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Dali G, Poulton A, Chen LPE, Hester R. Extended ambulatory assessment of executive function: within-person reliability of working memory and inhibitory control tasks. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38869317 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2024.2364396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ambulatory assessment of executive function - particularly in the form working memory (WM) - is increasingly common. Few studies to date, however, have also incorporated ambulatory measures of inhibitory control. Critically, the extended within-person reliability of ambulatory tasks tapping each of these constructs has been largely overlooked. METHOD Participants (N = 283, Mage = 23.74 years, SD = 9.04) received notifications every 3 days (for 4 weeks) to undertake ambulatory assessment versions of the n-Back and Stop-Signal Tasks (SST) via the smartphone application CheckCog. Within-person reliability of these measures was explored. RESULTS Compliance ranged from 66% (for eight sessions) to 89% (for four sessions). Our results reveal significant changes in performance within the first two sessions for both the n-Back and SST, with performance remaining largely consistent across the remaining (two to eight) sessions. In terms of test-retest reliability, the ICC (C, 1) values ranged from .29 to .68 on the n-Back (with overall accuracy being .51) and .31-.73 on the SST (with stop-signal reaction time being .53). CONCLUSION The results of the current study contribute to the literature by demonstrating the reliability of brief measures of executive function - in the form of inhibitory control and WM - delivered using smartphones in participants' natural environments. Based on our findings, the CheckCog app reliability tracks baseline systematic changes in WM and response inhibition across multiple time points and for an extended period in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gezelle Dali
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Antoinette Poulton
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Li Peng Evelyn Chen
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert Hester
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Toth AJ, Harvey C, Gullane H, Kelly N, Bruton A, Campbell MJ. The effect of bipolar bihemispheric tDCS on executive function and working memory abilities. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1275878. [PMID: 38235279 PMCID: PMC10791995 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1275878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive functioning is central to the ability to learn, problem solve, remember, and use information in a rapid and accurate manner and cognitive abilities are fundamental for communication, autonomy, and quality of life. Transcranial electric stimulation (tES) is a very promising tool shown to improve various motor and cognitive functions. When applied as a direct current stimulus (transcranial direct current stimulation; tDCS) over the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC), this form of neurostimulation has mixed results regarding its ability to slow cognitive deterioration and potentially enhance cognitive functioning, requiring further investigation. This study set out to comprehensively investigate the effect that anodal and cathodal bipolar bihemispheric tDCS have on executive function and working memory abilities. Methods 72 healthy young adults were recruited, and each participant was randomly allocated to either a control group (CON), a placebo group (SHAM) or one of two neurostimulation groups (Anodal; A-STIM and Cathodal; C-STIM). All participants undertook cognitive tests (Stroop & N Back) before and after a 30-minute stimulation/ sham/ control protocol. Results Overall, our results add further evidence that tDCS may not be as efficacious for enhancing cognitive functioning as it has been shown to be for enhancing motor learning when applied over M1. We also provide evidence that the effect of neurostimulation on cognitive functioning may be moderated by sex, with males demonstrating a benefit from both anodal and cathodal stimulation when considering performance on simple attention trial types within the Stroop task. Discussion Considering this finding, we propose a new avenue for tDCS research, that the potential that sex may moderate the efficacy of neurostimulation on cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Toth
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Lero Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Cliodhna Harvey
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Hannah Gullane
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Niall Kelly
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Adam Bruton
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J. Campbell
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- The Science Foundation Ireland Center for Software Research, Lero Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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Mishra A, Khan A. [Formula: see text] Domain-general and domain-specific cognitive correlates of developmental dyscalculia: a systematic review of the last two decades' literature. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:1179-1229. [PMID: 36440471 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2147914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental disorder, influencing the learning of mathematics in developing children. In the last two decades, continuous growth of research has helped in the advancement of the state of knowledge of dyscalculia. This upsurge in the number of studies makes it relevant to conduct a systematic review, covering all the empirical evidence, but there is a dearth of review studies synthesizing findings of the studies in the recent past. Therefore, the current study aims to systematically review studies investigating the underlying cognitive causal factors associated with developmental dyscalculia in the last two decades. To investigate the underlying cognitive factors associated with dyscalculia, two prominent approaches have been used: domain-general and domain-specific. While the domain-general approach argues for the deficit in general cognitive abilities, the domain-specific approach argues for the deficit in core numerical abilities. In the present review, the PRISMA method is followed. Articles were searched using two methods: firstly, through database sources of Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, 1738 abstracts were screened, of which 46 articles met the specific inclusion criteria; and secondly, through recently published systematic reviews and meta-analyses, 29 studies were included. A total of 75 studies, 48 studies from domain-general and 27 studies from domain-specific approaches, have been selected. This review discusses domain-general and domain-specific approaches of developmental dyscalculia, along with specific theories associated with both approaches. Based on the discussed findings, visuospatial working memory and symbolic number processing abilities emerged as the best predictor of math ability in children with dyscalculia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Mishra
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Azizuddin Khan
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
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Piko BF, Dudok R. Strengths and Difficulties among Adolescent with and without Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1741. [PMID: 38002832 PMCID: PMC10670760 DOI: 10.3390/children10111741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) have become a major concern in modern societies. It is essential to detect their emotional, behavioral and social consequences as early as childhood. The aim of this study is to examine a set of strengths and difficulties and compare them between students with and without SLD. Participants in this study were adolescents aged 11-18 years from Budapest and villages of its Metropolitan area (Hungary) (N = 276, mean age = 13.6 years, SD = 1.8, 54.7% boys). Due to multistage sampling, a nearly equal number of students had SLD or not. In addition to sociodemographics, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Proactive Coping Inventory were included in the survey, and t-test, correlation and logistic regression analysis were applied in statistical analyses. Our findings suggest that in early adolescence (ages 11-14 years), conduct and peer problems, in late adolescence (ages 15-18 years), emotional problems, highlighted SLD. In terms of strengths, prosocial behavior in children with SLD may compensate difficulties, especially at a younger age. Students from lower SES families and those having parents with a lower educational level are more likely to have a diagnosis of SLD. Teachers and special educators should take care of improving the adolescents' prosociality, social and coping skills and listening to emotional, conduct and peer problems in those with SLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina F. Piko
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Réka Dudok
- Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary;
