Ritikova, Anna Menashevna

Fadeev K.A., Romero Reyes I.V., Goiaeva D.E., Obukhova T.S., Ovsiannikova T.M., Prokofyev A.O., Rytikova A.M., Novikov A.Y., Stroganova T.A., Orekhova E.V.

AbstractBackgroundThe P100/P100m component of auditory event-related potentials/fields is considered a potential biomarker of atypical arousal and language abnormalities in children with ASD. When elicited by complex speech-like sounds with regular temporal or frequency structure, P100/P100m may be influenced by sustained negativity (SN), which can reduce its amplitude due to opposing current polarity.MethodsUsing MEG, we investigated how acoustic regularities affect P100m latency and amplitude differences between TD children and those with ASD. MEG was recorded in 35 ASD and 39 TD boys (7–12 years) in response to control sounds (non-periodic, non-vowels) and stimuli with temporal regularity (periodic non-vowels), frequency regularity (non-periodic vowels), or both (periodic vowels). P100m was estimated using distributed source localization.ResultsIn both groups, P100m amplitude and latency decreased in response to acoustic regularities, accompanied by a proportional increase in SN. No group differences were observed in P100m latency, amplitude, or their modulation by stimulus characteristics. In ASD, P100m latency variability was increased, and higher P100m amplitudes in the left auditory cortex were negatively associated with cumulative language and intellectual abilities.ConclusionsIn children, changes in P100m in response to acoustic regularities are most parsimoniously explained by an enhancement of SN with opposite polarity. No consistent relationship was found between P100m parameters or their modulation by acoustic regularities and ASD diagnosis. However, variations in cortical maturation and/or habituation processes, which affect the left-hemispheric P100m, may be relevant to cognitive and language functioning in children with ASD.

Pultsina K.I., Kozunova G.L., Chernyshev B.V., Prokofyev A.O., Tretyakova V.D., Novikov A.Y., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A.

AbstractThe ability to adjust brain resources to manage expected uncertainty is hypothesized to be impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though the evidence remains limited. To investigate this, we studied 23 neurotypical (NT) and 23 high-functioning adults with ASD performing a probabilistic two-alternative value-based task while undergoing magnetoencephalography (MEG) and pupillometry. The task comprised five sequential blocks with stable reward probabilities (70%:30%), but varying stimulus pairs and reward values, enabling the assessment of behavioral and neural adaptation to expected uncertainty. We analyzed the hit rate of advantageous choices, response times, and computational measures of prior belief strength and precision. To examine cortical activation during decision-making, we used magnetoencephalographic (MEG) source reconstruction to quantify α-β oscillation suppression in decision-relevant cortical regions within the pre-decision time window. Linear mixed models were applied to assess trial-by-trial effects.Behaviorally, ASD participants exhibited lower overall belief precision but intact probabilistic rule generalization, showing gradual performance improvement and strengthening of prior beliefs across blocks. However, unlike NT individuals, they did not show a progressive downscaling of neural activation during decision-making or a reduction in neural response to feedback signals as performance improved. Furthermore, on a trial-by-trial basis, increased belief precision in ASD was not associated with reduced cortical activation, a pattern observed in NT individuals.These findings suggest an atypically rigid and enhanced allocation of neural resources to advantageous decisions that individuals with ASD rationally judge as optimal. This pattern may reflect an aversive response to the irreducible uncertainty inherent in probabilistic decision-making.

Mamokhina U.A., Fadeev K.A., Goyaeva D.E., Ilyunceva A.A., Ovsyannikova T.M., Obukhova T.S., Salimova K.R., Rytikova A.M., Davydov D.V.

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Objectives</span><span lang="EN-US">. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often face difficulties in speech perception, particularly in noisy environments. These problems are associated with central auditory processing disorders. FM systems, which improve the signal-to-noise ratio, can be used to enhance speech perception. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of FM systems when working with children with ASD in noisy conditions and their use in a school setting. Methods. The pilot study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the &ldquo;Words in Noise&rdquo; test and the &ldquo;Sentence Repetition&rdquo; task were used to assess children&rsquo;s ability to recognize speech in noisy conditions with and without the use of FM systems. Fourteen children with ASD and 14 typically developing peers participated in the experiment. In the second stage, FM systems were studied in real school environments with 10 elementary school students with autism. Changes in auditory abilities were assessed using the L.I.F.E.-R scale. Results. In the first stage, it was found that children with ASD recognized significantly fewer words in noisy conditions compared to their typically developing peers. In the &ldquo;Sentence Repetition&rdquo; task, the use of FM systems improved the performance of children with ASD from 58.3% to 76.9% (p=0.0005). In the second stage, most participants showed minimal changes in auditory ability scores on the L.I.F.E.-R scale: the average score before using FM systems was 54.9, and after using them it was 57</span><span lang="EN-US">.4 (p=0.2322). However, several students showed improvements of 8&ndash;13 points, reflecting individual variability in the effect of using FM systems. Discussion. FM systems have demonstrated their effectiveness in improving speech perception in noisy environments for children with ASD. However, the integration of FM systems into the school process requires further research on their effectiveness in real conditions, as well as adaptations to minimize discomfort for children and improve interaction with teachers and tutors.</span></p>

Fadeev K.A., Romero Reyes I.V., Goiaeva D.E., Obukhova T.S., Ovsiannikova T.M., Prokofyev A.O., Rytikova A.M., Novikov A.Y., Kozunov V.V., Stroganova T.A., Orekhova E.V.

ABSTRACTBackgroundDifficulties with speech-in-noise perception in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be associated with impaired analysis of speech sounds, such as vowels, which represent the fundamental phoneme constituents of human speech. Vowels elicit early (< 100 ms) sustained processing negativity (SPN) in the auditory cortex that reflects the detection of an acoustic pattern based on the presence of formant structure and/or periodic envelope information (f0) and its transformation into an auditory ‘object’.MethodsWe used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and individual brain models to investigate whether SPN is altered in children with ASD and whether this deficit is associated with impairment in their ability to perceive speech in the background of noise. MEG was recorded while boys with ASD and typically developing boys passively listened to sounds that differed in the presence/absence of f0periodicity and formant structure. Word-in-noise perception was assessed in the separate psychoacoustic experiment using stationary and amplitude modulated noise with varying signal-to-noise ratio.ResultsSPN was present in both groups with similarly early onset. In children with ASD, SPN associated with processing formant structure was reduced predominantly in the cortical areas lateral to and medial to the primary auditory cortex, starting at ∼ 150 - 200 ms after the stimulus onset. In the left hemisphere, this deficit correlated with impaired ability of children with ASD to recognize words in amplitude-modulated noise, but not in stationary noise.LimitationsOur analysis was limited to the auditory cortical areas, while ASD vs TD differences in vowel processing may exist beyond these areas. It is not clear if the SPN group differences are specific to vowels or are also present for other acoustic patterns with coherent frequency structure.ConclusionsThese results suggest that perceptual grouping of vowel formants into phonemes is impaired in children with ASD and that, in the left hemisphere, this deficit contributes to their difficulties with speech perception in fluctuating background noise.

