Reading Comprehension Impairment in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1): The Need of Multimodal Assessment of Attention.

Attention span, which has been shown to have an impact on reading quality in many other conditions, is one of the main cognitive disorders of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The aim of this work is to observe the impact of attention on reading comprehension, in NF1 and non-NF1 children. A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 children (8-12 years old) with or without NF1 (75 NF1 vs 75 non-NF1; 72 female, 78 male), matched for age, sex, handedness, and reading level, thus forming a continuum from good to poor readers in both NF1 and non-NF1 groups. Children with intellectual deficiency or neurologic or psychiatric disorder were excluded. Attentional skills were assessed by combining a parent questionnaire (Child Behavior CheckList) and a performance-based assessment (Conner's Continuous Performance Test-Second Edition). Reading comprehension was assessed through a standardized reading comprehension test (ORLEC Lobrot). The performance-based attention scores were associated with text and sentence comprehension ability (P = .0235 and P = .0164, respectively), while indirect questionnaire attention scores were only associated with sentence comprehension (P = .0263). For both groups, the correlations between questionnaire and performance-based measures were low. We have shown that reading comprehension is greatly influenced by attention in NF1 and non-NF1, even if predictors of good reading comprehension also include IQ score and reading accuracy. Indirect observer-rated questionnaires and direct performance-based measures of attention do not assess the same variables, are linked to different components of reading skills, and are not interchangeable assessments of attention difficulties. Both assessments are complementary and must be used simultaneously, leading to recommendations that support multimodal assessment of attention.

New Perspectives on Music in Rehabilitation of Executive and Attention Functions.

Modern music therapy, starting around the middle of the twentieth century was primarily conceived to promote emotional well-being and to facilitate social group association and integration. Therefore, it was rooted mostly in social science concepts. More recently, music as therapy began to move decidedly toward perspectives of neuroscience. This has been facilitated by the advent of neuroimaging techniques that help uncover the therapeutic mechanisms for non-musical goals in the brain processes underlying music perception, cognition, and production. In this paper, we focus on executive function (EF) and attentional processes (AP) that are central for cognitive rehabilitation efforts. To this end, we summarize existing behavioral as well as neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies in musicians, non-musicians, and clinical populations. Musical improvisation and instrumental playing may have some potential for EF/AP stimulation and neurorehabilitation. However, more neuroimaging studies are needed to investigate the neural mechanisms for the active musical performance. Furthermore, more randomized clinical trials combined with neuroimaging techniques are warranted to demonstrate the specific efficacy and neuroplasticity induced by music-based interventions.

Anterior and posterior commissures in agenesis of the corpus callosum: Alternative pathways for attention processes?

Developmental absence (agenesis) of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is a congenital brain malformation resulting from disruption of corpus callosum formation, a structure that is crucial for the transfer and integration of information, including attention processes, across the brain. This study aimed to investigate previously proposed candidates for alternative inter-hemispheric pathways in AgCC by examining (1) white matter volume and microstructure of the anterior and posterior commissures in children with AgCC compared to typically developing controls (TDC), and (2) in children with AgCC, examine the associations of white matter volume and microstructure of the anterior and posterior commissures and any remaining corpus callosum with attention processes. Participants were 21 children with AgCC (13 complete, 8 partial) recruited from The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, and 30 TDC aged 8-17 years. T1-and diffusion-weighted MR sequences were used to calculate volume and microstructural parameters. Neuropsychological testing assessed attention processes. We found the anterior commissure was significantly larger in volume in children with AgCC than TDC (p = .027), with reduced mean FA (p = .001) associated with increased mean RD (p < .001). In children with AgCC, we found microstructural properties of the anterior commissure associated with attentional processes, specifically, mean FA of the anterior commissure was associated with better divided attention (p = .03), and the association between alerting attention and mean AD and RD was found to be moderated by age (p = .027, p = .008) and the degree of corpus callosum agenesis (p = .025, p = .016). Furthermore, in partial AgCC, larger posterior commissure volume was associated with better orienting attention (p = .035). In conclusion, we provide evidence that the volume and microstructure of the anterior commissure are altered in children with AgCC, and this neuroplastic response might have an influence on attention processes.

