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Papanikolaou C, Sharma A, Lind PG, Lencastre P. Lévy Flight Model of Gaze Trajectories to Assist in ADHD Diagnoses. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 26:392. [PMID: 38785640 PMCID: PMC11120544 DOI: 10.3390/e26050392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The precise mathematical description of gaze patterns remains a topic of ongoing debate, impacting the practical analysis of eye-tracking data. In this context, we present evidence supporting the appropriateness of a Lévy flight description for eye-gaze trajectories, emphasizing its beneficial scale-invariant properties. Our study focuses on utilizing these properties to aid in diagnosing Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, in conjunction with standard cognitive tests. Using this method, we found that the distribution of the characteristic exponent of Lévy flights statistically is different in children with ADHD. Furthermore, we observed that these children deviate from a strategy that is considered optimal for searching processes, in contrast to non-ADHD children. We focused on the case where both eye-tracking data and data from a cognitive test are present and show that the study of gaze patterns in children with ADHD can help in identifying this condition. Since eye-tracking data can be gathered during cognitive tests without needing extra time-consuming specific tasks, we argue that it is in a prime position to provide assistance in the arduous task of diagnosing ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Papanikolaou
- Department of Computer Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, N-0130 Oslo, Norway; (C.P.); (A.S.); (P.G.L.)
| | - Akriti Sharma
- Department of Computer Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, N-0130 Oslo, Norway; (C.P.); (A.S.); (P.G.L.)
| | - Pedro G. Lind
- Department of Computer Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, N-0130 Oslo, Norway; (C.P.); (A.S.); (P.G.L.)
- OsloMet Artificial Intelligence Lab, Pilestredet 52, N-0166 Oslo, Norway
- NordSTAR—Nordic Center for Sustainable and Trustworthy AI Research, Pilestredet 52, N-0166 Oslo, Norway
- Simula Research Laboratory, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, N-0164 Oslo, Norway
| | - Pedro Lencastre
- Department of Computer Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, N-0130 Oslo, Norway; (C.P.); (A.S.); (P.G.L.)
- OsloMet Artificial Intelligence Lab, Pilestredet 52, N-0166 Oslo, Norway
- NordSTAR—Nordic Center for Sustainable and Trustworthy AI Research, Pilestredet 52, N-0166 Oslo, Norway
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Fabio RA, Orsino C, Lecciso F, Levante A, Suriano R. Atypical sensory processing in adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A comparative study. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2024; 146:104674. [PMID: 38306842 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Atypical sensory processing is common in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Despite growing evidence that ADHD symptoms persist into adolescence, the sensory processing of individuals with ADHD in this age group is limited. The aim of this study was to assess differences in self-reported sensory experiences between adolescents with and without ADHD. One hundred thirty-eight Italian adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years (M=16.20; SD= ± 1.90) participated in the study. Sixty-nine participants with ADHD were matched by gender, age, and IQ to 69 typically developing individuals. The sensory processing of all participants was assessed using the Adolescent Sensory Profile (ASP) on the components: low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoiding. Moreover, the modalities of ASP were measured: movement, vision, touch, activity level, hearing, and taste/smell. Results show that the ADHD group consistently displayed higher scores across all four components of the sensory profile compared to the control group. The subjects with ADHD also reported higher scores than the control group in all the modalities of ASP. These results confirming the presence of atypical sensory processing in adolescents with ADHD were discussed considering the Cumulative and Emergent Automatic Deficit model (CEAD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Angela Fabio
- Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy
| | - Caterina Orsino
- Department of Cognitive, Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy
| | - Flavia Lecciso
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Annalisa Levante
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Rossella Suriano
- Department of Cognitive, Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
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3
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Melnyk K, Friedman L, Komogortsev OV. What can entropy metrics tell us about the characteristics of ocular fixation trajectories? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0291823. [PMID: 38166054 PMCID: PMC10760742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we provide a detailed analysis of entropy measures calculated for fixation eye movement trajectories from the three different datasets. We employed six key metrics (Fuzzy, Increment, Sample, Gridded Distribution, Phase, and Spectral Entropies). We calculate these six metrics on three sets of fixations: (1) fixations from the GazeCom dataset, (2) fixations from what we refer to as the "Lund" dataset, and (3) fixations from our own research laboratory ("OK Lab" dataset). For each entropy measure, for each dataset, we closely examined the 36 fixations with the highest entropy and the 36 fixations with the lowest entropy. From this, it was clear that the nature of the information from our entropy metrics depended on which dataset was evaluated. These entropy metrics found various types of misclassified fixations in the GazeCom dataset. Two entropy metrics also detected fixation with substantial linear drift. For the Lund dataset, the only finding was that low spectral entropy was associated with what we call "bumpy" fixations. These are fixations with low-frequency oscillations. For the OK Lab dataset, three entropies found fixations with high-frequency noise which probably represent ocular microtremor. In this dataset, one entropy found fixations with linear drift. The between-dataset results are discussed in terms of the number of fixations in each dataset, the different eye movement stimuli employed, and the method of eye movement classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Melnyk
- Department of Computer Science, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States of America
| | - Lee Friedman
- Department of Computer Science, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States of America
| | - Oleg V. Komogortsev
- Department of Computer Science, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States of America
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Wang H, Liu F, Yu D. Complex network of eye movements during rapid automatized naming. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1024881. [PMID: 37065911 PMCID: PMC10102513 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1024881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAlthough the method of visualizing eye-tracking data as a time-series might enhance performance in the understanding of gaze behavior, it has not yet been thoroughly examined in the context of rapid automated naming (RAN).MethodsThis study attempted, for the first time, to measure gaze behavior during RAN from the perspective of network-domain, which constructed a complex network [referred to as gaze-time-series-based complex network (GCN)] from gaze time-series. Hence, without designating regions of interest, the features of gaze behavior during RAN were extracted by computing topological parameters of GCN. A sample of 98 children (52 males, aged 11.50 ± 0.28 years) was studied. Nine topological parameters (i.e., average degree, network diameter, characteristic path length, clustering coefficient, global efficiency, assortativity coefficient, modularity, community number, and small-worldness) were computed.ResultsFindings showed that GCN in each RAN task was assortative and possessed “small-world” and community architecture. Additionally, observations regarding the influence of RAN task types included that: (i) five topological parameters (i.e., average degree, clustering coefficient, assortativity coefficient, modularity, and community number) could reflect the difference between tasks N-num (i.e., naming of numbers) and N-cha (i.e., naming of Chinese characters); (ii) there was only one topological parameter (i.e., network diameter) which could reflect the difference between tasks N-obj (i.e., naming of objects) and N-col (i.e., naming of colors); and (iii) when compared to GCN in alphanumeric RAN, GCN in non-alphanumeric RAN may have higher average degree, global efficiency, and small-worldness, but lower network diameter, characteristic path length, clustering coefficient, and modularity. Findings also illustrated that most of these topological parameters were largely independent of traditional eye-movement metrics.DiscussionThis article revealed the architecture and topological parameters of GCN as well as the influence of task types on them, and thus brought some new insights into the understanding of RAN from the perspective of complex network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fulin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongchuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Henan Provincial Medical Key Lab of Child Developmental Behavior and Learning, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- *Correspondence: Dongchuan Yu
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Zhou W, Fan Y, Chang Y, Liu W, Wang J, Wang Y. Pathogenesis of Comorbid ADHD and Chinese Developmental Dyslexia: Evidence From Eye-Movement Tracking and Rapid Automatized Naming. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:294-306. [PMID: 36461680 DOI: 10.1177/10870547221140858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ADHD and Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD) have a very high comorbidity rate; however, which cognitive deficits characterize the comorbidity and when they occur during cognitive processing are still under debate. METHODS Rapid automatic naming (RAN) tasks with eye-movement tracking were conducted with 75 children who were typically developing, had comorbid ADHD and DD, had only ADHD, and had only DD. RESULTS The clinical groups had longer first fixation durations than the control for RAN digits. Temporal eye-movement measures, such as gaze duration and total reading time, were found to vary between the comorbidity and ADHD groups. Spatial eye-movement measures, such as regression probability and incoming saccade amplitude, differed between the comorbidity and DD groups. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that investigation with eye-movement measures combined with RAN tasks can strengthen the understanding of the pathogenesis of comorbid ADHD and DD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Fan
- Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Chang
- China Rehabilitation Research Center for Hearing and Speech Impairment, Beijing, China
