Belén Prieto-Corona

Event-related potentials findings differ between children and adults during arithmetic-fact retrieval

Some cognitive abilities of arithmetical calculation depend on retrieval of arithmetic facts from long-term memory. Arithmetic-fact retrieval has been studied in adults through Event-Related Potentials (ERP) experiments. Such information in children, however, has been scarce. It has been reported that from the age of 9 years, children employ a memory retrieval strategy for solving simple multiplication problems. The present study compared arithmetical-fact retrieval in children and adults while they were being subjected to ERP recording. The subjects were asked to make judgments about solutions to simple multiplication problems. Both groups of participants displayed the so-called arithmetic N400 effect for incorrect solutions relative to correct solutions. Adults showed a posterior N400 effect, while children showed a widely distributed N400 effect. Children displayed a larger amplitude and longer latency arithmetic N400 component than adults; this observation could be due to children exerting greater effort involving more widespread cortical activation than adults to solve the experimental problems. The Late Positive Component (LPC), which follows the arithmetic N400 and has been described previously in adult subjects, was observed in the present adult subjects, but was present in children only for correct solutions. These results may indicate that, relative to adults, children showed slower memory retrieval and a different pattern of a verification mechanism for correct and incorrect solutions.

Poor reading skills may involve a failure to focus attention

A source localization analysis was carried out to provide brain functional and structural assessments of individuals with poor reading skills. Standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography was used to locate sources of P2 and P3 event-related potential components in normal readers and in poor reader children performing a cued continuous performance task. Cue-elicited P2 sources in the right superior parietal gyrus were smaller in 37 poor readers than in 40 normal readers. Poor readers showed a higher P3 activation in response to a false target in frontal and frontorbital regions than normal readers. These results suggest that reading disabilities may be attributed to failures in attentional focalization for incoming stimuli.

Event-Related Brain Potentials during a Semantic Priming Task in Children with Learning Disabilities Not Otherwise Specified

Learning disabilities (LDs) are the most common psychiatric disorders in children. LDs are classified either as “Specific” or “Learning Disorder Not Otherwise Specified”. An important hypothesis suggests a failure in general domain process (i.e., attention) that explains global academic deficiencies. The aim of this study was to evaluate event-related potential (ERP) patterns of LD Not Otherwise Specified children with respect to a control group. Forty-one children (8−10.6 years old) participated and performed a semantic judgment priming task while ERPs were recorded. Twenty-one LD children had significantly lower scores in all academic skills (reading, writing and arithmetic) than twenty controls. Different ERP patterns were observed for each group. Control group showed smaller amplitudes of an anterior P200 for unrelated than related word pairs. This P200 effect was followed by a significant early N400a effect (greater amplitudes for unrelated than related word pairs; 350–550 ms) with a right topographical distribution. By contrast, LD Not Otherwise Specified group did not show a P200 effect or a significant N400a effect. This evidence suggests that LD Not Otherwise Specified children might be deficient in reading, writing and arithmetic domains because of their sluggish shifting of attention to process the incoming information.

A Systematic Review of Interventions for Hot and Cold Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents With Acquired Brain Injury

Objective We investigated interventions, which aimed to improve cold and hot executive functions (EFs) in children and adolescents with a diagnosis of acquired brain injury (ABI). Methods The following electronic databases were searched: Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Pubmed. The database filters limited the search to articles published between 1990 and July 2017 in English or Spanish, including children and adolescents. Articles were read and classified according to the levels of evidence of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Downs and Black checklist was used for Measuring Study Quality. Results Thirty studies are reported in this systematic review. Level of evidence, quality of the studies, characteristics of the participants, interventions implemented, and outcomes are described. Conclusions The study of rehabilitation for executive dysfunction in children with ABI is emerging. Although few high-quality intervention studies exist in this area, which limits conclusions regarding intervention efficacy, results of existing studies suggest that education for parents may be an important component of intervention. Moreover, caregiver involvement may improve the effectiveness of hot EFs rehabilitation interventions, while high intervention session frequency may be important in improving cold EFs. Positive behavior supports and specific training based on a cognitive model provided some promising findings, which require further evaluation.

Parenting program versus telephone support for Mexican parents of children with acquired brain injury: A blind randomized controlled trial

Introduction Acquired brain injury (ABI) during childhood typically causes behavior problems in the child and high levels of stress in the family. The aims of this study are: (1) to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a parenting intervention in improving behavior and self-regulation in Mexican children with ABI compared to telephone support; (2) to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a parenting intervention in improving parenting skills, parent self-efficacy and decreasing parental stress in parents of children with ABI compared to telephone support. Our secondary aims are (1) to explore the impact that parent characteristics have on the intervention outcomes; (2) to investigate if changes are maintained 3 months after the intervention. Methods The research design is a blind randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible participants include children with a diagnosis of ABI, between 6 and 12 years of age, and their parents. Sixty-six children and their parents will be randomly allocated to either a parenting program group or telephone support group. The parenting program involves six face-to-face weekly group sessions of 2.5 h each. Participants in the control group receive an information sheet with behavioral strategies, and six weekly phone calls, in which strategies to improve academic skills are provided. Children and their parents are evaluated by blind assessors before the intervention, immediately after the intervention and 3-months post-intervention. Discussion This study will be the first to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a parenting program for Mexican parents of children with ABI. Trial identifier ACTRN12617000360314.

Feasibility and effectiveness of a parenting programme for Mexican parents of children with acquired brain injury-Case report

ABSTRACT Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) during childhood typically causes behaviour problems in the child and high levels of stress in the family. Objectives: (1) To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a parenting programme to: improve behaviour and self-regulation (SR) in Mexican children with ABI, enhance parenting skills, and decrease parental stress in parents of children with ABI; (2) to explore the impact of parent SR on child. Methods: Case study design with four participants post-ABI, aged 7–12 years, recruited in Mexico City. A parenting programme (Signposts for Building Better Behaviour) was delivered and provided parents with strategies to manage child behaviour. Child behaviour, child self-regulation, parental stress and parenting practices were measured before, immediately post-intervention, and three months post-intervention. Results: At immediate and three months post-intervention improvements in parenting skills, reduction in parental stress, and improvement in child behaviour were identified. Conclusions: The programme is feasible in a Mexican population and was effective in improving parenting skills and reducing stress in parents of children with ABI, as well as improving child behaviour and behavioural SR. These domains continue improving three months after the intervention. The improvements in challenging behaviour at home did not transfer to the school environment.