We report the case of a neonate tested three weeks after a neonatal left sylvian infarct. We studied her perception of speech and non-speech stimuli with high-density event-related potentials. The results show that she was able to discriminate not only a change of timbre in tones but also a vowel change, and even a place of articulation contrast…

Studies on brains of individuals with an exceptional mental capacity are of widespread interest. Here, we analyze the cytoarchitecture of areas 44 and 45 (anatomical correlates of Broca's speech region) of a person with a documented extraordinary competence in language performance (Emil Krebs, E.K.), and compared it with 11 control brains.…

In Parkinson's disease, functional imaging studies during limb motor tasks reveal cerebral activation abnormalities that can be reversed by subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation. The effect of STN stimulation on parkinsonian dysarthria has not, however, been investigated using PET. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of STN…

Pitch constancy, perceiving the same pitch from tones with differing spectral shapes, requires one to extract the fundamental frequency from two sets of harmonics and compare them. We previously showed this difficult task to be easier when tonal context is present, presumably because the context creates a tonal reference point from which to judge…

Rabbits were given reinforced training of the nictitating membrane (NM) response using separate conditioned stimuli (CSs), which were a tone, light, and/or tactile vibration. Then, two CSs were compounded and given further pairings with the unconditioned stimulus (US). Evidence of both overexpectation and summation effects appeared. That is,…

This study used cortical source analysis to locate potential cortical sources of event-related potentials (ERPs) during covert orienting in infants aged 14 and 20 weeks. The infants were tested in a spatial cueing procedure. The reaction time to localize the target showed response facilitation for valid trials relative to invalid or neutral…

Hemiplegic patients suffer from difficulties in self-awareness, either due to specific neurological disturbances of body image or to psychological problems with their I images. Both types of difficulty have to do with the specular image as defined by Lacan (1966a) (i.e., the psychic structure that links the body with the "symbolic" and "imaginary"…

The Rodriguez-Fornells, Rotte, Heinze, Nosselt, and Munte (2002) paper "Brain Potential and Functional MRI Evidence for How to Handle Two Languages with One Brain," is discussed by two of two of its authors, both neuroscientists, and by two language scientists. (Author/VWL)

Developed a method to determine the required number and position of sensors for human brain electromagnetic source analysis. Studied the method through a simulation study and an empirical study on visual evoked potentials in one adult male. Results indicate the method is fast and reliable and improves source precision. (SLD)

Examines brain hemisphere theory and research as it relates to writing. Advocates further research into cerebral hemisphere functions and writing. (MM)

The relationship between brain size and intelligence was examined in 90 normal volunteers. Results support the notion of a modest relationship between brain size and measures of global intelligence and suggest diffuse brain involvement on performance tasks that require integration and use of multiple cognitive domains. (Author/SLD)

Reviews current knowledge of the brain in the areas of neurobiology, aging, and consciousness as conceived by different cultures. Derives learning principles that take into account the brain's plasticity, ability to respond to learning throughout life, and the involvement of emotional and sensory experience. (Contains 27 references.) (SK)

Discusses the effects of television on human attitudes and addiction, and explains research investigating the effects of television on the human brain and emotions. (YDS)

Studied the functional anatomy of inspection time (IT) through functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain while seven healthy adults performed an IT task. Pilot data encourage further studies of the functional anatomy of inspection time and its relation to psychometric intelligence. (SLD)

Neuroscience is a relatively new discipline encompassing neurology, psychology and biology. It has made great strides in the last 100 years, during which many aspects of the physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and structure of the vertebrate brain have been understood. Understanding of some of the basic perceptual, cognitive, attentional,…