We study the cognitive processing of visual working memory in three different conditions of memory load and configuration change. Altering this features has been shown to alter the brain’s processing in memory tasks. Most studies dealing with this issue have used the verbal-phonological modality. We use complex geometric polygons to assess visual working memory in a modified change detection task. Three different types of backgrounds were used to manipulate memory loading and 18 complex geometric polygons to manipulate stimuli configuration. The goal of our study was to test whether the memory load and configuration affect the correct-recall ratios. We expected that increasing visual items loading and changing configuration of items would induce differences in working memory performance. Brain activity related to the task was assessed through event-related potentials (ERP), during the test phase of each trial. Our results showed that visual items loading and changing of item configuration affect working memory on test phase on ERP component P2, but does not affect performance. However frontal related ERP component—P3—was minimally affected by visual memory loading or configuration changing, supporting that working memory is related to a filtering processing in posterior brain regions.

Objetivo El presente estudio tuvo como propósito analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la versión española del Índice de Reactividad Interpersonal (IRI) (Pérez-Albéniz et al., 2003) en universitarios, para su adaptación al contexto mexicano. Material y Método. El IRI se aplicó a 729 estudiantes de pregrado de diversas facultades de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. Resultados. Los resultados que indican la adaptación del IRImuestra una adecuada consistencia interna (α = .82), y el análisis confirmatorio corroboró la estructura teórica de cuatro factores, similar a la versión original. Asimismo, se diferencian de género en las dimensiones afectivas, pero no en las cognitivas. Conclusión. El estudio proporciona una adaptación adecuada del IRI para ser utilizado en población mexicana con características similares a los de esta investigación. Sin embargo, se puede ampliar la muestra en otras zonas del país para generalizar su validez en todo el territorio mexicano.

Emotional stimuli interfere with other kinds of stimuli processing because they capture attentional resources in accordance with their adaptive importance. This suggests that it would be more difficult to inhibit emotional faces than neutral ones or objects. The present study evaluates the effects of facial emotional expressions on inhibitory processing using event-related brain potentials in a Go/NoGo paradigm. Event-related potentials were obtained in healthy subjects during emotional inhibition tasks involving anger and happiness, compared to non-emotional tasks based on simple objects and gender. Emotional tasks exhibited poorer performance than non-emotional ones. P3 latencies were longer during response inhibition to emotional faces than those obtained while inhibiting non-emotional stimuli. This study provides evidence that facial emotional content interferes with response inhibition since it may elicit additional neural resource demands.

Migraine is a common, headache disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of headache often associated with nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia. Prior to puberty, boys and girls are equally affected. Female preponderance emerges after puberty. Migraine pathophysiology is not fully understood, and although the hormonal effect of estrogen is significant, it is not clear how hormonal phases affect brain excitability and EEG patterns in women with migraine. The objective of this research was to study the effect of migraine on the resting-state EEG activity of women during the luteal phase. This work compares electroencephalographic (EEG) absolute power in different frequency bands and scalp areas between young women who suffer from migraine and had a migraine attack within 24 h prior to EEG recording (experimental) and ten age-matched young healthy women (controls), all with normal menstrual cycles. For women with migraine, we found a significant decrease/increase in alpha power in the occipitoparietal/frontocentral area, significant decrease in beta power for all areas, significant decrease in delta power in the temporal area, and significant decrease in theta power in the frontocentral and occipitoparietal area. We concluded that women with migraine have a distinct electroencephalographic pattern during the luteal phase in comparison with control women. A possible explanation might be an intermittent rhythmic activity linked to pain.