Masayoshi Ogura

Hemodynamic Changes in the Prefrontal Cortex during Digit Span Task: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

Background/Aims: In this study, we examined changes in the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin (oxy- and deoxy-Hb, respectively) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the digit span task by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Methods: The digit span task consists of the digit span forward and backward tasks. The tasks were performed by 22 healthy undergraduate students who participated in this study. Differences in the mean concentrations of oxy-Hb and deoxy-Hb between the baseline and task intervals were evaluated. Results: In digit span backward, oxy-Hb was significantly higher during the task interval than during the baseline. Further, deoxy-Hb was significantly lower during the task interval than during the baseline in both digit span forward and digit span backward. Digit span forward performance was significantly higher for the right-PFC-dominant group than for the left-PFC-dominant group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the digit span backward task is more demanding and requires greater activation of the prefrontal cortex than the digit span forward task. Our NIRS findings suggest that the digit span backward task involves executive functioning.

A clinical study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in preschool children—prevalence and differential diagnoses

OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine (1) the prevalence and characteristics of ADHD in preschool children, and (2) differential diagnoses among children who display symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity in early childhood. METHODS The participants were children living in Kanie-cho, in Japans Aichi Prefecture, who underwent their age 5 exams at the municipal health center between April 2009 and March 2011. We first extracted children who were observed to be inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive during their age 5 exams and considered as possibly having ADHD. We conducted follow-ups with these children using post-examination consultations, visits to preschools, and group rehabilitation. The results of the age 5 exams were combined with behavior observations and interview content obtained during subsequent follow-ups. A child psychiatrist and several clinical psychologists discussed these cases and made a diagnosis in accordance with the DSM-IV-TR. RESULTS 91 (15.6%) of the 583 children selected were considered as possibly having ADHD; we were able to conduct follow-ups with 83 of the 91 children. Follow-up results showed that 34 children (5.8% of all participants) remained eligible for a diagnosis of ADHD. Diagnoses for the remaining children included: pervasive developmental disorders (six children, or 6.6% of suspected ADHD children), intellectual comprehension problems (four children, or 4.4%), anxiety disorders (seven children, or 7.7%), problems related to abuse or neglect (four children, or 4.4%), a suspended diagnosis for one child (1.1%), and unclear diagnoses for 29 children (31.9%). CONCLUSIONS ADHD tendencies in preschool children vary with changing situations and development, and the present study provides prevalence estimates that should prove useful in establishing a diagnostic baseline.

Ijime in Japan.

Abstract This paper reviews the problem of ijime in Japan from a variety of perspectives, primarily through studies conducted in this country. The term ijime is not uniform in concept, open to different interpretations given the disparity in definitions among different circles, making precise assessment of the actual conditions difficult. Such being the case, what is needed is further study on the mechanisms and actual state of ijime accounting for the flow of the times, and compilation of research to enable the creation of ever more effective modes of prevention and intervention.

P-345 - Utility of health checkups in 5-year-old children for screening for developmental disorders

Introduction Public health checkups are conducted on 3-year-old children in Japan. However, it is often difficult to detect or provide ongoing support to children with developmental disorders without MR. Therefore we have conducted health checkups on 5 year olds. Objectives The objectives are to describe the results and follow-up of health checkups in 5-year-old children and examine the utility of such checkups. Aims The aims are to make clear the utility of health checkups in 5-year-old children for screening for developmental disorders. Method The subjects were 303 children of 5-year-old that lived in Kanie-cho and participated in health checkups. In the checkups, a child psychiatrist examined the children, and made a provisional diagnosis of a developmental disorder. Results Eighty-two children were provisionally diagnosed as having developmental disorders. The follow-up allowed final diagnosis of developmental disorders (suspect diagnosis included) to be made in 39 children (12.9%), and pinpointed 19 children with ADHD, 9 children with PDD, 9 children with mild MR, and 2 children with motor skills disorder. All children with PDD had already been informed about the possible occurrence of developmental disorders at 3 years of age. However, most of ADHD, mild MR, and motor function disorder were diagnosed in these children during the checkups at the age of 5 years. Conclusion The health checkup in 5-year-old children is useful not only as a tool to detect developmental disorders that are difficult to diagnose at the age of 3 years but also as an approach in patients lost to follow-up.

P-344 - The psychological effect of learning support for children with learning disorders

Introduction Children with Learning Disorders (LD) are susceptible to decreased self-esteem and willingness because of their difficulty learning, which can lead to exacerbation of the learning difficulty in a vicious cycle. Appropriate learning supports may help not only in terms of learning, but also psychologically. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological effect of learning supports for children with LD. Aims The aims are to make clear that psychological changes occur for children by the learning supports. Methods We conducted 10 learning support sessions for 12 children (age 8–11 years) diagnosed as LD. Afterward, we gave a questionnaire on motivation and self-efficacy in learning to the children and their parents, and a questionnaire on positive participation in class to the childrens teachers. Results The childrens responses showed increased intrinsic motivation with high autonomy, and decreased extrinsic motivation with low autonomy and self-efficacy after supports. The parents’ responses indicated increased self-efficacy and decreased motivation overall after supports, while the teachers’ responses indicated increased positive class participation after supports. Conclusion Parents and teachers see that willingness for learning improve through learning supports, but the children themselves feel decreased efficacy. At the same time, the children came to have more autonomous intrinsic motivation for learning. Both of motivation and willigness increased through learning supports, but conversely the children came to notice their own weaknesses (true abilities), which is thought to have led to decreased self-efficacy. With continuing support improvement of true efficacy may be expected.