Free triiodothyronine and global registry of acute coronary events risk score on predicting long-term major adverse cardiac events in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the combined value of fT3 and GRACE risk score for cardiovascular prognosis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Three hundred and thirty eight patients with STEMI who received successful primary PCI were enrolled in our study. All patients underwent (33.5 ± 7.1) month's follow-up. Mace was defined as cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox analysis showed that both fT3 (HR = 0.462, 95%CI: 0.364-0.587, P < 0.001) and GRACE score (HR = 1.011, 95%CI: 1.004-1.018, P = 0.003) were independent predictors of Mace. Similarly, fT3 (HR = 0.495, 95%CI: 0.355-0.690, P < 0.001) and GRACE score (HR = 1.022, 95%CI: 1.011-1.034, P < 0.001) were the most important independent predictors of cardiac death. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that those patients with low fT3 and higher GRACE score had higher rates of Mace (Log-Rank χ2 = 25.087, P < 0.001). In ROC analysis, combining fT3 and GRACE risk score had a good area under the curve (AUC) value for Mace (AUC = 0.735, 95% CI: 0.680-0.790, P < 0.001), with net reclassification index of 11.1 and 5.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The low fT3 level, a common phenomenon, is a strong predictor of long-term poor prognosis in STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI. The combination of GRACE score and fT3 may be a more valuable predictor of Mace as compared to each measure alone.

Prognostic significance of refractory thrombus in STEMI patients and the role of red cell distribution width: A case-control study.

The high thrombus burden of the infarct-related artery (IRA) is associated with the adverse prognosis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Our objectives were to investigate the predictors and evaluate the prognosis of refractory thrombus in STEMI patients. A total of 1305 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) were screened. The refractory thrombus group (n = 15) was defined as IRA thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow < grade 2 after multiple thrombus aspiration (TA). The control group (n = 45) was age- and sex-matched and was selected from the same batch of patients. Baseline hematologic indices were measured before the pPCI. The major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded during follow-up. The refractory thrombus group had significantly higher red cell distribution width (RDW) at baseline compared with the control group (13.1 [12.4-13.7] vs 12.6 [12.3-12.8], P = .008). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, RDW was an independent predictor of refractory thrombus (odds ratio: 8.799, 95% CI: 1.240-62.454, P = .030). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of the RDW was 0.730 (95%CI: 0.548-0.912, P = .008). During a mean period of 26 months follow-up, patients in the refractory thrombus group tended to have higher percent MACEs compared with patients in the control group (53.3% vs 6.7%, P < .001). In the present study, we found that the refractory thrombus in STEMI patients was associated with the worse prognosis and the increased RDW might be a potential independent predictor.

