities. Methods: We have systematically studied the
subjective postural vertical (SPV), the subjective straight ahead (SSA), the subjective visual vertical
(SVV) and the location of the centre of gravity (COG) in right brain damaged stroke patients, classified
according to the severity of their neglect and the all or no presence of postural abnormalities (e.g.
contraversive pushing [CP]). Time course of changes in the body-centred representation of space was
investigated in 2 cases with right posterior cortical brain damage. Results: The perceived localisation
of the body saggital midplane in space is ipsilesionally displaced in patients with hemispatial neglect
resulting in an ipsilesional deviation of the COG. However, in the neglect patients with CP we noticed
a displaced COG towards the contralesional side of space. Conclusion: Our results favour the
interpretation that the underlying cause of the postural abnormalities is a severe graviceptive
misperception of the body orientation in relation to gravity. In the patients with CP this
misperception is compensated by a contraversive shift of the COG in order to re-align the postural
body scheme with the gravitational vertical.
73
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Cognitive rehabilitation
Reminiscence and identity: An evaluation of group and individual interventions in dementia.
Adam Bevins1, Catherine Haslam 1, Sophie Hayward1,
S. Alexander Haslam1, Jolanda Jetten2 & James Tonks 1
1University
of Exeter and 2University of Queensland
Reminiscence work aims to improving mood, well-being and personal identity in people who suffer
dementia (Woods et al., 2005). Despite this, little is known about the impact of reminiscence on
identity processes, and in particular whether it is best delivered in an individual or group context.
Social Identity Theory offers a novel perspective on the outcome of such treatment, predicting that
group reminiscence would improve well-being because the experience of sharing memories from
one’s personal past with others creates a sense of shared social identification. Development of
shared identity also has the potential to improve well-being and may motivate people to engage
more in the cognitive tasks at hand. To address this issue we conducted an intervention study,
comparing the effectiveness of group reminiscence (GR), individual reminiscence (IR) and a group
control (GC) activity on memory and well-being in older adults living in residential care. A total of 73
people took part: 29 in GR, 24 in IR and 20 in a group control activity. The intervention took place
over six weeks and cognitive screening and well-being measures were taken both before and after
the intervention. Findings indicate that only the group interventions produced effective outcomes:
improvement in memory was found in the GR condition and improvement in well-being was found in
the GC condition. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical implications of these findings:
suggesting (a) that cognition is facilitated by interactions that strengthen social identity, but (b) that
this may also limit the benefits of therapy for well-being by providing insights into the way that one’s
own identity has changed.
74
Virtual planning and prospective memory: sensitivity of a VR task to brain injury and the
efficacy of a periodic alert rehabilitation
Jonathan J. Evans, Siobhan Sweeney, Denyse Kersel, Robin Morris & Tom Manly
University of Glasgow
Background: Executive deficits are revealed by the complex and unconstrained nature of many
everyday life activities. Such activities are however, by definition, idiosyncratic and difficult to
control. Virtual reality (VR), in providing an analogue of everyday situations amenable to control and
measurement, may offer better insights into planning deficits consequent upon brain injury and
provide a controlled environment in which to test the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions.
Method: Seventeen participants with non-progressive brain injury and executive difficulties in
everyday life, and an age and IQ matched control group, performed a VR task (working in a furniture
storage unit) that tests planning, rule following and prospective remembering. A second component
to the study investigated whether the patients' performance could be improved by periodic noncontingent alerts that were intended to prompt task-goal review. Results: The patients were
significantly poorer than controls in terms of their strategy, time-based prospective memory, overall
time required and propensity to break rules. Periodic alerts did not improve performance.
Discussion: The VR task was sensitive to executive deficits. We suggest that in complex environments
alerts may need to be combined with a more comprehensive goal management training in order to
be effective.
JAAM: Towards a more ecologically-valid assessment of dysexecutive syndrome using Virtual
Reality
Ashok S. Jansari
School of Psychology, University of East London
The accurate assessment of individuals with dysexecutive syndrome (DS) is vital for effective
rehabilitation. Although neuropsychological tests of executive function exist, they are not necessarily
ecologically-valid or predictive of real-world adjustment (Shallice & Burgess, 1991). The JAAM
(Jansari, Agnew, Akesson & Murphy) paradigm is an office-based role-playing task constructed to tap
the major deficits seen in DS. As well as a real-world version, the task was also created to be run on a
laptop computer as a Virtual-Reality (VR) environment. Five sets of studies using JAAM have shown
that it a) is able to significantly discriminate DS patients from matched controls (NCs) and that the VR
findings replicate the real-world findings, b) is able to pick up gains following rehabilitation, c) can be
replicated in other languages, d) can be used to explore age-related decline in executive functioning
e)can reveal the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine. Additionally, fine-grained analysis of
individual patients’ performance on specific cognitive constructs can reveal impairments which are
often been missed on formal clinical testing. Findings are discussed with reference to ecologicalvalidity and clinical utility of experimental paradigms, and the possibility of using JAAM to explore
theories of frontal functioning in patients with focal surgical lesions.
75
Social cognition deficits influence the effectivity of cognitive rehabilitation of dysexecutive
problems
Jacoba M. Spikman, D Boelen, KF Lamberts, WH Brouwer & L Fasotti
Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
Background: Many brain injured patients (TBI, stroke, cerebral tumour) have dysexecutive problems.
These problems form major impediments to succesful re-entry to the community, affecting quality of
life of both patients and relatives negatively. For this reason, we developed a ‘Multifaceted
Treatment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome’, in which patients learn to cope with a broad range of goal
setting-, planning- and regulation problems, with the final aim to improve everyday executive
functioning. Methods: In a multi-center RCT the effectivity of this treatment was investigated.
Seventy patients with executive problems were randomly assigned to either the experimental
treatment or to a control treatment (computerized training of cognitive functioning). Results:
Indicators of executive functioning on activity and participation level 6 months post-treatment (Goal
Attainment Scale, Role Resumption List and Executive Secretariat Task) were standardized and
combined into an Executive Outcome score. The experimental group performed significantly better
on this measure than the control group; the effect size was fairly large. Regression analyses showed
that apart from treatment condition, other significant predictors of Executive Outcome were pretreatment executive functioning on the BADS as well as an indicator of social cognition. Discussion:
Impaired social cognition affects patients’ capacity to profit from treatment of dysexecutive
problems.
Visual dual-task training vs. visual exploration training in neglect patients: effects on tests
and functional tasks.
Luciano Fasotti1 & Marlies van Kessel2
1Radboud
2Sint
University Nijmegen
Maartenskliniek R, D&E
Stroke patients with visual hemi-neglect fail to explore or attend to stimuli on the side contralateral
to their lesion. Several treatments have been devised to redress this asymmetrical performance in
visuo-spatial tasks. These treatments may encompass top-down methods like phasic alerting or
bottom-up techniques based on sensory stimulation. Most of these treatments have been effective
in reducing visuo-spatial neglect, and some have also resulted in some degree of generalization to
daily life activities. However, even after successful treatment it is frequently observed that patients
with neglect complain of difficulties in dealing with dual task conditions. A characteristic example is
the combination of wheelchair riding or walking and simultaneously avoiding obstacles in the
affected hemispace. Therefore, a dual-task training was designed and compared with a treatment
consisting of several single visual-exploration tasks. Patients with right hemisphere damage and
visual hemi-neglect were randomly assigned to either this dual-task training or to a single task
control training. Duration and intensity of both treatments were identical. Training results were
evaluated after six weeks with both neuropsychological and functional tasks. Moreover, a dual task
consisting of a driving simulation task combined with a visual decision task was administered, in
order to assess post-training effects on dual-task performance. Provisional results indicate that
before training there are no differences between both groups on nearly all measures. Although after
training both groups improve significantly, there seems to be no difference between groups on most
outcome measures.
76
Efficacy of Time Pressure Management (TPM) in stroke patients with slowed information
processing
Caroline M. van Heugten, I Winkens, L Fasotti & D Wade
Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University
Slowness of information processing is a common complaint after stroke and may lead to problems in
daily life. A possible approach towards coping with mental slowness is Time Pressure Management
(TPM). The goal of the present study is to compare the efficacy of TPM training to cognitive training
in stroke patients. An RCT in which 40 stroke patients were randomised to either TPM or care as
usual. Each patient received 10 hours of training at a rehabilitation centre according to a training
protocol. Outcome measures were done before, after training, and at three months follow up. Main
outcome measures were performance on trained and non-trained daily life tasks involving time
pressure, subjective complaints after training. In addition, long term performance and quality of life
were determined. After training, both groups use more strategies, in favour of the TPM group
(p=0.45). At follow up this improvement disappears. The TPM group can perform daily life tasks
quicker than the control group. However, in terms of performance on daily life tasks and subjective
complaints the two groups both improve, but do not differ significantly after training. At follow up,
the experimental group shows a higher quality of life. The preliminary results suggest a small but
favourable effect of TPM training over care as usual. Patients experience a higher quality of life in the
long term.
Effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation program.
Sascha Rasquin, CM van Heugten, I. Winkens & W. Bakx
Cognitive Rehabilitation, SLR, Eijsden
Objective: Cognitive and emotional problems after acquired brain injury hinder the patient on the longterm the most. Especially patients who are able to live an independent life, do often not receive the
most optimal form of treatment. In this study we evaluated a cognitive rehabilitation program. In this
program patients learn to cope with the consequences of their acquired brain injury. Moreover they
learn to become more assertive. Methods: In this study we evaluated the program with a pre-post test
design and a follow-up assessment. All patients were assessed with questionnaires about cognitive and
emotional well-being and about quality of life (Symptom Checklist-90, Stroke Adapted Sickness Impact
Profile, Frenchay Activities Index, Community Integration Questionnaire, Fatigue Severity Scale). The
informal caregiver also were assessed different questionnaires (Utrecht Coping List, Caregiver Strain
Index). Results: Up until now 15 patients and their informal caregiver participated (7 male, 8 female,
mean age 47.4, SD 9.6). The first results presume that there is not a large effect on the questionnaires
(most people do not change on the questionnaires and even some people deteriorate directly after the
treatment). However, all patients reported that the goals they set at the start of the treatment were
reached at the end of the treatment. We can conclude that the treatment is effective, in terms of
individual goal setting.
77
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Neuroscience of joint action
The Neural Basis of Task Sharing and Turn Taking
Natalie Sebanz
School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
This talk will address the role of forming shared representations of actions and tasks for joint action.
First, I will present behavioural evidence showing that individuals acting together have a strong
tendency to form shared representations even when there is no explicit requirement to do so. Second, I
will discuss EEG and fMRI studies suggesting that the tendency to form shared representations places
specific demands on action planning and control; in particular, self and other must be kept apart in
order to be able to take turns with other actors. In the last part, I will address the question of whether
impairments in social understanding such as those encountered by people with autism affect the ability
to form shared representations and take turns. Taken together, the findings suggest that representing
others’ actions and tasks in a functionally equivalent way as one’s own is a fairly basic social ability that
may work in concert with higher-level planning structures keeping self and other apart.
Impact of social setting on action planning
Antje Holländer & Wolfgang Prinz
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
Common coding theory claims that perceived events and planned actions share a common
representational domain. There is evidence that these representations may be shared between self
and others. Investigating task sharing is one way of studying real-time social interactions. In this
paradigm two individuals take care of a certain aspect of a common task. There is evidence that
although no interpersonal coordination is required, the task aspect of the other agent is taken into
account as well. The present study investigates the underlying neural mechanisms of corepresentation in task sharing. Therefore, the LRP was used as a measure of relative activation of the
participant’s motor cortices. The findings provide evidence that similar neural mechanisms are
involved in monitoring one’s own actions and the actions of others.
78
Yin, Yang and the neural basis of complementary action
Roger D. Newman-Norlund, Ruud G. J. Meulenbroek, Harold Bekkering, Alex M. J. van Zuijlen,
Hein T. van Schie & Majken Hulstijn
Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information
Working together with another person typically involves a tight linkage between observed and
executed actions. Although actions generated by cooperating individuals can, in certain ircumstances,
be identical (imitative), recent empirical evidence suggests that such interactions are maximally
successful when a complementary response dynamic is adopted. The present talk will discuss recent
research on the brain basis of imitative and complementary actions. Two initial fMRI experiments
implicating the right inferior parietal lobule and inferior frontal gyrus in two different kinds of
complementary action, handing over of objects and cooperative lifting and balancing, will serve as the
core of the talk. Recent experiments in our lab which shed new light onto the neural and functional
basis of complementary action will also be discussed. These findings will also be discussed in terms of
their potential implications for the development of functional models of joint action, interactive
human-like robots, and the development of better treatment and assessment programs for socially
impaired sub-populations.
Joint action with an impaired Theory of Mind
Glyn W. Humphreys & Joanna Bedford
University of Birmingham
When people jointly engage in a task they can share a common representation which determines their
performance. This paper examines the performance on joint action tasks of neuropsychological
patients with impairments of 'Theory of Mind' (ToM) following either posterior parietal or prefrontal
brain lesions. The data indicate that patients with ToM impairments can fail to adopt a common
representation when they performance joint action tasks, though the reasons for this appear to differ
across the two lesion groups. The implications for understanding the role of ToM in joint actions are
discussed.
79
Thursday 4th September 09:30-11:00
Musical cognition
Musical memory: neuroimaging and clinical data
Herve Platel
Inserm U923 - University of Caen, France
Clinical observations and experimental studies have revealed that the fields of language and music
differ markedly in their most basic aspects (perception), and yet the possible existence of distinct
musical memory processes has seldom been the subject of original research projects. According to
the cognitive model of Isabelle Peretz, although the verbal and musical lexicons are closely
connected, they can stand alone, with the musical lexicon constituting an independent, long-term
memory for music. Furthermore, given the special links that exist between music and emotion,
together with the perceptual features of the former, musical activities would appear to have a
therapeutic effect. Clinical neuropsychology and functional neuroimaging works are making a new
and very fundamental contribution to this question. Improved knowledge of music’s neural
substrates (perception, memory and musical emotion) will allow us to devise music therapy activities
on a firmer fundamental footing. Neurological diseases, especially neurodegenerative ones, provide
a useful setting for testing the specific effectiveness of music in therapeutic interventions. We will
present 1) - functional neuroimaging results in order to discuss the existence of a specific musical
long-term memory; 2) –clinical data showing preserved abilities of learning new songs in patients
with Alzheimer’s disease.
Musical disorders in epileptic patients
Séverine Samson
University of Lille 3 & Epilepsy Unit, La Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
Studies of patients who have undergone temporal or frontal lobe resection for the relief of
intractable epilepsy have demonstrated impaired memory and emotional processing of music
providing considerable advances in the cognitive neuroscience of music. Based on theoretical models
of memory described in the non-musical domain, we will discuss the involvement of temporal lobe as
well as frontal lobe structures in musical learning and recognition but emphasizing the specific role of
right as opposed to left hemisphere structures. Following this, we will review recent data
demonstrating the involvement of the amygdala and parahippocampal regions in experiencing
emotion induced by musical listening. All these findings will be presented in relation to the specificity
of music and the relevance of examining musical cognition and emotion in neuropsychological
evaluation and rehabilitation will be discussed.
80
Disorders of complex-sound processing
Timothy D. Griffiths
Auditory Group, Newcastle University, Medical School
I will describe work using functional imaging that demonstrates how normal subjects process pitch,
pitch pattern (melody) and timbre. I will illustrate how congenital and acquired musical disorders can
be understood in terms of the emergent knowledge about the normal cortical mechanisms. The
approach allows an understanding, not just of specific musical disorders, but also of abnormal
auditory cognition in a range of common developmental and degenerative disorders including autism
and dementia. The development of systematic approaches to musical cognition therefore has
potentially broad application in neuropsychology.
Sensory motor Integration and Desintegration in highly skilled musicians
Eckart Altenmüller & Hans-Christian Jabusch
University of Music and Drama Hannover, Germany
Sensory-motor skills of musicians have some specific qualities: learning begins at an early age in a
playful atmosphere. Routines for stereotyped movements are rehearsed for extended periods of
time with gradually increasing degrees of complexity. Via auditory feedback, the motor performance
is extremely controllable by both, performer and audience. All movements are strongly linked to
emotions, – pleasure or anxiety - , processed by the limbic system. These specific circumstances
seem to play an important role for plastic adaptations of the central nervous system. Training
induced changes include both, brain function and brain structure and can be observed in sensorymotor and auditory networks. However, in the last centuries, increasing specialization and, as a
consequence, prolonged training produced dysfunctional adaptations of the brain, leading to
secondary deterioration of movement patterns referred to as musicians’ dystonia. Epidemiological
data demonstrated a higher risk for those musicians who are playing instruments requiring a
maximum of fine-motor skills. In instruments with different work load for both hands, focal dystonia
appears predominantly in the more heavily used hand. Recent data suggest that additionally
hereditary factors may play an important role. Novel computational models taking the task specificity
of this rare disorder into account will be presented.
81
Moving out of sync: Sensorimotor synchronization in Parkinson's disease
Simone Dalla Bella
Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Finance and Management in Warsaw,
Poland
BACKGROUND: The tendency to move in synchrony with rhythmic auditory stimuli (e.g., music) is
ubiquitous in humans. This motor response (sensorimotor synchronization, SMS) has been
consistently tied to the activity of the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. Yet, their role in SMS
remains unclear. METHODS: The contribution of the basal ganglia to SMS was examined in 32
nondemented medicated Parkinson’s disease patients (PD) and 32 matched controls. Participants
tapped their finger/hand along with 1) a sequence of isochronous nonmusical stimuli, 2) familiar
music, and 3) amplitude-modulated noise. Stimuli were presented at three inter-onset-intervals
(IOIs): 450, 600, and 750 ms. Moreover, participants performed anisochrony detection tasks.
RESULTS: PD patients’ motor performance was more variable and more affected by IOIs as compared
to controls. PD patients exhibited impaired synchronization (i.e., with most of the taps not falling in
the vicinity of pacing stimuli) in particular with nonmusical sequences. PD patients exhibited only a
mild time perception deficit, limited to musical stimuli. Individual performances revealed a double
dissociation in SMS depending on the stimulus domain (musical vs. nonmusical stimuli). DISCUSSION:
These findings suggest that the basal ganglia may support domain-related synchronization
mechanisms which would not be engaged in time perception.
82
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Neural substrates of memory disorders in neurodegenerative diseases: Confrontation from
multiple neuroimaging approaches
MRI- and DTI-based in vivo imaging of neuronal degeneration in AD
Stefan Teipel, Thomas Meindl & Harald Hampel
Department of Psychiatry, University Rostock
We employed MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to determine the neuronal substrate of cognitive
dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in vivo. Using deformation based morphometry, we found a
distinct pattern of atrophy of secondary association cortex, but also subcortical nuclei including the
cholinergic basal forebrain, that discriminated between AD patients and controls and predicted the
development of AD in clinical at risk subjects. By combining MRI with fMRI we found a regional pattern
of cortical density that underlie the functional segregation between the ventral and dorsal pathways of
the visual system. Using multivariate network analysis of DTI data, we identified intracortical projecting
fiber systems that were selectively impaired in AD whereas extracortical projecting fiber tracts
remained relatively spared. When combining data on cortical conectivtiy from EEG coherence with DTI
data on fiber tract integrity, we found a distinct pattern of fiber tracts underlying the maintenance of
cortical connectivity in healthy subjects that was selectively impaired in AD. In conclusion, specific
pattern of cortical and subcortical atrophy are usefully employed for clinical detection of AD in at risk
subject, but even more important broaden our understanding of the neuronal substrate of cognitive
function in man and its alteration in AD.
Memory and executive in relation to fronto-striatal brain systems
Lars Nyberg
IMB Physiology, Umea University
A dysfunctional fronto-striatal brain system has been hypothesized to underlie cognitive deficits in
normal aging and age-related diseases. In this presentation, evidence will be presented from several
lines of investigation that support this hypothesis. First, findings from an fMRI study of normal aging
will be presented that link age-related striatal changes to impaired transfer following training of a
specific executive function, updating. Second, the results from a multi-modal fMRI-SPECT study on
updating of long-term memory representations link dopaminergic striatal D2 neurotransmission to
degree of neural activity in the prefrontal cortex. Further support for a role of striatal dopaminergic
functioning for the performance on executive tasks was provided in a PET study that showed age
differences in task-induced reduction in dopamine D1 binding. Finally, results from a study employing a
mixed blocked/event-related fMRI design showed that newly diagnosed patients with Parkinsons
disease were characterized by transient rather than sustained underactivation in several striatal foci.
Collectively, these findings support and extend previous notions of the role of fronto-striatal systems in
cognitive functioning.
83
Clinical correlates of in-vivo measurements of cortical acetylcholine esterase activity in
dementia
Karl Herholz
Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Manchester, UK, and University of Cologne,
Germany
The acetylcholine analogue C-11-N-methyl-4-piperidinyl-acetate (MP4A) is a tracer for positron
emission tomography (PET) to investigate the integrity of the cerebral cholinergic system. It is a
substrate of acetylcholine esterase (AChE), which is expressed in cholinergic and cholinoceptive
neurons and is also associated with cholinergic axons in human cortex. A review will be provided on
recent studies of normal controls, patients with mild cognitive impairment, mild Alzheimer’s disease,
dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease. Cortical AChE activity was reduced significantly
in all demented subjects and in MCI patients who progressed to dementia within 18 months. The
most severe reduction was seen in PDD, followed by AD, MCI, and non-demented PD. Reduction of
cortical AChE activity was related to attention-dependent neuropsychological tasks in some regions,
but did not correlate with delayed recall tests. Impairment of cortical AChE activity was less severe in
carriers of the apolipoprotein E4 allel than in non-carriers. Reduction of cortical AChE activity is a
common feature of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s dementia. It appears to be related mainly to
impairment of attention rather than episodic memory. It is present very early during the course of
the disease in AD, often even at a predementia stage, but it is not associated with apolipoprotein E4
as a common genetic risk factor for AD.
A multimodal neuroimaging perspective on early Alzheimer’s disease
Gaël Chételat, Béatrice Desgranges, Jean-Claude Baron & Francis Eustache
Inserm - EPHE - Université de Caen Basse-Normandie U923
Structural MRI has highlighted the presence of major atrophy of the hippocampal area and temporal
neocortex in early AD. On the other hand, FDG-PET (and perfusion SPECT) has emphasized the early
involvement of the posterior cingulate followed by temporo-parietal and frontal areas. Findings from
fMRI in early AD point to either decreased or increased activity involving the hippocampus as well as
several other brain areas, suggesting the co-occurrence of network default activity and
compensatory mechanisms. Recently, connectivity studies using both FDG-PET and MRI or fMRI
strengthen the notion that diaschisis is a relevant contributing factor in early AD. Finally, emerging
molecular neuroimaging is uncovering the distribution profile and time course of brain amyloid
deposition in AD, offering further information upon a major pathological manifestation of the
disease. All of these studies bring on additional pieces to the puzzle of the mechanisms underlying
AD. The aim of this talk is to give a comprehensive overview of the pieces of evidence by deciphering
the relationships among findings from each single modality, and highlighting what new
understanding of the mechanisms underlying AD has derived.
84
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Bodies, actions and emotions: What do they have in common?
The left posterior parietal cortex processes spatial relationships among body parts
Corrado Corradi-Dell'Acqua
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA/ISAS), Italy
Background. Neuropsychological studies suggest that patients with left parietal lesions may show
impaired localization of parts of either their own or the examiner’s body, despite spared
identification of isolated body parts and preserved spatial abilities with non-body stimuli. This deficit,
called autotopagnosia, may result from damage to the Body Structural Description (BSD), a
representation which codes spatial relationships among body parts. We carried out two fMRI studies,
in order to identify the neural mechanisms underlying the BSD. Methods. In Experiment 1
participants assessed the spatial relation between two body parts stimuli (controlling for the
identification of the same parts, and for the spatial assessment of non-body parts stimuli), whereas
in Experiment 2 participants assessed the position of a body part with respect to a whole body
stimulus (controlling for the spatial assessment of the same body part with respect to one’s own
body). Results. Both studies revealed a selective activation of the posterior portion of the
intraparietal sulcus when the spatial position of body parts was assessed. Discussion. The results
extend previous neuropsychological studies by identifying, both anatomically and functionally, a
region within the left posterior parietal cortex which, if damaged, may lead to autotopagnosia.
Processing emotions in body expressions
Julie Grezes
Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitive, INSERM & DEC, Ecole Normale Supérieure
It is widely agreed that body language is a powerful source of information about emotions and
intentions in our daily encounters with people. Whole body expressions of emotion often do not
simply consist of purely emotional expressions but show a person in the course of performing an
action with an emotional overtone. Movements therefore play a major role in recognition of
emotional body expressions. Moreover, body expressions of emotions not only inform the observer
about the state of mind but also show the actions being undertaken by the person. We will discuss
recent fMRI studies that aimed at identifying the neural bases involved in processing emotions from
body expressions. We did concentrate on two emotions, namely fear and anger, as they both
represent potential threats. Evolutionary survival is augmented if an individual quickly detects
environmental threats and rapidly initiates defensive behaviour. Moreover, compared to fear, the
expressions of anger additionally present salient signals that play a major role in the regulation of
social interactions.
85
The influence of emotions expressed by bodily and non bodily stimuli on imitative responses
Alessandro Grecucci & Raffaella Ida Rumiati
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA/ISAS), Italy
We will present three studies that address the role of emotions in shaping imitative responses. In
Study 1, imitation performance was enhanced when a seen lifting or tapping finger movement,
compatible with a pre-instructed motor response, was preceded by a negative rather than by a
neutral photograph (Experiment 1). The facilitation effect was disrupted when participants perform
the same task after seeing a white circle moving instead of a finger (Experiment 2), and did not
generalize to positive stimuli (Experiment 3). In Study 2, the same increased negativity of two motor
event-related potentials (the Readiness potential and the Motor potential) following the aversive
stimulation for compatible movements only. In Study 3 we showed that a simple imitative response
was stronger if associated with an emotional context. A classic fear conditioning procedure was
employed. Subjects performed an imitative and a non imitative task before and after the
conditioning. Faster imitative responses followed conditioned neutral faces (Experiment 1). After one
month, subjects, showed spontaneous extinction of the response (Experiment 2). Imitation is
automatic in human beings and under threatening conditions, become even faster imitators.
Aversive stimuli trigger their defensive system that sets up for a faster reaction; imitation is chosen
because is a response provided by the model and therefore is a more adaptive response compared
with developing new avoiding strategies.
Nick E. Barraclough, Rebecca H. Keith, Dengke Xiao, Mike W. Oram & David I. Perrett
Action psychophysics and neurophysiology
University of Hull
Background: Visual adaptation has been used to understand the brain mechanisms underlying visual
processing of simple stimuli and static faces. We wanted to know if humans adapted to movies of
actions, and if brain mechanisms elucidated using this technique confirmed neurophysiological
accounts. Methods: We tested human judgement of the weight of different objects being grasped
and placed both before and after adaptation. In addition, we recorded the responses of single cells in
the monkey superior temporal sulcus (STS) to similar actions. Results: Human perception showed
strong action ‘after-effects’, these increased logarithmically with action repetition and decayed
logarithmically with time. Action after-effects also indicated that perception of actions relies
predominantly on view-dependent mechanisms; after-effects transferred across actions. STS cell
responses confirmed these findings: most cells responded to both actions, responding during
different phases of the actions. Cell responses were sensitive to the view of the action, and were
dependent upon the presence of the object in the scene. Discussion: Action adaptation appears to
occur at a ‘high-level’ rather than a ‘low-level’. Mechanisms established using visual adaptation
parallel neural mechanisms revealed during recording from monkey STS. Visual adaptation
techniques can thus be usefully employed to investigate brain mechanisms underlying action
processing.
86
Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
Cognition and sign language
Cognition and sign language
Jerker Rönnberg & Mary Rudner
Swedish Institute for Disability Research, IBL, Linköping University
The last decade has witnessed an increased interest in the roles played by language modality in
central cognitive processes. In this context, sign language has proven to be an important analytical
tool for investigating the language modality dependence of cognitive function. This symposium
addresses some of the key functions in language and memory studied using experimental methods,
neuropsychological case studies and brain imaging. These issues are of interest not only within the
field of sign language studies but also within the broader fields of cognition, neuropsychology and
cognitive neuroscience.
The impact of sign language use on the cognitive neural systems for action perception and
production
Karen Emmorey
San Diego State University
The distinct biological basis of sign language results in a unique interface between vision and
language and between action systems and language production. Two neuroimaging studies
investigated the effect of knowing a sign language on the neural systems for perceiving and
producing non-linguistic meaningful actions. When observing pantomimes unaccompanied by
speech, prefrontal-parietal cortices were extensively activated for hearing non-signers, but not for
deaf signers. Thus, signers do not automatically engage the mirror neuron system when perceiving
pantomimes, which we hypothesize is due to their expertise and experience comprehending human
gesture. The production of pantomimes engaged left parietal cortices for both deaf signers and
hearing non-signers, but activation was more extensive and bilateral for signers. These results
suggest that deaf signers have larger and more integrated neural representations for hand actions.
The generation of signed verbs that resemble pantomime engaged the left inferior frontal gyrus, but
the generation of pantomimes did not. We conclude that experience with sign language impacts the
neural systems that are recruited during the perception and production of meaningful non-linguistic
gestures.Arithmetic and phonological processes in deaf native signers.
87
Temporal and spatial processing in working memory for sign and speech
Mary Rudner, Jerker Rönnberg & Lena Davidsson
Swedish Institute for Disability Research, IBL, Linköping University
Background: General working memory (WM) in deaf native signers (DNS) is similar to that of hearing
non-signers (HN). However, when WM load is high, HN use temporal order information in a different
way from DNS. This suggests that the organization of WM for sign language (SL), the preferred
language of deaf people, differs from that for speech. Temporal organization of WM may depend on
experience of speech. We investigated WM processing in orally-trained deaf signers (ODS) compared
to age-matched HN controls. We predicted that oral training may support temporal organization in
WM, but also inhibit development of general WM strategies based on sign language principles.
Method: ODS and HN memorized pictures for cued recognition under conditions different temporal
and spatial demands. Results: There was no difference in general performance between ODS and HN.
However, ODS performed worse than HN when temporal processing demands were high. Discussion:
Oral training of deaf signers during childhood neither interferes with development of general WM
capacity nor does it support temporal organization in WM. This suggests that WM for SL is supported
by language-modality specific mechanisms. This fits in with findings of differences in neural networks
supporting WM for sign and speech and the ELU model (Rönnberg, Rudner & Foo, in press).
Lexical processing in spanish sign language (LSE)
Manuel Carreiras
Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerfe, Spain
Lexical access is concerned with how the spoken or visual input of language is projected onto the
mental representations of lexical forms. To date, most theories of lexical access have been based
almost exclusively on studies of spoken languages and/or orthographic representations of spoken
languages. Relatively few studies have examined how lexical access takes place in deaf users of
signed languages. This paper examines whether two properties, lexical familiarity and phonological
similarity, which are known to influence recognition and production of spoken languages, influence
lexical access (comprehension and production ) in Spanish Sign Language - Lengua de Signos
Espanola (LSE). Our results indicate that the representational factors of lexical familiarity and
phonological similarity can be observed in native and non-native deaf users of LSE. In addition, the
present data provide evidence for the importance of sub-lexical properties in sign language
processing.
88
Josefine Andin, Mary Rudner & Jerker Rönnberg
Swedish Institute for Disability Research, IBL, Linköping University
Background: In hearing people most arithmetic operations are language dependent. Different
arithmetical processes engage different neurocognitive components; multiplication is associated
with activation in the left frontal lobe, while subtraction is also associated with activation in the right
parietal lobe. In sign language, evidence points towards an overall greater involvement of the right
parietal lobe. However, it is not known how this right hemisphere shift is related to arithmetic
operations. In this cognitive study, we sought to investigate a combination of arithmetic and
phonological aspects of sign language. Method: To obtain a base for comparing signers to hearing
non-signers using the same set up we constructed a computerised test battery with six conditions,
including a phonological task (same handshape for signers and rhyme for hearing subjects),
subtraction, multiplication, letter order, digit order and a baseline control task. Results: Among the
11 deaf signers tested preliminary results showed a strong correlation (r=0.653, p<0.05) between
accuracy on the phonological and the subtraction task. Discussion: These results suggest that similar
neurocognitive components are involved in subtraction and phonological processing for deaf signers.
To further investigate these processes a fMRI study on deaf signers and hearing non-signers is
planned.
What is the role of vision and visual-spatial abilities in processing British Sign Language(BSL):
studies with 3 groups of users of BSL: deaf-blind signers, signers with right hemisphere
lesions, a signer with developmental visual-spatial deficits (Williams’ syndrome)
Bencie Woll
Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre, University College London
Since the time of Broca, studies of individuals with atypical language have been used to illuminate
our understanding of language and the brain. Because of the visibility of the articulators, and the
greater transparency in the relationship of vision, visual-spatial cognition and language, sign
language is uniquely placed to serve as a model for exploring human communication and language in
the broadest sense, with a specific focus on the roles of sensory perception and cognition in relation
to the brain. BSL, like other sign languages, exploits spatial information for grammatical purposes and
makes use of facial information for linguistic, paralinguistic and affective functions. Thus,
impairments in vision and/or visual-spatial cognitive abilities, might impact on the processing of BSL.
The first series of studies are with individuals who have Usher syndrome Type 1 (USH), a condition in
which congenital sensori-neural deafness is combined with retinitis pigmentosa, which causes a
gradual reduction in the visual field, leading to total blindness in middle age. Data are presented
from a) a study using instrumented motion capture to explore the role of visual feedback in signing;
b) a behavioural study exploring the impact of total blindness on comprehension and production of
spatial and facial elements of BSL; c) an fMRI study comparing visually and tactilely perceived
language in partially-sighted USH participants with normally sighted deaf participants. The second
group of studies are of signers with right hemisphere CVA, exploring visual-spatial and facial
processing abilities, and comparing these with neurotypical signers and signers with left hemisphere
CVA. The final report is a case study of a young deaf woman with the phenotype of Williams
syndrome. By presenting data on signers with a variety of neurological and perceptual impairments,
insight can be gained to answer questions relating to the underlying functional differentiation of the
hemispheres, the extent to which language processing is independent of modality, and the extent to
which language processing is distinct from the processing of other activities in the same modality.
89
Thursday 4th September 14:00-15:30
Cognitive neuroscience of social interaction
Visual, somatic and motor components of action simulation
Alessio Avenanti & Salvatore M. Aglioti
University of Bologna and University of Roma "La Sapienza", Italy
Studies suggest that understanding others’ actions may involve resonant simulation mechanisms.
Evidence for action simulation comes from transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies showing
specific corticospinal facilitation during action observation. Little is known about the causative role
played by motor, somatic and visual areas in the corticospinal mapping of others’ actions. To address
this issue we developed a paradigm combining repetitive TMS (to create transient ‘virtual lesions’)
and single-pulse TMS (to probe corticospinal excitability) during action perception. We found that
observing body actions induced a corticospinal facilitation specific for those muscles involved in the
observed actions. This “mirror” facilitation was disrupted by the virtual lesion of the ventral
premotor cortex (vPMc). Virtual lesions to somatosensory cortex (S1) selectively disrupted mapping
of body movements with high somatic components (pain, joint stretch). This suggests that vPMc and
S1 play a differential role in the internal simulation of efferent and afferent components of others’
actions. In a further study we found that virtual lesion to motor (vPMc) and visual nodes (superior
temporal sulcus, STS) of the action simulation system reduced and increased corticospinal mirror
facilitations, respectively. Results indicate that during action perception visual, somatic and motor
components exert distinct influences on the observer’s corticospinal system, and suggest that
‘perturb and measure’ paradigms may disclose causative functional connectivity of action simulation
system.
Reading motor intentions in another person’s eyes
Cristina Becchio & Umberto Castiello
Department of Psychology, University of Turin, University of Padua, Italy
Previous research has provided evidence for a neural system underlying the observation of another
person’s intentional hand actions. Is this action observation system also important for inferring other
people intentions from eye gaze? Here we consider two pieces of evidence suggesting that this may
be the case. First, kinematic evidence suggesting that the difficulties children with autism show in
reading intention from eye gaze may depend on a lack of motor contagion. Second, neuroimaging
evidence demonstrating that the observation of object-directed gaze alerts similar neural circuits as
those alerted by the observation of object-directed grasping actions. Altogether, these findings seem
to suggest that a common intentional system may underlie the representation of both hand-object
relations and gaze-object relations.
90
Emotion and cognition in social interaction
Giuseppe di Pellegrino, Laura Moretti & Giovanna Moretto
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
The presentation will focus on the cognitive neuroscience of social behaviour, namely that behaviour
that involves by definition at least two agents, who represent and influence each other dynamically.
In recent years, comparative research has consistently suggested that complex human social
behavior is disrupted when the medial aspect of the prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is damaged. vmPFC is
a limbic brain area necessary for the normal generation of emotions, in particular, social emotions. I
will review two recent studies that have examined whether vmPFC and, in parallel, emotions play a
causal role in moral and economic decisions embedded in social context. In both studies, we found
that patients with focal bilateral damage to vmPFC produce an abnormal pattern of social decisions,
despite normal general intellectual abilities. Moreover, differently from healthy individuals, vmPFC
patients lack anticipatory skin conductance responses when they consider choices that may have
social consequences. We suggest that vmPFC is critical in mediating anticipatory affective reactions
that may exert strong influence on moral choices and economic behaviour. In contrast to classical
decision theory, according to which moral and economic agents are perfectly rational individuals, our
findings indicate that social decisions emerge as the outcome of an interaction between cognitive
and affective processing systems.
Self and other in the somatosensory system
Andrea Serino, Giulia Giovagnoli & Elisabetta Làdavas
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
The observation of touch on another person’s body automatically activates brain regions directly
involved in tactile perception. This suggests that in order to understand sensations experienced by
others, observers remap visual information onto their own somatosensory system. We developed an
experimental paradigm to study whether such remapping is modulated by perceptual or social
factors. Subjects observe a visual stimulus being touched by hands while receiving tactile stimuli on
their face. Observing a face, but not an object, enhanced the detection of sub-threshold tactile
stimuli on the face. This effect was stronger when subjects viewed their own face rather than
another person’s face. The strength of the effect due to viewing the face of others depended on the
similarity between the observer and the observed face: tactile detection was higher when young
observers viewed young rather than elderly faces. The pleasantness of the observed face also
modulated the effect: viewing one’s own face, or another person’s face, morphed to increase face
beauty, enhanced tactile perception. Therefore high order perceptual and social factors, such as
similarity or attractiveness of the observed face, modulate visual remapping of touch. These findings
suggest that in condition of interaction between self and other, top-down processes modulate
multisensory integration.
91
Thursday 4th September 14:00-15:30
Cerebellum and language
Speech and response coordination during multitasking in cerebellar dysfunction
Irene Daum
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University of Bochum
Background. The nature of cerebellar involvement in cognitive control processes is as yet not well
understood. Fronto-cerebellar loops might serve as the basis of a cerebellar mediation of executive
function, and there is evidence for a cerebellar contribution to verbal working memory. This study
aimed to assess the cerebellar involvement in the on-line coordination of motor and verbal output.
Methods. Patients with focal vascular cerebellar lesions were compared with patients with focal
basal ganglia lesions and age- and IQ-matched healthy controls on tasks which required the
coordination of different sensory inputs or the coordination of different motor outputs (i.e. manual
and verbal responses). Results. A subgroup of cerebellar lesion patients showed significant
impairments during concurrent processing of auditory and visual input. The most pronounced
deficits were observed during the coordination of manual and verbal responses in a dual-task
condition where cerebellar patients (but not basal ganglia lesion patients) showed a high number of
verbal errors. Discussion. Taken together, the data support the idea of a cerebellar contribution to
subcomponents of executive functions which involve the control of verbal output.
The cerebellum and verbal working memory
Julie A. Fiez, Susan Ravizza & Sara Guediche
Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh
Background. Neuroimaging studies of verbal working memory have consistently revealed activation
in the cerebellum and a cortical network. The role of the cerebellum is unclear, since
neuropsychological studies of verbal working memory have predominantly focused on patients with
perisylvian cortical damage. Methods. Patients with cerebellar damage and matched controls
performed a battery of working memory tasks, which included measures of verbal and spatial
working memory, immediate and delayed recall, and serial recall and item recognition. Additionally,
stimulus materials were varied to probe effects linked to articulatory rehearsal (word length,
concurrent articulation) and phonological storage (phonological similarity). Results. Cerebellar
patients showed modest deficits in working memory that were specific to the verbal domain. The
patients showed a normal sensitivity to word length and concurrent articulation, which suggests that
they continued to engage in articulatory rehearsal. On the other hand, cerebellar damage was
associated with a diminished sensitivity to phonological similarity. Discussion. We propose a novel
and biologically grounded model of the inner speech processes that support immediate serial recall
performance. Borrowing upon ideas from the speech production literature, we speculate that the
cerebellum supports an internal monitoring process that serves to correct errors through
comparisons involving both phonological and articulatory representations.
92
Does linguistic production require cerebellar processing?
Marco Molinari & Maria G Leggio.
Department of Pyschology University “La Sapienza" and Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome.
Background: Converging evidence from different groups are focussing on the importance of
cerebellar processing for linguistic production. Functional neuroimaging data showed cerebellar
activation in different linguistic tasks. Lesion studies demonstrated many speech and language
disturbances ranging from dysartria to aphasia. Specifically the cerebellum has been involved in word
generation, verbal working memory, grammatical production, and linguistic dysfunction particularly
with the characteristics of a transcortical motor aphasia. Interpretations are mainly focussing on the
cerebellar modulatory function. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms remain quite obscure.
Methods It will be reviewed recent neuropsychological and brain imaging studies. Results: Taking
evidence from examples of non linguistic deficits after focal lesion, we argue that linguistic deficits
are related to cerebellar induced impairment of sequencing and predictive functions. Discussion: The
role of cerebellum in language is interpreted taking into account the model of cerebro-cerebellar
interactions based on parallel functional independent loops. This organization might explain why one
or the other of the cortical cognitive modules required for linguistic production can be differently
affected in case of cerebellar damage. Within this framework, the discrepancies among reported
cerebellar related linguistic deficits find a common line of interpretation.
Language and Learning Disabilities
Stefano Vicari & Deny Menghini
Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, I.R.C.C.S. Children Hospital
Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
Background: Traditionally, it is believed that the primary function of the cerebellum is to coordinate
movement (Holmes, 1939). During the past three decades, it has been proposed that the cerebellum
may also contribute to cognition (Schmahmann, 2004; Leiner e Leiner, 1986). For example, it has
been suggested that the cerebellum may be involved in linguistic functions (Schmahmann, 2004) and
in in reading (Shaywitz et al., 1999). Several studies have indicated abnormalities in the cerebellum of
children with learning disabilities (Fassbender e Schweitzer, 2006; Menghini et al., 2006; Muller et al.,
1999), especially in population with linguistic and reading disabilities, underlining its important
contribution to these cognitive functions. Methods: It will be reviewed recent neuropsychological
and brain imaging studies, pointing out the role of the cerebellum in children with learning
disabilities. Results Cerebellum seems to be involved in several developmental disorder, in particular,
for its implication in determining linguistic and reading dysfunctions. Discussion: The cerebellum is
engaged during reading and in linguistic tasks and seemed to be altered in learning disabilities where
are present these sort of dysfunctions. In conclusion, results indicate that the cerebellum contributes
to the cognitive processes integral to language and reading.
93
Friday 5th September 11:30-13:00
Neuropsychology of perception and action
Sponsored by Elsevier/Neuropsychologia
Perceptual and motor deficits in the visual periphery in optic ataxia
Annabelle Blangero, Yves Rossetti, Alain Vighetto, Hisaaki Ota & Laure Pisella
Espace et Action, Inserm unité 864, 16 avenue Lépine, F-69676 Lyon-Bron, France
The dual stream interpretation of the visual system complexity has certainly been one of the most
popular theories in the field of neuroscience, and one of the most powerfully stimulating theoretical
frameworks. The general oversimplification of the Milner and Goodale (1995) account for the visual
brain in action has led to the popular interpretation that ‘dorsal = action’. However it has to be
carefully examined what ‘action’ may refer to in this context. The fact that pure optic ataxia patients
are not impaired in everyday life shows that their deficit is not a general disruption of a unique action
system. Rather, the specificity of optic ataxia for peripheral vision suggests that it is a subroutine of
action that is impaired. Arguments for this peripheral specificity will be reviewed. It will be shown
that the reaching errors of patients with optic ataxia dramatically increase with target eccentricity,
suggesting that they are best represented in a retinotopic reference frame. In addition, recent
investigations have been gradually revealing that optic ataxia is also responsible for perceptual
deficits in peripheral vision, which indicates that the parieto-occipital junction, lesions of which
produce optic ataxia, may be a crucial area for representing the visual periphery for both perception
and action.
There may be more to reaching than meets the eye: Re-thinking optic ataxia
Stephen R. Jackson
School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 6RN
Optic ataxia (AO) is generally thought of as a disorder of visually guided reaching movements that
cannot be explained by any simple deficit in visual or motor processing. In this talk I will argue that
the above characterisation of optic ataxia is rather misleading and does not represent the pattern of
reaching errors typically observed in the majority of OA patients. I will review recent
neuropsychological and functional brain imaging studies that lead me to suggest that the more
typical presentation of OA may instead result primarily from an inability to construct and utilise
intrinsic (limb based) motor codes when visual (eye based) cues are available. In support of this idea I
will present evidence from recent fMRI studies conducted by our group that have investigated the
anatomical correlates of posturally guided movements, and psychophysical studies of posture
matching in patients presenting with Balint’s syndrome.
94
Visual form agnosia in a stroke patient
Hans-Otto Karnath, Johannes Rueter & Marc Himmelbach
Section Neuropsychology, Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research,
University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
We report a patient JS suffering from visual form agnosia (VFA). As the well known patient DF with
VFA studied by Milner and Goodale, also JS showed the spectacular dissociation between disturbed
visual perception of shape and orientaton information on the one side and preserved visuomotor
abilities based on the same information on the other. In contrast to DF and other previous cases with
VFA, JS demonstrated well circumscribed bilateral ischemic stroke lesions. We describe the location
of the brain lesion and discuss the findings with respect to the previous suggestion that the lateral
occipital cortex (LOC) might be integral for the normal flow of shape and of contour information into
the ventral stream system allowing to recognize objects.
Why is the visual form agnostic patient DF better in visuomotor than in perceptual tasks?
Thomas Schenk
Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Durham
The claim that vision for perception and action is processed in separate cortical streams was inspired
by findings in the visual form agnostic patient DF who despite having profound difficulties in
discriminating between visual stimuli on the basis of such attributes as size and orientation seemed
to be capable of using those very attributes in visuomotor tasks. The interpretation of these findings
is however made difficult by the fact that for many of these visuomotor tasks we actually don’t know
which visual attributes are used. This point will be illustrated with two tasks which were used to
support the claim that DF can use size and orientation in an action-context, namely grasping and
card-posting, respectively. I will argue that both tasks can in principle be solved without recourse to
either size or orientation and present findings from DF’s performance in a modified version of the
two tasks. These findings suggest that when she is forced to use size or orientation in a visuomotor
task her performance is no better than in corresponding perceptual tasks. It is concluded that DF’s
preserved visuomotor capacity is restricted to tasks which can be solved on the basis of egocentric
position information.
