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Williams ME, Corn EA, Martinez Ransanz S, Berl MM, Andringa-Seed R, Mulkey SB. Neurodevelopmental assessments used to measure preschoolers' cognitive development in Latin America: a systematic review. J Pediatr Psychol 2024; 49:321-339. [PMID: 38244996 PMCID: PMC11098046 DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsad089] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to systematically review the standardized neurodevelopmental assessments used to study preschool-aged children's cognitive development in Spanish-speaking Latin America. METHODS The authors systematically searched PubMed, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases for peer-reviewed articles from Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. Articles were included if they measured cognitive development among children aged 2-6 years using at least one standardized assessment tool; 97 articles were included and reviewed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to assess their use of these tools. RESULTS Ninety-seven studies across 13 countries used a total of 41 assessments to measure cognitive development; most widely used were the Wechsler intelligence scales (n = 46/97), particularly the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (n = 23 and 29, respectively). Other common assessments included the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (n = 9), Raven's Progressive Matrices (n = 9), Child Neuropsychological Assessment (n = 8), and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (n = 7). In regions where normative data for a given assessment were unpublished, authors commonly used norms from the United States, Mexico, or Spain or did not report standard scores in their analyses. CONCLUSIONS The wide range of tools used in these studies presents a challenge for generalizing results when measuring the neurodevelopment of Latin American preschool-aged children. The low availability of normative data for specific regions reveals concerns if some tools are culturally and linguistically appropriate even when Spanish is a common language, particularly in low-resource settings. Future work to forge greater consistency in the use of validated measures, clarity in reporting research methods, and publication of regional normative data would benefit the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan E Williams
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Corn
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Santiago Martinez Ransanz
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Madison M Berl
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Regan Andringa-Seed
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sarah B Mulkey
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
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2
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Dong P, Li W, Hu Q, Wu T, Jiang Y, Jin H, Xu C, Buschkuehl M, Jaeggi SM, Zhang Q. The relation between effortful control and executive function training in preschoolers. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 238:105778. [PMID: 37748340 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the question of whether executive function (EF) is malleable has been widely documented. Despite using the same training tasks, transfer effects remain uncertain. Researchers suggested that the inconsistency might be attributed to individual differences in temperamental traits. In the current study, we investigated how effortful control, a temperamental trait, would affect EF training outcomes in children. Based on parent rating, 79 6-year-old preschoolers were identified as having higher or lower effort control and were assigned to three conditions: working memory (WM) training, inhibitory control (IC) training, and a business-as-usual control group. Children completed assessments at baseline, 1 week after intervention (posttest), and 3 months after intervention (follow-up). As compared with the control group, the WM and IC training groups showed improvement in both trained tasks and nontrained measures. At baseline, children with higher effortful control scores showed greater WM capacity and better IC. Furthermore, effortful control was positively correlated with training gain in both training groups, with children with higher effortful control benefitting more through training. In the WM training group, effortful control was positively correlated with near transfer on WM outcomes both immediately and longitudinally. At posttest, the WM and IC training groups showed a positive correlation between effortful control and fluid intelligence performance. Our results underscore the importance of individual differences in training benefits, in particular the role of effortful control, and further illustrate the potential avenues for designing more effective individualized cognitive training programs to foster learning and optimize children's development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiqi Dong
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Qiong Hu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Tianqi Wu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Yiheng Jiang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Huan Jin
- Hangzhou Bud Kindergarten, Hangzhou 310052, China
| | - Cihua Xu
- School of Philosophy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | | | - Susanne M Jaeggi
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China.
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3
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Pietto ML, Giovannetti F, Segretin MS, Lipina SJ, Kamienkowski JE. EEG Dynamics of Error Processing and Associated Behavioral Adjustments in Preschool Children. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040575. [PMID: 37190540 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Preschool children show neural responses and make behavioral adjustments immediately following an error. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding how neural responses to error predict subsequent behavioral adjustments during childhood. The aim of our study was to explore the neural dynamics of error processing and associated behavioral adjustments in preschool children from unsatisfied basic needs (UBN) homes. Using EEG recordings during a go/no-go task, we examined within-subject associations between the error-related negativity (ERN), frontal theta power, post-error slowing, and post-error accuracy. Post-error accuracy increased linearly with post-error slowing, and there was no association between the neural activity of error processing and post-error accuracy. However, during successful error recovery, the frontal theta power, but not the ERN amplitude, was associated positively with post-error slowing. These findings indicated that preschool children from UBN homes adjusted their behavior following an error in an adaptive form and that the error-related theta activity may be associated with the adaptive forms of post-error behavior. Furthermore, our data support the adaptive theory of post-error slowing and point to some degree of separation between the neural mechanisms represented by the ERN and theta.
