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| Brain Games: New study suggests, anticipatory timing is result of two different systems |
Researchers find we anticipate time in two different clocks
Ever wondered what makes us anticipate a situation before it
happens, for example accelerating a sec before traffic light changes or next
words coming at you from your boss. A new study suggests that anticipation of
an event is calculated in two different parts of human brain according to the
findings published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences or PNAS on 13th November.
There are two type of anticipatory timings, one that’s
associated to our past experiences and other that is based on the rhythmic occurrence
of an event or recognition of rhythmic pattern, concludes researchers at
University of California, Berkeley.
Assaf Breska, lead author of the Study also a postdoctoral researcher
in neuroscience, UC Berkeley says, “Whether its speech, sports, music or even
allocating attention, our study suggests that timing is not a unified process,
but that there are two different ways in which we make temporal predictions and
these depend upon different part of brain.”
Our brain relies on temporal regularities to anticipate the
timing of upcoming events, and fine-tunes action and attention accordingly,
signifies the study. Senior author of the study Richard Ivry shares, “Together,
these brain systems allow us not just to exist in the moment, but to also
actively anticipate the future.”
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| Effect of Parkinson's diseases on brain |
Investigators studied the anticipatory timing of people suffering
from Parkinson’s diseases and people with cerebellar degeneration. Although both
medical issues affect different regions of brain, but both gives rise to same
problem of coordination and balance in subject. In Parkinson’s diseases, neural
pathways in basal ganglia, a region inside cerebral cortex, gets affected while
cerebellar degeneration impacts upon nerve cells in the cerebellum.
Researchers studied the pattern of timing or ‘temporal’ cues
used by patients with both diseases while responding to different tests. The
group of patients were viewed sequence of squares flashing on computer screen
in steady rhythmic pattern and in more complex non-rhythmic intervals pattern. Patients
suffered from Parkinson’s diseases responded well to non-rhythmic temporal
cues, while patients with cerebellar degeneration performed better on rhythmic
pattern.
“We show that patient with basal ganglia degeneration
associated with Parkinson’s disease are impaired in using rhythmic cues while
patients with cerebellar degeneration are impaired in using non-rhythmic
temporal cues” says Ivry.
This study shows the reliance of our brain on two different mechanisms
for anticipation of an event, researchers said while adding that this result
challenges the theory of anticipatory timing handled by single brain system.
“A rhythm based system is sensitive to periodic events such
as is inherent in speech and music, and an interval system provides a more
general anticipatory ability, sensitive to temporal regularities even in the
absence of a rhythmic signal. Our results suggest at least two different ways
in which the brain has evolved to anticipate the future.” said Breska.
The study suggests that in case one of the system fails, our
brain may rely on other one for anticipatory timing, adds researchers. Brain
training computer games, smartphone apps, environment design modifications and
deep brain stimulation can assist people with neurological timing deficit,
investigators speculates.
Citation and Sources:
Assaf Breska and Richard
Ivry et al. Double dissociation of single-interval and rhythmic temporal prediction
in cerebellar degeneration and Parkinson’s diseases, November, 2018
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