95
The limits on action in visual form agnosia: implications for the normal brain
Robert D. McIntosh1, H. Chris Dijkerman2, Mark Mon-Williams3 & A. David Milner4
1Human
Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh
of Experimental Psychology, University of Utrecht
3College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen
4Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Durham
2Department
Patient DF, following ventral stream damage, is unable to discriminate visual form, yet uses vision to
guide her actions remarkably well. Under the assumption that her spared visuomotor abilities reflect
dorsal stream functioning, these observations imply that the dorsal stream underpins visuomotor
behaviour in the normal brain. By the same token, studying the limits of DF’s action can help identify
necessary roles that the ventral stream may play in the normal control of action. For instance, DF is
impaired in selecting actions on the basis of semantic processing of objects (e.g. choosing which part
of a tool to grasp). I shall present new data, from unimanual and bimanual grasping tasks, showing
that she also has difficulties with several non-semantic aspects of visuomotor control. These data
suggest additional roles for the ventral stream in the selection and control of actions. I shall also
argue that prior analyses of DF’s behaviour may have led to an underestimation of ventral stream
involvement in the spatial programming of action. DF succeeds impressively in simple visuomotor
tasks, but this may partly reflect the robustness of the visuomotor system to impoverished inputs,
rather than providing a complete model of visuomotor processing in the normal brain.
Spared visual control of action following large bilateral lesions of occipitotemporal cortex
Melvyn A. Goodale1, Marla E. Wolf1, Gordon N. Dutton2 & Jody C. Culham1
1CIHR
Group on Action and Perception, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario,
Canada
2Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, UK
Here we present data from a patient with cortical blindness suggesting that input from subcortical
structures outside the main geniculostriate route to the dorsal stream is sufficient to mediate visual
control of skilled actions. MC is a 38-year-old woman with large bilateral lesions of occipitotemporal
cortex , including most of the ventral stream and sparing only a tag of tissue in the rostral calcarine
sulcus. MC shows preserved motion perception, but is unable to identify line drawings (or real
exemplars) of common objects or discriminate colours or visual textures. Not surprisingly, MC
cannot discriminate between rectangular objects with different dimensions; nor can she indicate
their width manually. Remarkably, however, when she reaches out to grasp such objects, her grasp
scales in flight to the object’s size. Similarly, even though MC cannot discriminate between objects of
varying shape, she chooses stable grasp points on those objects when she reaches out to pick them
up. FMRI reveals motion-related activation in area MT as well as robust grasp-related activation in
area AIP – despite the large lesions in early cortical visual areas. Taken together, these results
suggest that extra-geniculostriate projections to the dorsal stream are capable of mediating the
processing of object features such as size, shape, and orientation for the control of visually guided
grasping.
96
Individual Paper Abstracts
Wednesday 3rd September 11:00-12:30
Retrograde amnesia: The role of medial temporal, lateral temporal and frontal lobe
pathology
Peter Bright1 & Michael D. Kopelman2
1Psychology
Department, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge
of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK
2Institute
Background and Methods: There is considerable controversy concerning the theoretical basis of
retrograde amnesia. We compare medial temporal, medial plus lateral temporal, and frontal lesion
patients on a new autobiographical memory task and measures of more semantic aspects of memory
(famous faces and news events). We also present a detailed analysis comparing individual patients
with quantified pathology restricted to specific critical brain structures. Results: The main group
study revealed that only those patients with damage extending beyond medial temporal cortex into
lateral temporal regions showed severe impairment on free recall remote memory tasks, and this
held for both the autobiographical and semantic tests. We found no clear evidence for remote
memory impairment in the frontal group. These findings, in the context of further detailed analysis
of individual cases, raise the possibility that, although medial and temporal regions form part of a
distributed network subserving memory retrieval, damage needs to be quite extensive and exceed a
certain critical volume before significant remote memory impairments are observed. Discussion: The
findings do not offer unequivocal support either for consolidation or multiple trace theory, but
suggest that a widely distributed network of regions underlies the retrieval of past memories, and
that the extent of lateral temporal involvement is critical to the emergence of a severe remote
memory impairment.
97
Remembering to remember: a TMS investigation of prospective memory
Alberto Costa1, Massimiliano Oliveri1,2, Francesco Barban1, Sara Torriero1, Silvia Salerno2,
Emanuele Lo Gerfo1, Giacomo Koch1,3, Carlo Caltagirone1,3 & Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo1,3
1I.R.C.C.S.
Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma
di Psicologia, Università di Palermo
3Clinica Neurologica, Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”
2Dipartimento
Background. Recent functional neuroimaging data document that the most rostral regions of
prefrontal cortex (i.e., BA 10) are involved in the retrieval of delayed intentions. The present study
was aimed at investigating the role of BA 10 in prospective memory (PM) functioning by means of
inhibitory theta-burst stimulation (cTBS). Methods. Eight volunteers were evaluated after cTBS over
left BA10, right BA10 and CZ. In the PM procedure, sequences of four words were presented (40
trials). During the inter-sequences delay subjects had to repeat the sequence in the same order as
observed (ongoing task forward) or in the reverse order (backward). Moreover, at the occurrence of
a target word subjects had to press a button on the keyboard (PM task). Recall and recognition of the
target words were also tested. Results. PM Accuracy was lower after cTBS over left BA10 compared
to CZ (p=0.016) and right BA10 (p=0.04), but it was comparable between cTBS over right BA10 and
CZ. Moreover, no significant difference between the three conditions emerged on false alarms and
scores obtained on the ongoing, recall and recognition tasks. Discussion. The present findings
support the view of a critical involvement of left BA 10 in PM modulation.
Spatial working memory in normal ageing and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Tapping the
episodic buffer?
Roy P.C. Kessels, Olga Meulenbroek, Guillén Fernández & Marcel G.M. Olde Rikkert
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre
Background: Patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) have deficits in episodic
memory without functional decline, which may reflect the prodromal phase of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Working memory performance in MCI is commonly regarded to be comparable to what is found in
normal ageing, but most studies have used span-like tasks to examine this. However, there is
evidence that MCI patients are impaired in aspects of working memory that can be theoretically
linked to the storage of information into long-term memory. Methods: We examined 50 healthy
young and older adults and 15 amnestic MCI patients on the Box Task, a computerized paradigm
assessing working memory for object-location information (searching objects hidden inside boxes at
different locations), also comparing differences in memory load (4 to 10 boxes). Results: An ageassociated deficit in working-memory maintenance was found that increased with higher task
demands, in line with previous findings on normal ageing. Interestingly, MCI patients were
additionally impaired on delayed maintenance of visuospatial information, again especially at high
memory load, in the absence of deficits on a standard span task. Discussion: These results can be
related to the concept of the episodic buffer as proposed by Baddeley (2000) and possible neural
correlates are discussed.
98
Memory self-efficacy and psychosocial factors in stroke
Laurien Aben1, Jan J.V. Busschbach2, Rudolf W.H.M. Ponds3 & Gerard M. Ribbers4
1Rehabilitation
Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus University Medical Center,
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
3Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, University Hospital Maastricht, and Mondriaan
Centre for Mental Health Maastricht, the Netherlands
4Rijndam Rehabilitation Centre and Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the
Netherlands
2Department
Background: Metamemory is defined as cognitions about memory and frequently studied in a
healthy population. Memory Self-Efficacy (MSE) is related to several psychosocial factors in healthy
elderly subjects. This study is the first ever to explore whether MSE is related to depression,
neuroticism and coping in stroke-patients in a sub-acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation programme.
Methods: MSE, depression, neuroticism and coping were assessed with validated questionnaires. The
relation between MSE and psychosocial factors was analysed using a Mann-Whitney U-test and nonparametric Spearman correlations. Seventeen male and six female stroke-patients from an inpatient
rehabilitation setting were included. Severe aphasia, subarachnoidal haemorrhage or subdural
haematomas were exclusion criteria.Results: Higher depression ratings are significantly related to
lower MSE ratings (Z= -2,13; p= .033). Lower MSE seems related to higher neuroticism ratings and a
more passive coping style score (resp. Z= -1,54; p=.123; Z=-1,42; p= .155), The Spearman correlations
confirm these finding (p<.10).Conclusion: This study replicated the relations between MSE and
depression and neuroticism found in a healthy population, in an inpatient stroke population. Future
research on MSE in stroke-patients should focus on other potential determinants such as awareness
and ultimately on the effectiveness and efficacy of interventions aimed to improve MSE.
99
Changes in fMRI following neuropsychological rehabilitation therapy of the dysexecutive
syndrome
Kirsten F. Lamberts, R.J. Renken, Wiebo H. Brouwer & Jacoba M. Spikman
University Medical Center Groningen
Background: This study is linked to a larger research project which studies whether and how a
multifaceted executive function training improves the every day problem solving and planning
capabilities of adult brain injured patients with a dysexecutive syndrome. Methods: In the larger
study performance on executive function tests, and improvement of and satisfaction with daily life
functioning was assessed before, after, and six months after treatment. In the study presented here
six stroke patients were additionally presented with executive function tests in the fMRI scanner.
Results: Stroke patients showed recovery of executive functioning after therapy. Most patients
showed an increase of parietal activation directly after therapy and an increase of frontal activation
at follow-up. Follow-up was also the time when most patients performed best in daily life. Patients
recruited other brain areas than healthy controls while performing executive function tests. These
differences in activation patterns between the two groups showed only slight changes after therapy.
Discussion: Results suggest parietal activation compensates for hypofrontality when performing
executive function tests. The reduction of hypofrontality is hypothesised to be linked to the amount
of self-initiated activities in daily life and the effort put into a task.
Wednesday 3rd September 14:00-15:30
Word and number reading in the brain: evidence from a voxel-based lesion-symptom
mapping study
Fabrizio Piras1,2 & Paola Marangolo3
1Laboratorio
di Neuroimmagini, Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
2Center for Research in Language, UCSD, USA
3Dipartimento di Neuroscienze – Clinica Neurologica – Università Politecnica delle Marche
- Ancona, Italy
Background: The high incidence of number transcoding deficits in aphasic subjects suggests a strong
similarity between language and the number domain. However, recent single case studies of subjects
who perform differently in transcoding words and number words (1; 2; 3; 4) led to hypothesize that
the two types of stimuli are independently represented in the cognitive system. Nevertheless it does
remain unclear if word and number word reading, although sharing the same alphabetic code, relies
on different brain areas. Methods: 19 left hemispheric stroke patients were tested on word, number
and number word reading. In order to determine the brain areas crucial for the three tasks, we
analyzed patients’ lesions with Voxel-based Lesions Symptom Mapping (VLSM, 5).VLSM provides a
map of brain regions involved in a given task by performing a series of t-tests at each voxel
comparing the performance of patients with and without lesion at that voxel. Results: Preliminary
results showed that reading numbers and number words are mostly affected by lesions to temporoparietal areas whereas word reading relies on a frontal network. These data seem to confirm
that the two different classes of stimuli, although involving the same phonological code, are
represented in different cerebral structure.
100
Colour facilitates naming of real world objects in healthy and aphasic subjects
Evelyn M.S. Mohr
Durham University
Adding chromatic information to pictures of objects shows only a small effect in verification and
categorisation tasks. However, when observers are required to name objects, colour speeds
performance and enhances accuracy. The present study contrasts two different theories as to why
colour may benefit object naming. The first is that colour simply aids the segmentation of the object
from its background. For example, cherries pop out amongst the leaves of a cherry tree by their
redness when presented as a coloured photograph, but not on a grey-scaled picture, where they
must be segmented by differences in brightness and form. The second is that colour may help to
elicit a wider range of associations with the object, thereby enhancing lexical access. To distinguish
between these processes an equal number of pictures containing high and low colour diagnostic
objects were presented against either fractal noise or uniform backgrounds in a naming task to
aphasic subjects with anomia and to healthy controls. Performance for chromatic stimuli was
compared with that for monochrome stimuli equated in luminance. Results show that colour
facilitates naming significantly. Object segmentation and the lexical access seem to occur in parallel
processes, rather than in an additive way.
Long-term outcomes of an intensive intervention in developmental dyslexia: “Start with the
basics and then read!"
Mélanie Jucla, Stéphanie Iannuzzi & Jean-François Démonet
INSERM U825, Laboratoire Octogone-Lordat, University of Toulouse, France
Background: In a previous study (Jucla et al., in prep.), a four-months intensive training of i)
phonological awareness and ii) visual and verbal attention, resulted in improvements in reading
fluency, regular words reading, phonological awareness, spelling and RAN. In this study, we aimed at
evaluating how persistent these effects were. Methods: Six months after the post-training
assessment, psychometric tests were conducted on 29 trained dyslexic children (mean age: 125
months; mean reading delay: 40 months). Their progression will be compared to this of a control
group consisting of 10 dyslexic children who did not benefit from the intensive training (data
acquisition still in progress). Results: The significant increase of the performance observed after the
training period remained stable across time on regular words reading, phoneme and syllable
deletion tasks and rapid digit naming. Additional progression was noted on pseudo-word spelling.
Moreover, accuracy in irregular words and pseudo-words reading specifically improved after the six
months period. Discussion: The persistence of the effects is consistent with the known benefit of
intensive interventions in dyslexia (Torgesen, 2001). Furthermore, the new improvements suggest
that training effects extend to a better use of both lexical and non-lexical reading routes in a longterm outcome.
101
Establishing the link between visual crowding and reading problems in posterior cortical
atrophy
Sebastian J. Crutch & Elizabeth K. Warrington
Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Neurology, UCL
Background: Visual crowding is a form of masking in which single letter identification is compromised
by the presence of additional letters or other simple visual forms in close spatial proximity. This
behavioural phenomenon has been studied most frequently in amblyopic and normal peripheral
vision. However we have recently demonstrated that crowding also occurs in foveal vision in
individuals with the posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) variant of probable Alzheimer’s disease (Crutch
and Warrington, 2007). Methods: Two patients with PCA completed a detailed examination of
reading and early visual processing skills, and a series of seven linked experiments probing letter and
word identification under varying conditions of letter spacing and letter confusability. Results: We
demonstrate an interaction between letter spacing and letter confusability in a series of letter
identification tasks. Furthermore, we show a complex U-shape function in word reading accuracy
and latency data, which suggests that optimal reading in these individuals requires letter-spacing to
be distant enough to limit visual crowding but close enough to limit disruption of whole word form
processing. Discussion: Pure alexia has often been attributed to unspecified early visual processing
problems. Our study suggests that visual crowding is one specific form of early visual processing
deficit which impairs the reading process.
Cerebellar neurocognition: a new avenue in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience
Peter Mariën1,2, Jo Verhoeven3 & Philippe Paquier1
1Department
2Department
of Neurology, ZNA AZ Middelheim, Antwerp
of Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels
3City University, London
Traditional neurological tenets posit that the cerebellum coordinates skilled voluntary movements
and controls motor tone, posture, and gait. However, anatomical, clinical, and neuroimaging studies
conducted over the past decades have shown that the cerebellum is implicated in diverse aspects of
cognition such as language, memory, visuospatial skills, executive functioning, thought modulation,
and emotional regulation of behavior and affect. In this contribution an introductory overview is
provided of the recently acknowledged concept of “cerebellar neurocognition” with special emphasis
on the role of the cerebellum in speech and language functions. Cerebellar involvement in motor
speech disorders is not limited to (ataxic) dysarthria but also seem to encompass mutism, apraxia of
speech and foreign accent syndrome. Cerebellar induced non-motor language impairments may
consist of agrammatism and frontal (dynamic) aphasia-like phenomena, along with semantic
retrieval deficits, syntactic comprehension difficulties and depressed phonological verbal fluency.
Recently, studies on apraxic agraphia and dyslexia have shown that the 'lateralized linguistic
cerebellum' may also be implicated in the written language network. Rather than being the
anatomical seat of cognitive and linguistic processes, the cerebellum is considered to modulate
cognitive functions through the feedforward loop of the cortico-ponto-cerebellar system and the
feedback loop of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathways.
102
Dissociating action and linguistic knowledge for functional objects with transcranial
magnetic stimulation
Emily S. Cross1, Nichola J. Rice2, Antonia F. Hamilton3, George L. Wolford1 & Scott T. Grafton4
1Dartmouth
College, Hanover, NH, USA
University, Waltham, MA, USA
3University of Nottingham, UK
4University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
2Brandeis
People can learn to categorize new objects based on pragmatic experience with these objects, and
not just the objects’ appearance. Studies attempting to localize neural substrates for object
identification or use may be confounding linguistic and action knowledge, which often co-exist. The
present study addresses this issue by manipulating participants’ experience with creating and naming
novel objects, specifically, knots. Participants spent five days learning how to tie or name 40
different knots, thereby gaining isolated action or linguistic knowledge about the stimuli. Following
training, a 10 minute application of 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of left anterior
intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) interfered more with performance on a perceptual discrimination task than
stimulation of premotor cortex (PMv), particularly for knots that participants had learned to tie. This
finding is consistent with neurophysiology data from non-human primates demonstrating the critical
involvement of aIPS in the extraction of three-dimensional shape and functional utility of graspable
objects. We conclude that, with training, novel objects such as knots can take on tool-like functional
properties that are mediated by inferior parietal (dorsal stream) areas for action knowledge, but not
linguistic knowledge.
Wednesday 3rd September 16:30-18:00
Implicit sequence learning in persons with Parkinson’s disease
Eric Kerckhofs, Jochen Vandenbossche, Natacha Deroost & Eric Soetens
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels
Background: It is questioned if persons with Parkinson’s disease (pPD) are able to learn
motor sequences implicitly. Aim: we studied sequence learning in clinically homogenous pPD
related to their cognitive abilities. Methods: 25 pPD (H&Y stage III) were divided in 3
subgroups according to their performance on a measure of cognitive functioning (SCOPACOG): a group with a low score LS (<mean-2SD), an intermediate score IS (mean ± 2SD) or a
high score HS (>mean + 2SD). All patients performed a serial reaction time task in which they
had to press 4 keys as quickly as possible corresponding spatially with the location of 4 visual
stimuli on a computer screen. A hidden first order sequence of 12 stimuli locations was
introduced. Of 15 blocks of 50 trials, the blocks 7 and 14 had a random sequence of stimuli
locations. Results: If the reaction time of the random block 14 was compared with the mean
reaction time of the adjacent structured blocks 13 and 15, contrasting to both the HS and IS
group, the LS group didn’t show any sequence learning. Conclusion: in a homogenous group
of stage III pPD implicit sequence learning is associated with their level of general cognitive
functioning.
103
Odor-cued autobiographical memory recall in patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Patricia Montanes, Diana Matallana, Elena Nuñez, Sandra Molano & Luz Helena Andrade
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
The objective of this study was to investigate the Odor-cued Autobiographical Memory Recall in
patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). We collected information from 20 healthy elderly controls
and 20 patients in a mild state of the disease, who fulfilled the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for AD.
(McKhann et al, 1984,). The procedure included: 1. Odor Identification Task. 2. Memory Recollection
Task. Events associated with each odor (Cinnamon, Passion fruit, Coffee, Mango, Aguardiente, Vick
Vaporub, Nail Remover and Gasoline) or with verbal labels of similar stimuli (Cloves, Lulo, Chocolate,
Mora, Beer, Eucalyptus, Thiner, Fresh Paint) were recorded. Each event evoked from the verbal and
olfactory situation, was rated in Event description, Age of the recalled event, Specificity, how much
the event achieved the same emotions felt when the event took place and Feeling of "reexperiencing" the event (Likert Scale). A close family relative was also interviewed. Compared to
controls, AD participants produced significantly fewer specific autobiographical memories. The
number of produced overgeneral memories was significantly greater in the AD group. Memories
evoked by odors were more vivid, emotional and old, both id AD and in Controls. Memories evoked
by words, were more highly specific. Theories about the implication of odor-emotions in
autobiographical memory are revised.
Distinct patterns of verb lexicon’s degradation in semantic dementia compared with
Alzheimer’s disease
Deborah Meligne, Karine Duvignau, Marion Fossard & Jean-François Démonet
INSERM, Unit 825, Toulouse, France
Introduction: Semantic dementia (SD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) both induce decline of lexicalsemantic knowledge which has mainly been documented for noun categories; studies addressing
impairments of verbs are comparatively rare (Druks et al., 2006 ; Yi et al., 2007). Method: Here we
explored verb production in a naming task for actions presented as video clips. This experiment was
based on a linguistic model of verb semantics which specifies hierarchical relationships within and
across particular domains of action including generic and subordinate, specific items (Gaume et al.,
2008). Participants were six SD and six AD patients matched for age and education with six healthy
subjects. Results: Results suggest in SD a deficit of production of verbs which seems to affect mainly,
in the first stage of the disease, verbs denoting specific actions (eg: to pare) while more generic verbs
(eg : to take off ) were affected only at more severe stages. Error profile in AD patients showed the
reverse profile, the production of specific verbs being relatively spared. Discussion: These
differential effects suggest that SD and AD result in distinct damages to the semantic network,
primarily targeting either domain-specific or the broadest categories in the semantic field of verbs,
respectively. Comparison with previous findings especially those relating to deficit for object naming
will be discussed.
104
Category-specific preservation of expert knowledge in semantic dementia
Elizabeth Jefferies1, Tim Rogers2, Sheeba Eshan3 & Matt Lambon Ralph3
1University
of York, UK
of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
3University of Manchester, UK
2University
Previous studies have hypothesised that some category-specific semantic deficits might reflect
individual differences in pre-morbid experience or expertise. Although expertise effects have been
observed in normal semantic cognition, there are very few investigations of expertise on semantic
breakdown. This is at least in part because a confluence of two unusual situations needs to occur:
patients must have a selective semantic impairment, and also known pre-morbid expertise in a
specific field. In this study, two such cases with semantic dementia showed a double dissociation
between plant and artefact (car) knowledge. In a variety of semantic tasks (e.g., picture naming,
word-picture matching, verbal fluency), the patients showed preservation of specific-level knowledge
in their expert domain relative to other categories (e.g., types of car such as “Porsche” vs. types of
boat). In some tests, they also showed better specific-level expert knowledge than basic-level general
knowledge (e.g., Porsche vs. household objects). Expertise increases the robustness of semantic
representations to degradation, in line with connectionist modelling work which predicts that expert
knowledge is differentiated to a greater degree at the specific-level. When individual differences in
the organisation of semantic representations are combined with general semantic impairment, a
category-specific pattern can result.
Word retrieval deficits in Motor Neurone Disease
Sharon Abrahams, Devoshree Chatterjee, Katherine Meade & Harriet Johnston
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Verbal fluency deficits are repeatedly demonstrated in MND independent of motor dysfunction,
while deficits on simple word retrieval tests are inconsistently found. We investigated the
contribution of language and executive dysfunction to this deficit. 40 MND patients and 40 matched
Healthy Controls underwent the written verbal fluency test modified for writing disability. Analysis
was undertaken of cluster word production and a new method for assessing time taken to think of
words within a cluster and to switch between clusters. The former reflects lexical associative
networks, whilst the latter executive strategy formation. Word thinking rates across the task were
also calculated to determine initiation impairment or fatigue. The MND patients demonstrated
normal cluster size indicating intact associative lexical network. However both retrieval times (within
a cluster and switch) were reduced in those with verbal fluency deficits. Patients also showed a
reduced rate of word retrieval throughout the whole task indicating no initiation deficit or fatigue.
The findings suggest that despite a normal pattern of verbal fluency performance MND patients
showed slowed lexical processing throughout the task. The implications in relation to the
involvement of subcortical circuits and language and executive pathways in MND are discussed.
105
Grey and white matter damage assessed by voxelwise analysis correlates with cognitive
function in Alzheimer's disease
Laura Serra1, Mara Cercignani1, Delia Lenzi2, Roberta Perri3, Lucia Fadda2, 3, Patrizia Pantano2,
Eraldo Paulesu4, Emiliano Macaluso1, Carlo Caltagirone2,3 & Marco Bozzali1
1Neuroimaging
Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome
of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome
3Clinical and Behavioural Neurological Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome
4Department, University of Milan, Bicocca, Milan
2Department
Background: amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (a-MCI) is considered as a prodromal state of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD involves white (WM) and grey matter (GM) changes, and brain
abnormalities are known to correlate with cognitive measures. This study aims at localizing GM and
WM abnormalities in patients with a-MCI and AD using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract
based spatial statistics (TBSS), and assessing the correlation between GM atrophy and cognitive
function. Methods: We studied 9 AD patients, 16 a-MCI, and 13 controls. All subjects underwent an
MRI examination and a neuropsychological assessment. Voxel-wise statistics was carried out to
identify 1) areas of linear decrease in GM volume (controls>a-MCI>AD); 2) areas of linear decrease in
WM FA (controls>a-MCI>AD); 3) areas of correlation between GM volume and cognitive functions.
Results: GM was reduced in the precuneus, left temporal gyrus, bilateral hippocampi and insulae. FA
was reduced in the thalami, left fornix, splenium of corpus callosum and right posterior thalamic
radiation. Memory and executive functions tests correlated with GM volume of fronto-temporal
areas. Conclusions: These results support that GM and WM changes are associated with
neuropsychological functions before the onset of AD confirming that a-MCI is a transitional stage
between ageing to AD.
106
Thursday 4th September 14:00-15:30
Functional and anatomical correlates of number interval bisection: the organization of the
decimal system in the brain
Sheila Merola, Paola Guariglia, Marilena Aiello, Michela Bruschini, Wim Gevers, Francesco
Tomaiuolo & Fabrizio Doricchi
Universita' "La Sapienza" - Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma Italy
Background. This study aimed to reinvestigate the relationship between unilateral neglect in physical
and mental number space (Doricchi et al., 2005), using larger samples of participants. Method. We
tested a group of 31 normal subjects and four groups of right brain damaged patients: patients with
neglect and no hemianopia (n = 16), patients with neglect and hemianopia (n = 6), patients without
neglect or hemianopia (n =14), patients with hemianopia and no neglect (n = 7). Patients and controls
performed bisection of number intervals and traditional neglect tasks (e.g. line bisection task, letter
and line cancellation). Tests of verbal, spatial working memory and mathematical skills were applied.
Results.We confirmed that in right brain damaged patients severity of neglect in physical space is
unrelated to severity of neglect in the bisection of the mental number line. As such, cases of neglect
limited to number space can be found. Discussion. In patients with MCA lesions, the most frequent
anatomical correlate of number bisection impairment is damage to the prefrontal component of the
parietal-frontal network subserving number representation in monkeys and humans (Nieder et al.,
2004). Additional interesting insights on the mental organization of the decimal system are provided.
The influence of visual feedback in direct pointing and space bisection in patients with
hemispatial neglect
Stéphanie Rossit, Keith Muir, Ian Reeves, George Duncan & Monika Harvey
Department of Psychology, University of Glasgow
Background: Patients with hemispatial neglect exhibit severe visuospatial impairments in the
hemispace contralateral to their lesion, but the evidence regarding the effects of neglect on
visuomotor control is quite controversial. Methods: The present study compared the performance of
10 patients with hemispatial neglect and 10 without the disorder after right hemisphere stroke and
10 age-matched controls. Subjects were asked to point either directly towards targets or in the
middle of two targets, both with and without visual feedback of the hand and target during
movement. Results: No specific impairments were observed for the neglect patients on either timing,
speed and end-point accuracy measures for any of the conditions. Discussion: Despite the failure of
our neglect patients to react to stimuli on the contralesional side of space when assessed with paper
and pencil tests, we did not find any specific deviations in their movements. Our results suggest that
the perceptual distortions present in patients with neglect do not influence their performance on
pointing tasks with or without visual feedback, supporting the view that such patients code spatial
parameters for action veridically.
107
Associations between visual memory and hemispatial neglect
Riitta Luukkainen-Markkula1, Ina M. Tarkka1, Kauko Pitkänen1, Juhani Sivenius2 & Heikki
Hämäläinen3
1Brain
Research and Rehabilitation Center Neuron, Kuopio, Finland
of Neurology, University of Kuopio, Finland
3Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Turku, Finland
2Department
Background: The present study investigated the associations of visual memory and neglect. Nineteen
patients with severe to residual neglect entered a neglect rehabilitation study in acute, subacute or
chronic phase after right hemisphere stroke. Methods: Memory functions were assessed by the
Visual Reproduction of WMS-R, Object learning, Rey figure and 15 words learning tests. Neglect was
measured by the BIT conventional subtests and by the CBS. Results: At the pre-rehabilitation
assessment the immediate visual reproduction of the WMS-R, naming of the Object learning and
copy of Rey figure were strongly correlated with visual neglect. The delayed recall of the WMS-R was
connected with the delayed recall of objects and general visual performances, whereas the delayed
recall of the Object learning and Rey figure linked with delayed recall of both visual and verbal
material and the patients’ own evaluation of neglect in ADL. The impairment of the immediate visual
reproduction alleviated with neglect, but the delayed visual memory remained moderately below the
average even in residual neglect. Discussion: The neglect patients fail in short-term visual memory
retrieval, whereas the delayed recall of visual material is not strongly associated with severity of
neglect, even if moderately impaired in neglect patients.
Dissociation between endogenous and exogenous covert attention shifts following posterior
parietal cortex lesion
Annabelle Blangero1,2, Aarlenne Khan3 & Laure Pisella1,2
1INSERM
Unit 864, Bron, France
Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, France
3Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
2University
Background: The orienting of attention in space is fundamental to correctly perceive our
environment. This function can be triggered by an external (exogenous) stimulus or by internal
(endogenous) will. Exogenous attention is reflexive and automatic whereas endogenous attention
depends on purposeful allocation of attentional resources to a predetermined location in space or an
object attribute. These two mechanisms have been shown to activate a common cerebral network
involving the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). However lesions of the inferior part of the PPC (neglect)
tend to impair exogenous orientation of attention more than endogenous. Methods: We tested a
patient with unilateral optic ataxia (lesion of the dorsal part of the right PPC) and 4 controls on both
endogenous and an exogenous covert attentional tasks involving letter discrimination. Results: In the
exogenous condition, the patient was able to correctly discriminate letters in both visual fields, but in
the endogenous condition he was unable to discriminate letters presented in his ataxic visual field.
Discussion: This suggests that endogenous covert orienting of attention can be specifically disrupted
leaving the exogenous orienting spared. We propose a double dissociation between the superior and
inferior parietal lobules for endogenous and exogenous covert orienting of attention.
108
Collicular vision guides non-conscious behaviour
Marco Tamietto, Franco Cauda, Katiuscia Sacco, Federico Cossa, Sergio Duca, Giuliano
Geminiani & Beatrice de Gelder
Department of Psychology, University of Torino and Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Lab, Tilburg University
Background: Fearful body language modulates the spatial attention and enhances visual awareness
in patients with hemispatial neglect. Here we investigated in a conjoint behavioral/fMRI study the
neural correlates of this effect in one such patient. Methods: Neutral and fearful bodily expressions
were presented either singly in the LVF or RVF, or bilaterally with displays containing a right-side
neutral expression coupled to either a left-side neutral or fearful expression. Results: The neural
correlates of nonconscious perception of fearful expressions were assessed by contrasting bilateral
trials with left-side extinguished fearful bodies to unilateral trials where only a right-side neutral
body was presented (and detected). This contrast revealed a neural activity in emotion-sensitive
structures (amygdala and vmPFC), perceptive areas (FG, EBA, PCC), in the temporo-parietal junction
implicated in automatic attentional shift, and in premotor areas. Conscious perception of fearful
bodies in bilateral trials where a left-side fearful body was successfully detected was contrasted to
the same trials where the left-side fearful body was extinguished. A significant contribution of
sensory-motor areas, anterior insula and cerebellum was reported. Discussion: Our findings show
considerable processing of neglected fearful bodies and suggest a key role of embodiement in the
modulation of visual awareness for fearful bodily expressions.
Bodies: Felt, represented and mirrored; studies in somatoparaphrenia and anosognosia for
hemiplegia
Aikaterini Fotopoulou & Michael A. Kopelman
Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK
Introduction: When stroke causes paralysis, a variety of striking neurocognitive symptoms related to
the paralysed limb also occurs. These include ‘anosognosia for hemiplegia’ (AHP; the apparent
unawareness of paralysis) and somatoparaphrenia (the belief that one's limbs belong to someone
else). Methods: Three group studies are presented which investigate 16 right-hemisphere lesioned
patients and assess the following hypotheses (1) Does motor intention influence action awareness?
(2) Do egocentrict and allocentric visual representations of the body dissociate and can the latter be
used to treat AHP and somatoparaphrenia? (3) Do emotional and cognitive representations of the
body dissociate? Methods include creating visual illusions of movement via realistic rubber-hands,
video recordings and mirror-viewing. A modified verbal inhibition task was used to measure implicit
emotional awareness of deficit. Two single-case studies further explore the findings of three
experimental studies. Results: The results suggest that motor intention has a profound influence on
the on-line representation of one’s actions, allocentric body representation is intact in AHP and
somatoparaphrenia and emotional factors may have a top-down influence on one’s bodyrepresentation. Discussion The relation of these findings to critical determinants of bodily
representation and awareness will be discussed. These studies enrich traditional theories on bodily
awareness and representation.
109
Friday 5th September 09:10-10:10
Pro- and anti-pointing in hemispatial neglect
Monika Harvey, B. Olk, K. Muir, G. Duncan, I. Reeves & S. Rossit
University of Glasgow, UK
It has been widely shown that hemispatial neglect manifests itself in a rightward bias,
but the presence of this bias in goal-directed movements remains a matter of debate. Here
we analysed the ability of nine patients with hemispatial neglect to perform pro and
anti-pointing movements in response to left and rightwardly presented targets. A group of
10 age-matched healthy controls and six patients with right-hemisphere lesions but no
neglect served as controls. In the pro-pointing condition, subjects were asked to point
directly to the target, whereas in the anti-pointing condition they had to move in the
opposite direction of the target (i.e., if the target was illuminated on the right
subjects had to point to the equivalent target position on the left and vice-versa). For
the pro-pointing reaches, no specific impairments for patients with hemispatial neglect
were found. However when asked to anti-point, patients with hemispatial neglect presented
higher proportions of directional errors (i.e., the proportion of anti-pointing movements
in the wrong direction) and were also severely disrupted in the end-point accuracy of
their movements. We relate these findings to the presence of impairments in movements
that require specific location mapping and cannot be performed on-line.
Registering discrepancies in anosognosia for motor deficit: what happens when intended
movement and visual feedback conflict?
Paul M. Jenkinson, Nicola M.J. Edelstyn, Richard Stephens & Simon J. Ellis
University of Keele
Background: Anosognosia for motor deficit is a disorder whereby brain-injured individuals
experience impaired awareness of their motor problem. The disorder can be understood using
‘forward’ models of the motor system, which propose that normal motor awareness depends on
comparing the expected and actual sensory consequences of intended movements. Anosognosia is
predicted to arise from a breakdown in this comparison. Methods: Six Parkinson’s disease (PD)
patients with anosognosia for dyskinesia (i.e. involuntary, jerking movements), 11 non-anosognosic
PD control patients, and 24 healthy volunteers (HVs) performed a ‘mirror box’ task, wherein motor
intentions and visual feedback either matched (I-F match) or mismatched (I-F mismatch). In HVs, I-F
mismatch movement elicits a greater sense of peculiarity than I-F match movement. It was
predicted that anosognosic patients would not show this effect. Results: HVs and control PD
patients experienced I-F mismatch movement as more peculiar than I-F match movement (HVs: T=0,
p<0.001; control PD patients: T=8, p=0.024). Anosognosic PD patients experienced no such
difference (T=3.5, p=0.375). Discussion: Findings support the possibility that anosognosia for motor
deficit involves a failure to register discrepancies between intended and actual movement. Future
studies should expand these findings to include patients with anosognosia for hemiplegia (i.e.
paralysis).
110
When family looks strange and strangers look normal. A rare case of selectively impaired
face perception and recognition
Joost Heutink, Wiebo H. Brouwer, Evelien Kums, Andrew W. Young & Anke Bouma
Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
BACKGROUND We present a 62-year old female patient (JS) with impaired recognition of faces after
stroke. Intriguingly, JS has more problems recognising close family members than celebrities.
Moreover, JS has the feeling that the faces of family members somehow look distorted, while the
faces of celebrities and unfamiliar people appear normal to her.METHODS. After neurological and
neuropsychological assessment, JS participated in an experimental face recognition task in which we
presented photographs of close family members, celebrities and unfamiliar people. We assessed
explicit recognition as well as autonomic responses to these photographs by measuring reaction
times and skin conductance responses (SCR). Performance of JS was compared to three controls
(matched on gender, age and family size). RESULTS. JS responded less accurate and slower to
photographs of family members, compared to celebrities and unfamiliar faces. JS had lower overall
SCRs to faces compared to controls, but SCR amplitudes to photographs of family members were
higher than to unfamiliar faces. DISCUSSION. We discuss whether JS symptoms can be interpreted as
a type of prosopagnosia, Capgras delusion or face metamorphopsia. Also, the results of our study
will be discussed in terms of recent neuro-anatomical models of face perception.
Faces are special. A computational analysis
Eric Postma1 & Jacqueline Postma2
1MICC,
2AzM,
FH&S, Maastricht University
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Maastricht
Background. The ability to identify faces relative to other objects has been a matter of considerable
debate in neuropsychology and related domains. In neuropsychology the debate focuses on the
question whether an isolated deficit for faces exists. To address this question, we performed a
computational analysis of the visual structure of faces and other objects. Methods. The Natural Input
Memory (NIM) model (Lacroix et al., 2006) was applied to three datasets of natural images: (1) faces
(Huang et al., 2007), (2) natural non-face objects, and (3) synthetic natural objects. The similarityspace representations generated by NIM were evaluated using a non-linear manifold learning
technique. Results. Statistical analysis of the visual representations generated by NIM reveal the
representations of faces to be more tightly clustered in similarity space than those of the other
objects. Discussion. The statistical properties of representations generated by the biologicallymotivated NIM model suggest that the visual properties of faces differ from those of natural and
synthetic objects. As a consequence, visual impairments may be highly specific to faces purely due to
their unique visual characteristics. Our results may explain cases of pure prosopagnosia (Riddoch et
al., 2008) and provide a novel perspective in the debate on the special nature of faces.
111
Poster Abstracts
Wednesday 3rd September 13:00-14:00
Sensorimotor plasticity associated with adaptation to time-compressed speech
Patti Adank1 & Joseph T. Devlin2
1F.C.
Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
2 UCL Dept. of Psychology, London, UK
Background: Listeners show remarkable flexibility in processing variability in the speech signal. One
striking example is the ease with which they adapt to time-compressed speech. It has been widely
reported that listeners show more accurate and faster responses after exposure to 10-20 sentences,
making this adaptation process an ideal candidate for studying the neural bases for learning and online plasticity in speech perception. Earlier studies have investigated neural substrates of
comprehending time-compressed speech, however, the neural bases of the adaptation process
remain unknown. Methods: In the present experiment, listeners performed a speeded sentence
verification experiment while their neural responses were recorded using fMRI. Listeners were
presented sentences spoken at a normal rate, followed by sentences time-compressed to 45% of
their original duration. Results and Discussion Behavioural results showed adaptation to timecompressed sentences that occurred quickly (within 16 sentences) and robustly. The fMRI results
demonstrate that adapting to a novel distortion of the speech signal involves changes at multiple
processing levels including auditory association areas and pre-motor areas involved in articulation.
The results suggest that learning at the level of sensorimotor integration, rather than at purely
linguistic levels (e.g. phonological/lexical), underlies the ability to rapidly and successfully adapt to
novel speech streams.
The Hatfield Image Test (HIT): a new picture test and norms for experimental and clinical use
Rebecca L. Adlington, Keith R Laws & Tim M. Gale
University of Hertfordshire
Background: Existing sets of pictorial stimuli tend to be line drawn and largely contain items that are
readily identifiable by healthy participants. This creates potential ceiling effects in many studies (see
Laws 2005). As such we present a new corpus of 105 high quality photographic colour images (the
Hatfield Image Test: HIT). The broad range of difficulty inherent in the HIT permits researchers to
select stimuli of appropriate difficulty as required. The images were chosen specifically to cover a
range of naming difficulty and a range of semantic subcategories. Method: 152 healthy participants
(69 males, 83 females) completed a naming task and rated the images on one of four psycholinguistic
variables; familiarity, age of acquisition, colour diagnosticity, or visual complexity. Results: We
present naming data along with mean ratings for each item on several widely used psycholinguistic
variables: familiarity, name agreement, age of acquisition, colour diagnosticity, visual complexity and
word frequency. Discussion: The corpus and accompanying normative data is discussed in terms of
its usefulness in both experimental and clinical research.
112
A case study of long-lasting mirror writing
Valentina Gerarda Angelillo, Luigi Trojano, Natascia De Lucia & Dario Grossi
Postgraduate School of Neuropsychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza"
Background: Mirror writing is a rare disorder in which a script runs in direction opposite to normal
and individual letters are reversed. Mirror writing generally occurs after left-hemisphere lesions, is
transient and is observed on the left hand. Interpretive models for mirror writing often posit that the
defect is in motor transformation of writing programs, but usually right hemiplegia prevents full
verification of theoretical hypotheses. Methods: We describe a left-handed patient who, after an
hemorrhagic stroke in left thalamo-capsular region, showed left hand mirror writing two years after
onset. Since the patient could write with his right hand, he underwent several writing tasks with
either hand; writing was also assessed in the right and the left hemispace. Results: Mirror writing was
evident only on the left hand, in both the left and the right hemispace. No patient did not show
mirror writing on his right hand and correctly aligned magnetic tiles. He was not aware of his mirror
errors and did not show mirror drawing in copying geometric figures. Discussion: We interpret mirror
writing as a failure in controlling grafo-motor programmes, as if the brain damage had made “overt”
a normally-inhibited motor behaviour.
Early detection of cognitive impairment in aging and dementia
Olga Bruna, Miguel Puyuelo, Noemí Cullell, Victoria Villalta, Anna Dergham, Gema Ieves,
Judit Subirana, Carles Virgili & Elisabeth H. Wiig
Faculty of Psychology. Ramon Llull University
Although the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is an established screening test for Alzheimer’s
Disease (AD) for which extensive research exists, the AQT (A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed), is a
relative newcomer to the field of screening tests for early evidence of probable AD. The purpose of
the present study was to adapt the AQT to the Spanish population and determine the sensitivity and
specificity of the test in this country, in order to have other screening tests for the early detection of
cognitive impairment in AD. AQT and MMSE were administered to 369 normal subjects from 20 to 80
years old to obtain normative data in Spain, and to 70 adults in the initial phases of AD to determine
the sensitivity and specificity of the test. We have obtained normative data in the Spanish population
for the AQT test, and results show significant differences (p<.001) between normal subjects and
people in the early stages of AD, with high levels of specificity and sensitivity. There are significant
differences between people younger and older than 60 years, and regression analysis shows that age
explains the variance of all tasks of the test. Results show that administration of MMSE altogether
with AQT can be used as screening tests for early evidence of probable AD.
113
When Marylyn Monroe name is not primed by his own face: insight from semantic dementia
Marco Calabria, Claudia Repetto, Maria Cotelli, Patrizia Bisiacchi & Carlo Miniussi
Cognitive Neuroscience Section, IRCCS S. Giovanni di Dio FBF, Brescia, Italy
Background: Semantic Dementia (SD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a prominent
language deficit, sometimes accompanied to visuoperceptive impairment. Several studies have
shown that SD patients have anomia for proper names and prosopagnosic like deficits. It is still
unclear if these deficits are due to an access impairment or to a degraded semantic representation.
We investigated the access hypothesis in a SD patient, using a face-name priming task. Methods:
CMR, a 66 years old woman, diagnosed with a SD and ten elderly controls participated to the
experiment. Subjects had to read aloud a proper name presented on the screen. Each name was
preceded by: a) the correct face b) a related familiar face c) an unfamiliar face. Vocal reaction times
(vRTs) were recorded via a microphone. Results: Controls showed a facilitation (51 ms) in vRTs (i.e.
were faster to respond) when the correct face-name associations were presented, while no priming
effect was present for incorrect familiar pairs. On the opposite CMR never showed priming effect for
familiar faces (neither facilitation or interference). Conclusion: These findings suggest that facilitation
effects are abolished by SD, and they may result from defective semantic representation processes
due to SD pathology.
Role of manipulability in object naming: a study on temporal lobes tumours
Fabio Campanella1, Miran Skrap2& Tim Shallice1
1ISSA-ISAS,
International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy, Cognitive Neuroscience
Sector
2Neurosurgery Unit, S.Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Udine, Italy
Background: Whether semantic knowledge is an undifferentiated distributed network within the
temporal lobes (Tyler & Moss, 2001) or it is at least partially organized in property-based networks
(Martin, 2007) is still an open issue. Methods: We studied the effects of manipulability in naming
nonliving objects in patients with either right (n=10) or left anterior (n=11) or left posterior temporal
(temporo-parietal; n=9) lobes’ tumours. The naming task involved living (n=60) and nonliving (n=60)
entities, the latter divided according to degree of manipulability. Results: Left hemisphere patients as
a whole were overall worse than both right hemisphere patients and controls in the naming task.
Unlike the other groups, they moreover named nonliving worse than living entities. This was a left
posterior temporal effect, absent in left anterior temporal patients. In addition there was a
significant manipulability x location interaction showing that left posterior temporal patients had
more difficulties with highly manipulable objects than left anterior patients. Discussion: These results
support the property-based networks account of semantic knowledge rather than the
undifferentiated network account. For manipulable objects, this would be a posteriortemporal/inferior-parietal left hemisphere “action/manipulation-property-based” network related to
the dorsal pathways important in action control, as is suggested by some neuroimaging results.
114
The bimodal bilingual brain: an fMRI investigation of signed language and speech reading in
deaf and hearing adults
Cheryl M. Capek, Bencie Woll, Mairead MacSweeney, Dafydd Waters, Anthony S. David,
Philip K. McGuire, Michael J. Brammer & Ruth Campbell
University College London
Background: Many users of signed languages (SLs) also have access to a spoken language. They are
bilingual in two modalities: spoken language and SL. Methods: Using fMRI, we explored
comprehension of signs and of seen spoken words in Deaf and hearing bimodal bilinguals – native
signers of British Sign Language (BSL) who are proficient speechreaders of English. Results: Seen
words and signs activated different regions of the temporal lobes bilaterally. Signs activated more
posterior and inferior regions, while seen speech activated middle and superior posterior temporal
regions to a greater extent. A conjunction analysis identified fronto-temporal regions that were
activated for both SL and seen speech in both groups. We also observed dissociations within the SL in
the bimodal bilingual participants. In Deaf participants, manual signs with ‘mouthings’ (speech-like
actions) and manual signs with ‘mouth gestures’ (non-speech-like actions) showed distinctive
patterns that resembled those where speech and sign were contrasted. The pattern was only partly
replicated in hearing bimodal bilinguals. Discussion: Regions within the temporal cortex are sensitive
to language type in bimodal bilinguals. In addition, activation differences between groups for
different SL conditions suggest differential reliance on oral and manual gesture in SL processing is
moderated by hearing status.
Interactions and dissociations between time, numerosity and space processing
Marinella Cappelletti, Elliot Freeman & Lisa Cipolotti
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL
Time, numerosity and space processing have been suggested to share a common magnitude system.
We tested this hypothesis by investigated whether these dimensions may be selectively impaired and
whether there is any interaction between them. Patient CB with a right hemisphere lesion and
controls viewed separate sequences of either low (1-4) or high (6-9) numbers, lasting between 15
and 60 seconds. They were then asked to estimate the duration of each sequence or the number of
items presented during the sequence. In two further tasks investigating spatial processing subjects
performed line-length discrimination, or indicated whether left or right-presented numbers were
larger or smaller than five. CB consistently underestimated temporal intervals. In contrast, numerical
and spatial processing was unimpaired. All participants showed a unidirectional Time x Number
interaction, such that time estimation was influenced by the value of numbers presented but not vice
versa. Specifically, small numbers were perceived as lasting shorter and large numbers as lasting
longer. Conversely, there was no Time x Numerosity interaction, thus short durations did not result
in perceiving fewer numerical stimuli and long durations in more numerical stimuli. In sum,
numerosity interacts with time processing but not vice versa. In CB, time numerosity and space
processing dissociated. At least partially independent mechanisms are involved in processing these
magnitude dimensions rather than a single magnitude system.