| | | | - Jiuju Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University) and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University) and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
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Lemel R, Shalev L, Nitsan G, Ben-David BM. Listen up! ADHD slows spoken-word processing in adverse listening conditions: Evidence from eye movements. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 133:104401. [PMID: 36577332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive skills such as sustained attention, inhibition and working memory are essential for speech processing, yet are often impaired in people with ADHD. Offline measures have indicated difficulties in speech recognition on multi-talker babble (MTB) background for young adults with ADHD (yaADHD). However, to-date no study has directly tested online speech processing in adverse conditions for yaADHD. AIMS Gauging the effects of ADHD on segregating the spoken target-word from its sound-sharing competitor, in MTB and working-memory (WM) load. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Twenty-four yaADHD and 22 matched controls that differ in sustained attention (SA) but not in WM were asked to follow spoken instructions presented on MTB to touch a named object, while retaining one (low-load) or four (high-load) digit/s for later recall. Their eye fixations were tracked. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS In the high-load condition, speech processing was less accurate and slowed by 140ms for yaADHD. In the low-load condition, the processing advantage shifted from early perceptual to later cognitive stages. Fixation transitions (hesitations) were inflated for yaADHD. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ADHD slows speech processing in adverse listening conditions and increases hesitation, as speech unfolds in time. These effects, detected only by online eyetracking, relate to attentional difficulties. We suggest online speech processing as a novel purview on ADHD. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: We suggest speech processing in adverse listening conditions as a novel vantage point on ADHD. Successful speech recognition in noise is essential for performance across daily settings: academic, employment and social interactions. It involves several executive functions, such as inhibition and sustained attention. Impaired performance in these functions is characteristic of ADHD. However, to date there is only scant research on speech processing in ADHD. The current study is the first to investigate online speech processing as the word unfolds in time using eyetracking for young adults with ADHD (yaADHD). This method uncovered slower speech processing in multi-talker babble noise for yaADHD compared to matched controls. The performance of yaADHD indicated increased hesitation between the spoken word and sound-sharing alternatives (e.g., CANdle-CANdy). These delays and hesitations, on the single word level, could accumulate in continuous speech to significantly impair communication in ADHD, with severe implications on their quality of life and academic success. Interestingly, whereas yaADHD and controls were matched on WM standardized tests, WM load appears to affect speech processing for yaADHD more than for controls. This suggests that ADHD may lead to inefficient deployment of WM resources that may not be detected when WM is tested alone. Note that these intricate differences could not be detected using traditional offline accuracy measures, further supporting the use of eyetracking in speech tasks. Finally, communication is vital for active living and wellbeing. We suggest paying attention to speech processing in ADHD in treatment and when considering accessibility and inclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rony Lemel
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University (IDC), Herzliya, Israel
| | - Lilach Shalev
- Constantiner School of Education and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Gal Nitsan
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University (IDC), Herzliya, Israel; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Boaz M Ben-David
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University (IDC), Herzliya, Israel; Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Networks (UHN), ON, Canada.
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7
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Eye movement behavior in a real-world virtual reality task reveals ADHD in children. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20308. [PMID: 36434040 PMCID: PMC9700686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24552-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Eye movements and other rich data obtained in virtual reality (VR) environments resembling situations where symptoms are manifested could help in the objective detection of various symptoms in clinical conditions. In the present study, 37 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 36 typically developing controls (9-13 y.o) played a lifelike prospective memory game using head-mounted display with inbuilt 90 Hz eye tracker. Eye movement patterns had prominent group differences, but they were dispersed across the full performance time rather than associated with specific events or stimulus features. A support vector machine classifier trained on eye movement data showed excellent discrimination ability with 0.92 area under curve, which was significantly higher than for task performance measures or for eye movements obtained in a visual search task. We demonstrated that a naturalistic VR task combined with eye tracking allows accurate prediction of attention deficits, paving the way for precision diagnostics.
