An epidemiological study of urban and rural children in Pakistan: examining the relationship between delayed psychomotor development, low birth weight and postnatal growth failure.

PubMed

Avan, Bilal I; Raza, Syed A; Kirkwood, Betty R

2015-03-01

Low birth weight is known to be associated with postnatal growth failure. It is not yet established that both conditions are determinants of psychomotor development. The study investigated whether or not low birth weight leads to delayed psychomotor development of a child, and whether it can be mitigated by adequate postnatal growth. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2002 in 15 rural and 11 urban communities of Sindh province, Pakistan. Assessment of 1234 children less than 3 years of age included Bayley's Scale of Infant Development II, socioeconomic questionnaire and anthropometry; WHO standards were used to calculate z-scores of height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age. The underlying study hypotheses were tested through multiple regression modelling. Out of 1219 children, 283 (23.2%) had delayed psychomotor development and 639 (52.4%) were undernourished according to the composite index of anthropometric failure. Strong negative associations with the psychomotor development index were detected between stunting and being underweight, with a larger magnitude of effect for stunting (p<0.001). The strong relationship persisted even when the analysis was restricted to non-malnourished children. The psychomotor index increased by 2.07 points with every unit increase in height-for-age z-score. The relationship between low birth weight and psychomotor development appears to be mediated largely by postnatal growth and nutritional status. This association suggests that among undernourished children there is significant likelihood of a group that is developmentally delayed. It is important to emphasize developmental needs in programmes that target underprivileged children. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Introduction to Psychomotor Skills (NS 117): Competency-Based Course Syllabus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Marilyn H.; Wells, Tanya G.

"Introduction to Psychomotor Skills" (NS 117) is the first of seven core courses in the associate degree nursing program at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. The course was designed to help students develop competencies in psychomotor skills necessary to assume the role of provider of direct patient care. The course syllabus for NS…

Cognitive Change in Elderly Populations: "Normal" Aging, Senile Dementia and Depression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bach, Paul J.

Cognitive change in the elderly can be due to several etiological factors which are empirically difficult to separate and clinically problematic to differentiate. Normal aging is accompanied by behavioral slowing. The slowing down of psycho-motor processes results in a lowered intelligence quotient, but cannot be taken as unequivocal evidence for…

[Object permanence in children with neurological and psychomotor disorders].

PubMed

Pisaturo, C; Frassoni, S; Borreani, A; Battaglia, F; Meruzzi, B

1995-06-01

The aim of this research was to investigate whether the development of object permanence is an available sign of the cognitive development in infants with psychomotor handicaps. Subjects consisted of 5 males, ranging in age from 12 to 33 months, with handicaps as a result of perinatal brain injury. Four were preterm infants. All of the children received psychomotor treatment. Their stage of object permanence was assessed using traditional (B-L) and non traditional test (U-H). (The children's performances on the U-H scales have an "Intrinsic validity"). Four children achieved the first stages of the development of object permanence. The acquisition of object permanence was delayed in comparison with the age-appropriated time, but it may be considered adequate in comparison with the "developmental age" (B-L). One children with severe mental and motor disorders solved no task, the findings suggest that the children with psychomotor handicaps may gain the concept of object permanence and that psychomotor treatment may assist them in the development of the concept. This performance is not age-dependent. So the acquisition of the concept of object permanence may be considered an accurate and sensitive tool for the follow-up of the sensorimotor development in the handicapped children.

Biomarkers S100B and neuron-specific enolase predict outcome in hypothermia-treated encephalopathic newborns*.

PubMed

Massaro, An N; Chang, Taeun; Baumgart, Stephen; McCarter, Robert; Nelson, Karin B; Glass, Penny

2014-09-01

To evaluate if serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase measured during therapeutic hypothermia are predictive of neurodevelopmental outcome at 15 months in children with neonatal encephalopathy. Prospective longitudinal cohort study. A level IV neonatal ICU in a freestanding children's hospital. Term newborns with moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy referred for therapeutic hypothermia during the study period. Serum neuron-specific enolase and S100B were measured at 0, 12, 24, and 72 hours of hypothermia. Of the 83 infants enrolled, 15 (18%) died in the newborn period. Survivors were evaluated by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II at 15 months. Outcomes were assessed in 49 of 68 survivors (72%) at a mean age of 15.2 ± 2.7 months. Neurodevelopmental outcome was classified by Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II Mental Developmental Index and Psychomotor Developmental Index scores, reflecting cognitive and motor outcomes, respectively. Four-level outcome classifications were defined a priori: normal = Mental Developmental Index/Psychomotor Developmental Index within 1 SD (> 85), mild = Mental Developmental Index/Psychomotor Developmental Index less than 1 SD (70-85), moderate/severe = Mental Developmental Index/Psychomotor Developmental Index less than 2 SD (< 70), or died. Elevated serum S100B and neuron-specific enolase levels measured during hypothermia were associated with increasing outcome severity after controlling for baseline and socioeconomic characteristics in ordinal regression models. Adjusted odds ratios for cognitive outcome were 2.5 (95% CI, 1.3-4.8) for S100B and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.2-3.6) for neuron-specific enolase, and for motor outcome, 2.6 (95% CI, 1.2-5.6) for S100B and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.2-3.6) for neuron-specific enolase. Serum S100B and neuron-specific enolase levels in babies with neonatal encephalopathy are associated with neurodevelopmental outcome at 15 months. These putative biomarkers of brain injury may help direct care during therapeutic hypothermia.

