Download Reaction Time Task

ABSTRACT
This presentation discusses brain plasticity in Schizophrenia.
People with Schizophrenia experience disruptions in activating and
inhibiting systems in the brain. Specifically, these systems create
thoughts and sensations that are generated within the brain.
Brain plasticity is a set of fundamental physiological processes,
which are multi-level multi-systems processes in a homeostatic
brain. In Schizophrenia, brain plasticity permits the recovery of
function.
ABSTRACT
Measurement issues include high variability associated with
changes in brain states in people with Schizophrenia. The
implications for measurement are that researchers need to analyze
and report changes in coefficients of variation, standard deviations
and variance as well as averages. Indicators of improved brain
function are reduced variability and reduced magnitude of deviation
from correct responses.
These studies: 1. use each subject as their own control;
2. examine improved psychophysiological functioning by EEG Brain
Biofeedback and 3. examine improved ecologically valid functional
behavior as measured by the Orientation Remediation Module
(ORM) Reaction Time and Zero Accuracy Conditioner (ZAC)
subtests.
ABSTRACT
The results show that people with Schizophrenia can reduce the
variability of their reaction time and reduce the size of error on a
frontal lobe task. These results are discussed in terms of the need
to develop new technologies that help people with schizophrenia
keep their brain in a functional state.
Caveat: The data presented are illustrative examples based on
small sample sizes using each subject as their own control. The
basic hypotheses and results need to be replicated with a larger
sample size and a controlled study using random assignment.
There is an
evolving world
in each person’s
brain.
TIMELINE
Development of the Miran Therapy
Basic science/
Brain function
The Homeostatic Brain Model describes
normal and abnormal activating and
inhibiting systems.
Psychiatric symptoms occur when there
are disruptions in activating and inhibiting
Frontal, Temporal, Parietal, and Limbic
regions of the brain.
The human brain is plastic, and can
recover function and establish new
neural-pathways.
Measuring
Brain
Plasticity
• Improved psychophysiological
functioning by EEG Brain Biofeedback
• Improved ecologically valid functional
behavior by the Orientation Remediation
Module subtest Reaction time and Zero
Accuracy Condition
EEG:
Brain BioFeedback
The EEG Record is of a subject
diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Data was collected as part of a New York
State Office of Mental Health Grant.
The EEG Record shows a change in
brain function from an abnormal state to
a normal state associated with working
on a computerized attention task.
Standard 10/20 System-Voice Box, Heart Rate, and GSR
Abnormal
Treatment
Normal
Standard 10/20 System-Voice Box, Heart Rate, and GSR
Abnormal
Treatment
Normal
Standard 10/20 System-Voice Box, Heart Rate, and GSR
Abnormal
Treatment
Normal
Brain Activity
Hallucination (left picture) and Cognitive Training (right picture)
Dysfunctional Brain State
Slow Delta Wave Activity
-associated with
Auditory and Visual
-Hallucinations
Functional Brain State
Normal Alpha
-associated with
Visual Motor
-Activation
ZAC:
Zero
Accuracy
Conditioner
The ZAC is a computerized cognitive
training task (developed by Yehuda BenYishay, Ph.D. at the NYU Rusk Institute,
Working Approaches to Remediation of
Cognitive Deficits in Brain Damaged
Persons, 1983)
Includes three subtests:
Immediate stop
Short coast
Long coast
Subtests are progressively more difficult
and involve more frontal lobe activity.
ZAC:
Zero
Accuracy
Conditioner
Next slide is a picture of the stimuli as
seen by the subject on the computer
screen
Top Picture –
Subject achieves the correct response.
The clock hand stops at the top mark.
Bottom Picture –
Subject deviates from the correct
response. Deviations are counted.
ZAC:
Zero
Accuracy
Conditioner
ZAC
Subject Diagnosed with Schizophrenia at Hopewell
Number Correct Responses
3 Trials (each trial is a summary of 12 responses)
Number of Correct responses
8
7
6
Immediate Stop
5
4
Short Coast
3
Long Coast
2
1
0
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
ZAC:
Correct Response
by Trials
The subject gradually improves ability
to achieve a correct response:
The summary of the immediate stop begin
at a score in the range of 6-7 and increase
to a score in the range close to 8 (The
immediate stop is a less demanding task)
The summary of the short coast begin at a
score of “0” and increase sharply to a
score in the range close to 3.
The summary of the long coast begin at a
score of “0” and increase on a straight line
to the range close to 3.
ZAC
Subject Diagnosed with Schizophrenia at Hopewell
Magnitude of Deviation from Correct Responses
Magnitude of Deviation from Correct Response
3 Trials (each trial is a summary of 12 responses)
100
90
80
70
60
Immediate Stop
50
40
Short Coast
30
Long Coast
20
10
0
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
ZAC:
Magnitude of
Deviation
The subject gradually improves ability
to achieve a smaller magnitude of
deviation:
The summary of the immediate stop begin
at a score close to “0” and end at the
same score (The immediate stop is a less
demanding task).
The summary of the short coast begin at a
score between 20-30 and decrease to a
score close to “0”.
The summary of the long coast begin at a
score between 80-90 and decrease to a
score close to “0”.
Reaction
Time
Task
The Reaction Time Task is a
computerized cognitive training task
(developed by Yehuda Ben-Yishay, Ph.D.
at the NYU Rusk Institute, Working
Approaches to Remediation of Cognitive
Deficits in Brain Damaged Persons, 1983)
Variable Delay set of trials:
A set of 12 Reaction Time Trials
A warning tone sounds
There is a variable delay
A light changes color
Subject presses the space bar
-as soon as possible
Subject’s score is recorded
Reaction Time Coefficient of Variability
Subjects Diagnosed with Schizophrenia OMH Grant
Variable Delay: Pre vs. Post CV's (%)
(Signed Rank P=0.01)
80 100
60
40
20
VD.CV.Post
140
p < 0.01
20
40
60
80
100
VD.CV.Pre
120
140
160
Reaction
Time
Task
Subjects reduce the variability of their
Reaction Times from Pretest to Post
Test
The raw data are Reaction Time Scores
between 0000 and 9999 msec. recorded
in blocks of 12. Expected value is 170
msec.
The Average, Standard Deviation and
Variance were computed for each block of
Reaction Time responses.
The Coefficient of Variation is calculated
by dividing the Standard Deviation by the
Mean for each block of scores.
The Coefficient of Variability for the
Pretest Measures were larger than the
Post Test Measures.
Reaction Time Changes in Standard Deviation
Standard Deviation in msec.
Subjects Diagnosed with Schizophrenia OMH Grant
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Pre
Post
Reaction
Time
Task
Subjects reduce the Standard
Deviation of their Reaction Times
Pretest vs. Post Test
The Average, Standard Deviation and
Variance were computed for each block of
Reaction Time responses.
Standard Deviations in Reaction Times on
the Variable Delay Task, Pretest vs. Post
Test
The result
suggest that
individuals can:
Improve psychophysiological functioning
EEG Record
As frontal lobe circuits are
activated, hallucinations i.e.
circular negative thoughts and
memories are diminished by the
process of reciprocal inhibition.
Improve information processing and
functional behavior as measured by the
Orientation Remediation Module
ZAC charts from 3 trials of 12
responses on a single day
Reaction Time - Variable Delay
The subjects are focused and are
able to engage.