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López-Resa P, Moraleda-Sepúlveda E. Working memory capacity and text comprehension performance in children with dyslexia and dyscalculia: a pilot study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1191304. [PMID: 37529304 PMCID: PMC10389090 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Different research over the years has shown how the executive processes of Working Memory are a fundamental area that allows the performance of complex cognitive tasks such as language comprehension, reading, mathematical skills, learning or reasoning. Therefore, scientific evidence shows that they are altered in people with dyslexia and dyscalculia. The aim of this research was to study the relationship between semantic updating ability and reading comprehension depending on whether or not the information content had a mathematical character between the two disorders. Methods A Pilot Case Study was carried out for this purpose. The sample consisted of 40 participants aged 6 to 11 years, 20 of them with a diagnosis of dyslexia and the remaining 20 with a diagnosis of dyscalculia. The results indicate that people with dyslexia show more difficulties in all those tasks that require reading. Results People with dyscalculia obtain worse results in the tasks of stimulus integration and reading comprehension of texts with mathematical content. Furthermore, the correlation between the different areas evaluated shows that people with dyslexia and dyscalculia develop different cognitive processes. Discussion Therefore, it is necessary to continue insisting on the importance of explicit work on working memory, since it is a determining and fundamental area in the development of written language comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia López-Resa
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Castilla La Mancha, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain
| | - Esther Moraleda-Sepúlveda
- Department of Psychology and Speech and Language Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Looney L, Wong EH, Rosales KP, Rosales F, Tirado G. Teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function improvements following school-day cognitive training. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/01430343221122454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Considerable research has documented the impact of teacher perceptions on students’ academic-related outcomes (e.g., classroom performance). This body of literature clearly shows that teacher perceptions (resulting from direct interactions with students) can have both positive and negative effects with respect to student behaviors and experiences in the classroom. What remains unclear is whether teachers perceive changes that result from interventions administered outside of their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function concerns (two important predictors of academic success) among students who participated in a computerized cognitive training program designed to enhance working memory skills. The current results indicate that teachers perceived fewer concerns following students’ participation in the training; this outcome was supplemented with significant improvements in the students’ working memory capabilities following the training program. These findings have important implications given the literature highlighting the relation between teacher perceptions and student outcomes as a function of a school-based computerized cognitive training intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Looney
- California State University, San Bernardino, USA
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Lenhard A, Daseking M. Accounting for Intraindividual Profiles in the Wechsler Intelligence Scales Improves the Prediction of School Performance. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9111635. [PMID: 36360363 PMCID: PMC9688719 DOI: 10.3390/children9111635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
IQ scores are often used to predict school performance. However, for children with learning disabilities, the predictive validity of IQ scores appears to be low. In the fourth and fifth versions of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC), new ancillary indices were introduced. The General Ability Index (GAI) is a broad measure of fluid reasoning with verbal, visual-spatial, and figural test items. By contrast, the Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) combines different executive functions known to be frequently affected in children with dyslexia, ADHD, or combined learning disorders. To date, there is little evidence to demonstrate that these measures improve the prediction of school performance beyond the Full-scale IQ (FSIQ). We therefore used lasso regression to explore the predictive validity of these measures for school grades. The analyzed samples were taken from the German standardization samples of the WISC-IV and the WISC-V. In most cases, the prediction of school performance was not considerably improved by taking the GAI or the CPI into account. However, when the individual discrepancy between the CPI and the GAI was high, the FSIQ lost its predictive validity in elementary school. In this subgroup of children, reading and writing skills were best predicted by the CPI, whereas math skills were limited by the lowest score (i.e., the minimum out of the CPI and the GAI).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monika Daseking
- Department of Educational Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, 22043 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-40-6541-2976
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Horata ET, Kundakci YE. Comparison of gait parameters under single- and dual-task conditions between children with specific learning disorder and typically developing children. Gait Posture 2022; 98:128-133. [PMID: 36108570 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with specific learning disorder (SLD) have some cognitive and postural stability problems compared to typically developing (TD) children. Their single and dual-task gait performance may be affected depending on these problems. RESEARCH QUESTION Are there any differences between the gait parameters of children with SLD and TD under single- and dual-task conditions? METHODS A comparative-descriptive study was conducted among 35 children with SLD and 33 TD children. All participants were assessed for gait parameters using a custom wireless inertial sensor under single and dual-task conditions. In the dual-task gait tests, there were the following tasks: to carry a glass of water and to tell apart the color of the paper. RESULTS The children with SLD exhibited gait deterioration in both single and dual-task gait (p < 0.05). Dual-task cost cognitive values were higher in children with SLD (p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE This study highlights the worse gait performance of children with SLD under single- and dual-task conditions compared with TD children. However, interventions for their gait impairments are limited. At this point, SLD specialists can focus on multitasking to improve their walking skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emel Tasvuran Horata
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Yunus Emre Kundakci
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
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Escobar JP, Tenorio M. Trastornos específicos del aprendizaje: origen, identificación y acompañamiento. REVISTA MÉDICA CLÍNICA LAS CONDES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmclc.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
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Haberstroh S, Schulte-Körne G. The Cognitive Profile of Math Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis Based on Clinical Criteria. Front Psychol 2022; 13:842391. [PMID: 35360597 PMCID: PMC8962618 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.842391] [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: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Math difficulties (MD) manifest across various domain-specific and domain-general abilities. However, the existing cognitive profile of MD is incomplete and thus not applicable in typical settings such as schools or clinics. So far, no review has applied inclusion criteria according to DSM or ICD, summarized domain-specific abilities or examined the validity of response time scores for MD identification. Based upon stringent clinical criteria, the current meta-analysis included 34 studies which compared cognitive performances of a group with MD (n = 680) and a group without MD (n = 1565). Criteria according to DSM and ICD were applied to identify MD (percentile rank ≤ 16, age range 8–12 years, no comorbidities/low IQ). Effect sizes for 22 abilities were estimated and separated by their level and type of scoring (AC = accuracy, RT = response time). A cognitive profile of MD was identified, characterized by distinct weaknesses in: (a) computation (calculation [AC], fact retrieval [AC]), (b) number sense (quantity processing [AC], quantity-number linking [RT], numerical relations [AC]), and (c) visual-spatial short-term storage [AC]. No particular strength was found. Severity of MD, group differences in reading performance and IQ did not significantly moderate the results. Further analyses revealed that (a) effects are larger when dealing with numbers or number words than with quantities, (b) MD is not accompanied by any weakness in abilities typically assigned to reading, and (c) weaknesses in visual-spatial short-term storage emphasize the notion that number and space are interlinked. The need for high-quality studies investigating domain-general abilities is discussed.
