Anne-Yvonne Jacquet

Decelerative cardiac responsiveness to acoustical stimulation in the near term fetus

Human fetal cardiac responses (36–39 weeks gestational age) to brief, repeated vocal stimuli (male or female voice uttering the same sentence), given at 90–95 dB SPL ex utero (around 20–30 dB less in utero) during a state of low fetal heart rate (FHR) variability, were examined using highly conservative statistical criteria taking into account each subjects prestimulus FHR variability. Subjects exposed to either of the two stimuli displayed significantly more decelerative heart rate (HR) changes compared to control subjects receiving no stimulation. The decelerative changes started during the first seconds following the onset of stimulation and reached their amplitude peak within 10 or 20 sec, depending on the subject. The directions—HR acceleration or deceleration—and the amplitude of the response depended on prestimulus HR variability only, not on prestimulus level. No major difference was found between the effects of the two voices. The data are compared to previous studies demonstrating fetal decelerative changes to acoustic stimuli of less than 105 dB SPL. The choice of an objective criterion to define an HR response and the possible orienting response nature of the decelerative change are discussed.

A melodic contour repeatedly experienced by human near-term fetuses elicits a profound cardiac reaction one month after birth.

Background Human hearing develops progressively during the last trimester of gestation. Near-term fetuses can discriminate acoustic features, such as frequencies and spectra, and process complex auditory streams. Fetal and neonatal studies show that they can remember frequently recurring sounds. However, existing data can only show retention intervals up to several days after birth. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we show that auditory memories can last at least six weeks. Experimental fetuses were given precisely controlled exposure to a descending piano melody twice daily during the 35th, 36th, and 37th weeks of gestation. Six weeks later we assessed the cardiac responses of 25 exposed infants and 25 naive control infants, while in quiet sleep, to the descending melody and to an ascending control piano melody. The melodies had precisely inverse contours, but similar spectra, identical duration, tempo and rhythm, thus, almost identical amplitude envelopes. All infants displayed a significant heart rate change. In exposed infants, the descending melody evoked a cardiac deceleration that was twice larger than the decelerations elicited by the ascending melody and by both melodies in control infants. Conclusions/Significance Thus, 3-weeks of prenatal exposure to a specific melodic contour affects infants ‘auditory processing’ or perception, i.e., impacts the autonomic nervous system at least six weeks later, when infants are 1-month old. Our results extend the retention interval over which a prenatally acquired memory of a specific sound stream can be observed from 3–4 days to six weeks. The long-term memory for the descending melody is interpreted in terms of enduring neurophysiological tuning and its significance for the developmental psychobiology of attention and perception, including early speech perception, is discussed.

Onset of bimanual coordination and symmetry versus asymmetry of movement

Abstract Infants were presented with four objects requiring different kinds of manipulation. Bimanual manipulations which could be performed with symmetrical movements were succeeded earlier than manipulations requiring asymmetrical movements. A right-handed pattern for bimanual coordination (left hand holding/right hand active) was observed as early as bimanual manipulation itself—as of 10 months of age.

Handedness for grasping objects and declarative pointing: A longitudinal study

It is still unclear whether infants become right-handed because of their left-hemisphere specialization for language (through gestural communication for instance), whether they speak predominantly with their left hemisphere because of this hemispheres superiority in controlling sequential actions which first results in right-handedness, or whether the two lateralization processes develop independently. To tackle this question, we followed 26 human infants from 8 to 20 months to evaluate the temporal relationship between the emergence of hand preference for grasping objects and for declarative pointing (communicative gesture). Our results show that when grasping and pointing are compared in similar conditions, with objects presented in several spatial positions, the tendency to use the right hand is significantly larger for pointing than for grasping, and both hand preferences are loosely correlated. This suggests that, at least at the age studied here, hand preferences for grasping and for declarative pointing develop relatively independently.

Handedness for grasping objects and pointing and the development of language in 14-month-old infants

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between object-related handedness and handedness for communicative gestures. We observed 22 infants aged 14 months on a baby laterality test consisting of grasping objects in different conditions, on a pointing task with targets placed out of reach at different spatial positions from left to right, and on word understanding and word production. Results show that 77% of infants pointed to the left, middle, and right targets. The majority of infants were right-handed for pointing—except for the far left target—and, to a lesser extent, for grasping objects, but there was no significant relation between the two measures of handedness. The frequency of pointing tended to be related to the number of words understood, and infants right-handed for pointing understood and produced significantly more words than non-right-handed pointers. These results are interpreted as confirming the link between pointing and language development, and as showing that communicative gesture lateralisation is not a mere consequence of object-related handedness, at least during development. Whether lateralised communicative gesture reinforces a pre-existing tendency to use the right hand to interact with objects remains an open question.

