La comprensión de narraciones orales y las diferencias individuales en niños con Trastornos del Espectro Autista / The oral narratives comprehension and individual differences in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Muchos niños con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) presentan dificultad en la comprensión de narraciones orales. Investigaciones relacionadas reportan peores desempeños en inferencias emocionales respecto a otros tipos de inferencias. En este estudio participaron 15 niños con TEA entre 8 y 12 años, agrupados según nivel intelectual. Se evaluó la memoria de trabajo, la atención sostenida y el vocabulario; y medidas de comprensión como, la generación de inferencias y el recuerdo de información literal. Los resultados evidenciaron mejores desempeños en preguntas a inferencias emocionales y explicativas en los lectores con TEA sin déficit cognitivo en comparación a sus pares con déficit cognitivo. Además, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en desempeños a preguntas de información literal. Finalmente, el grupo con déficit cognitivo mostró mejor rendimiento en preguntas de inferencias explicativas respecto a otro tipo de inferencias, estos desempeños podrían vincularse con el tipo de material, narraciones orales acompañadas de ilustraciones AU

A lot of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present difficulty in oral narrative comprehension. Related research reports worst performance in emotional inferences than other inferences type. This study involved 15 children with ASD between 8 and 12 years, grouped according to the intellectual level. Working memory, vocabulary and sustained attention were assessed. Also, comprehension measures such as generating inferences and recalling literal information. The results evidenced better performance in emotional and explanatory inference questions in readers with ASD and without cognitive deficit than their peers with cognitive deficit. In addition, no significant differences were found in performance on literal information questions. Finally, the group with cognitive deficit showed better performance in questions of explanatory inferences compared to other types of inferences, these performances could be linked to the type of material, oral narrations accompanied by illustrations AU

Diferencias en la atención sostenida en jóvenes universitarios con distintos niveles de uso de smartphone / Differences in sustained attention in young university students with different levels of smartphone use

Resumen El uso constante de los dispositivos móviles está generando nuevos fenómenos de comportamiento. En años recientes, se ha puesto énfasis en los cambios cognitivos que se podrían generar en los jóvenes que hacen uso excesivo de estos dispositivos. El objetivo del trabajo fue conocer las diferencias en la atención sostenida en jóvenes universitarios asociadas a distintos niveles de uso del teléfono inteligente. Se obtuvo una muestra de 94 adultos, 34 hombres y 60 mujeres de 18 a 23 años (M = 19.34, DE = 1.09) alumnos de la escuela superior de Actopan, Hidalgo-México. Se aplicó la Escala de Dependencia y Adicción al Smartphone EDAS (Aranda-López et al., 2017) y una prueba computarizada de ejecución continua (CPT) Test of Atenttional Vigilance (TOAV; Mueller y Pipper, 2014). Se realizó un ANOVA de una vía, en el que la variable independiente fue el nivel de uso del teléfono inteligente (sin dependencia, dependencia y adicción) y la variable dependiente fueron las puntuaciones obtenidas en el TOAV. Se observó que existen diferencias significativas a nivel estadístico en lo relativo a errores de omisión de la segunda mitad de la prueba (p = .005); las diferencias fueron entre los grupos de sin dependencia-dependencia (p = .010) y sin dependencia-adicción (p = .024). Acorde a los hallazgos del presente estudio, existen diferencias en el proceso de atención sostenida entre usuarios con diferentes niveles de uso del teléfono inteligente; los estudiantes con niveles de dependencia y adicción enfrentan dificultades en la atención sostenida cuando la tarea se prolonga y aumenta la demanda cognitiva.

Abstract The constant use of mobile devices changed our lives dramatically during the past years and its usage increased over the years. Smartphone use is associated with isolation and interpersonal problems; its overuse can cause cognitive problems too (Matar Boumosleh & Jaalouk, 2017). Cognitive problems associated with smartphones in young people are reduction of sustained attention and working memory. Findings have been reported in which younger populations show deterioration in different components of care, highlighting the difficulty of walking and using the smartphone at the same time (Prupetkaew et al., 2019). It has been reported that the impulsivity associated with use of smartphone in silent mode interferes in memory tests unlike when it is in off mode in young populations (Canale et al., 2019). It is necessary to evaluate the effects of using a smartphone on young people because it is a population that uses it constantly to develop in work, academic, sports, and even socializing activities. The aim of this paper was to find out the differences in sustained attention in young university students with different levels of smartphone use. A sample of 94 adults, 34 men and 60 women between the ages of 18 and 23 (M = 19.34, SD = 1.09), who were students of the higher school of Actopan, Hidalgo-Mexico. The EDAS -Smartphone Dependency and Addiction Scale- was applied (Aranda-López et al., 2017). For the evaluation of attention, a Computerized Continuous Running Test (CPT), Test of Attentional Vigilance (TOAV) was applied using the Psychology Experimental Building Language PEBL-2 platform (Mueller & Pipper, 2014). The inclusion criteria were that the participants were between 18-23 years old, right-handed, with normal and/or corrected vision. They were excluded from the investigation if they had a history of psychiatric and/or neurological diseases, learning difficulties, chronic alcohol and/or drug use. A one-way ANOVA was performed, where the independent variable was the level of smartphone use (no dependence, dependence and addiction) and the dependent variable was the scores obtained in the TOAV. It was observed that there are statistically significant differences in the errors of omission of the second half of the test (p = .05), the differences were found between the groups of no dependence-dependence (p =.10) and without dependence-addiction (p = .24). The results showed that there are differences in the execution of a neuropsychological task, regarding the omission errors of the second part of the test. These differences could suggest that the level of sustained attention is diminished in the participants of the dependency and addiction group at the end of the task. On the other hand, it is also concluded that students with levels of dependence and smartphone addiction face attention difficulties when the task is longer and cognitive demand increases. This type of data must be analyzed taking into consideration variables such as sex, socioeconomic level, age, profile of use, quality of sleep, level of physical activity, among others.

