For decades, memory research has centered on the role of neurons, which do not function in isolation. However, astrocytes play important roles in regulating neuronal recruitment and function at the local and network levels, forming the basis for information processing as well as memory formation and storage. In this review, we discuss the role of astrocytes in memory functions and their cellular underpinnings at multiple time points. We summarize important breakthroughs and controversies in the field as well as potential avenues to further illuminate the role of astrocytes in memory processes.
Astrocytes ; Neuronal Plasticity/physiology* ; Memory/physiology* ; Neurons/physiology* ; Cognition/physiology*

Cognitive control refers to the brain functions that regulate variously specific mental activities in terms of task goal, forming the basis of goal-guided behaviors. In the last decade, our team devoted to investigating the neural mechanisms of basic functions of cognitive control, i.e., monitoring, controlling, and switching. We published a series of papers on the temporal course of monitoring initiating cognitive control and its mechanisms, the influential scope of controlling and new controlling mechanisms, brain networks related to controlling efficiency, brain hubs and neural dynamic encoding of switching. This paper reviews the related studies and further extracts their theoretical significance. In the future, more attention should be paid on causal studies, studies on functional implementation of cognitive control, and transfer-application studies, by which we expect to deeply elucidate neural mechanisms of cognitive control.
Brain ; physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Cognition ; Humans

Because of a limited capacity of information processing in the brain, the efficient processing of visual information requires selecting only a very small fraction of visual inputs at any given moment in time. Attention is the main mechanism that controls this selection process, namely selective attention. Selective attention is the mechanism by which the subset of incoming information is preferentially processed from the complex external environment. Research on selective attention has two key issues. One is what targets (inputs) are selected by attention. There are three different types of selective attention according to its selected target: space-based, feature-based, and object-based attention. Another issue is how selective attention is generated. There are two different types of selective attention according to its generating source: top-down and bottom-up attention. In this review, these two issues are introduced to systematically discuss the neural mechanism of visual selective attention.
Attention ; Brain ; physiology ; Cognition ; Humans ; Visual Perception

Neural oscillatory phenomenon generally exists in the nervous system through a dynamic form. It plays a very important role in the brain, especially in the higher cognitive activities, such as information processing, transfer and integration, consolidating memory and so on. Furthermore, the specific activity pattern of neural oscillations is often associated with cognitive functions and their alterations. Accordingly, how to quantitatively analyze the pattern of neural oscillations becomes one of the fundamental issues in the computational neuroscience. In this review, we addressed a variety of analytic algorithms, which are commonly employed in our recent studies to investigate the issues of neurobiology and cognitive science. In addition, we tried to classify these analytic algorithms by distinguishing their different metrics, synchronization and coupling modes. Finally, multidimensional analytic algorithms for potential application have also been discussed.
Brain ; physiology ; Cognition ; Humans ; Memory ; Nerve Net ; physiology

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the cognitive function change related to aging, the incidence of cognitive impairment, and the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and cognitive impairment through a follow-up of the elderly with normal cognitive ability at baseline. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen subjects aged 65 and over were surveyed in February, 1998 (baseline survey), and their cognitive function was assessed again in 2003 (1st follow-up) and the once again in 2006 (2nd follow-up). Ninety one subjects completed all surveys up through the 2nd follow-up and their cognitive function scores using MMSE-K (Korean Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the distribution of apolipoprotein E allele were analyzed. RESULTS: The cognitive function scores decreased with aging and the difference between baseline and the 2nd follow-up scores of the study increased with the age group. The incidence rate of cognitive impairment through an 8-year follow-up was 38.5% and higher in older age groups. Age was the only significant factor for incidence of cognitive impairment, but there was no significant association between apolipoprotein E genotype and incidence of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The cognition of the elderly decreased with aging and the association of apolipoprotein E genotype with incidence of cognitive impairment was not significant in this study. To confirm the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and incidence of cognitive impairment further studies will be needed.
Aged ; Apolipoproteins E/*genetics ; Cognition/physiology ; Cognition Disorders/etiology/*genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo discuss the present status and progress of clinical research on the cognitive effects caused by different types of brain tumors and common treatments.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English from 1990 to Febuary 2012. Research terms were "cognitive deficits" or "cognitive dysfunction".

STUDY SELECTIONArticals including any information about brain tumor related cognitive deficits were selected.

RESULTSIt is widely accepted that brain tumors and related treatments can impair cognitive function across many domains, and can impact on patients' quality of life. Tumor localization, lateralization, surgery, drugs, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are all thought to be important factors in this process. However, some conflicting findings regarding brain tumor-related cognitive deficits have been reported. It can be difficult to determine the mechanism of these treatments, such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, antiepileptics, and steroids. Future research is needed to clarify these potential treatment effects.

CONCLUSIONSCognitive function is important for patients with brain tumor. Much more focus has been paid on this field. It should be regarded as an important prognostic index for the patients with brain tumor, and neuropsychological tests should be used in regular examinations.

As a rhythmic neural activity, neural oscillation exists all over the nervous system, in structures as diverse as the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, subcortical nuclei and sense organs. This review firstly presents some evidence that synchronous neural oscillations in theta and gamma bands reveal much about the origin and nature of cognitive processes such as learning and memory. And then it introduces the novel analyzing algorithms of neural oscillations, which is a directionality index of neural information flow (NIF) as a measure of synaptic plasticity. An example of application used such an analyzing algorithms of neural oscillations has been provided.
Animals ; Biological Clocks ; Brain ; physiology ; Cognition ; physiology ; Humans ; Learning ; physiology ; Memory ; physiology ; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena ; physiology ; Neural Pathways ; physiology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Synapses ; physiology ; Theta Rhythm ; physiology

Cognition ; physiology ; Disease Management ; Humans ; Kearns-Sayre Syndrome ; diagnosis ; physiopathology

Audiovisual integration is a vital information process involved in cognition and is closely correlated with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this review, we evaluated the altered audiovisual integrative behavioral symptoms in AD. We further analyzed the relationships between AD pathologies and audiovisual integration alterations bidirectionally and suggested the possible mechanisms of audiovisual integration alterations underlying AD, including the imbalance between energy demand and supply, activity-dependent degeneration, disrupted brain networks, and cognitive resource overloading. Then, based on the clinical characteristics including electrophysiological and imaging data related to audiovisual integration, we emphasized the value of audiovisual integration alterations as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and progression of AD. We also highlighted that treatments targeted audiovisual integration contributed to widespread pathological improvements in AD animal models and cognitive improvements in AD patients. Moreover, investigation into audiovisual integration alterations in AD also provided new insights and comprehension about sensory information processes.
Animals ; Humans ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Brain/pathology* ; Aging/physiology* ; Cognition

Neurocognitive impairment is a group of clinical syndromes characterized by impaired cognitive function and decreased motor ability. Non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise have advantages in the treatment of patients with neurocognitive impairment. Multicomponent exercise is a combination of various physical exercises, including strength training, endurance training, balance training and flexibility training, that can improve gait, balance and cardiopulmonary function by increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance in people with neurocognitive impairment, while also reducing the risk of falls in elders. This article reviews the benefits of multicomponent exercise for patients with neurocognitive impairment and its evaluation methods; also describes 4 intervention programs and their clinical application, to provide evidence for clinical practice and promote the application of multicomponent exercise in patients with neurocognitive impairment.
Accidental Falls ; Aged ; Cognition ; Exercise/physiology* ; Gait ; Humans ; Resistance Training