An association between resting state EEG parameters and the severity of topiramate-related cognitive impairment.

Introduction: Many commonly prescribed drugs cause cognitive deficits. We investigated whether parameters of the resting-state electroencephalogram (rsEEG) are related to the severity of cognitive impairments associated with administration of the antiseizure drug topiramate (TPM) and the benzodiazepine lorazepam (LZP).

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study.

Severity of Topiramate-Related Working Memory Impairment Is Modulated by Plasma Concentration and Working Memory Capacity.

Drug side effects that impair cognition can lead to diminished quality of life and discontinuation of therapy. Topiramate is an antiepileptic drug that elicits cognitive deficits more frequently than other antiepileptic drugs, impairing multiple cognitive domains including language, attention, and memory. Although up to 40% of individuals taking topiramate may experience cognitive deficits, we are currently unable to predict which individuals will be most severely affected before administration.

Working Memory Capacity Is Negatively Associated with Memory Load Modulation of Alpha Oscillations in Retention of Verbal Working Memory.

Working memory capacity (WMC) measures the amount of information that can be maintained online in the face of distraction. Past work has shown that the efficiency with which the frontostriatal circuit filters out task-irrelevant distracting information is positively correlated with WMC. Recent work has demonstrated a role of posterior alpha oscillations (8-13 Hz) in providing a sensory gating mechanism.

Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity Predict Topiramate-Related Cognitive Deficits.

Purpose/background: Topiramate (TPM) and lorazepam (LZP) are two examples of frequently prescribed medications that are associated with a high incidence of cognitive impairment; however, the factors that underlie interindividual differences in side effect profiles have not been fully characterized. Our objective was to determine whether working memory capacity (WMC), the amount of information that can be stored and manipulated in memory over short time intervals, is one such factor.

Methods/procedures: Twenty-nine healthy volunteers completed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study during which they received placebo (PBO), TPM, and LZP in random order.

Thai lexical tone perception in native speakers of Thai, English and Mandarin Chinese: an event-related potentials training study.

Background: Tone languages such as Thai and Mandarin Chinese use differences in fundamental frequency (F0, pitch) to distinguish lexical meaning. Previous behavioral studies have shown that native speakers of a non-tone language have difficulty discriminating among tone contrasts and are sensitive to different F0 dimensions than speakers of a tone language. The aim of the present ERP study was to investigate the effect of language background and training on the non-attentive processing of lexical tones.

Effects of native language and training on lexical tone perception: an event-related potential study.

Tone languages such as Thai use pitch differences to distinguish lexical meaning. Previous behavioral studies have reported that naïve listeners can discriminate among lexical tones, but that native language background affects performance. The present study uses ERPs to determine whether native speakers of a tone language (Mandarin Chinese) and of a non-tone language (English) differ in their pre-attentive discrimination among Thai lexical tones, and whether training has a different effect in these two language groups.

Processing bare quantifiers in discourse.

During reading or listening, language comprehenders construct a mental representation of the objects and events mentioned. This model is augmented and modified incrementally as the discourse unfolds. In this paper we focus on the interpretation of bare quantifiers, that is, expressions such as 'two', to investigate the processes underlying the construction and modification of the discourse model.