Pultsina K.I., Stroganova T.A., Kozunova G.L., Prokofyev A.O., Miasnikova A.S., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

AbstractAdults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report stress when acting in a familiar probabilistic environment, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Their decision-making may be affected by the uncertainty aversion implicated in ASD, and associated with increased autonomic arousal. Previous studies have shown that in neurotypical (NT) people, decisions with predictably better outcomes are less stressful and elicit smaller pupil-linked arousal than those involving random “trial-and-error” searches or self-imposed risk of exploration. Here, in a sample of 46 high-functioning ASD and NT participants, we explored pupil-linked arousal and behavioral performance in a probabilistic reward learning task with a stable advantage of one choice option over the other. Using mixed-effects model analysis, we contrasted pupil dilation response (PDR) between a preferred frequently rewarded exploitative decision and its explorative alternatives. We observed that subjects with ASD learned the advantageous probabilistic choices at the same rate over time and preferred them to the same degree as NT participants both in terms of choice ratio and decision speed. Despite similar reward prediction abilities, outcome predictability modulated decision-related PDR in ASD in the opposite direction than in NT individuals. Moreover, relatively enhanced PDR elicited by exploitative low-risk decisions predicted a greater degree of self-reported intolerance of uncertainty in everyday life. Our results suggest that in a non-volatile probabilistic environment, objectively good predictive abilities in people with ASD are coupled with elevated physiological stress and subjective uncertainty regarding the decisions with the best possible but still uncertain outcome that contributes to their intolerance of uncertainty.

Goyaeva D.E., Obukhova T.S., Ovsyannikova T.M., Rytikova A.M., Pavlova A.A., Dzioeva C.G., Kokoev T.I., Nikolaeva A.Y.

<p>According to various sources, from 277 to 295 different languages are used in the Russian Federation, which makes it very important to assess the impact of bilingualism on speech perception, for example, in the context of school education. There is conflicting evidence about how bilingual children recognize individual phonemes. We compared the perception of phonemes of the Russian language by ear in children of early school age from a monolingual (Russian-speaking) and bilingual (Russian-speaking and Ossetian-speaking) environment using the speech test "Clinical assessment of the development of basic linguistic competencies" and psychophysical tasks for distinguishing words in noise. Bilingual children were found to be worse at repeating pseudowords and recognizing phonemes in stationary noise. The reasons for the difficulties may be related to the fact that children growing up in a bilingual environment have a much wider list of phonemes that need to be recognized than children growing up in a monolingual environment. This can lead to reduced speech recognition in the language of instruction and, consequently, a possible decrease in the quality of education.</p>

Razorenova A., Pavlova A., Nikolaeva A., Prokofyev A., Rytikova A., Chernyshev B., Stroganova T.

The recent release of brolucizumab and the development of new antiangiogenic molecules as abicipar pegol has increased the interest towards inflammatory complications after intravitreal drug injection. Those drugs are associated to a higher rate of inflammatory adverse events compared to classic drugs. In this context it is essential to differentiate between sterile and infectious cases for a fast and effective treatment.The clinical similarities between infectious and sterile cases, the high rate of culture negative patients and the heterogeneity in the terminology used are obstacles for a correct diagnosis and report of these complications.Sterile cases appear early after the injection, before 48 h; or 20 days after in brolucizumab-related vasculitis cases. Infectious cases show up around the third day after injection and up to a week after it. A severe visual impairment, severe pain, severe hyperemia, hypopyon and a more severe intraocular inflammatory process are signs of a likely infectious origin.If the cause of the inflammation is uncertain we must follow up the patient closely or “tap and inject” antimicrobial agents in order to prevent the eventual complications of an infectious endophthalmitis. On the other hand, sterile endophthalmitis might be observed in mild cases or treated with steroids according to the severity of the inflammation.El interés por las complicaciones inflamatorias tras la inyección intravítrea de fármacos antiangiogénicos ha aumentado tras la comercialización de brolucizumab y el desarrollo de nuevas moléculas como el abicipar pegol. Dichos fármacos se asocian a una tasa de complicaciones inflamatorias mayor a los antiangiogénicos clásicos. En este contexto resulta clave el diferenciar procesos infecciosos y estériles para realizar un tratamiento efectivo y precoz.El solapamiento del cuadro clínico entre procesos infecciosos y estériles, la baja tasa de positividad en los cultivos y la heterogeneidad en la terminología son barreras para el correcto diagnóstico y reporte de las complicaciones inflamatorias tras la inyección de medicación antiangiogénica intravítrea.Los cuadros estériles debutan de forma precoz tras la inyección, dentro de las primeras 48 horas; o alrededor de 20 días después en los casos de vasculitis asociada a brolucizumab. Los procesos infecciosos debutan como promedio en el tercer día tras la inyección y hasta una semana después de la misma. La disminución grave de la agudeza visual, dolor severo, hiperemia severa, hipopion y un mayor grado de inflamación intraocular deben orientar hacia procesos infecciosos.En los casos en que exista duda sobre la etiología de la inflamación, debe procederse a un control muy estrecho del paciente o al tratamiento antimicrobiano empírico junto con toma de muestra para evitar complicaciones derivadas de una endoftalmitis infecciosa. Por el contrario, los fenómenos estériles deben ser tratados con observación en los casos más leves o corticoterapia adaptada a la gravedad de inflamación en casos más graves.

Pultsina K., Tretyakova V., Miasnikova A., Prokofyev A., Kozunova G., Rytikova A., Stroganova T., Chernyshev B.

Bouldering is a special form of climbing without rope that requires coordinated whole-body movements. While physical performance parameters such as condition have been well studied, the knowledge on neural activity during climbing still remains sparse. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) allows to measure brain activation while performing sportive actions due to its relative robustness against motion artefacts. In the current study, hemodynamic response alterations of 13 advanced climbers were investigated during boulder performance using fNIRS measurements. Simple and moderate climbing routes were compared regarding their level of cortical activation mainly in the sensorimotor area. Our results show that repetitively climbing a set of boulders activates almost all areas of the sensorimotor system including the bilateral premotor and supplementary motor cortex, bilateral primary motor cortex as well as the bilateral gyrus supramarginalis and somatosensory cortex. This result was found in both simple and moderate climbing routes with no effect of task complexity on the level of cortical activity. Correlation analysis (uncorrected for multiple comparisons) revealed a negative association between the level of expertise and the hemodynamic response in the supplementary-motor region, suggesting that gaining expertise in climbing is associated with a decrease in secondary motor areas, which is an indicator of motor automaticity. In summary, the present study provides first proof of concept that fNIRS is capable of assessing hemodynamic response alterations within the human motor system during the execution of complex whole-body climbing movements.

Kozunova G.L., Sayfulina K.E., Prokofyev A.O., Medvedev V.A., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A., Chernyshev B.V.

Abstract This study examined whether pupil size and response time would distinguish directed exploration from random exploration and exploitation. Eighty-nine participants performed the two-choice probabilistic learning task while their pupil size and response time were continuously recorded. Using LMM analysis, we estimated differences in the pupil size and response time between the advantageous and disadvantageous choices as a function of learning success, i.e., whether or not a participant has learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes. We proposed that before a true value of each choice became known to a decision-maker, both advantageous and disadvantageous choices represented a random exploration of the two options with an equally uncertain outcome, whereas the same choices after learning manifested exploitation and direct exploration strategies, respectively. We found that disadvantageous choices were associated with increases both in response time and pupil size, but only after the participants had learned the choice-reward contingencies. For the pupil size, this effect was strongly amplified for those disadvantageous choices that immediately followed gains as compared to losses in the preceding choice. Pupil size modulations were evident during the behavioral choice rather than during the pretrial baseline. These findings suggest that occasional disadvantageous choices, which violate the acquired internal utility model, represent directed exploration. This exploratory strategy shifts choice priorities in favor of information seeking and its autonomic and behavioral concomitants are mainly driven by the conflict between the behavioral plan of the intended exploratory choice and its strong alternative, which has already proven to be more rewarding.