Perfectionism and Anxiety: A Paradox in Intellectual Giftedness?

Numerous authors reported a prevalence of perfectionism in gifted populations. In addition, an unhealthy form of perfectionism that leads to anxiety disorder has been described. Using self-report measures (CAPS and R-CMAS) with 132 children, we hypothesized that intellectually gifted children express a higher level of perfectionism and anxiety. Our results pointed out a paradox: the gifted group obtained a higher self-oriented perfectionism score than the control group in 6th grade, but present the same level of anxiety. In contrast, the gifted group showed the same level of perfectionism than non-gifted 5th graders, but reported a higher anxiety level. Thus, the interplay between perfectionism and anxiety appears to be more complex than a simple linear relationship in giftedness.

Temporal Experiences and Time Knowledge in Infancy and Early Childhood

The developmental psychology of time is a vast field, as vast as the complexities of the notion of time itself. No overview can do justice to all areas of exploration. This paper focuses on early temporal experiences and time knowledge. The first section deals with the precursors of some temporal abilities in infancy. Then, three sets of studies are reviewed: studies on the development of representations of temporal structure; studies on transitions over the course of ontogenesis from conditioned responses to time to more cognitively regulated behaviours; and research on the development of childrens conceptions of time as a quantifiable dimension.

Goal-directed arm movements in children with fetal alcohol syndrome: a kinematic approach.

Background:  Although many studies have documented deficits in general motor functioning in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), few have employed detailed measurements to explore the specific nature of such disabilities. This pilot study explores whether three‐dimensional (3D) kinematic analysis may generate increased knowledge of the effect of intrauterine alcohol exposure on motor control processes by detecting atypical upper‐limb movement pattern specificity in children with FAS relative to typically developing (TD) children.

Temporal Learning in 4 1/2- and 6-Year-Old Children: Role of Instructions and Prior Knowledge.

The present study investigates effects of different types of instructions (high-rate, interval, and minimal) during training with a fixed-interval schedule as a function of prior acquired temporal knowledge. A pretest was used to assess 4 1/2- and 6-year-old childrens ability to understand the temporal parameters of a fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement. The results as a whole show that the control exerted by instructions given by the experimenter or elaborated by the subjects themselves on fixed-interval performance of young children depends on the interaction of two factors: development of verbal self-control skills and mastery of knowledge required by the rules forming the instructions.

Traits émotionnels, intelligence émotionnelle : intérêt de ces concepts et étude de leurs interrelations

RésuméLes travaux de la décennte passée sur des traits de personnalité indiquent qu’il existe une série de traits émotionnels sur lesquels les individus diffèrent. Par ailleurs, d’autres recherches ont montré l’existence d’aptitudes spécifiques au traitement des émotions et de l’information émotionnelle, regroupés sous le concept d’intelligence émotionnelle. Cent adultes agés de 20 à 50 ans ont fait la passation des adaptations françaises des mesures de traits émotionnels et d’intelligence émotionnelle. Notre étude montre la fiabilité et le pouvoir discriminant de l’adaptation de ces mesures ainsi que l’existence d’interrelations entre ces caractéristiques émotionnelles stables. Une analyse factorielle en composante principale avec rotation varimax met en valeur l’existence de cinq facteurs que nous identifions comme les dimensions Clairvoyance. Richesse émotionnelle. Identification, Compréhension et Maîtrise des émotions. Les profils émotionnels moyens construits à partir de ces cinq facteurs diffèrent en fonction du sexe et de l’âge. Nous observons notamment une plus grande richesse émotionnelle chez les femmes et chez les personnes les plus âgés de notre échantillon L’étude de ces facteurs permettra de mieux comprendre les relations entre ces aspects émotionnels et les performances cognitives ainsi que leurs implications dans des syndromes cliniques.AbstractStudies on personality traits conducted during the past decade indicate that there is a set of emotion-related traits on which individuals differ. Moreover, other studies showed that there are some abilities related to the processing of both emotions and emotional information, referred to as the concept of emotional intelligence. The authors of the article evaluated one hundred adults (ranging in age from 20–50) using the French version of a series of scales to measure stable emotionrelated traits and emotional intelligence. The results showed that these instruments provide accurate internal consistency and reliability, and that there are significant relationships between the individual emotional characteristics observed. A factorial analysis conducted with varimax rotation underlined five primary factors identified as: Clear-sightedness of emotions, Emotional richness, Identification, Understanding and Emotional control. The average emotional profiles based on these five primary factors depend on gender and age. In particular, the female and the oldest participants showed a greater emotional richness. The examination of these five factors should lead to a better understanding of the relationships which exist between these emotional characteristics and cognitive performances, and their involvement in clinical syndromes.