Influence of Background Noise Produced in University Facilities on the Brain Waves Associated With Attention of Students and Employees.

As a consequence of noise exposure, lack of attention badly affects directly the academic and work performance. The study of the brain and the waves that it produces is the most objective way to evaluate this process. Attentional improvement is associated with increases of the amplitude in both beta and theta bands. The objective of this work is to study the influence of background noise produced inside university facilities on changes in the cerebral waves related to attention processes (beta 13-30 Hz and theta 4-7 Hz). Volunteers were asked to perform a specific task in which attention was involved. This task was performed in both silent and noisy conditions. To evaluate the cerebral activity of volunteers during the development of the test, measurement of spontaneous activity (electroencephalogram) was developed. The results show significant decreases in both beta and theta frequency bands under background noise exposure. Since attentional improvement is related to an increment on amplitude of both beta and theta bands, it is suggested that decreases on amplitude of these frequency bands could directly be related to a lack of attention caused by the exposure to background noise.

Auto-instruções: estratégia de regulação atencional da THDA / Self-instructions: strategy of attentional regulation in ADHD

A estratégia de auto-instruções tem vindo a ser reconhecida como uma relevante forma de regulação cognitivo-comportamental no incremento das capacidades atencionais, nomeadamente em sujeitos com Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade (TDAH). Neste artigo foi avaliada a atenção seletiva e a atenção sustentada em 2 grupos, ambos formados por pessoas com e sem TDAH, sendo que a um deles foi solicitada a realização de auto-instrução, com o objetivo de verificar se o uso desta estratégia promove as capacidades da atenção. Os resultados demonstraram que os sujeitos que realizam a estratégia de auto-instruções, quer apresentem ou não TDAH, manifestam melhores resultados do que os sujeitos que não a realizaram.(AU)

Self-instruction strategy has been recognized as a relevant strategy in cognitive and behavioural regulation as a way of improving attention skills, namely in subjects with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This paper aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy regarding this disorder in subjects with and without ADHD as a mean of promoting attention skills, particularly selective and sustained attention. The results showed that subjects who performed the verbal self-instruction strategy presented better results in both attention processes assessed, than those who did not do it.(AU)

Auto-instruções: estratégia de regulação atencional da THDA / Self-instructions: strategy of attentional regulation in ADHD

A estratégia de auto-instruções tem vindo a ser reconhecida como uma relevante forma de regulação cognitivo-comportamental no incremento das capacidades atencionais, nomeadamente em sujeitos com Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com Hiperatividade (TDAH). Neste artigo foi avaliada a atenção seletiva e a atenção sustentada em 2 grupos, ambos formados por pessoas com e sem TDAH, sendo que a um deles foi solicitada a realização de auto-instrução, com o objetivo de verificar se o uso desta estratégia promove as capacidades da atenção. Os resultados demonstraram que os sujeitos que realizam a estratégia de auto-instruções, quer apresentem ou não TDAH, manifestam melhores resultados do que os sujeitos que não a realizaram.

Self-instruction strategy has been recognized as a relevant strategy in cognitive and behavioural regulation as a way of improving attention skills, namely in subjects with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This paper aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy regarding this disorder in subjects with and without ADHD as a mean of promoting attention skills, particularly selective and sustained attention. The results showed that subjects who performed the verbal self-instruction strategy presented better results in both attention processes assessed, than those who did not do it.

Processos atencionais e dependência-independência de campo: estudo com crianças e adolescentes portugueses / Attention processes and field dependence-independence: a Study with portuguese children and adolescents

Este artigo relaciona o estilo cognitivo "dependência-independência de campo" com o desempenho em tarefas envolvendo vários processos e recursos de atenção. Com uma amostra de 98 crianças e 95 adolescentes portugueses, foram aplicadas quatro tarefas de atenção: capacidade de armazenamento (Dígitos em ordem direta); memória de trabalho verbal (Dígitos em ordem inversa); capacidade para dirigir, mudar e manter a atenção (Código); e capacidade de atenção sustentada (Teste de Atenção e Rastreio Visual, VSAT). Recorreu-se, ainda, à aplicação de uma prova de fator g, tendo em vista o controle da inteligência. Os resultados revelam diferenças entre dependentes e independentes de campo, especialmente relevantes no grupo de crianças na prova de VSAT. Esses resultados abrem novas linhas de investigação para explicar a pior execução acadêmica dos indivíduos dependentes de campo.(AU)