Kozunova G.L., Sayfulina K.E., Prokofyev A.O., Medvedev V.A., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A., Chernyshev B.V.

AbstractThis study examined whether pupil size and response time would distinguish directed exploration from random exploration and exploitation. Eighty-nine participants performed the two-choice probabilistic learning task while their pupil size and response time were continuously recorded. Using LMM analysis, we estimated differences in the pupil size and response time between the advantageous and disadvantageous choices as a function of learning success, i.e., whether or not a participant has learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes. We proposed that before a true value of each choice became known to a decision-maker, both advantageous and disadvantageous choices represented a random exploration of the two options with an equally uncertain outcome, whereas the same choices after learning manifested exploitation and direct exploration strategies, respectively. We found that disadvantageous choices were associated with increases both in response time and pupil size, but only after the participants had learned the choice-reward contingencies. For the pupil size, this effect was strongly amplified for those disadvantageous choices that immediately followed gains as compared to losses in the preceding choice. Pupil size modulations were evident during the behavioral choice rather than during the pretrial baseline. These findings suggest that occasional disadvantageous choices, which violate the acquired internal utility model, represent directed exploration. This exploratory strategy shifts choice priorities in favor of information seeking and its autonomic and behavioral concomitants are mainly driven by the conflict between the behavioral plan of the intended exploratory choice and its strong alternative, which has already proven to be more rewarding.

A.S. Miasnikova, V.D. Tretyakova, K.E. Sayfulina, G.L. Kozunova, A.M. Rytikova, B.V. Chernyshev

In probabilistic conditions, people choose low-payoff alternatives on some trials, thus failing to maximize their payoffs. We suggest that such behavior implicates exploration of task rules by choosing risky options instead of exploiting more rewarding alternatives. We hypothesized that exploration would affect brain responses to feedback. Further, a shift to exploration develops gradually and, therefore, a decision to make an exploratory choice may be observed on trials preceding risky choices. We investigated beta power (16–30 Hz) in the magnetoencephalographic data from 62 healthy participants performing a two-choice probabilistic gambling with monetary gains and losses. The effects were found at 600–800 ms after feedback onset in frontal, central and occipital brain regions. On trials preceding risky choices we identified a decrease in beta power which implies a change in decision-making strategy and a shift towards cognitive flexibility and exploration. An increase in beta power during risky decisions indicates that reward learning mechanisms are implicated. Increases in beta power following losses in risky choices indicates at the process of updating the internal representation of the task. In summary, current findings reveal that the outcomes of exploratory trials are processed differentially, while there is no evidence of such processing on exploitatory trials. This corroborates the hypothesis that exploratory choices represent active probing into the surmised task rules. Current findings also suggest that the processing of outcomes preceding the exploratory trials is altered in such a way that subjects override their intention to use the utility model and reset their behavioral strategy.

Razorenova A.M., Tyulenev N.B., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V., Skavronskaya V.V.

A stable relation between words and referent objects or events underlies human language. One of the most fundamental questions is how brain processes new words in order to form new lexical items. The answer to such questions will bring significant breakthrough in multiple fields, ranging from methods of language teaching and speech correction programs for children with late development to clinical rehabilitation of patients with speech impairments and neurophysiological functional tests of language network. This review presents the current state of Russian and foreign studies dedicated to new words learning in auditory modality. We tried to consider all varieties of techniques and paradigms in the field. Equal attention is paid both to studies of the phonological processing of a word (recognition of a phonetic pattern), and to works which consider the ways in which word acquire semantics. We discuss experiments carried out with an aid of such neuroimaging methods as fMRI, EEG / MEG, etc.

Sayfulina K.E., Kozunova G.L., Medvedev V.A., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

Decision-making under conditions of the lack of sufficient information is associated with hypotheses construction, verification and refinement. In a novel environment subjects encounter high uncertainty; thus their behavior needs to be variable and aimed at testing the range of multiple options available; such variability allows acquiring information about the environment and finding the most beneficial options. This type of behavior is referred to as exploration. As soon as the internal model of the environment has been formed, the other strategy known as exploitation becomes preferential; exploitation presupposes using profitable options that have already been discovered by the subject. In a changing or complex (probabilistic) environment, it is important to combine these two strategies: research strategies to detect changes in the environment and utilization strategies to benefit from the familiar options. The exploration-exploitation balance is a hot topic in psychology, neurobiology, and neuroeconomics. In this review, we discuss factors that influence exploration-exploitation balance and its neurophysiological basis, decision-making mechanisms under uncertainty, and switching between them. We address the roles of major brain areas involved in these processes such as locus coeruleus, anterior cingulate cortex, frontopolar cortex, and we describe functions of some important neurotransmitters involved in these processes – dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.

Medvedev V.A., Sayfulina K.E., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

Performance monitoring involves detection of action outcomes and initiation of appropriate behavioral adaptations. Psychophysiological mechanisms of performance monitoring remain largely understudied in the context of uncertainty that arises at the stage of stimulus identification and decision making, as well as in the context of inhibition/correction of the motor response. In the current study, we investigate relations between behavioral performance measures and several ERP components: N2, ERN/CRN and Pe. Participants performed a condensation task and made their responses by moving mouse cursor. Response registration using mouse tracking allowed us to obtain two independent behavioral measures: mouse movement initiation time and movement duration. Amplitude of N2 and CRN was dependent on movement initiation time: N2 was increased and CRN was decreased for ‘late’ correct responses compared with ‘early’ correct ones; this finding is compatible with the explanation that ‘late’ responses involve higher pre-response conflict and higher uncertainty compared with ‘early’ ones. Movement duration time was a novel independent behavioral parameter, that cannot be measured using traditional keystrokes. This behavioral measure was related to the early Pe: its amplitude was more positive for ‘long’ responses compared with ‘short’ ones. This finding may be explained by mechanisms of an ongoing response inhibition. We suggest that this effect is linked to response stopping, which may be related to outcome awareness.

Pultsina K.I., Kozunova G.L., Chernyshev B.V., Prokofyev A.O., Tretyakova V.D., Novikov A.Y., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A.

AbstractThe ability to adjust brain resources to manage expected uncertainty is hypothesized to be impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though the evidence remains limited. To investigate this, we studied 23 neurotypical (NT) and 23 high-functioning adults with ASD performing a probabilistic two-alternative value-based task while undergoing magnetoencephalography (MEG) and pupillometry. The task comprised five sequential blocks with stable reward probabilities (70%:30%), but varying stimulus pairs and reward values, enabling the assessment of behavioral and neural adaptation to expected uncertainty. We analyzed the hit rate of advantageous choices, response times, and computational measures of prior belief strength and precision. To examine cortical activation during decision-making, we used magnetoencephalographic (MEG) source reconstruction to quantify α-β oscillation suppression in decision-relevant cortical regions within the pre-decision time window. Linear mixed models were applied to assess trial-by-trial effects.Behaviorally, ASD participants exhibited lower overall belief precision but intact probabilistic rule generalization, showing gradual performance improvement and strengthening of prior beliefs across blocks. However, unlike NT individuals, they did not show a progressive downscaling of neural activation during decision-making or a reduction in neural response to feedback signals as performance improved. Furthermore, on a trial-by-trial basis, increased belief precision in ASD was not associated with reduced cortical activation, a pattern observed in NT individuals.These findings suggest an atypically rigid and enhanced allocation of neural resources to advantageous decisions that individuals with ASD rationally judge as optimal. This pattern may reflect an aversive response to the irreducible uncertainty inherent in probabilistic decision-making.