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Gray SI, Levy R, Alt M, Hogan TP, Cowan N. Working Memory Predicts New Word Learning Over and Above Existing Vocabulary and Nonverbal IQ. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:1044-1069. [PMID: 35148490 PMCID: PMC9150727 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to use an established model of working memory in children to predict an established model of word learning to determine whether working memory explained word learning variance over and above the contributions of expressive vocabulary and nonverbal IQ. METHOD One hundred sixty-seven English-speaking second graders (7- to 8-year-olds) with typical development from two states participated. They completed a comprehensive battery of working memory assessments and six word learning tasks that assessed the creation, storage, retrieval, and production of phonological and semantic representations of novel nouns and verbs and the ability to link those representations. RESULTS A structural equation model with expressive vocabulary, nonverbal IQ, and three working memory factors predicting two word learning factors fit the data well. When working memory factors were entered as predictors after expressive vocabulary and nonverbal IQ, they explained 45% of the variance in the phonological word learning factor and 17% of the variance in the semantic word learning factor. Thus, working memory explained a significant amount of word learning variance over and above expressive vocabulary and nonverbal IQ. CONCLUSION Results show that working memory is a significant predictor of dynamic word learning over and above the contributions of expressive vocabulary and nonverbal IQ, suggesting that a comprehensive working memory assessment has the potential to identify sources of word learning difficulties and to tailor word learning interventions to a child's working memory strengths and weaknesses. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19125911.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mary Alt
- The University of Arizona, Tucson
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Al Qasem W, Abubaker M, Kvašňák E. Working Memory and Transcranial-Alternating Current Stimulation-State of the Art: Findings, Missing, and Challenges. Front Psychol 2022; 13:822545. [PMID: 35237214 PMCID: PMC8882605 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.822545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is a cognitive process that involves maintaining and manipulating information for a short period of time. WM is central to many cognitive processes and declines rapidly with age. Deficits in WM are seen in older adults and in patients with dementia, schizophrenia, major depression, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, etc. The frontal, parietal, and occipital cortices are significantly involved in WM processing and all brain oscillations are implicated in tackling WM tasks, particularly theta and gamma bands. The theta/gamma neural code hypothesis assumes that retained memory items are recorded via theta-nested gamma cycles. Neuronal oscillations can be manipulated by sensory, invasive- and non-invasive brain stimulations. Transcranial alternating-current stimulation (tACS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are frequency-tuned non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques that have been used to entrain endogenous oscillations in a frequency-specific manner. Compared to rTMS, tACS demonstrates superior cost, tolerability, portability, and safety profile, making it an attractive potential tool for improving cognitive performance. Although cognitive research with tACS is still in its infancy compared to rTMS, a number of studies have shown a promising WM enhancement effect, especially in the elderly and patients with cognitive deficits. This review focuses on the various methods and outcomes of tACS on WM in healthy and unhealthy human adults and highlights the established findings, unknowns, challenges, and perspectives important for translating laboratory tACS into realistic clinical settings. This will allow researchers to identify gaps in the literature and develop frequency-tuned tACS protocols with promising safety and efficacy outcomes. Therefore, research efforts in this direction should help to consider frequency-tuned tACS as a non-pharmacological tool of cognitive rehabilitation in physiological aging and patients with cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiam Al Qasem
- Department of Medical Biophysics and Medical Informatics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Praha, Czechia
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Alt M, Fox A, Levy R, Hogan TP, Cowan N, Gray S. Phonological working memory and central executive function differ in children with typical development and dyslexia. DYSLEXIA (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2022; 28:20-39. [PMID: 34569679 PMCID: PMC8844040 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The primary purpose of this study was to compare the working memory performance of monolingual English-speaking second- grade children with dyslexia (N = 82) to second-grade children with typical development (N = 167). Prior to making group comparisons, it is important to demonstrate invariance between working memory models in both groups or between-group comparisons would not be valid. Thus, we completed invariance testing using a model of working memory that had been validated for children with typical development (Gray et al., 2017) to see if it was valid for children with dyslexia. We tested three types of invariance: configural (does the model test the same constructs?), metric (are the factor loadings equivalent?), and scalar (are the item intercepts the same?). Group comparisons favoured the children with typical development across all three working memory factors. However, differences in the Focus-of-Attention/Visuospatial factor could be explained by group differences in non-verbal intelligence and language skills. In contrast, differences in the Phonological and Central Executive working memory factors remained, even after accounting for non-verbal intelligence and language. Results highlight the need for researchers and educators to attend not only to the phonological aspects of working memory in children with dyslexia, but also to central executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Alt
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Annie Fox
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roy Levy
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Tiffany P Hogan
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nelson Cowan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Shelley Gray
