doktorska disertacija
Anja Pahor (Author), Norbert Jaušovec (Mentor)

Abstract

Working memory is important for a number of higher cognitive functions such as problem solving, reasoning, reading and language comprehension. Moreover, working memory measures are significantly correlated with measures of intellectual abilities. Investigating the neural basis of working memory provides the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of individual differences in general cognitive ability. This thesis aimed to elucidate the roles of brain oscillations in working memory, with a particular focus on theta and gamma frequency bands. Two techniques were employed that are best suited for the non-invasive study of brain oscillations: scalp recorded EEG and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). In the first step, correlational studies were conducted followed by neuromodulatory studies in the next step. The results showed that individuals with high working memory capacity, contrasted against individuals with low working memory capacity, display stronger alpha and gamma band desynchronisation and increased coherence in the theta frequency band between fronto- parietal areas during maintenance and between frontal brain areas during retrieval. The results further demonstrated that interactions between theta and gamma frequency bands are related to individual differences in working memory capacity. The neuromodulatory studies showed that theta tACS applied over parietal brain areas can be used to enhance performance on working memory tasks, thereby providing support for the causal role of theta band oscillations in working memory.

Keywords

working memory;cognitive functions;brain oscilators;theta frequency;gama frequency;studies;dissertations;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 2.08 - Doctoral Dissertation
Organization: UM FF - Faculty of Arts
Publisher: A. Pahor]
UDC: 159.95(043.3)
COBISS: 23224072 Link will open in a new window
Views: 1378
Downloads: 141
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Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary title: (ǂThe ǂrole of brain oscillations in working memory)
Secondary abstract: Delovni spomin je pomemben za višje kognitivne funkcije, kot so reševanje problemov, sklepanje, jezik ter bralno razumevanje. Mere delovnega spomina in mere fluidne inteligentnosti so statistično značilno povezane. Proučevanje nevrobiološke osnove delovnega spomina omogoča boljše razumevanje individualnih razlik v kognitivnih sposobnostih. V disertaciji se osredotočam na vlogo možganskih oscilacij v delovnem spominu, predvsem v theta in gama ritmih. Uporabljeni sta bili tehniki, ki omogočata neinvazivno proučevanje možganskih oscilacij: elektroencefalografija (EEG) in transkranialna stimulacija z izmenjujočim električnim tokom (angleško: transcranial alternating current stimulation; v nadaljevanju tACS). V prvem delu so predstavljene korelacijske študije, v drugem pa študije, v katerih je bil uporabljen tACS za vplivanje na možganske oscilacije. Prvi del študij je pokazal, da imajo osebe z visoko kapaciteto delovnega spomina v primerjavi z osebami z nizko kapaciteto delovnega spomina močnejšo desinhronizacijo v alfa in gama frekvencah ter povečano koherenco v theta frekvenci med frontalnimi in posteriornimi predeli možganov med ohranjanjem informacij ter med frontalnimi predeli med priklicom informacij. Rezultati so nadalje pokazali, da so interakcije med theta in gama frekvencami povezane z individualnimi razlikami v kapaciteti delovnega spomina. Drugi del študij je pokazal, da theta tACS izboljša reševanje nalog delovnega spomina, če je stimulacija usmerjena na parietalne predele možganov, s čimer se je potrdila vzročna povezava med možganskimi oscilacijami v theta frekvenci in delovnim spominom.
Secondary keywords: delovni spomin;kognitivne funkcije;možganski oscilatorji;theta frekvence;gama frekvence;študije;disertacije;
URN: URN:SI:UM:
Type (COBISS): Doctoral dissertation
Thesis comment: Univ. v Mariboru, Filozofska fak., Oddelek za psihologijo
Pages: 170 str., 2 f. pril.
ID: 10836997