115
Can patterns of hand use suggest a marker for atypical language lateralisation?
David P. Carey1, Patricia E.G. Bestelmeyer2, Catriona J. Stevenson1 & Hannah Carver1
1University
of Aberdeen
of Glasgow
2University
Background: Approximately 70% of any random sample of left-handed writers will have a left
hemisphere specialisation for speech and language. Therefore atypical lateralisation remains difficult
to identify. We are attempting to quantify patterns of right and left hand use using a coding scheme
for hand actions. Methods: A random sample of TV/film sources were used to classify individual
actor’s handedness and to look for asymmetries which favour right hand use, even in left handed
writers. After a random sample was collected, additional actors who were known to write using their
left hand were also examined. A validation sample of reality TV participants was also coded. Results:
The majority of both samples (~80%) use their right hand more than their left hand, which suggests
that hand use in non-action films represents a representative random sample of hand action
asymmetry. The left handed writers were less left handed for grasping and for gesturing while
speaking. The data suggest suggests that gesturing while speaking is a promising candidate for a
language laterality marker. Discussion: These data suggest that coding hand actions from television
and film might get around limitations of overconstrained laboratory experiments (e.g. getting
students to gesture spontaneously while being recorded).
Change in neuropsychological function in people with mild Alzheimer disease after one year
of cognitive training
Noemi Cerulla, J.C. Cejudo, M. Garolera, D. Rodriguez, T. Rey, L. Delgado & C. Civit
St. Jordi´s Day Hospital for Dementia &
St. Llatzer´s Hospital Dementia Unit. Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa. Terrassa, Spain
Background: the aim of this study is to compare the neuropsychological scores of people with mild
Alzheimer disease (GDS 4) treated with anticolinesterasse inhibitors before and after their inclusion
in a program of cognitive training for one year. Method: 24 patients (18 females, 6 males) in a Centre
for cognitive intervention in dementias were assessed with neuropsychological tools before they
started the non-pharmacological program and after a year of treatment. The test assessed
orientation, attention, language, memory, praxis, visual perception and executive function, and the
program included tasks relating to particular domains of cognitive functioning, and were adapted to
the level of impairment. Results: there are significant better scores in the measure of working
memory and in space orientation after a year of cognitive training. It is also observed that he score in
verbal comprehension decreases significantly after this year. The most of the neuropsychological
scores remain stable after a year of the cognitive training. Discussion: The neuropsychological
assessment after the treatment doesn’t reflect the global worsening expected in a year of evolution
of mild Alzheimer disease. Cognitive training has to be taken into account as a therapeutic approach
for people with mild Alzheimer Disease.
116
Effect of normal and pathological aging on episodic musical learning memory
Sylvain Clément & Séverine Samson
Neuropsychology and Auditory Cognition – JE2497, University of Lille 3, France
In neuropsychology, few studies have examined musical episodic memory. To investigate this point,
young and aged (normal and patients with Alzheimer Disease) participants were tested in a musical
learning task involving familiar and unfamiliar melodies. Sixteen target melodies were presented to
the participants who have to decide whether or not the melody is familiar. Then, recognition was
tested after one and 4 presentations of the target melodies using a recognition paradigm to assess
musical learning. In agreement with Bartlett et al. (1995), recognition was better for familiar than for
unfamiliar melodies. Although the number of correct recognition decreases with age, the results
showed that learning of both types of melodies took place in all normal participants. In AD patients,
learning of familiar melodies was impossible, patients being unable to distinguish stimuli heard
during the task from those stored in long-term memory. This result illustrates an episodic musical
memory deficit (source amnesia). Conversely, no deficit has been documented in learning unfamiliar
melodies in the same patients suggesting that recognition depends on familiarity based judgments.
All these findings emphasize the benefice of using both familiar and unfamiliar music in memory task
to dissociate the effect normal and pathological aging on memory.
The effect of a perceptual fading training on the categorical perception of a voicing
continuum
Gregory Collet, Cécile Colin, Ingrid Hoonhorst, Paul Deltenre, Willy Serniclaes & Jacqueline
Leybaert
Service d'Analyse des Données (SAD), Université Libre de Bruxelles
The present study aimed at assessing the behavioral consequences of identification training on the
categorical perception of a /də/-/tə/ voicing continuum using monolingual French speaking adults.
Methods: Two groups of ten subjects were submitted to five 1-h training sessions focused either on 30 ms Voice Onset Time (universal boundary) or on -45 ms V.O.T. (arbitrary boundary). Ten control
adults did not receive any training. Identification and discrimination tasks were administrated at preand post-training in order to evaluate categorical perception along the entire V.O.T. continuum.
Results: As regard identification, the -30 ms and the -45 ms training groups exhibited a 10 ms shift for
the French phonological boundary (0 ms), while the control group did not. As regard discrimination,
correct responses increased only for stimuli pairs crossing the 0 ms boundary and only for the -30 ms
training group. Discussion: Results will be discussed in terms of a potential limitation of the
phonological boundary shift and in terms of a potential specific status of this boundary. Data from
the -60 ms training group are currently collected.
117
Nouns and verbs in the brain: A metanalysis of 27 fMRI and PET studies
Davide Crepaldi, Manuela Berlingeri, Isabella Cattinelli, Eraldo Paulesu, Alberto Borghese &
Claudio Luzzatti
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London and Department of
Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
To date the evidence which has emerged from both anatomo correlative and neuroimaging studies
investigating the brain areas responsible for noun and verb processing is inconsistent; this may be
due to the lack of homogeneity in the tasks used in the various experiments. The metanalysis
described in this study aims at disentangling brain regions that are systematically associated with a
given grammatical class from those whose grammatical class specificity is modulated by the task
used. We collected 441 activation peak coordinates associated with either nouns or verbs in simple
effect analyses from 27 neuroimaging studies published from 1996 to 2008, and employed a
hierarchical cluster algorithm adopting the Ward criterion to automatically segregate groups of
activation coordinates into separate clusters with mean standard deviations of less than 7.5 mm in
the three directions (x, y, z). This procedure produced a set of 37 clusters, which were tested with a
chi square analysis for specificity for grammatical class and/or task. Nine of these clusters showed a
significant task-by-grammatical class interaction, which in derivational tasks was usually caused by
noun specific activation and in picture naming and fluency tasks by verb specific activation. These
results are discussed in the light of the cognitive processes underlying the individual experimental
tasks.
Item retrieval and competition in noun and verb generation: an fMRI study
Cristiano Crescentini1,2, Emiliano Macaluso2 & Tim Shallice3
1International
School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Trieste, Italy
Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
3SISSA and Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London
2Neuroimaging
Background: A debate is present on whether selection between competing responses or weak
associative retrieval is the critical factor for explaining both the performance on the verb generation
task and the cognitive function of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG; Thompson-Schill et al., 1998;
Martin and Cheng, 2006). Methods: In this study we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to
directly tackle whether the competitive (High vs. Low selection demands) or the associative (Weak
vs. Strong association strength) account of verb generation is to be preferred with respect to the
function of LIFG. The paradigm used by Martin and Cheng, (2006; verbs with High Selection-Strong
Association, High Selection-Weak Association, and Low Selection-Strong Association; see also
Crescentini et al., 2008) was extended to noun generation. Results: The left IFG was more active in
both tasks for high selection than low selection even when association strength was matched across
the conditions. Moreover, basal ganglia were more active when weakly related verbs had to
produced relative to weakly related nouns. Discussion: These results suggest that selection between
competing responses play an important role in noun and verb generation. The left IFG is involved in
this function in a similar way in the two tasks. The activation of basal ganglia in the weak association
condition of verb generation suggests that non-verb responses interfere during verb production
(Crescentini et al., 2008).
118
Apraxic agraphia following a vascular lesion in the right cerebellum: two case reports
Hyo Jung De Smet, H. Baillieux, P.F. Paquier & P. Mariën
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Background: Apraxic agraphia (AAG) is a writing disorder due to a loss or lack of access to skilled
movement plans of writing. The neural network subserving writing includes the superior parietal
region and the dorsolateral and medial premotor cortex. Recently, patients with atypical lesion
localisations in the left thalamus and the right cerebellum have been reported. We describe two
patients who presented with AAG following a right cerebellar lesion. Methods: Neurocognitive
investigations were performed one and six months post-stroke. Tc-99m-ECD SPECT studies were
done concomitantly. Results: At onset, both patients displayed AAG, ataxic dysarthria, disturbed
verbal fluency and naming deficits. At follow-up, AAG persisted in one patient. SPECT in patient 1
revealed a persistent hypoperfusion in the right cerebellum, the left parietal and left premotor areas.
In patient 2, a persistent hypoperfusion was found in the right cerebellum, the right parietal, right
premotor and right medial prefrontal regions. Discussion: Anatomo-clinical findings of our study
seem to indicate that AAG might result from damage to the cerebellar-encephalic projections,
connecting the cerebellum to the prefrontal and parietal areas which subserve the process of writing.
As such, it might be hypothesized that the cerebellum is crucially involved in the neural network of
writing.
Effect of stressful life events on cognitive decline in normal ageing individuals
Jeanette Dijkstra, K. Smeets, M. van Boxtel, J. Prickaerts & G. Kenis
University Hospital Maastricht
Background: Evidence from prior studies suggests an association between Stressful Life Events (SLE’s)
and depression. Furthermore, environmental factors may influence the rate of cognitive decline in
normal cognitive ageing. The aim of the present study is to investigate the influence of SLE’s on
normal cognitive ageing, exploring the effect of SLE’s on cognitive performance and the influence by
means of depressive symptoms. Methods: A total of 533 participants, aged 52 or older, were
recruited from the Maastricht Ageing Study (MAAS). A measure of the number of experienced SLE’s,
the severity of the SLE’s and a combination of the former were included to assess the effects on
compound measures for memory, simple speed and cognitive flexibility. Results: Cross sectional,
depressive symptoms were significantly higher for people who scored higher on the combination
measure of the SLE’s at the follow-up measurement. There was no effect found of the experience of
SLE’s on cognitive performance. More depressive symptoms contributed to lower scores on the
compound measures for memory and cognitive flexibility. Discussion: Our results indicate that
depression and cognitive performance influence each other, though there was no evidence for a
direct role of SLE’s in this respect. Including the genetic background in future research might still
delineate the possible role of SLE’s in influencing cognitive performance.
119
Multi-element processing in developmental dyslexia: evidence from single case studies and
data modelling
Matthieu Dubois, Søren Kyllingsbæk & Sylviane Valdois
Cognition and development Lab, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Multi-element visual processing deficit was investigated in young developmental dyslexic patients by
means of report tasks within a multiple-case approach. A computational model of the attentional
involvement in multi-object recognition [Bundesen, C. (1990). A Theory of Visual Attention.
Psychological Review, 97(4), 523-547.] was further used to fractionate individual performance into
different theoretical components. By combining psychophysical measurements and computational
modeling, we demonstrated that multi-element processing deficit in dyslexia stem from at least two
distinct cognitive sources: a limitation of the maximal number of elements extracted from a brief
visual display and stored in visual short term memory, and a reduction of the rate of information
uptake.
Selective deficit of orthographic input lexicon in two Italian surface dyslexics
Alessia Folegatti, Lorenzo Pia, Anna Berti & Roberto Cubelli
Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy
Background: Surface dyslexia is characterized by a selective deficit in reading irregular words,
coupled with spared ability to read regular words and non-words, which reflects a deficit located in
the lexical route. In Italian, only stress assignment errors can reveal surface dyslexia. Indeed, Italian
orthography is completely transparent at the segmental level, but stress of most polysyllabic words is
assigned lexically and cannot be derived by using grapheme-to-phoneme conversion rules. In the
literature, only two Italian surface dyslexics have been described, showing either a deficit of the
phonological output lexicon (Miceli and Caramazza, 1993) or a progressive disorder of the lexicalsemantic system (Chiacchio et al., 1993). Methods: We report on two Italian brain-damaged patients
with acquired surface dyslexia who underwent a thorough neuropsychological investigation of
cognitive and reading abilities. Results: In reading, both patients produced almost exclusively stress
assignment errors. Their ability to read non-words was spared, and showed a preference for the
more frequent stress pattern. Also tasks requiring lexical decision and comprehension of
homophones were impaired. Discussion: The patients’ performance appears to rely almost
exclusively on sub-lexical mechanisms, pointing for the first time to damage at the level of the
orthographic input lexicon in Italian surface dyslexics.
120
The mental representation of musical notation: the SNOARC effect
Antonia Fumarola, C. Umiltà & K. Priftis
CIMEC, University of Trento
BACKGROUND: The Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) suggests the existence
of an association between number magnitude and response position, with faster left-hand responses
to small numbers and faster right-hand responses to large numbers (Dehaene, Bossini, & Giraux,
1993). This effect has been also reported for ordinal representations, such as months and letters
(Gevers, Reynvoet, & Fias, 2003). We investigated whether a similar association exists between
written musical notes and the spatial position of response execution as a function of musical
education. METHOD: Participants were amateur and expert musicians. They were asked to judge
whether musical notes were positioned before or after B on the stave (direct task) or whether their
stem was directed upward or downwards (indirect task). RESULTS: Results showed that responses to
notes on the left of the stave were responded to faster with the left hand, whereas notes on the right
of the stave were responded to faster with the right hand, but only for expert musicians.
DISCUSSION: There is an association was between musical notes and spatial response codes (i.e., the
SNOARC effect). However, in contrast with the SNARC, the SNOARC effect is influenced by the degree
of (musical) education.
The Queen Square Test of Auditory Cognition (QSTAC): a novel neuropsychological battery
for assessing patients with dementia
Johanna C. Goll, Sebastian J. Crutch, Elizabeth K. Warrington & Jason D. Warren
Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London
The cognitive processing of complex sounds involves distributed cortical areas and is therefore
vulnerable to degenerative disease. However, the assessment of sound cognition in these disorders
is challenging and has not been studied systematically. Here we present the Queen Square Test of
Auditory Cognition (QSTAC), a novel neuropsychological battery to assess cognitive processing of
non-verbal sounds in patients with dementia. Tasks have been designed to examine different levels
of auditory cognition (from early perceptual to semantic) using only auditory stimuli to reduce the
confound of cross-modal processing. Analogous visual tasks have been included to identify modalityspecific effects. Tasks response procedures have been designed to minimise demands upon
cognitively impaired patients. Method: The QSTAC has been administered to dementia disease
groups (subgroups of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration) and a group of healthy age-matched
controls. Results: The QSTAC successfully discriminates between control and patient groups.
Additionally, the QSTAC differentiates between the dementia disease groups examined, which show
distinct performance profiles across the multiple tasks levels of the battery. Discussion: The QSTAC is
an effective tool for assessing non-verbal auditory deficits at perceptual and semantics levels of
processing in cognitively impaired patients. Furthermore, the QSTAC can identify distinct profiles of
auditory deficits in particular neurodegenerative diseases.
121
Neural correlates underlying musical and verbal semantic memory
Mathilde Groussard, F. Viader, B. Landeau, B. Desgranges, F. Eustache & H. Platel
Inserm U923-EPHE-Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen
Numerous neuroimaging and clinical studies have examined the neural basis of semantic memory,
the majority use verbal or visuo-spatial materials and never music. Hardly any researches have
directly compared semantic memory processes for language and music. The aim of this work was to
determine the neural substrates that underlie musical and verbal semantic memory. Semantic
memory is generally defined as the memory of concepts, without knowing spatial or temporal
circumstances of learning. More specifically, we defined musical semantic memory corresponding to
“well-known” melodies without knowing the spatial or temporal circumstances of learning. We used
PET H2O15 to analyze 12 young non-musical subjects performing two main tasks: - a musical
semantic memory task where the subject heard the first part of a melody and had to decide if the
second part they heard matched the first – a verbal semantic memory task whose aim was the same
but where the melody was replaced by familiar French expressions. The musical condition showed
activation mainly of the left inferior frontal areas and superior temporal pole. The verbal condition
revealed left activation of the middle temporal area and the right cerebellum. Taken together, our
results corroborate a partial distinction between verbal and musical semantic memory.
Musical semantics is relatively spared in semantic dementia
Julia C. Hailstone, Rohani Omar, Jane E. Warren & Jason D. Warren
Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, UCL
Background. Music is a domain of nonverbal cognition, however the organization of brain
mechanisms that process meaning in music remain poorly understood. Here we present evidence of
retained musical semantics in a professional musician with semantic dementia. Methods. SD, a 56
year old professional trumpeter with a clinical diagnosis of semantic dementia, and a control group
of 4 professional musicians were studied. SD was assessed on general neuropsychological tests, the
Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia to assess perceptual processing of music, and a test of
absolute pitch. Novel experimental tasks designed to assess different aspects of semantic processing
of music were performed, including memory for famous melodies, reading and comprehension of
musical notation, and recognition of musical instruments. Results. In contrast to SD’s poor
performance on verbal tasks and on face recognition, he performed normally on tests of music
perception and semantics, and he performed near control levels on within-modality tests of melody
recognition and on musical instrument recognition from pictures, but not sounds. He also
demonstrated retained absolute pitch. Conclusions. This case suggests that semantic processing of
music does not depend on verbal mediation and is partly separable from other aspects of non-verbal
processing including face recognition.
122
Effectiveness of a new comprehensive and multi-dimensional intervention in older women
with cognitive complaints
Esther M. Hoogenhout, Renate H. M. de Groot, Sil Aarts & Jelle Jolles
School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Division Brain & Cognition, Maastricht
University
Background: Many older adults report cognitive complaints, that hinder them in their everyday lives.
Easily-accessible and evidence-based interventions may offer a solution. This study investigates the
effectiveness of a new intervention in three relevant domains: metacognitive functioning, wellbeing
and objective cognitive performance. Methods: The intervention is characterized by three main
aspects: 1) psycho-education about cognitive aging; 2) skills and compensation strategies; and 3)
attitudes and beliefs. 34 Community-dwelling women, aged 60 to 75 years, were randomly assigned
to an experimental or a waiting list control group. Two baseline assessments and an immediate posttest assessment were obtained. Both questionnaires and objective cognitive measures were used.
Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were carried out to examine post-test differences between the
groups. Results: Experimental participants reported less negative feelings about cognitive functioning
(F (1,31)= 4.167, p= .050), felt more in control of it (F(1,31)= 5.585, p= .025), reported less
psychosomatic complaints (F(1,31)= 11.02, p= .002) and were less emotional vulnerable (F(1,31)=
4.92, p= .034). Positive changes were found on tasks for memory (F(1,31)= 4.772, p= .037) and
complex information processing (F(1,31)= 5.467, p= .026). Discussion: This intervention may be
effective in increasing everyday cognitive functioning and well-being of older adults with nonpathological cognitive complaints.
Separating numerical and non-numerical encyclopaedic knowledge: Evidence from a patient
with posterior cortical atrophy
Elfriede Karner, L. Zamarian, T. Benke & M. Delazer
Neurologie, Universitätsklinik, Innsbruck
Background. Dissociations of numerical processing from other cognitive abilities are suggested by
several neuropsychological studies [1-3]. Little is known about the representation of numerical
encyclopaedic knowledge and its possible dissociation from non-numerical knowledge. We describe
performance of patient HR, a 62 years old woman, with posterior cortical atrophy (verified by SPECT
and neuropsychological examination) on a semantic battery, developed by our group. We postulated
that HR would have difficulties in retrieving numerical encyclopaedic information, while she would
perform normally on non-numerical questions. Method. Multiple-choice questions on language
(figures of speech, metaphors, adages, loan words; n=45), visual (n=20), general (biology,
geography...; n=37), and numerical knowledge (approximate, exact numerical facts, dates, labels;
n=45). Data from HR and 250 healthy adults were collected. Results. Correct answers: language
93.3%, visual 75.0%, general 81.1% (scores above the 10th percentile of controls), numerical 57.8%
(score below the 10th percentile). Discussion. HR’s performance on encyclopaedic questions
(preserved non-numerical knowledge, impaired numerical knowledge) fits with her pattern of
parietal neurodegeneration and numerical disorders. Results of this study provide evidence for the
modular organisation of encyclopaedic knowledge.
123
The identification of refractory disorders in dementia
Mary L. Keilty, Elizabeth K. Warrington & Sebastian J. Crutch
Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Neurology,
University College London
Background: Refractory disorders are a class of cognitive deficit which are characterized by the
temporary unavailability of information and are held to reflect damage to neuromodulatory systems
subserving the activation of neural networks. Individuals with refractory disorders tend to show
response inconsistency, with a characteristic decline in cognitive performance when stimuli are
processed repetitively. Whilst refractory disorders have been identified in individuals with strokes
and tumours, their incidence in dementia has never been studied systematically. Methods:
Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD; N=20), left MCA stroke (N = 5) and healthy research
participants (N=20) completed a series of cognitively titrated naming and comprehension tasks, in
which stimuli were probed 3 times in a repetitive manner. Performance was measured in terms of
response accuracy and response latency (using computer voice key and touch screen). Results: AD
participants showed a mixed pattern of results, some like controls showing little effect of repetition
upon performance, whilst others showed decreases in response accuracy across repetitions
approximating the refractory pattern seen in stroke participants. Discussion: The results are
considered in the context of models of neuromodulatory system functioning, and the role of
concomitant vascular disease in individuals with probable Alzheimer’s disease and other cortical
degenerative conditions is discussed.
Left middle frontal gyrus and left motor area in the processing of grammatical and semantic
information. A TMS study
Emanuele Lo Gerfo, Massimiliano Oliveri, Sara Torriero, Giacomo Koch, Silvia Salerno & Carlo
Caltagirone
Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCSS Roma Italy
Background: Previous studies documented a specificity of the left prefrontal cortex for the
grammatical class of verbs, and of the left primary motor cortex (M1) for the semantic class of action
words. We used rTMS to investigate the role of these regions in the processing of
rammatical/semantic knowledge and the timing of activation of M1. Methods: In two groups of
healthy subjects we applied 1Hz rTMS over the left medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and M1 before a
morphological task on action and state verbs and nouns. In a second experiment we measured MEP
amplitudes during a semantic task at different delays from the presentation of target words. Results:
rTMS of the MFG delays the processing of action verbs’ retrieval (p<.05), but is not critical for state
verbs and nouns. rTMS of M1 delays the processing of action words, both name and verbs (p<.05),
while it is not critical for state words. Maximum MEP amplitude increase was found at 190 and 230
msec from the presentation of target words during processing of semantic information. Conclusion:
Left MFG subserves processing of both grammatical and semantic information, whereas left M1
becomes active at about 200 msec in the semantic representation of action words.
124
Effects of prenatal testosteron on lateralization in children
Jessica Lust1, Reint Geuze2, Ton Groothuis2, Bernd Riedstra Cornelieke van de Beek3, Peggy
Cohen-Kettenis3 & Anke Bouma3
1Department
of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, RUG, Groningen, The
Netherlands
2University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
3Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This study explores the hypothesis that prenatal testosterone contribute to individual differences in
cerebral lateralization, as reflected by handedness and language lateralization. According to the
Geschwind and Galaburda hypothesis, high levels of testosterone lead to atypical brain lateralization,
which shows itself in higher prevalence of non-right handedness and a lesser degree of language
lateralization. Sixty-seven children (32 girls, 35 boys; age 6,5 years) born from women referred for
amniocentesis because of their age (31 to 41 years) participated in this study. Amniotic fluid samples
collected between 16th and 18th week of pregnancy had mean T-levels of 63 nmol/L (range: .401.40) for girls and 1.36 nmol/L (range: .81-2.10) for boys. All children were tested for handedness.
Language lateralization was estimated from a dichotic listening task. The present results could not be
explained by Geschwind and Galaburda’s theory. We found that increased prenatal T-levels
werehighly related to (a) a decrease in the strength of hand preference, irrespective of its direction
(right-handed, left-handed), and (b) an increase of left hemisphere language lateralization. This
implies that prenatal testosterone differentially affects the development of different lateralized
functions within the hemispheres. Gender did not influence these findings. The implications of these
findings will be discussed.
Determinant of motor performance across the age span
Jason A. Martin1, C. Hughes2, D. Peters2 & M.G.Edwards1
1University
of Birmingham
of Worcester
2University
Background: There is a general consensus that dexterity decreases with increased age. While the
effect is consistently reported, it is unclear what the exact reasons for slower movements are.
Strength loss with age seems a logical explanation for lower functional ability in older adults although
such data has inconsistently reported. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of strength
on movement function in the upper limb across the age span in simple motor tasks Methods: 107
participants were investigated. Of these, a total of 60 women and 47 men aged 18-83 years.
Handgrip strength measurement and motor function tasks (i.e. Aiming, Steadiness, Line Tracking,
Tapping) were performed using the dominant and non-dominant hand. Results: Data analysis was
undertaken using a Standard Multiple Linear Regression, motor performance was the dependent
measure along with two independent variables, age and strength. Our model, explains 46% of the
variance in motor performance for the dominant hand. Of the two independent variables Grip
Strength makes the largest unique contribution (beta = 0.481; P=<.01) although Age also made a
statistically significant contribution (beta = -0.322; P=<.01). Discussion: This data suggests that an
improvement in grip strength is likely to result in improved motor performance.
125
Category specificity in Alzheimer’s disease: a normal ageing effect?
F. Javier Moreno-Martinez1 & Keith R. Laws2
1Departamento
de Psicología Básica I, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia,
Madrid
2University of Hertfordshire
Background: Some lack of agreement exists concerning whether AD patients display category-specific
effects. The variability across studies has been attributed partly to the failure to control for intrinsic
variables (such as familiarity, visual complexity etc) and partly the distorting impact of ceiling effects
in most control comparison groups. Method: We examined category effects on tasks of picture
naming, naming to definition and word-picture matching in 38 AD patients and 30 elderly healthy
controls. Each task was matched across category on all ‘nuisance’ variables known to differ across
domains. Results: Standard analyses revealed significant category disadvantages for living things in
AD patients, but also in healthy elderly controls on each task. To overcome ceiling effect problems,
we ran 1000 bootstrap ANCOVAs with healthy control performance as a ‘difficulty index’ covariate.
These covariate analyses eliminated the category effect in AD patients on all three tasks. Indeed,
control performance accounted for 64% (picture naming), 49% (naming to description) and 42%
(word-picture matching) of variance in AD performance. Discussion: Our results indicate that the size
and direction of the category effect is not different from that seen in normal healthy elderly subjects.
Time estimation abilities in traumatic brain injury patients: A study in the range of minutes
Christine Moroni, L. Danjou, P. Mouquet & M. Noulhiane
Department of Psychology, University Lille 3, Domaine Universitaire du Pont de Bois
Patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) complain of difficulties in estimating time which aggravate
their handicap and hamper their professional re-adaptation. Despite these complaints, few studies
have directly addressed their abilities to judge interval durations. According to Perbal et al. (2003),
time estimation in TBI patients was not less accurate than in controls. However, this study was done
in the range of seconds. The aim of our study was to assess time estimation abilities in TBI patients in
the range of minutes using two tasks (Noulhiane et al., 2007). They require the evaluation of six
intervals' durations (1 from 8 minutes) notified by interval markers presented during the projection
of a film. The participant was asked (1) to estimate verbally the time elapsed between a presented
time marker and a previous one using chronometric units, and (2) to produce interval durations.
Eight TBI patients matched with 36 normal participants were studied. Results show that TBI patients
(1) underestimate time for the durations of 6 and 8 minutes and (2) have difficulties to produce
durations of one and eight minutes. These results confirm clinical difficulties of TBI patients and will
be interpreted considering their attentional and memory abilities.
126
A selective deficit in the appreciation and recognition of brightness: brightness agnosia?
Tanja C.W. Nijboer, Gudrun M.S. Nys, Maarten J. van der Smagt & Edward H.F. de Haan
Utrecht University
Background: We report a patient with extensive brain damage in the right hemisphere who
demonstrated a severe impairment in the appreciation of brightness. Methods and Results: Acuity,
contrast sensitivity as well as luminance discrimination were normal, suggesting her brightness
impairment is not a mere consequence of low-level sensory impairments. The patient was not able to
indicate the darker or the lighter of two grey squares, even though she was able to see that they
differed. In addition, she could not indicate whether the lights in a room were switched on or off, nor
was she able to differentiate between normal greyscale images and inverted greyscale images. As the
patient recognised objects, colours, and shapes correctly, the impairment is specific for brightness.
Discussion: As low-level, sensory processing is normal, this specific deficit in the recognition and
appreciation of brightness appears to be of a higher, cognitive level, the level of semantic knowledge.
This appears to be the first report of ‘brightness agnosia’.
Effects of prismatic adaptation on time representation
Massimiliano Oliveri, Barbara Magnani & Francesca Frassinetti
Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Palermo and
Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Roma, Italy
The demonstration of the analogical representation of small-to-large numbers along a mental
number line (Dehaene, 2003) and of the functional links between spatial attention and time
perception and between time and numbers (Basso et al, 1996; Vicario et. al., 2008) have suggested
the existence of a common neural basis for quantitative coding of space and time (Walsh, 2003). We
took advantage of a well known spatial modulation (prismatic adaptation) to test the hypothesis that
the representation of time is spatially oriented left-to-right. We used time reproduction and a time
bisection tasks in healthy subjects and in brain lesion patients before and after leftward and
rightward prismatic adaptation. Results. Prisms adaptation inducing a rightward spatial orientation
produced an overestimation of time intervals, whereas prisms adaptation inducing a leftward spatial
orientation produced an underestimation of time intervals. These findings suggest that, similar to the
mental number line, temporal intervals are horizontally arranged in space. Patients’ data indicate
that the right parietal cortex could be a neural correlate of this common time-space processing
system.
127
When all hypotheses are right: A comparative VBM study of adult normal and dyslexic
readers
Cyril Pernet1 & Jean Francois Demonet2
1Brain
Imaging Research Center, University of Edinburgh, UK
2INSERM U825, Toulouse, France
Many hypotheses have been proposed about the brain underpinnings of developmental dyslexia
with the phonological, visual and cerebellar hypothesis as the main stream driving ideas. However,
none of them accommodate the variable deficits observed. To address the issue of anatomical
deficits in dyslexia, total and partial volumes, lateralization indices (LI) and local grey matter volumes
(LGMV -voxel based morphometry) were measured in large samples of control and dyslexic subjects
(N=78) in correlations with their performances on phonological, reading and spelling tests. Results
indicate an absence of net differences in terms of lateralization or volumes but significant
continuities and discontinuities between groups in their correlations between LI, LGMV and
performances. On the whole our data put forward the idea of a multifocal cerebral deficit in dyslexia
and brain morphological heterogeneity in dyslexia despite adequate behavioural testing. Our results
put forward a major implication of the left inferior-frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, occipitaltemporal cortices and lateral/medial cerebellum which could account for the variable deficits
predicted by the different theories. In addition, using a new classification methodology, the right
lateral cerebellum has been observed has being the more different between groups and could
become a good anatomical marker for dyslexia.
Alzheimer’s disease and memory semantic deficit: a feature listing study
Roberta Perri1, Gian Daniele Zannino1, Carlo Caltagirone1,2 & Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo1,2
1Foundation
2University
Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
“Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
Background: Since distinctive features are less frequent in the living than non-living categories
(Zannino,2006), the hypothesis has been advanced that the more severe impairment of distinctive
attributes of concepts is the reason for the categories effect in AD patients (Gonnerman,1997). This
study investigated this hypothesis by a feature-listing task. Methods: 19 AD (MMSE mean 18.0) and
19 normal subjects (NCs) performed a feature-listing task on a database of 20 concepts (10 living and
10 non-living) . Results: AD produced a mean lower number of features per concept (2.67) than NCs
(5.9) (F=54.33, p<.001). Both groups produced a mean lower number of features in the non-living
(3.83) than in the living domain (4.73) (F=23.24, p<.001). The loss in AD patients was larger for the
distinctive than shared features (p=.001). Moreover, the distinctive features reduction was
comparable across domains (p=.354). Finally, a larger loss of distinctive perceptive than nonperceptive features occurred in the non-living (p=.008) but not in the living domain (p=.70).
Discussion: These data support the hypothesis of a greater susceptibility of distinctive features to the
AD pathology and the view that the category effect could be an epiphenomenon of the lower
representation of distinctive features among living concepts.
128
Category-specific impairment in semantic dementia? Evidence from 35 cases
Jonin Pierre-Yves, C. Merck, E. Leray & S. Belliard
Espace et Action, Inserm unité 864, Lyon-Bron, France
The dual stream interpretation of the visual system complexity has certainly been one of the most
popular theories in the field of neuroscience, and one of the most powerfully stimulating theoretical
frameworks. The general oversimplification of the Milner and Goodale (1995) account for the visual
brain in action has led to the popular interpretation that ‘dorsal = action’. However it has to be
carefully examined what ‘action’ may refer to in this context. The fact that pure optic ataxia patients
are not impaired in everyday life shows that their deficit is not a general disruption of a unique action
system. Rather, the specificity of optic ataxia for peripheral vision suggests that it is a subroutine of
action that is impaired. Arguments for this peripheral specificity will be reviewed. It will be shown
that the reaching errors of patients with optic ataxia dramatically increase with target eccentricity,
suggesting that they are best represented in a retinotopic reference frame. In addition, recent
investigations have been gradually revealing that optic ataxia is also responsible for perceptual
deficits in peripheral vision, which indicates that the parieto-occipital junction, lesions of which
produce optic ataxia, may be a crucial area for representing the visual periphery for both perception
and action. Support for this view can also be found from experimental conditions in which visual and
motor coordinates are dissociated (target displacement, remote visual display) and result in a deficit
for optic ataxia patients. Altogether it is therefore questionable whether the deficits of optic ataxia
can be simply characterized by a dissociation between perception and action. We rather suggest that
they are a consequence of decoupling of eye and hand coordinates, which is most easily done by
using peripheral viewing conditions.
Effects of optokinetic stimulation on mental number interval bisection: Evidence from
neglect
Konstantinos Priftis, M. Pitteri, F. Meneghello, C. Umiltà & M. Zorzi
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
BACKGROUND: Behavioural, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data support the idea that
numbers are represented on a mental number line (MNL), an analogical, visuo-spatial representation
of number magnitude, that is left-to-right oriented, with small numbers on the left and larger
numbers on the right. Left neglect patients are impaired in processing the left side of the number line
and show a rightward deviation in the mental bisection of numerical intervals. In the present study
we investigated the effects of optokinetic stimulation (OKS), a visual-sensorial stimulation technique
inducing attentional shifts, on mental number interval bisection. METHOD: One patient with left
neglect (BA), three patients with right hemisphere damage without neglect, and three healthy
participants performed the mental number bisection task in three different conditions of OKS: static,
leftward, and rightward. RESULTS: In the static condition, BA shifted the subjective mid-number to
the right of the correct one. With respect to the baseline, leftward OKS evoked leftward shifts of the
subjective mid-number, whereas rightward OKS evoked rightward shifts of the subjective midnumber. In contrast, the performance of controls was not significantly affected by the direction of
OKS. DISCUSSION: We argue that shifts of visuospatial attention, induced by OKS, may affect mental
number interval bisection, suggesting an interaction between representational and perceptual space
in neglect.
129
Comparison of objective and subjective measures in ageing
Kate Richardson-Frankton, G. Mazzoni, & C. Guerrini
University of Hull
How we perceive our own cognitive abilities is called self-estimation and is known, in psychology, as
metacognition. In everyday life, people tend to either overestimate or underestimate their cognitive
abilities. In the present study, a series of questionnaires have been developed to evaluate younger
and older participants' evaluation of cognitive functioning in different domains (autobiographical and
semantic memory, and language). These self-evaluation scores have been compared to their
performance on objective tests. Results show that a significant number of participants overestimated their semantic memory and their self-evaluation changed post-testing. Results showed
that participant’s episodic memory remained constant prior to and post-testing. Results from the
language component, suggest that participants’ also re-evaluate their language ability post-testing.
Comparative scores from objective tests show that self-evaluation scores for semantic memory and
language decrease post-testing, suggesting that participant’s self-estimation is directly challenged by
the objective measures used. Participants not only demonstrate the ‘illusion of knowing’ (confidence
bias) but also indicate that self-perception can be easily manipulated.
An orange is a ball is not a fruit: the origin of misidentifications in associative visual agnosia
Estelle Robert, M. Di Pietro, A. Schnider & R. Ptak
Division of neurorehabilitation, University Hospital Geneva
Patients with associative visual agnosia fail to recognize the identity of visually presented objects
despite preserved semantic knowledge. Current accounts of the disorder postulate subtle visual
impairments, a deficit of form integration, or a semantic deficit confined to visual information. Here
we present a patient with associative visual agnosia following a stroke affecting the left inferior
temporal lobe, who showed striking errors when identifying depicted objects, animals, or faces. The
patient identified only 47% of 260 visually presented line drawings, compared to 95% correct
responses to verbal description of the same items. When asked to identify an object that was
presented together with a visual and a semantic distracter, his performance was adequate. However,
when asked to identify which of three objects belonged to the same category, he was biased toward
choosing the two visually similar objects. In addition, when asked to indicate whether an array of
objects contained a given item (e.g. an orange), he often chose a visual distracter (e.g. a ball), but
rarely a semantic or neutral distracter. The results indicate that misidentifications of our patient are
based on global visual similarity between the target picture and the distracter. We suggest that in
our patient a picture to be identified activates representations of different objects sharing the same
form, which explains his large number of visual errors.
130
Serial position effects in speech production: Contrasting patterns in patients with different
loci of impairment
Cristina Romani1, Andrew Olson2 & Claudia Galluzzi3
1Aston
Univeristy
of Birmingham
3Aston University and Clinical Santa Lucia
2University
Two types of within-word serial position effects are documented. The first is a bow-shaped pattern
with more errors in the middle of words (in the spelling of both control and aphasic speakers). This
has been explained with more interference and degradation of middle segments in a buffer
component. The second is a linearly increasing pattern with more errors from the beginning to the
end of words (in the spoken and written production of aphasic speakers). This has been explained
with the end segments having to spend more time in a buffer or with the end segments receiving less
lexical activation to guarantee production in the right order. Method: We have analyzed single word
repetition and reading in thirteen aphasic patients. Results: In contrast with patients with
phonological impairments, some patients with speech apraxia show linearly decreasing rather than
increasing serial position effects. Discussion: Results shed light on mechanisms of articulatory
programming. In apraxic patients, articulatory programming is slow and effortful. Segments at the
end of the word may be produced better because they can be allocated more time. This
interpretation assumes that: 1) to a degree, articulatory programming of different parts of the word
occurs in parallel; 2) onset of production occurs by a deadline even when not explicitly specified by
the task; 3) articulatory programming continues after onset of production.
Effects of TMS on different stages of motor and non-motor verb processing in the primary
motor cortex
Raffaella I. Rumiati, Liuba Papeo, Antonio Vallesi & Alessio Isaja
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA/ISAS), Trieste, Italy
The issue that we address in this transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study is whether the
activity of the left primary motor cortex (M1) is necessary for understanding action-related language,
or it rather follows the lexical-semantic encoding, as a consequence of the access to the motor
meaning of words. We recorded TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from right-hand
muscles while subjects explicitly judged whether a verb was action-related or they decided on the
number of syllables in the verb. To identify when the enhancement of M1-activity occurred during
word recognition, in three experiments TMS was applied to either tasks at 170, 350 and 500 ms poststimulus, consistently with ERP findings that distinguish between early, late lexical-semantic, and
post-conceptual processes. No TMS-modulation of MEPs specific for action verbs was found when
lexical-semantic processes presumably occurred (170 and 350 ms post-stimulus). At 500 ms poststimulus, we found a greater M1-activity for action-verb semantically processed, relative to nonaction verbs and action-verbs syllabically processed, but no TMS-effect on reaction times. These
findings suggest that understanding action-verbs does not necessarily rely on the motor programs of
the corresponding physical actions. In contrast, M1-activity may contribute to post-conceptual
processing triggered by the activation of representations involving motor content.
131
Numerical recodification and quantitative number knowledge: evidence of double
dissociation
María Pilar Salguero-Alcañiz, Jose Ramón & Alameda-Bailén
University of Huelva, Spain
Background. This work studies relations between the different components of the system of
numerical processing and calculation. Method. Patients: four patients suffering brain injury.
Instrument: Battery Evaluation of Numerical Processing and Calculation (Salguero & Alameda, 2007).
This battery evaluate: comprehension of Arabic numbers, numerical recodification, arithmetical
signs, calculation, qualitative number knowledge and numerical sequence. Results: evidence of a
double dissociation between quantitative number knowledge and numerical recodification. On one
hand, the patients BRN, PP and ACH preserve the quantitative number knowledge, nevertheless they
present alterations in the skills of recodification. On the contrary, the patient ANB presents the
inverse pattern of execution, that is, she presents alterations in quantitative number knowledge but
intact conserve the numerical recodification. Discussion: it is possible that the skills necessary for the
numerical recodification, that is, to translate a number from Arabic form to verbal form and vice
versa, are independent from the abilities related with quantitative number knowledge. In other
words, both types of skills would be functionally independent.
Word reading and word bisection in spatial neglect: opposite results, the same
interpretation
Silvia Savazzi, Francesca Mancini, Lucio Posteraro & Gianluigi Veronesi
University of Verona
BACKGROUND: Neglect patients show rightward errors in bisecting horizontal lines and make errors
on the initial letters in reading words. Both these disorders have been found to be ameliorated by
the Oppel-Kundt illusion, thought to simulate the way space is represented in neglect (Ricci at al,
2004 and Savazzi et al 2004). However, these two studies found an amelioration of neglect in
opposite illusory conditions. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that this difference is due to the
specific task used (line bisection and word reading, respectively). METHOD: Three patients with
spatial neglect and neglect dyslexia without hemianopia were asked to read words and to bisect
words both in canonical and anisometric letter spacing. RESULTS: All the neglect patients were found
to replicate the results by Ricci et al. (2004) in bisecting words and the results by Savazzi et al. (2004)
in reading words. DISCUSSION: These results support the idea that the abnormalities observed in
typical neglect tests are due to a distorted representation of space. In addition, these results show
that even if the behavioural results are different, the theoretical framework is the same, the space
anisometry hypothesis (Savazzi et al., 2007).
132
A PET study of words recognition in patients with bilateral cochlear implants
Kuzma Strelnikov, E. Eter, J. Rouger, S. Lagleyre, J-F. Demonet, P. Barone & O. Deguine
CerCo, Faculty of Medecine, University of Toulouse, France
Cochlear implants are neuroprostheses that enable postlingually deaf patients to recover speech
comprehension. Because of the crude acoustic information provided by the implants, patients have
to use special adaptive strategies to decipher speech stimuli. During recent years, bilateral
implantation has become more frequent as it provides better results for speech comprehension and
the social adaptation of patients. To investigate the neural bases of this, we performed a PET study of
cortical activity in patients with bilateral implants during word recognition. Both binaural and
monaural presentation of words were used. There was no difference between patients and controls
for binaural stimulation. For monaural stimulation, although there was no difference in the auditory
cortex, patients exhibited more activation in the left posterior temporal regions during stimulation to
the right ear and activations contralateral to the stimulation side in the cerebellum. The error rate in
patients was significantly correlated with activations in posterior visual areas. Our results suggest
that activity in auditory areas during bilateral stimulation through implants is rather close to normal
controls which may relate to the good performance in these patients. Differences outside the
auditory cortex may reflect the use of high-level integrative strategies for speech processing in the
patients.
Assessment of lateralization during various language tasks: a functional Transcranial Doppler
study
Nathalie Stroobant, Diewertje Buijs & Guy Vingerhoets
Laboratory for Neuropsychology, Department Neurology, Ghent University
Background: Language dominance has repeatedly been demonstrated by means of functional
transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (fTCD). Usually, a single word fluency paradigm is used that
might overestimate overall language lateralization. We hypothesized that significant differences
between hemodynamic patterns can be demonstrated when multiple language functions are
evaluated. Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers were included in the study. The lateralization index
(LI) was measured with TCD for each subject during 4 language tasks: a phonological word fluency
task (WF), a sentence construction task (SENT), a reading task (READ), and a semantic decision task
(SEMANT). Results: Left-hemispheric dominance was found in 90%, 80%, 73.3% and 66.7% of the
subjects for WF, SENT, READ and SEMANT respectively. A repeated measures analysis of variance
revealed significant differences in LIs between the different language tasks (P<.01). Discussion: Our
results showed that productive and syntactic tasks (WF and SENT) lateralize stronger than receptive
tasks (READ and SEMANT). The use of a variety of language tasks in the determination of language
lateralization therefore appears to be essential in providing a more realistic and detailed view of
language functioning within the individual.
133
How Does Implicit Learning Age? Evidence in Children, Young People and Elderly People
Marcela Tenorio, Ricardo Rosas D., Francisco Ceric & María Teresa Aravena
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
The implicit learning (IL) represents an important field in cognitive psychology but it is also a novel
tool for neuropsychologists in research and clinical interventions. Since pioneer works in the field it
has been said that IL is a robust cognitive function even in presence of neuropsychiatric disorders
and aging process. However, there are not experimental reports that made evident this quality. We
present an evolutionary study where we show the IL transformation in time. Our two main findings
are: 1) there is a divergence between direct and indirect indicators of IL that show not only the
validity of this experimental method but also how much we know without knowing, and 2) IL changes
in time show us that the neurocognitive substrate that supports it evolves a different way from the
classical cognitive functions, they also support the Model of successful aging, and open up a new
space for evaluation and intervention with old people. This symposium is composed of three
complementary parts: a) The implicit learning universe: discussion of theoretical and methodological
background, b) How does implicit learning age? Evidence in children, young people and elderly
people, c) From laboratory to practical setting: implications for neuropsychology.
Pitch height in your hands: an alternative account for SMARC effect
Pietro Davide Trimarchi & Claudio Luzzatti
University of Milano-Bicocca
Spatial Musical Association of Response Codes effect (SMARCe) is a Stimulus Response Compatibility
effect triggered by mental processing of pitch height [Rusconi et al. 2006; Lidji et al. 2007]. In
particular, musicians showed a horizontal and automatic association of faster left-hand responses to
low-pitched tones and faster right-hand responses to high-pitched tones, suggesting that internal
representation of pitch is spatial in nature, though this interpretation may depend on the fact that
the musicians in the studies were predominantly pianists. Our hypothesis is that motor
representations - related to high or low pitch production on the piano keyboard - are activated
during the task [Hommel 1997; Drost et al. 2005]; therefore, the effect would only appear in pianists.
We used a shape-decision task to explore the occurrence of a horizontal, automatic SMARCe in three
groups of participants (pianists, non-pianist musicians and non-musicians). Subjects were asked to
press a left or right key depending on the specific shape (circle or rectangle). The shapes were paired
with low or high pitch tones. The results indicate that only pianists show faster reaction times for the
right-hand/high-pitch and left-hand/low-pitch coupling and slower response times for the inverse
condition. This evidence suggests that a horizontal, automatic SMARC effect is mediated by a
mechanism that involves motor representations.
134
Musical Assessment during the intracarotid propofol procedure in a professional musician: A
case of refractory epilepsy
I. Trujillo Pozo, I.M. Martín Monzón, P. Villalobos López, G. Moreno Castro, M. Oliver
Romero, J.J. Rodríguez Uranga, J.M. Montero Elena, A. González García, F. Villalobos Chaves,
& M.D. Jiménez Hernández
HH.UU. Virgen del Rocío, Seville. Spain
Background. The evidence from basic and clinical neuroscience suggests that listening and reading
music involves many cognitive components with distinct brain substrates. Currently, results
emanating from both lesion studies and neuroimaging techniques are used to dissociate between
brain areas processing different aspects from musical stimuli; however in order to analyse these
musical processes has not been used the intracarotid propofol procedure (Wada test). Methods. We
used a neuropsychological assessment during the intracarotid propofol procedure in a 33 years old
professional musician woman with temporal medial lobe refractory epilepsy (MTLE). Musical
abilities, language and memory functions were tested after injection of propofol in both hemispheres
by a novelty and exhaustive neuropsychological procedure. Results. Neuropsychological testing
revealed that processes of harmonic integration, and possibly the processing of musical semantics
are involved during activations of right hemisphere, whereas processes of score reading and rhythmtempo activates both hemispheres. Discussion. This research suggests that neuropsychological
assessment during intracarotid propofol procedure is an excellent preoperative method for
identifying hemispheric lateralization of musical abilities in professional musician epileptics who may
have epilepsy surgery.