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4
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The Influence of Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Processing Speed on the Psychological Adjustment and Wellbeing of Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133075. [PMID: 35804846 PMCID: PMC9264789 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Processing speed (PS) is one of the most impaired functions in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs) and it has been linked to difficulties in their psychological functioning, together with other non-insult-related risk factors, such as socio-economic status (SES). Given the psychological adjustment difficulties observed in PBTS, the aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between SES and psychological functioning, measured with the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and considering the contribution of PS as a mediator. The results demonstrated that the influence of SES on the CBCL total index was mediated by PS. Furthermore, PS was found to have a mediating effect on the SES–internalizing problems relationship but not on the SES–externalizing problems relationship. These findings suggest that PS may be a rehabilitation target to prevent psychological distress and should be addressed, especially for PBTSs who live in a disadvantaged situation. Abstract (1) Background: The relationship between processing speed (PS) and psychological adjustment in the healthy population is well established, as is that between low socio-economic status (SES) and psychological distress. While PS is one of the most impaired functions in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs), previous research has demonstrated that low SES may be a predictor of increased psychosocial risk in PBTSs. Given the psychological adjustment difficulties observed in PBTS, in the current study we aimed to explore the relationship between SES and psychological functioning, considering the contribution of PS as a mediator. (2) Methods: demographic and clinical data of 80 children (age range: 4–17 y.o.) were retrospectively collected. Psychological measures were the parent-compiled versions of the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mediation analysis models were performed on psychological measures with and without the inclusion of covariates. (3) Results: The influence of SES on the CBCL total index was mediated by PS. Furthermore, PS was found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between SES and internalizing problems but not on the relationship between SES and externalizing problems. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that PS may be a rehabilitation target for the prevention of psychological distress and should be addressed especially for PBTSs who live in a disadvantaged situation.
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Vladisauskas M, Belloli LML, Fernández Slezak D, Goldin AP. A Machine Learning Approach to Personalize Computerized Cognitive Training Interventions. Front Artif Intell 2022; 5:788605. [PMID: 35350407 PMCID: PMC8958026 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2022.788605] [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: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions are a class of cognitive processes critical for purposeful goal-directed behavior. Cognitive training is the adequate stimulation of executive functions and has been extensively studied and applied for more than 20 years. However, there is still a lack of solid consensus in the scientific community about its potential to elicit consistent improvements in untrained domains. Individual differences are considered one of the most important factors of inconsistent reports on cognitive training benefits, as differences in cognitive functioning are both genetic and context-dependent, and might be affected by age and socioeconomic status. We here present a proof of concept based on the hypothesis that baseline individual differences among subjects would provide valuable information to predict the individual effectiveness of a cognitive training intervention. With a dataset from an investigation in which 73 6-year-olds trained their executive functions using an online software with a fixed protocol, freely available at www.matemarote.org.ar, we trained a support vector classifier that successfully predicted (average accuracy = 0.67, AUC = 0.707) whether a child would improve, or not, after the cognitive stimulation, using baseline individual differences as features. We also performed a permutation feature importance analysis that suggested that all features contribute equally to the model's performance. In the long term, this results might allow us to design better training strategies for those players who are less likely to benefit from the current training protocols in order to maximize the stimulation for each child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Vladisauskas
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia, Universidad Torcuato di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Melina Vladisauskas
| | - Laouen M. L. Belloli
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias de la Computación, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego Fernández Slezak
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias de la Computación, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea P. Goldin
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia, Universidad Torcuato di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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6
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Giovannetti F, Pietto ML, Segretin MS, Lipina SJ. Impact of an individualized and adaptive cognitive intervention on working memory, planning and fluid reasoning processing in preschoolers from poor homes. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:597-626. [PMID: 34779691 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1998406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Contemporary evidence shows that different intervention approaches can be effective in improving executive cognitive performance in preschoolers from poor homes. However, several aspects about the role of individual and contextual differences in intervention effects remain to be elucidated. The present study aimed to explore the impact of a computerized executive cognitive intervention with lab-based tasks in preschoolers from Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN) homes. In the context of a randomized controlled design, different activities were administered to children according to their baseline performance in a variety of cognitive tasks tapping inhibitory control, working memory, and planning demands (i.e., high- and low-performance intervention and control groups). Results suggested that the impact of the intervention was shown preferentially by high-performers in Tower of London and K-Bit tasks, who increased their performances in the posttest assessment. This finding supports the importance of considering individual and contextual differences in the design of interventions aimed at changing the cognitive performance of children from poor homes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcos Luis Pietto