A model to teach concomitant patient communication during psychomotor skill development.

PubMed

Nicholls, Delwyn; Sweet, Linda; Muller, Amanda; Hyett, Jon

2018-01-01

Many health professionals use psychomotor or task-based skills in clinical practice that require concomitant communication with a conscious patient. Verbally engaging with the patient requires highly developed verbal communication skills, enabling the delivery of patient-centred care. Historically, priority has been given to learning the psychomotor skills essential to clinical practice. However, there has been a shift towards also ensuring competent communication with the patient during skill performance. While there is literature outlining the steps to teach and learn verbal communication skills, little is known about the most appropriate instructional approach to teach how to verbally engage with the patient when also learning to perform a task. A literature review was performed and it identified that there was no model or proven approach which could be used to integrate the learning of both psychomotor and communication skills. This paper reviews the steps to teach a communication skill and provides a suggested model to guide the acquisition and development of the concomitant -communication skills required with a patient at the time a psychomotor skill is performed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air pollution during pregnancy and childhood cognitive and psychomotor development: six European birth cohorts.

PubMed

Guxens, Mònica; Garcia-Esteban, Raquel; Giorgis-Allemand, Lise; Forns, Joan; Badaloni, Chiara; Ballester, Ferran; Beelen, Rob; Cesaroni, Giulia; Chatzi, Leda; de Agostini, Maria; de Nazelle, Audrey; Eeftens, Marloes; Fernandez, Mariana F; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Forastiere, Francesco; Gehring, Ulrike; Ghassabian, Akhgar; Heude, Barbara; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Klümper, Claudia; Kogevinas, Manolis; Krämer, Ursula; Larroque, Béatrice; Lertxundi, Aitana; Lertxuni, Nerea; Murcia, Mario; Navel, Vladislav; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Porta, Daniela; Ramos, Rosa; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Slama, Rémy; Sørensen, Mette; Stephanou, Euripides G; Sugiri, Dorothea; Tardón, Adonina; Tiemeier, Henning; Tiesler, Carla M T; Verhulst, Frank C; Vrijkotte, Tanja; Wilhelm, Michael; Brunekreef, Bert; Pershagen, Göran; Sunyer, Jordi

2014-09-01

Accumulating evidence from laboratory animal and human studies suggests that air pollution exposure during pregnancy affects cognitive and psychomotor development in childhood. We analyzed data from 6 European population-based birth cohorts-GENERATION R (The Netherlands), DUISBURG (Germany), EDEN (France), GASPII (Italy), RHEA (Greece), and INMA (Spain)-that recruited mother-infant pairs from 1997 to 2008. Air pollution levels-nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx) in all regions and particulate matter (PM) with diameters of <2.5, <10, and 2.5-10 μm (PM2.5, PM10, and PMcoarse, respectively) and PM2.5 absorbance in a subgroup-at birth addresses were estimated by land-use regression models, based on monitoring campaigns performed primarily between 2008 and 2011. Levels were back-extrapolated to exact pregnancy periods using background monitoring sites. Cognitive and psychomotor development was assessed between 1 and 6 years of age. Adjusted region-specific effect estimates were combined using random-effects meta-analysis. A total of 9482 children were included. Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2, was associated with reduced psychomotor development (global psychomotor development score decreased by 0.68 points [95% confidence interval = -1.25 to -0.11] per increase of 10 μg/m in NO2). Similar trends were observed in most regions. No associations were found between any air pollutant and cognitive development. Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2 (for which motorized traffic is a major source), was associated with delayed psychomotor development during childhood. Due to the widespread nature of air pollution exposure, the public health impact of the small changes observed at an individual level could be considerable.

A Methodology to Determine the Psychomotor Performance of Helicopter Pilots During Flight Maneuvers.

PubMed

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2015-07-01

Helicopter flying is a complex psychomotor task requiring continuous control inputs to maintain stable flight and conduct maneuvers. Flight safety is impaired when this psychomotor performance is compromised. A comprehensive understanding of the psychomotor performance of helicopter pilots, under various operational and physiological conditions, remains to be developed. The purpose of this study was to develop a flight simulator-based technique for capturing psychomotor performance data of helicopter pilots. Three helicopter pilots conducted six low-level flight sequences in a helicopter simulator. Accelerometers applied to each flight control recorded the frequency and magnitude of movements. The mean (± SEM) number of control inputs per flight was 2450 (± 136). The mean (± SEM) number of control inputs per second was 1.96 (± 0.15). The mean (± SEM) force applied was 0.44 G (± 0.05 G). No significant differences were found between pilots in terms of flight completion times or number of movements per second. The number of control inputs made by the hands was significantly greater than the number of foot movements. The left hand control input forces were significantly greater than all other input forces. This study shows that the use of accelerometers in flight simulators is an effective technique for capturing accurate, reliable data on the psychomotor performance of helicopter pilots. This technique can be applied in future studies to a wider range of operational and physiological conditions and mission types in order to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the psychomotor performance demands on helicopter pilots.

A Rare Case of Psychomotor Disturbances Linked to the Use of an Adulterated Dietary Supplement Containing Sibutramine.