Reciprocal modulation between semantic and temporal information in healthy humans
Patrizia Turriziani, Daniela Smirni, Patrizia Pecoraro, Lisa Cipolotti & Massimiliano Oliveri
Department of Psychology, University of Palermo
Background. Recent evidence shows that magnitude information, such as space and number,
influences temporal perception (Walsh, 2003; Vicario et al., 2008). Here we investigated the
presence of reciprocal interactions between time and semantic information. Methods. Participants
performed two timing tasks (time reproduction and time comparison). In each trial, reference (2000
ms) and test intervals were represented by the same word representing concepts with “small”,
“medium” and “big” size. The label “small”, “medium”, “big” was assigned based on the physical size
of the concept (e.g. mouse is “small” while elephant is “big”). Participants performed also a semantic
decision task (living or non living) with the same words. Before each word a “short” (500 ms) or
“long” (2000 ms) prime interval was presented. Results. Subjects underestimated time intervals
defined with “small” concepts (p< .001) while they overestimated time intervals with “big” concepts
(p<.001). Subjects were faster with “small” than “big” words (p<.01) when words were preceded by
“short” prime intervals; subjects were faster with “big” than “small” words (p<.01) when words were
preceded by “long” prime intervals. Discussion. The present study shows reciprocal modulations
between time and semantic information.
135
New perspectives in foreign accent syndrome
Jo W. Verhoeven & Peter Mariën
City University London
Foreign Accent Syndrome is a relatively rare motor speech disorder in which the pronunciation of a
patient is identified as a foreign accent by members of the same speech community as the patient.
This disorder was noticed for the first time by the French neurologist Pierre Marie in 1907. A full
hundred years later, multidisciplinary research has neither been able to identify the
pathophysiological substrate of this syndrome nor to identify a coherent system in the speech errors
that may separate FAS unambiguously from other motor speech disorders such as Apraxia of Speech
or Ataxic dysarthria. In this presentation Foreign Accent Syndrome will be discussed in the
methodological perspective of markers of speech. From this it will follow that traditional descriptions
of Foreign Accent Syndrome are in fact based on a process of misattribution, i.e. markers of speech
pathology are misinterpreted by listeners as markers of speaker identity. It will be argued that
Foreign Accent Syndrome as a ‘syndrome’ is better defined in terms of a process of misleading the
listener on the basis of psychogenic causes. The clinical of this view will be discussed.
Transcortical sensory aphasia with preserved spontaneous speech and naming:
Characteristics and recovery
Mile G. Vukovic & Irena Vukovic
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Background: The main features of typical form of transcortical sensory aphasia (TSA) are poor
auditory comprehension, anomia and intact repetition. Patients with TSA have fluent, paraphasic
verbal expression. There are word finding difficulties and empty speech, using a low number of
content words with circumlocutions. Method: In this paper we report a case of 54 year old woman,
right-handed with a lesion of temporo-parietal region of the left hemisphere whose aphasia differed
from typical form of TSA in preserved naming and meaning of spontaneous speech. Results and
discussion: The first language examination, 20 days post-onset, showed that she has poor auditory
comprehension, dyslexia, dysgraphia and good repetition. In addition to these language deficits, our
patient had a memory disorder. She had an intensive treatment during next three months.
Results of the first and the final evaluation were compared. Significant recovery of the language and
memory was noticed.
136
Lexico-semantic and perceptual processing of fingerspelling and dynamic text
Dafydd Waters1,2, Cathy J. Price3, Bencie Woll2, Ferath Kherif3 & Mairéad MacSweeney1,2
1UCL
2ESRC
Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
Deafness, Cognition and Language (DCAL) Research Centre, UCL
3Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL
Background: Fingerspelling (FS) is a manual representation of written orthography. Because FS is
orthographically structured, some commentators have proposed that FS might aid deaf children’s
reading development (e.g., Haptonstall-Nykaza and Schick, 2007). This hypothesis would be
strengthened by the finding that activation during FS and text processing: (1) engaged overlapping
cortical networks; (2) was similarly modulated by the same task/ stimulus manipulations. Methods:
Using fMRI, we compared cortical networks for processing FS and dynamic text (DT). Like FS, DT was
temporally ordered and rapidly fading, thus minimising surface differences between the two forms.
Adult deaf fingerspellers who were good readers (reading age: ≥15) performed lexico-semantic
(lexical decision) and perceptual (visual feature detection) tasks on FS and DT high-familiarity English
words and nonsense letterstrings. Because cortical networks supporting DT are unknown, we also
tested hearing adults (reading age: ≥15) to elucidate this network in typical readers. Results and
Discussion: Preliminary results indicate that FS and DT elicit similar patterns of activation. Moreover,
these networks were modulated in similar ways by the lexico-semantic and perceptual tasks.
Differences between the two stimulus types were also observed. These differences are discussed
with reference to the surface characteristics of the two forms.
Odor identification: an indicator for future cognitive decline?
Eike Wehling, Steven Nordin, Martin Andersson, Arvid Skjerve, Jonn-Terje Geitung, Ivar
Reinvang & Astri J. Lundervold
Department for Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
Background: We assessed odor identification performance in patients with mild cognitive
impairment (MCI) and in non-demented carriers and non carriers of the Apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE
ε4), and asked if low performance could indicate cognitive decline. Methods: 24 patients with MCI
and 61 matched controls were assessed with the Scandinavian Odor Identification Test (SOIT) and a
neuropsychological test battery. Apolipoprotein E genotypes of control subjects were identified.
Results: The MCI group obtained significantly lower scores on the SOIT compared to controls (p <
0.01), but no differences were found between carriers and non carriers of the Apo E ε4 allele.
Significant correlations between SOIT scores and the learning score from the California Verbal
Learning Test (CVLT) (p = 0.03) were found in the control group, but there were no significant
differences between carriers and non carriers. Discussion: SOIT performance was impaired in the MCI
group. Neither the SOIT nor the CVLT performance differentiated carriers from non carriers of the
ApoE ε4 allele, indicating that the allele was unrelated to memory dysfunction in the present sample.
However, the correlation between the learning measure (CVLT) and SOIT performance may suggest
that olfactory decline can serve as an indicator of future cognitive decline.
137
Wednesday 3rd September 15:30-16:30
“Closing-in behaviour” in Alzheimer’s disease and Fronto-temporal dementia
Elisabetta Ambron, Francesca Allaria, Robert D. McIntosh & Sergio Della Sala
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: “Closing-in behaviour” (CIB) is the tendency, in copying tasks, to perform near to
overlapping the model. This symptom is more prevalent in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than in several
other forms of dementia (Gainotti et al, 1992; Kwack, 2004; Gainotti et al, 1998). Its incidence in
fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) has not previously been assessed. Methods: We conducted a
retrospective review of 813 patients with AD and 71 patients with FTD, who underwent the Milan
Overall Dementia Assessment (MODA) (Brazzeli et al., 1994). We identified CIB, sub-classifying into
near and overlap subtypes, from performance a geometric figure copying task. Results: In both
groups, CIB incidence was higher in severe dementia. No differences in incidence were found
between groups at any level of severity. Performance on the attention subtest of the MODA was the
best predictor of near-type CIB, while overlap-type was associated with additional problems on a
visuospatial sub-test. Discussion: CIB is not as specific to AD as previously suggested, being equally
common in FTD. This is consistent with a role for frontal lobe attentional functions in the
phenomenon. Visuospatial impairments may additionally be required for severe (overlap) CIB.
Thinking touch: Unravelling the mechanisms behind tactile imagery
Helen A. Anema, Alyanne M. de Haan & H. Chris Dijkerman
Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The
Netherlands
Background. Several studies reported that motor imagery has positive effects on motor skill learning
in healthy participants and on the rehabilitation of motor impairment after stroke. Tight coupling
between somatosensory processing and motor behaviour, however, suggests the importance of
intact somatosensory processing in such patients. However, tactile imagery has been scarcely studied
and so far studies have been solely aimed at specifying the neural correlates in healthy participants.
The current study provides a first attempt to find tactile imagery effects on behavioural components.
Methods. In separate blocks participants were required to imagine (visually cued) auditory or tactile
sensations (e.g. jet-plane/ silky cloth). During this mental operation, an auditory stimulus was
presented to the left or right ear or a tactile stimulus was presented to the hand (left/ right) after
which participants had to discriminate the spatial location. Results. Our results revealed that left/
right discrimination of tactile stimuli speeds up when imaging touch as compared to auditory imagery
and vice versa, in line with previous findings. Discussion. This study provides empirical evidence for a
behavioural effect of tactile imagery and as such, these findings suggest to investigate the efficacy of
tactile imagery in the rehabilitation of sensorimotor impairments.
138
Is motor imagery influenced by personal neglect and proprioceptive deficits?
Ulrike M. Baas, P. Gander, N. Ritz, K. Gutbrod, R. Müri & W. Perrig
Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern,
Switzerland
Motor Imagery is usually assessed with a hand laterality task, where participants have to decide if
visually presented hand stimuli in different orientations correspond to their own left or right hand,
thus comparing the stimulus with an internal hand representation that is moved in imagination.
While the left hemisphere seems to be dominant for Motor Imagery of both left and right body parts,
the right hemisphere plays a role in imaging only the left-sided body (Sabatè et al., 2004). This
hypothesis could not be proven in a sample of brain-damaged patients (Schwoebel & Coslett, 2005).
However, in that study, only errors and no reaction times were recorded. Furthermore, there are
hints that hemispatial neglect and proprioceptive deficits could compromise Motor Imagery because
of a disturbance in body representation or sensory feedback, respectively. In particular, the role of
body neglect for motor imagery remains unclear. In our current study, we explore Motor Imagery in
right brain-lesioned patients in the context of personal neglect and proprioceptive deficits with a
hand laterality task by measuring errors and additionally reaction times. Results will be presented.
Neuropsychological processes of motor imagery compared with motor scripts and action
verbs. ERPs applied to motor representation
Michela Balconi & Edoardo Santucci
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan
Inter-action is the starting point for the creation of social relations and of joint-actions. It is one of
the key facets in the development of our conceptual images of the world, would they be nonbiological or biological in nature. In the present research we explored the process of action and interaction representation and the role of intention attribution in observing or executing actions between
a human agent and a human analogue (a mannequin arm; BIO-ART condition), two human agents
(BIO-BIO), a human agent and an object (a tube: BIO-OBJ), an artificial agent (the mannequin arm)
and an object (ART-OBJ). 20 subjects were tested by an ERP procedure (epochs of 1400 ms 800/600). The data have been statistically analysed by repeated measures analysis of variance. We
have found a negative ERP component peaked at about 350 ms post-stimulus bilaterally localized on
fronto-central sites, ampler for BIO-BIO and ART-BIO and gradually smaller for BIO-OBJ and ART-OBJ
conditions. These results have been discussed as related to the process of intentional attribution,
reasonably mainly involved in case of interactions between human agents than between no human
agents (artificial or objects). The frontal distribution of N350 was analyzed considering the neural
network implicated.
139
Cognitive correlates of anosognosia in cortical and sub-cortical frontal dementia
Anna Maria Barbarulo, Dario Grossi, Gianfranco Puoti, Roberto Cotrufo & Luigi Trojano
Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples
Background: The “loss of insight” is a core research diagnostic criterion for frontotemporal dementia
(FTD), but few studies have specifically investigated the presence of insight in patients with different
subtypes of frontal degeneration. The present study aimed to assess insight in patients with cortical
and sub-cortical frontal dementia, also evaluating relationships of insight with general cognitive
functioning, executive functioning and psychiatric symptomatology. Methods: We examined 19
patients with frontal variant of fronto-temporal dementia (fv-FTD), 5 patients with progressive non
fluent aphasia (PNFA) and 7 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). All patients
underwent SPECT, a neuropsychological and behavioural assessment, and a systematic evaluation of
different aspects of their insight (for clinical, cognitive and functional defects and for disease
progression). Results and Discussion: fv-FTD patient had poorer insight than PSP and NFPA patients.
Multiple regression demonstrated that defects of self-monitoring cognitive skills and, from a
behavioural standpoint, high levels of aggressivity were the best predictors of poor insight. Both
disinhibition, as a psychiatric symptom, and disturbances of response inhibition, as a cognitive
deficit, have a strong association with impairment of frontal lobe functions, and especially of
orbitofrontal function, suggesting that anosognosia is associated with orbitofrontal function
impairment.
Rhythm cueing of cognitive functions: Training effects in ideomotor-apraxia
Nicolò F. Bernardi, Silvia Aggujaro, Franco Molteni, Angelo Maravita & Claudio Luzzatti
Department of Psychology, Milano-Bicocca University, Italy
Background: Several studies showed the positive effects of rhythm cueing on motor control in
neurological disorders (hemiparesis, Parkinson disease). Yet, no studies were carried out on patients
suffering from impaired programming of complex actions. Ideomotor apraxia is an ideal experimental
paradigm to test the effect of rhythm on the reorganization of higher motor control after brain
damage, since the impairment does not affect low-level motor control. Methods: A patient suffering
from ideomotor apraxia has been tested before and after two rehabilitation training sets that only
differed for the presence/absence of rhythmic cueing. Training was focused on the acquisition of
novel complex motor sequences, and consisted in demonstrations and reproductions of target
sequences by trials and errors. The ability to perform complex motor sequences was tested by
considering the accuracy of limb-positions and trajectories along the path. Results: Both trainings
increased the patient’s proficiency, but rhythmic cueing was significantly more effective, during the
training (Chi2: p = .019) as well as during the post training uncued condition (t-test: p = .031).
Discussion: Results are in line with neurophysiological data showing the effect of music on cognitive
functions (Peterson & Thaut, 2007), and are discussed in the context of motor-control cognitive
models.
140
TMS-based evidence for the independence of ventriloquism effect and audio-visual
integration
Caterina Bertini, Fabrizio Leo, Alessio Avenanti & Elisabetta Làdavas
Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Italy
Background: Previous studies show that visual stimuli can influence auditory localization. The present
study investigates the role of primary visual cortex (V1) on multisensory-mediated auditory
localization, using iTBS (inhibitory theta-burst stimulation). Methods: Subjects were asked to localize
an auditory stimulus alone or with a concurrent near-threshold visual stimulus presented at the same
spatial position or spatially disparate, in two counterbalanced sessions performed outside (baseline)
or within the inhibitory effects created by iTBS of V1. Results: Compared to baseline, after iTBS,
ventriloquism effect (perceptual translocation of the auditory stimulus toward the visual one, with
spatially disparate audio-visual stimuli) disappeared into the visual field contralateral to the
stimulated site, whereas no effect was found into the ipsilateral field. However, when audio-visual
stimuli were spatially coincident, an acoustical localization enhancement of the same magnitude in
the contralateral and in the ipsilateral field was found in both sessions, suggesting an audio-visual
integration effect. Discussion: These results suggest that ventriloquism effect and multisensory
integration for spatially coincident audio-visual stimuli are functionally independent and mediated by
different neural circuits: V1 activity is necessary in mediating ventriloquism effect, whereas audiovisual integration is unaffected by V1 inhibition and may be mediated by subcortical structures such
as Superior Colliculus.
Variability in performance: Is it informative?
Mario Bonato, Konstantinos Priftis, Roberto Marenzi & Marco Zorzi
Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy
Background: The increased variability in the performance of right brain damaged patients has been
found to correlate with neglect severity in line bisection (Bonato et al., 2008) and to be modulated by
the spatial position of the target and by the validity of the cue in detection tasks (Anderson et al.,
2000; Bartolomeo et al., 2001). Method: Reaction Times (RTs) in a cued detection task (central, nonpredictive cueing) were examined in terms of between-subjects variability. The data of 14 patients
were analyzed. Different potential predictors of variability were compared such as neglect severity,
lesion size, overall cognitive performance, age, and time from lesion. Results: The variability of RTs
increased with neglect severity and with the size of the cueing effect. To explore the role of potential
confounds, such as the selective slowing of RTs within the contralesional hemispace, different
indexes of performance variability were calculated and compared. Discussion: Increased
performance variability of right brain damaged patients can be profitably adopted as an additional
measure of impaired performance. The study of the potential factors leading to increased variability
can help in determining this subtle marker of cognitive impairment.
141
The Role of Basal Ganglia in Action Imitation: Neuropsychological Evidence from Parkinson’s
disease Patients
Carolina Bonivento, G.W.Humphreys, R.I.Rumiati & E. Biasutti
Univerisity of Birmingham
Previous studies have suggested a role of the basal ganglia in gesture imitation. Leiguarda et al.
(1997, 2002) report that Parkinson’s patients (PD) have poor execution of observed meaningful (MF)
transitive (tool-related) actions, despite normal performance with intransitive (non tool-related) MF
and meaningless (ML) gestures. In contrast, Tessari et al. (2007) described two right –brain damaged
patients with ideomotor apraxia, whose lesions involved the basal ganglia, who were more impaired
in imitating ML as compared to meaningful MF transitive pantomimes. We assessed this
inconsistency by testing a group of PD only with MF transitive pantomimes and matched ML
movements. A test presenting intransitive MF and ML actions was administered as well (Tessari et
al., in prep). PD patients generated lower scores than healthy participants for both kinds of transitive
actions, but particularly for ML movements. There were also deficits for intransitives gesture, with
the lowest scores on the MF. These results had only weak negative correlation with clinical
symptoms of PD, suggesting minimal contributions from more peripheral neurological symptoms.
The relations between the production of MF and ML gestures, and the role of the basal ganglia in
action, are discussed.
Eye scanpaths during perception and imagery of a map of France
Clémence Bourlon, B. Oliviero, C. Duret & P. Bartolomeo
Inserm UMR_S610, IFR70, Hôpital Pitié Salpétrière, Paris, France and CRF Les Trois
Soleils, Boissise le Roi, France
Background: Do eye movements play a role in visual mental imagery (VMI)? Previous results suggest
similar eye scanpaths during perception and VMI of the same scene, but in these studies a perceptual
task was proposed before the imaginal task. Thus participants might simply re-enact the same eye
movements they performed during visual exploration. Methods: In two VMI tasks, participants
generated a mental image of the map of France either in front of a black screen or of a screen with
an outline of the map, and had to decide whether auditorily presented towns were located either on
the left or on the right side of Paris. In the “perceptual” task, the same stimuli were visually
presented on a map, which participants saw on the computer screen. 16 subjects participated in the
experiment. Eye movements were recorded by using an eye-tracker. The order of tasks was
counterbalanced among participants. Results: In the perceptual task, the number and time of
fixations were consistent with the side of the visual stimuli. In both the VMI tasks, participants’ eyes
spent more time on the side where the imagined stimulus occurred. Discussion: These results are
consistent with the hypothesis that eye movements play a functional role in mental imagery
processes, even when mental images are generated before seeing the corresponding visual scene.
142
An explanatory theory of higher brain function
Peter G. Burton
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Australia
The Cognitive Process Consciousness theory of human cognition and consciousness explains the
intimate connection between cognitive content and conscious control in the autonomous, animated
and directed system of cognition in the brain. 300,000 words organised to cover four distinct aspects
of the functions, operations and mechanisms at work in this system document the theory: Cognitive
Analysis of Consciousness (Burton CAC2004); The Mind: Theory, Practice & Problems (Burton,
MTPP2006); How We Are (Burton 2007) and Natural Knowledge and its Development (Burton,
NKD2008). These four volumes and a dozen explanatory posters to map the complex 20-dimensional
space covered by the theory are freely available for research from website
http://homepage.mac.com/blinkcentral. The presentation will introduce the level of abstraction at
which coherent processing in the brain can be discerned ('templates'), whose dynamic and
segmented structure allow the formulation of competences upon which task navigation becomes
predicated (CPC model: CAC2004), and operational mechanisms associated with their control may be
discerned (HWA2007). Reflective mental processing (involving a three-part generalised process of
transformation, GPT) translates real-time learning and memory formation into accessible experience
and knowledge (CPC framework, MTPP2006). With the detailed articulation of the rules and
principles at work in this system, an entirely fresh perspective on knowledge itself - a
polydimensional vector model of concepts - is needed to characterise 'natural' knowledge.
Anti-saccades and anti-pointing in right hemisphere lesioned patients: evidence for
selective impairment in patients with neglect
Stephen H. Butler1, Stephanie Rossit1, Bettina Olk2, Keith Muir3 & Monika Harvey1
1University
of Glasgow, UK
University Bremen, Germany
3Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, UK
2Jacobs
Background: Spatial neglect is defined as the inability to spontaneously report, respond or orient
towards events on the contralesional side of space. We examined the performance of two groups of
right hemisphere lesioned patients (with/without neglect) and a group of healthy age matched
controls in tasks requiring pro- and anti-pointing or pro- and antisaccades. Method: Stimuli in the
pointing conditions were presented on a horizontal surface, with data acquisition by means of a
Flight of Birds system. Eye movements were recorded via an SMI Eyelink 1. Results: The neglect
group showed no specific impairments in the pro-pointing condition, but an impairment was
observed in the anti-pointing condition, both in terms of erroneous pro-pointing and in terms of end
point accuracy. With regard to eye movements, neglect patients showed a spatial bias with faster
rightward than leftward prosaccades and clear impairments in the anti-saccade task, in that they
failed to suppress incorrect pro-saccades. Discussion: These data confirm that on-line visuomotor
processing is relatively normal in neglect patients but that they fail to acquire and/or transform the
explicit spatial representation of targets for off-line remapping actions. Our data also further suggest
that neglect patients may suffer from deficits in response inhibition.
143
Covert shifts of attention resist distraction: implications for the premotor theory
Antimo Buonocore & Robert D. McIntosh
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: In the Remote Distractor Effect (RDE), a target-directed saccade is delayed by a
simultaneous distractor, even when target location is known in advance (Walker et al., 1995).
According to the premotor theory (Rizzolatti et al., 1987), covert shifts of attention are identical to
saccades, the only difference being that the saccade is not executed. The premotor theory thus
predicts that covert shifts of attention should inherit all the properties of eye movements, including
RDE. Methods: Participants fixated centrally and a dot was flashed to the right, either alone or with a
distractor on the left. The task was to discriminate a letter flashed briefly inside the right dot for
between 79 and 266 ms. Psychophysical functions relating discrimination to flash duration were
plotted for each participant for distractor and no-distractor conditions. Results: Discrimination
thresholds were unaffected by distractor condition, showing that the RDE does not apply to convert
shifts of attention. Discussion: Contrary to a strong version of the premotor theory, covert attention
does not inherit all of the properties of eye movements. The RDE may be a saccade-specific
phenomenon arising at the level of the superior colliculus.
Functionality-dependent tool embodiment
Lucilla Cardinali1,2, F. Frassinetti3, C. Brozzoli1,2, A. C. Roy4, C. Urquizar1,2 & A. Farnè1,2
1INSERM
U864, “Espace et Action”, France
C. Bernard-Lyon, Lyon, France
3Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italia
4Institut des Sciences Cognitives, CNRS, Bron, France
2Université
Neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies showed that tool-use modifies the coding of
peripersonal space. Here we present direct evidence of tool embodiment and show that tool
embodiment depends upon the task the tool is used for, by comparing the effects of grasping objects
with a mechanical grab (Training A: fully functional tool-use) to those produced by matching objects
size (Traning B: partially-functional) with the same tool. We asked a group of healthy subjects to
perform free-hand grasping movements both before and after 2 different training (A and B) with a 40
cm-long grab. Results showed that: 1) tool-use influenced the kinematic pattern of free-hand
movements, most likely altering the representation of the arm length 2) this modification is more
important after a fully-functional use of the tool (Training A), as compared to a less functional
tool-use (Training B), 3) the kinematics of grasping with the tool (Training A) seems to predict the
effect of tool-!use on subsequent free-hand grasping movements. These findings suggest that the
tool may be dynamically incorporated in the Body Schema, and that different degrees of
embodiment may be related to the type of task performed with the tool.
144
An integrated evaluation approach for topographical disorientation
Laura Carelli1,2, Francesca Morganti2, Maria Luisa Rusconi1, Flavia Mattioli3 & Giuseppe Riva2
1Department
2Applied
of Human Science – University of Bergamo, Italy
Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab - Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy
3Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, Brescia, Italy
BACKGROUND: Studies involving cognitive and neuroimaging evaluations have searched for
neuroanatomical regions correlated to topographical disorientation (TD). Although literature doesn’t
provide an unique explanation, the role of hippocampus in human topographical learning is shared
by most of the authors. This study aimed to investigate neuropsychological characteristics of TD in a
71 years old patient, affected by an ischemic bilateral occipital lesion involving the hippocampus.
Evidences for the added value of an integrated evaluation in underlying spatial disorientation were
considered. METHODS: Visuo-spatial and topographical abilities were tested employing different
approaches: neuropsychological tests, paper and pencil and virtual reality mazes, ecological
evaluation of topographical memory. RESULTS: Patient’s performance showed a clear dissociation
between verbal learning abilities (preserved) and visuo-spatial and topographical memory capacities
(severely impaired). TD resulted to be more evident in virtual mazes and in the report of known
routes. DISCUSSION: The integrated assessment approach allowed us to highlight patient’s everyday
spatial disorientation and to contribute to the debate of the role of hippocampus in a selective
impairment of visuo-spatial learning in TD.
On the possible interaction between egocentric and allocentric Representation
Rossella Cogliano, Dario Grossi & Luigi Trojano
Department of Psychology - The Second University of Naples, Italy
Background: Two functional components of body representation are usually postulated: egocentric
(related to self body representation) and allocentric (involved in others’ body representation). The
relationships between the two components are still controversial: they might converge in a
supramodal representation or be functionally independent. We addressed this issue by means of two
experiments. Methods: In the first experiment (Egocentric Task) normal subjects had to decide if the
vertical arrangement of three words referring to body parts matched the current alignment of their
body parts with respect to the ground; subject were tested in four different postures (standing,
sitting, “unconventional” standing and “unconventional” sitting). In the second experiment
(Allocentric Task) the same decision had to be taken in reference to a mannequin arranged in the
same four postures; four groups of subjects were each assessed only in one of the four postures.
Results: Reaction times and correct responses from the two experiments showed that the reference
posture, but not the current one, significantly affected subjects’ performances; no interaction was
found between the two postures (reference and current) in the allocentric task. Discussion: The
present data lend support to the idea that the egocentric and allocentric components of body
representation are functionally independent.
145
Extrastriate body area activity during haptic body exploration
Marcello Costantini, Cosimo Urgesi, Gaspare Galati, Gian Luca Romani & Salvatore Maria
Aglioti
Department of Clinical Sciences and Functional Bioimaging
Visual processing of human bodies or body parts involves selective activations of a lateral occipitotemporal area, called extrastriate body area (EBA). EBA is one of the several areas in the occipitotemporal cortex engaged in visual processing of specific stimulus categories. We can also use our
sense of touch to perceive the shape and other characteristics of objects. The aim of this study was
to test whether EBA is activated by haptic exploration of body parts. While being scanned (fMRI)
subjects were asked to haptically explore in different blocks either real-size fake body parts or real
objects as control stimuli. We found a selective activation of EBA while subjects haptically explored
body parts as compared to real objects. This suggests that EBA may integrate visual body
representations with somatosensory and motor information regarding the body. This result is in line
with previous studies showing that other category specific occipito-temporal areas, such as the
Fusiform Face Area and the Lateral Occipital Complex (selective for faces and objects, respectively)
are activated not only when objects or faces were presented in the visual modality but also when
they were haptically explored by the subject. Our results do expand current knowledge by showing
that EBA houses an abstract representation of the body regardless of the sensory modality by which
the stimulus is presented.
Visual context and grip planning in participants with left and right hemiparetic cerebral palsy
Céline Crajé1, John van der Kamp2,3 & Bert Steenbergen4
1Radboud
University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Institute MOVE, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
3Institute of Human Performance, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
4Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information (NICI), Radboud University Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
2Research
Background: Recent evidence suggests that individuals with Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy (HCP) are
compromised in action planning, especially when their right body side is affected. In healthy controls,
action planning was shown to be affected by visual context information. The present study
investigated a) differences in grip planning among participants with left and right HCP, and b) the use
of visual context information for action planning. Methods: Participants (12 left HCP, 10 right HCP)
grasped a rod that was surrounded by a tilted frame (inducing a ‘rod-and-frame’ illusion), and
subsequently placed the rod vertically in a tight fitting box. Grip types and the specific rod
orientation where a switch into another grip type occurred were registered. Results: Participants
with left HCP showed consistent planning of the first part of the task, whereas most participants with
right HCP entertained an inconsistent planning strategy. In the participants using a consistent
planning strategy, grip switches were affected by the illusion. Discussion: Planning problems were
especially observed in participants with right HCP. In participants using a consistent planning
strategy, visual information provided by the context had an effect on grip planning, suggesting
unaffected visuo-motor integration.
146
Direct stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex disrupts visually guided grasping in an
epilepsy patient
Chris Dijkerman1, Joost Meekes2, Edward de Haan3 & Frans Leijten4
1Helmholtz
Instituut, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Children's Hospital, Utrecht, the Netherlands
3University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
4Frans Leijten, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands
2Wilhelmina
There is increasing converging evidence that the posterior parietal cortex plays a crucial role in the
visual guidance of reaching and grasping behaviour. Earlier neurophysiological studies in monkeys
suggested that a number of different parietal areas are involved. In humans, reports of optic ataxic
patients, TMS experiments and neuroimaging studies have all implicated the posterior parietal
cortex. Recently, we had the opportunity to study this relationship directly through electrical
stimulation of posterior parietal areas in an epilepsy patient who was a candidate for neurosurgery.
A grid was inserted over the whole, left frontoparietal cortex prior to surgery in order to map crucial
functions and the locus op the epileptic attacks. The patient was asked to perform visually guided
reaching movements with the right hand towards one of several targets. Stimulation of the superior
parietal cortex during reaching resulted in a movement arrest, which lasted until stimulation was
terminated. Stimulation at other, nearby electrodes resulted in inaccuracies during and at the end of
the movements. Inferior parietal stimulation did not produce a disruption of reaching. These findings
suggest a crucial role of the superior, but not inferior parietal cortex in visually guided reaching.
The role of parietal-frontal disconnection in unilateral spatial neglect: a DTI - MRI study
Fabrizio Doricchi, Sheila Merola, Marika Urbansky, Mara Cercignani, Michel Thiebaut de
Schotten, Paolo Bartolomeo, Marco Bozzali & Francesco Tomaiuolo
Universita' "La Sapienza" - Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma Italy
In order to have an objective test of the role parietal-frontal disconnection in the pathogenesis of
chronic neglect we studied a series patients with purely cortical parietal-temporal-frontal damage
and two patients (matched for age, sex, handedness and stroke onset) who had identical corticalsubcortical parietal-temporal-frontal damage with the exception of lesion involvement (assessed
with DTI) of the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (SLF) in one case but not in the other. Extended
cortical parietal-temporal-frontal damage sparing underlying white matter connections engendered
no sign of spatial neglect. Out of the two patients with identical cortical-subcortical parietaltemporal-frontal damage only the one suffering disconnection of the SLF showed neglect. These
findings converge with previous neurophysiological, anatomical and neurosurgical findings
suggesting a causal role for parietal-frontal disconnection in the pathogenesis of chronic spatial
neglect.
147
Effects of modafinil and methylphenidate on perceptual processing speed and short-term
memory storage capacity parameters
Kathrin Finke, Chris Dodds, Peter Bublak, Ralf Regenthal, Frank Baumann, Tom Manlysa &
Ulrich Müller
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
Variable effects of psychostimulants on attentional functions in healthy subjects have been found.
However, this might be due to a lack of sensitivity of traditional neuropsychological tests. Cognitive
assessment according to the theory of visual attention (TVA; Bundesen, 1990) allows the
independent measurement of distinct attentional capacity parameters unconfounded by factors such
as motor speed and, thus, might provide a more sensitive measure of attentional capacity. Using a
computerized TVA-based whole report we investigated the effects of methylphenidate and modafinil
on visual perceptual processing speed and the storage capacity of visual short-term memory (vSTM).
Healthy volunteers received single doses of either methylphenidate, modafinil or placebo using a
double-blind crossover design. Plasma levels and subjective alertness levels were assessed. We found
consistently enhancing effects on visual perceptual speed compared to the placebo condition in
subjects with low baseline performance. In these subjects, speed was correlated to subjective
alertness. With respect to plasma level, we found inverse effects in subjects with low and high
baseline level: Whereas in underperforming subjects, a higher speed enhancement was found with
high plasma level, a tendency for an inverse correlation was found in higher performing subjects.
Even with our extremely sensitive measure, only modafinil enhanced also vSTM storage capacity in
underperforming subjects.
Mental practice in patients with multiple sclerosis
Susanne Glatzl & T. Berger
Neuroimmunologie, Univ. Klinik, Innsbruck
Background: Mental practice of a particular motor skill has repeatedly been shown to activate the
same musculature and neuronal areas as physical practice of the skill. This method has been adopted
in rehabilitation programs in chronic stroke patients (1). To the best of our knowledge it was not
used with multiple sclerosis (MS) patients till now. Methods: Three patients with secondary
progressive MS, needing wheel-chairs, received for 10 times instructions in mental practice, once a
week. In state of trance they visualized activities of daily living fractionalized in single steps.
Additional they exercised 2-3 times a week at home. At the beginning and after the 10 sessions
patients evaluated limbs by visual analog scale (VAS). Quality of life was assessed with WHOQOL.
Results: The subjective sensations after the sessions was considerable increased, the pain and the
spasticity reduced, they felt relaxed. The data of the VAS and the WHOQOL showed no significant
effects because of the low number of participants, but there was a tendency to increased flexibility
of limbs and improved mental power. Discussion: The reported results support the efficacy of mental
practice for neuropsychological rehabilitation also in MS. Overall this study needs subsequent
confirmation from larger cohorts.
148
Moyamoya syndrome: Neuropsychological sequelae in a young girl
Cathy M. Grant1, Arleta Starza-Smith2 & Peter Rankin3
1University
Hospitals Leicester
Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham
3UCL Institute of Child Health, London
2Neurosciences,
Background: Moyamoya syndrome is a rare disease in which the internal carotid arteries become
narrowed and small blood vessels form a network of collateral ‘moyamoya’ vessels to supply oxygen
to oxygen-starved areas of the brain. This condition increases the likelihood of stroke and transient
ischemic attacks (TIA) and is usually treated using neurosurgical revascularization procedures.
Reviews of the neurosurgical outcome for children suggest that the long-term prognosis for children
is ‘excellent’ in that the majority of paediatric patients stop having strokes and TIA’s (e.g., Scott et al.,
2004). However, less is known about the neuropsychological outcome for these children. We present
an overview of the neuropsychological sequelae in a young girl diagnosed with moyamoya syndrome
after presenting with TIA, who was subsequently treated with neurosurgery. Method:
Neuropsychological assessment, which included measures of intellectual function, memory,
attention and executive function, was undertaken at age 6 and 8 years. Results: A pattern of
significant visuo-spatial deficits, spatial neglect and attentional problems were evident across
assessments. Verbal comprehension as measured by the Wechsler Scales was a relative area of
strength and developmental progression in this area largely age appropriate. Discussion: The findings
of the assessment are discussed along with implications for further neuropsychological follow up and
management of the neuropsychological difficulties resulting from moyamoya syndrome.
A case study of congenital prosopagnosia: Its relationships with visual memory and learning
Anne-Marie J. Hufty1, Marina Gasparini1, Emanuela Salati1, Delia Lenzia2, Gian Luigi Lenzi1 &
Giuseppe Bruno1
1Department
of Neurological Sciences, Sapienza University, Italy
2IRCCS S. Lucia. Rome, Italy
Prosopagnosia is a selective deficit in face recognition usually consequence of an acquired damage to
the inferior occipitemporal cortex. However in recent years it became evident that prosopagnosia
also affects individuals without brain lesions. This so-called congenital prosopagnosia (CP) is a lifelong
condition whose aetiology is often unknown. Both functional images studies and physiological
measures have failed to demonstrate impairments in occipitotemporal areas. We describe a 47-yearold man – SC – who complains difficulties in face recognition since his childhood. He is a brilliant
engineer with a high IQ (> 130) but in everyday life he experiences difficulties in recognizing his
girlfriend, relatives, friends and colleagues. Conventional RMN did not display brain abnormalities.
Neuropsychological assessment was at ceiling, apart from a deficit in the immediate and delayed
recall of the Rey Complex Figure. Assessment of visuo-spatial functions is normal. SC’s performances
was normal in the visual matching of unknown faces but impaired in the learning condition.
Performances in two tasks of famous people recognition were similarly defective both in the naming
and the familiarity conditions. CS’s impairment seems to have its functional basis in a difficulty in
learning complex visual patterns. According to some authors, the fact that CP is not resolved over the
lifetime suggests that ventral system may have a limited plasticity, in contrast to other cognitive and
sensory domains.
149
Prism adaptation speeds up recovery of neglect in the acute phase post stroke
Rients B. Huitema, Patrick C. Vroomen & Wiebo H. Brouwer
University Medical Center Groningen
A relatively new and possibly promising neglect treatment is prism adaptation (PA). In this study PA
treatment was given to patients starting 3 days post stroke, the main purpose being to speed up
recovery of neglect. Although neglect may (in most cases but not always) gradually recover in the
months following a stroke the disorder is extremely impeding during rehabilitation. Therefore
recovery of neglect should be as fast as possible. Methods: Right hemisphere stroke patients on a
stroke ward were screened for the presence of neglect 3 days post stroke. Ten neglect patients were
included and randomly assigned to either treatment or placebo group. Patients were tested for
neglect post treatment at 2, 4, 13 and 26 weeks. Results: Data show a faster recovery of neglect in
the treatment group compared to the placebo group. Discussion: PA treatment is a promising neglect
treatment that can speed up recovery of neglect when started several days post stoke. Because the
treatment requires little effort of the patient it can easily be implemented on a stroke ward in the
acute phase post stroke.
Planning and control of discrete bimanual actions in right- and left-handers
Loes Janssen, Marieke van der Graaff, Ruud Meulenbroek & Bert Steenbergen
NICI, Radboud University Nijmegen
Background: In cyclical bimanual tasks, a well known coordination constraint for both hands is to
move mirror-symmetrically relative to the sagittal plane. In discrete bimanual tasks, it was shown
that the preference to end the task in a comfortable posture, the end-state comfort effect, acts as a
cognitive constraint on motor planning for both hands. The present study systematically scrutinized
the role of both constraints in a discrete bimanual object manipulation task. Methods: Ten righthanded and ten left-handed participants performed a CD-placement task in which start and end
orientations of the CDs varied systematically, such that a conflict between cognitive and coordination
constraints was present in some conditions. Start and end grips were scored as well as direction of
the hand rotations. Results: Right-handers ended comfortable with their right hand, but not with
their left (82% vs 50% of trials). In only half of the trials they preferred to move symmetrically. Lefthanders are currently under study. Discussion: End-state comfort dominated over mirror-symmetry
in discrete bimanual actions of right-handers. The difference in planning between the hands may be
attributed to either hand dominance or a left-hemisphere specialization for motor planning.
Confirmation for either hypothesis depends on the results of the left-handers.
150
Regret and conscience when causing a damage for another person
Boris Kotchoubey
University of Tübingen, Germany
Human consciousness emerges on the interface between several components of animal behavior:
communication, play, and tool use. All three do not exclusively characterize our close relatives (i.e.,
primates) but are broadly presented among mammals, birds, and even cephalopods. The interaction
between communication and play yields symbolic games, first of all language; and the interaction
between symbols and tools results in human forms of praxis. Taken together, this gives rise to a
system of playing forward behavioural options (controlling actions) in a “second reality” of
objectively (by means of tools) grounded symbolic systems. The model possesses the following
advantages: 1. It is explicitly anti-reductionistic and anti-eliminativistic, and yet, human
consciousness is considered as a purely biological phenomenon. 2. It avoids epiphenomenalism and
indicates evolutionary functions of human consciousness. 3. It allows to easily explain the most
typical features of consciousness, such as objectivity; seriality and limited resources; the relationship
between consciousness and explicit memory, the feeling of conscious agency; and others. 4. It also
elucidates many other, traditional and modern, theories of consciousness, from substance dualism to
Dennet’s reductionism, and shows how they can be regarded as emphasizing certain aspects of
consciousness why ignoring some other important aspects.
Balint’s syndrome due to bilateral posterior/parietal infarction, rehabilitation strategies and
goal measurement
Anna Marino & Stine Poulsen
Deutsche Geselllschaft für Neuropsychologie, Danspsykologforening
Background: The Balint syndrome involves a severe spatial restriction of the field of visual attention,
a piecemeal perception of the world and severe disorientation in space. Treatment‘s rationale has
often been to improve oculomotor functions involved in visual perception, and to use strategies
based in the visual modality. Methods: Detailed neuropsychological testing was performed before
and after the treatment, the typical difficulties the patient experienced in his everyday life, due to a
combination of Balint and amnestic syndrome, were recorded in GAS –Goals, i.e. transformed in
concrete goals to attain with help from a scaling measure. The intensive treatment, 5 days/week over
three months, integrated tactile input into the visual mapping of the patient’s personal world under
the general rule of errorless learning. This treatment was given during activities of everyday living in
order to facilitate the transfer of the reacquired abilities into the patient’s life. Results: enhancing of
spatial orientation and implicit learning. Discussion: a structured and intensive tactile input could
serve both as a partial substitution and a compensation for reduced visual perception.
151
The influence of increased phasic alertness on spatial and non-spatial deficits in neglect
patients
Ellen Matthias, i.K. Peter Bublak, Hermann Müller, Werner X. Schneider, Ingo Keller &
Kathrin Finke
Department of Psychology, LMU, Munich
It has been shown that phasically alerting neglect patients may overcome their pathological
rightward lateralization (e.g., Robertson et al., 1998). However, it is not clear to date which
attentional components are actually influenced by an increase in phasic alertness. We combined a
TVA based whole-report paradigm with a non-spatial, visual alerting-cue which allowed to observe
spatially lateralized (spatial distribution of attentional weighting) and spatially non-lateralized
(processing speed) attentional components to be assessed independently of each other within the
same paradigm and the same patients. One aim of the study was to disentangle the influence of cueinduced phasic alertness on spatially lateralized and on spatially non-lateralized components of visual
attention. Furthermore, by using three different cue-target SOAs we wanted to assess the time
course of potential changes in the different attentional components. Several independent effects
were revealed. A fast evolving and short-lasting, ‘phasic’ modulation of spatial attentional weighting
was found with a re-distribution of attentional weights from the pathological rightward bias to a
balanced distribution of attentional weights. Furthermore, a longer-lasting effect on processing
speed occurred. Thus, our study revealed an independent influence of phasic alerting on spatial and
non-spatial aspects of the attentional pathology in neglect.
How automatic is the hand’s automatic pilot?
Amy Mulroue & Robert. D. McIntosh
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: Automatic corrections occur in visually guided reaching in response to sudden changes
in target location. These corrections occur even when they are uninstructed (Pisella et al., 2000) and
also when participants are unaware of the change in location (Goodale et al., 1986). We tested
whether they are more strongly automatic, in the sense of resisting voluntary control. Methods: We
used a fast reaching task, in which the target location changed at movement onset in 20% of trials.
There were three instruction conditions. ‘GO’ (i.e. follow the target jump); ‘STOP’ (stop the
movement if the target jumps); ‘NOGO’ (point to the original target location on all trials). Results: As
expected, participants in the GO condition achieved high correction rates, and corrections occurred
(though at a lower rate) in the STOP condition, despite being uninstructed. However, very few
corrections were made in the NOGO condition. Discussion: The lack of corrections in the NOGO
condition demonstrates that they can be overridden by voluntary intention. We conclude that the
automatic pilot is weakly automatic, in the sense of operating without instruction, but not strongly
automatic, since it can be actively suppressed when the task requires this.
152
ERP, ophthalmological, neuropsychological and MRI assessment of visual processing in
preterm children
Michelle A. O'Reilly, Brigitte Vollmer, Faraneh-Vargha-Khadem, Brian Neville, Alan Connelly,
John Wyatt, Chris Timms & Michelle de Haan
UCL Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital
Many studies report deficits in visual processing, including opthalmological and visual-perceptual/motor impairments, in children born prematurely (O’Connor, Stephenson, Johnson, 2004). We
investigated whether functional abnormalities in visual processing exist in children born preterm but
without major neuromotor impairment (i.e. cerebral palsy). Method: Twelve such children (<33
weeks gestation or birth weight < 1000 g) without major neuromotor impairment and 12 born fullterm controls were assessed at 8-12 years of age by means of pattern-reversal visual evoked
potentials (PR-VEP), ophthalmological assessment (visual acuity, colour vision, stereopsis,
stereoacuity, visual fields, ocular motility, motor fusion) and neuropsychological tests of visualmotor, visual-perceptual and visual-spatial skills. All participants underwent magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) of the brain. Results: No significant differences were found between the groups on the
MRI, ophthalmological or the visual cognitive measures. The P100 component of the PR-VEP showed
a significantly shorter latency in the preterm compared with the full-term participants. Discussion:
Whilst this P100 finding suggests subtle abnormalities may exist at the neurophysiological level, we
conclude that preterm children without major neuromotor impairment are largely spared from major
disruptions in visual system function.
Mental imagery and hemispheric specialization: a brain-damaged patients study
Liana Palermo1, R. Nori4, L. Piccardi2,3, F. Giusberti4 & C. Guariglia1,3
1Università
degli Studi di Roma, “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
degli Studi dell’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
3I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
4Università degli Studi di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2Università
A mental imagery deficit is usually described following left brain damages (Farah, 1984;1995; Trojano
& Grossi, 1994), but neuroimaging studies underline that this process is distributed bilaterally,
emphasizing an important involvement of the right-hemisphere (Sack et al. 2002; 2005). Moreover,
the right hemisphere is implicated in a particular imagery disorder: the representational neglect
(Bisiach & Luzzatti 1978). We administered a battery of mental imagery tests (Nori & Giusberti 2006)
to 17 normal subjects, 7 left-brain damaged patients, 10 right-brain damaged patients, 7 right-brain
damaged patients with representational neglect (RrN+) and 4 right-brain damaged patients with pure
visuo-spatial neglect (RpN+). The battery evaluated the capacity to generate images of buildings from
short-term memory, to mentally assembling scenes and objects, to transform, rotate and overlap
stimuli, and to elaborate an image of a real pathway. Statistic analysis reveals the RrN+ and the RpN+
group were significantly worse than the other groups in several tests. The RrN+ group respect to the
RpN+ one was impaired in elaborating an image of a pathway and in the mental folding of stimuli.
Our results provide evidence that the right hemisphere is more involved in mental imagery respect to
results previously reported in literature and shed some light on the nature of the deficit in the
representational neglect.
