Showing papers on "Psychomotor learning published in 2013"
TL;DR: Few reports have aimed to describe the mediational effect of cognitive deficits on functional outcomes in major depressive disorder, and relatively few interventions are demonstrated to mitigate cognitive deficits in MDD.
Abstract: Background
Few reports have aimed to describe the mediational effect of cognitive deficits on functional outcomes in major depressive disorder (MDD), and relatively few interventions are demonstrated to mitigate cognitive deficits in MDD.
Methods
Studies enrolling subjects between the ages of 18–65 were selected for review. Bibliographies from identified articles were reviewed to identify additional original reports aligned with our objectives.
Results
Cognitive deficits in MDD are consistent, replicable, nonspecific, and clinically significant. The aggregated estimated effect size of cognitive deficits in MDD is small to medium. Pronounced deficits in executive function (≥1 SD below the normative mean) are evident in ∼20–30% of individuals with MDD). Other replicated abnormalities are in the domains of working memory, attention, and psychomotor processing speed. Mediational studies indicate that cognitive deficits may account for the largest percentage of variance with respect to the link between psychosocial dysfunction (notably workforce performance) and MDD. No conventional antidepressant has been sufficiently studied and/or demonstrated robust procognitive effects in MDD.
Conclusions
Cognitive deficits in MDD are a principal mediator of psychosocial impairment, notably workforce performance. The hazards posed by cognitive deficits in MDD underscore the need to identify a consensus-based neurocognitive battery for research and clinical purposes. Interventions (pharmacological, behavioral, neuromodulatory) that engage multiple physiological systems implicated in cognitive deficits hold promise to reduce, reverse, and prevent cognitive deficits.
586 citations
TL;DR: This work takes a computational approach in order to break down motor control into different components and review the functioning of each process, suggesting abnormalities in two areas—poor integration of information for efficient motor planning, and increased variability in basic sensory inputs and motor outputs.
Abstract: Altered motor behaviour is commonly reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder, but the aetiology remains unclear. Here, we have taken a computational approach in order to break down motor control into different components and review the functioning of each process. Our findings suggest abnormalities in two areas--poor integration of information for efficient motor planning, and increased variability in basic sensory inputs and motor outputs. In contrast, motor learning processes are relatively intact and there is inconsistent evidence for deficits in predictive control. We suggest future work on motor abilities in autism should focus on sensorimotor noise and on higher level motor planning, as these seem to have a significant role in causing motor difficulties for autistic individuals.
326 citations
TL;DR: Results demonstrate that there was no difference in cognitive learning and grades between the two groups, suggesting that the electronic textbook is as effective for learning as the traditional textbook.
Abstract: University students are increasingly choosing to purchase e-textbooks for their mobile devices as an alternative to traditional textbooks. This study examines the relationship between textbook format and 538 university students' grades and perceived learning scores. Results demonstrate that there was no difference in cognitive learning and grades between the two groups, suggesting that the electronic textbook is as effective for learning as the traditional textbook. The mean scores indicated that students who chose e-textbooks for their education courses had significantly higher perceived affective learning and psychomotor learning than students who chose to use traditional print textbooks.
320 citations
TL;DR: The gross and fine motor skills of a cross-sectional group of 162 children with ASD between the ages of 12 and 36 months as well as a subset of 58 children followed longitudinally are described.
Abstract: With increased interest in the early diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), more attention has been called to the motor skills of very young children with ASD. This study describes the gross and fine motor skills of a cross-sectional group of 162 children with ASD between the ages of 12 and 36 months, as well as a subset of 58 children followed longitudinally. Gross motor and fine motor age equivalent scores were obtained for all children. A ‘motor difference’ variable was calculated for each child’s gross and fine motor skills by taking the absolute difference of the children’s age equivalent motor score and their respective chronological age. In Study 1 (the cross-sectional analysis), ANCOVA (co-varied for nonverbal problem solving) revealed significant group differences in the gross motor and fine motor age difference variables. Post-hoc analysis revealed that gross motor and fine motor differences became significantly greater with each 6-month period of chronological...
