Correlates of predictive activity associated with observation of patterns in sequences of events were studied. Predictive cues consisted of fixed sequences of three stimuli preceding the appearance of a target (control) stimulus, to which the subject had to respond by pressing a computer mouse button as quickly as possible. Reaction times were analyzed for control stimuli, along with the characteristics (amplitude, duration) of contingent negative variation (CNV) in EEG fragments preceding the predictive cue stimuli and the control stimulus. Increases in CNV amplitude were demonstrated in the series of predictive stimuli preceding the appearance of the target stimulus, and this correlated positively with target stimulus reaction times.
Studies on 17 volunteers addressed the ability to carry out voluntary control of the expression of the α and β2 frequency bands in the parietal and frontal areas of the cortex using a biofeedback method. The effects of a number of psychological properties on the effectiveness control were studied. The study results showed that in these experiments, decreases in the expression of β2 frequencies in the frontal areas of the cortex were more easily produced than decreases in the power of the α frequencies in the parietal areas. The effectiveness of the voluntary control of brain activity was affected by personality factors such as extraversion, psychoticism, neuroticism, mobility, the balance of nervous processes, and the level of trait anxiety.
Analysis of variance and discriminant analysis were used to study EEG spectral characteristics recorded using 15 leads from two professional pilots with more than 15 years of experience, in the frequency band 0.1–70 Hz, during flights on a TU-154 simulator, including takeoff, landing (including in difficult conditions), and horizontal flight. The results showed that the spectral characteristics of the EEG were highly informative measures of the ongoing functional state of the pilots at different phases of flight. The high significance of the differences seen in the individual features showed them to be nonrandom and demonstrated the potential for using EEG parameters to construct a system for monitoring the pilot’s state at all stages of flight.
EEG spectral characteristics were studied in 11 essentially healthy volunteers during performance of unfamiliar finger movements with both hands with a voluntary rhythm. As compared with the resting state, preparation and performance of voluntary movements occurred on the background of decreased activation levels in almost all areas of the cortex except the right frontal area, where the EEG showed a clear increase in the power of fast (especially γ) frequencies regardless of which hand was used to perform the movements. This may be evidence for the direct involvement of this area in the processes underlying the planning, initialization, and control of voluntary movement activity.
С использованием дисперсионного и дискриминантного анализа исследовали спектральные характеристики ЭЭГ, зарегистрированной от 15 отведений у двух профессиональных летчиков, имеющих стаж летной работы более 15 лет, в частотной полосе 0.170 Гц в динамике полетов на тренажере самолета ТУ-154, включающих взлет, посадку (в т.ч. в сложных условиях) и горизонтальный полет. Показано, что спектральные характеристики ЭЭГ являются высокоинформативным показателем текущего функционального состояния пилотов, отражающим различные фазы полета. Высокая достоверность различий, обнаруженных при учете индивидуальных особенностей, указывает на их неслучайный характер и возможность построения по показателям ЭЭГ системы контроля состояния пилота на всех этапах полета.
Исследовали спектральные характеристики ЭЭГ 11 практически здоровых добровольцев-правшей при выполнении в произвольном ритме непривычных движений пальцами обеих рук. Показано, что по сравнению с состоянием покоя подготовка и реализация произвольных движений осуществляются на фоне снижения уровня активации практически всех областей коры, за исключением правой лобной, на ЭЭГ которой наблюдался отчетливый рост мощности быстрых (особенно гамма) частот независимо от того, какой рукой выполнялись движения. Это может свидетельствовать о непосредственном участии данной области в процессах планирования, инициализации и контроля произвольной двигательной активности.
In the review the analysis of structural and functional features of the main types of GABA-receptors and their distribution in various regions of a brain of vertebrata is carried out. Questions of an involvement of various types of GABA-receptors in various processes of brain activity are investigated. The data concerning tonic GABAergic inhibition in CNS, connected with extrasynaptic receptors, are shown. The physiological importance of mechanisms of tonic inhibition is discussed.
Based on our own data on generation of spindle-like field electrical activity in neuronal barrels of the rat somatic cortex and also on the published data on the properties of voltage-dependent channels in the membranes of cortical cells, we developed a model of the ensemble (simple network) of neurons connected by electrical synapses. Such connections were found earlier in neurophysiological and ultramicroscopic studies. Model neurons with membranes having sodium, potassium, and calcium channels described in the literature were capable of generating bursting rhythmic impulse activity under conditions of switching off of synaptic connections between cells (isolation). With switching on of electrical synapses, spiking generated by separate neurons, which initially was nonsynchronous, became synchronized in time. Ipso facto , we demonstrated the ability of pacemaker oscillatory activity to be electrotonically synchronized in ensembles of neurons connected with electrical synapses.
Studies on eight essentially healthy volunteers showed that increases in activation levels were seen, particularly in the central areas of the cortex, during the actual performance of movements, these being accompanied by decreases in spectral power in alpha and beta frequencies. The EEG simultaneously showed increases in power in the gamma frequencies, which were most marked in in the parietal-occipital leads of the left hemisphere. Mental representations of the same movements were accompanied by additional activation of the frontal, temporal, and parietal-occipital areas, along with more marked increases in power in the gamma frequencies. A number of electrophysiological phenomena associated with the specific features of the movements performed were identified.
Russian universities do poorly in international rankings, and this will hurt Russia's ability to compete successfully in the global market. One way in which to try to improve this situation is to create new universities by merging institutions and organize them in innovative ways to become more efficient and effective.