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Sarimski R, Schwartze MM, Müller C, Zentel P. Image perception and reception in wordless picture books: Eye movements of children with intellectual disabilities. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES : JOID 2024:17446295241276030. [PMID: 39194191 DOI: 10.1177/17446295241276030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Wordless picture books enhance comprehension and vocabulary growth and motivate children with intellectual disabilities (ID) to participate in literary activities. However, the reception of picture books can be challenging because deliberate selective attention processes and recognition of the image's meaning are often delayed. Examining eye movements may help explore these cognitive processes. Therefore, we examined eye movements in 29 children with mild and moderate ID as they explored a wordless picture book, presented on a screen and compared them to 14 typically developing children using a Tobii Pro X3-120 eye tracker. The findings showed that children with moderate ID had shorter fixation duration, fixated less often, and revisited regions of interest less frequently. Our results suggest that children with moderate ID have greater difficulties in selectively directing their attention toward regions of visual input with a high level of informativeness and expend less cognitive effort to understand their meaning.
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Tost A, Bachiller A, Medina-Rivera I, Romero S, Serna LY, Rojas-Martínez M, García-Cazorla Á, Mañanas MÁ. Repetitive active and passive cognitive stimulations induce EEG changes in patients with Rett syndrome. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03254-9. [PMID: 39014240 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03254-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite being considered a rare disease, Rett syndrome is a leading cause of profound cognitive impairment in females. This study explores game-based cognitive stimulation to enhance attention during learning tasks, offering an alternative treatment perspective. METHODS Fifteen diagnosed Rett syndrome girls participated in four 24-minute sessions, including a 5-minute initial resting state recording. Primary indicators for analysis included relative power and spectral entropy. RESULTS Significant findings indicated variations among conditions (resting state, active task, passive task) in response to stimulation. Notably, over four days, evolution occurred, characterized by decreasing delta power and increasing theta and beta power. Topographic maps confirmed these shifts, highlighting affected brain areas. Linear regression emphasized the most significant impact on the first day, with subsequent shifts towards higher frequencies, particularly during the resting state. By the fourth day, resting-state patterns resembled those during cognitive activities. CONCLUSION Findings suggest cognitive stimulation induces substantial EEG spectral changes, potentially linked to cognitive enhancements in Rett syndrome. The shift towards higher frequency bands and increased spectral entropy align with enhanced brain activation during cognitive sessions, underscoring the potential of cognitive stimulation therapies and calling for further research to optimize abilities in individuals with Rett syndrome. IMPACT Game-based cognitive stimulation induces substantial EEG changes in individuals with Rett syndrome, enhancing cognitive functions, notably attention during learning. This study conducts a distinctive examination, assessing the habituation paradigm through the combination of game-based cognitive stimulation and learning, providing valuable insights into enhancing attention in Rett syndrome. Impacting understanding of cognitive processes in Rett syndrome, this research reveals significant EEG variations during tasks, emphasizing the potential of cognitive stimulation for attention enhancement and the need for further research in tailored interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Tost
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alejandro Bachiller
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Sergio Romero
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leidy-Yanet Serna
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Monica Rojas-Martínez
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángeles García-Cazorla
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Neurology Department, Neurometabolic Unit and Synaptic Metabolism Lab, Institut Pediàtric de Recerca, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, metabERN and CIBERER-ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Mañanas
- Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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Wright D, Kenny A, Eley S, McKechanie AG, Stanfield AC. Visual social attention in SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability. Autism Res 2024; 17:1083-1093. [PMID: 38698724 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3148] [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: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
SYNGAP1-ID is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation of the SYNGAP1 gene. Characterized by moderate to severe developmental delay, it is associated with several physical and behavioral issues as well as additional diagnoses, including autism. However, it is not known whether social cognitive differences seen in SYNGAP1-ID are similar to those previously identified in idiopathic or other forms of autism. This study therefore investigated visual social attention in SYNGAP1-ID. Eye movements were recorded across three passive viewing tasks (face scanning, pop-out, and social preference) of differing social complexity in 24 individuals with SYNGAP1-ID and 12 typically developing controls. We found that SYNGAP1-ID participants looked at faces less than the controls, and when they did look at faces, they had less time looking at and fewer fixations to the eyes. For the pop-out task, where social and nonsocial objects (Phone, car, face, bird, and face-noise) were presented in an array, those with SYNGAP1-ID spent significantly less time looking at the phone stimulus as well as fewer fixations to the face compared with the typically developing controls. When looking at two naturalistic scenes side by side, one social in nature (e.g., with children present) and the other not, there were no differences between the SYNGAP1-ID group and typically developing controls on any of the examined eye tracking measures. This study provides novel findings on the social attention of those with SYNGAP1-ID and helps to provide further evidence for using eye tracking as an objective measure of the social phenotype in this population in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Wright
- Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Aisling Kenny
- Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sarah Eley
- Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew G McKechanie
- Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew C Stanfield
- Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Kable JA, Jones KL. Identifying Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Children Affected by It: A Review of Biomarkers and Screening Tools. Alcohol Res 2023; 43:03. [PMID: 37260694 PMCID: PMC10229137 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v43.1.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Early identification of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and of those in need of services resulting from this exposure is an important public health concern. This study reviewed the existing literature on potential biomarkers and screening tools of PAE and its impact. SEARCH METHODS Electronic databases were searched for articles published between January 1, 1996, and November 30, 2021, using the following search terms: ("fetal alcohol" or "prenatal alcohol" or "FASD" or "alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder" or "ARND" or "ND-PAE") and ("screening" or "identification" or "biomarker"). Duplicate articles were electronically eliminated. Titles and abstracts were reviewed for appropriateness, and selected articles were retrieved for further analysis. Additional articles were added that were referenced in the reviewed articles or identified from expert knowledge. Information about the characteristics of the sample, the biomarker or screening tool, and the predictive validity outcome data were abstracted. A narrative analysis of the studies was then performed on the data. SEARCH RESULTS A total of 3,813 articles were initially identified, and 1,215 were removed as duplicates. Of the remaining articles, 182 were identified as being within the scope of the review based on title and abstract inspection, and 181 articles were successfully retrieved. Of these, additional articles were removed because they were preclinical (3), were descriptive only (13), included only self-report of PAE (42), included only mean group comparison (17), were additional duplicates (2), focused on cost analysis (9), missed predictive validity data (24), or for other reasons (23). The remaining articles (n = 48) were abstracted. An additional 13 manuscripts were identified from these articles, and two more from expert knowledge. A total of 63 articles contributed to the review. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Biomarkers and screening tools of PAE and its impact fall short of ideal predictive validity characteristics. Higher specificity than sensitivity was found for many of the biomarkers and screening tools used to identify PAE and its impact, suggesting that current methods continue to under-identify the full range of individuals impacted by PAE. Exceptions to this were found in recent investigations using microRNAs related to growth and vascular development, proteomic changes associated with PAE, and combinations of markers estimating levels of various cytokines. Replications of these findings are needed across other samples to confirm the limited data available. Future research on biomarkers and screening tools should attend to feasibility and scalability of implementation. This article also recommends a systematic process of evaluation to improve early identification of individuals impacted by PAE so that harm reduction and habilitative care efforts can be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Kable
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kenneth Lyons Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
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Key AP, Roth S, Venker C. Spoken language comprehension in children and adults with Angelman Syndrome. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2022; 100:106272. [PMID: 36244082 PMCID: PMC9994640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Objective evaluation of receptive communication abilities in nonspeaking individuals using standardized behavioral measures can be complicated by co-occurring intellectual disabilities and motor difficulties. Eye tracking during listening may offer an informative complementary approach to directly evaluate receptive language skills. METHOD This study examined feasibility of eye gaze measures as an index of spoken language comprehension in nonspeaking children and adults with Angelman syndrome (AS; n = 23) using a looking-while-listening procedure. Typically developing children (n = 34) provided a reference data set. Primary caregivers of participants with AS completed standardized informant reports (MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Gestures; Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-3; Aberrant Behavior Checklist-2) to characterize communicative skills and general adaptive functioning. RESULTS Gaze data in participants with AS, particularly in the individuals reported by caregivers to have larger receptive vocabularies and stronger adaptive communicative functioning, demonstrated the expected pattern of comprehension reflected by the increased probability of looks to the target images after vs. before they were named in a spoken sentence. However, processing speed (gaze reaction time) was significantly slower in participants with AS than in the typically developing group. CONCLUSIONS Gaze-based paradigms could be an informative measure of receptive communication processes in participants who are unable to complete traditional standardized behavioral assessments.