294 citations
TL;DR: In very preterm/VLBW children, MDI scores explain 37% of the variance in later cognitive functioning, whereas Bayley motor scale scores explain 12% of later motor function, underlining the importance of enhancing prediction of developmental delay in very pre term children.
169 citations
TL;DR: Examining two separate elements of fine motor skills—visual-motor coordination and visual-spatial integration—and their associations with various measures of academic achievement suggests potential avenues for targeted math and writing interventions for children of all ages.
Abstract: Recent research has established a connection between children's fine motor skills and their academic performance. Previous research has focused on fine motor skills measured prior to elementary school, while the present sample included children ages 5–18 years old, making it possible to examine whether this link remains relevant throughout childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, the majority of research linking fine motor skills and academic achievement has not determined which specific components of fine motor skill are driving this relation. The few studies that have looked at associations of separate fine motor tasks with achievement suggest that copying tasks that tap visual-spatial integration skills are most closely related to achievement. The present study examined two separate elements of fine motor skills—visual-motor coordination and visual-spatial integration—and their associations with various measures of academic achievement. Visual-motor coordination was measured using tracing tasks...
154 citations
TL;DR: The CogState learning/working memory composite score is reduced significantly in CI and AD, correlate well with measures of disease classification and are useful in identifying memory impairment related to MCI- and AD.
Abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated the utility and sensitivity of the CogState Brief Battery (CBB) in detecting cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and in assessing cognitive changes in the preclinical stages of AD. Thus, the CBB may be a useful screening tool to assist in the management of cognitive function in clinical settings. In this study, we aimed to determine the utility of the CBB in identifying the nature and magnitude of cognitive impairments in MCI and AD. Healthy adults (n = 653) adults with amnestic MCI (n = 107), and adults with AD (n = 44) who completed the CBB participated in this study. Composite Psychomotor/Attention and Learning/Working Memory scores were computed from the individual CBB tests. Differences in composite scores were then examined between the three groups; and sensitivity and specificity analyses were conducted to determine cut scores for the composite scores that were optimal in identifying MCI- and AD-related cognitive impairment. Large magnitude impairments in MCI (g = 2.2) and AD (g = 3.3) were identified for the learning/working memory composite, and smaller impairments were observed for the attention/psychomotor composite (g’s = 0.5 and 1, respectively). The cut-score associated with optimal sensitivity and specificity in identifying MCI-related cognitive impairment on the learning/working memory composite was -1SD, and in the AD group, this optimal value was -1.7SD. Both composite scores showed high test-retest reliability (r = 0.95) over four months. Poorer performance on the memory composite was also associated with worse performance on the Mini Mental State Exam and increasing severity on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale sum of boxes score. Results of this study suggest that the CogState learning/working memory composite score is reduced significantly in CI and AD, correlate well with measures of disease classification and are useful in identifying memory impairment related to MCI- and AD.
148 citations
TL;DR: It is found that HR infants exhibited fine motor delays between 12 and 24 months and expressive vocabulary delays at 36 months and fine motor skill significantly predicted expressive language at 36 month.
Abstract: We investigated whether fine motor and expressive language skills are related in the later-born siblings of children with autism (heightened-risk, HR infants) who are at increased risk for language delays. We observed 34 HR infants longitudinally from 12 to 36 months. We used parent report and standardized observation measures to assess fine motor skill from 12 to 24 months in HR infants (Study 1) and its relation to later expressive vocabulary at 36 months in HR infants (Study 2). In Study 1, we also included 25 infants without a family history of autism to serve as a normative comparison group for a parent-report fine motor measure. We found that HR infants exhibited fine motor delays between 12 and 24 months and expressive vocabulary delays at 36 months. Further, fine motor skill significantly predicted expressive language at 36 months. Fine motor and expressive language skills are related early in development in HR infants, who, as a group, exhibit risk for delays in both. Our findings highlight the importance of considering fine motor skill in children at risk for language impairments and may have implications for early identification of expressive language difficulties.