Joshi S.

This chapter is organized as follows: I will begin by describing the basic mechanism for control of pupil size—namely the iris musculature and its innervation (section The iris and the pupil: Structure and innervation). This will be followed by an examination of spinal and brainstem circuits that drive the pupillary light response (section Luminance driven changes in pupil size). These autonomic circuits receive descending inputs that drive non-luminance mediated changes in pupil size. These non-luminance mediated effects and their clinical implications will form the second part of this chapter (sections Non-luminance mediated influences on the pupil and Clinical implications).

Pultsina K.I., Stroganova T.A., Kozunova G.L., Prokofyev A.O., Miasnikova A.S., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stress when operating in a probabilistic environment, even if it is familiar, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Their decision-making may be affected by the uncertainty aversion implicated in ASD and associated with increased autonomic arousal. Previous studies have shown that in neurotypical (NT) people, decisions with predictably better outcomes are less stressful and elicit smaller pupil-linked arousal than those involving exploration. Here, in a sample of 46 high-functioning ASD and NT participants, using mixed-effects model analysis, we explored pupil-linked arousal and behavioral performance in a probabilistic reward learning task with a stable advantage of one choice option over the other. We found that subjects with ASD learned and preferred advantageous probabilistic choices at the same rate and to the same extent as NT participants, both in terms of choice ratio and response time. Although both groups exhibited similar predictive behaviors, learning to favor advantageous choices led to increased pupillary arousal for these choices in the ASD group, while it caused a decrease in pupillary arousal in the NT group. Moreover, greater pupil-linked arousal during decisions with higher expected value correlated with greater degree of self-reported intolerance of uncertainty in everyday life. Our results suggest that in a nonvolatile probabilistic environment, objectively good predictive abilities in people with ASD are coupled with elevated physiological stress and subjective uncertainty regarding the decisions with the best possible but still uncertain outcome that contributes to their intolerance of uncertainty.

Sivakumar L., Dixon L.

Chernyshev B.V., Ushakov V.L., Poznyak L.A.

Configural learning is a form of associative learning in which the conditioned stimulus is a holistic set of stimulus elements rather than individual stimuli or their isolated properties. Successfully solving the task of such associative learning requires a holistic analysis of the entire configuration as a whole. The ability to analyze not only individual physical aspects of a stimulus or single objects in a visual scene, but also their holistic combinations, offers significant evolutionary advantages, as configurations often have substantially greater predictive power compared to individual stimulus elements or features. Moreover, the ability to holistically analyze combinations of stimulus field elements or features can be considered an initial, primitive manifestation of consciousness. In the present review, we consider the history of the development of the concept of configural learning, the main methodological avenues of investigation, and currently available neurophysiological data on the putative neural basis of this phenomenon. We find it most interesting to study the processes of configural learning in humans using modern neuroimaging methods, as they provide a glimpse into the holistic brain functioning. Finally, we consider the future tasks aimed to provide a more complete understanding of the neurophysiology of the configural learning phenomenon.

Pultsina K.I., Stroganova T.A., Kozunova G.L., Prokofyev A.O., Miasnikova A.S., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

AbstractAdults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report stress when acting in a familiar probabilistic environment, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Their decision-making may be affected by the uncertainty aversion implicated in ASD, and associated with increased autonomic arousal. Previous studies have shown that in neurotypical (NT) people, decisions with predictably better outcomes are less stressful and elicit smaller pupil-linked arousal than those involving random “trial-and-error” searches or self-imposed risk of exploration. Here, in a sample of 46 high-functioning ASD and NT participants, we explored pupil-linked arousal and behavioral performance in a probabilistic reward learning task with a stable advantage of one choice option over the other. Using mixed-effects model analysis, we contrasted pupil dilation response (PDR) between a preferred frequently rewarded exploitative decision and its explorative alternatives. We observed that subjects with ASD learned the advantageous probabilistic choices at the same rate over time and preferred them to the same degree as NT participants both in terms of choice ratio and decision speed. Despite similar reward prediction abilities, outcome predictability modulated decision-related PDR in ASD in the opposite direction than in NT individuals. Moreover, relatively enhanced PDR elicited by exploitative low-risk decisions predicted a greater degree of self-reported intolerance of uncertainty in everyday life. Our results suggest that in a non-volatile probabilistic environment, objectively good predictive abilities in people with ASD are coupled with elevated physiological stress and subjective uncertainty regarding the decisions with the best possible but still uncertain outcome that contributes to their intolerance of uncertainty.

Chernyshev B.V., Pavlova A.A., Rytikova A.M., Butorina A.V., Stroganova T.A.

It is believed that memorization of the meaning of new words occurs due to associative learning. For example, it may be matching of a word to the corresponding motor act. Synaptic plasticity in the brain develops on condition that activity of cell ensembles representing the associated events coincides in time – however, in reality, during the development of such associations, a significant time gap between the associated events is likely, which compromises necessary conditions for synaptic plasticity. We hypothesized that conditions for the development of synaptic plasticity may be created by way of prolongation in the activity of neuronal representations, thus providing for the required overlap in time at the level of neuronal ensembles. To test this assumption, we recorded magnetoencephalogram in volunteers during acquisition of associations between pseudowords and movements by four limbs. The results of the study show that there indeed occurs a significant prolongation of stimulus-induced auditory speech activation during the development of new associations. Thus, during the development of the association in the brain, the necessary conditions for Hebbian plasticity can be created – even if the events being associated are separated in time.

Purcell Z.A., Roberts A.J., Handley S.J., Howarth S.

AbstractA controversial claim in recent dual process accounts of reasoning is that intuitive processes not only lead to bias but are also sensitive to the logical status of an argument. The intuitive logic hypothesis draws upon evidence that reasoners take longer and are less confident on belief–logic conflict problems, irrespective of whether they give the correct logical response. In this paper, we examine conflict detection under conditions in which participants are asked to either judge the logical validity or believability of a presented conclusion, accompanied by measures of eye movement and pupil dilation. The findings show an effect of conflict, under both types of instruction, on accuracy, latency, gaze shifts, and pupil dilation. Importantly, these effects extend to conflict trials in which participants give a belief‐based response (incorrectly under logic instructions or correctly under belief instructions) demonstrating both behavioral and physiological evidence in support of the logical intuition hypothesis.

Zeer E.F., Rezer T.M., Symaniuk N.V.

