scholarly journals Simulating phonological and semantic impairment of English tense inflection with linear discriminative learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Heitmeier ◽  
R. H. Baayen

This study applies the computational theory of the ‘discriminative lexicon’ (Baayen et al., 2019) to the modeling of the production of regular and irregular English verbs in aphasic speech. Under impairment, speakers with memory loss have been reported to have greater difficulties with irregular verbs, whereas speakers with phonological impairment are described as having greater problems with regulars. Joanisse and Seidenberg (1999) were able to model this dissociation, but only by selectively adding noise to the semantic units of their model. We report two simulation studies in which topographically coherent regions of phonological and semantic networks were selectively damaged. Our model replicated the main findings, including the high variability in the consequences of brain lesions for speech production. Importantly, our model generated these results without having to lesion the semantic system more than the phonological system. The model’s success turns out to hinge on the use of a corpus-based distributional vector space for representing verbs’ meanings. Joanisse and Seidenberg (1999) used one-hot encoding for their semantic representation, under the assumption that semantically regular and irregular verbs do not differ in ways relevant to impairment in aphasia. However, irregular verbs have denser semantic neighborhoods than do regular verbs (Baayen and Moscoso del Prado Martín, 2005), and we show that in our model this greater density renders irregular verbs more fragile under semantic impairment. These results provide further support for the central idea underlying the discriminative lexicon: that behavioral patterns can, to a considerable extent, be understood as emerging from the distributional properties of a language and basic principles of human learning.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Heitmeier ◽  
R. Harald Baayen

Abstract This study applies the computational theory of the ‘discriminative lexicon’ (Baayen, Chuang, Blevins, 2019) to the modeling of the production of English verbs in aphasic speech. Under semantic impairment, speakers have been reported to have greater difficulties with irregular verbs, whereas speakers with phonological impairment are described as having greater problems with regulars. Joanisse and Seidenberg (1999) were able to model this dissociation, but only by adding noise to the semantic units of their model. We report two simulation studies in which topographically coherent regions of phonological and semantic networks were selectively damaged. Our model replicated the main findings, including the high variability in the consequences of brain lesions for speech production. Importantly, our model generated these results without having to lesion the semantic system more than the phonological system. The model’s success hinges on the use of a corpus-based distributional vector space for representing verbs’ meanings. Irregular verbs have denser semantic neighborhoods than do regular verbs (Baayen and Moscoso del Prado Martín, 2005). In our model this renders irregular verbs more fragile under semantic impairment. These results provide further support for the central idea underlying the discriminative lexicon: that behavioral patterns can, to a considerable extent, be understood as emerging from the distributional properties of a language and basic principles of human learning.


MicroRNA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadniman Rahman ◽  
Chaity Modak ◽  
Mousumi Akter ◽  
Mohammad Shamimul Alam

Background: Learning and memory is basic aspects in neurogenetics as most of the neurological disorders start with dementia or memory loss. Several genes associated with memory formation have been discovered. MicroRNA genes miR-1000 and miR-375 were reported to be associated with neural integration and glucose homeostasis in some insects and vertebrates. However, neuronal function of these genes is yet to be established in D. melanogaster. Objective: Possible role of miR-1000 and miR-375 in learning and memory formation in this fly has been explored in the present study. Methods: Both appetitive and aversive olfactory conditional learning were tested in the miR-1000 and miR-375 knockout (KO) strains and compared with wild one. Five days old third instar larvae were trained by allowing them to be associated with an odor with reward (fructose) or punishment (salt). Then, the larvae were tested to calculate their preferences to the odor trained with. Learning index (LI) values and larval locomotion speed were calculated for all strains. Results: No significant difference was observed for larval locomotion speed in mutant strains. Knockout strain of miR-1000 showed significant deficiency in both appetitive and aversive memory formation whereas miR-375 KO strain showed a significantly lower response only in appetitive one. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate important role played by these two genes in forming short-term memory in D. melanogaster.


Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 147130121882096
Author(s):  
Thomas A Ala ◽  
GaToya Simpson ◽  
Marshall T Holland ◽  
Vajeeha Tabassum ◽  
Maithili Deshpande ◽  
...  

Humanities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Kiley M. Kost

The complex narrative composition of image and text in Max Frisch’s Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän discloses entanglements between humans and nonhuman entities that impact the narrative and that demand careful consideration. The story depicts the aging protagonist’s struggle with memory loss and his careful examination of the valley’s mountain formations in fear of a landslide. In this analysis, I show that both of these threats can be read as entangled with nonhuman agents. By focusing on the material dimension of the text, two central and related shifts occur: the background element of rain becomes foregrounded in the narrative, and the natural formations of the valley that are assumed to be static are revealed to be dynamic. These shifts lead to an interpretation of Frisch’s text focused on the impacts of rain and the temporal scale of the text’s geologic dimension. Approaching the text through the lens of material ecocriticism unveils the multiple agencies at play, decenters the human, and illustrates the embodied experience of climate change.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 615-615
Author(s):  
Jyoti Savla ◽  
Karen Roberto ◽  
Mamta Sapra

Abstract Although families embrace the opportunity to care for a loved one, caregiving is stressful and takes a toll on the caregiver’s health and well-being. Earlier studies of stress and coping among family caregivers focused on psychological outcomes and emotional well-being. In the last decade, stress researchers have broadened their focus to include biomarkers and health outcomes. Data from two studies of caregivers of persons with memory loss will be used to discuss two new frontiers of caregiving research. First, a daily-diary study will be used to identify the mechanism by which stress disrupts the physiological processes and proliferates into serious psychopathology and pre-clinical and clinical health conditions. Second, a mindfulness-based psychoeducational intervention study will be utilized to identify malleable factors that can be harnessed to lower stress and improve the well-being of family caregivers. Next steps for caregiving research in the context of demographic and technological trends will be discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hallie Anthony

This Major Research Paper (MRP) is a research-­creation project that explores the role, impact and influence of music n human communication. More specifically, this MRP investigates the way that music can assist in cognitive comprehension and information retention in individuals with varied forms of memory loss and considers the ways that music can be used to assist in aiding verbal memory and communicating emotion. It also offers insight on methods that could be utilized to further study this area of research. As a research-­creation project, this MRP includes three original musical compositions (Composition A1, Composition B2, and Composition C3) that were developed in response to the scholarly literature on this topic. The three musical compositions that have been produced for this project aim to communicate emotion, create aesthetic satisfaction, and aid in reinforcing the production of memories based on the information presented in the compositions. The composition creation process was informed by information gathered throughout the research process that addresses topics such as: the influence of music on individual listeners, emotion in music, and musical techniques that can be used to successfully communicate ideas. Beyond the scope of this MRP/research-­creation project, these compositions aim to serve as a basis for testing cognitive function in individuals with varied forms of memory loss. Detailed discussion of the design of the musical compositions, including information related to the composition influences, and a breakdown of each composition are included alongside the MRP’s focus on scholarly literature and research. Furthermore, the potential implications of these compositions, including the ways they could assist in future research, is discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Qi Huang ◽  
Shuhua Ren ◽  
Lin Huang ◽  
Donglang Jiang ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renée L. Beard ◽  
Sasha Sakhtah ◽  
Vanessa Imse ◽  
James E. Galvin

To understand the impact of memory loss on aging in place, this paper investigated dyads where one spouse had been diagnosed with memory loss. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with ten couples (N=20). Grounded theory methods were used to collect, code, and analyze data into themes. Data revealed consensus among and between dyads that it was best to focus on living, rather than what had been or might someday be lost. Nonetheless, differences according to gender and cognitive status (e.g., diagnosed or spouse) were reported. Given population aging, identifying the impact of gender roles and social norms on the potential for aging in place with memory loss is critical. Community services and care practices must be sensitive to the ways that couples prioritized and organized their relationship prior to diagnosis in order to encourage positive patterns of care between couples, foster successful adaptation to changing needs, and support in-home arrangements as long as possible.


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