PubMed

Shapira, Barak; Goldstein, Lee; Reshef, Amikam; Poperno, Alina

2016-01-01

Sibutramine, an oral anorexiant, is often found as an adulterant in various counterfeit herbal slimming products and dietary supplements. The use of sibutramine has been associated with various cardiovascular and psychiatric symptoms. Here, we report a rare case of psychomotor disturbances, in a patient with no previously diagnosed movement disorders. A 26-year-old woman developed abnormal behavior, visual hallucinations, hyperkinesia, facial flushing, and dizziness after taking a counterfeit dietary supplement which contained undeclared sibutramine and phenolphtalein. Laboratory work-up revealed microcytic anemia; leucopenia; and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels, and antistreptolysin O titer, but rheumatic fever was ruled out. After a neurologic examination, involuntary movements were classified as chorea. The psychiatric examination result was unremarkable. The patient responded well to haloperidol therapy. Body temperature, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels eventually normalized. The patient was discharged. This is the first report we are aware of about a transient, chorea-like psychomotor movement disorder associated with sibutramine. Although the causal relationship between sibutramine and the patient's symptoms cannot be proven definitely, the temporal dimension does suggest sibutramine initiation and termination led to onset and resolution of symptoms, respectively. Furthermore, because of the widespread availability of adulterated food supplements containing sibutramine, physicians should be more aware of their implications for patients.

Role of neighbourhoods in child growth and development: does 'place' matter?

PubMed

Avan, Bilal Iqbal; Kirkwood, Betty

2010-07-01

It is estimated that at least 200 million children--mostly from developing countries--suffer from developmental delays. The study aims to contribute to an understanding of the contextual environment in which a child grows and develops in such setup; and in particular to evaluate the relative contributions of socio-economic status and rural-urban neighbourhoods on growth and psychomotor development. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to November 2002 in 15 rural and 11 urban communities of Sindh, Pakistan. 1,244 children aged less than 3 years were assessed via home visits using Bayley's Infant Developmental Scale for psychomotor development, anthropometry and a socio-economic and demographic questionnaire. A socio-economic index was created using principal component analysis, and the study hypotheses explored through hierarchical linear modelling. We found that sub-optimal growth and development were prevalent among the study's children. Overall the mean psychomotor development (PD) index was 96.0 (SD 16.7), with 23% assessed as having delayed development, and undernourished with 39.8% stunted, 30.9% underweight and 18.1% wasted. Lower socio-economic status and living in a rural rather than urban neighbourhood were all found to have strong associations with lower psychomotor scores and with undernutrition. Rural-urban differences in undernutrition were explained by the lower socio-economic status of families in rural areas. By contrast, rural-urban differences in psychomotor scores remained strong even after controlling for differences in socio-economic status. It was estimated that rural residence accounted for 28% of cases of delayed psychomotor development among study children. Improvements in socio-economic status are vital to achieve optimal growth and development during early childhood. The study draws attention to the importance of taking heed of contextual needs, especially relating to differences between rural and urban neighbourhoods, in the formulation and implementation of early child care and development interventions. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of iron-deficiency anemia on cognitive skills and neuromaturation in infancy and childhood.

PubMed

Walter, Tomas

2003-12-01

Iron-deficiency anemia in infancy has been consistently shown to negatively influence performance in tests of psychomotor development. In most studies of short-term follow-up, lower scores did not improve with iron therapy, despite complete hematologic replenishment. The negative impact on psychomotor development of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in infancy has been well documented in more than a dozen studies during the last two decades. Two studies will be presented here to further support this assertion. Additionally, we will present some data referring to longer follow-up at 5 and 10 years as well as data concerning recent descriptions of the neurologic derangements that may underlie these behavioral effects. To evaluate whether these deficits may revert after long-term observation, a cohort of infants was re-evaluated at 5 and 10 years of age. Two studies have examined children aged 5 years who had anemia as infants using comparable tools of cognitive development showing persisting and consistent important disadvantages in those who were formerly anemic. These tests were better predictors of future achievement than psychomotor scores. These children were again examined at 10 years and showed lower school achievement and poorer fine-hand movements. Studies of neurologic maturation in a new cohort of infants aged 6 months included auditory brain stem responses and naptime 18-lead sleep studies. The central conduction time of the auditory brain stem responses was slower at 6, 12, and 18 months and at 4 years, despite iron therapy beginning at 6 months. During the sleep-wakefulness cycle, heart-rate variability--a developmental expression of the autonomic nervous system--was less mature in anemic infants. The proposed mechanisms are altered auditory-nerve and vagal-nerve myelination, respectively, as iron is required for normal myelin synthesis.

Mental status testing

MedlinePlus

... time is it? What season is it? PSYCHOMOTOR ACTIVITY Are you calm or irritable and anxious Do you have a normal expression and body movement (affect) or display a flat and depressed affect ATTENTION SPAN Attention span may be tested earlier, because ...

Psychomotor retardation in a girl with complete growth hormone deficiency.

PubMed

Dayal, Devi; Malhi, Prabhjot; Kumar Bhalla, Anil; Sachdeva, Naresh; Kumar, Rakesh

2013-01-01

Infants with complete growth hormone deficiency may suffer from psychomotor retardation in addition to severe growth failure. Without replacement therapy, they may have a compromised intellectual potential manifesting as learning disabilities and attention-deficit disorders in later life. In this communication, we discuss an infant who showed improvement in physical growth after growth hormone therapy but her psychomotor skills did not improve probably due to late start of treatment. There is a need to start growth hormone therapy as early as possible in infants with complete growth hormone deficiency to avoid adverse effects on psychomotor and brain development.