128 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the importance of fine motor skills for later academic achievement was discussed, given the growing literature pertaining to the need for fine-grained fine-motor skills for future academic achievement.
Abstract: Research Findings: Given the growing literature pertaining to the importance of fine motor skills for later academic achievement (D. W. Grissmer, K. J. Grimm, S. M. Aiyer, W. M. Murrah, & J. S. Ste...
112 citations
TL;DR: The surgeon’s performance in MIS can be distinguished from a novice by metrics such as time and path length and an experienced surgeon can be differentiated from a less experienced one by the higher ability to control the instrument in the nondominant hand and the higher degree of simultaneous movements of the two instruments.
Abstract: A high level of psychomotor skills is required to perform minimally invasive surgery (MIS) safely. To assure high quality of skills, it is important to be able to measure and assess these skills. For that, it is necessary to determine aspects that indicate the difference between performances at various levels of proficiency. Measurement and assessment of skills in MIS are best done in an automatic and objective way. The goal of this study was to investigate a set of nine motion-related metrics for their relevance to assess psychomotor skills in MIS during the performance of a labyrinth task. Thirty-two surgeons and medical students were divided into three groups according to their level of experience in MIS; experts (>500 MIS procedures), intermediates (31–500 MIS), and novices (no experience in MIS). The participants performed the labyrinth task in the D-box Basic simulator (D-Box Medical, Lier, Norway). The task required bimanual maneuvering and threading a needle through a labyrinth of 10 holes. Nine motion-related metrics were used to assess the MIS skills of each participant. Experts (n = 7) and intermediates (n = 14) performed significantly better than the novices (n = 11) in terms of time and parameters measuring the amount of instrument movement. The experts had significantly better bimanual dexterity, which indicated that they made more simultaneous movements of the two instruments compared to the intermediates and novices. The experts also performed the task with a shorter instrument path length with the nondominant hand than the intermediates. The surgeon’s performance in MIS can be distinguished from a novice by metrics such as time and path length. An experienced surgeon in MIS can be differentiated from a less experienced one by the higher ability to control the instrument in the nondominant hand and the higher degree of simultaneous (coordinated) movements of the two instruments.
101 citations
TL;DR: Preliminary evidence suggests efficacy beyond the termination of active treatment, and play-based intervention for preschoolers with ADHD is readily implemented at home.
Abstract: Objective: To examine whether cognitive enhancement can be delivered through play to preschoolers with ADHD and whether it would affect severity of ADHD symptoms. Method: Twenty-nine 4- and 5-year-old children and their parents participated in separate group sessions (3-5 children/group). Child groups were introduced games designed to enhance inhibitory control, working memory, attention, visuospatial abilities, planning, and motor skills. Parent groups were encouraged playing these games with their children at least 30 to 45 min/day and taught strategies for scaffolding difficulty levels and dealing with obstacles to daily playing. Results: Parent ratings and session attendance indicated considerable satisfaction with the program. Parent (p < .001) and teacher (p = .003) ratings on the ADHD-Rating Scale–IV (ADHD-RS-IV) indicated significant improvement in ADHD severity from pre- to post-treatment, which persisted 3 months later. Conclusion: This play-based intervention for preschoolers with ADHD is readi...
TL;DR: To determine whether high blood pressure levels are associated with faster decline in specific cognitive domains, a large number of patients with high BP are randomly assigned to a “good” or “bad” BP group.