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias de la Computación, FCEyN-UBA- CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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7
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Conflict-Related Brain Activity after Individualized Cognitive Training in Preschoolers from Poor Homes. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00223-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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8
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Xie Z, Antolovic K. Differential impacts of natural L2 immersion and intensive classroom L2 training on cognitive control. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2021; 75:550-562. [PMID: 34353169 DOI: 10.1177/17470218211040813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between bilingualism and cognitive control has been controversial. We believe that the discrepant findings are likely driven by the complexities of the bilingual experience, which is consistent with the Adaptive Control Hypothesis. The current study investigates whether the natural language immersion experience and the classroom intensive language training experience have differential impacts on cognitive control. Among unbalanced Chinese-English bilingual students, a natural L2 (second language) immersion group, an L2 public speaking training group, and a control bilingual group without immersion or training experience were compared on their cognitive control abilities, with the participants' demographic factors strictly controlled. The results showed that the L2 immersion group and the L2 speaking group had faster speed than the control group in the Flanker task, whereas the L2 immersion group had fewer errors than the other two groups in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). These results generally provide evidence in favour of the Adaptive Control Hypothesis, specifying that natural L2 immersion and L2 public speaking training experiences are distinctively related to cognitive control. The current study is the first of its kind to link specific bilingual experiences (natural L2 immersion vs. intensive L2 public speaking) with different components of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilong Xie
- Foreign Languages College, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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9
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Exploring Individual Differences as Predictors of Performance Change During Dual-N-Back Training. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021; 5:480-498. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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10
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Traut HJ, Guild RM, Munakata Y. Why Does Cognitive Training Yield Inconsistent Benefits? A Meta-Analysis of Individual Differences in Baseline Cognitive Abilities and Training Outcomes. Front Psychol 2021; 12:662139. [PMID: 34122249 PMCID: PMC8187947 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite growing interest in improving cognitive abilities across the lifespan through training, the benefits of cognitive training are inconsistent. One powerful contributor may be that individuals arrive at interventions with different baseline levels of the cognitive skill being trained. Some evidence suggests poor performers benefit the most from cognitive training, showing compensation for their weak abilities, while other evidence suggests that high performers benefit most, experiencing a magnification of their abilities. Whether training leads to compensation or magnification effects may depend upon the specific cognitive domain being trained (such as executive function or episodic memory) and the training approach implemented (strategy or process). To clarify the association between individual differences in baseline cognitive ability and training gains as well as potential moderators, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis of the correlation between these two variables. We found evidence of a significant meta-correlation demonstrating a compensatory effect, a negative association between initial ability on a trained cognitive process and training gains. Too few papers met our search criteria across the levels of proposed moderators of cognitive domain and training approach to conduct a reliable investigation of their influence over the meta-analytic effect size. We discuss the implications of a compensatory meta-correlation, potential reasons for the paucity of qualifying papers, and important future directions for better understanding how cognitive trainings work and for whom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J. Traut
- Cognitive Development Center, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Ryan M. Guild
- Cognitive Development Center, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Yuko Munakata
- Cognition in Context Lab, Department of Psychology and Center for Mind & Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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11
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Giovannetti F, Pietto ML, Segretín MS, Lipina SJ. Impact of an Individualized Cognitive Training Intervention in Preschoolers from Poor Homes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17082912. [PMID: 32340155 PMCID: PMC7215356 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, different interventions were shown to be effective in changing cognitive performance in preschoolers from poor homes undertaking tasks with executive demands. However, this evidence also showed that not all children included in the intervention groups equally increased their performance levels, which could be related to individual and contextual variability. The present study aimed to explore the impact of a computerized cognitive training intervention with lab-based tasks in preschoolers from Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN) homes under the consideration of their baseline performance. In the context of a randomized controlled trial design, different interventions were administered to children according to their baseline performance in a variety of cognitive tasks (i.e., executive attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and planning demands). The results showed different patterns of impact on performance depending on the experimental group, supporting the importance of considering individual and contextual differences in the design of interventions aimed at optimizing executive functions in poverty-impacted sample populations in early stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Giovannetti
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (S.J.L.)