Test de Atención d2: Consistencia interna, estabilidad temporal y evidencias de validez / The d2 Test of Attention: Internal Consistency, Temporal Stability and Evidence of Validity

Resumen El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la adecuación psicométrica del Test d2 para su uso en Costa Rica. Una muestra de 445 individuos con edades entre 18 y 47 años, 58% mujeres y 42% hombres, contestaron la prueba d2; 50 de ellos completaron la prueba una segunda vez y 40 respondieron también las pruebas Test del Trazo, Test de Colores y Palabras de Stroop, Span de Dígitos, Búsqueda de Símbolos, Claves y Cancelación. Fueron evaluadas la consistencia interna, la estabilidad temporal y las evidencias de validez basadas en relaciones con otras variables y en la estructura interna. Los puntajes más fiables fueron los siguientes: total de respuestas (TR), total de aciertos (TA), índice de efectividad en la prueba (TOT) e índice de concentración (CON), con resultados del alfa de Cronbach y de fiabilidad test-retest en el rango de .90 a .97. Las correlaciones con pruebas que evalúan atención sostenida y selectiva, velocidad de procesamiento, precisión y control inhibitorio sugieren evidencias de validez para los puntajes CON, TR, TA y O (errores de omisión). Además, el aumento de edad está relacionado a la disminución de los puntajes TA y CON, en especial. Se discuten los hallazgos respecto a la estructura factorial de la prueba. Los resultados corroboran estudios previos e indican puntajes válidos del d2 para evaluar individuos de nivel universitario de Costa Rica.

Abstract: In this research, some psychometric properties of the d2 test were analyzed for its use in Costa Rica. A total of 445 participants aged between 18 and 47 years, 58% women and 42% men, completed the d2 test; a subset of 50 participants completed the test a second time, and 40 participants answered the additional tests: Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, Digit Span, Symbol Search, Coding and Cancellation. Internal consistency, temporal stability and validity evidences based on relations to other variables and based on the internal structure were evaluated. The most reliable scores were total number of responses (TR), total number of correct characters canceled (TA), effectiveness index (TOT) and concentration index (CON), with Cronbach's Alpha results and test-retest reliability ranged from .90 to .97. Correlations with tests that evaluate sustained and selective attention, processing speed, accuracy, and inhibitory control suggest validity evidence for the CON, TR, TA, and O (omission errors) scores. In addition, aging is especially related to the decrease in TA and CON scores. The findings regarding the factorial structure of the test are discussed. The results corroborate previous studies and indicate validity evidence for d2 test scores for evaluating Costa Rican university students and graduates.

A relação entre a prática regular de videogames e atenção sustentada / The relationship between regular video game practice and sustained attention

A atenção sustentada é um domínio cognitivo presente em atividades essenciais na rotina de jovens universitários que dispendem muitas horas em sala de aula, concentrando a atenção em aulas expositivas, realização de exercícios e estudos para provas. Este estudo investigou a relação entre a prática regular com videogames e a habilidade de atenção sustentada avaliada através do CPT II. Colaboraram com a pesquisa 122 universitários da região metropolitana de Florianópolis, divididos entre jogadores de videogame de ação e não ação, bem como não jogadores. Os participantes responderam uma bateria de testes, incluindo a avaliação da atenção sustentada, mapeamento de dados sociodemográficos e hábitos com videogames. Os resultados demonstram que, ao controlar o impacto de variáveis intervenientes, não se constatou diferença atencional entre os grupos. A comparação entre sexos apresentou significância com relação ao desempenho atencional, em que os homens tendem a responder mais rápido e mulheres cometem menos erros. Os achados sugerem que a prática regular com videogames não possui relação com desempenho atencional e pesquisas futuras devem investigar impactos de variáveis intervenientes, como a comparação entre sexos.

Sustained attention is a cognitive domain present in essential activities in the routine of young university students who spend many hours in the classroom, focusing attention on lectures, performing exercises and studying for tests. This study investigated the relationship between regular practice with video games and the sustained attention skill assessed through CPT II. 122 university students from the metropolitan region of Florianópolis collaborated with the research, divided between action and non-action video game players, as well as non-players. Participants performed a battery of tests, including the assessment of sustained attention, mapping of sociodemographic data and habits with video games. The results demonstrate that, when controlling the impact of intervening variables, there was no attentional difference between the groups. The comparison between sexes was significant in terms of attentional performance, in which men tend to respond faster and women make fewer mistakes. The findings suggest that regular practice with video games is not related to attentional performance and future research should investigate the impacts of intervening variables, such as such as sex comparison.

