scholarly journals Word selectivity in high-level visual cortex and reading skill

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily C. Kubota ◽  
Sung Jun Joo ◽  
Elizabeth Huber ◽  
Jason D. Yeatman

AbstractWord-selective neural responses in human ventral occipito-temporal cortex (VOTC) emerge as children learn to read, creating a visual word form area (VWFA) in the literate brain. It has been suggested that the VWFA arises through competition between pre-existing selectivity for other stimulus categories, changing the topography of VOTC to support rapid word recognition. Here, we hypothesized that competition between words and objects would be resolved as children acquire reading skill. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the relationship between responses to words and objects in VOTC in two ways. First, we defined the VWFA using a words > objects contrast and found that only skilled readers had a region that responded more to words than objects. Second, we defined the VWFA using a words > faces contrast and examined selectivity for words over objects in this region. We found that word selectivity strongly correlated with reading skill, suggesting reading skill-dependent tuning for words. Furthermore, we found that low word selectivity in struggling readers was not due to a lack of response to words, but to a high response to objects. Our results suggest that the fine-tuning of word-selective responses in VOTC is a critical component of skilled reading.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Rosenke ◽  
Nicolas Davidenko ◽  
Kalanit Grill-Spector ◽  
Kevin S. Weiner

ABSTRACTWe have an amazing ability to categorize objects in the world around us. Nevertheless, how cortical regions in human ventral temporal cortex (VTC), which is critical for categorization, support this behavioral ability, is largely unknown. Here, we examined the relationship between neural responses and behavioral performance during the categorization of morphed silhouettes of faces and hands, which are animate categories processed in cortically adjacent regions in VTC. Our results reveal that the combination of neural responses from VTC face- and body-selective regions more accurately explains behavioral categorization than neural responses from either region alone. Furthermore, we built a model that predicts a person’s behavioral performance using estimated parameters of brain-behavioral relationships from a different group of people. We further show that this brain-behavioral model generalizes to adjacent face- and body-selective regions in lateral occipito-temporal cortex. Thus, while face- and body-selective regions are located within functionally-distinct domain-specific networks, cortically adjacent regions from both networks likely integrate neural responses to resolve competing and perceptually ambiguous information from both categories.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 4882-4898
Author(s):  
Mona Rosenke ◽  
Nicolas Davidenko ◽  
Kalanit Grill-Spector ◽  
Kevin S Weiner

Abstract We have an amazing ability to categorize objects in the world around us. Nevertheless, how cortical regions in human ventral temporal cortex (VTC), which is critical for categorization, support this behavioral ability, is largely unknown. Here, we examined the relationship between neural responses and behavioral performance during the categorization of morphed silhouettes of faces and hands, which are animate categories processed in cortically adjacent regions in VTC. Our results reveal that the combination of neural responses from VTC face- and body-selective regions more accurately explains behavioral categorization than neural responses from either region alone. Furthermore, we built a model that predicts a person’s behavioral performance using estimated parameters of brain–behavior relationships from a different group of people. Moreover, we show that this brain–behavior model generalizes to adjacent face- and body-selective regions in lateral occipitotemporal cortex. Thus, while face- and body-selective regions are located within functionally distinct domain-specific networks, cortically adjacent regions from both networks likely integrate neural responses to resolve competing and perceptually ambiguous information from both categories.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 3168-3181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank E Garcea ◽  
Jorge Almeida ◽  
Maxwell H Sims ◽  
Andrew Nunno ◽  
Steven P Meyers ◽  
...  