Abstract: There is controversy as to whether hypertension is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and decline, with some studies finding a positive association1–7 and others not.8–12 recent evidence-based review13 of published studies conducted by an expert panel under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that the evidence of such an association is weak, in part because of the heterogeneity in definitions of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and hypertension and differences in hypertension ascertainment methods (e.g., measured blood pressure (BP) vs reliance on self-report). In the United States, nearly 70% of persons aged 60 and older have hypertension,14 and it is estimated that 15 million to 18 million persons in this age group will develop dementia by 2050.15 Therefore, determining whether an association exists between high BP and cognitive function is important for targeting potential neuroprotective strategies. The results of clinical drug trials with antihypertensive agents have been mixed concerning their efficacy in preventing cognitive decline and dementia onset,13,16 although encouraging findings are available from a recent clinical trial employing lifestyle changes. One study17 found that prehypertensive and hypertensive adults receiving treatment with diet and aerobic exercise over a 4-month period showed greater improvements in executive functioning, memory, and psychomotor speed than those exposed to a diet intervention alone or a placebo condition of standard care. Systolic and diastolic BP decreased significantly over the study period for the intervention group but not the control group.
The current study examined whether there is an association between high BP and decline in cognitive status in individuals with MCI over a 2-year period. The importance of the effect of adequate BP control on cognitive performance was demonstrated in a cross-sectional study of communityresiding older adults.18 Irrespective of a prior diagnosis of hypertension, persons with high BP (systolic ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic ≥ 90 mmHg) at the time of neuropsychological testing performed worse than normotensive individuals on measures of visual memory, motor speed, and visuomotor integration. Persons with a prior diagnosis and high BP levels were most vulnerable to poor performance.
BP levels were examined at annual follow-up visits, rather than at a single baseline visit, to determine whether BP was routinely normotensive or high and whether this, in turn, affected the trajectory of cognitive changes. Rather than a single measure of overall cognitive status, participants in the current study underwent multiple tests examining attention, memory, language, and executive functioning. In older adults without dementia and those with MCI and Alzheimer's disease, hypertension is associated with a cognitive phenotype characterized by poorer attention and executive functioning and slower processing speed.10,19–25 Thus, it was expected that these same areas would be most sensitive to the chronic effects of high BP.
Information was collected as part of the Uniform Data Set (UDS), a standardized assessment and data protocol maintained by the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, with 31 participating NIH, National Institute on Aging (NIA) Alzheimer's Disease Centers (ADCs) nationwide.26,27 It was hypothesized that individuals with MCI with high BP readings, according to published guidelines for hypertension,28 on more than one occasion would exhibit faster overall cognitive decline than those with normotensive levels on all occasions, with greater vulnerability of attention, executive functioning, and speeded performance.
TL;DR: Cognitive functions in PD patients show greater decline in most domains than in healthy elderly over the course of 5 years, and the profile of decline showed that psychomotor speed and memory were most affected.
Abstract: Cognitive change is frequently observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the exact profile and extent of cognitive impairments remain unclear due to the clinical heterogeneity of PD and methodological issues in many previous studies. In this study, we aimed to examine the severity, frequency, and profile of cognitive changes in newly diagnosed PD patients over 5 years. At baseline and after 3 and 5 years, a hospital-based sample of PD patients (n = 59) and healthy controls (n = 40) were given neuropsychological tests covering six cognitive domains. Patients showed greater decline over time than healthy controls on all cognitive domains, except for attention. The profile of decline showed that psychomotor speed and memory were most affected. At the individual level 53% of the patients showed more cognitive decline than controls. Age at onset and memory impairment at baseline predicted cognitive decline. Cognitive functions in PD patients show greater decline in most domains than in healthy elderly over the course of 5 years. Due to selection bias as a result of attrition, the actual degree of decline may be greater than reported here.
TL;DR: Frequent hemodialysis did not improve executive function or global cognition, and exploratory analyses in the Daily Trial and Nocturnal Trial suggested possible benefits of frequent he modialysis for memory and verbal fluency, but not for attention and psychomotor speed.
TL;DR: This review focuses on the "motor learning deficits" in DCD and their possible neural correlates, and presents recent evidence from both behavioral and neuroimaging studies and discusses dominant neural hypotheses inDCD.
TL;DR: Insight is provided into the onset and nature of cognitive loss in the progressing stages of Huntington's disease and an overview of the cognitive functions that have been examined in an attempt to identify those areas that have the most potential to yield a cognitive biomarker.