Comprensión de narraciones en niños de 5 y 6 años: Efectos de la memoria de trabajo verbal y la atención sostenida / Narrative Comprehension in 5 and 6-Year-Old Children: Effects of Working Memory and Sustained Attention

Resumen Comprender un texto es una actividad cognitiva compleja que implica la construcción de una representación mental coherente en la memoria. Un proceso importante para ello es la generación de inferencias. La memoria de trabajo ha mostrado ser un factor cognitivo importante para explicar las diferencias en comprensión e inferencias, al igual que la capacidad de sostener la atención. El propósito del presente trabajo consiste en estudiar la relación entre la memoria de trabajo y la atención sostenida en la comprensión de narraciones en niños de 5 y 6 años. Para ello, se trabajó con una muestra de 100 niños, quienes escucharon tres textos narrativos y respondieron preguntas acerca de su contenido literal e inferencial, y además realizaron dos pruebas de memoria de trabajo y una de atención sostenida. Los resultados indican que los niños de 6 años muestran desempeños mejores y significativos en la comprensión de información literal y en la respuesta a preguntas de inferencia que los niños de 5 años. Además, el análisis de correlación mostró que las medidas de comprensión se hallan vinculadas a medidas de atención sostenida y a medidas de memoria de trabajo. El análisis de senderos sugiere que, en niños de 5 y 6 años, las mejoras logradas en la comprensión general como producto de la edad están mediadas, en parte, por la capacidad del niño para mantener la atención en la narración y almacenar temporalmente la información recibida en la memoria de trabajo mientras la escucha.

Abstract Text comprehension involves the construction of a coherent mental representation, which requires the person to build bridges between the new information and the background knowledge. In adults, establishing associations between information provided by the text is frequently an automatic skill, while for children it implies an important cognitive effort. This ability develops gradually over time and is connected to the generation of inferences. Working memory and the ability to sustain attention are considered two crucial processes for comprehension. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of working memory and sustained attention in the comprehension of narratives in 5 and 6-year-old children. The study included 100 children of 5 and 6 years of age, of both sexes, that participated with the informed consent of their parents. Three oral texts were narrated to the children by a professional storyteller. For each text, six questions were asked: three of literal content and three of inferential content. Additionally, two working memory tasks were administered with one task of sustained attention. Three analyses were performed: First, a correlation analysis, to study the associations between comprehension, working memory, and sustained attention measures. Then, a comparison analysis of comprehension, working memory, and sustained attention scores between ages 5 and 6. And finally, a path analysis to study the role of age, sustained attention, and working memory on comprehension. Spearman Rho analyses in the whole sample show that literal comprehension had a significant correlation with forward digit span (Rho = .37, p < .001), backward digit span (Rho = .37, p < .001), and with the sustained attention task (Rho = -.37, p < .001). Inferences showed a significant correlation with forward digit span (Rho = .36, p < .001), backward digit span (Rho = .46, p < .001), and with the sustained attention task (Rho = -.37, p < .001). Sustained attention measures showed a significant correlation with forward digit span (Rho = -.34, p < .001) and with backward digit span (Rho = -.37, p < .001). The comparison analysis indicated significant differences between 5- and 6-year-olds in sustained attention measures (t(98) = 3.08, SEM = 5.41, p < .01), literal comprehension (t(98) = 4.05, SEM = 0.59, p < .001), and inferences (U = 750.50, z = 3.50, p < .001), but not in forward digit span (t(98) = 1.43, SEM = 0.34, p = .16) and backward digit span (U = 1043.50, z = 1.49, p = .14). A model of interrelation was proposed with age as independent variable, comprehension as dependent variable, and working memory and sustained attention as mediating variables, being comprehension, a latent factor formed by literal comprehension and inferences, and working memory another latent factor formed by forward digits and backward digits span. The path analysis showed a good fit of the data to the model (c2(5) = 1.93, p = .86; AGFI = .97, CFI = .99, TLI = .99, RMSEA = .00). The analysis showed that 6-year-olds perform better than 5-year-olds in literal and inferential information, and in sustained attention, but not in working memory. The correlation analyses, on the other hand, indicated that comprehension measures are associated to working memory and sustained attention scores and the path analysis indicated that both working memory and sustained attention play a role in comprehension. This suggests that, in 5 and 6-year-olds, age has an effect on the comprehension of general information and the ability to generate inferences, but this effect is mediated, in part, by the child's ability to sustain attention on the narration and to temporarily store the information received while listening to it.

Effects of physical activity on sustained attention: a systematic review / Efeitos da atividade física na atenção sustentada: uma revisão sistemática

AIM: Physical activity is known for its benefits to improve cognitive functions such as sustained attention. The study aimed to conduct a systematic review on the effects of physical activity on sustained attention. METHODS: Literature search was conducted using databases from Scopus, PubMed, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. The date of these published articles ranged from January 2010 to August 2018. RESULTS: A total of thirteen studies using the longitudinal design was selected to be part of this review. Most studies showed positive relationships between physical activity and sustained attention. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies may consider a longitudinal study design to study the effect of physical activity on sustained attention in prolonged time; as well as the corresponding affect with gender, age, motivation and to investigate the relationship between physical activities together with other possible factors that can indirectly affect sustained attention.

