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Müller M, Pillay N. Cognitive flexibility in urban yellow mongooses, Cynictis penicillata. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:14. [PMID: 38429567 PMCID: PMC10907452 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility enables animals to alter their behaviour and respond appropriately to environmental changes. Such flexibility is important in urban settings where environmental changes occur rapidly and continually. We studied whether free-living, urban-dwelling yellow mongooses, Cynictis penicillata, in South Africa, are cognitively flexible in reversal learning and attention task experiments (n = 10). Reversal learning was conducted using two puzzle boxes that were distinct visually and spatially, each containing a preferred or non-preferred food type. Once mongooses learned which box contained the preferred food type, the food types were reversed. The mongooses successfully unlearned their previously learned response in favour of learning a new response, possibly through a win-stay, lose-shift strategy. Attention task experiments were conducted using one puzzle box surrounded by zero, one, two or three objects, introducing various levels of distraction while solving the task. The mongooses were distracted by two and three distractions but were able to solve the task despite the distractions by splitting their attention between the puzzle box task and remaining vigilant. However, those exposed to human residents more often were more vigilant. We provide the first evidence of cognitive flexibility in urban yellow mongooses, which enables them to modify their behaviour to urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijke Müller
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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2
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Koffman AF, Flaten E, Desroches AS, Kruk RS. Neural Correlates of Visual Attention and Short-Term Memory in Children with Reading Difficulty. Dev Neuropsychol 2023; 48:65-80. [PMID: 36802942 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2023.2177856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Visual attention and memory of 20 children with reading difficulty (Mage = 134 months), 24 chronological (Mage = 138 months) and 19 reading-age controls (Mage = 92 months) were examined using object substitution masking; mask offset delay increases visual attention and visual short-term memory demands. ERP amplitude differences in the N1 (alerting), N2pc (N2-posterior-contralateral; selective attention), and SPCN (sustained posterior contralateral negativity; memory load) were expected between groups. Chronological controls performed best, but ERP results were mixed. No group differences were found for N1 or N2pc. SPCN showed enhanced negativity in reading difficulty, indicating greater memory load and anomalous inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis F Koffman
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Erica Flaten
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Amy S Desroches
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Richard S Kruk
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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3
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Wang Y, Guan H, Ma L, Luo J, Chu C, Hu M, Zhao G, Men W, Tan S, Gao JH, Qin S, He Y, Dong Q, Tao S. Learning to read may help promote attention by increasing the volume of the left middle frontal gyrus and enhancing its connectivity to the ventral attention network. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2260-2272. [PMID: 35641153 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention and reading are essential skills for successful schooling and in adult life. While previous studies have documented that attention development supports reading acquisition, whether and how learning to read may improve attention among school-age children and the brain structural and functional development that may be involved remain unknown. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined bidirectional and longitudinal predictions between attention and reading development and the neural mediators of attention and reading development among school-age children using cross-lagged panel modeling. The results showed that better baseline reading performance significantly predicted better attention performance one year later after controlling for baseline attention performance. In contrast, after controlling for baseline reading performance, attention did not significantly predict reading performance one year later, while more attention problems also significantly predicted worse reading performance. Both the increasing gray matter volume of the left middle frontal gyrus and the increasing connectivity between the left middle frontal gyrus and the ventral attention network mediated the above significant longitudinal predictions. This study, directly revealed that reading skills may predict the development of important cognitive functions, such as attention, in school-age children. Therefore, learning to read is not only a challenge for school-age children but is also an important way to optimize attention and brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Haoran Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Leilei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jie Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Congying Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mingming Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Gai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Weiwei Men
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shuping Tan
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Nandian North Road, Huilongguan Town, Changping District, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Sha Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
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Anunciação L, Portugal A, Rabelo I, Landeira-Fernandez J. Non-verbal intelligence outperforms selective attention in a visual short-term memory test. PSICOLOGIA-REFLEXAO E CRITICA 2021; 34:35. [PMID: 34783917 PMCID: PMC8595432 DOI: 10.1186/s41155-021-00200-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Short-term memory is a dynamic psychological process that operates within a network in which non-verbal intelligence and attentional domains are connected. However, no consensus has been reached about which process has the greatest effect on this memory ability, which was the main objective of the present study. A sample of 1448 Brazilian participants (mean age = 26.62 years, standard deviation = 9.97 years; 53.9% females) were collectively tested on pen-and-paper standardized and validated measures of selective (ROTAS-C), alternating (ROTAS-A), and divided (ROTAS-D) attention. They also performed the R1 Non-verbal Intelligence Test and a visual short-term memory test (Memória Visual de Curto Prazo [MEMORE] test). The statistical analyses consisted of a data mining procedure, in which exhaustive automatic selection screening was performed. The results were compared with Corrected Akaike Information Criteria. The linear model met the classic assumptions of ordinary least squares and only included main effects of selective attention (standardized β = 0.39) and non-verbal intelligence (standardized β = 0.37) as main predictors (F2,39 = 7.01, p < 0.01, adjusted R2 = 24%). The results are discussed within a cognitive psychology framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Anunciação