153
Cross-modal recalibration of auditory spatial perception: New evidence from neglect and
hemianopia
Claudia Passamonti, Ilja Frissen & Elisabetta Làdavas
Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Italy and Centro Studi e Ricerche in
Neuroscienze Cognitive,Cesena, Italia
Background: After a period of exposure to auditory-visual spatial disparity, sound localization is
systematically shifted in the direction of the visual stimulus. Method: In order to investigate the locus
of the underlying processes, we asked patients with parietal (i.e.,neglect) and occipital lesion
(i.e.,hemianopic) to localize weak sounds by laser pointing, before and after a 4 min adaptation to
repetitive auditory-visual stimulation. During the adaptation phase, bimodal stimuli could be
presented spatially displaced (8°) or spatially coincident (0°), in either hemifield. Results: After
adaptation to spatial disparity in the normal field, both groups showed significant shifts toward the
visual stimulus. In contrast, after adaptation in the affected field, there was a significant shift in
neglect patients, but not in the hemianopic patients. Interestingly, after exposure to coincident
stimuli, all patients showed a reduction in localization error in both hemifields, with greater
improvement for sounds presented at the adapted location. Discussion: Visual cortex is necessary for
the remapping of auditory space: a lesion of this area prevents any form of visual bias. In contrast,
enhancement of auditory localization may be explained by a covert processing of visual stimuli,
possibly mediated by spared retino-tectal pathway. The present results highlight the independence
of mechanisms underlying visual bias and audio-visual enhancement in the recalibration of auditory
space.
To recover or not from optic ataxia relies on a critical lesion site
Marie-Therese Perenin1 & Simon Clavagnier2
1INSERM
2Clavagnier
U846, Department of Integrative Neurosciences, Bron
Laboratorium voor Neuro- en psychofysiologie BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
Patients with optic ataxia following posterior parietal lesions typically misreached objects
seen in peripheral vision, while unimpaired in foveal vision. In fact, as shown using fMRI in
healthy subjects, reaching in central and peripheral vision rely on different neural substrates:
a restricted network including the medial intraparietal sulcus (mIPS) and the caudal part of
the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) in foveal vision and a more extensive network including
the dorsal and medial parts of POJ and a more rostral part of PMd. These results correspond
well with recent lesions findings, although the overlap appears wider on the convexity than
the fMRI activation focus. We have compared two single cases of bilateral parieto-occipital
lesions, one with a chronic optic ataxia (IG), the other having recovered in a few months
from this deficit (CF). Using high resolution MRI and 3D reconstruction, the lesions were
found to only partially overlap. On the convexity, mIPS was injured in both cases on the left
and in CF on the right. Interestingly, POJ was damaged only in IG. On the medial side, IG’
lesions encroached the parieto-occipital sulcus. In CF only a more anterior part of left
precunueus was damaged. POJ thus appears as the critical lesion site of optic ataxia, in
accordance with the fMRI pattern of activation in normal subjects.
154
An fMRI investigation of the cortical network underlying detection and categorization
abilities in hemianopic patients.
Celine Perez1, O. Coubard1, C. Cavezian1, F. Andersson2, G. Doucet3, O. Gout4 & S. Chokron1
1UMR
5105 - ERT TREAT Vision & Fondation Ophtalmologique A. de Rothschild, Paris, France
2Université F. Rabelais - Tours
3GIP CYCERON, Caen, France
4Fondation Ophtalmologique A. de Rothschild, Paris, France
Background: Previous studies showed that the right and left hemispheres are predominant for
detection and categorization tasks respectively. Moreover, this asymmetry has been observed as
early as the occipital cortex. The present study wanted to assess the cerebral network responsible for
natural scenes perception in hemianopic patients suffering from an occipital cortex lesion. Methods:
Left or Right (LH or RH) hemianopic patients were compared to healthy controls in detection and
categorisation tasks of natural scenes. Both tasks were performed in a 1.5T scanner to collect
anatomical and functional data. Results: Regarding the occipital cortex, healthy individuals showed
an activation in the extra-striate areas in both hemispheres in the detection task but only in the left
hemisphere in the categorization task. In the detection task, LH patients showed an occipital
activation stronger in the left (intact) extra-striate cortex, although bilateral. In the categorization
task, the activation was mainly observed in the right occipital cortex. However, RH patients showed
increased signals in the right (intact) occipital cortex for both tasks. Discussion: Results highlight the
importance of the instruction on the hemispheric asymmetry. They also suggest that different
cortical reorganisations take place depending of the occipital lesion side.
Object-centered pseudoneglect for nonverbal stimuli
Lorenzo Pia, Marco Neppi-Modona, Alessia Folegatti & Sara Rosso
Psychology Department & Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin
Background: Neglect (unawareness of left-sided stimuli after right hemisphere damage) and
pseudoneglect (the slight leftward bias showed by healthy subjects) have been interpreted as
phenomena having fundamental relationships to each other. Neglect may remain anchored to the
left side of an object even when that side is turned into a right side after a 180° rotation (objectcentered neglect). We examined whether the same intrinsic left-to right canonical system of
coordinates may underpin also pseudoneglect for nonverbal stimuli. Methods: 20 healthy subjects
repeatedly bisected the elongated caricature of a basset hound with the head on the left and the tail
on the right. In the last critical trial, the figure was left-right reversed. 20 different subjects repeated
the task with the initial figure in the opposite orientation (head on the right and tail on the left side
and vice versa in the critical trial). Results: The leftward bisection error (i.e. towards the head in the
first experiment and towards the tail in the second) was reversed in the critical trial. Discussion:
These results suggest that object-centered pseudoneglect, similarly as object-centered neglect, can
be induced in normal subjects on newly established knowledge about the canonical orientation of a
nonverbal visual stimulus.
155
Congenital prosopagnosia: a neuropsychological study on two siblings.
Marta Ponari, Angela de'Santis, Alfredo Postiglione & Dario Grossi
Second University of Naples, Department of Psychology, Naples, Italy
Background. Prosopagnosia, the selective impairment in face recognition, can be associated with
right or bilateral temporo-occipital lesions. Recently, congenital prosopagnosia (CP) has been
described, with familial recurrences and an estimated prevalence of 2% of the general population.
Individuals belonging to the same family may show heterogeneous impairments in face processing.
Methods. We describe two siblings affected by CP who selectively failed on standardized tests of
facial recognition, but had no difficulties in recognizing facial expressions. The two subjects were
assessed on tasks tapping detection of first order relations, discrimination of single face features
(featural processing) or analysis of second order relations (i.e., spacing among single features).
Results. Compared with controls, both CP subjects selectively failed in discriminating faces differing
in their configural set (spacing among features). Discussion. The CP subjects shared a specific inability
in analyzing second order relations, consistent with several recent case reports. This defects stands in
contrast to subjects’ preserved ability in recognizing facial expressions. The present findings thus
provide support to models in which recognition of face identity and facial expression are based on
independent processes, but suggest that the divergence between the two routes occurs at an early
processing stage.
Effects of supranuclear progressive palsy on the redundant target
Konstantinos Priftis, A. Cagnin, S. Savazzi, E. Gasparoli, M. Pitteri, R. Manara, C. Umiltà & M.
Zorzi
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
BACKGROUND: Behavioural, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data support the idea that
numbers are represented on a mental number line (MNL), an analogical, visuo-spatial representation
of number magnitude, that is left-to-right oriented, with small numbers on the left and larger
numbers on the right. Left neglect patients are impaired in processing the left side of the number line
and show a rightward deviation in the mental bisection of numerical intervals. In the present study
we investigated the effects of optokinetic stimulation (OKS), a visual-sensorial stimulation technique
inducing attentional shifts, on mental number interval bisection. METHOD: One patient with left
neglect (BA), three patients with right hemisphere damage without neglect, and three healthy
participants performed the mental number bisection task in three different conditions of OKS: static,
leftward, and rightward. RESULTS: In the static condition, BA shifted the subjective mid-number to
the right of the correct one. With respect to the baseline, leftward OKS evoked leftward shifts of the
subjective mid-number, whereas rightward OKS evoked rightward shifts of the subjective midnumber. In contrast, the performance of controls was not significantly affected by the direction
of OKS. DISCUSSION: We argue that shifts of visuospatial attention, induced by OKS, may affect
mental number interval bisection, suggesting an interaction between representational and
perceptual space in neglect.
156
The influence of hemispatial neglect on constructional performance in copying a cube
Kathleen Roten, Christophe Lafosse, & Kim Van Cleempoel
Rehabilitation Hospital Hof ter Schelde, Antwerp, Belgium; Catholic University of Leuven,
Belgium
Objective: We investigated the effects of unilateral brain damage with or without neglect on the
constructional performance in a cube-copying task. Methods: The task was presented to patients
with left and right hemispheric brain damage (LBD, N=52;RBD, N=49) and to normal control subjects
(N=25). Both patient groups were divided into subgroups with or without neglect. We measured the
left/right-deviation of the position of the copy compared to the position of the model, the size
difference between copy and model and the number of drawn lines. Results: Concerning the position
score, LBD with neglect positioned their copies significantly to the left and RBD with neglect
positioned theirs significantly to the right, compared to the models position. As regards size
difference, there was no significant effect of subject group/neglect. In confirmation of earlier
studies, the number of drawn lines differentiated between normal subjects and patients. However,
this effect was only significant for RBD with neglect, drawing fewer lines than the other groups.
Additionally, no significant effect of age was found on the dependent variables. Discussion: These
findings suggest a crucial role of neglect in the positional and constructional performance of cubecopying. Moreover, LBD and RBD patients tend to differ in performance.
Hypnotizability - dependent modulation of postural control: effects of the alteration of the
visual and leg proprioceptive input
Enrica Santarcangelo, E. Scattina, A. Macerata, G. Carli & D. Manzoni
Department of Human Physiology, University of Pisa, Italy
Background: The peculiar attentional and imagery abilities (Carli et al., Experimental Brain Research,
2007) associated with the susceptibility to hypnosis might modulate body sway making the postural
control in highly hypnotizable subjects (Highs) less vulnerable to sensory alteration than in the
individuals with low hypnotic susceptibility (Lows). Methods: The mean velocity (Velocity) of the
movement of the centre or pressure (CoP), the area described (Area) and the ratio between the
length of its trajectory and the area (LFS) were monitored in Highs and Lows on a stable (firm) and
unstable (foam) support, both with open (OE) and closed eyes (CE). Results: The stabilometric
variables showed that 1) Highs and Lows were differentially responsive to the alteration of the visual
and leg proprioceptive inputs, 2) Highs were not more stable than Lows and 3) the stabilogram
diffusion analysis showed different set point and control mechanisms in Highs and Lows. Discussion:
Different internal models for postural control operate in Highs and Lows and the former exhibit a
more flexible postural control. The results are discussed in view of the high pervasivity of the
hypnotizability trait which modulates cognitive, autonomic and somatic functions (Carli et al.,
Cognitive Neuropsychology, in press).
157
Repetita iuvant: Object-centred neglect in non-verbal visual stimuli induced by repeated
exposure
Silvia Savazzi, Francesca Mancini, Gianluigi Veronesi & Lucio Posteraro
University of Verona, Italy
Neglect can be ego-centred or object-centred. It has been suggested that object-centred neglect is
limited to words because only they can have a canonical representation. Here, we examined whether
object-centred neglect could be observed for non-verbal material by creating, after repeated
exposure, a canonical representation of a nonsense figure. METHOD: Fourteen neglect patients
repeatedly bisected a series of nonsense drawings containing two different shapes at their right and
left endpoints (canonical trials). In the critical trials at the end of the series, the position of the two
shapes was mirror-reversed. Afterwards, neglect patients were asked to draw the stimulus, which
provided a further measure of object-centred neglect. RESULTS: All the patients made rightward
errors with canonical stimuli. With mirror-reversed stimuli, the bisection errors were reversed to the
contralesional side in one patient, returned to zero in one patient and significantly decreased in
three patients. In addition, ten patients reliably drew the canonical stimulus at the end of the series
of trials. DISCUSSION: The present data provide evidence that object-centred neglect is not limited to
words. The nature of a stimulus, verbal or non-verbal, is not critical for observing object-centred
neglect. What is critical is the way in which material is represented.
Quantitative, parametric assessment of attentional components in adults with attentiondeficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD)
Wolfgang Schwarzkopf, Kristina Fast, Michael Riedel, Werner X. Schneider, Hermann J.
Müller, Hans-J. Möller & Kathrin Finke
General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximillians University (LMU), Munich
In order to assess preserved and effected attentional components in adult ADHD we used whole and
partial report of brief letter arrays based on Bundesen’s ‘theory of visual attention’ (TVA; 1990, 1998)
in two groups of (medicated or unmedicated) adult ADHD patients and a group of matched healthy
control subjects. TVA provides four quantitative, mathematically independent parameter estimates:
visual perceptual processing speed (elements/s), working memory storage capacity (number of
elements), spatial distribution of attentional weights, and top-down control. All parameters are
assessed with highly similar stimulus and response requirements, imposing comparable demands on
perceptual and motor skills. Performance is assessed in terms of accuracy at certain exposure
durations instead of response latency, avoiding confoundation with motor dysfunction (e.g.
hyperactivity). Working memory storage capacity was highly reduced in unmedicated ADHD patients,
but was improved under medication. In contrast to previous reports a slowing of processing speed
was not found. Thus, slowing in ADHD might be rather related to motor initiation than to genuine
attentional slowing. In accordance with reports on ADHD children, ADHD patients did not show a
leftward spatial bias of attentional weights found in normal subjects (‘pseudoneglect’). Top-down
control was not significantly impaired, however seemed to be worse in subjects with more severe
hyperactivity.
158
Separating sensation and perception in human touch
Grazia Spitoni, Gaspare Galati, Gabriella Antonucci, Patrick Haggard & Luigi Pizzamiglio
University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy
Background: Classical theories distinguish between sensation and object perception. Following Katz
(1925), tactile percepts contain two distinct, hierarchically arranged aspects: interoceptive touch
(sensation) and exteroceptive touch (object perception). Several areas of human cerebral cortex
respond to tactile inputs, each with different functional specialisation. Method: Using fMRI this study
aims to identify the neural structures involved in interoceptive and exteroceptive touch by
contrasting judgements of skin deformation (interoceptive - Contact Sensation Discrimination task CSDt) with judgements of object size (exteroceptive - Distance Discrimination task - DDt). In DDt,
subjects compared distances between pairs of filaments passively applied on the skin in two different
body parts; in CSDt, subjects judged the skin deformation produced by the same physical stimuli.
Results: The comparison between the two tasks revealed a frontal-parietal network. Both left and
right inferior parietal regions were more activated by DDt than by CSDt, with right hemisphere
more activated than left. The same happened in the bilateral premotor and dorsolateral prefrontal
cortex. No region was more activated by CSDt than by DDt. Discussion: This study describes for the
first time a cortical network which extracts size information about objects touching the skin from
information about contact alone.
Motor imagery and rehabilitation: How specific is the training?
Bert Steenbergen & Celine Craje
NICI, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Background: From its inception, the overarching objective of cognitive neuropsychology has been to
understand how information and knowledge about the world is represented and used for purposeful
actions. Motor Imagery (MI) is a cognitive process in which the action representation is internally
reproduced without overt motor output. In recent years, mental practice with MI has emerged as a
promising technique to improve upper-limb functioning in individuals with acquired brain damage. In
this study we examine the task-speficity of MI- training. Methods: Chronic CVA patients will receive
three weeks of MI-training (4 days a week). In each week a specific aspect of upper-limb function is
targeted via MI-training: -1-reaching, -2-reaching and manipulating, and -3-reaching and fine motor
control. After each week, specific tests are administered to evaluate progress. Results: The results
will shed led light on the effects of MI-training for upper-limb control. Specifically, we will examine if
the effect is specific to the type of mental tasks that were rehearsed, or whether MI-training leads to
a more general increase in upper-limb functioning. Discussion: This study may advance the
application of MI as a cognitive tool for rehabilitation in individuals with brain damage.
159
Neural fate of conscious and nonconscious perception of fearful body language in
hemispatial neglect
Marco Tamietto, Franco Cauda, Katiuscia Sacco, Federico Cossa, Sergio Duca, Giuliano
Geminiani & Beatrice de Gelder
Department of Psychology, University of Torino and Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Lab, Tilburg University
Background: Fearful body language modulates the spatial attention and enhances visual awareness
in patients with hemispatial neglect. Here we investigated in a conjoint behavioral/fMRI study the
neural correlates of this effect in one such patient. Methods: Neutral and fearful bodily expressions
were presented either singly in the LVF or RVF, or bilaterally with displays containing a right-side
neutral expression coupled to either a left-side neutral or fearful expression. Results: The neural
correlates of nonconscious perception of fearful expressions were assessed by contrasting bilateral
trials with left-side extinguished fearful bodies to unilateral trials where only a right-side neutral
body was presented (and detected). This contrast revealed a neural activity in emotion-sensitive
structures (amygdala and vmPFC), perceptive areas (FG, EBA, PCC), in the temporo-parietal junction
implicated in automatic attentional shift, and in premotor areas. Conscious perception of fearful
bodies in bilateral trials where a left-side fearful body was successfully detected was contrasted to
the same trials where the left-side fearful body was extinguished. A significant contribution of
sensory-motor areas, anterior insula and cerebellum was reported. Discussion: Our findings show
considerable processing of neglected fearful bodies and suggest a key role of embodiment in the
modulation of visual awareness for fearful bodily expressions.
Readiness potentials in hemiplegic patients: Evidence from a single-case
Diana Torta1, Lorenzo Pia1,2, Alessia Folegatti1, Marco Neppi-Modona1,2, Sergio Vighetti3,
Paola Perozzo3, Lorys Castelli1, Paolo Cerrato3 & Anna Berti1,2
1Psychology
Department, University of Turin
Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin
3Neuroscience Department, Turin Medical School, University of Turin
2Neuroscience
Background: Readiness Potentials (RPs) represent the cortical contribution to the pre-motor planning
of willed actions. We examined whether in hemiplegia is still possible to generate RPs despite the
inability to move the contralesional limbs. Methods: We recorded RPs in a patient with complete left
upper limb hemiplegia due to a right-hemisphere damage sparing motor and parietal areas. Two
conditions were evaluated: 1) “motor execution”, in which the patient was asked to press a button
with his right or left thumb (RT, LT) at his own pace; 2) “motor imagery” in which the self-paced
movement was only to be mentally simulated. Results: RPs were preserved and the amplitude was
not significantly different for RT (executed movement) and LT (attempted movement). RPs were
also evident in the motor imagery task Discussion: These results confirm and extend data showing
that hemiplegic patients with damages sparing the motor system have a preserved ability to plan and
intend actions. In a broader sense, these data suggest that the actual execution of voluntary action is
not a necessary condition for generating a brain potential that has been related to our conscious
experience of intending to act.
160
Apperceptive “hemi-propopagnosia”: A case of persistent prosopomet amorphopsia for the
left side of space
Luigi Trojano1, Sara Salzano1, Massimiliano Conson1, Valentino Manzo2, Angiola Maria
Fasanaro2 & Dario Grossi1
1Neuropsychology
Lab, Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Italy
of Neurology, Second University of Naples, Italy
2Department
Background. Patients with prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) perceive faces distorted in shape or
form, usually on the right side, in the absence of face recognition defects. Previous studies on PMO
have described patients’ subjective complaints, but did not provide objective measures of the defect.
Methods. A patient (D.G.) suddenly developed visual disturbances after a childbirth; her brain MR
was normal, while SPECT showed hypoperfusion in left occipital and right parietal regions. D.G.
claimed that the left side (right visual hemifield) of well-known and unfamiliar faces looked distorted,
with the eye elongated towards the ear, the nose bended towards cheek and the mouth towards the
chin (left side PMO). A neuropsychological examination did not disclose language disturbances or
visual recognition defects for objects or faces. In three experiments D.G. was required to match pairs
of half-faces (Experiment 1), chimeric faces (Experiment 2), or chimeric objects (Experiment 3).
Results. D.G. was impaired only when she matched pairs of chimeric faces differing in their left half.
One year later PMO and patient’s performances were unchanged. Discussion. This is the first study
providing a behavioural demonstration of chronic unilateral PMO on the left side. The present data
yield some clues for models of face processing.
The role of white matter disconnection in left visual neglect
Marika Urbanski, Michel Thiebaut de Schotten Sebastian Rodrigo, Catherine Oppenheim,
Jean-François Méder, Emmanuel Touzé, Karynne Moreau Marianne Blanchard, Catherine
Loeper-Jeny, Bruno Dubois & Paolo Bartolomeo
INSERM UMR_S 610, IFR 70, Hôpital Salpêtrière, Paris, France
Background: Left unilateral neglect is generally reported after right hemisphere lesions involving the
temporo-parietal junction or the inferior frontal gyrus. Recently, damage to long-range white matter
pathways, such as the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (SLF), has been repeatedly described in
neglect patients. Method: We used voxel-based morphometry on structural MRIs and on diffusion
tensor imaging data to identify the neural correlates of left neglect. Twelve patients with righthemisphere strokes (6 with and 6 without left neglect) and twelve age-matched controls were
scanned with anatomical and DTI sequences. Results: VBM of gray matter partition revealed no
cluster of statistical significance between patients with or without neglect. VBM applied on fractional
anisotropy maps derived from DTI demonstrated two common clusters of statistical significance
resulting from (1) the comparisons between neglect and controls (P<0.05 corrected, Family Wise
Error) and (2) between neglect patients and non neglect patients (P<0.001, uncorrected). When
these two common clusters were used as regions of interest for DTI tractography in controls, the
resulting fiber tracts were consistent with the location of the SLF. Discussion: These results confirm
evidence coming from animal studies, stroke patients and intra-operatory electrical stimulation in
neurosurgical patients, that SLF disconnection can result in signs of left visual neglect.
161
Dysfunction of right hemisphere attentional networks in attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder
Nathalie Vaes1, Sarah Geeraerts2, Karl Verfaillie3, Christophe Lafosse1 & Erik Vandenbussche2
1Scientific
Unit Rehabilitation Hospital ‘Hof ter Schelde’, Antwerp, Belgium
of Neuropsychology, University of Leuven, Belgium
3Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, University of Leuven, Belgium
2Laboratory
The relationship between right hemisphere dysfunction and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) remains rather controversial. Neuroimaging studies suggest asymmetric dysfunction, but
this is not consistently confirmed by neuropsychological findings. We investigated attentional
asymmetry in ADHD adults with a psychophysical extinction task. The interference from right or left
hemifield distractors with contralateral orientation sensitivity was determined. In a previous study
using this paradigm (Geeraerts, Lafosse, Vandenbussche, & Verfaillie, 2005), right brain damaged
patients with left neglect displayed asymmetric distractor interference, meaning a significant
interference from a right distractor with left hemifield orientation sensitivity, but no interference
from a left distractor with right hemifield orientation sensitivity. The results demonstrate a similar
but less pronounced asymmetry in a group of 16 ADHD adults. This outcome indicates dysfunction of
right hemisphere attentional circuits in ADHD.
Dorsal stream dysfunction in Williams Syndrome: A study of egocentric and allocentric
perception
Marieke van Asselen, Inês Bernardino & Miguel Castelo-Branco
IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra University
Background: Williams Syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder, which causes abnormal development
of the intraparietal sulcus, resulting in impaired dorsal stream functioning, whereas the ventral
stream is relatively spared. In the current study we use two perceptual judgment tasks to investigate
egocentric and allocentric spatial perception, which are thought to depend on the dorsal and ventral
stream respectively. Methods: Eleven subjects with WS were compared to 24 healthy controls. A
FISH-test was used to confirm hemideletion comprising the elastin gene. Two tasks were developed
to test egocentric and allocentric spatial judgment, i.e. a computerized task and a 3D task with a
higher ecological validity. Results: On the 3D task, an impairment was found for the egocentric task
condition, but not for the allocentric task condition. Furthermore, the WS group performed worse
than controls on the computerized egocentric and allocentric perception task. Discussion: Allocentric
perception was relatively spared compared to egocentric perception, thus confirming the abnormal
functioning of the dorsal pathway in WS, in contrast to ventral pathway functioning. Although it is
generally though that all visuospatial abilities are impaired in WS, the current study indicates that
visuospatial abilities depending on the ventral stream are spared.
162
Impairment of elementary visuomotor processes in preterm born children: proposal for a
pathogenic mechanism
Koen Van Braeckel, P.R. Butcher, R.H. Geuze, A.F. Bos & A. Bouma
University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Follow-up studies of preterm born children without serious neurological complications have
consistently found deficits in visuomotor and visuospatial skills. These deficits have been
hypothesized to reflect impaired dorsal stream functioning. However, they may also reflect impaired
cerebellar functioning. A detailed analysis of pointing movements provides information on the extent
to which processes associated with dorsal and/or cerebellar functions are impaired. We carried out a
quasi-longitudinal study (14-month interval) of the kinematic characteristics of pointing movements
in a group of 7- to 11-year-old preterm born children without Cerebral Palsy and an age-matched full
term group. Multi-level analysis showed slower programming and on-line control of pointing
movements with no increase in accuracy, and suggested a different development in the preterm
born group. These results provide converging evidence for dorsal visual stream involvement in
visuomotor deficits in preterm born children, but do not rule out impaired cerebellar functioning. A
pathogenic mechanism of impaired dorsal visual stream development resulting from periventricular
white matter injury, and impaired cerebellar development secondary to periventricular white matter
injury in preterm born children without serious neurological complications will be proposed.
Oculomotor distractors in unilateral visual neglect
Stefan Van der Stigchel & T.C.W. Nijboer
Helmholtz Insitute, Utrecht University
Background: Visual neglect is often associated with an imbalance in the level of activity in the
saccadic system. In this view, activity in the contralesional field is permanently suppressed, which
makes target selection unlikely. The influence of a single distractor on target selection in visual
neglect is unknown, however. If there is indeed an imbalance in the level of activity in the saccadic
system, a single distractor should strongly interfere with target selection when presented in the
ipsilesional visual field, but should not interfere when presented in the contralesional visual field.
Methods: Eye movements to targets in the presence of single distractors were recorded in a patient
with chronical left-sided visual neglect. Target and distractor could be presented either in the
ipsilesional or contralesional visual field. Results: Results show that the interfering effect of the
distractor was very strong when presented in the ipsilesional visual field. When the distractor was
presented in the contralesional field, there were no interfering effects when the target was
presented in the ipsilesional field. Discussion: These results are in line with an imbalance in the level
of activity in the saccadic system, as visual elements presented in the contralesional field did not
compete for selection.
163
Reversed neglect for number space: A single case study
Jean-Philippe van Dijck1, Wim Gevers1, Christophe Lafosse2, Fabrizio Doricchi3 & Wim Fias1
1Department
of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
Unit Rehabilitation Centre "Hof ter Schelde", Antwerp, Belgium
3Department of Psychology, Rome University “La Sapienza”, Italy
2Scientific
Background: Models of number representation postulate a link between spatial and numerical
processing by assuming a (horizontal) mental number line (MNL). Insights for this relation came from
studies with (left) neglect patients. Zorzi et al. (2002) demonstrated that these patients, not only
show a rightward bias when bisecting physical lines but also when bisecting the MNL. Recently
Doricchi et al. (2005) showed that spatial working memory is important for correct MNL bisection. In
current study we provide further evidence for the pivotal role of working memory. Methods: A
woman, suffering from a left temporo-parietal lesion, performed different tasks to investigate the
presence of physical, representational and number space neglect. Also different verbal and spatial
working memory tasks were administered. Results: A dissociation between right physical, right
representational and left number space neglect was found. Working memory performance revealed
an intact spatial working memory system but a selective deficit for the begin items of verbal
sequences. Discussion: The observed dissociation imply that the rightward bias in MNL bisection can
arise independent from neglect. The working memory results suggest that verbal working memory
is an important factor. Indeed, when losing the begin items of a numerical interval, a rightward
deviation is expected.
164
Distinguishing the frontal and parietal components of egocentric neglect
Vincent Verdon1, 3, C.-A. Hauert1 & P. Vuilleumier2
1
2
Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva
Laboratory for Neurology and Imaging of Cognition (LABNIC), University Medical Center
(CMU), Geneva
3
Neuropsychology Unit, Hôpital Neuchâtelois (HNE)
Hemispatial neglect is a striking neuropsychological syndrome in which patients fail to detect (and/or
to respond to) stimuli located controlaterally to their (most frequently right) cerebral lesion. The
anatomical substrates of this syndrome remain unclear and it is likely that different cerebral
structures are involved in different components of neglect (e.g. Hillis et al., 2005). Following our
recent results who demonstrated that egocentric neglect behaviour can be divided into two
components (Verdon et al., in preparation), we now tried to show clinical evidence of such a
dissociation. Three right brain damaged patients were assessed using two computer tasks targeting
respectively the frontal and parietal components of egocentric neglect. The brain lesion of our
patients were located respectively in the frontal (frontal patient), the parietal (parietal patient), and
the occipital lobe (control patient). The frontal task consisted of a go – no go task in which the
patient had to respond to a target that can be presented with or without lateralized distractors.
Following the observation of Husain & Kennard (1997) that neglect behaviour can be modulated by
distractor load, we hypothesized that only the frontal patient will show a deficit when concurrent
distractors appear next to the target, compared to the condition where no distractor appeared. The
parietal task consisted of a simple dot detection task with the target moving randomly or predictably
along the screen. Following the hypothesis of Pisella & Mattingley (2004) that a deficits of the
remapping processes can be part of the neglect syndrome, we hypothesize that the parietal patient
will show no difference between the random and the predictable conditions, while the two other
patient will show a decrease in reaction times along the task only in the predictable condition. Our
results confirmed our hypothesis, showing a double dissociation between the two task. Indeed, the
parietal patient failed the parietal task, while succeeding in the frontal task. The frontal patient failed
the frontal tasks, while succeeding in the parietal task. The occipital (control) patient succeeded in
the two tasks. Taken together with our previous results, our data produce new evidence on the basis
of the neglect syndrome according to the cortical site of the lesion. Thus, parietal lesions is related to
a deficit of the remapping processes, while frontal lesions is associated with a failure to ignore the
distractive information presented concurrently with the target.
165
Toward a better understanding of apraxia: Neural correlates of functional tool knowledge
Guy Vingerhoets
Laboratory for Neuropsychology, Ghent University, Belgium
Background. Some brain-lesioned patients seem to have lost their ability to use familiar tools
(limb apraxia), suggesting a cerebral representation of knowledge regarding a tool's
function. Methods. In this study, fMRI was used to compare cerebral activation during the
observation of tools in 14 healthy volunteers. Two sets of tools were presented in a blockeddesign paradigm. One set consisted of familiar tools that were used regularly by the subjects.
The other set consisted of unfamiliar tools they had never seen before, and whose function
was unknown, but were perceived just as graspable as the familiar tools. Observation of
scrambled visual shapes served as baseline. Results. Both familiar and unfamiliar tools
activated the classical fronto-parieto-temporal network associated with tool representation.
Comparison of the activation patterns of familiar > unfamiliar tools (p<.05, FDR-corrected)
revealed activation in the temporal (left lateral posterior middle temporal gyrus) and
parietal cortices (left supramarginal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, and left precuneus).
Discussion. It is hypothesized that the parietal activity underlies tool use knowledge, with
supramarginal gyrus storing information about limb and hand positions, and precuneus
storing visuospatial information about hand-tool interactions. As no frontal activation
survived this contrast, it appears that premotor activity is unrelated to experience based
motor knowledge of tool use/function, but rather, is elicited by any graspable tool.
166
Thursday 4th September 13:00-14:00
Cerebellum and cognition: a meta-analysis
Kristien Aarts1, R.K.C. Kessels2 & M.J.E. van Zandvoort1
1Experimental
2 Department
Psychology / Neurology, Utrecht University
of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the
Netherlands
Background: The cerebellum is traditionally seen as a structure that primarily contributes to motor
function. Recently, growing evidence suggest that the cerebellum is involved in higher-order
cognitive functioning. However, the exact nature and magnitude of cognitive impairments in patients
with cerebellar damage is still unknown. Methods: SCOPUS, Science Direct and PubMed were used
to identify studies on cognitive performance in patients with cerebellar damage. Effect sizes (Cohen’s
d) were calculated. In the meta-analysis, a combined d value was calculated, expressing the
magnitude of associations across studies. Results: A total of 36 studies were identified from which 24
met the inclusion criteria. Compared with normal controls, the cerebellar patients demonstrated a
significant lowered performance with a large effect of ‘speed of information processing’, ‘executive
functioning’ and ‘visuoperception and-construction’ and a moderate effect of ‘intelligence’,
‘attention’, ‘memory’, ‘language’ and ‘reasoning’. Moreover, cognitive functioning differed across
aetiology of the lesion for memory, executive functioning and attention. Discussion: After cerebellar
damage patients presented with overall cognitive dysfunction, however, on closer inspection a
profile could be discerned suggestive of function differentiation. Aetiology of the lesion appeared to
be related to differences in profile. In addition future studies should also take side and site into
account.
High accuracy detection of malingered depressive syndrome
Sara Agosta & Giuseppe Sartori
Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy
The objective of this study was to develop and test a brief and unobtrusive instrument to detect
exaggeration and simulation in depression syndrome. We applied a new technique called Forensic
Implicit Association Test (F-IAT) previously validated as a lie-detection technique. The F-IAT is used
here as a diagnostic tool for malingered depressive syndrome. It consists in measuring reaction times
in order to evaluate whether sentences describing the typical subjective depressive syndrome are
true or false for the respondent. We tested three groups of 20 subjects each. Two groups did not
suffered from depressive syndrome. The first group acted as a control group while the second was
instructed to simulate a medico-legal setting and enact a mocked depression syndrome. The F-IAT
correctly classified 96% of the controls and 93% of the participants who were faking a depressive
syndrome. The third group, patients diagnosed with major depression, acted as control group, the FIAT correctly classified 95% of patients. In brief this evaluation technique can detect exaggeration
and simulation in depressive syndrome with high accuracy.
167
Cognitive deficits after STN-DBS
Luisa A. Albuquerque1, Miguel Coelho2 & Isabel Pavão Martins1
1Language
Research Laboratory, IMM - Lisbon Faculty of Medicine and Neurology
Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
2Neurology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
Long-lasting decline of verbal fluency (VF) in Parkinson´s patients, after subthalamic nucleus deepbrain stimulation (STN-DBS), has been associated with deficits in motor and graphic alternating
sequences, described as a frontal/ dysexecutive score. Language has been less studied. To study the
verbal decline after STN-DBS, we assessed 15 patients pre-operatively and one year after STN-DBS
with MMSE, category and letter VF, abbreviated Token test (TT), semantic and episodic memory
testing, digit spans, proverb interpretation, calculation, a visual scanning/attention test, copy of
drawings, clock drawing, Raven Progressive Matrices, TMT A and B, Stroop test, WCST, praxis, graphic
and bilateral motor alternating sequences, as well as the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS).
Results: Patients showed baseline deficits in the TT and timed tests (e.g. TMT). Significant declines
after STN-DBS were shown in semantic and phonemic VF, and proverb interpretation. In the DRS,
decline was observed in “Attention / Attention 1” (complex verbal instructions) and
“Initiative/Perseveration” (semantic verbal fluency and alternating movements). There were
significant improvements in the WCST (number of categories) and verbal memory scores. Discussion:
Cognitive decline concerned mainly verbal tests, suggesting the need to assess language more
extensively.
Is a mannequin action so different from a human one? An empirical ERP study on action
representation of biological and non-biological
Michela Balconi & Davide Crivelli
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan
Inter-action is the starting point for the creation of social relations and of joint-actions. It is one of
the key facets in the development of our conceptual images of the world, would they be nonbiological or biological in nature. In the present research we explored the process of action and interaction representation and the role of intention attribution in observing or executing actions between
a human agent and a human analogue (a mannequin arm; BIO-ART condition), two human agents
(BIO-BIO), a human agent and an object (a tube: BIO-OBJ), an artificial agent (the mannequin arm)
and an object (ART-OBJ). 20 subjects were tested by an ERP procedure (epochs of 1400 ms 800/600). The data have been statistically analysed by repeated measures analysis of variance. We
have found a negative ERP component peaked at about 350 ms post-stimulus bilaterally localized on
fronto-central sites, ampler for BIO-BIO and ART-BIO and gradually smaller for BIO-OBJ and ART-OBJ
conditions. These results have been discussed as related to the process of intentional attribution,
reasonably mainly involved in case of interactions between human agents than between no human
agents (artificial or objects). The frontal distribution of N350 was analyzed considering the neural
network implicated.
168
The frontal variant of Alzheimer’s disease: A comparison with typical Alzheimer’s disease and
frontotemporal dementia
Anna Maria Barbarulo, Luigi Trojano, Gianfranco Puoti, Roberto Cotrufo & Dario Grossi
Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples
Background: In the frontal variant of Alzheimer’s Disease (fv-AD) prominent frontal lobe dysfunction
accompanies temporal and parietal lobe dysfunction since the early stages of the illness. fv-AD
patients share many clinical features with patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontal
variant of fronto-temporal dementia (fv-FTD). Stringent diagnostic criteria for fv-AD are not available
yet; the present study aimed at defining clinical, neuropsychological and behavioural features of fvAD. Methods: The study included 13 patients with probable AD, 19 patients with fv-FTD and 13
patients with fv-AD. AD and fv-FTD were diagnosed according to current clinical criteria, while
conservative diagnosis of fv-AD required that subjects meet criteria for probable AD with additional
symptoms such as apathy or disinhibition; early, prominent frontal lobe dysfunction was confirmed
by SPECT. All patients underwent a thorough neuropsychological and behavioural assessment.
Results and Discussion: Multivariate analysis (MANOVA) showed that fv-FTD patients significantly
outperformed the other two groups on visuospatial and memory tests, without differences between
AD and fv-AD. Behavioural disturbances, instead, were significantly lower in AD patients with respect
to fv-FTD and fv-AD. Taken together the present data support the view that it is possible to
distinguish fv-AD from other degenerative dementing syndromes.
The effect of attention on learning disorders in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1
Evelien M. Barendse1, Femke K. Aarsen2, Marc P.H. Hendriks1 & Lianne C. Krab3
1Nijmegen
Institute for Cognition and Information, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
2Sophia Children Hospital Erasmus UMC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
3
Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, the Netherlands
The most common characteristic feature of Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) in childhood is a broad
spectrum of cognitive disabilities, and Learning Disorders (LD) and attention deficits are frequently
mentioned. However, little is known about the relation between LD and attention deficits in NF1.
This present study examined the occurrence rate of attention deficits, and the effect of these
attention deficits on LD in children diagnosed with NF1. We assessed and analyzed excessive
neuropsychological data from 62 children with NF1 (27 females, 35 males; mean age 12 years 4
months) and compared it with the normative mean. Children with NF1 had an occurrence rate of
attention deficits of two to four times the rate found in the general population. Deficits in different
aspects of attention, especially deficits in sustained and selective attention were found to be good
predictors for LD in children with NF1 in all basic educational skills. The most interesting finding was
that of a deviant development of attention mechanisms in these children. The increase of attention
deficits in time are suggested to be due to so called ‘growing into deficits’. Further research should
consequently be directed towards a longitudinal research of the possible cause and course of this
deviant development of attention mechanisms, and toward the development of successful
intervention mechanisms, to prevent it.
169
Mental fatigue and coping after traumatic brain injury
Angélique Belmont, Nathalie Agar & Philippe Azouvi
Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, 92380, Garches FRANCE / Inserm UPMC 731
Objectives: To assess the relationships between subjective mental fatigue and attention, mood and
coping strategies after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: The study included a group of
20 patients with severe traumatic brain injury compared with matched controls. Measures: Measures
included performance on different long-duration attentional tasks, self report of fatigue (Fatigue
severity scale, Visual Analogic Scale of Fatigue, Causes of Fatigue questionnaire), mood (depression /
anxiety: Hamilton scale, MADRS), coping strategies (Way of coping checklist – revised). Method:
There were two successive sessions. First, subjects were interviewed for daily fatigue, mood and
coping strategies (1 hour). Then, subjects were asked to perform three attentional tasks (about 50
min duration). Subjects were asked to evaluate their feeling of fatigue with the VAS-F after each task.
Results: Patients reported higher baseline fatigue than controls on the fatigue severity scale, but not
on the visual analogic scale. Individuals with TBI performed significantly poorer than controls on the
cognitive tasks. However, this poor performance was not significantly correlated with subjective
fatigue. Patients showed higher depression score but depression did not significantly correlate with
fatigue. Patterns of coping strategies were significantly different between groups. Conclusions:
Findings were largely consistent with previous literature and suggest that fatigue cannot be solely
related to sustained mental effort, depression or anxiety. Patterns of coping strategies may be an
alternative hypothesis.
Exploration of pruritus by functional neuro-imaging
Laure Bergeret, Pierre Celsis, David Black & Jennifer Theunis
Inserm U825 (1) Institut de Recherche Pierre Fabre, France
Pruritus is defined as an unpleasant sensation leading to the desire to scratch. It’s an important
symptom of many skins, systemic or immune disease. The decrease of quality of life of patient
suffering from chronic pruritus is a recognised fact. The pathophysiology of this sensation is poorly
defined. Our project aims at demonstrating the cerebral networks involved in the pruritogenic
sensation. The itch sensation was induced by applying a histamine solution using iontophoresis. The
itch intensity and unpleasantness has been evaluated by visual analog scales. Results showed that
this technique induced a pure sensation of itch with no sex differences. Moreover the temporal
characteristics of the sensation induced by iontophoresis appeared well-adapted for activation study.
Using PET, imaging of cerebral blood flow after H2O15 injection, we contrasted data ,from 14 healthy
volunteers, obtained with pure itch stimulation, data obtained with saline stimulation and data
obtained with itch or saline stimulation and an intentional task (Stroop). Results showed that the
presence of the Stroop task modified the subjective sensation of pruritus and changed the spatial
pattern of activations. Apart from its contribution in helping to determine the physiopathology of
pruritus, functional activation neuro-imaging could help in the development of new antipruritic
therapy.
170
Identification and recognition of facial expressions in Alzheimer’s disease
Soline Bogey, Céline Borg, Catherine Thomas-Antérion, Brigitte Nevers & Bernard Laurent
Neurology/Neuropsychology-CMRR Unit, CHU Bellevue, Saint-Etienne, France
Background - The purpose of the present study was to examine whether Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
patients can identify correctly the facial expressions and benefit from the emotional content in a
recognition test. Methods – Twelve patients with AD and 12 normal controls matched for age were
studied. Twenty facial expressions (with varying emotional contents) were presented to each
participant. The participants were instructed to name one of 5 emotions presented (anger, fear,
happiness, disgust and neutral). Immediately and again one hour after, a recognition test was applied
with the target-faces mixed among 20 others distractor-faces of similar content. Results – The total
of facial negative expressions correctly identified by the AD patients was smaller than that of the
controls. Also, AD patients performed worse than normal participants in recognizing the facial
expressions and neither the emotional valence, neither the familiarity of faces enhanced recognition.
Discussion – AD patients were impaired in the identification of negative facial emotions and the
emotional significance as well as the familiarity attached to faces was of no benefit to enhance their
recognition.
Abnormal emotional stimuli processing in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease
Céline Borg, Catherine Thomas-Anterion, Soline Bogey, Mélanie Julien & Bernard Laurent
Neurology/Neuropsychology-CMRR Unit, CHU Bellevue, Saint-Etienne, France
Background: Recent studies in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suggested
selective deficits of processing emotional stimuli. Study aims were to examine whether the deficits
appear when emotional information is automatically processed. Methods: Twelve non demented PD
patients, 12 AD patients, 12 healthy controls performed the present experiment. Three materials
were investigated (words, pictures and facial expressions) with varying emotional contents (disgust,
fear, happiness and neutral). A lexical decision task was used where some of the words conveyed an
emotional content, and a number comparison task was presented with emotion-inducing
pictures/facial expressions in order to test the automatic processes. Results: Contrary to the healthy
controls and the AD patients, patients with PD provided no delayed responses for disgust-inducing
words in the lexical decision task and in presence of disgust-inducing pictures/facial expressions in
the number comparison task. Contrary to the healthy controls and the PD patients, patients with AD
provided no delayed responses for fear-inducing stimuli. Conclusions: Selective deficits appeared:
patients with AD were less sensitive to fearful information and patients with PD were less sensitive to
disgusting information.
171
The Functional Independence Measure as an indication for functional outcome in stroke
patients
Ann Bosmans1 & Christophe Lafosse2
1St
Jozef, Abdijstraat, Antwerpen
Hospital Hof ter Schelde, Antwerp, Belgium
2Catholic University of Leuven and Lessius University College, Belgium
2Rehabilitation
Introduction : The aim of this study is to survey the use of the FIMTM. Method: FIMTM scores of 426
stroke-patients were registrated during 6 years. Functional independence and length-of-stay in the
rehabilitation center were measured as a function of age; lateralisation of lesion; functional status at
admission, after three weeks, at discharge and onset-to-admission-interval. We also investigated the
effect of these variables on the efficiency, the effectiveness, the efficiency and absolute– and relative
efficacy of rehabilitation (Ring, 2006). Results: Per sub-item of the FIMTM we calculated the
difference between the functional status of each patient at admission, after three weeks and at
discharge. FIMTM scores increased significantly during rehabilitation. The improvement of the
cognitive functional status was rather limited. The results indicated also the importance of age. Older
stroke-patients started at lower level of functionality before admission to rehabilitation and need
longer length-of-stay in the rehabilitation center to achieve the same functional gain as the younger
stroke patients. The functional status of older patients remains nevertheless lower. Discussion: We
found evidence for the importance of age as an influencing factor for functional outcome after stroke
rehabilitation. Cognitive impairment seems to give rise to a stagnation of the cognitive self-care.
Type 1 diabetes: a four year follow-up on cognitive functioning
Ineke Brands, E. van Duinkerken, J M. L. Henselmans, J.W. van der Beek Boter, R.P.L.M.
Hoogma, L.J.Kappelle, E.H.F. de Haan; R.P.C. Kessels & G.J. Biessels
Zuwe Hofpoort Ziekenhuis, Woerden
Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht
It has been suggested that in type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM1) speed of information processing is
vulnerable to cognitive decline over the years, with patients with microvascular complications (e.g.
retinopathy) being especially at risk. However, follow-up studies including older patients were
lacking. This study assessed cognitive performance in a group of 36 DM1 patients (mean age:
64.5±6, duration DM: 37.6 ± 12.6), who participated in a similar study four years ago.
Neuropsychological assessment covered five major cognitive domains, i.e. ‘abstract reasoning’,
‘speed of information processing’, ‘memory’, ‘attention and executive functioning’ and
‘visuoconstruction’. Retinopathy was assessed with fundus photos. Results showed a significant
decline only in (working) memory, and concept shifting. On the other hand, a significant
improvement was seen on incidental learning and abstract reasoning (all p<0.05). No significant
changes were seen in any other cognitive domain, including speed of information processing.
Patients with retinopathy tended have lower scores on the cognitive measures at follow up than
patients without retinopathy. In all, these results can be interpreted as evidence that older DM1
patients only show minimal cognitive decline, suggesting that the observed mild effects on the brain
have occurred in earlier stages of the disease in this group.
172
Preservation of crystallised intelligence in delirium
Laura Brown, Harriet S. Ferner, Jennie Robertson, Nicholas L. Mills, Renzo Pessotto, Ian J.
Deary & Alasdair M. J. MacLullich
University of Edinburgh
Background: The National Adult Reading Test (NART) measures the ability to read irregularlypronounced words, and provides an estimate of crystallised intelligence. NART performance remains
stable in healthy ageing and mild-moderate dementia, in contrast to the declines observed in tests of
fluid cognition. However, it is unknown if NART performance is also maintained during episodes of
acute cognitive decline, such as in delirium. We therefore measured the stability of NART
performance in patients who developed post-operative delirium. Methods: Thirty seven patients
aged over 60 years completed the NART and tests of fluid cognitive function (digit span, verbal
fluency and Stroop) before and after undergoing cardiac surgery. The pre to post-operative change in
score for each test was then compared between those patients who did (N=9) and did not (N=28)
develop delirium in the post-operative test period. Results: Patients who developed delirium showed
a greater pre to post-operative decline in fluid cognitive test performance compared to those
patients who did not develop delirium. However, neither group showed evidence of a post-operative
reduction in NART performance. Conclusions: Crystallised intelligence, as measure by the NART,
appears to be maintained in delirium despite a concurrent reduction in fluid cognition.
