Eye movement impairments in children with malnutrition

Malnutrition is characterised by deficient nutrient ingestion and absorption and is still one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Our main rationale was that protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) may affect eye movement in children with malnutrition. Twenty children without PEM (mean age = 10.8; SD = 1.0 years) and 18 children with PEM (mean age = 10.9; SD = 1.2 years) were included in the present study. We applied three types of tests: one that consisted of a maze and two versions of the Spot the Seven Errors test using boats and elephants. Our results indicated that children with PEM exhibited performance deficits in the maze test (p < .001) and Spot the Seven Errors test for both boats (p < .001) and elephants (p < .001). These data suggest that nutritional impairments during the first year of life (i.e., a critical period) can directly impact eye movement. Eye tracking is a reliable technique to investigate higher-order processes, but our results should be interpreted with caution. Our findings highlight the relevance of cognitive development in malnourished children, which can negatively affect their development. Screening, assessment and rehabilitation strategies are essential in this at-risk population.

Reliability of the CSV-1000 in adults and children

PURPOSE

Test-retest reliability of the CSV-1000 (Vector Vision) has only been reported for one adult sample. We measured the reliability of this instrument in both children and adults and also investigated the effect of changing the examiner on test-retest reliability.

METHODS

Test-retest log contrast sensitivity (CS) measurements were obtained for 19 young adults and 15 children by the same examiner. Test-retest log CS data were obtained from 21 young adults with different examiners. Reliability was calculated using the Bland-Altman limits of agreement, the coefficient of repeatability (COR), and the intraclass correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

All three estimates of reliability for the CSV-1000 chart are low for both children and adults using the standard recommended testing protocol. If the test-retest log CS data are obtained from the same examiner then the reliability is improved, but not significantly so.

CONCLUSIONS

The reliability of the CSV-1000 is low, even if the same examiner obtains test-retest data. The data indicate that this test is unlikely to be sensitive enough to provide useful information for the clinician as is, but we suggest modifications of the procedure that may significantly increase test reliability.

Development of visual contour integration in children with migraine without aura

Introduction: As migraine attacks pose insult to cerebral circulation and ion homeostasis, migraine has the potential to interfere with the development of different brain structures, producing functional deficits. It is known that visual contour integration (CI) is a function with a protracted development. Therefore, we sought to establish whether migraine interferes with its development.

Methods: Forty-eight migraineurs (without aura) and 48 age- and sex-matched controls participated in the study, divided into three cohorts by age. Stimuli were presented on cards with a contour consisting of Gabor patches embedded in random noise. Difficulty was varied by the manipulation of relative noise density. The task was to identify and show the contour.

Results: A significant difference was found between the performance of migraineurs and controls in the 10–14-year-old and 15–18-year-old cohorts ( p < 0.05). Development between all three cohorts was significant in the control group ( p < 0.017), while it was not significant in migraineurs between 6 and 14 years. Correlation between age and CI threshold was stronger in controls than in migraineurs.

Conclusion: Children with paediatric migraine exhibited a less marked development in the Gabor patch-based CI task.