Bushen Formula promotes the decrease of HBsAg levels in patients with CHB by regulating Tfh cells and B-cell subsets.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bushen Formula (BSF) is the effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) according to our previous researches. However, the special effectiveness of BSF treating CHB patients in different stages and the immunoregulatory mechanisms remain to be explored. AIM OF THE STUDY: To compare the therapeutic effects of BSF in both treatment-naive patients and Peg-IFN-α-treated patients, and explore the potential mechanism of immunomodulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field-orbital trap high resolution mass spectrometry and the TCMSP database were used to determine the main components of BSF. Two hundred and sixty-six patients were enrolled in the retrospective study, and they were divided into the treatment group (T-Group, BSF plus Peg-IFN-α) and the control group (C-Group, Peg-IFN-α monotherapy). Within each group, patients were further grouped into subgroups, namely T1/C1 groups (treatment-naive patients, T1 = 34, C1 = 94) and T2/C2 groups (Peg-IFN-α-treated patients, T2 = 56, C2 = 82). Serum HBV markers, serum HBV DNA levels, serum ALT/AST and TCM symptoms were obtained from the record. Bioinformatics analysis was employed to obtain the potential immunoregulatory mechanisms of BSF treating CHB patients. Among patients in T2 and C2 group, peripheral mononuclear cells from 36 patients were used to analyze the characteristics of peripheral follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and B-cell subtypes by flow cytometry. Preparation of BSF-containing serum in rats. In vitro, the co-culture system of CXCR5+ cells and HepG2.2.15 cells was built to investigate the immunoregulatory effects of BSF. RESULTS: A total of 14 main active compounds were detected in BSF, which were deemed critical for the treatment of CHB. Our findings indicated that the T2-Group exhibited the higher percentage of HBsAg decline ≥ 1-log10 IU/ml and rate of HBeAg seroclearance compared to the C2-Group (35.7% vs. 15.9%, P = 0.033; 33.9% vs. 11.0%, P = 0.002). Additionally, the T2-Group demonstrated the higher percentage of HBsAg decline ≥ 1-log10 IU/ml and rate of HBeAg seroclearance compared to the T1-Group (35.7% vs. 14.7%, P = 0.031; 33.9% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.000). The total effective rate based on TCM clinical syndrome in T1-Group and T2-Group were significantly greater than those in C1-Group and C2-Group (85.3% vs. 61.7%, P = 0.012; 89.1% vs. 63.4%, P = 0.000). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the immunoregulatory mechanisms of BSF treating CHB patients were mainly linked to the growth and stimulation of B-cell, T-cell differentiation, and the signaling pathway of the B-cell receptor. Furthermore, the frequencies of Tfh cells and its IL-21 level, and the IL-21R expressed by B-cell were all increased after BSF treatment. Additionally, in the co-culture system of CXCR5+ cells and HepG2.2.15 cells, HBsAg and HBeAg levels were decreased after BSF-containing serum treatment，as well as the up-regulating of Tfh cell frequencies and down-regulating of B-cell frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: BSF have the higher percentage of HBsAg decline and HBeAg seroclearance in Peg-IFN-α-treated patients compared with treatment-naive patients. The potential immunoregulatory mechanism may correlate with promoting the interaction between Tfh cells and B-cell through IL-21/IL-21R signaling pathway.

[Types and risk factors of arrhythmia on young patients with acute coronary syndrome in Henan province].

OBJECTIVE: The types and risk factors of arrhythmia were analyzed on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients under the age of 44 years who were hospitalized in Henan province between September 2009 to June 2012. METHODS: Medical records of eligible patients were obtained from the information system of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University teleconsultation information center. Middle aged and elderly ACS patients who were hospitalized at the same period served as controls. Data on arrhythmia types, blood pressure, thyroid disease, respiratory sleep apnea syndrome, smoking history, history of alcohol consumption, eating habits, family history of early-onset arrhythmia, laboratory tests were analyzed. RESULTS: (1) Arrhythmia was detected in 110 out of young ACS patients (55%), which was significantly lower than that in the elderly ACS patients (71.05%, P < 0.01). (2) The top three arrhythmias in young ACS patients were: sinus tachycardia (30.50%), the premature ventricular contractions (19.00%), atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation (16.50%). Incidence of sinus tachycardia, atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation were significantly higher while incidence of ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia were significantly lower in young ACS patients than in middle-aged ACS patients (all P < 0.05). The incidence of sinus tachycardia was higher while incidence of ventricular premature accelerated ventricular spontaneous cardiac rhythm, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, non-paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, nodal escape, atrioventricular block were significantly lower in young ACS patients than in elderly ACS patients (all P < 0.05). (3) Body mass index, incidence of smoking, coronary three-vessel disease, drinking, eating salty foods, thyroid dysfunction, sleep apnea were significantly higher in youth ACS patients with arrhythmia than in young ACS patients without arrhythmia (all P < 0. 05). (4) Logistic regression analysis found that number of diseased coronary vessels (OR = 24.293), smoking (OR = 1.112) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.039) were independent risk factor for developing arrhythmia in young ACS patients from Henan province. CONCLUSIONS: The main types of arrhythmia are sinus tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions, atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation and the major risk factors related to the arrhythmia are number of diseased coronary vessels, smoking and alcohol consumption in young ACS patients from Henan province.