Characteristics of category fluency words: An analysis of differences between mild cognitive
impairment & Alzheimer's disease
Vanessa Buckley, Shane O'Mara, David Robinson, Conor O'Luanaigh, Erin Tehee, Irene Bruce,
Brian Lawlor & Robert Coen
T.R.I.L., St. James Hospital, Dublin
Background: Forbes-McKay et al. (2005) found that characteristics of category fluency exemplars,
particularly Age of Acquisition (AoA), reliably differentiate between patients with Alzheimer’s disease
(ProbAD) and healthy controls. The present study extended that work by (i) examining differentiation
of individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), ProbAD, and healthy controls (ii) evaluating
fluency characteristics as predictors of progression from MCI to ProbAD. Methods: A retrospective
longitudinal database study was conducted with 90 MCI cases who were compared with 78 ProbAD
patients and 88 controls matched for age, sex and education. Within the MCI group, the predictive
power of word characteristics was assessed by comparing 47 progressers (to ProbAD) and 43 nonprogressers. Results: It was found that MCI’s, ProbADs and controls differed on the number of words
produced: probAD<MCI<control. ProbADs produced the most frequent, earliest acquired and
shortest words followed by MCIs and then controls. Logistic regression analysis showed that only
word length was a significant predictor of progression from MCI to AD. Discussion: The current and
Forbes Mc-Kay et al. findings are discussed with reference to possible cross cultural biases that
potentially contribute to the differing findings for word length and AoA. Prediction of progression is
also discussed and areas for further investigation are identified.
173
Psychological and neuropsychological aspects of chronic pain: on the need for individual
profile analysis
Teresa Burke, Frances Dawson & Catherine Norton
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin
Background: There is now increasing recognition that chronic pain (CP) is associated with subtle
cognitive impairments and mood change. We conducted two studies to determine the nature and
extent of cognitive and mood changes and to examine the relationship between the two. Method: In
Study 1, we evaluated self-reported mood-state, quality-of-life (QoL) and coping strategies in a large
cohort of individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia (n=167) or arthritis (382). In study 2, we
investigated in detail the impact of pain in a sample of volunteers (n=27), using a questionnaire
protocol. This questionnaire assessed pain, sleep, social functioning and perceptions of impact of
pain, and was supplemented by standardised questionnaires of health, mood, disability and cognitive
complaint. Results: Results of Study 1 revealed high rates of depression, a significant impact of pain
on QoL but little evidence of clear associations with pain intensity. Results of Study 2 revealed that
many individuals were seriously impacted in their sleep quality, physical and mental health, mood,
social functioning and cognitive functioning, but patterns of individual impairment were variable.
Conclusion: These results indicate that assumptions based on group data may be misleading and that
individual patient assessment must become the hallmark of good clinical practice.
Validation study of the scale SCOPA-COG in patients with Parkinson's disease
Noemi Calzado, M. Aguilar, L. Casas, D. Badenes & O.García
Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
The SCOPA-COG (Marinus et al. 2003) is used in clinical trials to evaluate the cognitive state in
Parkinson Disease(PD). Aim: To validate the SCOPA-COG in Spanish population in PD without
cognitive impairment. Subjects and methods: 80 PD and 52 controls. Was administered the following
scales: UPDRS, Hoen & Yard, MMSE, SCOPA-COG, BDRS and Swan & England. Samples were matched
by age, gender and educational level. Results: There were no significant differences between PD and
controls in terms of socio-demographic variables. 72.4% of PD patients has H&Y score of 2. The mean
of SCOPA-COG total score was 20.77 (SD ± 7.43) for the PD group and 23.46 (SE ± 5.56) for control
group, with a significant difference between them (p 0.032). There were statistically significant
differences in subtraction (p 0.013), "go no go" task (p 0.020) and constructive praxis (p 0.031).
Difference in BDRS total score means between PD and controls showed a significant difference (p
0.011). In contrast to the partial analysis, statistically significant differences were observed in AVD (p
0.038) and habits (p <0.001). Conclusion: There are significant differences between PD patients and
controls between SCOPA-COG total score means and items abduction, "go no go" task and
constructive praxis.
174
Theory of mind in neurodegenerative diseases
Marco Cavallo1,2, Sharon Abrahams2, Ivan Enrici1, Sarah E. MacPherson2 & Mauro Adenzato1
1Center
for Cognitive Science, University of Turin, Italy
of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK
2Department
Background: Theory of Mind (ToM), defined as the ability to attribute mental states to one’s
self and others, plays a key role in driving behaviour and social interactions. An issue under
current debate is whether the behavioural problems usually reported in frontotemporal
dementia (FTD) and, in a more subtle form, in other neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., motor
neurone disease, MND), may at least partially be the result of an impairment in ToM.
Methods: The study investigated the attribution of social versus private intentions in small
groups of FTD and MND patients, using a task in which participants had to choose the most
appropriate endings for comic strips. The comic strips depicted: social interactions between
characters; private actions performed by a single character; or causal links amongst objects,
with no characters involved. Results: Single case analysis showed the difficulty of some
patients to attribute social (but not private) intentions to characters correctly. Discussion:
These findings suggest that attributing social intentions to others may require a cognitive
integrity that is affected by these neurodegenerative diseases, leading to a difficulty in
correctly interpreting and managing social interactions.
Coping styles after acquired brain injury
Gisela Claessens1, S.Z. Stapert2, I. Brands3 & C. van Heugten3
1School
of Mental Health and Neurosciences, University of Maastricht, Germany
Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, University of Maastricht, Germany
3School for Mental Health and Neurosciences, Rehabilitation Centre, Blixembosch
2Department
Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a life changing event. Although the process by which
individuals cope with this event has been shown to be important for psychosocial adjustment
research is insufficient. Objective: Cognitive rehabilitation is expected to induce more active coping
styles compared to the reported coping style in advance of the rehabilitation. As coping styles call on
intact cognitive skills, better cognitive functioning is hypothesized to be related to active coping
styles. It is expected that active coping styles result in less reported emotional and somatic
symptoms and consequently in higher quality of life. Method: 135 patients that received cognitive
rehabilitation at an outpatient rehabilitation centre were included retrospectively. For the crosssectional study demographic variables, neuropsychological performance, reported symptoms and
coping styles at the start of rehabilitation were recorded. For the longitudinal study coping styles and
quality of life were assessed after treatment. The association between coping styles and
demographic variables, cognitive performance and symptoms was examined by regression analyses.
For the second study regression techniques were applied to investigate the association between
coping styles and quality of life. Change in coping style was tested using within subject comparison
techniques. Results will be presented at the conference.
175
Effects of constraint induced movement therapy on motor planning in young children with
congenital hemiparesis
Céline Crajé1, Pauline B.M. Aarts2 & Bert Steenbergen3
1Radboud
University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
3Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information (NICI), Radboud University Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
2St.
Congenital hemiparesis is a disorder of movement and posture that is especially prominent in one
body side. Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is a therapeutic intervention focused on
intensive physical training of the affected arm, while restraining the less-affected side. In the present
study we examined the extent to which this therapy transfers to alleviate motor planning problems
of the less-affected arm. Methods: In total, 30 children (age range 2-8 years) with congenital
hemiparesis received 6-weeks of CIMT. We assessed motor planning in the less-affected arm before
and after therapy by evaluating 1) initial grip selection in a sequential object manipulation task and,
2) initial grasping height when picking up swords to transport them to different heights. Results: If
CIMT has a general effect on action performance we expect 1) an increase in initial grips that result in
a comfortable end posture, and 2) increasing adaptation of initial grasp height. Discussion: An
increase in planning performance indicates that positive effects of CIMT can be transferred to the
unimpaired hand, which is consistent with findings showing that anticipatory planning of movements
can be transferred from the impaired hand to the unimpaired hand (Gordon et al., 2006).
Impaired vocal emotion recognition in patients with medial temporal lobe resection
including amygdale
Delphine Dellacherie, Pascal Belin, Michel Baulac & Séverine Samson
Unité d’Épilepsie, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France and
Université de Lille 3, JE2497, France
Emotional vocal expressions are necessary in human communication. Although recent evidence
suggest that emotional recognition involved medial temporal lobe structures, we still know very little
about the processing of affective voices. The present study sought to explore the role of medial
temporal lobe structures in the perception of non linguistic emotional interjections. To this aim, we
tested patients after left (n=12) or right (n=12) unilateral medial temporal lobe removal including
systematically amygdala for the surgical treatment of medically intractable epilepsy and 17 matched
controls in the “Montreal affective voices” (an auditory equivalent of the “Ekman faces”, Belin et al,
2008). This test consists of seventy short, non-linguistic interjections corresponding to portrayed
expressions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise (plus a neutral expression).
Participants were asked to rate to what extent each voice expressed these six emotions on a rating
scale and to judge their valence and arousal. Results suggest that patients with temporal lobe
resections are selectively impaired in the recognition of fear (p<.01) and anger (tendency: p<.08).
Moreover, the rating of arousal seems to be altered by these patients. These findings extend to non
linguistic vocal stimuli the role of the amygdala in recognizing emotions.
176
Emotional dysfunction in ambulant, aggressive, forensic psychiatric patients: Alexithymia
and decision making in a clinical sample (current research, preliminary results)
Ralf P.M. De Werd, J.I.M. Egger, S. Feddes, M.P.H. Hendriks & B.H. Bulten
Diagnostics and Research, Pompestichting Institute for Forensic Mental Health, Nymegen
Goal of the current study is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of emotional
dysfunction in human aggressive behaviour. Former research indicates evidence for the important
role of emotional dysfunction in human aggression. The present study is specifically focused on the
questions (1) whether ambulant, aggressive, forensic psychiatric patients report higher levels of
alexithymia and (2) whether forensic patients are less able to use emotional evaluation in guiding
decision making. Alexithymia was measured with the Bermond Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire
(BVAQ), a self report questionnaire. Emotional learning in decision making was measured with the
Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The results indicate a specific deficit in cognitive alexithymic
characteristics in aggressive forensic patients compared tot non-aggressive controls (e.g. verbalizing
emotions, thinking about emotions and identifying emotions) (M-W-U-test: U= 22.000, p =.001). Both
groups report similar levels of affective alexithymia (e.g. registering non-specific emotional arousal in
response to a provoking situation). Also, aggressive patients were significantly less able to adapt an
advantageous strategy in a decision making task. From a neuropsychological perspective these
findings can be seen as the result of a dysfunctional integration of basal emotional responses and
higher cognitive (prefrontal) functions. As to arousal, forensic patients do not deviate from others
but lack the specific ability to adequately integrate this (un)conscious emotional information in an
emotional-cognitive frame which provides adequate regulation of antisocial affect and social
behaviour.
177
Altered coupling between resting state networks in autism spectrum disorders: Implications
for social cognition
Sjoerd J. Ebisch1, Roel M. Willems2, Dante Mantini1, Vittorio Gallese3, Wouter B. Groen4, Jan
K. Buitelaar4, Rutger Jan van der Gaag4, Gian Luca Romani1 & Harold Bekkering5
1Department
of Clinical Sciences and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Biomedical
Technologies, G. d’Annunzio University Chieti-Pescara, Italy
2F.C. Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
3Department of Neuroscience, Section of Physiology, Parma University, Italy
4Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Centre Nijmegen & Department of
Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, the Netherlands
5 Nijmegen Insitute for Cognition and Information, Radboud University Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
Background. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by impaired social abilities. Two
complementary processes are proposed to underlie these abilities (de Lange et al. 2008): prereflective simulation processes (Mirror Neuron System, MNS) and inferential/mentalizing processes
(midline brain structures). Structures activated for inferential/mentalizing processes overlap with the
Default Mode Network (DMN) and anticorrelate with spontaneous activity in MNS regions during
rest, suggesting a functional coupling. This functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study
investigated whether this coupling is altered in ASD. Methods. Ten high functioning ASD patients and
10 matched healthy controls (age 12-18) underwent eyes-closed resting state fMRI scanning at 1.5T
for ~9 minutes. FMRI data were analysed by Independent Component Analysis. Results. Group
comparisons (p<0.001) showed decreased functional connectivity for ASD in DMN (vMFC/vACC) and
anticorrelating MNS (left IFG, BA44/6) regions. Z-scores in vMFC/vACC (r=0.52) and IFG (r=0.58)
correlated with empathic abilities (p<0.01). Discussion. These results suggest a reduced coupling
between DMN and MNS in ASD patients. Crucially, correlations with empathy scores suggest a
functional relationship with decreased social abilities. These findings will be discussed in the light of
the interaction between the DMN and MNS in social cognition.
178
The assessment of premorbid functioning in Greek: challenges and solutions
Alexandra Economou
University of Athens
The effects of education on neuropsychological test functioning are strong and pervasive and may
result in misdiagnosis of impairment. The high positive correlation between education and IQ
measures in particular has led to the use of education as proxy for premorbid intellectual functioning
and to the development of norms that take into account both age and education. However,
education may not be a suitable stand-in of premorbid intellectual functioning in a country like
Greece for a variety of reasons: a) Older individuals may have had limited formal education because
of life events specific to their cohort. b) Formal education may have been intermittent or poor in
quality. c) Women in earlier generations and in more traditional cultures chose marriage and family
over education and career. Furthermore, education-adjusted normative data rarely include
individuals with very low levels of education. The advantages and disadvantages of different
approaches to estimating premorbid IQ are presented, such as use of demographically-adjusted test
scores, the best performance method, incorporating measures of activities of daily living and other
potential measures. Because pronunciation tests like the NART cannot be employed in a language
such as Greek, which has regular grapheme to phoneme correspondence rules, alternative measures
are discussed.
Emotion recognition in late Parkinson´s disease: a study of facial expression and emotional
prosody
Silvia M. Fernandes1, Luisa Albuquerque1,2, Maurício Martins1, Miguel Coelho3 & Isabel
Pavão Martins1
1Language
Research Laboratory, IMM - Lisbon Faculty of Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal
Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
3Movement Disorders Unit, IMM and Neurology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria,
Lisbon, Portugal
2Neurology
Background: Different authors associated Parkinson´s disease with intact recognition of emotion in
facial expressions (Adolphs 1998), deficit in disgust recognition (Suzuki 2006), or in emotional
prosody processing (Benke 1998; Lloyd 1999; Breitenstein 2001; Pell 2003). A study of homogeneous
late PD patients (LPD) may help to understand clinical apathy in that stage. The objective is to
characterize emotion recognition in LPD, visually or auditory presented. Methods: We included 40
patients with LPD, candidates for STN-DBS, and 40 healthy control subjects, matched for age and
literacy. All had a normal MMSE, the patients were examined under levodopa. Both groups were
tested for basic emotions with 5 sub-tests of the Comprehensive Affective Test System (CATS):
discrimination of neutral face, discrimination and recognition of emotional faces and emotional
prosody. Groups were compared through Student´s t-Tests. Results: LPD showed significantly lower
scores in face identity discrimination, facial recognition of fear, and prosody recognition of fear,
anger and sadness, compared to controls. Discussion: The effect of LPD upon recognition of emotion
stimuli, visually and auditory presented can not be due to difficulty in visual processing of faces.
Selective deficits of fear recognition in faces and of negative emotions in prosody were shown. This
supports the segregation of circuits according to the emotion involved, but it also raises the question
of the differences between visual and auditory brain circuits for each emotion.
179
Cognitive predictors of quality of life change for schizophrenic participants in a cognitive
rehabilitation program
Maite Garolera, S. Guijarro, G. Garrido, L.Fernandez-de la Cruz, I. Ramos & M.C. Ramirez
Department of Mental Health. Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa/ Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain
Background: This study explored the relationship between cognitive baseline functioning and their
impact on quality of life change after 6 months of cognitive remediation therapy. Method: 49
schizophrenia outpatients with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia were recruited for the controlled
trial, of whom 31 were randomized to cognitive remediation therapy and 18 to the control condition.
A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment that evaluated verbal learning and memory,
attention, speed of information processing and executive functioning was performed at intake.
Quality of life was assessed using the Quality of life Scale at intake and at 6 months. Results:
Cognitive improvement was associated with a large effect size of total quality of life measure.
Multiple regression analyses, after adjusting for number of past hospitalizations and group
intervention treated as covariates, found that California Verbal Learning test recognition and Stroop
task interference baseline performance were the significant predictors of total quality of life change
after cognitive remediation therapy. Discussion: The present study suggests that efforts to improve
quality of life among participants of 6 months cognitive rehabilitation treatment cope more
effectively with better performance on specific aspects of cognition at baseline as shown by
recognition memory and response inhibition.
Depressive mood and cognition after ischemic stroke
Marleen J.J. Gerritsen, Annemarie C. Visser-Keizer & Betto G. Deelman
University Medical Centre Groningen, Neuropsychology Unit
Background: Much is still unclear about the mechanisms underlying post stroke depression, but
there is growing evidence that post-stroke depression should be interpreted as a psychological
reaction to the consequences of the disease. In this study we examined the relation between
depressive mood, cognitive functioning and experienced changes in cognitive function. Method: 100
patients were examined at three and 15 months post-stroke. Mood was assessed with an observerrated (PSDRS) and a self-rated (HADS) depression inventory. A neuropsychological test-battery and a
questionnaire for subjective cognitive changes were administered. Results: Patients with depressive
mood experienced more cognitive changes than those without. Patients with and without depressive
mood did not differ in the cognitive performance when mood was self-rated, but patients with
observer rated depressive mood appeared to be mentally slower. There was no significant relation
between course of depressive mood and course of cognitive functioning on test level, but
experienced cognitive change increased in patients with observer rated depressive mood.
Conclusion: The frequently suggested relation between post stroke depression and cognitive
impairments could not be confirmed in this study, but the relation with experienced cognitive change
does to some extend support the psychological theory of post-stroke depression.
180
Social cognition impairments in patients with Motor Neurone disease
Alessandra Girardi, Sarah E. MacPherson & Sharon Abrahams
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease involving the frontal
and temporal lobes of the brain. Its clinical profile is characterised by deficits in executive functioning
as well as changes in personality and social behaviour. A similar clinical profile has been recognised in
a minority of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) patients who develop a full dementia of the
frontotemporal type. These MND/FTD patients show personality and behavioural changes in addition
to their motor impairments. Recent research suggests that nondemented MND patients may develop
a more subtle form of executive dysfunction and a corresponding frontotemporal involvement.
However, social cognition, which is typically impaired in FTD patients, has not yet been investigated
in MND. Method: The performance of an unselected sample of 15 MND patients was compared with
21 healthy controls on a range of tests of social cognition and emotional processing. MND patients
were significantly impaired compared to controls at inferring the mental states of others and
recognising other people’s emotions. Results: This study demonstrated that MND patients perform
poorly on tests of social cognition. Discussion: This result adds weight to the hypothesis that MND is
on a pathological continuum ranging from classic MND patients to patients with FTD.
Subsyndromal mood symptoms, cognition, and psychosocial functioning in euthymic bipolar
patients
Marc P.H. Hendriks, R.M. Van Erp Taalman Kip, J.I.M. Egger, E.G. Hartong, J. Jeuken &
W.M.A. Verhoeven
Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
Introduction: The influence of subsyndromal mood symptoms (SSMS) on cognition and psychosocial
functioning of euthymic bipolar patients remains unclear. Viewpoints vary from minor to major
influence of SSMS, but seem to be dependent on the methodological choices of the respective
researchers. [LIT] The present study evaluates the relationship between SSMS and cognitive or
psychosocial functioning. Method: 16 euthymic patients with bipolar (I, n= 10; II, n= 6 ) disorder
according to DSM-IV criteria were included. SSMS was measured with the MOODS-SR. Cognitive
functioning was measured using STROOP, Bourdon-Wiersma, Trail Making Task, WMS-R visual
subtests, VLGT, WCST, BADS, NLV and GIT. Psychosocial functioning was determined using the GVSG45, and the Rand-36. Results: Number of bipolar mood symptoms significantly predicted psychosocial
functioning F(1,16)=5.468, p=.035. Post-hoc analyses revealed this effect was greatest for the
number of depressive symptoms (F(1,16)=5.41, p=.037). To our surprise, cognitive functioning had no
significant relation to number of mood symptoms or psychosocial functioning. Conclusion: Although
the study has several limitations, our results may imply careful detection of subsyndromal depressive
mood symptoms in recovered bipolar patients, as these symptoms may typically be related to
psychosocial functioning and well-being.
181
Conscious and unconscious processing of fear after right amygdala damage: a single case
ERP study
Joost Heutink, Wiebo H. Brouwer, Bauke M. de Jong & Anke Bouma
Dept. of Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
BACKGROUND. In this paper, we describe a 58-year old male patient (FZ) with a right amygdala lesion
after stroke. FZ is unable to recognize fearful facial expressions. Instead, he always misinterprets
fearful expressions for surprise. METHODS. Employing EEG/ERP measures, we investigated whether
presentation of fearful and surprised facial expressions would lead to different response patterns.
We measured ERPs to aversively conditioned and unconditioned fearful faces. We compared ERPs
elicited by supraliminally and subliminally presented conditioned fearful faces (CS+), unconditioned
fearful faces (CS-) and surprised faces. RESULTS. Supraliminal presentation of CS- and surprised faces
lead to differences in P170 and Late Negativity (LN) ERP components. This indicates that, despite FZ’s
inability to explicitly recognize fearful expressions, implicit recognition of fear is still intact.
Differences between ERPs to CS+ and CS- were only found when these stimuli were presented
subliminally. This indicates that intact right amygdala function is not necessary for aversive
conditioning. DISCUSSION Previous studies have stressed the importance of the right amygdala for
discriminating facial emotional expressions and for classical conditioning. Our study suggests that the
right amygdala is necessary for explicit recognition of fear, while implicit recognition of fear and
classical conditioning may still occur without the right amygdala.
Depression in multiple sclerosis: Reactive or endogenous?
Kathryn L. Holden & Claire Isaac
University of Sheffield
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has the potential to influence mood via two mechanisms. First, via the
psychosocial impact of chronic illness, and second, via the direct neurological consequence of
disease. The aim of the study was to shed light on the respective contributions of these mechanisms,
via comparison with a chronic illness with similar physical symptoms but no CNS involvement.
Method: 234 participants with MS and 89 participants with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) were recruited
via discussion forums on disease-charity websites. Participants completed an online-survey including
self-report measures of depression, pain and physical functioning. Importantly, depression was
assessed using the Chicago-Multiscale-Depression-Inventory, specifically formulated for patients with
chronic illness. Results: Hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that disease group (MS or
RA) independently predicted depression above and beyond demographic and disease-related
variables, including gender, illness duration, pain and physical functioning, prevalence odds ratio =
3.20, 95% CI = 1.77-5.77, Wald test c² = 14.82, p< .001. Discussion: After controlling for potential
moderators of the disease-depression relationship, including pain and physical functioning,
individuals with MS are more depressed than individuals with RA; lending support to the hypothesis
that depression in MS is in part determined by direct neurological consequences of the MS disease
process.
182
Effects of age on multisensory integration and social interaction
Edyta Monika Hunter & Sarah E. MacPherson
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: Efficient navigation of our social world depends on proper generation, interpretation
and combination of social signals within different sensory systems. However, the influence of healthy
adult ageing on multisensory integration of emotional and social stimuli remains poorly explored.
Method: The current study investigated the performance of 20 healthy older adults aged 60-80 years
on unisensory (auditory and visual) and multisensory tasks related to emotion recognition.
Performance was compared with 20 younger adults aged 19- 40 years. Results: Preliminary data
suggest that older adults display difficulty in recognizing negative emotions within auditory and
visual domains when compared with young adults. In contrast, the performance of older adults on a
multisensory task with congruent emotional information is not compromised, as opposed to using
multisensory incongruent stimuli, where performance of older adults is significantly poorer than
younger adults. Discussion: The findings suggest that older adults benefit from congruent
multisensory information in social situations where sensory information from multiple modalities is
integrated into part of multisensory neural network. As the dorsolateral prefrontal region plays a role
in multisensory integration, the age-related decline on incongruent multisensory tasks may be
explained in terms of the dorsolateral prefrontal theory of cognitive ageing.
The Role of Abstract Reasoning in Emotional Processing in Schizophrenia
Lana Marija Ilankovic, Rolf Engel, Michael Riedel & Kristina Fast
Psychiatric Hospital, Ludwig-Maximillian University, Munich, Germany
Background: Most of the studies investigating emotional processing in schizophrenia have used facial
affect recognition paradigms¹², whereas we were interested in how the ability to match stimuli of
different emotional valence is related to cognitive abilities in schizophrenic patients. Methods:
15 patients with schizophrenia and 15 controls were shown two pictures simultaneously, with
negative, positive or neutral emotional content. They were asked to match the pictures according to
their valence and then performed surprise recognition memory test. Additionally, several
neuropsychological test were administered. Results: 1.The patients were significantly less accurate
than the control subjects, when comparing the valences of two items, especially when positive or
neutral pictures were combined with pictures of negative valence 2. The patients performed
significantly worse in detecting novel picture combinations (significantly reduced percent of correct
rejections), across all the combination categories 3. The patients had significantly lower scores on
tests of non-verbal and verbal-concept formation, relative to controls. Discussion: The patients
exhibited a negative bias when evaluating incongruent picture pairs, especially those containing
neutral pictures that are more flexible for interpretations. We may conclude that not only impaired
affective judgement, but also deficit in abstract reasoning and concept formation could be crucial for
the patients' misinterpreting neutral events as significant.
183
Establishing the cultural (in-)appropriateness of neuropsychological tests
Mary H. Kosmidis, Eleni Aretouli & Amaryllis Malegiannaki
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
In a recent attempt to develop normative data for a widely-used neuropsychological test in Greece,
namely, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), we discovered that it underestimated cognitive
functions in the Greek population. We tested the hypothesis that certain requirements of this task
made it challenging to healthy Greek adults by isolating some of the cognitive components assessed
by the WCST (i.e., conceptualization, categorization, use of feedback, shifting, perseveration, strategy
formation in the absence of explicit instructions). Thus, we administered the WCST along with
selected tests [i.e., Color-form Test, Category Test (subtests I-IV), 20-Questions Test] to assess these
components in a new sample of healthy adults. Our preliminary findings indicated that, despite poor
overall WCST performance, our sample was capable of conceptualizing and categorizing information,
and demonstrated adequate cognitive flexibility; thus, our participants were not impaired. In
contrast, when faced with a simple test requiring strategy formation in the absence of explicit
instructions, our sample of healthy adults did not use any strategies. These findings support our
previous suggestion that educational emphasis on convergent vs. divergent thinking may play a role
in poor WCST performance, making this test a poor tool for assessing executive functioning in the
Greek population.
In pursuit of cognitive processes in acute coma
Boris Kotchoubey1, J. Daltrozzo2, N. Wioland3, V. Mutschler3, P. Lutun3, A. Jaeger3, B. Calon3,
A. Meyer3 & T. Pottecher3
1University
of Tübingen, Germany
Marseille, France
3University of Strasbourg, France
2CNRS,
Does the lack of behavioral responsiveness in acute coma indicates a complete lack of cognitive
processing? Are coma patients still able to cognition and to what extend? Such questions are still
controversial and can be investigated with the technique of event-related potentials (ERP). Several
ERP paradigms designed to test cortical information processing in a hierarchical manner, from simple
orienting response to semantic processing, were used to examine 44 comatose patients (brain
anoxia, 28 patients; ischemic stroke, 7 patients; hemorrhage, 5 patients; metabolic encephalopathy,
4 patients; mean Glasgow Coma Scale = 4.84 ± .28). At least 7 % of the patients showed an explicit
semantic processing (sentence priming N400/P600 effect), possibly indicating a minimal remaining
consciousness. This study, apart from a case study we published elsewhere (Grand Rounds 2005, 5,
37-41), is the first to demonstrate semantic processing in coma. The data are further compared with
previously published (Clinical Neurophysiology 2005, 116, 2441-53) findings in patients with chronic
disorders of consciousness: vegetative state and minimally conscious state.
184
The effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation health care unit on the outcome of stroke
Christophe Lafosse, K. Wille, G. Vanhoydonck, M. Troch, N. Vaes, C. Sneyers, E. Vantichelt, K.
Aerts, M. Moeremans & L. Dereymaeker
Rehabilitation Hospital Hof ter Schelde, Antwerp, Belgium
Background. We investigated the effect of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation health care unit (MRHC)
on the outcome of stroke compared to a general ward rehabilitation care (GWRC). Methods. The
effect was measured on outcome of 210 stroke patients. The multidisciplinary team consist of
nursing, medical, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological interventions and social work
staff. A difference-ratio was developed to measure the effect on mobility, somatosensory
performance, ADL and spatial attention after 12 weeks of rehabilitation. Stroke patients were
pseudo-randomly assigned either to the MRHC-unit or to the GWRC-unit based on the available place
and age. Results. Comparison of the outcome of matched patients demonstrated an increased
functional outcome on mobility, somatosensory performance and ADL in patients with right brain
damage and neglect of the MRHC-unit compared to a general ward rehabilitation care. Conclusion.
Functional outcome is significantly better when patients are treated according to an MRCH program
compared to a GWRC program. The fact that brain damaged patients with neglect have more need
on environmental structuration can explain the greater effect in patients with hemispatial neglect. In
this sense, the development of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation unit can act as cognitive prosthesis
offering the patients more environmental structure that facilitates self-organisational and
self-caring skills.
The underlying mechanisms of verbal fluency deficits in semantic dementia (SD) and
frontotemporal dementia (fv-FTD)
Mickael Laisney, Vanessa Matuszewski, Florence Mézenge, Bénédicte Giffard, Serge Belliard,
Vincent de la Sayette, Francis Eustache & Béatrice Desgranges
Inserm-EPHE-UCBN U923, France
Background: The aim of this study was to provide a direct comparison between SD and fv-FTD
patients on phonemic and semantic fluency tasks and to investigate underlying cognitive processes
and brain areas. Methods: 18 SD, 18 fv-FTD patients and 18 elderly controls underwent a semantic
and a phonemic fluency task, an investigation of semantic memory, working memory, shifting and
updating processes as well as a resting FDG-PET exam. We mapped the correlations between
FDG-Uptake in the whole brain and fluency scores in each group of patients, using statistical
parametric mapping. Results: Both patients groups showed impaired performances in both fluency
tasks but underlying cognitive processes differed. Regression analyses demonstrated that
performance of SD patients was restricted by their semantic memory impairment in both fluency
tasks while that of fv-FTD patients depended on their executive abilities. For both fluency tasks, the
significant correlations concerned the left temporal lobe in SD and the frontal lobes in fv-FTD.
Discussion: Our results depict the multi-component nature of verbal fluency tasks. Correlations with
the resting FDG-Uptake highlight how semantic and executive capacities impact on both tasks. The
relative magnitude of performance may be used to draw inferences on the nature of the underlying
deficit.
185
Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological measures: Evolution and correlation during
late childhood
Martin Lauterbach, Isabel Pavão Martins, Brenda Townes, Peter Slade, Tim DeRouen,
Michael Martin, Alexandre Castro Caldas & Jorge Leitão
Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon, Portugal
Background: Neurological examination of children includes the screening for soft neurological signs
(NSS). There is little knowledge about their evolution during adolescence, except that their lasting
presence has been associated with developmental and mental disorders. Method: We report the
results of a NSS exam and various neurocognitive measures (grouped into seven neurocognitive
factors by means of principal components factor analyses) over a 5 year period, among a group of
healthy children. Their ages ranged from 11-15yrs at onset. Participants were divided into four age
(younger and older) x gender groups. Results: At the first evaluation, there were 191 boys and 150
girls. NSS score diminished with both increasing age and follow up time but girls reached the lowest
scores two years before the younger subgroup of boys. NSS scores correlated with several
neurocognitive factors, but more consistently with tests of motor speed, visuo-motor speed,
attention and working memory. Discussion: The evolution of NSS with age suggests that they are a
signature of neural development, since they showed a particular correlation with tests of executive
functions their disappearance may be associated with the late development and maturation of the
prefrontal cortex.
Cognitive dysfunction in acute coronary syndrome patients
L. Roldán, I. León, R. Cánovas, J. Cimadevilla, J. Peinado & A. Cárdenas
Dpto de Neurociencia y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Almería, Spain
BACKGROUND: Frequently, it is easy to find memory alterations in people suffering heart illness since
hippocampal neurons are extremely vulnerable to anoxia. This study assesses cognitive deficits in
humans that suffered acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Neuropsychological assessment
was conducted on 7 males with ACS (mean age: 54.71, SD: 9.52). Assessment include measures of
working memory: Digit Spam subtest (WAIS); spatial memory: 10/36 SRT; visual memory: Rey
complex figure test, Visual Reproduction subtest (WMS); attention: FAS, TMT, Stroop Test, Digit
Symbol subtest (WAIS); perception: Benton judge orientation line test, Benton visual form
discrimination test; orientation: Road map; intellect: Vocabulary and other psychological variables:
Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), relating performances with age,
employment status and education level. RESULTS: Subjects show a pattern of disturbances in
attentional and visuoperceptive functions, mnesic deficit in spatial and visual memory, a decrement
in the speed of processing and the capacity of shifting the response in different conditions.
DISCUSSION: The data show that ACS is associated to neuropsychological functions, but it is
necessary to extend the sample to generalize the results.
186
Neural circuits of perceiving unexpected emotional reaction of someone else: an effective
connectivity study on empathy
Evelyne Lepron & Jean-François Démonet
Inserm U825. Toulouse, France
Background: Humans are able to predict emotional responses of their conspecifics and to have
empathic concern toward them. In a social interaction, if the emotional cues provided by a third
person are inappropriate, prosocial behaviour may not occur. Methods: We investigated neural
mechanisms of experiencing expected vs. unexpected someone else’s emotional reaction. Twenty
four healthy subjects underwent [15O]H2O PET scan. They were presented with visual scenarii
describing a social interaction concerning themselves and another person. Scenarii ended with a
virtual character video-clip (representing the third person) whose facial emotional response was
either congruent or incongruent in relation to the situation. Results and Discussion: Congruent (vs.
incongruent) emotional response increased activity in, mainly left-sided, fronto-temporo-parietal
regions. This network included empathy processing-related brain structures: right medial frontal
cortex, left insula, posterior cingulate, and also anterior cingulate gyrus, involved in the preparation
of an appropriate behavioural response. Incongruent (vs. congruent) condition increased activity in
right-sided regions, including precuneus, that may support representation of the self. These findings
suggest that observing inappropriate socio-emotional behaviour imply different neural pathways
from empathic process. The perception-action cycle, required in prosocial behaviour, is thus
disrupted. Neural support of this cycle will be further investigated with effective connectivity
analyses.
The effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) on cognitive functioning among individuals
with Major Depressive Disorder
Maeve A. Mangaoang, S. Beatty, E.T. Burke, B. Hannigan, S.M. O’Mara & J.V. Lucey
University College Dublin, St. Patrick's Hospital and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience
Background: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is widely established as an effective and rapidly-acting
treatment for drug-resistant Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), with approximately 80% of severely
depressed an/or suicidal patients showing a significant improvement in mood at least in the shortterm. However, there is ongoing controversy regarding its adverse cognitive effects, which are
consistently reported by a minority of patients. Furthermore, there is currently no published research
on the long-term effects of ECT on cognitive functioning or subjective ratings of depression among
patients who receive this treatment in Irish hospitals. Methods: This ongoing research is the first Irish
study to investigate cognitive functioning using a variety of novel and standardized tasks among: (1)
individuals referred for first-time ECT for MDD; (2) individuals with MDD who are not treated with
ECT and; (3) age and gender-matched controls. Participants are assessed at key points throughout
their treatment in order to establish a baseline of cognitive functioning, monitor changes and assess
long-term outcome. Results: Qualitative and quantitative analyses are used to explore the
differential effects of ECT and MDD on cognitive functioning. Discussion: Our findings will facilitate
the development of treatment protocols regarding the cognitive assessment of future individuals
referred for ECT.
187
Decision making impairment in high-functioning multiple sclerosis patients
Cristina Mapelli, Stefania Rota, Valeria Isella & Ildebrando Marco Appollonio
Department of Neuroscience, University of Milan – Bicocca, Italy
Background: Scattered, previous literature data suggest that decision making ability is impaired in
patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We evaluated whether young, high functioning patients with
MS have problems in taking effective decisions in a gambling task that simulates real-life decision
making. Methods: Twenty-nine relapsing-remitting MS patients and 30 controls were included.
Patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment and were excluded if they obtained
an abnormal score in more than one test. All participants performed the computerized Iowa
Gambling Task (IGT), a card game with rewards and penalties. The number of advantageous choices
is considered, for all 100 trials and for five consecutive blocks of 20 trials each. Results: Patient and
control groups were comparable with respect to socio-demographic features. IGT total score was
significantly better for controls (mean ±SEM) (16.9 ±3.3) than for MS subjects (-0.3 ±2.8) (p=0.000). A
2 (group) X 5 (block) ANOVA revealed a significant effect for block [F(4, 228)= 5.539, p= 0.001] and
for group [F(1, 57)= 15.521, p= 0.000] and a strong trend towards significance for group by block
interaction [F(4, 228)= 2.559, p= 0.053]. Discussion: Unlike normal controls, MS patients showed no
increase in advantageous choices in the IGT, suggesting that decision making ability may be
selectively and significantly poor in otherwise unimpaired MS subjects. These findings may have
implications for their clinical management and for the understanding of the neural and
neuropsychological correlates of decision making ability.
Clusters of behavioral, social, emotional and cognitive profiles in patients with
frontotemporal dementia
Diana L. Matallana, P. Montanes, C. Santacruz, P. Reyes, C. Cano & F. Matamoros
Medical School, Aging Institute, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Bogotà
Frontal or behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (FvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA),
Semantic Dementia (SD) are major clinical presentations of FTD. In terms of general cognition, the
relationship of all pathologies remains unclear even they share anatomical involvement. Our study
aimed to better define memory, behavioral-social-emotional and cognitive clusters characterizing all
patients (PPA, SD and FvFTD). METHODS: We assessed cognitively and behaviorally all newly
diagnosed patients affected by FvFTD (n=89) PPA (n=10) and SD (7), in order to establish their
cognitive-behavioral pattern. RESULTS: We found differential performances in episodic memory and
profiles similar but distinct of, both, verbal fluency and naming tasks as well as behavioral symptoms
in all pathologies. Cluster-analysis extracted three main factors ('mnesic', 'behavioral' and 'linguistic').
CONCLUSION: Evidence of a characteristic cognitive profile highlights how all three pathologies state
their differences. Interestingly, behavioral, social and emotional symptoms (BSEs) seem to be an
earlier marker for all FTD. We consider, then, the relevance of a very early manifestation of BSEs that
may represent the involvement of uniquely human aspects (BSEs) since recently studies have shown
the role of the von Economo neuron, a neuron found only in great apes and humans, when studying
FTD.
188
Emotional facial expression comprehension, laterality, EEG alpha band power and
behavioural inhibition (BIS) and activation (BAS)
Guido Mazza & Michela Balconi
Department of Psychology, Cattolic University of Milan, Italy
Brain asymmetry in response to emotional domain was tested in a lot of research. Asymmetry in
comprehending facial expression of emotions was explored in the present research by analyzing EEG
alpha frequency band variations within right- and left-cortical side. Secondly, behavioural activation
system (BAS) and behavioural inhibition system (BIS) were considered such as an explicative factor
for measuring the effect of motivational/emotional variable on alpha activity within the two
hemispheres. Nineteen subjects were submitted to an ample range of emotional facial expressions
(anger, fear, surprise, disgust, happiness, sadness, and neutral). The results demonstrated that
anterior frontal sites were more active (alpha decreasing) than central and parietal sites in response
to facial stimuli. Moreover, right and left side responses varied as a function of emotional types, with
an increased right frontal activity for negative emotions vs. an increased left response for positive
emotion. Finally, whereas higher BIS subjects generated a more right hemisphere activation for
negative, high arousing emotions (such as fear, anger, and disgust), BAS subjects were more
responsive to positive emotion (happiness) within left hemisphere. Valence and arousing power of
facial expressions were considered to elucidate cortical differences in subjects’ responses to
emotional types, in addition to BIS/BAS system.
Neuropsychological follow-up of patients with refractory epilepsy treated with deep brain
stimulation
Marijke Miatton, Evert Thiery, Kristl Vonck, Paul Boon, Dirk Van Roost & Guy Vingerhoets
Laboratory for Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, Ghent University
Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is suggested to be a valuable treatment option for patients
with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the influence of DBS on cognitive
performance remains to be determined. Methods: 17 epilepsy patients (13 men, mean age of 35
years) were treated with ipsilesional amygdalohippocampal DBS. The epileptic focus was situated in
the left hemisphere in 54.5%, in the right in 36.4% and bilaterally in 9.1%. The patients underwent an
intelligence test and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment before and 12 months after
implantation. Results: Preoperatively, all patients had a normal level of intellectual performance but
suffered mild memory and language deficits. After 12 months, a significant decline was found in
comprehension of language (p< .05). There was an amelioration in performance on recognition of
visual designs (p < .05) and on the immediate reproduction of a complex figure (p< .05). Patients also
indicated a better emotional wellbeing (p<. 05). These results were not related to the lateralization
of the treatment. Discussion: DBS seems to have a positive effect on visual recognition and emotional
wellbeing, and a negative effect on language comprehension. Future neuropsychological follow-up
studies are needed to determine the effect of long-term DBS, possible differences between left or
right DBS, and the impact of cognitive deficits on daily life functioning.
189
Emotion in moral judgement: a psychophysiological study
Giovanna Moretto, Elisabetta Làdavas, Flavia Mattioli & Giuseppe di Pellegrino
Dipartimento di Psicologia. Università di Bologna, Italy
Traditional theories of moral psychology have largely ignored the role of emotion in moral behaviour.
Recently, studies with normal adults and patients with damage to ventromedial prefrontal cortex
(vmPFC), a brain region integral to emotional processes, have deeply altered this long-held
assumption. However, direct evidence linking emotion to moral decision-making is still missing. Here,
we measured skin conductance responses (SCRs) while 8 subjects with vmPFC damage, 7 controls
with non-frontal lesions, and 18 healthy individuals contemplated moral personal vs impersonal
dilemmas that varied in the extent to which they engage emotional processing. Compared to
controls, vmPFC subjects were more likely to approve moral violations (e.g., utilitarian choices) in
personal moral dilemmas. Moreover, both healthy subjects and control patients showed higher SCRs
before incurring a personal moral violations, while vmPFC subjects lacked such anticipatory SCRs.
Interestingly, SCR activity was inversely related to the rate of moral violations in personal moral
dilemmas. Overall, these findings indicate that emotional processes subserved by vmPFC are critical
components of human morality. Damage to vmPFC may result in a failure to anticipate the emotional
consequences of moral violations (i.e., regret, guilt) that can strongly influence moral judgement.
Binge drinking and decision making in college students
Nayara Mota-Miranda, M. Parada, M. Corral, A. Crego, M.C. Fernández-Eire, F. Caamaño, S.
Rodríguez-Holguín, & F. Cadaveira
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology University of Santiago de Compostela,
Spain
Background: During the adolescence, binge drinking (frequent ingestion of great amounts of alcohol
in a short period of time) is supposed to affect decision making, due to the in-process
neurodevelopment of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This study aimed to determine the
relationship between binge drinking, gender and affective decision making on adolescents. Methods:
According to item 3 AUDIT score and drinking speed, 78 freshmen students (18-19 years old) were
classified in binge drinkers (17 men, 20 women) and light drinkers (12 men, 29 women). The
exclusion criteria were history of neurological or psychopathological disorders, drug dependence and
family history of psychopathological disorders. Decision making was assessed with the Iowa
Gambling Task (IGT). Repeated measures ANOVA was used. Results: There was no effect of alcohol
consumption pattern, gender neither of their interaction. Discussion: Binge and light drinkers have
similar affective decision making performance. The absence of gender differences is in line with other
college students studies (Crone y van der Molen, 2004; Goudriaan et al., 2007).
190
Evaluation of cognitive measures before treatment of revascularation in patients with severe
carotid stenosis
Silvia Muntal, L. Casas, D. Badenes & M. Aguilar
Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
Background: Neuropsychological outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have been
investigated extensively. However, cognitive patterns have not been studied. This study is aimed to
evaluate the cognitive function in preoperative patients with severe carotid stenosis looking to
identify neuropsychological characteristics associated with the side of the stenosis (right or left
stenosis). Methods: 49 patients with severe carotid stenosis (20 left and 29igth) were examined on
their cognitive function by MMSE, RBANS, TMT, Token Test, Corsi Block-Tapping Test, Stroop, BNT,
FAS and Tower of London before treatment of carotid revascularization (endarterectomy or stenting)
and follow-ups. Tests were chosen to assess functioning in both hemispheres. Results were analysed
by inter-group comparisons. All the patients had full activities of daily living without any hemiparesis,
aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia at the time of the examinations. Results: There were no statistically
significant differences at baseline cognitive performance between the two groups except in attention
percentile (RBANS) where right patients performed significantly better than left patients (p.0.002).
Discussion: We need to make further analysis post carotid revasculation, inter-group and withingroup comparisons, to find if is any differences in cognitive hemispheric functioning between
both groups.
Significant cognitive differences between first-episode psychosis and chronic patients
matched one on one
Natalia Ojeda, Javier Peña, Pedro Sanchez, Rafael Segarra, Iñaki Eguiluz, Edorta Elizagarate,
Ana Blanca Yoller, Jesus Ezcurra & Miguel Gutierrez
Department of Psychology, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
Our goal is to analyse whether the relation between long term verbal memory and Verbal Fluency
(VF) is mediated by the PS in first episode psychosis (FEP) or is only relevant in long term phases of
the illness. 41 chronic schizophrenic and 41 FEP hospitalised were matched one on one on gender,
age and education were assessed in terms of clinical and cognitive variables. FAS, Weschler Memory
Scale and Stroop-C were included in the cognitive assessment. In chronic schizophrenia VF was
severely impaired (X=18.07 +5,50) and significantly related to WMS2 ( r=.30, p<.05) and to PS (r=.381,
p<.01). However, in FEP, this relation was not significant and therefore, do not allow mediation. In
chronic patients, PS was also related to WMS2 (r=-.318, p<.01). In the first step, WMS2 significantly
predicted VF (B=.32, p<.05). Secondly, PS was regressed on WMS2 to estimate the mediation-path
between WMS2 and the PS (B=.89, p<.01). Thirdly, WMS2 (B=.216, p=.088) and PS (B=.116, p<.05)
were entered simultaneously in the equation as predictor variables. Sobel’s equation result was
significant at p < .05 for PS (z = 1.99) suggesting full mediation of PS in VF and memory in chronic
schizophrenia but not in first episode patients.
191
Neuropsychological follow up over a three-year period in a case of neuro-metabolic disease
(Wilson’s disease)
Jayshree Panchal & P. Vesey
Department of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, Nottingham University Hospitals
NHS Trust, UK
Objective: Wilson’s disease (WD) is a rare genetic neurodegenerative disorder related to copper
storage leading to cirrhosis of the liver, movement disorder and neuropsychological deterioration.
The disease is recognised as a reversible / partly reversible condition if treated appropriately.
Literature on the degree of impairment in neurologically symptomatic patients has been variable.
Objectives of this single-case study: 1) Examine the neuropsychological profile shortly after diagnosis
to investigate the degree of impairment; and 2) Monitor neuropsychological progress in the context
of appropriate pharmacological treatment. Participants and methods: As WD presents with cognitive
and / or behavioural symptoms, the patient was assessed with a battery of neuropsychological
assessments before his treatment was due to commence and on a yearly basis to monitor any
changes in his neuropsychological profile. Results: The neuropsychological examination included the
assessment of pre-morbid functioning, attention, memory, executive functioning and visual–
perceptual abilities. A comparison of the 3 sets of results identified changes over the domains with
significant improvements being apparent in short term memory and visual memory. Conclusions: A
range of cognitive functions had been affected including aspects of memory and frontal executive
abilities. With specific treatment his neuropsychological profile highlighted partial reversal of the
cognitive deficits over the two years following assessment.