Abstract Neural responses to small manipulable objects (“tools”) in high-level visual areas in ventral temporal cortex (VTC) provide an opportunity to test how anatomically remote regions modulate ventral stream processing in a domain-specific manner. Prior patient studies indicate that grasp-relevant information can be computed about objects by dorsal stream structures independently of processing in VTC. Prior functional neuroimaging studies indicate privileged functional connectivity between regions of VTC exhibiting tool preferences and regions of parietal cortex supporting object-directed action. Here we test whether lesions to parietal cortex modulate tool preferences within ventral and lateral temporal cortex. We found that lesions to the left anterior intraparietal sulcus, a region that supports hand-shaping during object grasping and manipulation, modulate tool preferences in left VTC and in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus. Control analyses demonstrated that neural responses to “place” stimuli in left VTC were unaffected by lesions to parietal cortex, indicating domain-specific consequences for ventral stream neural responses in the setting of parietal lesions. These findings provide causal evidence that neural specificity for “tools” in ventral and lateral temporal lobe areas may arise, in part, from online inputs to VTC from parietal areas that receive inputs via the dorsal visual pathway.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heru Winarko Junardi, Tri Rima Setyawati

Terebellobranchia sp. is a member of the Terebellidae family, which is known to have a high level of morphological variation. The aims of research was to know morphometric variations and the relationship of body size and uncini of Terebellobranchia sp. in Lemukutan Island. The measurements body and uncini were carried out on complete specimens with digital caliper, while uncini measuring under a microscope with eyepiece micrometer. Data analysis with t test in 64 individuals. The Terebellobranchia sp. found in station 2 had a significantly different size with Terebellobranchia sp. in other stations. The body length of Terebellobranchia sp. shows a strong correlation with the width, number of segments and body weight, meanwhile the width of the segment strongly correlated with size of uncini.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni M Di Liberto ◽  
Claire Pelofi ◽  
Roberta Bianco ◽  
Prachi Patel ◽  
Ashesh D Mehta ◽  
...  

Humans engagement in music rests on underlying elements such as the listeners’ cultural background and interest in music. These factors modulate how listeners anticipate musical events, a process inducing instantaneous neural responses as the music confronts these expectations. Measuring such neural correlates would represent a direct window into high-level brain processing. Here we recorded cortical signals as participants listened to Bach melodies. We assessed the relative contributions of acoustic versus melodic components of the music to the neural signal. Melodic features included information on pitch progressions and their tempo, which were extracted from a predictive model of musical structure based on Markov chains. We related the music to brain activity with temporal response functions demonstrating, for the first time, distinct cortical encoding of pitch and note-onset expectations during naturalistic music listening. This encoding was most pronounced at response latencies up to 350 ms, and in both planum temporale and Heschl’s gyrus.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Ana Cecilia De Paz Lazaro ◽  
Jessica Luz Palomino Collantes

The objective of the research is to determine the relationship between academic motivation and the professional skills development in the specialty of Social Sciences and Tourism. The study is quantitative and the design is non-experimental correlational translational. The results indicate that there is a high level relationship (0.914) between the independent academic motivation variable and the professional competences development in the Specialty of Social Sciences and Tourism. In conclusion, motivation is directly related to the professional skills development in the specialty of Social Sciences and Tourism. The research results conclude that there is a high relationship between the variables.


Author(s):  
Janusz Kocjan ◽  
Andrzej Knapik

AbstractBackground: Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a process designed to restore full physical, psychological and social activity and to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Fear of movement may contribute to the occurrence and intensification of hypokinesia, and consequently affect the effectiveness of therapy. The aim of the study was to determine the level of barriers of physical activity in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. The relationship between selected determinants (age and health selfassessment) and the kinesiophobia level were also examined.Material/Methods: 115 people aged 40-84 years were examined: 50 females (x = 63.46; SD = 11.19) and 65 males (x = 64.65; SD = 10.59) - patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation at the Upper-Silesian Medical Centre in Katowice. In the present study, the Polish version of questionnaires: Kinesiophobia Causes Scale (KCS) and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used. Questionnaires were supplemented by authors’ short survey.Results: The patients presented an elevated level of kinesiophobia, both in general as well as in individual components. In women, the kinesiophobia level was higher than in men. The psychological domain was a greater barrier of physical activity than the biological one. Strong, negative correlations of psychological and biological domains of kinesiophobia to physical functioning (SF-36) were noted in women. In the case of men, correlations were weaker, but also statistically significant.Conclusions: 1. Sex differentiates patients in their kinesiophobia level 2. Poor self-assessment of health is associated with a greater intensification of kinesiophobia 3. A high level of kinesiophobia may negatively affect cardiac rehabilitation process