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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Tsigeman E, Silas S, Frieler K, Likhanov M, Gelding R, Kovas Y, Müllensiefen D. The Jack and Jill Adaptive Working Memory Task: Construction, Calibration and Validation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262200. [PMID: 35085289 PMCID: PMC8794187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Visuospatial working memory (VSWM) is essential to human cognitive abilities and is associated with important life outcomes such as academic performance. Recently, a number of reliable measures of VSWM have been developed to help understand psychological processes and for practical use in education. We sought to extend this work using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT) frameworks to construct, calibrate and validate a new adaptive, computerised, and open-source VSWM test. We aimed to overcome the limitations of previous instruments and provide researchers with a valid and freely available VSWM measurement tool. The Jack and Jill (JaJ) VSWM task was constructed using explanatory item response modelling of data from a sample of the general adult population (Study 1, N = 244) in the UK and US. Subsequently, a static version of the task was tested for validity and reliability using a sample of adults from the UK and Australia (Study 2, N = 148) and a sample of Russian adolescents (Study 3, N = 263). Finally, the adaptive version of the JaJ task was implemented on the basis of the underlying IRT model and evaluated with another sample of Russian adolescents (Study 4, N = 239). JaJ showed sufficient internal consistency and concurrent validity as indicated by significant and substantial correlations with established measures of working memory, spatial ability, non-verbal intelligence, and academic achievement. The findings suggest that JaJ is an efficient and reliable measure of VSWM from adolescent to adult age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Tsigeman
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Sebastian Silas
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien, Hannover, Germany
| | - Klaus Frieler
- Max-Planck-Institute of Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
| | | | | | - Yulia Kovas
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Müllensiefen
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Utilizing Cognitive Training to Improve Working Memory, Attention, and Impulsivity in School-Aged Children with ADHD and SLD. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020141. [PMID: 35203905 PMCID: PMC8870288 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Students’ use of working memory (WM) is a key to academic success, as many subject areas and various tasks school-aged children encounter require the ability to attend to, work with, and recall information. Children with poor WM ability typically struggle with academic work compared to similar-aged peers without WM deficits. Further, WM has been shown to be significantly correlated with inattention and disorganization in those with ADHD, and WM deficits have also been identified as a potential underpinning of specific learning disorder (SLD). As an intervention technique, the use of computerized cognitive training has demonstrated improved attention and working memory skills in children with WM deficits, and children that have completed cognitive training protocols have demonstrated performance improvements in reading and math. The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of cognitive training (conducted in a clinical setting) for students diagnosed with ADHD and SLD. Using paired-samples t-tests and a psychometric network modeling technique, results from data obtained from a sample of 43 school-aged children showed (1) that attention and working memory improved following cognitive training and (2) that cognitive training might be related to cognitive structural changes found pre- to post-training among the variables being measured. Implications for clinical practice and school-based interventions are discussed.
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Castro SC, Quinan PS, Hosseinpour H, Padilla L. Examining Effort in 1D Uncertainty Communication Using Individual Differences in Working Memory and NASA-TLX. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS 2022; 28:411-421. [PMID: 34587043 DOI: 10.1109/tvcg.2021.3114803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As uncertainty visualizations for general audiences become increasingly common, designers must understand the full impact of uncertainty communication techniques on viewers' decision processes. Prior work demonstrates mixed performance outcomes with respect to how individuals make decisions using various visual and textual depictions of uncertainty. Part of the inconsistency across findings may be due to an over-reliance on task accuracy, which cannot, on its own, provide a comprehensive understanding of how uncertainty visualization techniques support reasoning processes. In this work, we advance the debate surrounding the efficacy of modern 1D uncertainty visualizations by conducting converging quantitative and qualitative analyses of both the effort and strategies used by individuals when provided with quantile dotplots, density plots, interval plots, mean plots, and textual descriptions of uncertainty. We utilize two approaches for examining effort across uncertainty communication techniques: a measure of individual differences in working-memory capacity known as an operation span (OSPAN) task and self-reports of perceived workload via the NASA-TLX. The results reveal that both visualization methods and working-memory capacity impact participants' decisions. Specifically, quantile dotplots and density plots (i.e., distributional annotations) result in more accurate judgments than interval plots, textual descriptions of uncertainty, and mean plots (i.e., summary annotations). Additionally, participants' open-ended responses suggest that individuals viewing distributional annotations are more likely to employ a strategy that explicitly incorporates uncertainty into their judgments than those viewing summary annotations. When comparing quantile dotplots to density plots, this work finds that both methods are equally effective for low-working-memory individuals. However, for individuals with high-working-memory capacity, quantile dotplots evoke more accurate responses with less perceived effort. Given these results, we advocate for the inclusion of converging behavioral and subjective workload metrics in addition to accuracy performance to further disambiguate meaningful differences among visualization techniques.
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Özgül Öğrenme Bozukluğu için Dikkat Eksikliği Hiperaktivite Bozukluğu Komorbiditesi Her Zaman Kötü Bir Durum Olmayabilir Mi? ANADOLU KLINIĞI TIP BILIMLERI DERGISI 2021. [DOI: 10.21673/anadoluklin.1018856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Cognitive Profiles in the WISC-V of Children with ADHD and Specific Learning Disorders. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13179948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has a high comorbidity with specific learning disorders (SLD). Children with ADHD and children with SLD show specific cognitive deficits. This study aims to examine similarities and differences between cognitive profiles of children with ADHD + SLD, children with SLD only, and a control group to find out whether specific or shared deficits can be identified for the groups. We compared the WISC-V profiles of 62 children with ADHD and SLD (19 girls, M-age = 10.44; SD = 2.44), 35 children with SLD (13 girls, M-age = 10.21; SD = 2.11) and 62 control children without ADHD or SLD (19 girls, M-age = 10.42; SD = 2.39). The ADHD + SLD group performed worse than the control group in the WISC-V indices WMI, PSI, FSIQ, AWMI, CPI and worse than the SLD group in these indices and the VCI, NVI and GAI. Therefore, compared to children with SLD, children with ADHD + SLD did not show specific impairments in any particular cognitive domain but rather non-specific impairment in almost all indices. Hence, the WISC-V is suited to depict the cognitive strength and weaknesses of an individual child as a basis for targeted intervention.