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Venker CE, Neumann D, Aladé F. Visual perceptual salience and novel referent selection in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2022; 7:23969415221085476. [PMID: 36382081 PMCID: PMC9620699 DOI: 10.1177/23969415221085476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Background & Aims Many young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate striking delays in early vocabulary development. Experimental studies that teach the meanings of novel nonwords can determine the effects of linguistic and attentional factors. One factor that may affect novel referent selection in children with ASD is visual perceptual salience-how interesting (i.e., striking) stimuli are on the basis of their visual properties. The goal of the current study was to determine how the perceptual salience of objects affected novel referent selection in children with ASD and children who are typically developing (TD) of similar ages (mean age 3-4 years). Methods Using a screen-based experimental paradigm, children were taught the names of four unfamiliar objects: two high-salience objects and two low-salience objects. Their comprehension of the novel words was assessed in low-difficulty and high-difficulty trials. Gaze location was determined from video by trained research assistants. Results Contrary to initial predictions, findings indicated that high perceptual salience disrupted novel referent selection in the children with ASD but facilitated attention to the target object in age-matched TD peers. The children with ASD showed no significant evidence of successful novel referent selection in the high-difficulty trials. Exploratory reaction time analyses suggested that the children with autism showed "stickier" attention-had more difficulty disengaging (i.e., looking away)-from high-salience distracter images than low-salience distracter images, even though the two images were balanced in salience for any given test trial. Conclusions and Clinical Implications These findings add to growing evidence that high perceptual salience has the potential to disrupt novel referent selection in children with ASD. These results underscore the complexity of novel referent selection and highlight the importance of taking the immediate testing context into account. In particular, it is important to acknowledge that screen-based assessments and screen-based learning activities used with children with ASD are not immune to the effects of lower level visual features, such as perceptual salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E. Venker
- Department of Communicative Sciences and
Disorders, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dominik Neumann
- Leibniz-Institut für
Wissensmedien (IWM), Tübingen, Germany, Tubingen, Germany
| | - Fashina Aladé
- Department of Advertising and Public Relations,
College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Wen M, Dong Z, Zhang L, Li B, Zhang Y, Li K. Depression and Cognitive Impairment: Current Understanding of Its Neurobiology and Diagnosis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:2783-2794. [PMID: 36471744 PMCID: PMC9719265 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s383093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eye movement is critical for obtaining precise visual information and providing sensorimotor processes and advanced cognitive functions to the brain behavioral indicator. METHODS In this article, we present a narrative review of the eye-movement paradigms (such as fixation, smooth pursuit eye movements, and memory-guided saccade tasks) in major depression. RESULTS Characteristics of eye movement are considered to reflect several aspects of cognitive deficits regarded as an aid to diagnosis. Findings regarding depressive disorders showed differences from the healthy population in paradigms, the characteristics of eye movement may reflect cognitive deficits in depression. Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of different eye movement paradigms for MDD screening. CONCLUSION Depression can be distinguished from other mental illnesses based on eye movements. Eye movement reflects cognitive deficits that can help diagnose depression, and it can make the entire diagnostic process more accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wen
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, Baoding, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Dong
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China
| | - Lili Zhang
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China
| | - Bing Li
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, Baoding, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunshu Zhang
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, Baoding, People's Republic of China
| | - Keqing Li
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, Baoding, People's Republic of China
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Lescht E, Venker C, McHaney JR, Bohland JW, Wray AH. Novel word recognition in childhood stuttering. TOPICS IN LANGUAGE DISORDERS 2022; 42:41-56. [PMID: 35295185 PMCID: PMC8920118 DOI: 10.1097/tld.0000000000000271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Language skills have long been posited to be a factor contributing to developmental stuttering. The current study aimed to evaluate whether novel word recognition, a critical skill for language development, differentiated children who stutter from children who do not stutter. Twenty children who stutter and 18 children who do not stutter, aged 3–8 years, completed a novel word recognition task. Real-time eye gaze was used to evaluate online learning. Retention was measured immediately and after a 1-hr delay. Children who stutter and children who do not stutter exhibited similar patterns of online novel word recognition. Both groups also had comparable retention accuracy. Together, these results revealed that novel word recognition and retention were similar in children who stutter and children who do not stutter. These patterns suggest that differences observed in previous studies of language in stuttering may not be driven by novel word recognition abilities in children who stutter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Lescht
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Courtney Venker
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Jacie R. McHaney
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jason W. Bohland
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Amanda Hampton Wray
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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