Socioeconomic status, anthropometric status, and psychomotor development of Kenyan children from resource-limited settings: A path-analytic study

PubMed Central

Abubakar, Amina; de Vijver, Fons Van; Baar, Anneloes Van; Mbonani, Leonard; Kalu, Raphael; Newton, Charles; Holding, Penny

2014-01-01

Background Sub-optimal physical growth has been suggested as a key pathway between the effect of environmental risk and developmental outcome. Aim To determine if anthropometric status mediates the relation between socioeconomic status and psychomotor development of young children in resource-limited settings. Study design A cross-sectional study design was used. Subjects A total of 204 (105 girls) children from two resource-limited communities in the Coast Province, Kenya. The mean age of these children was 29 months (SD=3.43; range: 24–35 months). Outcome measure Psychomotor functioning was assessed using a locally developed and validated measure, the Kilifi Developmental Inventory. Results A significant association was found between anthropometric status (as measured by weight-for-age, height-for-age, mid-upper arm circumference, and head circumference) and psychomotor functioning and also between socioeconomic status and anthropometric status; no direct effects were found between socioeconomic status and developmental outcome. The models showed that weight, height and to a lesser extent mid-upper arm circumference mediate the relation between socioeconomic status and developmental outcome, while head circumference did not show the same effect. Conclusion Among children under 3 years living in poverty, anthropometric status shows a clear association with psychomotor development while socioeconomic status may only have an indirect association. PMID:18499363

The Effect of Treatment on Mental and Psychomotor Development of Marasmic Infants According to Age of Admission.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celedon, J. M.; And Others

1980-01-01

The mental and psychomotor development of 35 severely malnourished infants in Chile were examined during nutritional and psychological treatment. There was a significant difference between younger and older infants in their response to the treatment. (Author/DLS)

Normal pressure hydrocephalus in patients with myelomeningocele.

PubMed

Hammock, M K; Milhorat, T H; Baron, I S

1976-01-01

Although the syndrome of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) was described in the adult as early as 1964, it has only recently been recognized in the child. In this preliminary report, eight myelomeningocele patients with presumed NPH were evaluated before and after ventricular shunting procedures. Cranial computed tomography and serial psychological testing have proved to be particularly valuable both in the pre-operative and post-operative assessment of these patients and have the distinct advantage of being simple, non-invasive diagnostic measures. Continuous intra-ventricular pressure monitoring has shown what promises to be characteristic elevated pressure plateaux imposed on normal baseline cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressures in so-called NPH but is a more difficult clinical procedure, necessarily associated with potential complications. Although decreasing response to growth-stimulating hormone can be demonstrated in patients with long-standing hydrocephalus, this endocrine malfunction cannot be considered an early indicator of intracranial pathology. Single IQ scores are inadequate measures of intellectural function in children with NPH and serial examinations should be carried out. Detailed neuropsychological testing will document performance IQ scores well below verbal IQ scores and will generally show failure of psychomotor development to keep pace with chronological ageing. Initial studies indicate that improved performance scores can be expected within 1 1/2 to 3 months following successful ventricular shunting operations, and that any downward trend in pre-operative test scoring can at least be reversed. Statistically significant improvements in full-scale IQ scores have not been seen, however, before the end of the first post-operative year. Clinically, improved attentiveness and sociability, and decreased spasticity (if present prior to surgery) can be expected following shunting. Over-all, ventriculomegaly, normal CSF pressure, stable head size, and non-progressive neurological symptoms cannot be regarded as sufficient criteria for the diagnosis of an arrested state of hydrocephalus, and should suggest NPH, especially in those children who demonstrate a discrepancy between performance and verbal IQ scores and who fail to exhibit continuing psychomotor development with advancing age.

Evaluating Motor and Perceptual-Motor Development: Evaluating the Psychomotor Functioning of Infants and Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Walter E.

The author considers the importance of evaluating preschoolers' perceptual motor development, the usefulness of various evaluation techniques, and the specific psychomotor abilities that require evaluation. He quotes researchers to underline the difficulty of choosing appropriate evaluative techniques and to stress the importance of taking…

[Sports for handicapped persons between the text and its implementation].

PubMed

Negra Mahjoub, Samia; Djait, Salwa; Mahjoub, Rached; Turki, Ilhem

2003-05-01

The sports activities must occupy a paramount place in the schooling of the handicapped pupils. Indeed in addition to the development of the physical capacities, the sports activity has a positive impact on the development of the capacities of the communication and thus the integration of the pupil handicapped in his educational, family and social circle and on progress of psychomotor acquisitions. The national plan of education and the law N94-10 of August 3, 1994 relating to the sports activity in educational and university circle took part in the development and the promotion of the sports activities in the educational structures. This measurement, applied in the centers of specialized education, did not deny concerned the handicapped pupils provided education for in the colleges and normal colleges. What are the causes? Does there exist a remedy? How to introduce the sport for handicapped into the normal establishments?

Femoral-facial syndrome with malformations in the central nervous system.

