EEG Topographic Mapping of Visual and Kinesthetic Imagery in Swimmers.

This study investigated differences in QEEG measures between kinesthetic and visual imagery of a 100-m swim in 36 elite competitive swimmers. Background information and post-trial checks controlled for the modality of imagery, swimming skill level, preferred imagery style, intensity of image and task equality. Measures of EEG relative magnitude in theta, low (7-9 Hz) and high alpha (8-10 Hz), and low and high beta were taken from 19 scalp sites during baseline, visual, and kinesthetic imagery.

Interpersonal defensiveness and diminished perceptual acuity for the odor of a putative pheromone: androstenone.

This study assessed the relationship of repressive coping and defensiveness to the perception of androstenone, which is a putative human pheromone with relevance to social perception. In Experiment 1, 34 men and 34 women between the ages of 16-28 sniffed pairs of bottles containing silicone (the solvent control) paired with either isoamyl acetate (IAA) or androstenone in an eight trial, two-alternative forced-choice task. Participants chose which hand they believed the odor was in, and rated the odor's intensity and their confidence in their response on a 0-10 scale.

Electroencephalographic registration of low concentrations of isoamyl acetate.

Previous research has demonstrated electroencephalogram (EEG) changes in response to low-odor concentrations, resulting in near-chance detection. Such findings have been taken as evidence for olfaction without awareness. We replicated and extended previous work by examining EEG responses to water-water control, 0.

Error monitoring during reward and avoidance learning in high- and low-socialized individuals.

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a response-locked brain potential generated when individuals make mistakes during simple decision-making tasks. In the present study, we examined ERN under conditions of reward and punishment, among participants who scored extremely low or high on the socialization scale of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). Participants completed a forced-choice task, and were rewarded for correct responses in half the trials, and punished for incorrect responses in the remaining trials.

Alpha sleep and information processing, perception of sleep, pain, and arousability in fibromyalgia.

This study examined the relationship between alpha sleep and information processing during sleep, perception of sleep, musculoskeletal pain, and arousability in patients with fibromyalgia. Patients (n = 20) were allowed to sleep undisturbed for the first 60 minutes of the study to assess amount of alpha sleep and were classified as high or low alpha generators based on quantitative analyses of alpha activity during this period. The groups were compared for performance on two memory tasks, perceptions of polysomnographically-defined sleep and EEG arousals in response to auditory stimuli.