| | - Marcos Luis Pietto
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias de la Computación, FCEyN-UBA- CONICET, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Segretín
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
| | - Sebastián Javier Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (S.J.L.)
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12
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Ruetti E, Segretin MS, Ramírez VA, Lipina SJ. Role of Emotional Appraisal in Episodic Memory in a Sample of Argentinean Preschoolers. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2556. [PMID: 31866886 PMCID: PMC6906165 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotional processing and episodic memory are closely related throughout childhood development. With respect to emotional episodic memory, available evidence shows that the consolidation of information is accompanied by an arousal that generates longer duration and persistence of the memory representations. In the case of early stages of development (i.e., first 5 years), it is less clear how these associations emerge and are modulated by individual and environmental factors. In this study, 116 4- to 5-years old Argentinean children from different socio-environmental contexts (i.e., favorable or unfavorable living conditions at home), performed a task of visual emotional memory in which they observed a set of 15 images with variable emotional valences (negative, neutral, and positive). The child’s task was to appraise each image using one of the following three possible valences: (a) drawings of faces with smiles (positive valence), (b) drawings of faces with tears and round mouth with edges down (negative valence), or (c) drawings of faces with horizontal mouth (neutral valence). Five years-old children exhibited greater accuracy appraisal. Individual differences in emotional accuracy appraisal allowed us to observe different performances in free recall of negative visual images. Accuracy appraisal did not vary between children with respect to gender, living conditions at home, or language ability. Seven to ten days after the emotional appraisal children were asked to tell the experimenter all the images they remembered (variables of interest: free recall of negative, positive, or neutral images). Results showed individual (age) differences. Specifically, 5-years-old children evoked more images than 4-years-old children. These findings contribute to the understanding of emotional memory in early developmental stages and raise the need to include emotional appraisal in the assessment of episodic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Ruetti
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica Norberto Quirno (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Segretin
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica Norberto Quirno (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Verónica Adriana Ramírez
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica Norberto Quirno (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sebastian J Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica Norberto Quirno (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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13
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Dresler M, Sandberg A, Bublitz C, Ohla K, Trenado C, Mroczko-Wąsowicz A, Kühn S, Repantis D. Hacking the Brain: Dimensions of Cognitive Enhancement. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:1137-1148. [PMID: 30550256 PMCID: PMC6429408 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In an increasingly complex information society, demands for cognitive functioning are growing steadily. In recent years, numerous strategies to augment brain function have been proposed. Evidence for their efficacy (or lack thereof) and side effects has prompted discussions about ethical, societal, and medical implications. In the public debate, cognitive enhancement is often seen as a monolithic phenomenon. On a closer look, however, cognitive enhancement turns out to be a multifaceted concept: There is not one cognitive enhancer that augments brain function per se, but a great variety of interventions that can be clustered into biochemical, physical, and behavioral enhancement strategies. These cognitive enhancers differ in their mode of action, the cognitive domain they target, the time scale they work on, their availability and side effects, and how they differentially affect different groups of subjects. Here we disentangle the dimensions of cognitive enhancement, review prominent examples of cognitive enhancers that differ across these dimensions, and thereby provide a framework for both theoretical discussions and empirical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dresler
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour , Radboud University Medical Centre , Nijmegen 6525 EN , The Netherlands
| | - Anders Sandberg
- Future of Humanity Institute , Oxford University , Oxford OX1 1PT , United Kingdom
| | | | - Kathrin Ohla
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3) , Forschungszentrum Jülich , Jülich 52428 , Germany
| | - Carlos Trenado
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf , Düsseldorf 40225 , Germany
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors , TU Dortmund , Dortmund 44139 , Germany
| | | | - Simone Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development , Berlin 14195 , Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Clinic Hamburg Eppendorf , Hamburg 20246 , Germany
| | - Dimitris Repantis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin 12203 , Germany
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14
