1,721,064 research outputs found
Manual dexterity predicts phonological decoding speed in typical reading adults
No full textManual dexterity and phonological decoding involve the posterior parietal cortex, which controls location coding for visually guided actions, as well as a large fronto-cerebellar network. We studied the relationship between manual dexterity and reading ability in adult typical readers. Two measurements of manual dexterity were collected to index the procedural learning effect. A linear regression model demonstrated that phonological short-term memory, manual dexterity at time 1 and procedural learning of manual dexterity predicted phonological decoding speed. Similar results were found when left-hand dexterity at time 1 and procedural learning dexterity were entered last. The better one’s phonological decoding skill was, the less fluent their manual dexterity was, suggesting a recycle from object–location to letter–location coding. However, the greater the procedural learning, the faster phonological decoding was, suggesting that larger plasticity of object–location coding was linked to better letter–location coding. An independent role of the interhemispheric connections or of the right posterior parietal cortex is also suggested
Evaluation of serum levels of cytokines and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in astrocytic tumours
No full textThe attentional focusing mechanism in autism spectrum disorders: evidence of a “zoom-out” impairment
No full textEnhanced disengagement of auditory attention and phonological skills in action video gamers
No full text
Tachistoscopic treatment of Dyslexia changes the distribution of visual-spatial attention.
No full textTwelve children with developmental dyslexia underwent a four-month treatment with tachistoscopic presentation of words, according to Bakker's methodology. One group received standard lateral presentation of words on a PC screen, while the other group received the same stimuli in random lateral position. The spatial distribution of visual attention was measured by means of the Form-Resolving Field (FRF; ), which was administered along with reading tests, before and after treatment. The FRF of children who received random presentation widened at -12.5 degrees on the left side, while the FRF in the group that received standard lateral presentation narrowed at that position. Both groups significantly improved in reading accuracy for both words and nonwords. Some hypotheses are proposed concerning the mechanisms responsible for the changes in the FRF and their correlation with improvements in word and nonword reading. The results of the present study are also compared with data suggesting a left "minineglect" in dyslexia
Sluggish engagement and disengagement of non-spatial attention in dyslexic children.
No full textAlthough the dominant view posits that developmental dyslexia arises from a deficit in phonological processing and memory, efficient phonological decoding requires precise visual selection of graphemes. Therefore, visual engagement and disengagement of non-spatial attention were studied in 13 dyslexic children and 13 chronological age and intelligence quotient (IQ) matched normally reading children by measuring “attentional masking” (AM) and “attentional blink” (AB) effects. AM refers to an impaired identification of the first (T1) of two rapidly sequential targets (i.e., attentional engagement). In contrast, AB refers to an impaired identification of the second target in the sequence (T2; i.e., attentional disengagement). The results revealed a specific temporal deficit of AM as well as of AB in dyslexic children. Our results showed that the abnormality in AM and AB is rather widespread, since 77% and 54% of dyslexic children deviated at least 1 standard deviation (SD) from the mean of the controls, respectively, for the two deficits. We further showed that individual differences in non-spatial attention were specifically related to nonword reading ability. These results suggest that non-spatial attention deficits (possibly related to a parietal cortex dysfunction) may selectively impair the reading development via sub-lexical mechanisms
Short-Term Effects of Video-Games on Cognitive Enhancement: the Role of Positive Emotions
Full text linkAccording to established background knowledge, playing is essential in human development and a power remediation tool in clinical populations. In clinical interventions, the beneficial roles of playing have often been sought and investigated in the specific features of the game, rather than in the positive emotions generated by playing. However, regardless of game specifications, cognitive enhancement could be driven by the emotions linked to play. Establishing the causal connections between play and cognitive enhancement should allow us to determine how to involve play in therapy, prevention and educational programmes. Today, video-gaming is one of the most diffused forms of play. In the first crossover randomized controlled trial, we compared the short-term effects induced by shooting and puzzle video-games in visual perception, sensorimotor and reading skills in children with developmental coordination disorder and dyslexia. The funnier and more activating game enhanced breadth of visual perception and reduced sensorimotor and reading disorders. Visual perception, sensorimotor and reading improvements correlated with fun. In the second crossover randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of the same shooting with a fighting video-game in healthy young adults, we show that regardless of game characteristics, changes in positive emotions correlated with contextual reading enhancement, while play-driven biochemical activation boosted single word and pseudoword reading. The short-term effects induced by play could be a useful clinical tool for the prevention and treatment of multiple cognitive disorders
- …