Abstract: With the prospect of potential treatments for Huntington's disease (HD), non-invasive markers of disease progression are needed. Cognitive impairment has long been recognised as one of the core symptoms of HD. The first aim of this review is to provide insight into the onset and nature of cognitive loss in the progressing stages of HD. The second aim is to provide an overview of the cognitive functions that have been examined in an attempt to identify those areas that have the most potential to yield a cognitive biomarker. Literature, consisting of 110 studies, since the implementation of genetic testing until the beginning of 2011 has been included in this review. The clinical features of premanifest HD include deficits in psychomotor speed, negative emotion recognition and to some extent in executive functioning. The clinical profile of manifest HD includes impairment in memory, psychomotor speed, negative emotion recognition and executive functioning. Furthermore, potential candidate biomarkers should be most expected from such domains as working memory, psychomotor speed, recognition of negative emotions, attentional and visuospatial executive functions.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the relationship among attachment to preschool teachers, school readiness, and the risk for developing learning difficulties in preschoolers using three measures: the School Readiness 4-5 battery, the Precocious Identification of Learning Difficulties, and Attachment Q Set.
TL;DR: The present findings show that instructions that induce an external focus of attention can enhance motor learning in children with IDs.
Abstract: Background The present study examined whether the learning benefits of an external focus of attention (i.e. on the movement effect) relative to an internal focus (i.e. on the movement), found previously in non-disabled children and adults would also be found in children with intellectual disabilities (IDs).
Methods Participants (n = 24; average age: 12.2 years) with mild intellectual deficiency (IQ = 51–69) practiced throwing beanbags at a target. In the external focus group, participants were instructed to direct their attention to the movement of the beanbag, while in the internal focus group, participants were asked to direct their attention to the movement of their hand. The practice phase consisted of 40 trials, and attentional focus reminders were given after every third trial. Learning was assessed 1 day later by retention and transfer (greater target distance) tests, each consisting of 10 trials. No focus reminders were given on that day.
Results The external focus group demonstrated more effective learning than the internal focus group, as evidenced by more accurate tosses on the transfer test.
Conclusions The present findings show that instructions that induce an external focus of attention can enhance motor learning in children with IDs.
TL;DR: A standard, brief, sensitive screening instrument designed to detect subtle cognitive impairment in the areas of attention, memory, executive function, and psychomotor speed should be adopted for use in HF.
TL;DR: The review suggests that novice students prefer actual engagement in clinical learning facilitated through diversity experiences, shared learning opportunities, student-faculty interaction and active learning, which lies in a better understanding of what constitutes quality clinical learning environment from the students’ perspective.
Abstract: Student engagement in a clinical learning environment is a vital component in the curricula of pre-licensure nursing students, providing an opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills. This paper is significant in Arab world as there is a lack of knowledge, attitude and practice of student involvement in the new clinical learning environment. The purpose of this review article is to describe the experiences and perspectives of the nurse educator in facilitating pre-licensure nursing students’ engagement in the new clinical learning environment. The review suggests that novice students prefer actual engagement in clinical learning facilitated through diversity experiences, shared learning opportunities, student-faculty interaction and active learning. They expressed continuous supervision, ongoing feedback, interpersonal relationship and personal support from nurse educators useful in the clinical practice. However, the value of this review lies in a better understanding of what constitutes quality clinical learning environment from the students’ perspective of engagement in evidence-based nursing, reflective practice, e-learning and simulated case scenarios facilitated by the nurse educators. This review is valuable in planning and implementing innovative clinical and educational experiences for improving the quality of the clinical teaching-learning environment.
TL;DR: It is revealed that simulation is useful in nursing education but uncovered a gap in the literature pertaining to the transfer of knowledge to performance and how to learn from cognitive reflection.