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Ivanovic DM, Almagià AF, Arancibia VC, Ibaceta CV, Arias VF, Rojas TR, Flores OC, Villagrán FS, Tapia LU, Acevedo JA, Morales GI, Martínez VC, Larraín CG, Silva CFA, Valenzuela RB, Barrera CR, Billeke PB, Zamorano FM, Orellana YZ. A multifactorial approach of nutritional, intellectual, brain development, cardiovascular risk, socio-economic, demographic and educational variables affecting the scholastic achievement in Chilean students: An eight- year follow-up study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212279. [PMID: 30785935 PMCID: PMC6382269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to quantitate the relative impact of nutritional, intellectual, brain development, cardiovascular risk, socio-economic, demographic and educational variables on the results of the 2009 Quality Education Measurement System (SIMCE) tests of language and mathematics for scholastic achievement (SA) applying a multifactorial approach, in school-age children of the 2010 5th elementary school grade (5ESG) and of the 1st grade of high school (1HSG). The purposes were: i) to test the hypothesis that intellectual ability, the level of SA of the educational establishments in the 2009 SIMCE tests, sex, parental schooling levels, and head circumference-for-age Z-score are the most relevant parameters associated with 2009 SIMCE outcomes; ii) to determine the predictive ability of the 2009 SIMCE results in determining the 2013 SIMCE outcomes for the 2010 5ESG cohort (when they graduated from elementary school, 8th grade) and for determining the 2013 University Selection Test (PSU) outcomes for the 2010 1HSG group (for university admission, when they graduated from high school, 4th grade); iii) to determine the association between the 2009 SIMCE results with the 2017 PSU outcomes for the 2010 5ESG group (for university admission, when they graduated from high school, 4th grade). A representative, proportional and stratified sample of 33 schools of the Metropolitan Region of Chile was randomly chosen. In these schools, 1,353 school-age children of both sexes, of the 2010 5ESG (n = 682; mean age = 10.8 years, SD = 0.6) and of the 2010 1HSG (n = 671; mean age = 14.8 years, SD = 0.6) participated. In both grades and tests, the findings confirm the hypotheses formulated. 2009 SIMCE outcomes were positively and significantly associated with 2013 SIMCE and with 2017 PSU and, with 2013 PSU outcomes in school-age children from 2010 5ESG and 1HSG, respectively. These findings may be useful for educational and health planning in Chile and countries in a comparable stage of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniza M. Ivanovic
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Atilio F. Almagià
- Laboratory of Physical Anthropology and Human Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Violeta C. Arancibia
- Center for Research in Education and Learning, University of Los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Camila V. Ibaceta
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vanessa F. Arias
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine, Andres Bello University, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tatiana R. Rojas
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ofelia C. Flores
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- School of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Francisca S. Villagrán
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Liliana U. Tapia
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera A. Acevedo
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gladys I. Morales
- Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Víctor C. Martínez
- Department of Commercial Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristián G. Larraín
- Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine-German Clinic of Santiago, University of Development, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio F. A. Silva
- Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine-German Clinic of Santiago, University of Development, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Cynthia R. Barrera
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo B. Billeke
- Division of Neuroscience, Center for Research in Social Complexity (neuroSIS), Faculty of Government, University of Development, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco M. Zamorano
- Division of Neuroscience, Center for Research in Social Complexity (neuroSIS), Faculty of Government, University of Development, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Quantitative Imaging Unit, Image Department, German Clinic of Santiago-University of Development, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yasna Z. Orellana
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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15
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Obradović J, Finch JE, Portilla XA, Rasheed MA, Tirado-Strayer N, Yousafzai AK. Early executive functioning in a global context: Developmental continuity and family protective factors. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12795. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Obradović
- Graduate School of Education; Stanford University; Stanford California
| | - Jenna E. Finch
- Department of Psychology; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln Nebraska
| | | | - Muneera A. Rasheed
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health; Aga Khan University; Karachi Pakistan
| | | | - Aisha K. Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Harvard University; Boston Massachusetts
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16
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Pietto ML, Giovannetti F, Segretin MS, Belloli LML, Lopez-Rosenfeld M, Goldin AP, Fernández-Slezak D, Kamienkowski JE, Lipina SJ. Enhancement of inhibitory control in a sample of preschoolers from poor homes after cognitive training in a kindergarten setting: Cognitive and ERP evidence. Trends Neurosci Educ 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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17
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How to play 20 questions with nature and lose: Reflections on 100 years of brain-training research. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:9897-9904. [PMID: 30275315 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1617102114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite dozens of empirical studies and a growing body of meta-analytic work, there is little consensus regarding the efficacy of cognitive training. In this review, we examine why this substantial corpus has failed to answer the often-asked question, "Does cognitive training work?" We first define cognitive training and discuss the general principles underlying training interventions. Next, we review historical interventions and discuss how findings from this early work remain highly relevant for current cognitive-training research. We highlight a variety of issues preventing real progress in understanding the underlying mechanisms of training, including the lack of a coherent theoretical framework to guide training research and methodological issues across studies and meta-analyses. Finally, suggestions for correcting these issues are offered in the hope that we might make greater progress in the next 100 y of cognitive-training research.