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8
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Understanding Clinical Reasoning through Visual Scanpath and Brain Activity Analysis. COMPUTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/computation10080130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents an experimental study that analyzes learners’ visual behaviour and brain activity in clinical reasoning. An acquisition protocol was defined to record eye tracking and EEG data from 15 participants as they interact with a computer-based learning environment called Amnesia, a medical simulation system that assesses the analytical skills of novice medicine students while they solve patient cases. We use gaze data to assess learners’ visual focus and present our methodology to track learners’ reasoning process through scanpath pattern analysis. We also describe our methodology for examining learners’ cognitive states using mental engagement and workload neural indexes. Finally, we discuss the relationship between gaze path information and EEG and how our analyses can lead to new forms of clinical diagnostic reasoning assessment.
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Dean EE, Little L, Tomchek S, Wallisch A, Dunn W. Prevalence Models to Support Participation: Sensory Patterns as a Feature of All Children’s Humanity. Front Psychol 2022; 13:875972. [PMID: 35814065 PMCID: PMC9262090 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.875972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Research about children tends to consider differences from expected patterns problematic, and associates differences with disabilities [e.g., Autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)]. When we focus on disabilities and consider differences automatically problematic, we miss the natural variability in the general population. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF 11) acknowledges that the experience of disability results from interactions between “environmental” and “personal” factors which determine the person’s capacity to participate. The purpose of this study was to examine sensory patterns across a national sample of children in the general population and samples of children with disabilities to investigate the extent to which differences in sensory processing are representative of natural variability rather than automatically problematic or part of a disability. Materials and Methods We employed descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine sensory processing patterns in children in the general population and autistic children and children with ADHD. We used standardization and validity data from the Sensory Profile 2 to conduct analyses. Results Consistent sensory patterns exist across all groups. Children in all groups had different rates of certain patterns. Conclusion Since children in all groups have certain sensory patterns, we cannot associate differences with problematic behaviors. Children participating successfully with all sensory patterns might provide insights for universal design that supports participation of all children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan E. Dean
- Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- *Correspondence: Evan E. Dean,
| | - Lauren Little
- Department of Occupational Therapy Education, Rush University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Scott Tomchek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Anna Wallisch
- Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Winnie Dunn
- Department of Occupational Therapy Education, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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10
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Classification of attention levels using a Random Forest algorithm optimized with Particle Swarm Optimization. EVOLVING SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12530-022-09444-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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White H, Heck A, Jubran R, Chroust A, Bhatt RS. Average fixation duration in infancy: Stability and predictive utility. INFANCY 2022; 27:866-886. [PMID: 35624554 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined the stability, consistency, and predictive utility of average fixation durations in infancy. In Study 1, infants' (N = 80) average fixation duration when viewing social stimuli was found to show strong relative stability from 3.5 to 9 months of age. In Study 2, strong within-infant consistency was found in 3.5-month-old infants' (N = 73) average fixation durations to social and nonsocial stimuli. In Study 3, 3.5- to 9-month-old infants' (N = 89) average fixation duration was found to systematically vary with parent-reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 4-6 years of age. These results suggest that average fixation duration serves as a stable and systematic measure of individual differences in cognitive development beginning early in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah White
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alison Heck
- Department of Psychology, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, USA
| | - Rachel Jubran
- Department of Behavioral & Social Sciences, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama, USA
| | - Alyson Chroust
- College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ramesh S Bhatt
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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12
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Hochhauser M, Aran A, Grynszpan O. Change Blindness in Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Use of Eye-Tracking. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:770921. [PMID: 35295775 PMCID: PMC8918561 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.770921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigated change detection of central or marginal interest in images using a change-blindness paradigm with eye tracking. METHOD Eighty-four drug-naïve adolescents [44 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)/40 controls with typical development] searched for a change in 36 pairs of original and modified images, with an item of central or marginal interest present or absent, presented in rapid alternation. Collected data were detection rate, response time, and gaze fixation duration, latency, and dispersion data. RESULTS Both groups' change-detection times were similar, with no speed-accuracy trade-off. No between-group differences were found in time to first fixation, fixation duration, or scan paths. Both groups performed better for items of central level of interest. The ADHD group demonstrated greater fixation dispersion in scan paths for central- and marginal-interest items. CONCLUSION Results suggest the greater gaze dispersion may lead to greater fatigue in tasks that require longer attention duration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adi Aran
