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Cognitive processing in preterm newborns: electrophysiological evidence
No full textThis thesis was aimed at investigating the presence of cognitive processing related to pitch detection and discrimination in preterm newborns.
By means of the recording of auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) we explored the presence of functional asymmetries between hemispheres as well as the influence of the sleep state (Active vs. Quiet sleep) and the gestational age (30 weeks) on cortical functioningL'obbiettivo della presente tesi è stato quello di indagare la presenza di abilità cognitive associate alla detezione e discriminazione di stimoli tonali in neonati prematuri. Attraverso la registrazione di potenziali evento-correlati uditivi abbiamo esplorato la presenza di asimmetrie funzionali precoci e l'influenza del tipo di sonno (Attivo vs. Quieto) e dell'età ( 30 settimane) sul funzionamento corticale
Spatiotemporal neurodynamics of automatic temporal expectancy in 9-month old infants
Full text linkAnticipating events occurrence (Temporal Expectancy) is a crucial capacity for survival. Yet, there is little evidence about the presence of cortical anticipatory activity from infancy. In this study we recorded the High-density electrophysiological activity in 9 month-old infants and adults undergoing an audio-visual S1-S2 paradigm simulating a lifelike "Peekaboo" game inducing automatic temporal expectancy of smiling faces. The results indicate in the S2-preceding Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) an early electrophysiological signature of expectancy-based anticipatory cortical activity. Moreover, the progressive CNV amplitude increasing across the task suggested that implicit temporal rule learning is at the basis of expectancy building-up over time. Cortical source reconstruction suggested a common CNV generator between adults and infants in the right prefrontal cortex. The decrease in the activity of this area across the task (time-on-task effect) further implied an early, core role of this region in implicit temporal rule learning. By contrast, a time-on-task activity boost was found in the supplementary motor area (SMA) in adults and in the temporoparietal regions in infants. Altogether, our findings suggest that the capacity of the human brain to translate temporal predictions into anticipatory neural activity emerges ontogenetically early, although the underlying spatiotemporal cortical dynamics change across development. © 2016 The Author(s)
The role of the P3 and CNV components in voluntary and automatic temporal orienting: A high spatial-resolution ERP study
Full text linkThe case of late preterm birth: sliding forwards the critical window for cognitive outcome risk
Full text linkMany survivors of preterm birth experience neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, visual and hearing problems. However, even in the absence of major neurological complications, premature babies show significant neuropsychological and behavioural deficits during childhood and beyond. While the clinical tools routinely used to assess neurocognitive development in those infants have been useful in detecting major clinical complications in early infancy, they have not been equally sensitive in identifying subtle cognitive impairments emerging during childhood. These methodological concerns become even more relevant when considering the case of late preterm children (born between 34 and 36 gestational weeks). Although these children have been traditionally considered as having similar risks for developmental problems as neonates born at term, a recent line of research has provided growing evidence that even late preterm children display altered structural and functional brain maturation, with potential life-long implications for neurocognitive functioning. A recent study by Heinonen put forward the hypothesis that environmental factors, in this case educational attainment, could moderate the association between late preterm birth (LPT) and neuropsychological impairments commonly associated with aging. In this paper we bring together clinical literature and recent neuroimaging evidence in order to provide two different but complementary approaches for a better understanding of the "nature-nurture" interplay underlying the lifespan neurocognitive development of preterm babies
The Passive CNV: Carving Out The Contribution Of Task-Related Processes From Expectancy
Full text linkIn this perspective article, I summarized certain theoretical and methodological issues concerning the investigation of the contribution of cognitive and motor processes to the electrophysiological stimulus-preceding activity. In particular, the question of whether the contingent negative variation (CNV) is a marker reflecting both cognitive expectancy and motor preparation in the S1–S2 paradigms was discussed. New evidence suggests that it is possible to isolate an automatic temporal expectancy-related cognitive mechanism relying on a passive CNV after ruling out the contribution of task-related processes, including motor and decisional processes, to it. This can be achieved by simply manipulating the trial temporal structure according to a probabilistic, oddball distribution. The scientific value of this finding is framed within a historical perspective in the attempt to bridge together the classic literature linking the CNV to stimulus preparation and the more recently published literature linking the CNV to temporal processing
WHEN DOES RIGHT FUNCTIONAL HEMISPHERIC LATERALIZATION ARISE? EVIDENCE FROM PRETERM INFANTS.Nature Precedings
No full textDevelopmental trajectories of internally and externally driven temporal prediction
Full text linkThe ability to generate temporal prediction (TP) is fundamental to our survival since it allows us to selectively orient our attention in time in order to prioritize relevant environmental information. Studies on adult participants showed that externally and internally driven mechanisms can be engaged to establish TP, both resulting in better behavioural performance. However, few studies on children have investigated the ability to engage internally and externally driven TP, especially in relation to how these mechanisms change across development. In this study, 111 participants (88 children between six and eleven years of age, and 23 adults) were tested by means of a simple reaction time paradigm, in which temporal cueing and neutral conditions were orthogonally manipulated to induce externally and internally driven TP mechanisms, as well as an interaction between the two. Sequential effects (SEs) relative to both tasks were also investigated. Results showed that all children participating in the study were able to implement both external and internal TP in an independent fashion. However, children younger than eight years were not able to combine both strategies. Furthermore, in the temporal cueing blocks they did not show the typically-observed asymmetric SE pattern. These results suggest that children can flexibly use both external and internal TP mechanisms to optimise their behaviour, although their successful combined use develops only after eight years of age
Cortical auditory event-related potentials in preterm newborns infants: maturational and clinical factors.
No full textSviluppo neuro-cognitivo in nati pretermine: la prospettiva delle Neuroscienze cognitive dello sviluppo
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