The present study relates the "field dependence-independence" cognitive style to the performance on tasks involving several attention processes and resources. With a 98 Portuguese children and 95 Portuguese adolescents sample, four attention tasks were applied: storage capacity (Digits Forward Test); verbal working memory (Digits Backward Test); capacity to focus, shift, and maintain attention (Digit Symbol Test); and capacity for sustained attention (Visual Search and Attention Test, VSAT). It was also applied a factor g test for intelligence control. Results showed differences on attention processes between field-dependence and field-independence cognitive styles. These differences are more evident in the children subgroup on VSAT. These results open new research topics to explain lowest academic performance of field-dependent children.(AU)

Processos atencionais e dependência-independência de campo: estudo com crianças e adolescentes portugueses / Attention processes and field dependence-independence: a Study with portuguese children and adolescents

Este artigo relaciona o estilo cognitivo "dependência-independência de campo" com o desempenho em tarefas envolvendo vários processos e recursos de atenção. Com uma amostra de 98 crianças e 95 adolescentes portugueses, foram aplicadas quatro tarefas de atenção: capacidade de armazenamento (Dígitos em ordem direta); memória de trabalho verbal (Dígitos em ordem inversa); capacidade para dirigir, mudar e manter a atenção (Código); e capacidade de atenção sustentada (Teste de Atenção e Rastreio Visual, VSAT). Recorreu-se, ainda, à aplicação de uma prova de fator g, tendo em vista o controle da inteligência. Os resultados revelam diferenças entre dependentes e independentes de campo, especialmente relevantes no grupo de crianças na prova de VSAT. Esses resultados abrem novas linhas de investigação para explicar a pior execução acadêmica dos indivíduos dependentes de campo.

The present study relates the "field dependence-independence" cognitive style to the performance on tasks involving several attention processes and resources. With a 98 Portuguese children and 95 Portuguese adolescents sample, four attention tasks were applied: storage capacity (Digits Forward Test); verbal working memory (Digits Backward Test); capacity to focus, shift, and maintain attention (Digit Symbol Test); and capacity for sustained attention (Visual Search and Attention Test, VSAT). It was also applied a factor g test for intelligence control. Results showed differences on attention processes between field-dependence and field-independence cognitive styles. These differences are more evident in the children subgroup on VSAT. These results open new research topics to explain lowest academic performance of field-dependent children.

Mecanismos de atenção selectiva na perturbação de hiperactividade com déficit de atenção / Selective attention mechanisms applied in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

O déficit atencional é o factor primordial da Transtorno do Deficit de Atenção com ou sem Hiperactividade (TDA/H). Neste artigo procura-se comprovar as dificuldades na atenção selectiva dos sujeitos com TDA/H em comparação com os sujeitos sem TDA/H, procurando verificar quais os mecanismos deste processo da atenção que estão mais afectados nos sujeitos com TDA/H. Para isso, avaliou-se a atenção selectiva em sujeitos com e sem TDA/H, numa população de 183 sujeitos, em que 152 não apresentam e 31 apresentam TDA/H. Os resultados gerais comprovam que os sujeitos com TDA/H apresentam piores capacidades de atenção selectiva do que os sujeitos sem TDA/H, nomeadamente ao nível dos acertos, dos erros, da capacidade de concentração e do número de elementos processados.

The attention deficit is the major factor of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This paper aims to demonstrate difficulties in selective attention of subjects with ADHD as compared to subjects without ADHD, attempting to verify which mechanisms of selective attention are more affected in subjects with ADHD. For this purpose, we evaluated selective attention in subjects with and without ADHD (152 without and 31 with ADHD), in a population of 183 subjects. The general results show that the subjects with ADHD present lower selective attention skills than the subjects without ADHD, specifically as far as rightness, errors, concentration and processed elements are concerned.