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Nelwan M, Friso-van den Bos I, Vissers C, Kroesbergen E. The relation between working memory, number sense, and mathematics throughout primary education in children with and without mathematical difficulties. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:143-170. [PMID: 34340649 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1959905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Number sense and working memory contribute to mathematical development throughout primary school. However, it is still unclear how the contributions of each of these predictors may change across development and whether the cognitive contribution is the same for children with and without mathematical difficulties. The aim of the two studies in this paper was to shed light on these topics. In a cross-sectional design, a typically developing group of children (study 1; N = 459, Grades 1-4) and a group with mathematical difficulties (study 2; N = 61, Grades 4-6) completed a battery of number sense and working memory tests, as well as a measure of arithmetic competence. Results of study 1 indicated that number sense was important in first grade, while working memory gained importance in second grade, before predictive value of both predictors waned. Number sense and working memory supported mathematics development independently from one another from Grade 1. Analysis of task demands showed that typically developing children rely on comprehension and visualization of quantity-to-number associations in early development. Later in development, pupils rely on comparing larger numerals and working memory until automatization. Children with mathematical difficulties were less able to employ number sense during mathematical operations, and thus might remain dependent on their working memory resources during arithmetic tasks. This suggests that children with mathematical difficulties need aid to employ working memory for mathematics from an early age to be able to automatize mathematical abilities later in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Nelwan
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Erasmus MC -Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Constance Vissers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Kentalis Academy, Royal Dutch Kentalis, Sint-Michielsgestel, The Netherlands
| | - Evelyn Kroesbergen
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Shaban A, Pearson E, Chang V. Evaluation of User Experience, Cognitive Load, and Training Performance of a Gamified Cognitive Training Application for Children With Learning Disabilities. FRONTIERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcomp.2021.617056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents a gamified application for children with learning disabilities, designed to train and improve their working memory capacity. The application takes the form of a treasure hunt and is designed according to a framework incorporating a set of guidelines derived from accessibility, usability, and cognitive load theory principles, and from gamification techniques. The aim is to motivate and engage the children in working memory-training activities and exploit their working memory capacity. The main focus of this study is the evaluation of the cognitive load level induced by the application, the children’s perceived experience, and their training performance over the training period. A sample of 12 Egyptian children with learning disabilities completed a five-week training period using the application, followed by an evaluation process. The evaluation took the form of a simple usability survey, an unstructured observation, and a cognitive load measurement scale. The purpose was to evaluate the children’s perceived experience, assess the level of cognitive load experienced in each of the activities, and measure the expected improvement in the children’s training performance. The results revealed that all the children enjoyed playing the gamified application, were eager to participate in the daily training, and the cognitive load experienced during the training was found to be generally appropriate, although some areas for improvement were identified. Finally, the children’s training performance and their perceived experience were better in the gamified activities with a lower cognitive load level.
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Ralli AM, Chrysochoou E, Roussos P, Diakogiorgi K, Dimitropoulou P, Filippatou D. Executive Function, Working Memory, and Verbal Fluency in Relation to Non-Verbal Intelligence in Greek-Speaking School-Age Children with Developmental Language Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050604. [PMID: 34066872 PMCID: PMC8151609 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is often associated with impairments in working memory (WM), executive functions (EF), and verbal fluency. Moreover, increasing evidence shows poorer performance of children with DLD on non-verbal intelligence tests relative to their typically developing (TD) peers. Yet, the degree and generality of relevant difficulties remain unclear. The present study aimed at investigating WM capacity, key EFs and verbal fluency in relation to non-verbal intelligence in Greek-speaking school-age children with DLD, compared to TD peers (8–9 years). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to attempt a systematic relevant assessment with Greek-speaking school-age children, complementing previous studies mostly involving English-speaking participants. The results showed that children with DLD scored lower than TD peers on the non-verbal intelligence measure. Groups did not differ in the inhibition measures obtained (tapping resistance to either distractor or proactive interference), but children with DLD were outperformed by TD peers in the WM capacity, updating, monitoring (mixing cost), and verbal fluency (phonological and semantic) measures. The effects showed limited (in the case of backward digit recall) or no dependence on non-verbal intelligence. Findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications as well as in relation to future lines of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asimina M. Ralli
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece; (P.R.); (D.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-7277945
| | - Elisavet Chrysochoou
- School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Petros Roussos
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece; (P.R.); (D.F.)
| | | | | | - Diamanto Filippatou
- Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece; (P.R.); (D.F.)
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Fernández-Andrés MI, Tejero P, Vélez-Calvo X. Visual Attention, Orthographic Word Recognition, and Executive Functioning in Children With ADHD, Dyslexia, or ADHD + Dyslexia. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:942-953. [PMID: 31416383 DOI: 10.1177/1087054719864637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Objective: The current study examined the differences in visual selective attention, orthographic word recognition, and executive functioning. Method: One hundred and forty Ecuadorian children in third and fifth grades of elementary school (8-10 years old) participated in the study-35 with only dyslexia (DD), 35 with the combined type of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD-C), 35 with disorders (DD + ADHD-C), and 35 typical development children (TD). Results: The Ecuadorian children with DD and/or ADHD-C in this age range usually have difficulties in visual selective attention, and also in orthographic word recognition. The executive functioning results showed that such functioning was worse in the ADHD-C groups (with or without DD), but not in the DD group, supporting the dissociation between DD and ADHD-C in executive functioning in this population. Conclusion: The DD + ADHD-C comorbidity produces worse deficits compared to DD, but not compared to ADHD-C, supporting the idea that there are common factors in DD and ADHD-C.
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Oesterlen E, Seitz-Stein K. Tapping versus Saying: Effects of Age, Recoding, and Visual Search on Phonological Span. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/07342829211009114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In contrast to traditional word spans with verbal recall, recently developed automated tasks employ a visuospatial response format (RF). This RF involves additional cognitive processes such as recoding and visual search, which develop across childhood. The aim of the present study was to extend previous findings on age-dependent RF effects, examining the role of recoding and visual search as underlying mechanisms. Groups of primary school children, secondary school children, and adults performed analogous word spans with visuospatial and verbal RF. Additionally, two tasks assessing recoding and visual search skills were conducted. Results show that primary school children performed poorer under visuospatial than verbal RF, whereas secondary school children and adults showed no performance differences. The analyses further suggest that search skills contribute to age-differential RF effects. Recoding seems less decisive, but its role could not be conclusively clarified. Developmental mechanisms and the necessity to disentangle the role of recoding from search are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Oesterlen
- Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Eichstätt, Germany
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Zhu J, Li Y, Fang Q, Shen Y, Qian Y, Cai H, Yu Y. Dynamic functional connectome predicts individual working memory performance across diagnostic categories. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 30:102593. [PMID: 33647810 PMCID: PMC7930367 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We created transdiagnostic predictive working memory models using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM). Dynamic functional connectivity-based CPM models successfully predicted working memory. Static functional connectivity-based CPM models fell short in prediction. Frontoparietal, somato-motor, default mode and visual networks contributed most to prediction.