[Population characteristics and impact on heart rate variability, heart rate and blood pressure of passive smoking].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the basic characteristics of passive smoking population, and the impact of passive smoking on heart rate variability, heart rate and blood pressure. METHODS: Eighty-six passive smokers [mean age: (52.4 ± 7.6) years] were recruited from patients and their relatives who visited cardiovascular outpatient department and excluded structural heart disease between June 2010 and June 2012, 80 normal subjects who were not exposed to smoking served as controls. Questionnaire survey, 24 hours ambulatory electrocardiogram examination and blood pressure measurement were performed in all recruited subjects. RESULTS: (1) Non-marriage rate [18.60% (16/86) vs. 3.75% (3/80), P < 0.01] was significantly higher while education level were significantly lower in passive smoking group than in control group. Passive smokers were more likely service industry workers [29.07% (25/86) vs. 15.00% (12/80), P < 0.05] and had longer daily working time [(7.56 ± 1.24) h vs. (6.02 ± 0.96) h, P < 0.01], and were less likely to be professional technology industry employers [20.93% (18/86) vs. 36.25% (29/80), P < 0.05] and managers [13.95% (12/86) vs. 38.75% (31/80), P < 0.01] compared to controls. The main place of passive smoking was workplace (67.44%, 58/86), entertainment venues (63.95%,55/86), restaurants (48.84%, 42/86). (2) Standard of the normal sinus RR intervals (SDNN), the normal consecutive sinus RR interval difference between the root-mean-square (rMSSD) and adjacent the difference between the RR interval>50 ms the number of share the percentage (PNN50) were significantly lower in passive smoking group than in the control group (all P < 0.05). Every 5 min average of the standard deviation of sinus RR cycle (SDNN index) and 24 h every 5 min sinus RR interval mean standard deviation (SDANN) were similar between the 2 groups (all P > 0.05). Ultra-low-frequency power (VLF), low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF) and LF/HF were significantly lower in passive smoking group than in the control group (all P < 0.01). (3) Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher in passive smoking group than in control group (all P < 0.05) while systolic blood pressure was similar between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Marriage status, education level, profession and daily working time are independent determinants for passive smoking. Passive smoking mainly occurred in the workplace, entertainment venues and restaurants. Passive smoking is linked with reduced heart rate variability, increased 24 h average heart rate and diastolic blood pressure.

[Effect of the smoking cessation services in the out-patient department for patients with coronary heart disease].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects and clinical prognosis of out-patient department-based smoking cessation services for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: A total of 140 smoking patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease in our cardiovascular department were randomly divided into the intensive smoking cessation clinic follow-up group (intervention group, patients were informed on the importance and methods to quit smoking at the first visit and reminded for that at months interval for 6 months, n = 70) and the conventional treatment group (control group, n = 70). After 6 months, the smoking status, cardiovascular event rates, drug usage, out-patient medical costs and quality of life were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Age, gender, concomitant diseases, drug usage were similar between the two groups at baseline (all P > 0.05). After 6 months, smoking quit rate [34.2% (24/70) vs. 5.7% (4/70), P < 0.01], drug use rates: lipid-lowering drugs [95.3% (67/70) vs. 80.4% (56/70)], ß blockers [82.4% (57/70) vs. 41.3% (28/70)], and ACEI/ARB [61.4% (43/70) vs. 34.4% (24/70)] were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group, while total cardiovascular event rates [21.4% (15/70) vs. 47.1% (33/70), P < 0.01] and out-patient medical costs (3789.3 RMB vs. 4984.2 RMB, P < 0.01) were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group. The quality of life scores derived from MYO health survey questionnaire was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The top three reasons responsible for continuous smoking for all patients failed to quit smoking were: (1) others smoked more than me and still alive and healthy [90.3% (56/62)]; (2) smoking helped me to keep relaxed and reduce trouble in daily work and life [70.9% (44/62)]; (3) smoking was essential while chatting and drinking with friends [66.1% (41/62)]. The overall satisfactory rate to this smoking cessation program was 42.8% and the satisfactory rate was up to 50.0% by patients. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive outpatient smoking cessation follow-up program can significantly improve the smoking cessation rates, the guideline drug use rate and the quality of life while reduce medical costs for coronary heart disease patients.

