HSE University Center for Language and Brain Becomes World Leader in Just 10 Years
How can a small Russian research group become a world-famous scientific centre in less than a decade? A special edition of the Frontiers in Psychology journal devoted to increasing public awareness of neuroscience features an article about the HSE University Center for Language and Brain, including the successes and challenges of its early years.
Russia’s linguistic and neuropsychology schools have trained numerous famous figures in their respective fields. However, in the 21st century, only a small number of research groups in Russia have looked into areas that combine the two: psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics. Less than a decade ago, a small group of researchers led by Olga Dragoy began working in these fields. In the short time since, the group has grown into the HSE University Center for Language and Brain—a major scientific institution.
In the Frontiers in Psychology article, the Center’s staff share their experiences and turn a critical eye on their successes and failures. One notable example was the project to create the Russian Aphasia Test. The researchers now admit that their initial idea was too ambitious, and that young research groups are better off focusing on smaller-scale research that requires fewer resources. At the same time, the creation of the test is one example of the successful combination of research and clinical practice.
In addition to their research, the Centre’s staff also discuss their educational activities—such as assigning annual term papers to students. While a standard practice in Russia, it is less common in other countries. Term papers give junior students an opportunity to conduct research and gain experience before enrolling in doctoral programmes—experience that students in many other countries lack
Olga Dragoy, Director of the Center for Language and Brain
‘Flexibility in your research interests at the start of your academic career can pay off. If an opportunity presents itself to work on a topic that you weren’t originally interested in, give it a go anyway—it may end up having long-term potential and becoming something you love.'
The article shares experience and recommendations to help young research groups in Russia and abroad, inspire them, and offer guidance in decision-making and setting priorities when creating similar research centres.
According to Svetlana Malyutina, Senior Research Fellow of the Center for Language and Brain, ‘One of the best investments a young research group can make is to recruit and communicate with students. Sure, it takes up precious time and effort, but it pays off in the end—talented students are the driving force behind countless projects.’
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Neuroscientists from HSE University Learn to Predict Human Behaviour by Their Facial Expressions
Researchers at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience at HSE University are using automatic emotion recognition technologies to study charitable behaviour. In an experiment, scientists presented 45 participants with photographs of dogs in need and invited them to make donations to support these animals. Emotional reactions to the images were determined through facial activity using the FaceReader program. It turned out that the stronger the participants felt sadness and anger, the more money they were willing to donate to charity funds, regardless of their personal financial well-being. The study was published in the journal Heliyon.
Spelling Sensitivity in Russian Speakers Develops by Early Adolescence
Scientists at the RAS Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology and HSE University have uncovered how the foundations of literacy develop in the brain. To achieve this, they compared error recognition processes across three age groups: children aged 8 to 10, early adolescents aged 11 to 14, and adults. The experiment revealed that a child's sensitivity to spelling errors first emerges in primary school and continues to develop well into the teenage years, at least until age 14. Before that age, children are less adept at recognising misspelled words compared to older teenagers and adults. The study findings have beenpublished in Scientific Reports .
Meditation Can Cause Increased Tension in the Body
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Bioelectric Interfaces have studied how physiological parameters change in individuals who start practicing meditation. It turns out that when novices learn meditation, they do not experience relaxation but tend towards increased physical tension instead. This may be the reason why many beginners give up on practicing meditation. The study findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
Processing Temporal Information Requires Brain Activation
HSE scientists used magnetoencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging to study how people store and process temporal and spatial information in their working memory. The experiment has demonstrated that dealing with temporal information is more challenging for the brain than handling spatial information. The brain expends more resources when processing temporal data and needs to employ additional coding using 'spatial' cues. The paper has been published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Neuroscientists Inflict 'Damage' on Computational Model of Human Brain
An international team of researchers, including neuroscientists at HSE University, has developed a computational model for simulating semantic dementia, a severe neurodegenerative condition that progressively deprives patients of their ability to comprehend the meaning of words. The neural network model represents processes occurring in the brain regions critical for language function. The results indicate that initially, the patient's brain forgets the meanings of object-related words, followed by action-related words. Additionally, the degradation of white matter tends to produce more severe language impairments than the decay of grey matter. The study findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
New Method Enables Dyslexia Detection within Minutes
HSE scientists have developed a novel method for detecting dyslexia in primary school students. It relies on a combination of machine learning algorithms, technology for recording eye movements during reading, and demographic data. The new method enables more accurate and faster detection of reading disorders, even at early stages, compared to traditional diagnostic assessments. The results have been published in PLOS ONE.
HSE University and Adyghe State University Launch Digital Ethnolook International Contest
The HSE Centre for Language and Brain and the Laboratory of Experimental Linguistics at Adyghe State University (ASU) have launched the first Digital Ethnolook International Contest in the Brain Art / ScienceArt / EtnoArt format. Submissions are accepted until May 25, 2024.
Parietal Cortex Influences Risk-Taking Behaviour
Making decisions in situations involving risk and uncertainty is an inherent aspect of our daily lives. Should I obtain luggage insurance for my flight, cross the road when the light is red, or leave my current job for a new opportunity? Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience conducted an experiment to clarify the role the parietal cortex plays in decision-making in the context of risk. They found that suppression of activity in the parietal cortex resulted in subjects being less inclined to take risks. A paper with the study findings has been published in Cerebral Cortex.
Cognitive Reappraisal of Negative Emotions Can Help Manage Stress
Researchers at the HSE International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology assessed the effectiveness of two strategies for regulating emotions: reappraisal and suppression. Having analysed data on the electrical activity of 60 individuals’ brains, the scientists discovered that both approaches put additional strain on the nervous system. It was also found that individuals who are prone to emotional contagion tend to be more effective in using reappraisal and managing negative emotions. The paper has been published in Experimental Brain Research.
Russian Researchers Unveil Mechanism Underlying Language Processing Disruptions in Epilepsy Patients
Researchers at HSE University and the Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Centre have examined alterations induced by epilepsy in the language-related neural network within the brain. Using graph-based analysis, the researchers studied fMRI data from 28 patients and found that in epilepsy, both hemispheres of the brain become activated during language processing and short connections form between the hemispheres, while long connections within one hemisphere are disrupted. The study has been published in Epilepsy&Behavior.