Introduction. In modern social and educational conditions, the process of uncertainty in pedagogical practice occurs at a rapid pace, due to the globalisation and digitalisation of education, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there are teachers’ transformations and new functions, which cannot affect their pedagogical capabilities; therefore, the article presents a problem on this issue.Aim. The aim of this problematic article is to consider from different points of view the phenomenon of uncertainty in pedagogical activity and the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in the conditions of uncertainty caused by the digitalisation of education.Methodology and research methods. The work was based on the methodology of interdisciplinary analysis of theoretical sources, foreign and Russian pedagogical experience in the field of uncertainties; the method of questioning and interviewing teachers of higher education was used to identify attitudes to professional activity in conditions of uncertainty.Results and scientific novelty. In the course of the study, it was found that at the present stage of education development, the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty is not investigated either in Russian pedagogical practice or abroad due to the undeveloped theoretical provisions in this area of pedagogical activity. The problem is posed in the field of transformation of the capabilities and functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty from the perspective of different sciences. The scientific novelty of the research is the following developed provisions: 1) a new interpretation of the concept of “professional functions of a teacher” is proposed, including professional competence and professional activity of a teacher in a digital educational environment within his/her subject area at the university; 2) a pedagogical model of transformation of teacher functions in a digital educational environment is developed, including the functions of teaching, upbringing, methodological function, as well as the function of digital didactics and the digital competence function of the teacher; 3) the uncertainty factors and their content that influence the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers are identified: technological management of pedagogical activity; pedagogical practice without emotional contact between the subjects of the educational process; self-realisation in a virtual environment; the need for design thinking; personal growth of a teacher in a digital educational environment; transformation of the functions of managing their own pedagogical practice; 4) a classification of uncertainties encountered in the professional activities of higher school teachers has been developed based on two characteristics – belonging to professional educational activities and digital support of pedagogical practice.Practical significance. The proposed classification and uncertainty factors influencing the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers can be used in pedagogical practice to determine internal and external influences on teachers in the digital educational environment.

Chernyshev B.V., Pultsina K.I., Tretyakova V.D., Miasnikova A.S., Prokofyev A.O., Kozunova G.L., Stroganova T.A.

We examined the neural signature of directed exploration by contrasting MEG beta (16–30 Hz) power changes between disadvantageous and advantageous choices in the two-choice probabilistic reward task. We analyzed the choices made after the participants have learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes, i.e., acquired the inner model of choice values. Therefore, rare disadvantageous choices might serve explorative, environment-probing purposes. The study brought two main findings. Firstly, decision making leading to disadvantageous choices took more time and evidenced greater large-scale suppression of beta oscillations than its advantageous alternative. Additional neural resources recruited during disadvantageous decisions strongly suggest their deliberately explorative nature. Secondly, an outcome of disadvantageous and advantageous choices had qualitatively different impact on feedback-related beta oscillations. After the disadvantageous choices, only losses—but not gains—were followed by late beta synchronization in frontal cortex. Our results are consistent with the role of frontal beta oscillations in the stabilization of neural representations for selected behavioral rule when explorative strategy conflicts with value-based behavior. Punishment for explorative choice being congruent with its low value in the reward history is more likely to strengthen, through punishment-related beta oscillations, the representation of exploitative choices consistent with the inner utility model.

Antono J.E., Vakhrushev R., Pooresmaeili A.

Perception is modulated by reward value, an effect elicited not only by stimuli that are predictive of performance-contingent delivery of reward (PC) but also by stimuli that were previously rewarded (PR). PC and PR cues may engage different mechanisms relying on goal-driven versus stimulus-driven prioritization of high value stimuli, respectively. However, these two modes of reward modulation have not been systematically compared against each other. This study employed a behavioral paradigm where participants’ visual orientation discrimination was tested in the presence of task-irrelevant visual or auditory reward cues. In the first phase (PC), correct performance led to a high or low monetary reward dependent on the identity of visual or auditory cues. In the subsequent phase (PR), visual or auditory cues were not followed by reward delivery anymore. We hypothesized that PC cues have a stronger modulatory effect on visual discrimination and pupil responses compared to PR cues. We found an overall larger task-evoked pupil dilation in PC compared to PR phase. Whereas PC and PR cues both increased the accuracy of visual discrimination, value-driven acceleration of reaction times (RTs) and pupillary responses only occurred for PC cues. The modulation of pupil size by high reward PC cues was strongly correlated with the modulation of a combined measure of speed and accuracy. These results indicate that although value-driven modulation of perception can occur even when reward delivery is halted, stronger goal-driven control elicited by PC reward cues additionally results in a more efficient balance between accuracy and speed of perceptual choices.

Chernyshev B.V., Pultsina K.I., Tretyakova V.D., Miasnikova A.S., Prokofyev A.O., Kozunova G.L., Stroganova T.A.

AbstractWe examined the neural signature of directed exploration by contrasting MEG beta (16-30 Hz) power changes between disadvantageous and advantageous choices in the two-choice probabilistic reward task. We analyzed the choices made after the participants have learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes, i.e., acquired the inner model of choice values. Therefore, rare disadvantageous choices might serve explorative, environment-probing purposes. The study brought two main findings. Firstly, decision making leading to disadvantageous choices took more time and evidenced greater large-scale suppression of beta oscillations than its advantageous alternative. Additional neural resources recruited during disadvantageous decisions strongly suggest their deliberately explorative nature. Secondly, an outcome of disadvantageous and advantageous choices had qualitatively different impact on feedback-related beta oscillations. After the disadvantageous choices, only losses – but not gains – were followed by late beta synchronization in frontal cortex. Our results are consistent with the role of frontal beta oscillations in the stabilization of neural representations for selected behavioral rule when explorative strategy conflicts with value-based behavior. Punishment for explorative choice being congruent with its low value in the reward history is more likely to strengthen, through punishment-related beta oscillations, the representation of exploitative choices consistent with the inner utility model.

Kozunova G.L., Sayfulina K.E., Prokofyev A.O., Medvedev V.A., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A., Chernyshev B.V.

Abstract This study examined whether pupil size and response time would distinguish directed exploration from random exploration and exploitation. Eighty-nine participants performed the two-choice probabilistic learning task while their pupil size and response time were continuously recorded. Using LMM analysis, we estimated differences in the pupil size and response time between the advantageous and disadvantageous choices as a function of learning success, i.e., whether or not a participant has learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes. We proposed that before a true value of each choice became known to a decision-maker, both advantageous and disadvantageous choices represented a random exploration of the two options with an equally uncertain outcome, whereas the same choices after learning manifested exploitation and direct exploration strategies, respectively. We found that disadvantageous choices were associated with increases both in response time and pupil size, but only after the participants had learned the choice-reward contingencies. For the pupil size, this effect was strongly amplified for those disadvantageous choices that immediately followed gains as compared to losses in the preceding choice. Pupil size modulations were evident during the behavioral choice rather than during the pretrial baseline. These findings suggest that occasional disadvantageous choices, which violate the acquired internal utility model, represent directed exploration. This exploratory strategy shifts choice priorities in favor of information seeking and its autonomic and behavioral concomitants are mainly driven by the conflict between the behavioral plan of the intended exploratory choice and its strong alternative, which has already proven to be more rewarding.

Tremyasov V.A., Grigorieva O.A., Kenden K.V.