PubMed

Leal, Evelia; Macías-Gómez, Nelly; Rodríguez, Lisa; Mercado, F Miguel; Barros-Núñez, Patricio

2003-01-01

The femoral hypoplasia-unusual facies syndrome (FFS) is a very rare association of femoral and facial abnormalities. Maternal diabetes mellitus has been mainly involved as the causal agent. We report the second case of FFS with anomalies in the central nervous system (CNS) including corticosubcortical atrophy, colpocephaly, partial agenesis of corpus callosum, hypoplasia of the falx cerebri and absent septum pellucidum. The psychomotor development has been normal. We propose that the CNS defects observed in these patients are part of the spectrum of abnormalities in the FFS.

Influence of timing and dose of thyroid hormone replacement on mental, psychomotor, and behavioral development in children with congenital hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Bongers-Schokking, Jacoba J; de Muinck Keizer-Schrama, Sabine M P F

2005-12-01

To evaluate the influence of initial and postinitial treatment factors on cognitive, psychomotor, and psychological outcome in schoolchildren with congenital hypothyroidism (CH). We studied 45 patients (19 with severe CH and 26 with mild CH) and 37 control children by correlating initial and postinitial treatment factors (free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] concentrations, and the percentage of overtreatment and undertreatment periods) with the results of neuropsychological tests and behavior (as reported on the Teacher Report Form [TRF]). The global IQ of the children with CH was comparable to that of the controls; visuomotor and verbal scores were lower, and total TRF scores were higher. Ethnic group, previous development, and overtreatment predicted IQ and verbal scores, with higher scores seen for the overtreated patients than for the control children and those patients who had not been overtreated. As initial treatment was less satisfactory, total TRF scores were higher. Our study suggests that initial and postinitial suboptimal treatment of CH leads to abnormalities in IQ and specific fields. Overtreatment may advance cognitive development in 5-1/2- to 7-year-olds. Suboptimal initial treatment may lead to behavioral problems. We recommend that TSH concentrations be maintained within the normal range in patients with CH.

Effectiveness of equine therapy in children with psychomotor impairment.

PubMed

Del Rosario-Montejo, O; Molina-Rueda, F; Muñoz-Lasa, S; Alguacil-Diego, I M

2015-09-01

Equine therapy, an intervention method that has been practiced for decades around the world, is used to treat patients susceptible to psychomotor delays. We examine development of gross motor function compared to other psychomotor skills in patients undergoing this therapy, and analyse how this improvement affects general health status and quality of life. The study includes 11 children with delayed psychomotor development (aged 8.82 ± 3.89; 6 boys, 5 girls). The main study variables were gross motor function (GMFM-88) and perceived quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, PedsQL). Three measurements were performed: before and after a period of inactivity, and once again 2 months after the second measurement, following completion of a sustained period of therapy. We observed significant differences in overall results on the GMFM-88 between the initial and final tests and between the intermediate and final tests. Regarding the PedsQL quality of life scale, no statistically significant results were recorded. Noticeable changes in motor control were recorded throughout the course of the intervention, which suggests that equine therapy may be appropriate treatment in cases of delayed psychomotor development. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A novel POMT2 mutation causes mild congenital muscular dystrophy with normal brain MRI

PubMed Central

MURAKAMI, Terumi; HAYASHI, Yukiko K.; OGAWA, Megumu; NOGUCHI, Satoru; CAMPBELL, Kevin P.; TOGAWA, Masami; INOUE, Takehiko; OKA, Akira; OHNO, Kousaku; NONAKA, Ikuya; NISHINO, Ichizo

2009-01-01

We report a patient harboring a novel homozygous mutation of c.604T>G (p.F202V) in POMT2. He showed delayed psychomotor development but acquired the ability to walk at the age of 3 years and 10 months. His brain MRI was normal. No ocular abnormalities were seen. Biopsied skeletal muscle revealed markedly decreased but still detectable glycosylated forms of alpha-dystroglycan (α-DG). Our results indicate that mutations in POMT2 can cause a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes as observed in other genes associated with alpha-dystroglycanopathy. Presence of small amounts of partly glycosylated α-DG may have a role in reducing the clinical symptoms of alpha-dystroglycanopathy. PMID:18804929

Influence of growth hormone replacement on neurological and psychomotor development. Case report.

PubMed

Motta, Felipe; Eisencraft, Adriana Pasmanik; Crisostomo, Lindiane Gomes

2018-05-14

The height response to the use of growth hormone in short height cases has already been confirmed in the literature. The influence of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (GH-IGF1) axis components on development, function, regeneration, neuroprotection, cognition, and motor functions has been evaluated in experimental studies and in adults with central nervous system lesions. However, there is still little research on the clinical impact of hormone replacement on neurological and psychomotor development. This report presents the case of a patient with excellent weight-height recovery and, even more surprisingly, neurological and psychomotor development in response to use of growth hormone. The result strengthens the correlation between experimental and clinical findings related to cerebral plasticity response to growth hormone in children. A preterm male patient with multiple health problems during the neonatal and young infancy period, who for six years presented with a relevant deficit in growth, bone maturation, and neurological and psychomotor development. At six years of age, he had low stature (z-score -6.89), low growth rate, and low weight (z-score -7.91). He was incapable of sustaining his axial weight, had not developed fine motor skills or sphincter control, and presented with dysfunctional swallowing and language. Supplementary tests showed low IGF-11 levels, with no changes on the image of the hypothalamus-pituitary region, and bone age consistent with three-year-old children - for a chronological age of six years and one month. Growth hormone replacement therapy had a strong impact on the weight-height recovery as well as on the neurological and psychomotor development of this child.