The profile of cognitive impairment in cardiac arrest patients may vary according to the
overall severity of cognitive deficits
Erja T. Poutiainen & Marjaana Tiainen
Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
Background: Cardiac arrest (CA) results in global cerebral ischemia and hypoxic-ischemic injury with
wide-ranged cognitive deficits. The aim of the study was to evaluate a profile of cognitive
impairment after successful resuscitation from CA. Methods: 41 CA patients participated in the
prospective cohort study. At seven months after CA the neurological and neuropsychological
examinations were performed. Examination included memory (WMS/lm, list learning), executive
function (TMB-TMA, Stroop), visuomotor speed (WAIS-R/DSY, TMA), spatial skills (WAIS-R/BD, Vosp
6,7) and language skills (naming, category fluency). A patient's performance was categorised as
normal (all test scores over the cut point of 1.5 sd from the demographic controls), mildly impaired (<
30% of the tests below the cut point), or moderately/severely impaired (> 30% of the tests below the
cut point). Results: Cognitive performance was intact in 14 patients (34%), while 20 (49%) had mild
deficits and 6 (15%) had moderate to severe cognitive impairment with additional problems in every
day functioning. Memory and executive deficits were found in most of the subjects with
moderate/severe cognitive impairment, while executive deficits predominated in those with mild
cognitive problems. Discussion: The profile of cognitive deficits seems to vary according to severity of
overall cognitive impairment in CA patients.
192
The role of mirror neurons in processing vocal emotions: Evidence from psychophysiological
data
Vijayachandra Ramachandra, Sara Lisiewski & Nina DePalma
Marywood University, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA
Background: The mirror neuron system in humans has been implicated not only in the perception
and imitation of actions but also in other higher-level functions such as empathy, theory of mind, and
language (Bannisy & Ward, 2007; Oberman & Ramachandran, 2007). Given this evidence, which
suggests that the mirror neuron system serves as a “domain general neural mechanism” (Molnar
Szakacs & Overy, 2006), we hypothesized that it would play a vital role in processing vocal emotions
through its connections with the limbic lobe (Carr, Iacoboni, Dubeau, Mazziotta, & Lenzi, 2003). The
current study employed psychophysiological methods to elucidate the role of the mirror neuron
system in processing vocal emotions. Methods: Twenty-five undergraduate students between the
ages of 19 and 25 years were asked to passively listen to a series of positive and negative vocal
emotions. Following this, they were asked to imagine how they would sound when they were happy,
sad, and scared. Their skin conductance response and heart rate were measured during both these
conditions. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed a tendency for the skin conductance to
increase and the heart rate to decrease not only when subjects were listening to vocal emotions but
also when they were thinking about them. These findings shed light on the role of the mirror neuron
system in processing vocal emotions.
Cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a longitudinal population-based study
Yael D. Reijmer1, E. van den Berg1, R.P.C. Kessels2, L.J. Kappelle1 & G.J. Biessels1
1Department
of Neurology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical
Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands
2 Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the
Netherlands
Background: Type 2 diabetes (DM2) is associated with mild cognitive decline and an increased risk of
dementia. These cognitive deficits may increase over time with advancing age. We examined the
effects of DM2 on cognition over a 4-year interval. Methods: An analysis was first performed on 36
DM2 and 20 control participants from the Utrecht Diabetic Encephalopathy Study who attended at
follow-up. Test scores were divided into five cognitive domains and expressed as standardized zvalues, adjusted for age. Sex and level of education were similar across groups. Results: There was no
main effect of time on cognitive performance (effect sizes ≤0.2). However, an interaction effect
between time and group was observed for speed of information processing (p=0.02). The difference
between the DM2 and control group was larger during follow-up than at baseline (effect sizes 0.6
and 0.3, respectively). A trend for accelerated cognitive decline was observed for attention and
executive functioning (effect sizes 0.4 and 0.2). Discussion: We found a stronger decline for speed of
information processing in patients with DM2 than would be expected by increasing age. This is in line
with the hypothesis that the effects of DM2 progress over time, which for some individuals may
result in the development of dementia.
193
Electrophysiological correlates of monetary gains and losses in a competitive context: An
ERP investigation
Davide Rigoni, Sara Agosta, Giuseppe Sartori & Rino Rumiati
Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Italy
Recent research in decision making have utilized event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the
neural correlates of environmental feedback evaluations. Several authors demonstrated that an early
(200-250 ms) negative polarity ERP component is associated with a rapid evaluation of rewards and
punishments. This feedback-related negativity (FRN) is larger on trials with a negative feedback (e.g.
a monetary loss) than on trials with a positive feedback (e.g. a monetary gain). Fliessbach et al
(Science, 318, 2007) have recently showed that social comparisons (e.g. monetary gain and losses of
another individual) influence reward processing in the human brain. In the present study,
participants were given an initial budget of 6 euro and were asked to chose between two balloons
containing different monetary wins and losses. After each choice, two feedbacks were showed to the
subjects: the first feedback indicated the monetary outcome of the alternative choice, whereas the
second feedback indicated the monetary outcome of the actual choice. In both the experiments, the
alternative outcome did not influence subjects’ reward, but in the second experiment (competitive
context), the alternative outcome was given to another participant. We confirmed that the FRN
mirrors a rapid evaluation of positive versus negative outcomes. Furthermore, results suggested that
the FRN is influenced by environmental variables associated with interindividual competitiveness.
Visuoperceptive and executive deficit in children born prematurely
Lola Roldán-Tapia, Maria Mar Sanchez-Joya, Lourdes Martinez-Cazorla &Julio Ramos-Lizana
Dpto de Neurociencia y Ciencias de la Salud.Universidad de Almería. Spain
The neuropsychological effects of prematurity in very young children have not been studied in detail
in many studies worldwide. The main objective is to study the difficulties in cognitive performance,
perceptual tasks and executive functions in children born with great prematurity, relating to motor
disorders and findings on the MRI. It assesses a sample of 35 children, born at 32 weeks gestation or
less and / or less than 1500g compared with a sample of 35 children do not premature and
demographic characteristics and educational similar, both in their level of education, as in that of
their parents. The neuropsychological assessment consists of a battery of overall performance, and a
group of specific standardized tests to assess visuoperception and visuoconstruction, attention,
working memory and cognitive flexibility. Result show lower scores in prematurely group in
attentional tests, visuoperceptive and perceptive tasks and in test related with the front lobe
function and memory functions. Our results are comparable to the previous studies and also pointed
a disturbance to executive functions in absence of motor disturbances or educational level.
194
The impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive functions in alcohol dependence
Claudia I. Rupp, Eliane Norcia, Martin Kurz & W.Wolfgang Fleischhacker
Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck Medical University
Background: Both, depressive symptoms and cognitive deficits are frequently reported in patients
with alcohol dependence. Deficits mainly in the domains of attention, memory and executive
function are demonstrated in both, alcohol dependence as well as depression. The effect of
comorbid depression on cognitive functioning in alcohol dependence is controversial. This study
investigated the influence of depressive symptoms on cognitive functioning in alcohol dependence.
Methods: A highly selected group of 104 alcohol-dependent patients entering alcohol treatment was
included ('TGM follow-up study'; N=377). The neuropsychological assessment comprised several
tests of the domains of attention, memory and executive function. Severity of depressive symptoms
was assessed using the BDI (Beck-Depression-Inventory). Results: Correlation analysis showed no
significant (negative) association between neuropsychological performance (attention, memory,
executive function) and depressive symptoms in male (61%) and female patients. The comparison of
neuropsychological performance in patients with and without depressive symptoms revealed no
significant difference between these subdivided groups. Discussion: Cognitive deficits in alcohol
dependence cannot be attributed to factors such as depressive symptoms. Results indicate that
cognitive deficits in alcohol-dependent patients are not related to depressive symptoms as measured
by the BDI. Our findings suggest that depressive symptoms do not necessarily compound cognitive
deficits in alcohol dependence.
Functional independence between arithmetical operations
María Pilar Salguero-Alcañiz, José Ramón & Alameda-Bailén
University of Huelva, Spain
Background. Calculation system is composed by different independent elements. McCloskey,
Caramazza & Basili (1985) propose that the recovery of numerical information, the prosecution of
the arithmetical signs and the execution of the procedures of the calculation are capable of being
damaged in an independent way. Method. 19 patients evaluate with cerebral acquired damage,
between whom patients differ with principal injury in the left hemisphere, principal injury in the right
hemisphere and widespread damage. Each one composed by different tasks one applies a battery of
evaluation composed by 6 blocks to all the patients in that there are examined numerical
comprehension, numerical recodification, arithmetical signs, calculation, numerical qualitative
knowledge and numerical sequence. Results. The information makes clear that the arithmetical
operations of adding up, remaining and multiplying are independent between yes, to the effect that
one can be altered and others remain preserved, both in the oral and written form. Discussion. These
results allow to suppose that the cognitive processes that sublie to every arithmetical operation are
different and therefore, it is possible that the areas corticales implied also it are as they raise
Dehaene and Cohen (1995) in the anatomical-functional so called model.
195
Cognitive defects and pathological gambling in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Gabriella Santangelo1,2, Luigi Trojano1, Carmine Vitale2, Francesca Verde1, Dario Grossi1 &
Paolo Barone2
1Department
2Department
of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Italy
of Neurological Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
Background: The Pathological Gambling (PG) has been recently described in Parkinson’s disease (PD),
and usually ascribed to antiparkinsonian treatment, but no study has investigated
neuropsychological correlates of PG in PD. Methods: PD patients affected by PG (identified on the
basis of DSM-IV criteria; PD+PG) without clinically evident dementia were assessed on standardized
neuropsychological tasks assessing several cognitive domains, mainly executive functions. Their
performance were compared with those by non-demented PD patients not affected by PG (PD-PG)
and matched for demographic and clinical variables. Motor symptoms, time from onset and L-Dopa
equivalent doses did not differ between the two groups. Results: PD+PG patients reported
significantly poorer performances than PD-PG patients on several executive tasks. After Bonferroni
correction, the differences remained significant on the Frontal Assessment Battery (p= .001) and on
the difference score part B minus part A of the Trail Making Test (p= .002). A logistic regression
analysis demonstrated that low scores on FAB were the only independent predictor of PG (odds
ratio, 27.9; 95% CI: 2.82-277.95, p= .004). Conclusion: The results indicate an association between PG
and frontal lobe dysfunctions in non-demented PD patients. Low scores on FAB denote parkinsonian
patients at high risk for PG.
Regional cerebral blood flow changes related to passive finger movements in persistent
vegetative state
Stein Silva, Jean François Demonet & Isabelle Loubinoux
INSERM U 825, Toulouse, France
Background. Vegetative state is a devastating medical condition of wakefulness unaccompanied by
any evidence of awareness. In cohort functional neuroimaging studies of patients in Persistent
Vegetative State (PVS) simple noxious somatosensory (Laureys S, 1999) and auditory stimuli (Boly M,
2004) have shown systematic activation of primary sensory cortices and lack of activation in higher
order associative cortices. Methods. By means of 15O H2O positron emission tomography imaging,
we measured changes in regional cerebral blood flow (both activations and deactivations) during
passive finger movements. Ten patients (6 traumatics and 4 anoxic-ischemics injured; mean age
45+/-8 years, sex ratio 5) and ten healthy controls were prospectively selected Results. Primary
somatosensory cortex (S1M1) still activated during stimulation (corrected p < 0.001). In contrast,
secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) failed to activate (corrected p < 0.001) and was functionally
disconnected from S1M1. Precuneus (BA 33) shows less decrease in activity in PVS group (corrected
p < 0.001). Discussion. According to previous works cerebral dysfunction of patients in PVS might be
explained by an impaired activity in some critical higher order brain regions. Nevertheless, abnormal
task-independent decreases of regional cerebral blood flow, could raise the hypothesis of an altered
resting state network.
196
Novelty-seeking and risk-taking in Parkinson's disease
Victoria Singh-Curry, Nico Bunzeck, Richard Perry, Peter Bain, Emrah Duzel & Masud Husain
University College London and Imperial College London, UK
Background: The presence of novelty-seeking behaviour in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is controversial,
perhaps relating to heterogeneity within this population. There is evidence that akinetic-rigid PD
patients (AR) are more susceptible to cognitive decline than tremor dominant patients (TD). We
hypothesised that this may also be true of novelty processing. Methods: We tested 14 AR and 7 TD
patients (matched on motor and cognitive scales) and 12 control subjects on two versions of an
oddball task each containing 3 types of oddball stimulus: target, perceptually salient standard and
novel. Task N required subjects to respond to targets and novel oddballs, whilst task P required
responses to target and perceptually salient standard stimuli. Results: There was a significant task by
group interaction, with AR patients being significantly quicker to respond to stimuli on task N
compared to task P. TD patients showed a trend in the opposite direction and controls performed
equally across tasks. Quicker responses on task N correlated with greater risk-taking behaviour over
time on the Iowa Gambling Task in the AR group only. Discussion: AR patients dissociate from TD
patients in terms of novelty processing, responding faster to novel stimuli. Moreover, noveltyseeking correlates with risk-taking behaviour in this group.
Gray and white matter volume reductions in adolescents with history of extremely and very
preterm birth
Sara Soria-Pastor1, Ana Narberhaus1, Carme Junqué1,2, Mónica Giménez1,2, Dolors Segarra1,
Núria Bargalló3 & Francesc Botet2,4
1Department
of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, Faculty of Medecine, University of
Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
3Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Department, Centre de Diagnòstic per la imatge (CDI),
Hospital Clinic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain
4Pediatrics Section, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Radiology and
Physics Medicine, Hospital Clínic, Spain
Subjects born very preterm (VPT) are at high risk of brain injury in the perinatal period and
consequently of later neurological and cognitive impairments. Cerebral injury depends on lesion
characteristics together with other factors being the gestational age (GA) the most determinant. We
used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigated patterns of gray matter (GM) and white
matter (WM) alterations in adolescents with antecedents of prematurity. Forty-six adolescents
(mean age ± SD: 14.5 ± 1.7 years); thirteen extremely preterm (EPT) born before 28 weeks of GA
(mean GA ± SD: 27.4 ± 0.7 weeks) and thirty-three VPT born between 29 – 32 weeks (mean GA ± SD:
30.8 ± 1.2 weeks) were submitted to an MRI examination and IQ evaluation. VBM results showed
that the EPT compared to the VPT had reduced GM and WM volume. GM loss was detected in
hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, culmen, superior temporal gyrus, insula, medial frontal gyrus
and superior parietal lobe area. Moreover, the EPT adolescents showed significant abnormalities in
several WM areas, involving all the lobes. The EPT had lower performance IQ than the VPT (t= -2.93,
P=0.005). This study supports the current view that GM and WM reductions are associated with
length of gestation.
197
Effect of remote mild-to-moderate TBI on cognitive reserve: a report from the Maastricht
Aging Study
Sven Z. Stapert, P.W.M. van Gerven, M.P.J. van Boxtel, H. Gielen & J.J. Jolles
Maastricht School of Mental Health and Neurosciences, University
Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Background: It is suggested that traumatic brain injury may compromise cognitive reserve capacity
and consequently negatively affects the cognitive aging process. Epidemiological studies even
suggest an association between TBI sustained earlier in life and Alzheimer’s disease. We tested the
hypothesis that a self-reported mild-to-moderate TBI results in lowered cognitive performance in a
healthy population. Method: Historical data from the Maastricht Aging Study were used to test the
hypothesis. 48 out of 854 participants (age > 50 years) in the study reported to have suffered from
mild-to-moderate TBI. Cognitive performance of the TBI group was compared with the performance
of the control subjects (n= 806) using a linear mixed model procedure for repeated measurements.
Selected dependent variables were performance on Concept Shifting Test, Stroop Colour Word Test,
and 15 Word Learning Test at baseline, 3- and 6-year follow-up. Results: We found no significant
effect of TBI on cognitive performance. Follow-up measurements also failed to show evidence for
differential longitudinal cognitive change. No significant interactions between TBI and age and TBI
and education were found. Discussion: Self reported mild-to-moderate TBI does not have a negative
effect on cognitive reserve capacity as reflected by cognitive performance and –change. However,
replication of this result using objective injury characteristics is required to reject the hypothesis.
Hanging and consequent brain damage in children and adolescents: A case study
Daniel L. Stark, K.A. Treece & A. Starza-Smith
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Background: Hanging is one of the most commonly attempted methods of suicide in children, and
has been gaining increasing public attention. Hanging represents a unique hypoxic-ischaemic injury,
simultaneously blocking air and blood flow to the brain, with possible brain-stem complications. This
implicates a number of brain structures, and has been shown to affect a wide range of cognitive
processes in adult survivors (Caine & Watson, 2000). Survival rates in children are estimated at 68%
(Li et al., 1997), yet there is a surprising dearth of information regarding the neuropsychological and
neurological sequelae, or the functional outcomes of such cases. Method: We present a review of
the literature on hanging in children and adolescents, and introduce the case of a young girl, recently
seen by our Paediatric Neuropsychology service who survived an attempted hanging. Results &
Discussion: Neuropsychological assessment techniques employed are discussed, along with a number
of presenting issues for the clinician. These include challenges for establishing the nature and degree
of cognitive and executive impairment. The results, along with functional outcomes and
recommendations for future rehabilitation are discussed in relation to the literature. We suggest that
a systematic protocol for hanging survivors in the paediatric setting is urgently needed.
198
Management of condition-specific cognitive impairments in the context of neurorehabilitation of children post-encephalitis
Emily J. Talbot & Arleta Starza-Smith
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Background: Acquired encephalitic brain injury during childhood can cause significant cognitive
impairments and difficulties, culminating in far reaching complications for rehabilitation and service
provision to those affected children and their families. National guidance in the UK (National Service
Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, 2004) promotes specific child- and
family-centred service provision for children with an acquired brain injury (ABI). Method: Drawing on
a cohort of children post-encephalitis we consider; the neuro-rehabilitation and support needs of
children and their families, in relation to condition-specific impairments post-encephalitis; current
neuro-rehabilitation services available to those children and families; and a review of national
guidance on recommended service provision. Results: Encephalitis specific patterns of
neuropsychological impairment, such as memory and behaviour dysfunction, create implications for
rehabilitation of the child within the family, education and society as a whole. It is evident from our
cohort of children that current service provision for neuro- rehabilitation in the UK can be random
and sporadic. Discussion: In highlighting the condition specific neuro-rehabilitation and support
needs of children with an ABI following encephalitis, and their families, we emphasise the need for
uniform provision of neuro-rehabilitation services for children, taking greater direction from
recommendations in national guidance.
Not all impulsivities worsen after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in
Parkinson’s disease: A follow-up study
Diana M.E. Torta1, Lorys Castelli1, Maurizio Zibetti2, Michele Lanotte2, Leonardo Lopiano2 &
Giuliano C Geminiani1
1Department
2Department
of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
of Neuroscience, Turin Medical School, Turin Italy
Background: Deep Brain stimulation (DBS) of the Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) improves motor
symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, however outcomes on affective and cognitive domains are
contradictive. We aimed at investigating changes in impulsive decision making after the surgical
procedure. Methods: Eleven patients were analysed preoperatively when on and off medication and
postoperatively, when on and off stimulation (always off medication) with the Cambridge Gamble
Task (CGT), a computerized decision making task 1. Results: Impulsive choice (tendency to select first
bets) was significantly reduced after DBS F(1,10)= 5.154, p=0.046. Further, the on stimulation
condition was associated to a lower degree of impulsivity t (10) = -2.250 p=0.048 with respect to the
off stimulation one. Discussion: Postoperative decrease in impulsivity may be underpinned by a
reduction in dopaminergic therapy, known to increase impulsivity 2.Changes between the on and off
stimulation conditions may reflect an ameliorated sense of time when stimulated; the tendency in PD
to overestimate short intervals of time in the off state 3, in a task like the CGT where choices are
made on time grounds, may lead to an erroneous perception of time really elapsed and trigger
impulsivity.
199
Cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or other vascular risk factors:
a systematic review
Esther van den Berg, R.P. Kloppenborg, L.J. Kappelle, R.P.C. Kessels & G.J. Biessels
Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Medical
Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
Background: Vascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction,
particularly in the elderly. The aim of this study is to quantify and compare the profile and size of the
cognitive impairments in non-demented persons with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or
obesity. Methods: Age-, sex- and education-adjusted results from cross-sectional and longitudinal
studies that assessed cognitive functioning in relation to diabetes/impaired glucose metabolism
(k=36), hypertension (k=24), dyslipidaemia (k=7) and obesity (k=6) were included. Effect sizes
(Cohen’s d) per cognitive domain were computed, and possible interaction with age was examined.
Results: Diabetes and hypertension were clearly associated with cognitive decrements; the results
for obesity and dyslipidemia were less consistent. Effect sizes were moderate (median ~0.3) across all
risk factors and all cognitive domains. Most consistent effects were found in cognitive speed, mental
flexibility and memory. Modest interaction with age was observed for obesity, diabetes and
hypertension: studies that measured the risk factor at midlife showed more pronounced effects than
late life studies. Discussion: This review shows that the association between vascular risk factors and
cognitive functioning is roughly similar in size and cognitive profile across different risk factors. This
suggests a common underlying pathophysiological cause (e.g. insulin resistance, atherosclerosis).
Training of socials skills improves coping skills in brain injury patients, first results
Annemarie C. Visser-Keizer & M.C. Schonherr
University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation, Beatrixoord, Haren
Background: Social and coping skills have been related to community integration after brain injury
(Dahlberg et al., 2006; Mateer & Sira, 2006). In the Rehabilitation Center of the University Medical
Center Groningen, the efficacy of a social skills group treatment programme for patients with
acquired brain injury living in the community was evaluated. Methods: Eight males and four females
were divided into three groups of four patients. All groups were mixed with regard to gender and
type of brain injury. All patients were between 1 and 8 years post-injury. The programme consisted
of 15 weekly sessions of 1,5 hours training. The content ranged from basic social skills (listening) to
complex social skills (assertive behaviour). Before the training, directly after, and three months after
the training, a Dutch questionnaire measuring coping skills was administered. Results: Repeated
measures analyses showed significantly more active coping behaviour and seeking social support and
less passive coping behaviour after the training. More interestingly, coping skills further improved at
follow-up. Discussion: Training social skills of patients long after brain injury in a small group seems
valuable. Further research with more groups is needed to investigate the effect of the training on
daily life and community integration.
200
Directional diffusion and cognitive impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Nele Warlop, J. Debruyne, E. Achten & G. Vingerhoets
Laboratory for Neuropsychology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital
Ghent, Belgium
In this study we investigate the relation between cognitive dysfunction and brain damage in multiple
sclerosis (MS). Cerebral damage in 15 relapsing-remitting MS patients was measured by diffusion
tensor imaging. Fractional anisotropy, longitudinal and transverse diffusivity were defined in the
cerebral parenchyma. Cognitive performance of MS patients was based on the Symbol Digit
Modalities test (SDMT) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). A significant correlation
was found between performance on the SDMT and the fractional anisotropy in the brain. This
correlation was induced by transverse diffusivity, and not by longitudinal diffusivity. These results
indicate that diffusivity along the non-principal diffusion direction contribute to cognitive dysfunction
in MS.
Measuring Quality of Life in Children Post-Encephalitis: Presentation of Three Cases
Jennifer H. Wilson, Arleta Starza-Smith & Emily Talbot
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Objective: The diversity inherent in post-encephalitis presentations of children poses a particular
challenge for neuropsychological rehabilitation. Prognosis ranges from severe impairment to good
recovery, with neuropsychological consequences including behavioural, educational and personality
difficulties. Quality of life (qol) is increasingly cited in the literature as one of the most desirable
outcomes of post-encephalitis rehabilitation. The Paediatric Children’s Quality of Life Inventory
(PedsQL) indicates that qol measurement in acquired brain injury populations complements
psychological formulation and outcome measurement. However, it does not fully encapsulate unique
qol issues associated with the sequelae of encephalitis. The implications for measuring qol in this
clinical population are discussed. Participants and Methods: Three ongoing case studies are
presented that demonstrate the wide range of referrals encountered in this specialist paediatric
neuropsychology service, ranging from mild to moderate and severe impairments. Results: The
diverse sequelae of encephalitis are highlighted and their implications for qol measurement
discussed. The severity of behavioural, personality, social, and educational impairments in some
children means that in one case only parental views could be accessed. Conclusions: This paper
outlines neuropsychological rehabilitation issues that are unique to this clinical population and the
implications for measuring quality of life of children post-encephalitis in clinical practice are
discussed.
201
SD-root squared: Semantic dementia without surface dyslexia in Spanish
Maximiliano A. Wilson, Macarena M. Martínez-Cuitiño, Brendan S. Weekes & Cristina Burani
Institute for Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC-CNR), Rome, Italy
Background: Only a few Semantic Dementia (SD) patients with unimpaired irregular word (IW)
reading have been reported in the literature (i.e. Schwartz, Marin & Saffran, 1979; Gerhand, 2001)
and only one for a transparent language as Portuguese (Hosogi Senaha et al., 2006). The triangle
model explains this pattern by means of premorbid differential semantic reliance for IW reading
(Woollams et al., 2007). The DRC model (Coltheart et al., 2001) explains IW reading without
semantics via direct whole-word processing. The aim of this work is to present two Spanish-speaking
(Argentine variant) SD patients without surface dyslexia and unimpaired (loan) IW reading. Methods:
The patients were administered several tasks exploring lexical, sublexical and semantic processing.
Their scores were compared to those of normal subjects with Chi-square tests. Results: Both patients
showed unimpaired non-word, regular and IW reading. Also, lexical decision tasks were within
normal performance. Conversely, semantic tasks (word naming, semantic categorization,
homophone definition) were impaired. Discussion: These patients provide further evidence for the
presence of semantic impairment without surface dyslexia even for IW that would require -according
to the connectionist triangle model- semantic mediation. Instead, these results could be
accommodated by dual route models such as the DRC model through direct input-output lexical nonsemantic connections.
Neuropsychological profile of Noonan syndrome
Ellen Wingbermühle, J.I.M. Egger, W.M.A. Verhoeven, C.J.A.M. Van der Burgtand & S. Tuinier
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, The Netherlands
Background: Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder, characterized by short stature, facial
dysmorphia and heart defects. Despite a high prevalence (1:1000-2500), virtually no research is
found on cognitive functioning and psychiatric comorbidity [1]. A recent pilot study suggested
problems in social cognition [2]. To substantiate these findings, cognitive measures were explored in
a larger group of adult NS patients. Method: 35 NS patients underwent neuropsychological
assessment of intelligence, attention, executive functioning, memory and social cognition. Structured
interviews on psychopathology and quality of life were completed and data on medical and
developmental history were collected. Results: Mean IQ was just below average, but overall cognitive
functioning appeared to be intact. However, in more than half of the patients, emotion identification
and verbalisation defects could be confirmed. A tendency was found towards social desirability and
agreeableness. Patients reported average levels of life satisfaction, in contrast with the evaluation of
their social functioning by proxies. Discussion: The neuropsychological profile of adult NS patients is
marked by a slightly lowered IQ and subtle problems in social cognition. Because of amenable
personality traits, their problems may remain unseen.
202
Neuropsychological profile of patients in a prodromal state of psychosis – a prospective
study
Ronan Zimmermann, U. Gschwandtner, M.O. Pflueger, J. Aston, S. Borgwardt, R.D. Stieglitz &
A. Riecher-Rössler
Psychiatric Outpatient Department, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
Background: To investigate the cognitive capacity of individuals in a prodromal state of psychosis
compared to healthy controls. Method: 60 at risk mental state (ARMS) individuals and 51 healthy
controls (HC) were assessed with 7 neuropsychological tests covering attention (CPT, TAP- working
memory), executive functions (WCST, ToH, TAP- Go/NoGo) and intelligence (MWT-A, LPS-3). During a
7 year observation period 20 ARMS transited to psychosis (ARMSt), 10 were lost to, and 30 remained
in follow-up (ARMSnt). Conclusively, ARMSt are individuals in true prodromal state.
Neuropsychological profiles (adjusted for confounding factors) of ARMSt and ARMSnt were
determined. In order to evaluate group differences MANOVAS and t-tests (adjusted for multiple
testing) were performed. Results: MANOVA showed significant group differences across all cognitive
domains. Compared to HC ARMSt and ARMSnt showed significant deficits in executive functions,
ARMSnt in verbal IQ; both were impaired in working memory. Working memory was more
compromised in ARMSt compared to ARMSnt individuals (p= 0.053, df= 47.5, t = 1.8, Cohens’ d = 0.5,
1-ß = 0.39). Discussion: Cognitive deficits precede the onset of psychosis. Working memory is
amongst the most impaired functions in ARMS and is even more impaired in individuals in a true
prodromal state of psychosis.
203
Thursday 4th September 15:30-16:30
Ongoing reality monitoring versus mood state in determining confabulation
Ana Bajo, Simon Fleminger & Michael Kopelman
Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK
Background: Schnider has suggested that ongoing reality monitoring deficits cause spontaneous
confabulation. His continuous recognition task, a measure of temporal context confusion (TCC), is the
only test that parallels recovery from confabulation (1). There is also reason to suggest that mood
could cause confabulation. Evidence suggests non-brain injured hypomanic patients produce greater
number of false positive identifications on a continuous recognition task and the opposite has been
found for depressed patients (2). The present study examines the role of reality-monitoring and
mood in confabulation. Methods: 17 brain injured confabulators underwent neuropsychological
assessment. Neuropsychological assessment included Schnider’s TCC task and mood measures, and it
was repeated 3 months after referral to the study and again 6 months later. Results were
charted and analysed using non-parametric statistical tests. Results: Our results indicate: 1. mood is
not related to confabulation 2. Schnider’s hypothesis is confirmed for most but not all cases.
Discussion: Our results provide partial corroboration for Schnider’s model. Therefore further work is
necessary, identifying the critical factors that determine confabulation. Implications of our study:
future work will look at: 1. what factors determine the relationship between ongoing reality
monitoring and confabulation and when does confabulation occur in the absence of realitymonitoring change? 2. an evaluation of the emotional content of confabulations themselves.
Is Mild Cognitive Impairment a stable diagnostic entity?
Lia M.A.E. Baars, M.P.J. van Boxtel, J.B. Dijkstra, P.J. Visser, F.R.J. Verhey & J. Jolles
Maastricht University, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Division Brain &
Cognition
Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) has been found to be reversible over time. Therefore
the usability of the concept ‘MCI’ as a clinical entity is questioned. We aimed to investigate the
stability of MCI over time in a large population-based sample (Maastricht Aging Study, N=1823).
Methods: Participants aged 60+ with complete data for three measurements (N=349) were included.
MCI was defined as impaired memory, no dementia and normal ADL. Three stability methods were
compared: M1 used the same MCI cut-off for all measurements, M2 used a new cut-off for each
follow-up (FU) and M3 corrected for practice effects. Results: 30 MCI cases were identified at
baseline. According to M1 33.3% were still case at 3 years FU, and 56.7% at 6 years FU. For method
M2, 40% were still case at 3 years FU and 56.7% at 6 years FU. Method M3 showed 13.3% stable MCI
cases after 3 years and 56.7% after 6 years. Discussion: MCI was found to be instable over time and
the instability pattern was indicative of regression-to-the-mean and should not be misinterpreted as
instability of a prodromal cognitive disorder. These findings challenge the usefulness of the MCI
concept in epidemiological studies.
204
Cognitive reserve in healthy elders: correlation with brain volume and brain function during
a working memory task
David Bartrés-Faz, Cristina Solé-Padullés, Carme Junqué, Lorena Rami, Beatriz Bosch, Núria
Bargalló, Raquel Sanchez-Valle & José Luis Molinuevo
Dept. Psiquiatria i Psicobiologia Clínica, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
Background: Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to the capacity of the brain to cope with cerebral
pathology to minimize symptomatology (1) and it is frequently measured from educational
attainment measures or ratings of social and/or physical activities. Both, brain anatomy and brain
function account for cerebral mechanisms underlying CR but little is know regarding its relationship
in the same sample of individuals, which was the aim of the present study. Methods: Fourteen
healthy elders were recruited. A composite measure of CR was obtained for each individual (2). A
working memory ‘N-Back’ (2 back) task using functional MRI was performed. Statistical Parametric
Mapping was used for fMRI and voxel-based morphometry analyses. Multiple regressions (age,
gender and MMSE as covariates) investigated the relationship between composite CR and brain
structure and function. Results: Brain activity in the right inferior frontal cortex (BA6, [x:-51, y:-13,
z:13] t: 7.9, p<0.001, cluster: 250 voxels) correlated negatively with CR. Whole brain volumes
correlated positively with CR (r: 0.54, p<0.08). Discussion: Among healthy elders, greater CR relates
to more effective cerebral processing during a working memory task, as reflected by a reduced
recruitment of frontal regions. Anatomically, individuals with CR tend to display larger global brain
volumes.
Manipulating item-specific and gist memory in an amnesic patient using the DRM paradigm
Walking memory in brain-damaged patients
Filippo Bianchini1,2, L. Piccardi2,3, G. Iaria4 & C. Guariglia1,3
1University
of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
3Università dell’ Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
4Human Vision and Eye Movement Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2I.R.C.C.S.
Impairments in different cognitive domains are common in patients after stroke. Defects confined to
spatial memory may affect severely a variety of daily life activities such as remembering the location
of objects or being oriented while navigating in the environment. Despite of the various contribution
of spatial memory in daily life, to date such a skill is commonly assessed by means of traditional
pencil-paper tests confined to the selective visual domain. Here, we present a new instrument able
to assess the specific contribution of spatial memory to the complex ability of orienting in familiar
surroundings. The new test is a 3x3 meters version of the well-known Corsi Block Tapping test (CBT),
in which patients are required to memorize (and replicate) a sequence of body displacements. We
refer to this new test as Walking Corsi Test (WCT). In this first report, we assessed the ability of left
and right brain damaged patients, as well as young and senior healthy controls, to perform both the
CBT and WCT. The results revealed differences related to age in healthy individuals, and peculiar
functional dissociations occurring in brain damaged patients.
205
Unraveling stress, difficulty and attentional demand in psychophysiological responses during
executive tasks
Mickael Causse, Josette Pastor, Jean-Michel Sénard & Jean-François Démonet
INSERM U825, Toulouse, France
Emotional disorders potentially impair cognitive abilities, in particular executive functions.
Psychophysiological measurements, which are often used for the assessment of emotional reactivity
during neuropsychological test performance (Mateer et al., J Head Trauma Rehabil 2005), may also
be jeopardized by the cognitive demand. Our study aims at uncovering cognitive variations in the
psychophysiological responses. 24 healthy subjects (mean age 29.6) performed two tasks involving
different aspects of executive functions: a dynamic non verbal problem solving task with a strong
visual attention demand and a logical task involving verbal reasoning abilities. The mean pupil
dilation (PD) was higher during the dynamic task and remained stable during both task courses.
Conversely, the blood pressure (BP) and the heart rate (HR) were more elevated during the verbal
logical task and were linked to the effort in the dynamic task achievement. When PD seems to be
influenced by attentional demand only, BP and HR variations could be linked to the cognitive arousal
and/or the stress due to the task difficulty. The ambiguity should be solved in further research with
patients presenting specific lesions of the dorsolateral or ventromedial frontal cortices, which are
strongly involved in the links between emotion and executive functions (Simpson et al., PNAS 2001).
Remembering Intentions after traumatic brain injury: Factors underlying prospective
memory failure
Melanie E. Clune1, Teresa Burke1, Alberto Blanco-Campal1, Niall Pender2, Simone Carton3,
Donncha O'Brien2, Jack Phillips2 & Mark Delargy3
1University
College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin
Hospital, Dublin
3National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
2Beaumont
Background: Prospective Memory (PM) is assumed to be a fundamental aspect of cognitive
functioning, necessary for operating in everyday situations (Dalla-Barba, 1993), and for independent
living (Einstein & McDaniel, 1996). However, there are few standardised assessment tools to
evaluate PM, with none comprehensively evaluating the cognitive processes underlying
performance. Methods: Patients with moderate/severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (N=32), and
healthy matched controls (N=16) were recruited. Participants completed standardised
neuropsychological assessments, including measures of retrospective memory (RM), attention and
information processing, and executive functions. PM performance was assessed by various subjective
measures, the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT), and the Video-Assessment of
Prospective Memory (VAPM), designed to fractionate the component processes involved. Results:
Regression analyses indicated that RM and visual scanning predicted VAPM performance, while
individual profiles illustrated failure due to scanning difficulties and/or memory difficulties. We
successfully identified independent, albeit frequently co-morbid deficits that contribute to PM
performance on a task that is significantly related to PM performance in naturalistic settings
(χ2=20.13; p<.0005). Results indicated that the VAPM outperformed the CAMPROMPT, both in terms
of predictive value and clinical utility. Discussion: Results are discussed in light of implications for
rehabilitation efforts and our current theoretical understanding of PM impairment.
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Lateral bias in working memory
Stephen Darling1, Sergio Della Sala2 & Robert H. Logie2
1School
2Human
of Psychology, University of Aberdeen
Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
The spatial perception of normal participants is subject to lateral bias. This effect is small, is often
only observed over large numbers of trials or with specialised materials, and consists of a bias
towards the left visual field (Jewell & McCourt, 2000). This pattern has been termed ‘pseudoneglect'.
There is also evidence of a bias to the left for long term memory (LTM) representations (McGeorge,
Beschin, Colnaghi, Rusconi & Della Sala, 2007). However, to date there has been no systematic
investigation as to whether a similar bias is present in spatial working memory for materials that are
novel to the participant. Here we report the results of two experiments which demonstrate that
pseudoneglect-like patterns occur in working memory tasks. In these studies participants undertook
a memory binding task where one of the to-be-remembered items was presented in left hemispace,
whilst the other was presented on the right. More errors were made to the right than to the left
stimulus in both cases. To our knowledge these are the first studies which have specifically addressed
lateral bias in spatial working memory, and the first to demonstrate a bias where more errors are
made in right as opposed to left hemispace.
Ranking your cognition
Julie Debrabant, L.A. Schoo & M.J.E. van Zandvoort
University of Utrecht
Background: Estimating one’s own cognitive functioning is crucial to insight in possible cognitive
decline or disorders. Methods: The self-evaluation strategies of subjects for competence in cognitive
functioning and possible age-related effects were assessed. Younger (n=15) and middle-aged
(n=15)subjects matched for education self-estimated competency in reasoning, memory,
concentration, visual perception and language, before and after these abilities were measured with
standardized neuropsychological tests. The difference between estimated and actual performance,
corrected for overall performance, resulted in an Estimation Error (EE); with EE = 0 as perfect
estimation, a negative EE (≥-1) as underestimation and overestimation a positive EE (≤1). Results: The
EEs differed across cognitive domains. Adaptation towards an underestimation error is selectively
present for memory in both age groups. Pre-test memory overestimation is present in the middleaged. This might reflect a compensation-bias towards expected memory decline with age. Discussion:
Different EEs between cognitive domains suggest a diversified rather than a unitary notion of
subjective cognitive functioning. Therefore, more detailed screening of self-estimation in cognitive
functioning yields clinical significance. Overestimation related to age-related expected memory
decline appears accessible for correction after confrontation with actual performance. Further
research can verify whether post-test correction for overestimation happens for other impaired
cognitive domains.
207
How to acquire right and flexible knowledge
Emilie E.D. Decrette, Bérengère Guillery-Girard, Cécile Lebrun-Givois, Catherine ThomasAnterion & Bernard Laurent
CHU de Saint Etienne, Hôpital Bellevue, Saint Etienne, France
Background: Some children with developmental amnesia succeed in learning semantic knowledge
(Vargh-Khadem et al, 1997). In fact, specific methods have already been used to boost learning of
amnesic children because they memorise slower than normal children, such as vanishing cues
method and errorless learning (Guillery et al, 2000). In this study, we compare two learning methods
used for a 12 years old amnesic boy (PB). One of PB’s characteristics, which can be due to his lack of
episodic memory, is his propensity to memorise his errors and not the correction. Methods: Two
protocols have been used. In the first one, only repetition can help PB to learn, whereas errorless
learning is applied in the second, together with vanishing cues method, verbal and visual encoding
and the manipulation of information. Results: Results show that PB acquires less information and
slower with the first method which facilitate the production of errors, and that he succeeds in
learning right and flexible knowledge with the second. Discussion: Our findings provide arguments
for neuropsychological rehabilitation for amnesic children, and also give information about episodic
memory role in semantic acquisition. Indeed, it seems that episodic and semantic memories work
together to avoid recall of erroneous information, and allow flexible acquisition.
New long term memory in amnesiacs after an interference-free delay
Michaela Dewar, Sergio Della Sala, Nelson Cowan & Yuriem Fernandez Garcia
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: It is generally assumed that amnesiacs are unable to form new long term memories.
However, some amnesiacs can retain new information for much longer than usual if the delay
interval is free of further material. Our aim was to examine whether an unfilled delay interval may
allow amnesiacs to form new long term memories. Methods: 12 amnesiacs and 12 controls were
asked to recall new verbal information immediately following presentation as well as after a 9-min
delay. The critical manipulation was the temporal position (first 3 min vs. middle 3 min vs. last 3 min)
of further material within the otherwise unfilled delay interval. Results: The amnesiacs retained
significantly more verbal information if at least the first 6 min of the delay interval were devoid of
further material than if further material occurred at the start of the delay interval. Discussion: Some
amnesiacs can form new long term memories if the interval that immediately follows new learning is
free of further material. The memory impairment observed in amnesiacs may be related to a
susceptibility to interference from post-learning material. This susceptibility could be the
consequence of a depletion of the resources needed for the successful formation of new memories.
208
Positive effects of an individual tailored memory training on general well being in patients
with dementia
Jeanette Dijkstra, P. Scholte & S. Bouwens
Psychiatry and Psychology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht
Background: Dementia has a profound effect on the well being of the patient as well as the caregiver.
Cognitive deficits are a symptom of dementia and can be implicated in the effect on well being.
Although, it has been shown that patients with dementia are still able to (re)learn information, the
impact of this finding on general well being has not been investigated. Methods: In the present study
7 patients with dementia (5 with Alzheimer, 2 with vascular dementia) were included and received
individually tailored interventions for their memory problems. Training sessions were given for a
period of eight weeks. Before the training, one week and one month after the training assessment of
behaviour, cognition, mood, quality of life and caregiver’s perceived stress took place. Results: Six of
the participants showed significant improvement on the individual tailored training, and 5
maintained this improvement up to 1 month. A significant improvement on cognition, quality of life
and mood was found after the intervention. Discussion: The results support the hypotheses that
patients with dementia can learn information and that the effect of an individual tailored memory
training can generalize to other domains important for general well being.
Effects of unilateral left and right anteromedial thalamic lesions on spatial and verbal
memory
Nicky M.J. Edelstyn, Andrew R. Mayes & Simon J. Ellis
University of Keele
Background: The anteromedial thalamic nuclei (AMTN) have extensive connections with medial
temporal and prefrontal areas. It is not surprising therefore, that lesions of the AMTN affect
anterograde memory and, to a lesser extent, executive functions that contribute to reasoning. The
effect of AMTN pathology on working memory (WM) is uncertain. Methods: A single paradigm was
used to assess verbal and spatial WM, immediate and delayed recall (3- and 20-minute filled-delay
between study and test, respectively) in two male right-handed patients with similar unilateral
lesions of the right mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MDT) and mammillary thalamic tract (MTT)
(patient OG), and left MDT, MTT and ventral thalamic nuclei (SM). Performance was compared to
five male, right-handed, age, education- , IQ-matched controls. Results: The expected relationship
between lesion laterality and modality of memory impairment emerged for spatial WM (OG: t=9.39, p=0.00; SM: t=-4.03, p=0.01), delayed spatial recall (OG: t=-3.04, p=0.03; SM: p>0.05) and
verbal recall (OG: p>0.05; SM: t=-3.66, p=0.02) but not verbal WM (both OG and SM: t=-17.89,
p=0.00). Immediate memory was preserved in both patients. Discussion: The deficits in WM and
delayed memory are discussed in relation to disruption of connections between MDT-lateral
prefrontal cortex, and anterior thalamic nucleus-mammillary bodies, respectively.
209
Verbal memory in schizophrenia: the role of the executive dysfunction
Lorena Fernandez-de la Cruz, Carmen Ramírez, Irene Ramos, Gemma Garrido & Maite
Garolera
Department of Mental Health, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain
Background: A relationship between executive function and memory has been established. Previous
studies support that learning/encoding difficulties may be related with a dysfunction in the frontal
system. The aim of this study was to examine whether executive impairment differentially impacts a
list-learning task in a sample of schizophrenic patients. Methods: We assessed 110 schizophrenic
outpatients clinically stable using measures of executive function and verbal memory. Two groups
were established based on their performance in 5 measures of executive function: (a) the mild
executive dysfunction group (MED; N=61), which contained patients with impairment in 0 or 1
measures of executive dysfunction; and (b) the significant executive dysfunction group (SED; N=46),
formed by patients with impairment in 2 or more measures of executive function. The performance
of both groups was compared using a measure of verbal memory: the California Verbal Learning Test
(CVLT). Results: The SED group performed significantly worse than the MED group in total learning,
short delay free recall, long delay free recall and semantic clustering. However, there were no
significant differences between the groups regarding other items of the CVLT. Discussion: These
results support the hypothesis that performance in verbal memory in schizophrenic patients may be
conditioned by the executive dysfunction.
Verbal working memory measures in elderly people and Alzheimer’s disease patients
Sara Fernández-Guinea1, M.L. Delgado1, J. Álvarez-Linera2, A. Frank3 & E. Pérez4
1Departamento
de Psicología Básica II (Procesos Cognitivos), Universidad Complutense de
Madrid, Spain
2Ruber International Hospital, Madrid, Spain
3Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
4Facultad de Educación, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that working memory resources are altered in elderly people but
Alzheimer’s disease patients have significantly more problems. Several tasks to explore verbal
working memory have been developed. Our goals were: 1) analyze different measures designed to
assess verbal working memory and 2) compare the performance of elderly people and Alzheimer’s
disease patients on these measures of verbal working memory in order to know which one could be
more sensitive in the early stages of the neurodegenerative disease. METHODS: Several measures of
working memory (Digits and Letters subtest, reading and arithmetic span tests, digit reordering task)
were applied to two groups: healthy elderly people (n=15) and mild Alzheimer’s disease patients
(n=10), diagnosed following the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. RESULTS: The preliminary data show a
significantly poorer performance on verbal working memory measures of Alzheimer’s disease
patients compared with elderly people. Alzheimer’s disease patients have even poorer results in
digits and letters subtest and arithmetic span test compared with the other ones. CONCLUSIONS:
Alzheimer’s disease patients have more reduced verbal working memory resources compared with
elderly people. These problems are more evident when they have to maintain and manipulate
different types of verbal information (for example, words and numbers).
210
The Alzheimer’s disease patients and healthy older adults performance in two versions of
the Stroop task
Rosario García-Viedma, Sara Fernández-Guinea & Rafael Martos Montes
Department of Psychology. University of Jaén, Spain
The Stroop Color-Word Test (SWCT) is one of the oldest and most widely used tests for examining
attention and response inhibition. Different studies have shown that the performance of mild AD is
worse than the controls (Fisher, Freed & Corking, 1990; Koss, Ober, Delis & Friedland, 1984; Perry,
Watson & Hodges, 2000). However, Splieler, Balota & Faust (1996) point out that the original form
imposes restrictions. We evaluated the performance of AD patients and controls on two forms of the
Stroop task. One task is a standardized version of the Stroop Color-Word Test (SWCT; Golden, 1978).