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review nursing studies with regard to simulation- based learning in Korea. Methods: This systematic review examines the literature on simulation in nursing education from 2003 to 2012. The electronic databases reviewed included: RISS, the National Assembly Library, the National Library of Korea, and major nursing journal databases in Korea. The MeSH search terms included nursing, simulation, simulator, and standardized patient. Results: In total, 52 studies were included in the literature review. We included 21 quasi-experimental studies and 25 studies using high-fidelity simulation. They included knowledge and problem-solving ability in the cognitive domain; self efficacy, learning satisfaction, interpersonal relationships and communication, and confidence in the affective domain; and clinical performance ability and learning performance evaluation in the psychomotor domain. This systematic literature review revealed that simulation is useful in nursing education but uncovered a gap in the literature pertaining to the transfer of knowledge to performance and how to learn from cognitive reflection. Conclusions: This result suggests that it is necessary to conduct additional research on the cognitive learning process and transition to performance.
TL;DR: This prospective cohort analysis among Tanzanian infants born to HIV-infected women found that strategies to lower mother-to-child transmission of HIV, prevent preterm birth, and enhance child growth could contribute to improved child psychomotor and mental development.
Abstract: Infants born to HIV-infected women are at increased risk of impaired neurodevelopment, but little research has attempted to identify modifiable risk factors The objective of this prospective cohort analysis was to identify maternal, socioeconomic, and child correlates of psychomotor and mental development in the first 18 mo of life among Tanzanian infants born to HIV-infected women We hypothesized that child HIV infection, morbidity, and undernutrition would be associated with lower developmental status when taking into consideration maternal health and socioeconomic factors Baseline maternal characteristics were recorded during pregnancy, birth characteristics were collected immediately after delivery, infant micronutrient status was measured at 6 wk and 6 mo, and anthropometric measurements and morbidity histories were performed at monthly follow-up visits The Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition (BSID-II) were used to assess developmental functioning at 6, 12, and 18 mo of age Multivariate repeated regression models with time-varying covariates were used to estimate adjusted mean MDI and PDI scores for each level of the variables A total of 311 infants contributed ≥1 BSID-II assessments for 657 PDI and 655 MDI measurements Of infants, 51% were male, 23% were born preterm, 7% were low birth weight, and 10% were HIV-positive at 6 wk Preterm birth, child HIV infection, stunting, and wasting were independently associated with lower PDI and MDI scores Strategies to lower mother-to-child transmission of HIV, prevent preterm birth, and enhance child growth could contribute to improved child psychomotor and mental development
TL;DR: Sustained cannabis abstinence moderately improved critical tracking and divided attention performance in chronic, daily cannabis smokers, but impairment was still observable compared to controls after 3 weeks of abstinence.
Abstract: Background
The present study assessed psychomotor function in chronic, daily cannabis smokers during 3 weeks continuously monitored abstinence on a secure research unit. We hypothesized that psychomotor performance would improve during abstinence of chronic, daily cannabis smokers.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Performance on the critical tracking (CTT) and divided attention (DAT) tasks was assessed in 19 male chronic, daily cannabis smokers at baseline and after 8, 14–16 and 21–23 days of continuously monitored abstinence. Psychomotor performance was compared to a control group of non-intoxicated occasional drug users. Critical frequency (λc) of the CTT and tracking error and control losses of the DAT were the primary outcome measures. Results showed that chronic cannabis smokers’ performance on the CTT (p<0.001) and the DAT (p<0.001) was impaired during baseline relative to the comparison group. Psychomotor performance in the chronic cannabis smokers improved over 3 weeks of abstinence, but did not recover to equivalent control group performance.
Conclusions/Significance
Sustained cannabis abstinence moderately improved critical tracking and divided attention performance in chronic, daily cannabis smokers, but impairment was still observable compared to controls after 3 weeks of abstinence. Between group differences, however, need to be interpreted with caution as chronic smokers and controls were not matched for education, social economic status, life style and race.
TL;DR: It is shown that cannabis smoking, even at low Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol blood concentrations, decreases psychomotor skills and alters the activity of the brain networks involved in cognition, bolstering the zero-tolerance policy adopted in several countries that prohibits the presence of any amount of drugs in blood while driving.