OBJETIVO: A atividade física é conhecida por seus benefícios para melhorar as funções cognitivas, como a atenção sustentada. O estudo objetivou realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre os efeitos da atividade física na atenção sustentada. MÉTODOS: A pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada utilizando os bancos de dados da Scopus, PubMed, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect e Google Scholar, com artigos publicados entre janeiro de 2010 e agosto de 2018. RESULTADOS: Treze estudos com delineamento longitudinal foram selecionados para fazer parte desta revisão. A maioria dos estudos mostrou relações positivas entre atividade física e a atenção sustentada. CONCLUSÕES: Futuros estudos poderão considerar um delineamento longitudinal para investigar o efeito da atividade física sobre a atenção sustentada por tempo prolongado, assim como sua relação pode ser afetada por sexo, idade e motivações, e, relacionar as atividades físicas com outros possíveis fatores que podem afetar indiretamente a atenção sustentada.

Revisión teórica del proceso de atención sostenida en la infancia y adolescencia / A theoretical review of sustained attention in childhood and adolescence

El estudio de la atención sostenida, entendida como la capacidad a través de la cual mantenemos nuestro estado de alerta para seleccionar determinados estímulos durante un período prolongado de tiempo, ha tenido grandes avances en las últimas décadas. Así, se han publicado diversos trabajos vinculados con la atención en adultos y cambios relacionados con la edad. Sin embargo, la investigación en población infantil y adolescentes es reducida y se ha reportado poco acerca de la influencia de otras variables que pueden estar relacionadas a la trayectoria de desarrollo de este proceso. Objetivo. Analizar el contenido, método y aportaciones de un grupo de artículos que reportan una relación entre ciertas variables y el proceso de atención sostenida en la infancia y adolescencia. Método. Se realizó una revisión literaria de 17 artículos, utilizando la V de Gowin como metodología para el análisis de los objetivos, conceptos clave, modelos teóricos, metodología de los estudios, resultados de los factores asociados y recomendaciones de los autores. Resultados. Los artículos analizados reportan relación entre la atención y diferentes variables como edad, sexo, inteligencia, agresión, ansiedad, oposicionismo, hiperactividad, reactividad emocional, hábitos de sueño, ambiente familiar y nivel socioeconómico. Discusión. En este apartado se indica que es importante tener en cuenta los factores relacionados con la atención sostenida para aumentar la comprensión y dimensionar la complejidad de este proceso cognitivo. Además, se sugiere considerar los factores en procesos de evaluación y rehabilitación de la atención sostenida.

The study of sustained attention, understood as the ability through which we maintain alertness to select stimuli during a long period of time, has encountered great development in the last decades. This has led to the publication of diverse studies related to attention in adults and its changes regarding age. Nevertheless, research on child population is limited, especially regarding the influence of factors that may determine developmental trajectories of sustained attention. Objective. To analyze the content, method and contributions of a group of studies which report a relation of different variables with sustained attention in childhood and adolescence. Method. A literary review of 17 papers on the subject was conducted using the V of Gowin as an instrument of analysis of objectives, keywords, theoretical models, methodology, results from the associated factors and authors' recommendations. Results. The analyzed papers report that age, sex, intelligence, aggression, anxiety, oppositionism, hyperactivity, emotional reactivity, sleep habits, family environment and socioeconomic level, were all considered factors related to the development of sustained attention in childhood and adolescence. Discussion. In this chapter, the focus relies on the importance of acknowledging the factors related to the performance of sustained attention. This will increase the comprehension on the topic and will help to dimension the complexity of this cognitive process. Moreover, the consideration of these factors is suggested in the process of evaluation and rehabilitation of sustained attention.

Association between serum IL-6 level and sustained attention in patients with major depressive disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To examine the correlation between serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and sustained attention in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods 30 patients with MDD and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in the case-control study.Serum IL-6 levels in all subjects were assessed by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Sustained attention in all subjects was measured respectively using rapid visual information processing(RVP) task in the Cambridge neuropsychological tests automated battery (CANTAB).Results Serum IL-6 levels in patients with MDD were significantly higher than those in healthy controls after controlling for gender,age,education,smoking,and BMI ((12.03±0.83) pg/ml,(2.77±0.24) pg/ml) (P＜0.01).RVP total misses and RVP mean latency in patients with MDD were higher than those in healthy controls after controlling for gender,age,education,smoking,and BMI(RVP total misses (10.20±4.44),(5.37±3.67),P=0.008,RVP latency (486.78± 135.47) ms,(370.58±72.42)ms,P=0.014).Serum IL-6 level were positively correlated with RVP mean latency in patients with MDD (r=0.46,P=0.011).But there were no correlation between serum IL-6 level and RVP total hits and RVP total misses in patients with MDD(P＞0.05),and there were also no relationship between serum IL-6 levels and RVP task in healthy controls(P＞0.05).Conclusions Serum IL-6 level may be implicated in the impairment of sustained attention in patients with MDD,and elevated IL-6 level may influence the susceptibility to MDD.

Biomarker extraction of sustained attention based on brain functional network / 生物医学工程学杂志

Although attention plays an important role in cognitive and perception, there is no simple way to measure one's attention abilities. We identified that the strength of brain functional network in sustained attention task can be used as the physiological indicator to predict behavioral performance. Behavioral and electroencephalogram (EEG) data from 14 subjects during three force control tasks were collected in this paper. The reciprocal of the product of force tolerance and variance were used to calculate the score of behavioral performance. EEG data were used to construct brain network connectivity by wavelet coherence method and then correlation analysis between each edge in connectivity matrices and behavioral score was performed. The linear regression model combined those with significantly correlated network connections into physiological indicator to predict participant's performance on three force control tasks, all of which had correlation coefficients greater than 0.7. These results indicate that brain functional network strength can provide a widely applicable biomarker for sustained attention tasks.