Combined value of red blood cell distribution width and global registry of acute coronary events risk score on predicting long-term major adverse cardiac events in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

The combined value of RDW and GRACE risk score for cardiovascular prognosis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been fully investigated. This study was designed to explore the combined value of RDW and GRACE risk score on predicting long-term major adverse cardiac event (Mace) in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. This study included 390 STEMI patients. The primary endpoint at the (33.5 ± 7.1) months follow-up was composed of cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. The relationship between clinical parameters and clinical outcomes was evaluated using Cox regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Mace occurred in 126 (32.3%) patients including 54 (13.8%) cardiac deaths and 72 (18.5%) nonfatal myocardial infarctions. Patients in Mace group had significantly higher RDW and GRACE score than the patients in non-Mace group. According to the Cox model, RDW and GRACE score were the most important independent predictors of Mace and cardiac death. The best cut-off value for RDW to predict the occurrence of primary events was 13.25% (AUC = 0.694, 95% CI:0.639-0.750, P < 0.001) and that for GRACE score was 119.5 (AUC = 0.721, 95% CI:0.666-0.777, P < 0.001). The combination of RDW and GRACE score were more valuable (AUC = 0.775, 95% CI: 0.727-0.824, P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis provided significant prognostic information with the highest risk for cardiac death (Log-Rank χ2 = 24.684, P < 0.001) in group with both high RDW (> 13.25%) and high GRACE score (> 119.5). The combination of RDW level and GRACE score may be valuable and simple independent predictors of Mace and cardiac death in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. They may be useful tools for risk stratification and may indicate long-term clinical outcomes.

Spoken word recognition in context: evidence from Chinese ERP analyses.

Two event-related potential (ERP) experiments were conducted to investigate spoken word recognition in Chinese and the effect of contextual constraints on this process. In Experiment 1, three kinds of incongruous words were formed by altering the first, second or both syllables of the congruous disyllabic terminal words in high constraint spoken sentences. Results showed an increase of N400 amplitude in all three incongruous word conditions and a delayed N400 effect in the cohort incongruous condition as compared with the rhyme incongruous and plain incongruous condition. In addition, unlike results in English, we found that the N400 effect in the rhyme incongruous condition disappeared earlier than in the plain incongruous condition. In Experiment 2, three kinds of nonwords derived from sentence congruous words were constructed by altering few or many phonetic features of the onset or the whole of the first syllable, and the resulting nonwords appeared as disyllabic terminal forms in either high or low constraint sentences. All three nonword conditions elicited the N400 component. In addition, in high constraint sentences but not in low, the amplitude and duration of the N400 varied as a function of the degree of phonetic mismatch between the terminal nonword and the expected congruous word.

The recognition potential: semantic processing or the detection of differences between stimuli?

The recognition potential is traditionally described as an electrical index elicited when subjects view a recognizable stimulus. Recent studies further show that it may be influenced by semantic processing. In this study, we investigated whether this observed influence is really produced by differences in semantic processing or whether it might be caused by the detection of differences between sequentially presented stimuli. In two different experiments, we systematically altered the type of background images presented while keeping the recognizable word constant. Analyses revealed that the same recognizable words elicited an RP with different amplitudes and latencies when viewed under different background conditions. Control stimuli, which were identical to background stimuli, did not elicit the RP. Hence, we postulate that when using the rapid stream stimulation paradigm, RP might also be influenced by the detection of differences between sequentially input stimuli. It is necessary to clarify whether RP changes are caused by the processing of the stimuli or by the detection of difference between successively input stimuli before any conclusion could be made.