The other version is a computerized task that is similar to the task of Splieler et. al. (1996). The
results show significant differences between both groups in the response time and percentage of
intrusions errors in interference condition of the computerized task [F(1,26)= 11.150, p=.003;
F(1,26)= 11.719, p=.002], but significant differences has not observed in interference score of
standardized version of the SWCT. The greater percentage of intrusion errors in AD group indicates
problems with the ability to inhibit irrelevant information. However, the interference score not
inform problems. The computerized task seems more sensitive than the standardized original
version.
Frontal-parietal network involved in negative priming
Chiara Guerrini1, T. L. Hodgson2, P. Andres3 & N. J. Thai4
1Department
of Psychology, University of Hull, UK
of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK
3Department of Psychology, University of Plymouth, UK
4Neuroscience Research Institute, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
2Department
Background: Theoretical accounts differ in whether the Negative Priming (NP) effect is generated by
inhibitory processing or memory retrieval. A recent study (Egner and Hirsch, 2005) provides evidence
that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is associated with NP, reinforcing the memory retrieval
hypothesis. The present fMRI study was designed to elucidate whether the frontal lobes only are
involved or a wider network is implicated, reflecting the complexity of the task. Methods:
Participants lying in a 1.5 T MRI scanner were presented with two letters (green and red). They were
asked to attend the red letter only and to decide whether it was a vowel or a consonant by pressing a
button. In the NP blocks, the distracter became the target on next trial. 11 healthy volunteers
showing NP effect were included in the fMRI data analysis (SPM2). A series of planned t-contrast
were entered into a group random effect analysis. Results: Our results show that the NP anatomical
correlates comprise a fronto-parietal network involving the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulated
and the precuneus. Discussion: The present study provides evidence that the neural correlates of the
NP involve also, but not only, the prefrontal cortex. The resulting areas are associated with episodic
memory as well as inhibitory processing, reflecting the complexity of the NP task.
211
Alteration of functional connectivity during word recognition memory task in early
Parkinson’s disease
Naroa Ibarretxe-Bilbao, Carme Junque & Mojtaba Zarei
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of
Barcelona, Spain
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is known to disrupt striato-frontal loops causing
neuropsychological dysfunctions. We aimed to study functional connectivity during a visual memory
task in PD patients. Methods: We recruited 24 PD patients and 24 controls. fMRI data was acquired
using a Magnetom Trio Tim 3.0 Tesla SIEMENS. Activation task included visual recognition of words
that were presented to the subject before the scanning. Imaging data analysis was carried out using
Multivariate Exploratory Linear Optimized Decomposition into Independent Components (FSL
software). Results: There were not significant differences in the number of correctly recognized
words, errors and mean reaction time between PD patients and control group. Activations in
paracingulate, orbitofrontal, angular, visual cortices and frontal pole were shown to be associated
with the task. Control group had increased activation in these areas comparing to PD patients.
However, PD showed higher activity than control group in precuneus, angular, lateral occipital and
left supra marginal gyrus. Discussion: We demonstrated that word recognition memory task involves
a functional network including prefrontal cortices. In addition, the increased activity in these areas of
normal subjects compared to PD patients shows that there is a prefrontal network dysfunction early
in the course of the disease.
Visual attention in discrete bimanual actions: reflection of hemispheric differences in motor
planning?
Loes Janssen, Marieke Beuting, Ruud Meulenbroek & Bert Steenbergen
Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen
Background: In contrast to previous studies we recently demonstrated that right-handed participants
not always ended comfortably with both hands in a complex discrete bimanual task. This was only
found for the right hand. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the left non-dominant hand would
need increased visual monitoring compared to the right side, in order to counteract the lack of endstate comfort effect, that is, forward planning. Methods: Sixteen right-handed participants
performed a CD-placement task by grasping two CDs simultaneously and placing the left CD in their
left hemifield and the right CD in their right hemifield in prescribed orientations. Eyelink and
Optotrak were used to measure gaze directions and 3D-kinematics of the wrist and head. Results:
Gaze was predominantly directed to the left when the right hand or both hands ended in a
comfortable posture, but not when only the left hand ended in a comfortable posture. Discussion:
The results show that the left hand required more visual guidance compared to the right hand. This
result may point to a hemispheric specialisation. While the dominant system (right hand-left
hemisphere) is predominantly concerned with feed forward motor planning, the non-dominant
system relies more on feedback related control.
212
Neuronal correlates of contextual extinction and renewal in posttraumatic stress disorder
Simone Lang, Beate M. Herbert & Herta Flor
Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology,
University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg
Background: The failure of fear extinction may be relevant for the maintenance of posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). Extinction is not unlearning but new learning that is context-dependent. This
view of extinction is supported by studies showing that after extinction the CR can return when a
change of the context occurs (renewal). Methods: We examined brain activation during short- and
long-time extinction and renewal in PTSD patients, traumatized persons without PTSD (nPTSD), and
healthy controls (HC). Results: During short-time extinction hippocampal and amygdalar activation
were increased in PTSD patients compared to HC and nPTSD, whereas during long-time extinction
PTSD patients showed decreased activity in the vmPFC. During renewal PTSD patients showed less
activation in the vmPFC than HC and nPTSD. Discussion: In line with theoretical assumptions,
extinction was impaired in PTSD patients compared to HC and nPTSD. This was supported by
subjective ratings to short- and long-term extinction and decreased activation of the vmPFC during
long-term extinction. The increased activity of the amygdala and hippocampus during short-term
extinction may reflect compensatory mechanisms or a failure of inhibition. During renewal nPTSD
and HC demonstrated greater inhibition of vmPFC compared to PTSD patients which might be related
to appropriate extinction maintenance.
Provoked confabulations and intrusions in mild Alzheimer’s dementia
Ana Llorente1, C. Bindschaedler2, C. Cáceres3 & A. Esparcia4
1Complex
Asistencial en Salut Mental Benito Menni, Sant Boi Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
2Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
3Hospital German Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
4Departament de Personalitat, Barcelona University, Spain
Background: Provoked confabulations by specific retrospective questions and intrusions on a
memory test are sometimes treated synonymously but the nature of their relationship is still open.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relations between provoked confabulations and
intrusions. Methods: 33 elderly subjects with mild Alzheimer's dementia and 37 elderly without
dementia between 65 to 85 years of age entered the study. We used the Spanish version of Dalla
Barba provoked confabulation’s interview and the Spanish version of Grober and Buschke memory
test. Results: Patients with Alzheimer’s dementia presented four times more confabulations than the
elderly without dementia and also presented between tree and seven times more intrusions. Sixtyfour percent of the Alzheimer’s dementia patients were considered mild confabulators.
Confabulators and non confabulators did not statistically differ regarding intrusions in the various
aspects of cued recall: immediate, after the three cued recall trials, delayed and recognition.
However, when the two were considered continuous variables, provoked confabulations were
significantly related to intrusions in delayed cued recall. Discussion: The absence of a stable statistical
relationship between provoked confabulations and intrusions using different methods evidence
indicates that provoked confabulations and intrusion only share some common neurocognitive
mechanisms.
213
Autobiographical memory in amnesic mild cognitive impairment
Federica Lucchelli, Ilaria Bizzozero, Maria Cristina Saetti & Hans Spinnler
Alzheimer's Disease Centre, Passirana di Rho, Milan, Italy
Background. Once stringent psychometric criteria are applied, amnesic mild cognitive impairment
(aMCI) provides a reliable model to study the effects of medial temporal lobe damage. In a recent
paper (Bizzozero et al., in press) we found a significant impairment of remote memory for public
events in this condition. The present study aimed at investigating another content of remote
memory, namely autobiographical memory (ABM). Methods. ABM was assessed in 19 aMCI patients
using the questionnaire by Borrini et al. (1989). Longitudinal assessments were carried out in 9 of
them over 30 months. In 13 participants memory for public events was also examined. Results. ABM
was spared in all participants at baseline. No evidence of a significant temporal gradient was found.
Mild decline occurred only at the latest assessments. In the subgroup of patients examined for both
ABM and memory for public events, ABM was normal in all of them, while memory for public events
was spared in only 7 (54%). Discussion. We suggest that the sparing of ABM might be attributed to its
predominantly semantic quality (“personal semantics”), i.e., largely relying on prefrontal functions,
in contrast with the mainly episodic qualification of memory for public events, i.e., dependent on
hippocampal structures.
Impaired executive control functions and depression: Syndrome or symptom linked?
Pia Lyche1, Rune Jonassen1, Tore C. Stiles2 & Nils Inge Landrø1
1Department
2Department
of Psychology, University of Oslo
of Psychology, University of Trondheim (NTNU)
Background: Impaired executive functions are associated with depression, but whether this is
associated with a depressive disorder (syndrome) or depressive symptoms as such is unsettled.
Methods: Eighty subjects are included in an ongoing project, consisting of patients with major
depressive disorder, subjects who do not fulfil the diagnostic criteria of a MDD but with BDI >10 and
healthy controls (HC; BDI<10). Three functional areas according to Miyake et al.’s (2000) non-unitary
model of executive functions were measured with selected tests from Cantabeclipse (Cambridge
Cognition, 2006); shifting between tasks (IED), response inhibition (SST) and updating of contents
in working memory (SWM). Results: Preliminary statistical analyses indicate that both MDD patients
and the subjects with BDI>10 perform significantly below HC on the SWM task. On the SST task only
MDD perform significantly worse than HC. There emerged no between-group differences on the IED
task. Discussion: Updating in working memory seems to be a crucial aspect of deficient executive
control functioning associated with depressive symptoms in general. Whereas delayed response
inhibition is specifically linked to syndrome depression. Implications for underlying neurobiological
models of emotion-cognition interactions as well as clinical implications will be discussed.
214
Distentangling headedness from the constituent position in Italian compound processing:
Evidence from priming effects
Marco Marelli1, Davide Crepaldi1,2 & Claudio Luzzatti1
1Department
2Department
of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London
Introduction: The mental processes underlying nominal compounds are still underspecified for
several aspects, such as the effect of semantic transparency for which there is contrasting evidence.
Moreover, most studies on compounds were performed in languages that admit only head-final
constructions, thus making it impossible to disentangle the effect of headedness from that of
constituent position. Italian Noun-Noun compounds, however, are either head-initial or head-final
and the objective of this study is to exploit this property of Italian morphology to disentangle the
roles of constituent position and headedness, and their possible interaction with semantic
transparency. Methods: A constituent-priming paradigm was used in a lexical decision task.
Transparent vs. opaque and head-initial vs. head-final nominal compounds were selected as probes
and were primed by either their initial or final constituents; this priming effect was compared to that
of orthographically similar control primes. Results and Discussion: The priming effect emerged with
all compound types, indicating a direct access to the constituents independent of semantic
transparency, constituent position and headedness. An interaction between the latter two factors
emerged in the planned comparisons: priming the head causes greater facilitation than the modifier,
but only in head-final compounds, suggesting that only this type of compounds has hierarchical head
modifier representations.
Intensity of attention deficit due to right hemisphere infarction, rehabilitation strategies and
their measurement
Anna Marino & Stine Poulsen
Kurhus Center for Neurorehabilitation, Filadelfia, Dianalund
Background: Attention can be divided into two subsystems, intensity and selectivity. Intensity
comprises alertness and sustained attention, selectivity regards focused and divided attention.
Many specialists have argued that deficits both in alertness/ sustained attention and in selectivity/
divided attention have a negative impact on recovery but can be treated successfully with specific
computer training. Plasticity research has indicated that the training, in order to activate the brain
structures involved, should be carried out 5 days/week, 6 to 8 weeks. Methods: Three patients with
right and two patients with left hemisphere damage due to infarction two months previously
participated in a computer based attention training for 6 weeks, 5 days/week. Standardized attention
tests (TAP 2.0 Zimmermann and Fimm) were administered pre- and post- training. Furthermore we
applied a “Goal Attainment Scaling” (GAS) to the attention deficits in everyday life, as a means of
evaluation sensitive to the patients’ subjective measure of their improvement and its consequences
for their personal life. Results: enhanced reaction time, quality of life improvement Discussion: We
recommend a widespread use of specific attention training in patients with moderate attention
deficits.
215
Memory accuracy and executive functions in healthy young and older adults: the roles of
semantic and phonological interference
Hans J. Markowitsch & Martina Piefke
Physiological Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
Background: Episodic memory and executive functions are known to decline in older age. However, it
is not yet clear how memory disturbances may interact or depend on executive dysfunctions.
Methods: We here investigated memory accuracy in healthy young and older adults using a paradigm
which required the delayed cued recall of semantically related, phonologically deceptive, and control
word-pairs. To measure memory accuracy, we did not only count the number of correctly recalled
items, but also asked the subjects how confident they were that a retrieved word-pair was correct,
and whether they would bet on the correctness of retrieved information. In addition, participants
were tested neuropsychologically. Results and Discussion: Overall, older (relative to young) subjects
performed worse in the memory accuracy paradigm. Group differences, however, were significant
only for the deceptive and the control word-pairs, but not the semantically associated items. Across
age groups, performance on executive tests correlated with quantitative and accuracy measures for
the deceptive and the control items, but not the semantically related ones. Our findings suggest that
semantic processing is preserved in older age and may compensate for executive decline, and that,
irrespective of age, semantic associations may successfully reduce executive demands of memory
accuracy.
Familiarity and recollection in schizophrenia
Clara D. Martin, Caroline Huron, François Guillem, Jean-Yves Baudouin, Fabrice Guillaume,
Nicolas Franck & Guy Tiberghien
CNRS, University of Lyon, France
Recognition memory may be based either on feelings of familiarity or on conscious recollection of
information. Two procedures are commonly used to experimentally investigate recollection and
familiarity: The remember-know (RK) and the ROC procedures. Although recollection is consistently
impaired in schizophrenia, the results from RK and ROC studies of familiarity are less congruent. To
clarify the contribution of familiarity in schizophrenia, we compared word and face recognition
estimated with RK and ROC procedures in the same subjects. Twenty four schizophrenic patients and
24 healthy subjects were recruited. In the study phase, subjects were asked to make a gender
decision on 64 unfamiliar faces. In the recognition phase, the 64 studied faces were intermixed with
64 new faces. Subjects were asked to respond ‘yes’ to old faces and ‘no’ to new faces and to give a
remember-know response (RK) or to rate their confidence (ROC). The same procedure was used in a
word recognition task. RK and ROC procedure comparison revealed that these two methods are not
equivalent and are not affected by experimental factors in the same way. This study revealed that
the impairment of familiarity in schizophrenia depends on the procedure and material used to
measure the recognition process.
216
Developing tools for assessing working memory capacity in the Greek population
Elvira Masoura, Mary H. Kosmidis & Eleni Loukopoulou
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
The term working memory is widely used to refer to a limited capacity system responsible for storing
and operating temporal information. Working memory is a crucial system for a range of skills, such as
comprehending and producing language, reading, arithmetic, and reasoning. Recent evidence
suggests that the assessment of working memory skills offers a valuable method for screening
children at risk for poor academic performance or learning difficulties. Thus, the need for tools to
assess working memory is apparent. Nevertheless, it is difficult to employ measures that tap the
capacity of working memory, while avoiding the contributions of long-term memory. We will discuss
the development of several tasks assessing working memory capacity among Greeks (some adopted
directly from English standardised batteries, others constructed based on research needs). We will
present data from verbal, spatial and visual tasks administered to samples of Greek children, adults
and epileptic patients to measure different components of working memory. Furthermore, we will
discuss our main difficulties, namely, in constructing nonword repetition tasks, our strategy of
applying prosodic and phonotactic rules of the Greek language, as well as the appropriateness and
validity of these tasks in the assessment of working memory in the Greek population.
Women with Alzheimer’s disease show greater category fluency impairment
F. Javier Moreno-Martinez, Keith R. Laws & Joerg Shultz
Departamento de Psicología Básica I, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid
Background: A category-specific effect in naming tasks has been reported in patients with
Alzheimer’s dementia. Nonetheless, naming tasks are frequently affected by methodological
problems, e.g. ceiling effects for controls and “nuisance variables” that may confound results.
Semantic fluency tasks could help to address some of these methodological difficulties, because they
are not prone to producing ceiling effects and are less influenced by nuisance variables. Method: One
hundred and thirty-three participants (61 patients with probable AD; and 72 controls: 36 young and
36 elderly) were evaluated with semantic fluency tasks in 14 (7 living and 7 nonliving) semantic
categories. Results: Category fluency was affected both by dementia and by age. Critically, sex
differences in fluency emerged that were moderated both by age and by pathology. In particular,
fluency was smaller in female than male Alzheimer patients in 13/14 semantic fluency subcategories
(after controlling for education and MMSE scores). By contrast, where sex differences emerged for
healthy subjects they followed sex-stereotyped patterns e.g. women better with fruits, vegetables,
while men were better with tools, vehicles etc. Discussion: The findings are discussed with reference
to recent evidence on the APOE gene and a possible worse cognitive outcome in female AD patients.
217
Memory functioning and hippocampal abnormality in adolescents with antecedents of very
preterm birth and perinatal asphyxia or intraventricular hemorrhage
Ana Narberhaus, Dolors Segarra, Sara Soria, Monica Giménez, Xavier Caldu & Francesc Botet
Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
Prematurity increases the risk of perinatal asphyxia (PA) and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH),
which have been related to long-term memory deficits. Very preterm (VPT) subjects show
hippocampal abnormalities. We recruited 36 VPT adolescents: 25 with PA and 11 with IVH, and 29
matched controls. Several aspects of memory were assessed. The hippocampus was manually traced
and corrected for intracranial volume. We found significant differences in verbal learning, visual
memory and everyday memory between the IVH group and controls; and in verbal learning between
this group and the PA group. The hippocampal volume was significantly smaller in the IVH group, as
well as in the PA group compared to controls. The percentage of volume loss was greater in the IVH
group. We observed no significant differences in the volume of the hippocampus between the PA
group and the IVH group. Visual memory correlated with left and right hippocampus in the IVH
group. The memory deficits in the IVH group are consistent with the known effects of hypoxicischaemic injury on the hippocampus. The hippocampal abnormality and good memory performance
in the PA group, suggest some kind of compensation either due to the functional reorganization of
the cortex adjacent to the hippocampus or as a result of learned strategies.
Reduced false recognition in amnesia could be a result of impaired item-specific memory
rather than impaired gist memory.
Jack Nissan, Sharon Abrahams & Sergio Della Sala
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background: It is a common finding that amnesic patients produce fewer false recognitions than
healthy controls, and this has led to assumptions that gist memory is damaged in these patients
(Schacter et al., 1996, Budson et al., 2000). Two experiments used false recognition paradigms to
ascertain whether this result could instead be a consequence of impaired item-specific memory.
Method: Experiment 1 aimed to reduce the item-specific memory of healthy adults to reflect that of
an amnesic patient by using an articulatory suppression task, while Experiment 2 aimed to increase
the item-specific memory of amnesic patient JY to reflect that of a healthy adult by bringing her to
criterion on the relevant study-lists. Results: When item-specific memory was sufficiently reduced in
healthy adults, they produced a similar pattern of results to amnesic patients, and when JY’s itemspecific memory was increased, she produced a similar pattern of results to healthy adults.
Discussion: The results suggest that the previous assumption that gist memory is damaged in
amnesic patients might be flawed. The implications of this are discussed in terms of the relationship
between item-specific memory and gist memory. It is suggested that false recognition studies may
not be an adequate method for assessing gist memory.
218
How do psychopathological factors and memory disorders interact during transient global
amnesia?
Audrey Noel, Peggy Quinette, Bérengère Guillery-Girard, Jacques Dayan, Pascale Piolino,
Sophie Marquis, Vincent de la Sayette, Fausto Viader, Béatrice Desgranges & Francis
Eustache
Inserm – EPHE – Université de Caen Basse/Normandie, Unité U923, CHU Côte de Nacre,
Caen, France
Background: Whereas the neuropsychological profile of transient global amnesia has been
extensively described, very few studies have investigated the presence of psychopathological
disorders during the episode and none has assessed the links between these putative
psychopathological disorders and memory impairments. Method: We rated the levels of anxiety and
depression of TGA patients before and during the episode by means of four questionnaires (StateTrait Anxiety Inventory of Spielberger, Beck Depression Inventory and Adjective mood scale of Von
Zerssen). Memory performances were assessed by means of original episodic memory tasks
featuring emotional items (recognition of emotional words and control of emotional valence
associated with the retrieval of episodic memories). These data were collected in 17 patients
observed during the very acute phase, 18 patients examined in the peri-acute phase and 26 controls.
Results: Patients displayed a higher level of anxiety and a more depressed mood than controls during
the acute phase. An alteration of emotional state, as measured by Adjective Mood Scale, was
correlated with deficits in anterograde memory. Conclusions: Transient global amnesia comprises
sudden changes in patients’ emotional state. These anxiety and mood disorders follow the dynamic
of memory recovery and have a deleterious effect on the memory performance.
Visual memory in healthy young men and women and sex hormone cycles
Cecilia Otero Dadín & Dolores Rodríguez Salgado
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela,
Spain
Background: The joint influence of sex and variations in sex hormones on visual memory has not
been studied yet. The aim of this study was to assess sex differences in visual memory and the
influence of male and female sex hormone cycles on it. Method: 20 men and 19 women were
assessed using visual memory tests during high and low hormonal phases of its cycle: in the morning
or in the afternoon for men, and during luteal or menstrual phase for women. Results: Repeated
measures ANOVA showed that women scored higher than men in visual object delayed recall, but
only when they both were in a low hormonal level phase (F= 5.537; p= 0.028). Women made more
rotation errors of Benton Visual Retention Test than men only when they both were in a high
hormonal level phase, whereas men made more rotation errors than women when they both were in
a low hormonal level phase (F= 7.016; p= 0.015). Discussion: These results suggest that there is an
influence of natural hormonal variations on sex differences in some components of visual memory,
so adult cycles of sex hormones may be considered an important factor when sex differences in
visual memory are studied.
219
Effects of alcohol binge drinking on the WCST-3 performance
María Parada, N. Mota-Miranda, M. Corral, A. Crego, M.C. Fernández-Eire, F. Caamaño, S.
Rodríguez-Holguín & F. Cadaveira
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology University of Santiago de Compostela,
Spain
Background: Recent neuropsychological studies suggest that alcohol binge drinking (consumption of
high quantities in a short span of time) is associated with deficits on cognitive functions related to
prefrontal cortex. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of this alcohol
consumption pattern on executive function as assessed by the WCST. Methods: The sample
consisted of 125 college students (ranging 18 to 20 years old) selected according to their scores on
the item three of the AUDIT: 63 binge drinking (32 men and 31 women) and 62 non-binge drinking
(31 men and 31 women). The exclusion criteria were history of neurological and psychopathological
disorders, drug dependence and family history of psychopathology. The executive function was
assessed with the WCST-3. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (Binge drinking x Sex) and Chi-square tests.
Results: There were no main or interaction effects on the number of categories completed, number
of perserverative errors and failure to maintain set. Three of binge drinkers subjects and none of
non-binge 30) (p = 0.082). drinkers obtained impaired scores (T Discussion: Alcohol binge drinking
seems to be not associated to impaired executive abilities, as assessed by the WCST-3.
Memory binding deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Mario A. Parra, Sergio Della Sala, Sharon Abrahams, Robert Logie, Katia Fabi & Leandro
Provinciali
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Background. AD impairs long term memory for associated events (e.g. faces with names) more than
non-associative memories (e.g. list of faces or names). However, the process of “binding”
information within short term memory (STM) has never been investigated in AD. We devised a set of
neuropsychological tasks to assess the ability of patients with AD to bind verbal information in STM.
Methods. Twenty one patients with AD and 20 healthy elderly studied arrays of common objects or
colours presented as single or bound features. In conditions assessing memory for single features
participants were presented with visual arrays consisting of outlined drawings of common objects or
coloured squares in separate displays (objects only or colours only conditions), or within the same
display but as independent items (objects and colours unbound). In the condition assessing memory
for objects bound with colours each object within the visual array was presented in a different
colour. Memory performance was compared across groups when both patients and healthy elderly
showed equivalent memory for single features. Results and Discussion. The findings suggest that
attempting to remember integrated features result in an overwhelming memory impairment in
patients with AD, far greater than their failure in remembering individual features.
220
Dysexecutive features in the minimal hepatic encephalopathy
Bruno Peixoto, Laudino Lopez, Jorge Areias, Rute Cerqueira & Jorge Arias
Sciences Department; Health Sciences Superior Institute – North, Gandra, Portugal
The minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a condition from the same spectrum of the hepatic
encephalopathy; hardly identified in a routine neurological examination. Nevertheless, trough a
more detailed neuropsychological or neurophysiological assessment the deficits can be exposed. The
study of the executive functioning (EF) in this condition have not been duly explored. Our Goal is to
identify the distribution of the possible EF impairments, in the spectrum of the hepatic cirrhosis,
since mild and moderated hepatic alterations to serious levels of the disease. Our study has three
experimental groups, composed by subjects with hepatic cirrhosis with different severity levels of the
disease (Child- Pugh classification): Child A group (n=20), Child B group (n=20) and Child C group
(n=20), and a control group (n=20). The EF were assessed trough the Behavioural Assessment of the
Dysexecutive Syndrome battery and by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. In accordance to the
obtained results, executive profile of the MHE in the spectrum of cirrhosis is traced.
Alzheimer’s disease and memory semantic deficit: a feature listing study
Roberta Perri1, Gian Daniele Zannino1, Carlo Caltagirone1,2 & Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo1,2
1Foundation
2University
Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
“Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
Background: Since distinctive features are less frequent in the living than non-living categories
(Zannino,2006), the hypothesis has been advanced that the more severe impairment of distinctive
attributes of concepts is the reason for the categories effect in AD patients (Gonnerman,1997). This
study investigated this hypothesis by a feature-listing task. Methods: 19 AD (MMSE mean 18.0) and
19 normal subjects (NCs) performed a feature-listing task on a database of 20 concepts (10 living and
10 non-living) . Results: AD produced a mean lower number of features per concept (2.67) than NCs
(5.9) (F=54.33, p<.001). Both groups produced a mean lower number of features in the non-living
(3.83) than in the living domain (4.73) (F=23.24, p<.001). The loss in AD patients was larger for the
distinctive than shared features (p=.001). Moreover, the distinctive features reduction was
comparable across domains (p=.354). Finally, a larger loss of distinctive perceptive than nonperceptive features occurred in the non-living (p=.008) but not in the living domain (p=.70).
Discussion: These data support the hypothesis of a greater susceptibility of distinctive features to the
AD pathology and the view that the category effect could be an epiphenomenon of the lower
representation of distinctive features among living concepts.
221
Working memory impairment compromises episodic memory formation in at-risk mental
state individuals for psychosis
Marlon O. Pflueger, U. Gschwandtner, R. Zimmermann, J. Aston, S. Borgwardt, R.D. Stieglitz
& A. Riecher-Rössler
Psychiatric Outpatient Department, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
Background: To Clarify the role of working memory in episodic memory formation in at-risk metal
state (ARMS) for psychosis. Latest evidence suggest impaired working memory as a hallmark of
beginning psychosis. Working memory is thought of as an interface between short-term storage of
incoming information and encoding into long-term memory. Hence, impaired working memory
implies a reduced encoding efficiency as expressed by a decreased recency effect of serially encoded
material. Methods: N = 18 healthy controls (HC), N = 29 first episode psychosis patients (FE), and N =
46 ARMS individuals were assessed by a comprehensive test battery including the California Verbal
Learning Test (Delis, et al, 1987). HC, FE and ARMS individuals were compared with regard to serial
recall probabilities by means of a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Age, gender,
education, head injury, medication and THC-use were taken into account. Result: MANCOVA yielded
a general group effect (Wilks’ lambda = .81, df = 2, p = 0.018). Tukey's HSD post-hoc analysis showed
significant group effects at the level of late middle and recency positions. ARMS were performing
intermediate to FE and HC. Discussion: Working Memory of ARMS individuals is compromised even
at the level of episodic memory encoding.
Different spatial memory systems are involved in small and large-scale environments:
evidence from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Laura Piccardi1,2, M. Baulac3, A. Berthoz4, M. Denos3, S. Dupont3, C. Guariglia2,5 &
S. Samson3,6
1University
of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
3Groupe Hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière, 45 Bd de l’Hôpital, 75651 Paris cedex 13
4LPPA, College de France, Paris, France
5Dipartimento Psicologia 39, Università ‘La Sapienza’, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Roma, Italy
6JE 2497, UFR de Psychologie, Université de Lille, France
2IRCCS
Interest for spatial memory has recently increased, proportionally to interest for human navigation.
When we move in our environment, we acquire spatial information about: location, distances and
directions that we store in memory. Recent reports 1-5 show that humans and animals do not
acquire information about routes and object locations in the same way. A specific sub-system is
implicated in encoding storing and recalling navigational information and it is segregated from
another sub-system devoted to small-scale environments. We assessed this hypothesis in a sample of
patients treated surgically for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. We found double dissociations
between learning and recall of spatial positions in large versus small space. These results strongly
support the hypothesis that two segregate systems process navigational memory for large scale
environments and spatial memory in small scale environments.
222
An fMRI study of face memory recognition in schizophrenia
Giuseppina Rametti, Carme Junqué, Pere Vendrell, Rosa Catalán, Rafael Penadés, Nuria
Bargalló & Miguel Bernardo
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona,
Spain
Background: Recognition is more preserved than free recall in schizophrenic patients (SP), but often
patients performed worse than controls in this type of memory. Non-verbal memory is poorly
investigated in SP. The present study aimed to investigate possible abnormalities in the cerebral
activation in schizophrenia while performing a face recognition memory task. Methods: Functional
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activation during recognition of faces
in 22 patients with schizophrenia (mean age ± standard deviation (SD) = 31.7± 6.6) and 24 healthy
comparison subjects (mean age ± standard deviation (SD) = 31.7± 7.0). MRI data was obtained on a
GE Signa 1.5 T scanner. A statistical t-mapping method was used to determine between-group
differences thresholded at P < 0.05 FDR corrected. Results: Performance on number of faces
correctly recognized was similar in both group, but we observed a significant between group
difference in reaction time (t= 3.02; P= 0.004). Despite this relative intact recognition performance,
patients with schizophrenia showed reduced cerebral activation relative to comparison subjects in
inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann’s area 47), cerebellum, insula (Brodmann’s area 41-42), postcentral
and precentral gyrus (Brodmann’s area 43-6), cuneus and precuneus (Brodmann’s area 19-7),
superior frontal gyrus (Brodmann’s area 10) and posterior cingulate gyrus (Brodmann’s area 32).
Conclusion: This study provides evidence for decreased cerebral activation during visual memory
recognition in patients with schizophrenia.
Insight, attention and executive function in Schizophrenic patients
Irene Ramos, Silvina Guijarro, Lorena Fernandez-de la Cruz, M.Carmen Ramirez, Gemma
Garrido & Maite Garolera
Department of Mental Health. Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain
Background: There are conflictive reports in literature regarding the relationship between impaired
insight and cognition in schizophrenia. Previous studies suggested that deficits in illness insight are
related to frontal lobe dysfunction in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the
relationship between insight, attention and executive functions in a group of stabilized outpatients
with schizophrenia. Method: 110 schizophrenia outpatients were enrolled in the study. Patients were
diagnosed by DSM-IV and clinically stable at the time of neuropsychological testing. Neurocognitive
assessment consisted in evaluation of attention and executive functions with Continuous
Performance test (CPT), Verbal Fluency, Stroop test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Tower
of London. We assessed insight using the PANSS lack of judgment and insight item (item12). Results:
A correlations analyses revealed a significant association between awareness measure and
performance on CPT, Verbal Fluency and Stroop test: impaired insight was associated with lower
performance in those neuropsychological instruments. Discussion: Results suggest illness insight may
be related to specific domains of executive performance in schizophrenic patients.
223
The emotional Stroop task in young and healthy subjects
Marta Ramos-Goicoa, María Pouso & Montserrat Zurrón
University of Santiago de Compostela. Spain
Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the interference of emotional valence on the Stroop
colour-word task. Method: 26 subjects (aged 18-27 years) were presented six types of stimuli in red,
green or blue. Stimuli consisted of “X” letters, colour-congruent words, colour-incongruent words
and words with a positive, negative or neutral emotional valence. The congruent and incongruent
words were presented in a block, and the other four types of stimuli in four different blocks.
Subjects were instructed to press a button correlated with the stimulus colour. The reaction time
(RT) and the error number (EN) were recorded. Upon finishing, each subject was asked to verbalize
remembered words. Results: RT was longer for the colour-incongruent words than for the other five
types of stimuli; the colour-congruent, positive, negative and neutral words showed longer RT than
the “X” letters; the stimuli with positive valence had longer RT than the neutral words. The NE for the
incongruent and negative words was higher than the “X”, congruent, positive and neutral stimuli. The
participants remembered more positive words than neutral valence words. Discussion: The
emotional meanings of the words, either positive or negative, interfered in the colour response of
the stimuli (emotional Stroop effect), capturing attention resources in healthy subjects. These results
support the theory of emotionality (Williams et al. 1996).
aF/N-M, a new associative face/name memory test: comparison of young, elderly and “mild
cognitive impairment” (MCI) subjects
Caroline Reilhac, Jérémie Pariente, Jean-François Demonet & Michèle Puel
INSERM U825, Toulouse, France
Background: In the absence of validated biological or neuroimaging markers of the predemential
stage of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD), neuropsychological tests development is of major interest for
clinical and research perspectives. Impairment in associative face/name memory task (aF/N-M) is
observed in both normal aging (Naveh-Benjamin and al., 2004) and in the early stage of AD (Pariente
and al., 2005).Method: We developed a aF/N-M test with associative encoding task (study phase)
followed by a recall and recognition task (test phase). 14 healthy young subjects, 16 healthy old
subjects and 8 MCI patients were recruited in our cognitive clinic. All underwent a full
neuropsychological evaluation and the aF/N-M test. Result: Elderly controls showed a memory
profile similar to the one found in the young control group with the aF/N-M test whereas MCI
patients performances were impaired compared to control groups. These pattern of results are
similar to the one found with the standard memory assessment. Discussion: aF/N-M test seems to
be valid to assess memory in healthy and MCI subjects as similar performance between this test and
standard valuations were found. Further studies would be required to assess the ability of this new
test to diagnose predementia AD among the MCI patients.
224
The role of working memory during new path learning
Silvia Rizzo1, Vincent Walsh2, Emanuela Bricolo1 & Costanza Papagno1
1Department
of Psychology - University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
2ICN, University College London, UK
Background Several studies have shown that spatial working memory (WM) is involved in new path
learning. However further evidence suggests the involvement of an additional verbal component.
Material: Two experiments were run using a computerized version of the Porteus Maze Test. First,
the role of WM was tested by using an interference (verbal or spatial) paradigm; second, we
investigated the neural correlates of path learning by means of repetitive transcranial magnetic
stimulation (rTMS). Result and discussion: Experiment 1: Participants were divided in two groups on
the basis of self reported strategies (verbal or spatial). "Verbal" subjects showed lower accuracy
during the concurrent verbal task, whereas accuracy decreased during the concurrent spatial task in
the "spatial" group. Experiment 2: Accuracy decreased during rTMS over the right middle frontal
gyrus (MFG) and inferior parietal lobule (iPL). rTMS of either right or left iPL increased the number of
repetitions needed to accomplish the task. The results provide evidence that both verbal and spatial
WM are involved in path learning, depending on the specific strategy used. Right and left iPL could be
the neural correlates of WM, whereas right MFG could be involved in retrieval of acquired mental
plan.
Verbal and visual memory across the menstrual cycle in healthy young women
Dolores Rodríguez-Salgado & Cecilia Otero-Dadín
University of Santiago de Compostela. Spain
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the menstrual cycle on memory. Nineteen healthy
young women completed tests of verbal and visual memory at the menstrual and luteal phases of
the menstrual cycle. Repeated measures ANOVA showed higher total (F= 12.796; p= 0.002) and span
(F= 15.892; p= 0.001) scores on Letter-Number Sequencing subtest during the menstrual phase, and
more rotation errors on Benton Visual Retention Test during the luteal phase (F= 10.843; p= 0.004).
These results suggest that the menstrual cycle influences on verbal working memory and on the
spatial component of visual memory.
225
Implicit and explicit motor learning in young children
Irene J. Roozen1, Ria Nijhuis-van der Sanden2, Sabine Janssen1 & Bert Steenbergen1
1Nijmegen
Institute for Cognition and Information (NICI), Radboud University Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
2Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy, University Medical Centre St Radboud Nijmegen,
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Background: Motor skills can be learned implicitly and explicitly. It is supposed that explicit learning
necessitates working memory. In this study we compare implicit and explicit motor learning in young
children and scrutinize the role of working memory. Methods: Two groups of healthy 5 year old
children will perform two sequence learning tasks (task A and B) on a digitizing tablet. One group of
children will learn a sequence implicitly by responding to stimuli that are presented randomly,
intermixed with a predetermined ordered sequence (task A), followed by a sequence to be learned
explicitly by means of trial and error (task B). After one month this first groups learns task A explicitly
and task B implicitly. For the other group the order of tasks is reversed. After each test session, the
extent to which sequence learning had occurred will be tested. Children are also tested on their
working memory capacity. Results: The results will give us information on the relation between
implicit and explicit learning and the role of working memory. Discussion: This study is part of a larger
project in which implicit and explicit learning in premature born children with supposed working
memory deficits are studied.
Differential role of the hippocampus in successful memory encoding
Cristina P.M. Rosazza, L. Minati., F. Ghielmetti, A. Erbetta, E. Maccagnano, F. Villani, F.
Epifani & M.G. Bruzzone
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico “Carlo Besta”, Milan, Italy
The human hippocampus and related medial temporal lobe structures are crucial for memory
encoding. Lesion-deficit studies have demonstrated a dissociation between left hippocampus,
subserving verbal memory and right hippocampus, mediating visuo-spatial memory (Smith & Milner,
1981; Frisk & Milner, 1990). Functional neuroimaging studies have begun to examine the differential
role of subregion of the hippocampus in episodic memory (Strange et al., 1999; Greicius et al., 2003;
Powell et al., 2005). However, the precise functional role remains unclear. In the present study we
used an event-related fMRI memory paradigm to examine activation differences between
hippocampal subregions during encoding of words, objects, faces and visuo-spatial material in a
group of 16 healthy subjects, using subsequent memory effects. We also examined the consistency
at a single subject level. Significant hippocampal activation was detected in all encoding conditions
(p<.05, FWE correction). Group analysis showed that activation for word encoding mainly involved
the left anterior hippocampus (subiculum (SUB) and cornu ammonis (CA)), for objects was found in
the posterior hippocampus bilaterally (SUB), for faces was right–lateralized in the anterior
hippocampus (SUB, CA and entorhinal cortex), for the visuo-spatial material was predominantly in
the posterior hippocampus (SUB, dentate gyrus). Consistency between-subjects ranged from 25%
(words) to 70% (visuo-spatial material). The results suggest that both anterior and posterior
hippocampi are engaged in successful memory encoding, with a differential role specific to the type
of material.
226
Attention complaints in healthy adults are associated with reduced Quality of Life and
objective neuropsychological impairment
Dymphie M.J.M Scholtissen-In de Braek, P. Hurks, Martin P.J. van Boxtel, J. Dijkstra & J. Jolles
Maastricht University Hospital, Maastricht
Problem: to investigate attention complaints and dysfunction in healthy subjects from the general
population. Methods: a cross-sectional study drawn from a large-scale longitudinal study.
Investigation of cognitive complaints with the Maastricht Cognitive Questionnaire (MCQ; five
factors), QoL and cognitive performance as measured by formal tests, in a sample of 912 healthy
subjects aged 33 to 89 years. Key Findings: complaints of inattention in combination with
impulsivity/hyperactivity appeared to be related to a higher level of comorbidity in the domain of
mental health. In addition, there was diminished satisfaction with life in these subjects. Also, an
inferior performance was found on particular neurocognitive processes, namely speed of information
processing (naming) and response inhibition. Complaints of inattention alone were related to a broad
range of cognitive functions. Conclusions: Cognitive problems in the general population resemble
those of ADHD although to a lesser extent. Further identification of these profiles in future studies
may lead to the improved management of problems on the domain of mental health in adults who
are at risk for a clinical condition.
The role of the posterior parietal cortex on episodic memory retrieval
Linda A. Schoo & M.J.E. van Zandvoort
Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht
In the last decade neuroimaging studies suggested that episodic memory retrieval is dependent on
the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Nevertheless, neuropsychological investigations did not evidently
demonstrate episodic memory impairments after damage to the PPC. Methods A review of the
literature by online search engines with a combination of episodic (memory), (posterior) parietal
lobe, PPC, precuneus, inferior parietal lobe, IPL, superior parietal lobe, SPL, intraparietal sulcus,
IPS, and lesions resulted in 30 articles including neuroimaging and neuropsychological lesion studies.
Results Despite the methodological diversity the role of the PPC in episodic memory retrieval
appeared evident according to neuroimaging studies. Differences in the literature between
neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological findings might be the result of predominantly
unilateral lesions and possible influence of functional compensation in lesion studies. Based on this
review a neuropsychological test-battery specifically aimed at the episodic memory retrieval is
constructed including an experimental set-up to assess episodic memory retrieval restricted to the
ipsilateral hemisphere. Discussion The experimental design to study unilateral processes in episodic
memory retrieval and the first preliminary results of an ongoing prospective longitudinal study in
stroke patients with involvement of the PPC will be discussed.
227
Loss of metric information with spared categorical information in open-loop antipointing
Alessio Toraldo, V. Manfredi, I. Curti, S. Bosoni, G. Mora & A. Zaliani
Department of Psychology, University of Pavia, Italy
Background: “Antipointing” (reaching out towards the mirror image of a stimulus with respect to a
central landmark) involves encoding of two types of spatial information, categorical (e.g. left-right)
and metric. Our aim was to study antipointing performance in a set of right hemisphere patients.
Methods: Twenty RH patients (four with neglect) and ten controls were administered with three
tasks: (i) open-loop AntiPointing (AP), (ii) “Perceptual AntiPointing” (PAP) - the examiner moved a
stimulus towards the subjective anti-position of the subject following instruction by him/her; (iii)
Direct open-loop pointing. Results: Neglect patients undershot correct position on both sides in the
AP condition; in two cases the undershoot was more severe on the left side. One neglect patient
(DAR) correctly pointed to the opposite side, but failed dramatically to reproduce the metric; no such
deficit appeared in the PAP task. Discussion: DAR’s antipointing performance suggests spared
categorical spatial processing, with selective loss of metric information. However, metric was
preserved on the perceptual task (PAP), perhaps reflecting use by DAR of intact mental-translation
abilities to compensate for his deficit. Neglect patients’ performance on AP contradicts current
models of “anisometry”, which would have predicted left relative over-shooting; if anything, an
opposite trend was found.
“Anisometry”: perceptual or visuo-motor?
Alessio Toraldo, V. Manfredi, I. Curti, D. Rivolta, S. Bosoni & C. Pistarini
Department of Psychology, University of Pavia, Italy
Background: Neglect patients are thought to misperceive horizontal distances (“anisometry”). Since
this deficit is perceptual in nature, it should emerge in a delayed pointing task, involving the ventral
stream, and not in an immediate pointing task, involving the dorsal stream. Methods: Thirteen righthemisphere patients (six with neglect) and eight controls were administered with a task of
immediate and delayed pointing (IP, DP). Targets (6-mm squares) assumed seven positions on either
side of a central cross. Visual feedback from the hand was prevented by hiding movements under a
black blanket. Results: Two types of deficit appeared in single neglect cases. (i) Leftward shift of the
overall response range in both IP and DP; (ii) left relative underestimation of distances in DP (and not
in IP). The two deficits associated in two patients and dissociated in another, who only showed the
latter. Discussion: The left relative underestimation in DP (and not in IP) is consistent with
anisometry. The leftward shift of the response range may reflect a “miscalibration” of movements in
open-loop condition, perhaps due to rightward mis-proprioception of initial hand position.
Interestingly, both deficits (i) and (ii) can explain the classical performance of neglect patients on the
Endpoints task.
228
Suppressing unwanted memory: what’s in the brain?
Sara Torriero, Alberto Costa, Patrizia Turriziani, Massimiliano Oliveri & Carlo Caltagirone
IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
Background. Previous data indicate that a prefrontal-temporal network mediates the suppression of
unwanted memory. The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of repetitive transcranial
magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFc) on these processes.
Methods. Subjects were first trained to learn 45 word pairs. Next, in the critical task a cue informed
them to recall and say the associated response word (respond) or not to think about it (suppression).
Implicit and explicit remembering of studied words was tested using a lexical decision task (i.e.
priming effect) and free recall. Three experiments were performed. i) 15 volunteers were
administered the task without rTMS (controls); ii/iii) 11 and 7 subjects were evaluated after rTMS
over left or right DLPFc, respectively. rTMS was applied after the critical task was performed. Results.
Controls and subjects submitted to right rTMS showed poorer recall for suppression compared to
respond pairs (p<.01 and p<.05). Instead, left rTMS determined comparable retrieval between
respond and suppression pairs (p>.80). Across all experiments, priming effect was comparable for
both pairs. Discussion. The present study documents that left DLPFc is implicated in the mechanisms
of suppressing unwanted memory, possibly exerting an active executive control on memory trace.
Varieties of mental flexibility in mild cognitive impairment
Egberdina J. van der Hulst, Kevin J. Manning, Eleanor M. Neijstrom, Chiadi U. Onyike &
Jason Brandt
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
BACKGROUND Research has identified two components of mental flexibility (MF): “spontaneous
flexibility” (capacity for generating ideas and exemplars) and “reactive flexibility” (ability to shift
cognitive and behavioral sets in response to feedback). This study examines a two-component model
of MF in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and relationships of MF components to other measures.
METHODS Fifty-two normal elderly (NC), 25 pure amnestic MCI (AMN), 36 amnestic multiple domain
(AMN+), and 25 non-amnestic MCI patients (non-AMN) were assessed with the following MF tests:
Trail Making; D-KEFS Stroop and Sorting; Brief Test of Attention; Brixton Spatial Anticipation; TEA
Telephone Search While Counting; Letter, Category, Word Class Fluency; Random Number
Generation; Alternate Uses. RESULTS Principal components analysis yielded two factors, labelled
“Set-Shifting” and “Generativity”, accounting for 50.4% of variance. MCIs were impaired in
Generativity (p=.001) but not Set-Shifting. Subsequent analyses revealed that NCs and AMN
performed similarly, and better than AMN+, on Set-Shifting. AMN+ and non-AMN performed worse
than NCs on Generativity, whereas AMN performed as well as NCs. Correlations between Set-Shifting
and Generativity and other cognitive and functional measures were of comparable magnitude.
DISCUSSION: The findings support a two-component model of mental flexibility and suggest that the
components are impaired in MCI.
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Frontal executive function following concussion: A need to modify assessment?
Mareen Weber & Martin G. Edwards
University of Birmingham
There has been an important development in athlete health care whereby cognitive deficits are
assessed following a head impact and compared to the athlete’s own performance prior to the
impact. Using predefined criteria, the assessment can determine whether the impact was serious
enough to warrant removing the athlete from activity. While the methods used and tests selected
have proved successful, we think that there are a number of modifications that could further
improve the batteries. One of these involves using executive function tests. In the most common
batteries used at present, attention, memory, learning and response speed are commonly assessed.
However, so far only traditional paper-pencil-tests, e.g. Trail Making Test B, the Stroop Test and
versions of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test have all been shown to be impaired following concussion.
In the poster presented here, we report results from a study that investigated deficits following
sports-related concussion as shown by a range of standard clinical and executive frontal lobe
function tests. The cross-sectional design compared fifty recently concussed athletes with fifty age,
sex and education matched non-concussed and fifty non-head, but otherwise sports-injured
participants. We hypothesised that there would be reliable differences between the participant
groups on the original attention, memory, learning and simple speed response assessment, and in
addition on the developed executive function assessments.
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