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18
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Zhang Q, Wang C, Zhao Q, Yang L, Buschkuehl M, Jaeggi SM. The malleability of executive function in early childhood: Effects of schooling and targeted training. Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12748. [PMID: 30171785 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Executive function (EF), its importance for scholastic achievement and the question of whether or not EF is malleable, have become a topic of intense interest. Education or schooling is often seen as effective approaches to enhance EF due to the specific school-related requirements as compared to kindergarten or pre-school. However, no study to date has investigated whether targeted training focusing on those domains might be comparable with regular schooling in improving EF and fluid intelligence (Gf). The aim of the present study was to replicate and extend the previously demonstrated schooling effects on EF by using a school-cutoff design, and to further investigate whether a theoretically motivated intervention targeting specific EF, i.e., working memory (WM) or inhibitory control (IC), could achieve comparable effects with schooling in both, WM and IC, as well as Gf. 91 6-year-old kindergarteners and first-graders with similar chronological age participated the study. We compared the performance of a first-grade schooling group with that of two kindergarten training groups as well as a business-as-usual kindergarten control group. Participants were assessed in WM, IC and Gf at baseline, immediately after the intervention (posttest), as well as 3 months after training completion (follow-up). The results showed that the schooling group indeed outperformed the kindergarten groups at baseline in several cognitive tasks. Furthermore, both the WM and IC training showed pronounced gains in the trained tasks, as well as varying degrees of improvement in non-trained outcome measures. Most importantly, both training groups achieved comparable performance with the schooling group, which was especially apparent in Gf at follow-up. Our findings provide further evidence for the malleability of EF demonstrating that both, long-term and short-term interventions can facilitate the acquisition of those important skills, and as such, our work has important implications for educational practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuiping Wang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Ling Yang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Susanne M Jaeggi
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
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19
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Schrieff-Elson LE, Ockhuizen JRH, During G, Thomas KGF. Attention-training with children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds in Cape Town. J Child Adolesc Ment Health 2018; 29:147-167. [PMID: 28974165 DOI: 10.2989/17280583.2017.1372285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Attention is a core process underlying competence in higher-order cognitive abilities. Previous research suggests that healthy children from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds perform poorly, relative to those from higher SES backgrounds, on tasks assessing attentional abilities. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of an attention-training intervention on task performance in low-SES children. METHOD We conducted a quasi-controlled trial with stratified randomisation, using a pre-test/ post-test design. Participants were low-SES children aged 7-13 years. Each was assigned to either an intervention group, a play control group, or a test-only control group (n = 5 per group). We implemented a ten-week manualised cognitive rehabilitation program, Pay Attention!, administering standardised tests of attention, working memory, and inhibition before and after the intervention. Between- and within-group analyses and Reliable Change Index statistics evaluated differences in scores from pre- to post-intervention. RESULTS Analyses detected no notable between-group differences at either pre- or post-intervention testing. However, on tests of selective attention, attentional control, and inhibition, there were significant within-group and positive individual reliable changes exclusive to the intervention-group participants. CONCLUSIONS Given the variability in our findings, more research needs be conducted with a larger sample to determine, with greater rigour, the efficacy of the intervention within samples of healthy children from low-SES backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh E Schrieff-Elson
- a ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Ju-Reyn H Ockhuizen
- a ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Genevieve During
- a ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Kevin G F Thomas
- a ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
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20