Do age and education predict performance of older adults on the d2 Test? / Idade e escolaridade são preditoras de desempenho de adultos idosos no Teste d2? / Edad y escolaridad son preditoras de rendimiento de adultos mayores en la Test d2?

The objective of this study was to investigate the association of age and education in the performance of cognitively preserved older adults in the d2 Sustained-Attention Test, and to compare the results of different age groups and levels of schooling in this instrument. The sample was composed of 211 adults, 60 years of age or older, who were not institutionalized, and who completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale (short form), and the d2 Test. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, partial correlations, multiple linear regression and one-way ANOVA. The results of partial correlations and multiple linear regression showed that age and years of schooling demonstrated significant associations with all d2 Test scores, with age being the predictive variable that showed the greatest influence on the performance of the older adults. Comparison of performance in the d2 Test among the six groups according to the distribution by age group (60-69 years and 70 years or more) and by levels of schooling (primary, secondary and higher) showed that younger adults with a higher level of schooling scored better on the d2 Test, suggesting the need for normative data studies for this population.

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a associação da idade e da escolaridade com o desempenho de idosos cognitivamente preservados no Teste d2 de Atenção Concentrada, além de comparar os resultados de diferentes grupos etários e de níveis de escolaridade nesse instrumento. Participaram 211 adultos com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, não institucionalizados, que responderam a uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, ao Mini Exame do Estado Mental, à Escala de Depressão Geriátrica (versão reduzida), e ao Teste d2. A análise dos dados foi conduzida por meio de estatística descritiva, correlações parciais, regressão linear múltipla e ANOVA de uma via (one-way ANOVA). Os resultados das correlações parciais e da regressão linear múltipla revelaram que a idade e os anos de escolaridade demonstraram associações significativas com todos os escores do Teste d2, sendo a idade a variável preditora que demonstrou maior influência no desempenho dos idosos. A comparação de desempenho no teste d2 entre os seis grupos conforme distribuição por faixa etária (60-69 anos e 70 anos ou mais) e por níveis de escolaridade (fundamental, médio e superior) demonstrou que os idosos mais jovens e com maior nível de escolaridade apresentam melhores pontuações no Teste d2, sugerindo a necessidade de estudos de dados normativos para essa população.

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la asociación de la edad y la escolaridad con el rendimiento de ancianos cognitivamente preservados en el Test de Atención Sostenida d2, y comparar los resultados de diferentes grupos etarios y de niveles de escolaridad en ese instrumento. La muestra fue compuesta por 211 adultos con edad igual o superior a 60 años, no institucionalizados, que respondieron a una ficha de datos sociodemográficos, al Mini Examen del Estado Mental, a la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (versión reducida), y al Test d2. El análisis de los datos fue conducido por medio de estadística descriptiva, correlaciones parciales, regresión lineal múltiple y ANOVA de una vía (one-way ANOVA). Los resultados de las correlaciones parciales y de la regresión lineal múltiple revelaron que la edad y los años de escolaridad demostraron asociaciones significativas con todos las puntuaciones del Test d2, siendo la edad la variable predictora que demostró mayor influencia en el rendimiento de los adultos mayores. La comparación de desempeño en el Test d2 entre los seis grupos según distribución por grupo de edad (60-69 años y 70 años o más) y por niveles de escolaridad (fundamental, media y superior) demostró que los ancianos más jóvenes y con mayor nivel de escolaridad presentan mejores puntuaciones en el Test d2, sugiriendo la necesidad de estudios de datos normativos para esa población.

Atención Selectiva y sostenida de trabajadores en dos jornadas del día / Selective and sustained attention of workers of two different shifts in the day

Resumen Aun cuando se ha reconocido la importancia del proceso psicológico de la atención por contribuir a la capacidad productiva y la consecución de resultados eficientes y eficaces durante el desarrollo de diversas tareas cotidianas, no ha sido suficientemente estudiado en trabajadores de empresas u organizaciones. Esta investigación buscó identificar cómo es la atención selectiva y sostenida de los trabajadores en dos jornadas diferentes del día (mañana y tarde); adicionalmente, se exploró si variables como la edad, escolaridad y género afectan el desempeño. Se aplicó el programa computarizado Vienna Test System subprueba cognitron forma S1 a 184 trabajadores de una universidad. Los datos fueron analizados mediante un modelo de regresión y prueba t para muestras independientes. Los hallazgos mostraron que la atención selectiva es mayor en horas de la mañana, mientras que la atención sostenida se mantiene a lo largo del día. En cuanto a las otras variables analizadas, se evidenció que la edad fue la única predictora del rendimiento, por cuanto a menor edad mejores desempeños. Estos resultados aportan para la planeación de actividades en el ámbito laboral y complementa los estudios en el área de los procesos psicológicos básicos.

Abstract Although the importance of the psychological process of attention and how it to contributes productive capacity and achieving efficient and effective results during the development of daily tasks has been recognized, it has not been sufficiently studied in workers of companies or organizations. This research sought to identify what selective and sustained attention is like in the workers to two different shifts in the day (morning and afternoon); Additional variables such as age, schooling and gender were investigated to see if they affected performance. We applied the computer program Vienna Test System sub-test cognition form S1 to 184 university workers. Data was analyzed using a regression model and t-test for independent samples. The findings showed that selective attention is greater in the morning, while sustained attention is maintained throughout the day. As for the other variables analyzed, it was evidenced that age was the only predictor of performance, as workers of a younger age performed better. These results contribute to the planning of activities in the workplace and complements the studies in the area of the basic psychological processes.

