Recent research has characterized the anatomical connectivity of the cortico-cerebellar system - a large and important fibre system in the primate brain. Within this system, there are reciprocal projections between the prefrontal cortex and Crus II of the cerebellar cortex, which both play important roles in the acquisition and execution of cognitive skills. Here, we propose that this system al...

Cognitive deficits affecting memory, attention and speed of information processing are common in multiple sclerosis (MS). The mechanisms of cognitive impairment remain unclear. Here, we examined the association between neuropsychological test performance and brain atrophy in a group of mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We applied voxel-based morphometry (SPM2) to investigate...

We previously speculated that depression of cerebellar excitability using cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might release extra cognitive resources via the disinhibition of activity in prefrontal cortex. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether anodal tDCS over the prefrontal cortex could similarly improve performance when cognitive demands are high. S...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based cognitive rehabilitation (CR) program based on the video game Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (DKBT; Nintendo, Japan), in improving attention, processing speed, and working memory of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS This was a randomized, wait-list control study. Patients with MS and failure in at least one between Stroop Tes...

Objectives. To examine relationships between conventional MRI measures and the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT) and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT). Methods. A systematic literature review was conducted. Included studies had ≥30 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, administered the SDMTor PASAT, andmeasuredT2LVor brain atrophy.Meta-analysis ofMRI/information processing speed (IPS) c...

This study aimed to determine autonomic and jaw-muscle activities, and haemodynamic responses, to acute experimental mental stress in humans. Eleven healthy men (25.2 ± 3.0 years of age) and five healthy women (23.0 ± 3.7 years of age) performed a standardized mental stress task, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Autonomic function, such as heart rate variability (HRV), and haemo...

INTRODUCTION Computer games have attracted remarkable attentions in general publics with different cultures and their effects are subject of research by cognitive neuroscientists. In the present study, possible effects of the game Fifa 2015 on cognitive performance, hormonal levels, and electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were evaluated in young male volunteers. METHODS Thirty two subjects ...

The integration of physiological monitoring into the human–machine interface holds great promise both for real-time assessment of operator status and for providing a mean to allocate tasks between machines and humans based on the operator status. Our group, aiming to provide a new human-machine interface to improve traffic safety using brain signals, has conducted a number of researches for the...

BACKGROUND The Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) is a multidimensional clinical outcome measure that includes quantitative tests of leg function/ambulation (Timed 25-Foot Walk), arm function (9-Hole Peg Test), and cognitive function (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test). The MSFC is the primary outcome measure in the ongoing multinational phase 3 trial of interferon beta-1a (Avonex...

In order to investigate the influence of learner-controlled pacing in educational animation on instructional efficiency, three versions of an audio-visual computer animation and a narration-only presentation were used to teach primary school students the determinants of day and night. The animations were either system-paced using a continuous animation, learner-paced using discrete segments or ...