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Walk LM, Evers WF, Quante S, Hille K. Evaluation of a teacher training program to enhance executive functions in preschool children. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197454. [PMID: 29795603 PMCID: PMC5967750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Executive functions (EFs) play a critical role in cognitive and social development. During preschool years, children show not only rapid improvement in their EFs, but also appear sensitive to developmentally appropriate interventions. AIM EMIL is a training program for German preschool teachers that was developed and implemented to improve the EFs of preschoolers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate its effects on the EFs of children between three and six years old. METHOD The teacher training (eight sessions, 28.5 hours) was implemented in four preschools. The EFs of children of the intervention group (n = 72, 32 girls, Mage = 48 months) and the control group of four other matched preschools (n = 61, 27 girls, Mage = 48 months) were tested before, during, and after the intervention using different measures assessing working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. RESULTS The intervention group showed significant gains on three out of seven EF tests (behavioral inhibition, visual-spatial working memory, and combined EFs) compared to the control group. Post hoc analyses for children with low initial EFs scores revealed that participation in the intervention led to significant gains in inhibitory control, visual-spatial working memory, and phonological working memory as well as a marginally significant difference for combined EFs. However, effect sizes were rather small. CONCLUSION The results suggest that teacher training can lead to significant improvements in preschooler's EFs. Although preliminary, the results could contribute to the discussion on how teacher training can facilitate the improvement of EFs in preschool children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Walk
- ZNL TransferCenter for Neuroscience and Learning, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Wiebke F. Evers
- ZNL TransferCenter for Neuroscience and Learning, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Quante
- ZNL TransferCenter for Neuroscience and Learning, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katrin Hille
- ZNL TransferCenter for Neuroscience and Learning, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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21
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Korzeniowski C, Ison MS, Difabio H. Group cognitive intervention targeted to the strengthening of executive functions in children at social risk. Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) 2017; 10:34-45. [PMID: 32612763 PMCID: PMC7110154 DOI: 10.21500/20112084.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study set out to evaluate the effectiveness of a group cognitive intervention aimed at promoting executive functions in children at social risk. The quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design included a control group. The sample was made up of 178 children (52% boys), aged 6-10. The children were evaluated by means of a battery of neuropsychological EF tests and a teacher-rated behavioral EF scale. The intervention program included 30 group cognitive stimulation sessions that increased in difficulty and were embedded into school curricula. Trained children performed better in terms of cognitive flexibility, planning, metacognition and inhibitory control, as compared to their baseline values and to children in the control group. This study provides new evidence of the effectiveness of cognitive interventions for children and of children's capability to transfer cognitive improvements to daily school activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina Korzeniowski
- Institute of Human, Social and Environmental Sciences (INCIHUSA-CONICET), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina. Institute of Human, Social and Environmental Sciences National Scientific and Technical Research Council Argentina.,Psychology College, Aconcagua University, Mendoza, Argentina Psychology College Aconcagua University Mendoza Argentina
| | - Mirta Susana Ison
- Institute of Human, Social and Environmental Sciences (INCIHUSA-CONICET), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina. Institute of Human, Social and Environmental Sciences National Scientific and Technical Research Council Argentina.,Psychology College, Aconcagua University, Mendoza, Argentina Psychology College Aconcagua University Mendoza Argentina
| | - Hilda Difabio
- Cuyo Research Center (CIC-CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Cuyo Research Center Mendoza Argentina
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22
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Executive Functions in School-age Children: Influence of Age, Gender, School Type and Parental Education. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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23
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Strasser K, Rolla A, Romero-Contreras S. School Readiness Research in Latin America: Findings and Challenges. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2017; 2016:31-44. [PMID: 27254825 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Educational results in Latin America (LA) are well below those of developed countries. One factor that influences how well children do at school is school readiness. In this article, we review studies conducted in LA on the readiness skills of preschool children. We begin by discussing contextual factors that affect what is expected of children upon school entry, and we examine critical aspects of children's developmental contexts in LA. We then review local research on the level and determinants of three readiness skills of preschoolers in LA. Few studies allow comparisons between LA and other regions, but some results suggest that the oral language of children in LA before school entry is lower than in developed countries. These entry-level differences do not seem large enough to explain the poor educational results obtained by children in LA. We conclude regarding research needed to explain educational results and to inform educational policies.