The paper aims to develop a site selection procedure for solar-diesel hybrid systems using a multi-criteria performance analysis of site options. The site selection process using this multi-criteria approach was carried out on the example of Kungurtug rural settlement (Tyva Republic). The area surrounding this settlement was analyzed, revealing four possible sites for a solar-diesel system. For evaluating the performance of these site options, the following criteria were adopted: ease of installation and maintenance of the solar-diesel hybrid system; surface topography and soil quality; convenience of the photovoltaic cell layout; environmental impact of the solar-diesel hybrid system; opportunities for further expansion of the system; orientation potential of the photovoltaic cell. In order to assess the significance of the concordance coefficient, the distribution quantile was determined, amounting to 16.2. For 5 degrees of freedom and a significance level of 0.05, the table value of the concordance coefficient amounted to 16.2. Since the distribution quantile is greater than the table value, the concordance coefficient can be considered significant (95% confidence level), indicating agreement between expert opinions. Experts ranked the site options to obtain relative performance estimates for the criteria; numeric indicators were converted into the relative estimates using linear transformation formulas. The multi-criteria performance estimates of the possible options were calculated for arithmetic mean and harmonic convolutions. After comparing the site options for the solar-diesel system, the second variant characterized by the highest criterion scores was selected for Kungurtug settlement. As a result, a site selection procedure for the elements of solar-diesel hybrid systems was developed using the theory of multi-criteria optimization and the method of expert evaluations, allowing a set of technical, economic, climatic, and environmental criteria to be taken into account.

Kozunova G.L., Sayfulina K.E., Prokofyev A.O., Medvedev V.A., Rytikova A.M., Stroganova T.A., Chernyshev B.V.

AbstractThis study examined whether pupil size and response time would distinguish directed exploration from random exploration and exploitation. Eighty-nine participants performed the two-choice probabilistic learning task while their pupil size and response time were continuously recorded. Using LMM analysis, we estimated differences in the pupil size and response time between the advantageous and disadvantageous choices as a function of learning success, i.e., whether or not a participant has learned the probabilistic contingency between choices and their outcomes. We proposed that before a true value of each choice became known to a decision-maker, both advantageous and disadvantageous choices represented a random exploration of the two options with an equally uncertain outcome, whereas the same choices after learning manifested exploitation and direct exploration strategies, respectively. We found that disadvantageous choices were associated with increases both in response time and pupil size, but only after the participants had learned the choice-reward contingencies. For the pupil size, this effect was strongly amplified for those disadvantageous choices that immediately followed gains as compared to losses in the preceding choice. Pupil size modulations were evident during the behavioral choice rather than during the pretrial baseline. These findings suggest that occasional disadvantageous choices, which violate the acquired internal utility model, represent directed exploration. This exploratory strategy shifts choice priorities in favor of information seeking and its autonomic and behavioral concomitants are mainly driven by the conflict between the behavioral plan of the intended exploratory choice and its strong alternative, which has already proven to be more rewarding.

Raul P., Rowe E., van Boxtel J.J.

Pultsina K.I., Stroganova T.A., Kozunova G.L., Prokofyev A.O., Miasnikova A.S., Rytikova A.M., Chernyshev B.V.

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stress when operating in a probabilistic environment, even if it is familiar, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Their decision-making may be affected by the uncertainty aversion implicated in ASD and associated with increased autonomic arousal. Previous studies have shown that in neurotypical (NT) people, decisions with predictably better outcomes are less stressful and elicit smaller pupil-linked arousal than those involving exploration. Here, in a sample of 46 high-functioning ASD and NT participants, using mixed-effects model analysis, we explored pupil-linked arousal and behavioral performance in a probabilistic reward learning task with a stable advantage of one choice option over the other. We found that subjects with ASD learned and preferred advantageous probabilistic choices at the same rate and to the same extent as NT participants, both in terms of choice ratio and response time. Although both groups exhibited similar predictive behaviors, learning to favor advantageous choices led to increased pupillary arousal for these choices in the ASD group, while it caused a decrease in pupillary arousal in the NT group. Moreover, greater pupil-linked arousal during decisions with higher expected value correlated with greater degree of self-reported intolerance of uncertainty in everyday life. Our results suggest that in a nonvolatile probabilistic environment, objectively good predictive abilities in people with ASD are coupled with elevated physiological stress and subjective uncertainty regarding the decisions with the best possible but still uncertain outcome that contributes to their intolerance of uncertainty.

Yoshimura Y., Mitani Y., Ikeda T., Tanaka S., Suda M., Yaoi K., Hasegawa C., An K., Iwasaki S., Kumazaki H., Saito D.N., Ohta H., Ando A., Cho K., Kikuchi M., et. al.

Abstract Background Children born with very low birth weight (VLBW) are at higher risk for cognitive impairment, including language deficits and sensorimotor difficulties. Voice-evoked response (P1m), which has been suggested as a language development biomarker in young children, remains unexplored for its efficacy in VLBW children. Furthermore, the relation between P1m and sensory difficulties in VLBW children remains unclear. Methods 40 children with VLBW were recruited at 5-to-6 years old (26 male, 14 female, mean age of months ± SD, 80.0 ± 4.9). We measured their voice-evoked brain response using child-customized magnetoencephalography (MEG) and examined the relation between P1m and language conceptual inference ability and sensory characteristics. Results The final sample comprised 36 children (23 boys, 13 girls; ages 61–86 months; gestational ages 24–36 weeks). As a result of multiple regression analysis, voice-evoked P1m in the left hemisphere was correlated significantly with language ability (β = 0.414 P = 0.015) and sensory hypersensitivity (β = 0.471 P = 0.005). Conclusion Our findings indicate that the relation between P1m and language conceptual inference ability observed in term children in earlier studies is replicated in VLBW children, and suggests P1m intensity as a biomarker of sensory sensitivity characteristics. Impact We investigated brain functions related to language development and sensory problems in very low birth-weight children. In very low birth weight children at early school age, brain responses to human voices are associated with language conceptual inference ability and sensory hypersensitivity. These findings promote a physiological understanding of both language development and sensory characteristics in very low birth weight children.

Brima T., Beker S., Prinsloo K.D., Butler J.S., Djukic A., Freedman E.G., Molholm S., Foxe J.J.

Abstract Background In the search for objective tools to quantify neural function in Rett Syndrome (RTT), which are crucial in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials, recordings of sensory-perceptual functioning using event-related potential (ERP) approaches have emerged as potentially powerful tools. Considerable work points to highly anomalous auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) in RTT. However, an assumption of the typical signal-averaging method used to derive these measures is “stationarity” of the underlying responses – i.e. neural responses to each input are highly stereotyped. An alternate possibility is that responses to repeated stimuli are highly variable in RTT. If so, this will significantly impact the validity of assumptions about underlying neural dysfunction, and likely lead to overestimation of underlying neuropathology. To assess this possibility, analyses at the single-trial level assessing signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), inter-trial variability (ITV) and inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) are necessary. Methods AEPs were recorded to simple 100 Hz tones from 18 RTT and 27 age-matched controls (Ages: 6–22 years). We applied standard AEP averaging, as well as measures of neuronal reliability at the single-trial level (i.e. SNR, ITV, ITPC). To separate signal-carrying components from non-neural noise sources, we also applied a denoising source separation (DSS) algorithm and then repeated the reliability measures. Results Substantially increased ITV, lower SNRs, and reduced ITPC were observed in auditory responses of RTT participants, supporting a “neural unreliability” account. Application of the DSS technique made it clear that non-neural noise sources contribute to overestimation of the extent of processing deficits in RTT. Post-DSS, ITV measures were substantially reduced, so much so that pre-DSS ITV differences between RTT and TD populations were no longer detected. In the case of SNR and ITPC, DSS substantially improved these estimates in the RTT population, but robust differences between RTT and TD were still fully evident. Conclusions To accurately represent the degree of neural dysfunction in RTT using the ERP technique, a consideration of response reliability at the single-trial level is highly advised. Non-neural sources of noise lead to overestimation of the degree of pathological processing in RTT, and denoising source separation techniques during signal processing substantially ameliorate this issue.