- Neuropedeatric Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ouriel Grynszpan
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences du Numérique, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
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Jensen DA, Halmøy A, Stubberud J, Haavik J, Lundervold AJ, Sørensen L. An Exploratory Investigation of Goal Management Training in Adults With ADHD: Improvements in Inhibition and Everyday Functioning. Front Psychol 2021; 12:659480. [PMID: 34566748 PMCID: PMC8458564 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are predominantly treated with medication. However, there is also a need for effective, psychologically based interventions. As ADHD is strongly associated with reduced inhibitory control, cognitive remediation approaches should be efficient. Goal management training (GMT) aims at enhancing inhibitory control and has shown positive effects on inhibitory control in non-ADHD patient groups. The aim of the current study was to explore whether GMT would specifically enhance inhibitory control in adults with ADHD, and if such an enhancement would lead to secondary improvements in self-reported everyday functioning. Methods: Twenty-one participants with ADHD (mean age: 39.05 years [SD 11.93]) completed the intervention and assessments pre-, post- and 6 months after the intervention. Measures included neuropsychological tests and self-report questionnaires pertaining to cognitive- and executive functioning, emotion regulation, quality of life, and ADHD symptoms. Results: Compared to baseline, the participants showed enhanced inhibitory control on performance-based measures at post-assessment and 6-month follow-up. The participants also reported increased productivity and reduced cognitive difficulties in everyday life at both assessments post-treatment, as well as improvements in aspects of emotion regulation and a reduction in the severity of core ADHD-symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Our exploratory study showed that GMT seems to specifically improve one of the core executive dysfunctions in ADHD, namely inhibitory control, with a positive effect lasting at least 6 months post-treatment. The adults with ADHD also reported improved self-regulation in their everyday life after completing GMT, providing strong arguments for further investigations of GMT as a treatment option for this group of adults. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered under ISRCTN.com (ISRCTN91988877; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN91988877).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel André Jensen
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Division of Mental Health, Betanien Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anne Halmøy
- Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jan Stubberud
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Research, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan Haavik
- Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Lin Sørensen
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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14
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Fabio RA, Pergolizzi G, Nucita A, Iannizzotto G, Caprì T. The role of a virtual avatar in attention and memory tasks in Rett syndrome. BMC Neurol 2021; 21:223. [PMID: 34126956 PMCID: PMC8201674 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02212-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since subjects with Rett syndrome (RTT) focus their attention mainly on the faces of people with whom they interact, in this study the role of a human-like smart interactive agent (an avatar) in enhancing cognitive processes is examined. More in depth, this study aimed to understand if, and to what extent, the use of an avatar can improve attention and memory abilities in subjects with RTT. Method Thirty-six subjects with RTT participated in the study. All participants performed over-selectivity and memory tasks, for a total of six trials. These trials were randomly presented in two different conditions: with and without virtual avatar. Results The results indicated that the participants improved their attention and memory abilities when they performed the tasks with the avatar. There were no improvements when they performed the tasks without the avatar. Discussion The results were discussed considering the relationship between motivation, attention and memory in RTT. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12883-021-02212-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Angela Fabio
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98122, Messina, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Pergolizzi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98122, Messina, Italy
| | - Andrea Nucita
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Psychological, Educational and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Via Concezione, 6, 98122, Messina, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Iannizzotto
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Psychological, Educational and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Via Concezione, 6, 98122, Messina, Italy
| | - Tindara Caprì
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98122, Messina, Italy
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Carrozza C, Fabio RA. Dysfunctional perceptual antecedent can justify the social orienting deficit in autism spectrum disorder: an eye-tracking study. ADVANCES IN AUTISM 2020. [DOI: 10.1108/aia-03-2020-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show reduced attention to social stimuli. The reasons for these impairments are still being debated by researchers. The aim of this study is to analyse if reduced attention towards social stimuli is determined by initial underlying difficulties in the control of visual attention. Among the variables that could produce these difficulties, the authors considered geometric complexity and typology of geometric figures.