El rol de la memoria de trabajo y la atención sostenida en la generación de inferencias explicativas / The role of working memory and sustained attention in explanatory inference generation

El propósito de este trabajo consistió en estudiar la relación entre la memoria de trabajo, la capacidad de sostener la atención y la generación de inferencias explicativas-repositivas en la comprensión de textos expositivos. Para ello, 120 alumnos universitarios leyeron dos textos expositivos del área de las ciencias naturales y completaron un cuestionario de generación de inferencia, junto con cuatro pruebas de memoria de trabajo verbal y dos pruebas que miden la capacidad de sostener la atención sobre una tarea. Los resultados indicaron que el componenente ejecutivo de la memoria de trabajo verbal tienen un efecto directo sobre la generación de inferencias, mientras la capacidad de sostener la atención y el almacenamiento de información en la memoria de trabajo verbal tienen un efecto indirecto mediado por el componente ejecutivo. Esto sugiere que las diferencias individuales en la generación de inferencias están vinculadas a las diferencias inviduales en la memoria de trabajo, y también a las diferencias individuales en la capacidad de sostener la atención.

The aim of this work was to study the relationship between working memory, sustained attention and explanatory inference generation in expository texts comprehension. To this end, 120 undergraduate students read two expository texts from natural sciences and completed an inference generation questionnaire, along with four verbal working memory tasks and two sustained attention tasks. The results showed that the executive component of verbal working memory has a direct effect on inference generation, while sustained attention and information storage in verbal working memory have an indirect effect mediated by the executive component. This supports the idea that individual differences in inference generation are related to individual differences in working memory, and also to individual differences in the ability to sustain attention.

Efectos del ejercicio físico sobre la atención: una revisión de los últimos años / Effects of the physical exercise on the attention: a review of last years

El siguiente trabajo es una revisión de las investigaciones sobre el efecto crónico del ejercicio físico en la atención, basado en el entrenamiento físico-deportivo en estudios de carácter longitudinal, el efecto agudo del ejercicio físico en la atención, basado en situaciones experimentales y la relación entre los niveles de actividad física y condición física con la atención realizado en estudios transversales. La bús-queda se realizó en las bases de datos Dialnet, Scielo y Pubmed. Se encontró un total de 119 artículos, de los cuales 28 cumplían con los criterios de inclusión (publicados entre el 1° de enero del año 2010 y el 31 de diciembre del 2016, idioma español, inglés o portugués, artículos de investigación, estudios realizados en seres humanos y muestras con sujetos sanos). De la revisión más del 70% dan cuenta de los efectos positivos del ejercicio físico sobre la atención, incluyendo trabajos con aplicaciones de una sesión de entrenamiento o de varias semanas/meses. También se observaron relaciones importantes en-tre la práctica de actividad física y esta función cerebral. Algunos trabajos no mostraron influencia del entrenamiento, lo que hace necesario más estudio orientados a determinar las intensidades y tiempos de aplicación mas adecuados para potenciar la atención en diferentes grupos etarios.

The following work is a review of the research carried out on the chronic effects of physical exercise on sustained attention, based on: Physical-sports training in longitudinal studies; chronic effects of physical exercise on sustained attention; experimental situations and the relationship between physical activity levels and physical condition with sustained attention, carried out in cross-sectional studies. The search was conducted in the following databases: Dialnet, Scielo and Pubmed. A total of 119 ar-ticles were found, of which 28 met the criteria of inclusion (published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016, languages Spanish, English or Portuguese, research articles, studies carried out on human beings and healthy subject samples). Based this revision, more than 70% give account of the positive effects of physical exercise on sustained attention, including one session training workouts or after several weeks/months of workouts. Furthermore, important relations were observed between the practice of physical activity and this cerebral activity. Some workouts, however, did not show any influence on the subjects after the training session, which makes it necessary to study this further in order to determine the right intensities and the best times for the workouts in order to boost sustained attention for different age groups.

Attention and Working Memory Task-Load Dependent Activation Increase with Deactivation Decrease after Caffeine Ingestion

PURPOSE: Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychostimulant. It is often adopted as a tool to modulate brain activations in fMRI studies. However, its pharmaceutical effect on task-induced deactivation has not been fully examined in fMRI. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of caffeine on both activation and deactivation under sustained attention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Task fMRI was acquired from 26 caffeine naive healthy volunteers before and after taking caffeine pill (200 mg). RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed an increase in cognition-load dependent task activation but a decrease in load dependent de-activation after caffeine ingestion. Increase of attention and memory task activation and its load-dependence suggest a beneficial effect of caffeine on the brain even though it has no overt behavior improvement. The reduction of deactivation by caffeine and its load-dependence indicate reduced facilitation from task-negative networks. CONCLUSION: Caffeine affects brain activity in a load-dependent manner accompanied by a disassociation between task-positive network and task-negative network.