Working memory impairment is a common feature of psychiatric disorders. Although its neural mechanisms have been extensively examined in healthy subjects or individuals with a certain clinical condition, studies investigating neural predictors of working memory in a transdiagnostic sample are scarce. The objective of this study was to create a transdiagnostic predictive working memory model from whole-brain functional connectivity using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM), a recently developed machine learning approach. Resting-state functional MRI data from 242 subjects across 4 diagnostic categories (healthy controls and individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity) were used to construct dynamic and static functional connectomes. Spatial working memory was assessed by the spatial capacity task. CPM was conducted to predict individual working memory from dynamic and static functional connectivity patterns. Results showed that dynamic connectivity-based CPM models successfully predicted overall working memory capacity and accuracy as well as mean reaction time, yet their static counterparts fell short in the prediction. At the neural level, we found that dynamic connectivity of the frontoparietal and somato-motor networks were negatively correlated with working memory capacity and accuracy, and those of the default mode and visual networks were positively associated with mean reaction time. Moreover, different feature selection thresholds, parcellation strategies and model validation methods as well as diagnostic categories did not significantly influence the prediction results. Our findings not only are coherent with prior reports that dynamic functional connectivity encodes more behavioral information than static connectivity, but also help advance the translation of cognitive “connectome fingerprinting” into real-world application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yating Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Qian Fang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yuhao Shen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yinfeng Qian
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Huanhuan Cai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
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Dual n-back working memory training evinces superior transfer effects compared to the method of loci. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3072. [PMID: 33542383 PMCID: PMC7862396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82663-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) training is a prevalent intervention for multiple cognitive deficits, however, the transfer effects to other cognitive tasks from gains in WM induced by different training techniques still remains controversial. Therefore, the current study recruited three groups of young adults to investigate the memory training transference, with N-back group (NBG) (n = 50) training on dual n-back task, Memory Palace group (MPG) (n = 50) on method of loci, and a blank control group (BCG) (n = 48) receiving no training. Our results showed that both training groups separately improved WM capacity on respective trained task. For untrained tasks, both training groups enhanced performance on digit-span task, while on change detection task, significant improvement was only observed in NBG. In conclusion, while both techniques can be used as effective training methods to improve WM, the dual n-back task training method, perhaps has a more prominent transfer effect than that of method of loci.
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Development of reading and arithmetic skills across Grades 1 to 4 in two groups of children receiving part-time special education. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Does transcranial direct current stimulation affect selective visual attention in children with left-sided infantile hemiplegia? A randomized, controlled pilot study. BRAIN IMPAIR 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/brimp.2020.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractObjective:Infantile hemiplegia due to brain injury is associated with poor attention span, which critically affects the learning and acquisition of new skills, especially among children with left-sided infantile hemiplegia (LSIH). This study aimed to improve the selective visual attention (SVA) of children with LSIH through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).Methods:A total of 15 children participated in this randomized, double-blinded, pilot study; of them, 10 experienced LSIH, and the remaining 5 were healthy age-matched controls. All the children performed the Computerized Stroop Color-Word Test (CSCWT) at baseline, during the 5th and 10th treatment sessions, and at follow-up. The experimental (n = 5) and control groups (n = 5) received tDCS, while the sham group (n = 5) received placebo tDCS. All three groups received cognitive training on alternate days, for 3 weeks, with the aim to improve SVA.Results:Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a statistically significant change in the mean scores of CSCWT between time points (baseline, 5th and 10th sessions, and follow-up) within-subject factor, group (experimental, sham) between-subject factor and interaction (time points X group) (p < 0.005). Furthermore, a one-way repeated measures ANOVA showed significant differences between time point (p < 0.005) for the experimental and control group but not the sham group.Conclusion:These pilot results suggest that future research should be conducted with adequate samples to enable conclusions to be drawn.
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Effect of cognitive - behavioral play therapy on working memory, short-term memory and sustained attention among school-aged children with specific learning disorder: a preliminary randomized controlled clinical trial. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-018-9914-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several studies agree on the link between attention and eye movements during reading. It has been well established that attention and working memory (WM) interact. A question that could be addressed to better understand these relationships is: to what extent can an attention deficit affect eye movements and, consequently, remembering a word? The main aims of the present study were (1) to compare visual patterns of word stimuli between children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and typically developing (TD) children, during a visual task on word stimuli; (2) to examine the WM accuracy of the word stimuli; and (3) to compare the dynamic of visual scan path in both groups. METHOD A total of 49 children with ADHD, age and sex matched with 32 TD children, were recruited. We used eye-tracking technology in which the Word Memory Test was implemented. To highlight the scan path of participants, two measures were used: the ordered direction of reading and the entropy index. RESULTS ADHD groups showed a poorer WM than TD group. They did not follow a typical scan path across the words compared with TD children, but their visual scanning was discontinuous, uncoordinated, and chaotic. ADHD groups showed an index of entropy among the four categories of saccades higher than TD group. CONCLUSIONS The findings were discussed in light of two directions: the relationship between atypical visual scan path and WM and the training implications related to the necessity of redirecting the dynamic of visual scan path in ADHD to improve WM.
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TEIXEIRA RM, MOURA R. Arabic number writing in children with developmental dyslexia. ESTUDOS DE PSICOLOGIA (CAMPINAS) 2020. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0275202037e180179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Number transcoding is a basic numerical processing task that demands verbal skills during its execution. The goal of this study was to investigate number transcoding ability in children with developmental dyslexia. Twenty-three children with typical development and twenty-six children with developmental dyslexia participated in this study. Results showed that children with dyslexia show a deficit in phonological processing as well as in number transcoding. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance indicated that the dyslexia group presented performance below the average in the number transcoding. Regression analyses indicated that short-term verbal memory, phoneme deletion, rhyme judgment task and automatized naming was a strong predictor of number transcoding difficulties. Children with dyslexia present number transcoding deficits regardless of age and educational level.