Abstract: Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, however its effects on cognitive functions underling safe driving remain mostly unexplored. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of cannabis on the driving ability of occasional smokers, by investigating changes in the brain network involved in a tracking task. The subject characteristics, the percentage of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the joint, and the inhaled dose were in accordance with real-life conditions. Thirty-one male volunteers were enrolled in this study that includes clinical and toxicological aspects together with functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and measurements of psychomotor skills. The fMRI paradigm was based on a visuo-motor tracking task, alternating active tracking blocks with passive tracking viewing and rest condition. We show that cannabis smoking, even at low Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol blood concentrations, decreases psychomotor skills and alters the activity of the brain networks involved in cognition. The relative decrease of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent response (BOLD) after cannabis smoking in the anterior insula, dorsomedial thalamus, and striatum compared to placebo smoking suggests an alteration of the network involved in saliency detection. In addition, the decrease of BOLD response in the right superior parietal cortex and in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex indicates the involvement of the Control Executive network known to operate once the saliencies are identified. Furthermore, cannabis increases activity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortices, suggesting an increase in self-oriented mental activity. Subjects are more attracted by intrapersonal stimuli (“self”) and fail to attend to task performance, leading to an insufficient allocation of task-oriented resources and to sub-optimal performance. These effects correlate with the subjective feeling of confusion rather than with the blood level of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol. These findings bolster the zero-tolerance policy adopted in several countries that prohibits the presence of any amount of drugs in blood while driving.
TL;DR: The findings support the use of movement skills training programmes that constrain practice errors in children with ID, suggesting that such approach results in improved performance and heightened movement engagement in free play.
Abstract: Background Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) have been found to have inferior motor proficiencies in fundamental movement skills (FMS). This study examined the effects of training the FMS of overhand throwing by manipulating the amount of practice errors.
Methods Participants included 39 children with ID aged 4–11 years who were allocated into either an error-reduced (ER) training programme or a more typical programme in which errors were frequent (error-strewn, ES). Throwing movement form, throwing accuracy, and throwing frequency during free play were evaluated.
Results The ER programme improved movement form, and increased throwing activity during free play to a greater extent than the ES programme. Furthermore, ER learners were found to be capable of engaging in a secondary cognitive task while manifesting robust throwing accuracy performance.
Conclusions The findings support the use of movement skills training programmes that constrain practice errors in children with ID, suggesting that such approach results in improved performance and heightened movement engagement in free play.
TL;DR: Thyroid hormones and cognition are closely linked differentially by sex, race, and EDS status, and a below normal range TSH level was linked to better performance in domains of psychomotor speed and attention.
Abstract: Context: Recent evidence indicates that thyroid hormones may be closely linked to cognition among adults. Objective: We investigated associations between thyroid hormones and cognitive performance, while testing effect modification by sex, race, and elevated depressive symptoms (EDS). Design: This cross-sectional study used extensive data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Setting: The study was conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2004 to 2009. Participants: Participants were U.S. adults aged 30 to 64 years. The sample size ranged from 1275 to 1346. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes included 13 cognitive test scores spanning domains of learning/memory, language/verbal, attention, visuo-spatial/visuo-construction, psychomotor speed, executive function, and mental status. Results: Within reference ranges and after Bonferroni correction, elevated free thyroxine (fT4) was associated with better performance on tests of visuo-spatial/visuo-construction abi...
TL;DR: In APOE4-positive individuals, moderate to severe sleep disordered breathing (AHI ≥ 15) was associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests that require both memory and executive function engagement, including the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test.
