ABSTRACT
Abstract: Objective: Visual preference for faces at birth is the product of a multimodal sensory experience experienced by the fetus even during the gestational period. The ability to recognize faces allows an ecologically advantageous interaction with the social environment. However, perinatal events such as premature birth, may adversely affect the adequate development of this capacity. In this study, we evaluated the preference for facial stimuli in preterm infants within the first few hours after birth. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study of 59 newborns, 28 preterm and 31 full-term infants. The babies were assessed in the first hours of life, with two white boards in the shape of a head and neck: one with the drawing of a face similar to the human face (natural face), and one with the drawing of misaligned eyes, mouth and nose (distorted face). After the newborn fixated the eyes on the presented stimulus, it was slowly moved along the visual field. The recognition of the stimulus was considered present when the baby had eye or head movements toward the stimulus. Results: The preterm infants, in addition to showing a lower occurrence of orientation movements for both stimuli, on average (1.8 ± 1.1 to natural faces and 2.0 ± 1.2 for distorted ones) also showed no preference for any of them (p = 0.35). Full-term newborns showed a different behavior, in which they showed a preference for natural faces (p = 0.002) and a higher number of orientations for the stimulus, for both natural (3.2 ± 0.8) and distorted faces (2.5 ± 0.9). Conclusion: Preterm newborns recognize facial stimuli and disclose no preference for natural faces, different from full-term newborns.
Resumo: Objetivo: A preferência visual por faces ao nascimento é produto de uma experiência sensorial multimodal vivenciada pelo feto ainda no período gestacional. A habilidade de reconhecer faces possibilita uma interação ecologicamente vantajosa com o ambiente social. Entretanto, eventos perinatais, como o nascimento prematuro, podem prejudicar o desenvolvimento adequado dessa habilidade. Neste trabalho, avaliamos a preferência por estímulos faciais de recém-nascidos prematuros nas primeiras horas após o nascimento. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal feito com 59 recém-nascidos, 28 prematuros e 31 nascidos termos. Os bebês foram avaliados, nas primeiras horas de vida, com duas pranchas brancas em formato de cabeça e pescoço: uma com o desenho de uma face similar ao rosto humano (face natural) e outra com o desenho de olhos, boca e nariz desalinhados (face distorcida). Após o recém-nascido fixar o olhar no estímulo apresentado, era lentamente movimentado ao longo do campo visual. O reconhecimento do estímulo foi considerado presente quando o bebê apresentou movimentos dos olhos ou cabeça em direção ao estímulo. Resultados: Os recém-nascidos prematuros, além de apresentar menor ocorrência de movimentos de orientação para ambos os estímulos, em média (1,8 ± 1,1 para faces naturais e 2 ± 1,2 para faces distorcidas), também não apresentaram preferência por qualquer um deles (p = 0,35). Diferente foi o comportamento dos recém-nascidos a termo, que apresentaram preferência por faces naturais (p = 0,002) e um número maior de orientações para o estímulo, tanto para faces naturais (3,2 ± 0,8) quanto para faces distorcidas (2,5 ± 0,9). Conclusão: Recém-nascidos prematuros reconhecem os estímulos faciais e não apresentam preferência por faces naturais, diferentemente de recém-nascidos a termos.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Facial Recognition , Infant, Premature , Child Development , Choice Behavior , Cross-Sectional Studies , Gestational Age , Fixation, OcularABSTRACT
Patient that make use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, drugs which are frequently administered for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erithromatosus or malaria, may suffer alterations in color vision and in contrast sensitivity. The present work evaluates the visual functions of these patients in a joint study of the University of São Paulo (USP), in São Paulo, and of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), in belém. Thirty two chloroquine user patients without alterations in the eye fundus exam were evaluated in São Paulo (n=10; aged 38 to 71 years; mean=55,8 years) and in Belém (n=22; aged 20 to 67; mean=40 years). The described accumulated chloroquine dose was 45 to 430g (mean=213g; as=152g) for the São Paulo group, and 36 to 540g (mean=174g; sd=183g) for the Belém group. Tests were performed monocularly corrected eye refractive state. Color discrimination was evaluated using the Cambridge Colour Test (CCT): the color discrimination threshold was measured first in the protan, deutan and tritan axes and , in succession, three MacAdamÆs ellipses were determined. The patientÆs color vision was also evaluated with color arrangement tests: the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue (FM100), the Farnsworth-Munsell D15, and the Lanthony Desaturated (D15d) tests. We also measured the contrast sensitivity for black-and-white sine wave grating of twenty two patients. The results were compared with control without ophthalmologic or neuro-ophthalmologic pathologies. Twenty four patients presented acquired dyschromatopsia. There were cases of selective loss (11 patients) and of diffuse loss (13 patients). Although losses were present in the FM100 there was no correlation between the FM100 error score and the ellipse area measured by the CCT. Moreover, three patients that scored normal in the FM100, failed to reach normal threshold in the CCT. The Lanthony test was less sensitive than the other two tests, since it failed to indicate loss in about half the patients, and the D15 was the least sensitive test, having failed to indicate loss in 9 out of 10 patients. Contrast sensitivity was within normal values for patients submitted to this test. The extent of losses in color discrimination was positively correlated with the accumulated dose. The CCT is recommended for follow up since it provides quantitative data that can be directly interpreted in CIE (Commission Internationalle dÆÉclairage) color space.