A modified oddball paradigm "cross-modal delayed response" and the research on mismatch negativity.

A modified oddball paradigm was developed to facilitate the focus of attention and to minimize target effects on deviant-related components of auditory and visual event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited with long interstimulus intervals. Subjects were required to focus on either the visual or auditory stimulus in each stimulus block. Deviant-related components were obtained by subtracting ERPs of the standard stimulus from that of the deviant stimulus for each modality with each stimulus condition. Results showed that auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) and a visual early deviant related negativity (DRN1) were elicited both when stimuli were attended and unattended. In contrast, N2b and P3 were produced only under the attended condition. In comparison of attended MMN and unattended MMN at three time windows (100-150 ms, 150-200 ms, and 200-250 ms) of MMN zone, different scalp distributions were shown, depending on the time windows. This result suggests that the attended auditory MMN is a mixed wave, consisting of genuine MMN, N2b, and possible P165. The effect of attention on MMN may stem from the contamination of these overlapping components. With the present paradigm, at least three sensory memory traces have to be maintained simultaneously in multiple sensory modalities to support automatic processing.

A pilot study of functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain during manual and electroacupuncture stimulation of acupuncture point (LI-4 Hegu) in normal subjects reveals differential brain activation between methods.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the brain activation patterns evoked by manual and electroacupuncture on normal human subjects. DESIGN: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the brain regions involved in electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture needle stimulation. A block design was adopted for the study. Each functional run consists of 5 minutes, starting with 1-minute baseline and two 1-minute stimulation, the interval between the two stimuli was 1 minute. Four functional runs were performed on each subject, two runs for electroacupuncture and two runs for manual acupuncture. The order of the two modalities was randomized among subjects. During the experiment, acupuncture needle manipulation was performed at Large Intestine 4 (LI4, Hegu) on the left hand. For each subject, before scanning started, the needle was inserted perpendicular to the skin surface to a depth of approximately 1.0 cm. Electroacupuncture stimulation was delivered using a continuous rectangular wave form (pulse width 30 ms) at a frequency of 3 Hz. For manual acupuncture, the needle was rotated manually clockwise and counterclockwise at a rate of about 180 times per minute (3 Hz). SUBJECTS: Eleven right-handed, normal, healthy volunteer adults, 6 male and 5 female, ages 21-64 participated in the experiment. RESULTS: Results showed that electroacupuncture mainly produced fMRI signal increases in precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus/inferior parietal lobule, and putamen/insula; in contrast, manual needle manipulation produced prominent decreases of fMRI signals in posterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, putamen/insula. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that different brain networks are involved during manual and electroacupuncture stimulation. It suggests that different brain mechanisms may be recruited during manual and electroacupuncture.

[Protective effect of trimetazidine on rabbit myocardium during ischemia- reperfusion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of trimetazidine on rabbit myocardium in ischemia and reperfusion. METHODS: Fourty rabbits were divided into five groups randomly: normal control group, ischemia control group, ischemia and drug intervention group, reperfusion control group, reperfusion and drug intervention group. Ischemia lasted for 30 minutes and reperfusion was given for 30 minutes. Serum CPK, SOD activities and MDA concentrations were measured in each group and ischemia tissue ATP concentrations were also measured. Heart tissue was examined with electron microscope in each group. RESULTS: (1) Serum concentrations of MDA in ischemia and drug intervention group were significantly different from those in ischemia control group [(4.09+/-0.40 vs 4.79+/-0.92)nmol/ml, P<0.01], serum activities of CPK [(1322+/-1148 vs 1498+/-190) NU/ml], SOD[(324+/-71 vs 288+/-54)NU/ml] were not significantly different between ischemia and drug intervene group and ischemic control group (PP>0.05,respectively). (2) Serum activities of CPK [(1512+/-226 vs 1904+/-203) NU/ml], SOD[(213+/-71 vs 119+/-55) NU/ml], concentrations of MDA [(6.09+/-0.69 vs 7.43+/-0.20)nmol/ml] and concentrations of ATP[(1.401+/-0.248 vs 0.629+/-0.175) micromol/g] in ischemia heart tissue of reperfusion and drug intervention group were significantly different from those in reperfusion control group (P<0.001 - 0.01 respectively). (3) There were significant differences in electron microscopic observation between intervention group and control group. CONCLUSION: Trimetazidine can improve cardiac mitochondrial metabolism and scavenge oxygen free radicals. Trimetazidine has cardioprotective function during ischemia and reperfusion.