Sano M., Hirosawa T., Yoshimura Y., Hasegawa C., An K., Tanaka S., Yaoi K., Naitou N., Kikuchi M.

In previous magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to respond differently to speech stimuli than typically developing (TD) children. Quantitative evaluation of this difference in responsiveness may support early diagnosis and intervention for ASD. The objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between syllable-induced P1m and social impairment in children with ASD and TD children. We analyzed 49 children with ASD aged 40–92 months and age-matched 26 TD children. We evaluated their social impairment by means of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and their intelligence ability using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). Multiple regression analysis with SRS score as the dependent variable and syllable-induced P1m latency or intensity and intelligence ability as explanatory variables revealed that SRS score was associated with syllable-induced P1m latency in the left hemisphere only in the TD group and not in the ASD group. A second finding was that increased leftward-lateralization of intensity was correlated with higher SRS scores only in the ASD group. These results provide valuable insights but also highlight the intricate nature of neural mechanisms and their relationship with autistic traits.

Nourski K.V., Steinschneider M., Rhone A.E., Dappen E.R., Kawasaki H., III M.A.

Auditory semantic novelty - a new meaningful sound in the context of a predictable acoustical environment - can probe neural circuits involved in language processing. Aberrant novelty detection is a feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders. This large-scale human intracranial electrophysiology study examined the spatial distribution of gamma and alpha power and auditory evoked potentials (AEP) associated with responses to unexpected words during performance of semantic categorization tasks. Participants were neurosurgical patients undergoing monitoring for medically intractable epilepsy. Each task included repeatedly presented monosyllabic words from different talkers ("common") and ten words presented only once ("novel"). Targets were words belonging to a specific semantic category. Novelty effects were defined as differences between neural responses to novel and common words. Novelty increased task difficulty and was associated with augmented gamma, suppressed alpha power, and AEP differences broadly distributed across the cortex. Gamma novelty effect had the highest prevalence in planum temporale, posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG) and pars triangularis of the inferior frontal gyrus; alpha in anterolateral Heschl's gyrus (HG), anterior STG and middle anterior cingulate cortex; AEP in posteromedial HG, lower bank of the superior temporal sulcus, and planum polare. Gamma novelty effect had a higher prevalence in dorsal than ventral auditory-related areas. Novelty effects were more pronounced in the left hemisphere. Better novel target detection was associated with reduced gamma novelty effect within auditory cortex and enhanced gamma effect within prefrontal and sensorimotor cortex. Alpha and AEP novelty effects were generally more prevalent in better performing participants. Multiple areas, including auditory cortex on the superior temporal plane, featured AEP novelty effect within the time frame of P3a and N400 scalp-recorded novelty-related potentials. This work provides a detailed account of auditory novelty in a paradigm that directly examined brain regions associated with semantic processing. Future studies may aid in the development of objective measures to assess the integrity of semantic novelty processing in clinical populations.

Hu M., Bianco R., Hidalgo A.R., Chait M.

Human listeners possess an innate capacity to discern patterns within rapidly unfolding sensory input. Core questions, guiding ongoing research, focus on the mechanisms through which these representations are acquired and whether the brain prioritizes or suppresses predictable sensory signals.Previous work, using fast auditory sequences (tone-pips presented at a rate of 20Hz), revealed sustained response effects that appear to track the dynamic predictability of the sequence. Here we extend the investigation to slower sequences (4Hz), permitting the isolation of responses to individual tones. Stimuli were 50ms tone-pips, ordered into random (RND) and regular (REG; a repeating pattern of 10 frequencies) sequences; Two timing profiles were created: in ‘fast’ sequences tone-pips were presented in direct succession (20 Hz); in ‘slow’ sequences tone-pips were separated by a 200ms silent gap (4 Hz).Naive participants (N=22; both sexes) passively listened to these sequences, while brain responses were recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results unveiled a heightened magnitude of sustained brain responses in REG when compared to RND patterns. This manifested from three tones after the onset of the pattern repetition, even in the context of slower sequences characterized by extended pattern durations (2500ms). This observation underscores the remarkable implicit sensitivity of the auditory brain to acoustic regularities. Importantly, brain responses evoked by single tones exhibited the opposite pattern - stronger responses to tones in RND compared to REG sequences. The demonstration of simultaneous but opposing sustained and evoked response effects reveals concurrent processes that shape the representation of unfolding auditory patterns.Significance StatementHumans excel at detecting predictable patterns within sound sequences, a process crucial for listening, language processing, and music appreciation. However, questions persist about the underlying neural mechanisms and the specific information monitored by the brain.Our study addresses these questions by analysing magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals from participants exposed to predictable and unpredictable tone-pip patterns. We found that the MEG signal simultaneously captures two crucial aspects of predictability tracking.Firstly, sustained MEG activity, tracking the sequence's evolution, dynamically assesses pattern predictability, shedding light on how the brain evaluates reliability. Secondly, phasic MEG activity, reflecting responses to individual events, shows reduced activity to predictable tones, aligning with the idea that the brain anticipates and efficiently encodes upcoming events in predictable contexts.

Kautto A., Railo H., Mainela-Arnold E.

Abstract Auditory processing and procedural learning deficits have been associated with language learning difficulties. We investigated the relationship of these skills and school-age language abilities in children with and without a history of late talking using auditory event related potentials (ERPs). Late talking (i.e., slow early language development) increases the risk of persistent language difficulties, but its causes remain unknown. Participants in this study were children with varying language abilities (n = 60). Half of the participants (n = 30) had a history of late talking. We measured procedural learning by manipulating the predictability of sine tone stimuli in a passive auditory ERP paradigm. Auditory processing was tested by examining how the presence of noise (increasing perceptual demands) affected the ERPs. Contrary to our hypotheses on auditory processing and language development, the effect of noise on ERPs did not correlate with school-age language abilities in children with or without a history of late talking. Our paradigm failed to reveal interpretable effects of predictability leaving us unable to assess the effects of procedural learning. However, better language abilities were related to weaker responses in a 75–175 ms time window, and stronger responses in a 150–250 ms time window. We suggest that the weak early responses in children with better language ability reflect efficient processing of low-level auditory information, allowing deeper processing of later, high-level auditory information. We assume that these differences reflect variation in brain maturation between individuals with varying language abilities.