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Visser L, Kalmar J, Linkersdörfer J, Görgen R, Rothe J, Hasselhorn M, Schulte-Körne G. Comorbidities Between Specific Learning Disorders and Psychopathology in Elementary School Children in Germany. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:292. [PMID: 32411022 PMCID: PMC7198840 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with reading and/or spelling disorders have increased rates of behavioral and emotional problems and combinations of these. Some studies also find increased rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression. However, the comorbidities of, e.g., arithmetic disorders with ADHD, anxiety disorder, and depression have been addressed only rarely. The current study explored the probability of children with specific learning disorders (SLD) in reading, spelling, and/or arithmetic to also have anxiety disorder, depression, ADHD, and/or conduct disorder. The sample consisted of 3,014 German children from grades 3 and 4 (mean age 9;9 years) who completed tests assessing reading, spelling as well as arithmetic achievement and intelligence via a web-based application. Psychopathology was assessed using questionnaires filled in by the parents. In children with a SLD we found high rates of anxiety disorder (21%), depression (28%), ADHD (28%), and conduct disorder (22%). Children with SLD in multiple learning domains had a higher risk for psychopathology and had a broader spectrum of psychopathology than children with an isolated SLD. The results highlight the importance of screening for and diagnosing psychiatric comorbidities in children with SLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Visser
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julia Kalmar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Center for Psychological Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Janosch Linkersdörfer
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ruth Görgen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Josefine Rothe
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marcus Hasselhorn
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gerd Schulte-Körne
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany
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Haberstroh S, Schulte-Körne G. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyscalculia. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 116:107-114. [PMID: 30905334 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 3-7% of all children, adolescents, and adults suffer from dyscalculia. Severe, persistent difficulty performing arithmetical calculations leads to marked impairment in school, at work, and in everyday life and elevates the risk of comorbid mental disorders. The state of the evidence underlying various methods of diagnosing and treating this condition is unclear. METHODS Systematic literature searches were carried out from April 2015 to June 2016 in the PsycInfo, PSYNDEX, MEDLINE, ProQuest, ERIC, Cochrane Library, ICTRP, and MathEduc databases. The main search terms on dyscalculia were the German terms "Rechenstörung," "Rechenschwäche," and "Dyskalkulie" and the English terms "dyscalculia," "math disorder, and "math disability." The data from the retrieved studies were evaluated in a meta-analysis, and corresponding recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of dyscalculia were jointly issued by the 20 societies and associations that participated in the creation of this guideline. RESULTS The diagnosis of dyscalculia should only be made if the person in question displays below-average mathematical performance when seen in the context of relevant information from the individual history, test findings, clinical examination, and further psychosocial assessment. The treatment should be directed toward the individual mathematical problem areas. The mean effect size found across all intervention trials was 0.52 (95% confidence interval [0.42; 0.62]). Treatment should be initiated early on in the primary-school years and carried out by trained specialists in an individual setting; comorbid symptoms and disorders should also receive attention. Persons with dyscalculia are at elevated risk of having dyslexia as well (odds ratio [OR]: 12.25); the same holds for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and for other mental disorders, both internalizing (such as anxiety and depression) and externalizing (e.g., disorders characterized by aggression and rule-breaking). CONCLUSION Symptom-specific interventions involving the training of specific mathematical content yield the best results. There is still a need for high-quality intervention trials and for suitable tests and learning programs for older adolescents and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Haberstroh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich
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Muñoz-Suazo MD, Navarro-Muñoz J, Díaz-Román A, Porcel-Gálvez AM, Gil-García E. Sex differences in neuropsychological functioning among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatry Res 2019; 278:289-293. [PMID: 31254878 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments are often reported in research on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, studies analyzing sex differences in this context are still sparse. This study aimed to compare the neuropsychological performance of boys and girls with ADHD across several cognitive domains. Verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and general cognitive performance were assessed in 240 children aged 6-17 years: 120 children (65 boys) with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD and 120 typically developing children (60 boys). Underperformance of children with ADHD compared to controls was observed in all the evaluated cognitive domains, except for verbal comprehension. Significantly lower scores in perceptual reasoning, with a medium effect size, were found in girls with ADHD relative to boys, although the sexes did not significantly differ in terms of the remaining variables. Children's ADHD subtypes did not correlate significantly with any performance measure, and no significant interaction effects between children's age and sex were noted in the results. The performance commonalities found between boys and girls with ADHD outweighed the differences, which highlights the importance of further research on cognitive dysfunction in girls with ADHD, regardless of sex differences in the prevalence of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amparo Díaz-Román
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, CIMCYC, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Ana María Porcel-Gálvez
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Podiatry, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Eugenia Gil-García
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Podiatry, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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Gray S, Fox AB, Green S, Alt M, Hogan TP, Petscher Y, Cowan N. Working Memory Profiles of Children With Dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder, or Both. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2019; 62:1839-1858. [PMID: 31112436 PMCID: PMC6808376 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-l-18-0148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Compared to children with typical development, children with dyslexia, developmental language disorder (DLD), or both often demonstrate working memory deficits. It is unclear how pervasive the deficits are or whether the deficits align with diagnostic category. The purpose of this study was to determine whether different working memory profiles would emerge on a comprehensive battery of central executive, phonological, visuospatial, and binding working memory tasks and whether these profiles were associated with group membership. Method Three hundred two 2nd graders with typical development, dyslexia, DLD, or dyslexia/DLD completed 13 tasks from the Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children-Working Memory ( Gray, Alt, Hogan, Green, & Cowan, n.d. ) that assessed central executive, phonological, and visuospatial/attention components of working memory. Results Latent class analyses yielded 4 distinct latent classes: low overall (21%), average with high number updating (30%), average with low number updating (12%), and high overall (37%). Children from each disability group and children from the typically developing group were present in each class. Discussion Findings highlight the importance of knowing an individual child's working memory profile because working memory profiles are not synonymous with learning disabilities diagnosis. Thus, working memory assessments could contribute important information about children's cognitive function over and above typical psychoeducational measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Annie B Fox
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Tiffany P Hogan
- MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA
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Toffalini E, Marsura M, Garcia RB, Cornoldi C. A Cross-Modal Working Memory Binding Span Deficit in Reading Disability. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2019; 52:99-108. [PMID: 29985098 DOI: 10.1177/0022219418786691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Successful reading demands the ability to combine visual-phonological information into a single representation and is associated with an efficient short-term memory. Reading disability may consequently involve an impaired working memory binding of visual and phonological information. The present study proposes two span tasks for assessing visual-phonological working memory binding. The tasks involved memorizing cross-modal associations between nonsense figures and nonwords, and they were administered, with other working memory measures, to children with and without a reading disability. The tasks required recognizing which figure was associated with a given nonword and recalling which nonword was associated with a given figure. Children with a reading disability had a similar significant deficit in both cross-modal binding tasks when compared with the control children, and the difference remained significant even after controlling for other verbal and nonverbal working memory measures. The cross-modal binding tasks described here seem to capture a core aspect of working memory associated with reading and may be a useful procedure for assessing reading disabilities.
