Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles
When people try to solve a problem, they go through distinct steps (encoding, ideation, evaluation, etc.) recurrently and spontaneously. To disentangle different cognitive processes that unfold throughout a trial, we applied an unsupervised machine learning method to electroencephalogram (EEG) data...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-07-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922003263 |
| _version_ | 1828553533826269184 |
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| author | Yuhua Yu Yongtaek Oh John Kounios Mark Beeman |
| author_facet | Yuhua Yu Yongtaek Oh John Kounios Mark Beeman |
| author_sort | Yuhua Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | When people try to solve a problem, they go through distinct steps (encoding, ideation, evaluation, etc.) recurrently and spontaneously. To disentangle different cognitive processes that unfold throughout a trial, we applied an unsupervised machine learning method to electroencephalogram (EEG) data continuously recorded while 39 participants attempted 153 Compound Remote Associates problems (CRA). CRA problems are verbal puzzles that can be solved in either insight-leaning or analysis-leaning manner. We fitted a Hidden Markov Model to the time-frequency transformed EEG signals and decoded each trial as a time-resolved state sequence. The model characterizes hidden brain states with spectrally resolved power topography. Seven states were identified with distinct activation patterns in the theta (4–7 Hz), alpha (8–9 Hz and 10–13 Hz), and gamma (25–50 Hz) bands. Notably, a state featuring widespread activation only in alpha-band frequency emerged, from this data-driven approach, which exhibited dynamic characteristics associated with specific temporal stages and outcomes (whether solved with insight or analysis) of the trials. The state dynamics derived from the model overlap and extend previous literature on the cognitive function of alpha oscillation: the “alpha-state” probability peaks before stimulus onset and decreases before response. In trials solved with insight, relative to solved with analysis, the alpha-state is more likely to be visited and maintained during preparation and solving periods, and its probability declines more sharply immediately preceding a response. This novel paradigm provides a way to extract dynamic features that characterize problem-solving stages and potentially provide a novel window into the nature of the underlying cognitive processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T05:20:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5bf717ee61784f57a3bdfe77c760e8bb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T05:20:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj.art-5bf717ee61784f57a3bdfe77c760e8bb2022-12-22T00:36:38ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722022-07-01255119202Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzlesYuhua Yu0Yongtaek Oh1John Kounios2Mark Beeman3Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Corresponding author.Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USAWhen people try to solve a problem, they go through distinct steps (encoding, ideation, evaluation, etc.) recurrently and spontaneously. To disentangle different cognitive processes that unfold throughout a trial, we applied an unsupervised machine learning method to electroencephalogram (EEG) data continuously recorded while 39 participants attempted 153 Compound Remote Associates problems (CRA). CRA problems are verbal puzzles that can be solved in either insight-leaning or analysis-leaning manner. We fitted a Hidden Markov Model to the time-frequency transformed EEG signals and decoded each trial as a time-resolved state sequence. The model characterizes hidden brain states with spectrally resolved power topography. Seven states were identified with distinct activation patterns in the theta (4–7 Hz), alpha (8–9 Hz and 10–13 Hz), and gamma (25–50 Hz) bands. Notably, a state featuring widespread activation only in alpha-band frequency emerged, from this data-driven approach, which exhibited dynamic characteristics associated with specific temporal stages and outcomes (whether solved with insight or analysis) of the trials. The state dynamics derived from the model overlap and extend previous literature on the cognitive function of alpha oscillation: the “alpha-state” probability peaks before stimulus onset and decreases before response. In trials solved with insight, relative to solved with analysis, the alpha-state is more likely to be visited and maintained during preparation and solving periods, and its probability declines more sharply immediately preceding a response. This novel paradigm provides a way to extract dynamic features that characterize problem-solving stages and potentially provide a novel window into the nature of the underlying cognitive processes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922003263InsightCreativityProblem-solvingHidden Markov modelEEGDynamic modeling |
| spellingShingle | Yuhua Yu Yongtaek Oh John Kounios Mark Beeman Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles NeuroImage Insight Creativity Problem-solving Hidden Markov model EEG Dynamic modeling |
| title | Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| title_full | Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| title_fullStr | Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| title_short | Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| title_sort | dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles |
| topic | Insight Creativity Problem-solving Hidden Markov model EEG Dynamic modeling |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922003263 |
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