Fadeev K.A., Orekhova E.V.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD) are impairments in the ability to recognize sounds, localize their sources, and/or determine their identity and meaning due to functional impairments of the central auditory system. CAPD is observed in individuals with normal hearing levels and is not the result of high-level speech or cognitive impairment. This disorder is not well known to Russian specialists in the field of correctional psychology, while according to foreign sources it is observed in 2&mdash;7% of schoolchildren and is often combined with other developmental disorders (dyslexia, speech developmental disorders, ASD, ADHD). Here we provide a brief review of CAPD: its causes, symptoms, and approaches to diagnosis. In particular, we draw the readers' attention to the insufficient development of tools and practices for diagnosing and treating CAPD in Russia. Next, we review current approaches to the correction of CAPD, with special emphasis on assistive technologies that improve the signal-to-noise ratio (FM systems). Evidence in the literature indicates that in addition to the immediate effect (improved speech understanding), prolonged use of FM systems has a positive long-term effect based on mechanisms of neural plasticity.</p>

Orekhova E.V., Fadeev K.A., Goiaeva D.E., Obukhova T.S., Ovsiannikova T.M., Prokofyev A.O., Stroganova T.A.

The spectral formant structure and periodicity pitch are the major features that determine the identity of vowels and the characteristics of the speaker. However, very little is known about how the processing of these features in the auditory cortex changes during development. To address this question, we independently manipulated the periodicity and formant structure of vowels while measuring auditory cortex responses using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in children aged 7-12 years and adults. We analyzed the sustained negative shift of source current associated with these vowel properties, which was present in the auditory cortex in both age groups despite differences in the transient components of the auditory response. In adults, the sustained activation associated with formant structure was lateralized to the left hemisphere early in the auditory processing stream requiring neither attention nor semantic mapping. This lateralization was not yet established in children, in whom the right hemisphere contribution to formant processing was strong and decreased during or after puberty. In contrast to the formant structure, periodicity was associated with a greater response in the right hemisphere in both children and adults. These findings suggest that left-lateralization for the automatic processing of vowel formant structure emerges relatively late in ontogenesis and pose a serious challenge to current theories of hemispheric specialization for speech processing.

Das D., Shaw M.E., Hämäläinen M.S., Dykstra A.R., Doll L., Gutschalk A.

The P3 is an event-related response observed in relation to task-relevant sensory events. Despite its ubiquitous presence, the neural generators of the P3 are controversial and not well identified. We compared source analysis of combined magneto- and electroencephalography (M/EEG) data with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simulation studies to better understand the sources of the P3 in an auditory oddball paradigm. Our results suggest that the dominant source of the classical, postero-central P3 lies in the retro-splenial cortex of the ventral cingulate gyrus. A second P3 source in the anterior insular cortex contributes little to the postero-central maximum. Multiple other sources in the auditory, somatosensory, and anterior midcingulate cortex are active in an overlapping time window but can be functionally dissociated based on their activation time courses. The retro-splenial cortex is a dominant source of the parietal P3 maximum in EEG. These results provide a new perspective for the interpretation of the extensive research based on the P3 response.

Ruiz Callejo D., Boets B.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit atypical speech-in-noise (SiN) perception, but the scope of these impairments has not been clearly defined. We conducted a systematic review of the behavioural research on SiN perception in ASD, using a comprehensive search strategy across databases (Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science, APA PsycArticles, LLBA, clinicaltrials.gov and PsyArXiv). We withheld 20 studies that generally revealed intact speech perception in stationary noise, while impairments in speech discrimination were found in temporally modulated noise, concurrent speech, and audiovisual speech perception. An association with auditory temporal processing deficits, exacerbated by suboptimal language skills, is shown. Speech-in-speech perception might be further impaired due to deficient top-down processing of speech. Further research is needed to address remaining challenges and gaps in our understanding of these impairments, including the developmental aspects of SiN processing in ASD, and the impact of gender and social attentional orienting on this ability. Our findings have important implications for improving communication in ASD, both in daily interactions and in clinical and educational settings.

Diveica V., Riedel M.C., Salo T., Laird A.R., Jackson R.L., Binney R.J.

Abstract The left inferior frontal gyrus has been ascribed key roles in numerous cognitive domains, such as language and executive function. However, its functional organization is unclear. Possibilities include a singular domain-general function, or multiple functions that can be mapped onto distinct subregions. Furthermore, spatial transition in function may be either abrupt or graded. The present study explored the topographical organization of the left inferior frontal gyrus using a bimodal data-driven approach. We extracted functional connectivity gradients from (i) resting-state fMRI time-series and (ii) coactivation patterns derived meta-analytically from heterogenous sets of task data. We then sought to characterize the functional connectivity differences underpinning these gradients with seed-based resting-state functional connectivity, meta-analytic coactivation modeling and functional decoding analyses. Both analytic approaches converged on graded functional connectivity changes along 2 main organizational axes. An anterior–posterior gradient shifted from being preferentially associated with high-level control networks (anterior functional connectivity) to being more tightly coupled with perceptually driven networks (posterior). A second dorsal–ventral axis was characterized by higher connectivity with domain-general control networks on one hand (dorsal functional connectivity), and with the semantic network, on the other (ventral). These results provide novel insights into an overarching graded functional organization of the functional connectivity that explains its role in multiple cognitive domains.

Xu S., Fan J., Zhang H., Zhang M., Zhao H., Jiang X., Ding H., Zhang Y.

Purpose: Hearing assistive technology (HAT) has been shown to be a viable solution to the speech-in-noise perception (SPIN) issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, little is known about its efficacy in tonal language speakers. This study compared sentence-level SPIN performance between Chinese children with ASD and neurotypical (NT) children and evaluated HAT use in improving SPIN performance and easing SPIN difficulty. Method: Children with ASD ( n = 26) and NT children ( n = 19) aged 6–12 years performed two adaptive tests in steady-state noise and three fixed-level tests in quiet and steady-state noise with and without using HAT. Speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) and accuracy rates were assessed using adaptive and fixed-level tests, respectively. Parents or teachers of the ASD group completed a questionnaire regarding children's listening difficulty under six circumstances before and after a 10-day trial period of HAT use. Results: Although the two groups of children had comparable SRTs, the ASD group showed a significantly lower SPIN accuracy rate than the NT group. Also, a significant impact of noise was found in the ASD group's accuracy rate but not in that of the NT group. There was a general improvement in the ASD group's SPIN performance with HAT and a decrease in their listening difficulty ratings across all conditions after the device trial. Conclusions: The findings indicated inadequate SPIN in the ASD group using a relatively sensitive measure to gauge SPIN performance among children. The markedly increased accuracy rate in noise during HAT-on sessions for the ASD group confirmed the feasibility of HAT for improving SPIN performance in controlled laboratory settings, and the reduced post-use ratings of listening difficulty further confirmed the benefits of HAT use in daily scenarios.

Clairis N., Lopez-Persem A.

Abstract The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dmPFC/dACC) is a brain area subject to many theories and debates over its function(s). Even its precise anatomical borders are subject to much controversy. In the past decades, the dmPFC/dACC has been associated with more than 15 different cognitive processes, which sometimes appear quite unrelated (e.g. body perception, cognitive conflict). As a result, understanding what the dmPFC/dACC does has become a real challenge for many neuroscientists. Several theories of this brain area's function(s) have been developed, leading to successive and competitive publications bearing different models, which sometimes contradict each other. During the last two decades, the lively scientific exchanges around the dmPFC/dACC have promoted fruitful research in cognitive neuroscience. In this review, we provide an overview of the anatomy of the dmPFC/dACC, summarize the state of the art of functions that have been associated with this brain area and present the main theories aiming at explaining the dmPFC/dACC function(s). We explore the commonalities and the arguments between the different theories. Finally, we explain what can be learned from these debates for future investigations of the dmPFC/dACC and other brain regions' functions.