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Katz B, Au J, Buschkuehl M, Abagis T, Zabel C, Jaeggi SM, Jonides J. Individual Differences and Long-term Consequences of tDCS-augmented Cognitive Training. J Cogn Neurosci 2017; 29:1498-1508. [PMID: 28253083 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A great deal of interest surrounds the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to augment cognitive training. However, effects are inconsistent across studies, and meta-analytic evidence is mixed, especially for healthy, young adults. One major source of this inconsistency is individual differences among the participants, but these differences are rarely examined in the context of combined training/stimulation studies. In addition, it is unclear how long the effects of stimulation last, even in successful interventions. Some studies make use of follow-up assessments, but very few have measured performance more than a few months after an intervention. Here, we utilized data from a previous study of tDCS and cognitive training [Au, J., Katz, B., Buschkuehl, M., Bunarjo, K., Senger, T., Zabel, C., et al. Enhancing working memory training with transcranial direct current stimulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 28, 1419-1432, 2016] in which participants trained on a working memory task over 7 days while receiving active or sham tDCS. A new, longer-term follow-up to assess later performance was conducted, and additional participants were added so that the sham condition was better powered. We assessed baseline cognitive ability, gender, training site, and motivation level and found significant interactions between both baseline ability and motivation with condition (active or sham) in models predicting training gain. In addition, the improvements in the active condition versus sham condition appear to be stable even as long as a year after the original intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacky Au
- University of California, Irvine.,MIND Research Institute, Irvine, CA
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25
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Lipina SJ, Evers K. Neuroscience of Childhood Poverty: Evidence of Impacts and Mechanisms as Vehicles of Dialog With Ethics. Front Psychol 2017; 8:61. [PMID: 28184204 PMCID: PMC5266697 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have identified associations between poverty and development of self-regulation during childhood, which is broadly defined as those skills involved in cognitive, emotional, and stress self-regulation. These skills are influenced by different individual and contextual factors at multiple levels of analysis (i.e., individual, family, social, and cultural). Available evidence suggests that the influences of those biological, psychosocial, and sociocultural factors on emotional and cognitive development can vary according to the type, number, accumulation of risks, and co-occurrence of adverse circumstances that are related to poverty, the time in which these factors exert their influences, and the individual susceptibility to them. Complementary, during the past three decades, several experimental interventions that were aimed at optimizing development of self-regulation of children who live in poverty have been designed, implemented, and evaluated. Their results suggest that it is possible to optimize different aspects of cognitive performance and that it would be possible to transfer some aspects of these gains to other cognitive domains and academic achievement. We suggest that it is an important task for ethics, notably but not exclusively neuroethics, to engage in this interdisciplinary research domain to contribute analyses of key concepts, arguments, and interpretations. The specific evidence that neuroscience brings to the analyses of poverty and its implications needs to be spelled out in detail and clarified conceptually, notably in terms of causes of and attitudes toward poverty, implications of poverty for brain development, and for the possibilities to reduce and reverse these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián J Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas) Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kathinka Evers
- Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics (CRB), Uppsala Universitet Uppsala, Sweden
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Cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and education: Interdisciplinary development of an intervention for low socioeconomic status kindergarten children. Trends Neurosci Educ 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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27
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Lipina SJ, Segretin MS. Strengths and weakness of neuroscientific investigations of childhood poverty: future directions. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:53. [PMID: 25717299 PMCID: PMC4324136 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuroscientific study of child poverty is a topic that has only recently emerged. In comparison with previous reviews (e.g., Hackman and Farah, 2009; Lipina and Colombo, 2009; Hackman et al., 2010; Raizada and Kishiyama, 2010; Lipina and Posner, 2012), our perspective synthesizes findings, and summarizes both conceptual and methodological contributions, as well as challenges that face current neuroscientific approaches to the study of childhood poverty. The aim of this effort is to identify target areas of study that could potentially help build a basic and applied research agenda for the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián J Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina
| | - M Soledad Segretin
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina
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