Vegetarian diets and children.

PubMed

Sanders, T A

1995-08-01

Although the general health and development of vegan and vegetarian children seem to be normal, there may be subtle differences compared with omnivores. They are at increased risk of iron deficiency, and impaired psychomotor development associated with iron deficiency has been reported in macrobiotic infants. Fortunately, this impairment is not permanent, and follow-up studies have reported higher-than-average intelligence quotients among older macrobiotic children. Several other hazards of vegetarian diets have been identified, including vitamin B12 deficiency, rickets, and a bulky diet that can restrict energy intake in the first few years of life; however, these pitfalls can be avoided easily, and children can be successfully reared on vegetarian diets.

Functional and magnetic resonance imaging correlates of corpus callosum in normal pressure hydrocephalus before and after shunting

PubMed Central

Mataró, Maria; Matarín, Mar; Poca, Maria Antonia; Pueyo, Roser; Sahuquillo, Juan; Barrios, Maite; Junqué, Carme

2007-01-01

Background Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is associated with corpus callosum abnormalities. Objectives To study the clinical and neuropsychological effect of callosal thinning in 18 patients with idiopathic NPH and to investigate the postsurgical callosal changes in 14 patients. Methods Global corpus callosum size and seven callosal subdivisions were measured. Neuropsychological assessment included an extensive battery assessing memory, psychomotor speed, visuospatial and frontal lobe functioning. Results After surgery, patients showed improvements in memory, visuospatial and frontal lobe functions, and psychomotor speed. Two frontal corpus callosum areas, the genu and the rostral body, were the regions most related to the clinical and neuropsychological dysfunction. After surgery, total corpus callosum and four of the seven subdivisions presented a significant increase in size, which was related to poorer neuropsychological and clinical outcome. Conclusion The postsurgical corpus callosum increase might be the result of decompression, re‐expansion and increase of interstitial fluid, although it may also be caused by differences in shape due to cerebral reorganisation. PMID:17056634

Do alprazolam-induced changes in saccadic eye movement and psychomotor function follow the same time course?

PubMed

Kroboth, P D; Folan, M M; Bauer, K S; Tullock, W; Wright, C E; Sweeney, J A

1998-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether short-term tolerance develops to GABA-agonist-induced changes in saccadic eye movements (SEMs), and whether the time course for GABA-agonist induced onset and offset of impairment is similar for SEMs and for psychomotor function. An additional goal was to determine whether there are differences in sensitivity between SEMs and psychomotor function. Six healthy volunteers participated in this balanced double-blind, three-way crossover, single-dose study of placebo and two different dosage forms of the GABA-agonist alprazolam: a rapidly absorbed oral 1.5-mg compressed tablet (CT) and a 3.0-mg sustained release (SR) tablet. Treatments were separated by a 7-day washout period. Peak concentrations did not differ between CT and SR treatments, although area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of alprazolam was greater after administration of SR than after CT, because plateau concentrations were attained after SR. Both SEM and psychomotor tests showed time-dependent responses consistent with the development of tolerance. SEMs discriminated the differences in rate of drug input of the CT and SR formulations, with impairment evident at low concentrations during absorption. SEM impairment also persisted longer than did psychomotor impairment. Peak saccade velocity is a more sensitive indicator of pharmacologic effects mediated by the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex than are psychomotor responses. This is probably the result of the very high GABA dependency of SEMs, along with their limited sensitivity to motivation.

Influence of Preparatory Workshops on Dental Students' Academic Performance and Stress on Their First Operative Dentistry Psychomotor Exam.

PubMed

Dilbone, Deborah A; Feng, Xiaoying; Su, Yu; Xirau-Probert, Patricia; Behar-Horenstein, Linda S; Nascimento, Marcelle M

2018-06-01

Predoctoral dental psychomotor examinations are known to generate high levels of stress among dental students, which may compromise their academic performance. At one U.S. dental school, all 93 first-year dental students were invited to attend a series of three workshop sessions prior to enrollment in their initial operative dentistry course. The workshops were developed to facilitate academic transition from the dental anatomy course to the operative dentistry course; provide early exposure to materials, instruments, and laboratory techniques; support the early development of psychomotor and self-assessment skills; and lessen students' stress and anxiety levels regarding psychomotor examinations. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the workshops on the students' academic performance and self-reported stress and preparedness. All students who attended the workshop sessions and all who did not were asked to complete a pre-exam survey (immediately preceding the exam) and a post-exam survey (immediately after the exam) on the day of their first operative dentistry psychomotor exam. Of the 93 students, 21 attended one, 34 attended two, and 25 attended three workshop sessions, while 13 students did not attend any. Response rates for the pre- and post-exam surveys were 100% and 98.9%, respectively. Students who attended all three workshop sessions reported being significantly less stressed about taking the exam than the other groups. The mean exam grade of students who attended the workshop sessions was significantly higher than that of students who did not attend the sessions. These findings support the development and implementation of preparatory workshops to improve academic performance and decrease the stress levels of dental students prior to the first operative dentistry psychomotor exam.