Design/methodology/approach
To test this hypothesis, in this paper, an eye-tracker paradigm was used for assessing visual exploration and recognition memory towards geometric figures (curved vs rectilinear) with two levels of geometric complexity (low and high) in 17 children with ASD matched with 17 children with typical development (TD).
Findings
The results showed that the ASD group seemed indifferent to both the geometric complexity and the typology of figures (curved and rectilinear), whereas the TD group showed higher performances with highly complex and curved geometric figures than with low complex and rectilinear geometric figures.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed hypotheses further.
Practical implications
This paper includes implications upon the presence of an unspecified visual attention deficit that is present from the early stages of the processing of stimuli.
Social implications
The understanding of this deficit from the early stages of the processing of stimuli can help educators to intervene at an early stage when disturbances in social relationships are starting.
Originality/value
This study contributes to understanding the presence of dysfunctional perceptual antecedents that could determine general difficulties in paying attention to social stimuli in ASD subjects.
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Remote Eye-Tracking for Cognitive Telerehabilitation and Interactive School Tasks in Times of COVID-19. INFORMATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/info11060296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the attempt to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 lockdown, most countries have recently authorized and promoted the adoption of e-learning and remote teaching technologies, often with the support of teleconferencing platforms. Unfortunately, not all students can benefit from the adoption of such a surrogate of their usual school. We were asked to devise a way to allow a community of children affected by the Rett genetic syndrome, and thus unable to communicate verbally, in writing or by gestures, to actively participate in remote rehabilitation and special education sessions by exploiting eye-gaze tracking. As not all subjects can access commercial eye-tracking devices, we investigated new ways to facilitate the access to eye gaze-based interaction for this specific case. The adopted communication platform is a videoconferencing software, so all we had at our disposal was a live video stream of the child. As a solution to the problem, we developed a software (named SWYG) that only runs at the “operator” side of the communication, at the side of the videoconferencing software, and does not require to install other software in the child’s computer. The preliminary results obtained are very promising and the software is ready to be deployed on a larger base. While this paper is being written, several children are finally able to communicate with their caregivers from home, without relying on expensive and cumbersome devices.
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Cui X, Wang J, Chang Y, Su M, Sherman HT, Wu Z, Wang Y, Zhou W. Visual Search in Chinese Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Comorbid Developmental Dyslexia: Evidence for Pathogenesis From Eye Movements. Front Psychol 2020; 11:880. [PMID: 32670125 PMCID: PMC7326094 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, a visual search task was conducted on children with comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental dyslexia (DD), children with pure ADHD, and typically developing children to explore the pathogenesis of comorbidity between ADHD and DD. Participants searched for the target character from five characters in each trial during the task. The distractors included orthographically similar characters, homophones, unrelated characters, and characters of a different color (i.e., red). Results showed that the clinical groups produced longer first fixation duration than the control group in all types of distractors. Children with ADHD comorbid DD were also more susceptible to characters with the distracting red color in gaze duration and total viewing time than were children with pure ADHD and healthy controls. The implication of comorbidity (ADHD + DD) on the pathogenesis was discussed. These results may be helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD with comorbid DD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Cui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiuju Wang
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Chang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengmeng Su
- College of Elementary Education, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Hannah T. Sherman
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, SC, United States
| | - Zhaomin Wu
- Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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Capri T, Santoddi E, Fabio RA. Multi-Source Interference Task paradigm to enhance automatic and controlled processes in ADHD. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 97:103542. [PMID: 31812886 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.103542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of automatic and controlled processes in children with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has recently been debated. Most theories on ADHD assume that core deficits are related to controlled processes and executive function. AIMS The main aim of the present study is to examine automatic and controlled attention in children with ADHD, compared to TD subjects. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Twenty ADHD-I children, 20 with ADHD-C and 20 typical developing children performed the Block-Formed Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT) both in incongruent and congruent conditions. OUTCOME AND RESULTS Results show that clinical groups had a poorer performance than the TD group in both conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This study demonstrated that children with ADHD exhibit a deficit both in automatic and controlled processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tindara Capri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98100, Messina, Italy.
| | - Erika Santoddi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98100, Messina, Italy.
| | - Rosa Angela Fabio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Bivona, 98100, Messina, Italy.
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