[The mechanism of gain in scale of visual attention].

Objective. To compare the cortical mechanisms associated with the visual spatial attention directed by fixed location cues. Method. The subjects were 12 healthy right-handed young volunteers. The visual stimuli were presented with the sequence as: background-cue-target. The cue was a black circle varied in three different sizes randomly. The foci of the circles were always at the center of the screen. The task of the subjects was to search the target within the cue circle and discriminate its orientation. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded from 128 scalp sites. Result. The reaction time (RT) to the targets in the same location shortened when the cue size enlarged. The target evoked P1 and N1 components were not affected by the attentive region size, while the amplitudes of the inferoposterior P2 and anterosuperior N2 enlarged when the attentive region size enlarged. Conclusion. 1) The P1 and N1 components under visual attention were related to the spatial location processes mainly. 2) Cue-evoked P2 and N2 components were related to the size of attentive region. 3) The processes of spatial location information were earlier than attentive scale information, which supported the theory that spatial selection is a prerequisite for correct processes of visual object information.

[Brain processing component during face cognition--N170 revealed by event-related potentials].

Objective. To observe features of early component N170 during face recognition. Method. Scalp distribution, amplitude, and latency of N170 was recorded during face recognition tasks in 16 normal subjects. Result. N170 was elicited by the face stimuli in only half of the subjects and the amplitude was modulated by cognitive tasks. Conclusion. N170 reflects not only face structure encoding unit but also direct visual processing unit. Whether N170 reflects the specialty in face recognition needs further study. The latency of N170 showed left hemisphere dominance and the amplitude showed right hemisphere dominance, indicating that it is not pure right hemisphere dominance in face recognition.

[Differential visual attention scales directed by location versus semantic cue].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cortical mechanisms associated with visual spatial attention directed by location cues and Chinese character cues. METHOD: Eleven healthy adults (mean age=19) with normal vision served as the subjects. In experiment I, the cue was a circle with black solid line. There were three cue sizes: small, medium and large. In experiment II, three black concentric circles were presented as background, their diameters were the same as the three cues used in experiment I. The cue was one of three Chinese characters small, medium or large respectively. The task of the subjects was to discriminate the target's orientation. RESULT: RT in experiment II was longer with short ISI. The anterosuperior N1 amplitude elicited by the cue in experiment II was larger than that in experiment I. The inferoposterior P1 latency in experiment II was longer than that in experiment I. Comparing the target evoked ERP, the inferoposterior P1 and N1, latency of experiment II was longer than that in experiment I, the inferoposterior P2 amplitude in experiment II was larger than that in experiment I. CONCLUSION: The processing of Chinese cue takes place at higher level functional brain regions compared to processing of location cue. The later requires more resource in the earlier stage of cue process and less in the subsequent stage of the task.

Pitch and loudness information encoded in auditory imagery as revealed by event-related potentials.

Two experiments using the ERP method and a task that involved comparing an imagined-S1 (the first stimulus) with a perceived-S2 (the second stimulus) were conducted to investigate whether imagined auditory representations encode pitch and loudness information. It was found that the amplitude of the imagery-related late positive complex (LPC) decreased with pitch but increased with loudness of the imagined sound, which was consistent with amplitude modulations of the auditory perception-related N1 component, thereby providing the first neural evidence that auditory imagery encodes perceptual attributes of auditory experiences.