Comprensión de narraciones en niños de 4 años: su relación con el conocimiento previo y la atención sostenida / Narrative comprehension in children: its relationship with prior knowledge and sustained attention in 4 year olds

El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar la relación entre la atención sostenida y el conocimiento previo con la comprensión de narraciones en niños de 4 años de edad. La muestra comprendía 30 niños a los que se les presentaron dos cuentos y se les solicitó que respondieran una serie de preguntas para evaluar comprensión de información literal y la generación de inferencias. Se utilizaron además una prueba de atención sostenida y un cuestionario de conocimiento previo. Los resultados demuestran la existencia de una asociación entre la comprensión de textos y el conocimiento previo, y se observa una relación diferenciada del conocimiento previo con distintos aspectos de la comprensión, comprobándose una asociación con la habilidad para generar inferencias, no así con la comprensión de información de tipo literal. Además, la atención sostenida posee valor predictivo sobre la comprensión de texto global, específicamente sobre la comprensión de información de tipo literal.

The aim of this project is to study the relationship between sustained attention and prior knowledge with narrative comprehension in 4 years-old children. For that purpose, two narrative stories and a questionnaire to assess comprehension of literal information and inference generation were administrated to 30 children. Also, a sustained attention test and a prior knowledge questionnaire were administrated. Results showed an association between text comprehension with prior knowledge, and an association of sustained attention with different aspects of text comprehension, observing an association with the ability to generate inferences, but not with literal information comprehension. Also, a predictive role of sustained attention on global comprehension and more specifically on literal information comprehension was found.

Behavioral and neurophysiological abnormalities during cued continuous performance test in patients with mild traumatic brain injury / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the features and neural mechanisms of sustained attention and executive function in patients with acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) by comparing and analyzing behavioral and event-related potentials of patients and healthy controls.Methods Seventeen patients with acute mTBI and seventeen healthy controls participated in a cued continuous performance test.Behavioral data and event-related potentials were collected and analyzed.Results 1.There were significant differences between the mTBI group and the control group in hitting number ((66.76±3.27), (69.12± 1.41)) ,reaction time((533.66±144.20) ms, (413.03±94.57) ms) and the number of errors of omission ((3.24±3.27), (0.88± 1.41)) (P＜0.05), but no significant differences in the number of false errors ((0.35±1.00), (0.53±0.87)) (P＞0.05).2.The amplitude of Go-N2 and Nogo-N2 were significantly smaller in mTBI group than that in control group (P＜0.05).The main effect of group was significant of N2 amplitude (P＜0.05), but main effect of condition and the interaction effect were not significant(P＞0.05).Group and condition had no significant main effect and interaction effect on the latency of N2 (P＞0.05).The amplitude of Go-P3 was significantly smaller in mTBI group than that in control group (P＜0.05),while not on the amplitude of Nogo-P3(P＞0.05).The main effect of group and condition were significant on P3 amplitude (P＜0.05),but the interaction effect was not significant(P＞0.05).Group and condition had no significant main effect and interaction effect on the amplitude of P3 (P＞0.05).Conclusion Patients with mTBI show impairments in sustained attention and conflict monitoring, but not in response inhibition.

The study of sustain attention of CNV in patients with subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To investigate the characteristics of contingent negative variation(CNV) in patients with subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment (SIVCI) and their relationship with continuous performance task (CPT) to establish a neuroelectrophysiological index of attention impairment in earlier period of Vascular Cognitive Impair-ment. Methods CNV was assessed in 45 SIVCI patients [30 patients with subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impair-ment no dementia (SIVCIND ) and 15 patients with subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD )] and 15 normal con-trol (NC) by using a EB-Neuro ERP Instrument. Results ①CNV in SIVCI group were less regular compared with nor-mal control;CNV in SIVCIND group had decreased Expectancy Wave (EW) amplitudes (9.98± 4.10μV vs. 16.13±2.75μV) and EW areas (14848.10 ± 3199.16 μV · ms vs 20058.87 ± 1025.95 μV · ms) compared with normal control (P0.05);②Pearson correlation\Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed that there were significant, positive correlations between EW latency and CPT Reacting time(R=0.748, P0.05)、EW amplitude(R=-0.191,P>0.05)and there were significant, negative correlations between EW area and CPT Reacting time(R=-0.718,P<0.01)、CPT missing rate(R=-0.829 ,P<0.01), EW amplitude and CPT Reacting time(R=-0.616, P<0.01). Conclusion SIVCI patients in early stage have attention deficits in sustained attention and CNV EW ar-ea may be a good neuroelectrophysiological index for sustained attention impairment .

Avaliação neuropsicológica de habilidades atentivas em pacientes com transtorno depressivo maior / Neuropsychological evaluation of attention skills in patients with major depressive disorder / Evaluación neuropsicológica de las habilidades de atención en pacientes con transtorno depresivo mayor

O Transtorno Depressivo Maior (TDM) é um transtorno de humor que frequentemente cursa com prejuízos cognitivos. Estudos têm demonstrado que déficits cognitivos persistem mesmo após a melhora ou remissão total dos sintomas depressivos. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre o funcionamento da atenção concentrada e difusa após a fase aguda do transtorno. O presente estudo objetivou realizar uma avaliação neuropsicológica dessas habilidades atentivas em pacientes ambulatoriais com TDM, em fase de continuação ou manutenção do tratamento, comparando dois grupos: 1 – Grupo Diagnosticado (GD), constituído por pacientes ambulatoriais com diagnóstico de TDM, e 2 – Grupo Controle (GC), formado por indivíduos sem diagnóstico para TDM. Participaram 26 indivíduos, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 20 e 55 anos, avaliados através da Bateria Geral de Funções Mentais 1 e 2. Os resultados demonstraram prejuízo da atenção concentrada e difusa entre os membros do GD. Os achados sugerem comprometimento da rede neural fronto-parietal...