- Psychometrics and Applied Statistics, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Anna Portugal
- Psychological Assessment, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Ivan Rabelo
- Psychological Assessment, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J. Landeira-Fernandez
- Experimental Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
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Lancaster HS, Li J, Gray S. Selective visual attention skills differentially predict decoding and reading comprehension performance across reading ability profiles. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN READING 2021; 44:715-734. [PMID: 35557998 PMCID: PMC9090198 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9817.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selective visual attention (SVA), reading decoding, listening comprehension and reading comprehension in children with and without a reading disorder. METHODS We used longitudinal data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We split children into four groups: Typical Readers, Dyslexics, Poor Comprehenders and Comorbid Reading Disorder. We included measures of single word reading, nonword reading, spelling, phonological processing, vocabulary, receptive language, nonverbal intelligence, selective attention and reading comprehension. We used analysis of variance, correlations and structural equation modelling to examine the relationship between SVA and reading. We fit two possible models: SVA Indirect and SVA Direct. The difference between these models was the inclusion of a direct path from SVA to reading comprehension. RESULTS We examined an indirect model, where SVA predicted reading comprehension through word decoding and listening comprehension, and a direct model, which included a pathway from SVA to reading comprehension. Based on our analysis of variance and correlation results, we collapsed the Dyslexic, Poor Comprehenders and Comorbid Reading Disorder groups for the structural equation modelling. We found evidence that for Typical Readers, an indirect model was the best fit, whereas the direct model was the best model for children with a reading disorder. CONCLUSIONS Selective visual attention is related to reading comprehension. This relationship differs for children with and without a reading disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope Sparks Lancaster
- Center of Childhood Deafness, Language, and Learning, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA and Program of Speech and Hearing Science, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jing Li
- H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shelley Gray
- Program of Speech and Hearing Science, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Skalski S, Pochwatko G, Balas R. Impact of Motivation on Selected Aspects of Attention in Children with ADHD. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:586-595. [PMID: 32816140 PMCID: PMC8238702 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01042-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Earlier reports showed the co-occurrence of a motivation deficit in children with ADHD. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of extrinsic motivation on selected aspects of attention in children with ADHD, as well as to measure cortical activity and dimensions of motivation as per the self-determination theory. The study included 30 children with ADHD and 30 typically developing (TD) children aged 9-13 years. Children with ADHD exhibited a higher theta/beta power ratio (TBR) in the midline and a lower regional cerebral blood oxygenation (rCBO2) level in prefrontal areas measured using the HEG ratio compared to TD children. Children with ADHD were more likely to undertake activity under the pressure of external stimuli and exhibited attention deficits regarding vigilance, visual search and divided attention. Differences between groups regarding attention decreased in conditions of increased motivation, indicating that motivation can reduce cognitive deficits in children with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Skalski
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza Street, 00-378, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Grzegorz Pochwatko
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza Street, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Balas
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza Street, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
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Koyama MS, Molfese PJ, Milham MP, Mencl WE, Pugh KR. Thalamus is a common locus of reading, arithmetic, and IQ: Analysis of local intrinsic functional properties. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 209:104835. [PMID: 32738503 PMCID: PMC8087146 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of basic achievement skills - reading and arithmetic - often control for the effect of IQ to identify unique neural correlates of each skill. This may underestimate possible effects of common factors between achievement and IQ measures on neuroimaging results. Here, we simultaneously examined achievement (reading and arithmetic) and IQ measures in young adults, aiming to identify MRI correlates of their common factors. Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data were analyzed using two metrics assessing local intrinsic functional properties; regional homogeneity (ReHo) and fractional amplitude low frequency fluctuation (fALFF), measuring local intrinsic functional connectivity and intrinsic functional activity, respectively. ReHo highlighted the thalamus/pulvinar (a subcortical region implied for selective attention) as a common locus for both achievement skills and IQ. More specifically, the higher the ReHo values, the lower the achievement and IQ scores. For fALFF, the left superior parietal lobule, part of the dorsal attention network, was positively associated with reading and IQ. Collectively, our results highlight attention-related regions, particularly the thalamus/pulvinar as a key region related to individual differences in performance on all the three measures. ReHo in the thalamus/pulvinar may serve as a tool to examine brain mechanisms underlying a comorbidity of reading and arithmetic difficulties, which could co-occur with weakness in general intellectual abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maki S Koyama
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Peter J Molfese
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA; Center for Biomedical Imagingand Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA.