Psychomotor Development and School Performance of Children Who Were Low-Birth Infants: Relation to Neurobehavioural Condition in the Newborn Period.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leijon, Ingemar; And Others

This study investigated neurological and psychomotor development and intelligence from birth to 8 years of age among Swedish infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The relationship between neonatal neurological and behavioral condition to follow-up results was also investigated. Twenty-two infants with IUGR were arranged in 2 groups…

Teachers' Perceptions of Preschool Children's Psychomotor Development in Spain.

PubMed

Cueto, Sofía; Prieto, José Antonio; Nistal, Paloma; Abelairas-Gómez, Cristian; Barcala-Furelos, Roberto; López, Sergio

2017-08-01

This study analyzed the psychomotor profiles of preschool stage students and to determine how these data agreed with the students' teachers' subjective assessment. We also correlated these data with other variables such as age, gender, and family influence. A total of 211 children aged 3 to 6 years, in the second cycle of preschool from 30 classes of 10 schools in Spain participated. Additionally, 30 preschool teachers from these classes participated. Study results revealed serious teacher misperceptions regarding their students' psychomotor development, with low agreement rates between students and teachers in the motor dimension and slight agreement rates in communicative, cognitive, and social areas. The reasons for and implications of these misperceptions are discussed.

Informatics Approach to Improving Surgical Skills Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islam, Gazi

2013-01-01

Surgery as a profession requires significant training to improve both clinical decision making and psychomotor proficiency. In the medical knowledge domain, tools have been developed, validated, and accepted for evaluation of surgeons' competencies. However, assessment of the psychomotor skills still relies on the Halstedian model of…

The value of umbilical blood 2,3 diphosphoglycerate levels in the diagnosis of chronic fetal hypoxia.

PubMed

Zapadlo, M; Böswart, J; Petová, J; Hosková, K

1990-01-01

The authors assessed the levels of lactate and 2,3 diphosphoglycerate in the umbilical blood of 105 full-term neonates. A significant increase was found in the levels of 2,3 diphosphoglycerate in newborns of mothers with a history of imminent chronic intrauterine hypoxia. The lactate levels of these newborns were the same as in children of mothers without a history showing a risk of intrauterine hypoxia. The psychomotor development of newborns with increased levels of 2,3 diphosphoglycerate was significantly more altered than in those with normal levels in their first year of life.

Digit Symbol Performance in Mild Dementia and Depression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Robert P.; And Others

1987-01-01

Patients with mild dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), patients with major depression, and normal control subjects completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Digit Symbol test of incidental memory. Though mild DAT and depressed patients had equivalent deficits in psychomotor speed, DAT patients recalled fewer digit-symbol items.…

Late effects of early growth hormone treatment in Down syndrome.

PubMed

Myrelid, Å; Bergman, S; Elfvik Strömberg, M; Jonsson, B; Nyberg, F; Gustafsson, J; Annerén, G

2010-05-01

Down syndrome (DS) is associated with short stature and psychomotor delay. We have previously shown that growth hormone (GH) treatment during infancy and childhood normalizes growth velocity and improves fine motor skill performance in DS. The aim of this study was to investigate late effects of early GH treatment on growth and psychomotor development in the DS subjects from the previous trial. Twelve of 15 adolescents with DS (3 F) from the GH group and 10 of 15 controls (5 F) participated in this follow-up study. Fifteen other subjects with DS (6 F) were included as controls in anthropometric analyses. Cognitive function was assessed with the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R) and selected subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third edition (WISC-III). The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second edition (BOT-2), was used to assess general motor ability. Although early GH treatment had no effect on final height, the treated subjects had a greater head circumference standard deviation score (SDS) than the controls (-1.6 SDS vs. -2.2 SDS). The adolescents previously treated with GH had scores above those of the controls in all subtests of Leiter-R and WISC-III, but no difference in Brief IQ-score was seen between the groups. The age-adjusted motor performance of all subjects was below -2 SD, but the GH-treated subjects performed better than the controls in all but one subtest. The combined finding of a greater head circumference SDS and better psychomotor performance indicates that DS subjects may benefit from early GH treatment.

4D Model on Assessing Psychomotor Aspect in Continental Food Processing Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurafiati, P.; Ana, A.; Ratnasusanti, H.; Maulana, I.

2018-02-01

This research aims to develop and find out the response of observers for the assessment instrument of student’s psychomotor aspect on continental food processing practice. This research belongs to development research with 4P model that confined till the definition, design, and development stages. The data that gained during the research is analyzed descriptively. Research’s product is assessment instrument rubric form that consists of performance’s aspect which should be assessed and performance’s quality which stated in gradation score with 0-4 level and performance description that completed with picture illustration in every single score. Product was validate and responded based on material, construction, language, objectively, systematic, and practicability aspects. The result show that assessment instrument of student’s psychomotor aspect on continental food processing practice which developed gain very good response with percentage of 84,47%.

Folic acid supplements during pregnancy and child psychomotor development after the first year of life.