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that evolves to cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that cognitive deficits persist even after an improvement or total remission of depressive symptoms. However, little is known about the functioning of sustained and divided attention after the acute phase of the disorder. The aim of this study was to perform a neuropsychological evaluation of these attentional skills in MDD outpatients, in continuation or maintenance phases of treatment, comparing two groups: 1 – MDD Group (GD), consisting of outpatients with a MDD diagnosis, and 2 – Control Group (GC), consisting of individuals with no diagnosis of MDD. Participants included 26 (GD, n=12 and GC, n=14) individuals of both sex whose ages were between 20 and 55 years, assessed by the Battery General Mental Functions 1 and 2. Results showed loss of sustained and divided attention among the members of the MDD group. These findings suggest alteration of the fronto-parietal neural network...

Trastorno Depresivo Mayor (TDM) es un transtorno del humor que a menudo conduce a un deteriolo cognitive. Los estudios han demonstrado que los déficits cognivos persisten incluso después de la mejoría o remisión total de los síntomas depresivos. Sin embargo, poco se sabe sobre el funcionamiento de la atención sostenida y dividida tras la fase aguda de la enfermedad. Este estudio había como objetivo de lograr una evaluación neuropsicológica de estas habilidades atento en pacientes ambulatorios con trastorno depresivo mayor, en la fase de continuación o de mantenimiento del tratamiento, comparando dos grupos: 1 – Grupo de Diagnóstico (GD), que consta de los pacientes ambulatorios diagnosticados con trastorno depresivo mayor, y 2 – Grupo Control (GC), integrado por personas sin diagnóstico de trastorno depresivo mayor. Los participantes incluyeron 26 indivíduos de ambos sexos, con edades comprendidas entre 20 y 55 años, evaluado por la Batería Funciones Generales Mental 1 y 2. Los resultados mostraron que la pérdida de la atención sostenida y se dividen entre los miembros de GD. Los hallazgos sugieren la implicación de la red fronto-parietal neural...

Performance and electrophysiological manifestations of cued Go-Nogo test in School-age children with tic disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate behavior and electrophysiological manifestations of sustained attention and executive function in School-age children with tic disorder(TD).Methods Sixty-six school-aged children (36 TD and 30 control) participated in a CPT-AX task.Behavioral measures and ERP measures were collected.Results The 1.The Behavior results:there were no significant differences between the TD group and the control group in hitting number ((38.07 ± 3.04),(38.93 ± 1.48)),reaction time ((465.427 ± 97.00) ms,(500.17 ± 131.29) ms),the number of errors of omission((1.97 ± 3.02),(1.07 ± 1.48)) and the number of false errors ((1.77 ± 2.50),(1.07 ± 1.53)) (P ＞ 0.05).2.The ERP results:①Group and condition had significant main effect and interaction effect on N2 amplitude (P ＜ 0.05),while not on the latency of N2 (P ＞ 0.05).②Group had significant main effect on the amplitude and latency of P3,but main effect of Group and the interaction effect are not significant (P ＞ 0.05).③The TD group's amplitude of Nogo-N2 ((-1.39 ± 3.321) μV) were smaller than that of the control group ((-4.09 ± 2.94) μV) (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Children with TD performance impaired conflict monitor,while exhibit no deficits in sustained attention and response inhibition.

Escala de depressão (EDEP) e medidas de atenção dividida e sustentada em universitários / Depression scale (EDEP) and measures of sustained and divided attention in college students

Este estudo teve como objetivo buscar evidências de validade baseada na relação com outras variáveis para a Escala de Depressão - EDEP com os testes de atenção sustentada e dividida. Participaram 213 estudantes de uma universidade federal de Minas Gerais, entre 18 e 52 anos, predominantemente mulheres. Não foram encontradas correlações significativas entre os instrumentos, embora os sentidos das correlações tenham sido como o esperado. Quanto aos fatores de risco, também avaliados na pesquisa, percebeu-se que os participantes que relataram diagnóstico de depressão se diferenciaram dos não depressivos, pelo resultado da EDEP. Uma das explicações para a não associação entre sintomatologia depressiva e comprometimento da atenção foi a baixa variabilidade nos escores dos instrumentos, o que pode ter comprometido os resultados. Embora este trabalho apresente importantes considerações sobre os construtos e a amostra, estudos complementares devem ser realizados comparando pacientes com amostras não clínicas.

This study aimed to investigate evidences of validity based on the relationship among other variables for the Depression Scale - EDEP with the Tests of Sustained and Divided Attention. Participated 213 students of a federal university in Minas Gerais, aged between 18 and 52 years, predominantly women. No significant correlations between the instruments were found, although the directions of the correlations were as expected. Regarding the risk factors, also evaluated, it was noticed that the group of participants with depression diagnosis differed from the non-depressive, according to the results of the EDEP. One explanation for the lack of association between depressive symptoms and impaired attention was the low variability in the scores of the instruments, which may have affected the results. Although this work presents important considerations about the constructs and the sample, further studies should be conducted to highlight differences between clinical and other samples.