| | | | - Kenneth R Pugh
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, Storrs, CT, USA.
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Commodari E, Guarnera M, Di Stefano A, Di Nuovo S. Children Learn to Read: How Visual Analysis and Mental Imagery Contribute to the Reading Performances at Different Stages of Reading Acquisition. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH 2020; 49:59-72. [PMID: 31487031 DOI: 10.1007/s10936-019-09671-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Reading in alphabetic orthography requires analysis and recognition of specific attributes of visual stimuli, and generation, reactivation, and use of mental images of letters and words. This study evaluated the role of visual analysis and mental imagery in reading performances of students at different stages of reading acquisition. Reading "comprehension," "accuracy," and "speed," were analyzed. Participants were 90 children who attended primary school. Children were assessed in the first and third grade. The results highlighted that mental imagery and visual analysis influenced reading acquisition. These abilities are differently involved in the three dimensions of reading skill. The issues of this study have practical and educational applications. The early assessment of visual analysis and mental imagery skills and specific training on these abilities could contribute to facilitate reading acquisition. Strategies of intervention centered on visual imagery could increase reading performances in typically developing children and children at risk of learning difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Commodari
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Via Teatro Greco, 84, 95124, Catania, Italy.
| | - Maria Guarnera
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100, Enna, Italy
| | | | - Santo Di Nuovo
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Via Teatro Greco, 84, 95124, Catania, Italy
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Savulich G, Thorp E, Piercy T, Peterson KA, Pickard JD, Sahakian BJ. Improvements in Attention Following Cognitive Training With the Novel "Decoder" Game on an iPad. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:2. [PMID: 30719000 PMCID: PMC6348266 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Work and study increasingly rely on the use of technologies requiring individuals to switch attention rapidly between emails, texts and tasks. This has led to healthy people having problems of attention and concentration and difficulties getting into the “flow,” which impedes goal attainment and task completion. Possibly related to this, there is an increasing diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prescriptions of drugs such as methylphenidate. In addition to ADHD, attention is impaired in other neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Based on neuropsychological and neuroimaging evidence, we developed “Decoder,” a novel game for targeted cognitive training of visual sustained attention on an iPad. We aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive training in 75 healthy young adults randomly assigned to a Cognitive Training (8 h of playing Decoder over 4 weeks; n = 25), Active Control (8 h of playing Bingo over 4 weeks; n = 25) or Passive Control (continuation of activities of daily living; n = 25) group. Results indicated that cognitive training with Decoder was superior to both control groups in terms of increased target sensitivity (A’) on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Rapid Visual Information processing (CANTAB RVP) test, indicating significantly improved sustained visual attention. Individuals playing Decoder also showed significantly better performance on the Trail Making Test (TMT) compared with those playing Bingo. Significant differences in visual analogue scales were also found between the two gaming groups, such that Decoder received higher ratings of enjoyment, task-related motivation and alertness across all hours of game play. These data suggest that cognitive training with Decoder is an effective non-pharmacological method for enhancing attention in healthy young adults, which could be extended to clinical populations in which attentional problems persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Savulich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Thorp
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Piercy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Katie A Peterson
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - John D Pickard
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara J Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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ten Braak D, Kleemans T, Størksen I, Verhoeven L, Segers E. Domain-specific effects of attentional and behavioral control in early literacy and numeracy development. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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