qEEG Measures of Attentional and Memory Network Functions in Medical Students: Novel Targets for Pharmacopuncture to Improve Cognition and Academic Performance

Gorantla, Vasavi Rakesh; Bond, Vernon; Dorsey, James; Tedesco, Sarah; Kaur, Tanisha; Simpson, Matthew; Pemminati, Sudhakar; Millis, Richard M.

doi:10.3831/kpi.2019.22.022

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…39 Inferences from related research show that TBR has a negative relation with academic performance. 40 Initially, TBR was considered a biomarker for identifying the autism population. Further research has come up with a conclusion of using TBR as an attribute that reflects the cognitive processing of the healthy as well as autistic population.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative assessment of cognitive profile and brain asymmetry in the characterization of autism spectrum in children: A task-based EEG study

Balathay¹,

Narasimhan

Belo

et al. 2023

Proc Inst Mech Eng H

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by learning, attention, social, communication, and behavioral impairments. Each person with Autism has a different severity and level of brain functioning, ranging from high functioning (HF) to low functioning (LF), depending on their intellectual/developmental abilities. Identifying the level of functionality remains crucial in understanding the cognitive abilities of Autistic children. Assessment of EEG signals acquired during specific cognitive tasks is more appropriate in identifying brain functional and cognitive load variations. The spectral power of EEG sub-band frequency and parameters related to brain asymmetry has the potential to be employed as indices to characterize brain functioning. Thus, the objective of this work is to analyze the cognitive task-based electrophysiological variations in autistic and control groups, using EEG acquired during two well-defined protocols. Theta to Alpha ratio (TAR) and Theta to Beta ratio (TBR) of absolute powers of the respective sub-band frequencies have been estimated to quantify the cognitive load. The variations in interhemispheric cortical power measured by EEG were studied using the brain asymmetry index. For the arithmetic task, the TBR of the LF group was found to be considerably higher than the HF group. The findings reveal that the spectral powers of EEG sub-bands can be a key indicator in the assessment of high and low-functioning ASD to facilitate appropriate training strategies. Instead of depending solely on behavioral tests to diagnose autism, it could be a beneficial approach to use task-based EEG characteristics to differentiate between the LF and HF groups.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative assessment of cognitive profile and brain asymmetry in the characterization of autism spectrum in children: A task-based EEG study

Balathay¹,

Narasimhan

Belo

et al. 2023

Proc Inst Mech Eng H

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“…The outcome of this difficult transition is twofold: (i) a large number of students exhibit low academic achievement on formative and summative examinations designed to test medical information processing skills and substandard performance on standardized (NBME, USMLE Step 1) examinations designed to evaluate readiness for entry into the clinical phase of undergraduate medical training; and (ii) many students exhibit high academic performance on their formative and summative course examinations but low performance on the standardized NBME and USMLE. We have previously reported that TBR, a measure of attentional control, is negatively correlated with academic achievement in medical students [7][8][9]. In this chapter, we depict and interpret the qEEG brain maps demonstrating the spectrum of deviations from the normative reference values for qEEG theta and beta voltages and higher versus lower TBR seemed to identify students exhibiting neurophysiological and cognitive deviations from the norms, which could explain their underachievement.…”

Section: The Problem Of Academic Underachievement In Medical Schoolmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Academic achievement in medical school is a good example of a situation wherein stress can unmask latent mental or emotional imbalances which, in turn, lead to academic underachievement or failure [6]. Previous studies from our laboratory suggest that quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) measures of theta-beta ratio (TBR) and frontal alpha asymmetry (fAA) may be useful neurophysiological correlates of academic achievement and negative perceptions of psychosocial interactions in medical students [7][8][9][10]. TBR is reported to be a qEEG marker for a person's capacity to focus their attention on salient information [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Electroencephalography for Probing Cognitive and Behavioral Functions of the Human Brain

Millis¹,

Chandanathil²,

Awosika³

et al. 2022

Neurophysiology - Networks, Plasticity, Pathophysiology and Behavior

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Previous studies have shown that quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) provides measures of brain wave voltage and symmetry within each of the standard bandwidths. These qEEG measures are neurophysiological correlates of brain wave signatures for various aspects of cognition and behavior and are susceptible to neurofeedback training for improving human performance. Using exam scores and an individualized self-inventory (ISI) of psychosocial interactions, we provide unique data for probing behavioral and cognitive performance of medical students. Increments in voltage within the standard theta (4–7 Hz) and beta (15–20 Hz) frequencies and decrements in the theta–beta ratio (TBR) suggest improvements in attentional control. Associations between right-sided frontal alpha asymmetry (fAA) and ISI scores for negative self-perceptions suggest a novel qEEG signature for emotional balance. These findings suggest that changes in qEEG voltages and asymmetries may be predictive of improvements in attentional control, cognitive performance, and psychosocial skills, as well as serving as surrogate markers for neurofeedback training-related changes in neuroplasticity.

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qEEG Measures of Attentional and Memory Network Functions in Medical Students: Novel Targets for Pharmacopuncture to Improve Cognition and Academic Performance

Cited by 2 publications

References 27 publications

Quantitative assessment of cognitive profile and brain asymmetry in the characterization of autism spectrum in children: A task-based EEG study

Quantitative assessment of cognitive profile and brain asymmetry in the characterization of autism spectrum in children: A task-based EEG study

Quantitative Electroencephalography for Probing Cognitive and Behavioral Functions of the Human Brain

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