Author(s):  
Abdul Basith ◽  
Rosmaiyadi Rosmaiyadi ◽  
Susan Neni Triani ◽  
Fitri Fitri

The aim of this research is; 1) investigating the level of online learning satisfaction among students during COVID 19; 2) analyzing the influence of differences in gender, years of study, major in determining online learning satisfaction among students during COVID 19; 3) to analyze the relationship between online learning satisfaction and student academic achievement during COVID 19. The population was 656 students at STKIP Singkawang, and then a sample of 357 students (87 males and 270 females) was taken using a simple random sampling technique. The instrument in this study was adapted from Aman's Satisfaction instrument, which was then used to collect research data. Data analysis using SPSS with descriptive statistical techniques, MANOVA, and correlation. The results showed that online learning satisfaction was at a high level, meaning that students were satisfied with the online learning that had been implemented. The major differences have a significant effect on determining online learning satisfaction. Intercorrelation shows that there is a significant relationship on each indicator of online learning satisfaction with academic achievement, meaning that the higher the satisfaction felt by students in online learning, the student's academic achievement will increase.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82
Author(s):  
Elmira Shamsuvaleeva ◽  
Anastasiya Nevmyvaka ◽  
Andrey Nazarenko

The purpose of the research is to study the possibility of predicting the development of aerobic endurance of athletes through a comparative analysis of the outcomes of genetic and computerized testing. Methods and organization of the research. In our research, we used scientific and methodological literature, as well as the outcomes of competitive activity and genetic analysis of a particular athlete. The total number of survey respondents was 158 people including athletes (n = 85) and coaches (n = 73). Results and discussion. Some authors find the relationship between the ability to develop and manifest endurance and the presence of the appropriate alleles of genes: ACE I, ACNT X, ACNT3 (RX, XX), ADRA2A, AMPDI C, PGC1A Gly, NFATC4, UCP2. Most studies reveal the relationship between the ACE gene and endurance supported by the I allele. Genetic foresight of the possibility of developing aerobic endurance of athletes can become the framework for the application of an individual approach in sport training, and contribute to the development of techniques aimed at the refinement of physical qualities. The modern approach to the coaching and competitive activities of athletes should include both genetic and functional studies of the human body. Conclusion. Sport forecast cannot be based solely on genetic testing results. The presence of polymorphisms in one or more genes associated with sport activity is the platform for good performance in a particular sport, but the actual manifestation of genetic predisposition depends on many factors. These factors include nutrition, daily routine and competent organization of the training process, which requires a high level of theoretical and practical competency of coaches in the field of biomedical education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (22) ◽  
pp. eabe7547
Author(s):  
Meenakshi Khosla ◽  
Gia H. Ngo ◽  
Keith Jamison ◽  
Amy Kuceyeski ◽  
Mert R. Sabuncu

Naturalistic stimuli, such as movies, activate a substantial portion of the human brain, invoking a response shared across individuals. Encoding models that predict neural responses to arbitrary stimuli can be very useful for studying brain function. However, existing models focus on limited aspects of naturalistic stimuli, ignoring the dynamic interactions of modalities in this inherently context-rich paradigm. Using movie-watching data from the Human Connectome Project, we build group-level models of neural activity that incorporate several inductive biases about neural information processing, including hierarchical processing, temporal assimilation, and auditory-visual interactions. We demonstrate how incorporating these biases leads to remarkable prediction performance across large areas of the cortex, beyond the sensory-specific cortices into multisensory sites and frontal cortex. Furthermore, we illustrate that encoding models learn high-level concepts that generalize to task-bound paradigms. Together, our findings underscore the potential of encoding models as powerful tools for studying brain function in ecologically valid conditions.


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