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Oesterlen E, Eichner M, Gade M, Seitz-Stein K. Tablet-Based Working Memory Assessment in Children and Adolescents. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR ENTWICKLUNGSPSYCHOLOGIE UND PADAGOGISCHE PSYCHOLOGIE 2018. [DOI: 10.1026/0049-8637/a000189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Working memory (WM) is a key predictor of academic success. Therefore, standardized tools for measuring WM are of critical importance. So far, WM tests in the German-speaking research community require one-to-one instruction, making WM assessment time- and resource-consuming. To ease assessment of WM, a tablet-based, group-administrable application for German-speaking children and adolescents was developed. The aim of the current study was to investigate the applicability, reliability, and validity of the word span, Corsi block, and word span backward tasks of the newly designed application for use with primary and secondary school children. The results indicated good internal consistency and satisfactory test–retest reliability for all three tasks. In addition, the results provide some indication of content and concurrent validity. We conclude that the application is a promising tool for the assessment of WM and has the potential for resource-saving collection of developmental data in large-scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Miriam Gade
- Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
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Chai WJ, Abd Hamid AI, Abdullah JM. Working Memory From the Psychological and Neurosciences Perspectives: A Review. Front Psychol 2018; 9:401. [PMID: 29636715 PMCID: PMC5881171 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the concept of working memory was introduced over 50 years ago, different schools of thought have offered different definitions for working memory based on the various cognitive domains that it encompasses. The general consensus regarding working memory supports the idea that working memory is extensively involved in goal-directed behaviors in which information must be retained and manipulated to ensure successful task execution. Before the emergence of other competing models, the concept of working memory was described by the multicomponent working memory model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch. In the present article, the authors provide an overview of several working memory-relevant studies in order to harmonize the findings of working memory from the neurosciences and psychological standpoints, especially after citing evidence from past studies of healthy, aging, diseased, and/or lesioned brains. In particular, the theoretical framework behind working memory, in which the related domains that are considered to play a part in different frameworks (such as memory’s capacity limit and temporary storage) are presented and discussed. From the neuroscience perspective, it has been established that working memory activates the fronto-parietal brain regions, including the prefrontal, cingulate, and parietal cortices. Recent studies have subsequently implicated the roles of subcortical regions (such as the midbrain and cerebellum) in working memory. Aging also appears to have modulatory effects on working memory; age interactions with emotion, caffeine and hormones appear to affect working memory performances at the neurobiological level. Moreover, working memory deficits are apparent in older individuals, who are susceptible to cognitive deterioration. Another younger population with working memory impairment consists of those with mental, developmental, and/or neurological disorders such as major depressive disorder and others. A less coherent and organized neural pattern has been consistently reported in these disadvantaged groups. Working memory of patients with traumatic brain injury was similarly affected and shown to have unusual neural activity (hyper- or hypoactivation) as a general observation. Decoding the underlying neural mechanisms of working memory helps support the current theoretical understandings concerning working memory, and at the same time provides insights into rehabilitation programs that target working memory impairments from neurophysiological or psychological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jia Chai
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Aini Ismafairus Abd Hamid
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia.,Center for Neuroscience Services and Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Jafri Malin Abdullah
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia.,Center for Neuroscience Services and Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
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Schuchardt K, Piekny J, Mähler C. Verlauf exekutiver Funktionen bei Vorschulkindern mit Entwicklungsauffälligkeiten. KINDHEIT UND ENTWICKLUNG 2017. [DOI: 10.1026/0942-5403/a000213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Verschiedene Entwicklungsauffälligkeiten wie ADHS-Symptome, spezifische Sprachentwicklungsschwierigkeiten (SSES) oder auch niedrige Intelligenz (NI) gehen mit Schwierigkeiten in den exekutiven Funktionen und der Selbstregulation einher. In der vorliegenden längsschnittlichen Studie absolvierten 22 Kinder mit ADHS-Symptomen, 24 Kinder mit SSES und 24 Kinder mit NI sowie 35 unauffällige Kontrollkinder im Alter von 5 und 6 Jahren Aufgaben zu allen drei Komponenten exekutiver Funktionen nach dem Modell von Miyake et al. (2000) – Updating, Shifting, Inhibition. Die Ergebnisse belegen sowohl überlappende als auch spezifische Schwierigkeiten für die einzelnen Störungsbilder: Kinder mit ADHS-Symptomen zeigten Defizite in Shifting und Inhibition, Kinder mit SSES ebenfalls beim Shifting, Kinder mit NI insbesondere beim Updating. Im letzten Kindergartenjahr konnten Kinder mit NI und SSES ihre Leistungen in der Inhibition an das Niveau der Kontrollgruppe angleichen, Kinder mit ADHS-Symptomen blieben jedoch hinter den anderen Gruppen zurück. Die Befunde können Anlass sein, spezifische Interventionsmaßnahmen zu entwickeln.
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