Abstract: STUDY OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine whether apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype (APOE4) modifies the association of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) with cognitive function in a middle-aged population. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis of a community-dwelling cohort. SETTINGS Sleep laboratory at the Clinical Research Unit of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. PARTICIPANTS There were 755 adults from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort who provided a total of 1,843 polysomnography and cognitive evaluations (most participants were assessed multiple times at approximately 4-y intervals); 56% males, average age 53.9 years (range 30-81 years). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS In-laboratory overnight polysomnography was used to assess SDB. Cognition was evaluated by a battery of six neurocognitive tests assessing memory and learning, attention, executive function, and psychomotor efficiency. The APOE4 genotype (e3/e4 or e4/ e4) was identified in 200 participants. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, accounting for multiple observations per participant. Cognitive test scores were regressed on SDB categories (AHI < 5, 5 ≤ AHI < 15, AHI ≥ 15); APOE4 and their interaction; and age, education, sex, and body mass index. There was no statistically significant association between SDB and cognitive performance among APOE4-negative individuals. However, in APOE4-positive individuals, those with AHI ≥ 15 had significantly worse performance on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. CONCLUSIONS In APOE4-positive individuals, moderate to severe sleep disordered breathing (AHI ≥ 15) was associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests that require both memory and executive function engagement.
TL;DR: Lower rates of improvement in the pediatric MS group may be suggestive of a lack of age-appropriate cognitive development and warrant further evaluation over time.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE Cognitive impairment is a core symptom of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), although relatively little is known regarding the rate of cognitive decline. This study examined the extent, pattern, and correlates of change in cognitive functioning in youth with MS. METHOD Changes in cognitive performance in 28 patients with pediatric-onset MS and 26 age-matched controls were ascertained through repeat comprehensive neuropsychological assessment conducted over a 1-year period. Change was evaluated by using a mixed factorial design with repeated measures to determine the interaction between group and time and using the Reliable Change Index (RCI) to determine individual differences on test scores over time. Participants were classified as showing "decline" or "improvement" if change scores exceeded the RCI on three or more tests. RESULTS The pattern of change over time differed by group. At the group level, healthy controls were more likely to show improvement across multiple domains of function relative to the MS group. Using the RCI, 7 of 28 patients (25%) showed cognitive deterioration compared with only 1 of 26 controls (3.8%; p < .05). Performance on measures of attention and processing speed, visuomotor integration, verbal fluency, visual memory, and calculation and spelling ability were most responsive to deterioration in functioning over time. Longer disease duration was associated with greater deterioration in visuomotor integration. Increased lesion volume was associated with slower psychomotor speed over time. CONCLUSION Lower rates of improvement in the pediatric MS group may be suggestive of a lack of age-appropriate cognitive development and warrant further evaluation over time.
TL;DR: It may tentatively be concluded that the neurodevelopment of children born after fertility treatment is overall comparable to that in children Born after spontaneous conception.
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that primary motor and sensory regions may be particularly vulnerable to HIV-associated damage, and that prefrontal cortices may serve a compensatory role in maintaining motor performance levels in infected patients.
Abstract: Despite the availability of combination antiretroviral therapy, at least mild cognitive dysfunction is commonly observed in HIV-infected patients, with an estimated prevalence of 35–70 %. Neuropsychological studies of these HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) have documented aberrations across a broad range of functional domains, although the basic pathophysiology remains unresolved. Some of the most common findings have been deficits in fine motor control and reduced psychomotor speed, but to date no neuroimaging studies have evaluated basic motor control in HAND. In this study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate the neurophysiological processes that underlie motor planning in older HIV-infected adults and a matched, uninfected control group. MEG is a noninvasive and direct measure of neural activity with good spatiotemporal precision. During the MEG recording, participants fixated on a central crosshair and performed a finger-tapping task with the dominant hand. All MEG data was corrected for head movements, preprocessed, and imaged in the time-frequency domain using beamforming methodology. All analyses focused on the pre-movement beta desynchronization, which is known to be an index of movement planning. Our results demonstrated that HIV-1-infected patients have deficient beta desynchronization relative to controls within the left/right precentral gyri, and the supplementary motor area. In contrast, HIV-infected persons showed abnormally strong beta responses compared to controls in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and medial prefrontal areas. In addition, the amplitude of beta activity in the primary and supplementary motor areas correlated with scores on the Grooved Pegboard test in HIV-infected adults. These results demonstrate that primary motor and sensory regions may be particularly vulnerable to HIV-associated damage, and that prefrontal cortices may serve a compensatory role in maintaining motor performance levels in infected patients.