PubMed

Valera-Gran, Desirée; García de la Hera, Manuela; Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva María; Fernandez-Somoano, Ana; Tardón, Adonina; Julvez, Jordi; Forns, Joan; Lertxundi, Nerea; Ibarluzea, Jesús María; Murcia, Mario; Rebagliato, Marisa; Vioque, Jesús

2014-11-01

Folate intake during pregnancy has been associated with improved neuropsychological development in children, although the effects of high dosages of folic acid (FA) supplements are unclear. To examine the association between the use of high dosages of FA supplements during pregnancy and child neuropsychological development after the first year of life. The multicenter prospective mother-child cohort Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project recruited pregnant women from 4 areas of Spain (Asturias, Sabadell, Gipuzkoa, and Valencia) between November 2003 and January 2008. Pregnant women completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire on the usual dietary folate intake and FA supplements at 10 to 13 weeks and 28 to 32 weeks of gestation. The main analyses were based on a sample of 2213 children with complete information on neuropsychological development and FA supplement intake during pregnancy. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to explore the effects of FA supplements on child neuropsychological development. Neuropsychological development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. We calculated mental scale and psychomotor scale scores. One SD below the mean established a delay in neurodevelopment (score <85). A high proportion of women (57.3%) did not reach the recommended dosages of FA supplements (400 μg/d), but 25.2% women took more than 1000 μg/d of FA supplements (3.5% consuming >5000 μg/d). In multivariate analysis, we observed that children whose mothers used FA supplement dosages higher than 5000 μg/d during pregnancy had a statistically significantly lower mean psychomotor scale score (difference, -4.35 points; 95% CI, -8.34 to -0.36) than children whose mothers used a recommended dosage of FA supplements (400-1000 μg/d). An increased risk of delayed psychomotor development (psychomotor scale score <85) was also evident among children whose mothers took FA supplement dosages higher than 5000 μg/d, although the association was not statistically significant (odds ratio = 1.59; 95% CI, 0.82-3.08). To our knowledge, this is the first time a detrimental effect of high dosages of FA supplements during pregnancy on psychomotor development after the first year of life has been shown. Further research from longitudinal studies is warranted to confirm these results.

Psychomotor Performance, Mental Disability and Rehabilitation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, George W.; Weaver, Lelon A., Jr.

A battery of four psychomotor tests was developed and evaluated as a measure of the potential of mental patients of varying diagnoses for rehabilitation training. The tests were to be suitable for administration and interpretation by non-professional level technicians. The relationship between performance on the 5 days of tests and patient outcome…

Innovative cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator programs in schools: Results from the Student Program for Olympic Resuscitation Training in Schools (SPORTS) study.

PubMed

Vetter, Victoria L; Haley, Danielle M; Dugan, Noreen P; Iyer, V Ramesh; Shults, Justine

2016-07-01

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates are low. Our study objective was to encourage Philadelphia high school students to develop CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator) training programs and to assess their efficacy. The focus was on developing innovative ways to learn the skills of CPR/AED use, increasing willingness to respond in an emergency, and retention of effective psychomotor resuscitation skills. Health education classes in 15 Philadelphia School District high schools were selected, with one Control and one Study Class per school. Both completed CPR/AED pre- and post-tests to assess cognitive knowledge and psychomotor skills. After pre-tests, both were taught CPR skills and AED use by their health teacher. Study Classes developed innovative programs to learn, teach, and retain CPR/AED skills. The study culminated with Study Classes competing in multiple CPR/AED skills events at the CPR/AED Olympic event. Outcomes included post-tests, Mock Code, and presentation scores. All students' cognitive and psychomotor skills improved with standard classroom education (p<0.001). Competition with other schools at the CPR/AED Olympics and the development of their own student-directed education programs resulted in remarkable retention of psychomotor skill scores in the Study Class (88%) vs the Control Class (79%) (p<0.001). Olympic participants averaged 93.1% on the Mock Code with 10 of 12 schools ≥94%. Students who developed creative and novel methods of teaching and learning resuscitation skills showed outstanding application of these skills in a Mock Code with remarkable psychomotor skill retention, potentially empowering a new generation of effectively trained CPR bystanders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Literature Review: Validity and Potential Usefulness of Psychomotor Ability Tests for Personnel Selection and Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

cognitive-purmpttidl JDTTTty tests. Taken together, these /ffndings suggest a need for further psychomotor test development and validation research...Leaetta N. Hough (ed.). The findings presented in these documents were used in the development of a battery of new tests and Inventories for use In...Project A. The focus of that development effort was to Identify abilities and other human attri- butes that seemed "best bets" for predicting

Bimanual Psychomotor Performance in Neurosurgical Resident Applicants Assessed Using NeuroTouch, a Virtual Reality Simulator.

PubMed

Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Bajunaid, Khalid; Mullah, Muhammad A S; Marwa, Ibrahim; Alotaibi, Fahad E; Fares, Jawad; Baggiani, Marta; Azarnoush, Hamed; Zharni, Gmaan Al; Christie, Sommer; Sabbagh, Abdulrahman J; Werthner, Penny; Del Maestro, Rolando F

Current selection methods for neurosurgical residents fail to include objective measurements of bimanual psychomotor performance. Advancements in computer-based simulation provide opportunities to assess cognitive and psychomotor skills in surgically naive populations during complex simulated neurosurgical tasks in risk-free environments. This pilot study was designed to answer 3 questions: (1) What are the differences in bimanual psychomotor performance among neurosurgical residency applicants using NeuroTouch? (2) Are there exceptionally skilled medical students in the applicant cohort? and (3) Is there an influence of previous surgical exposure on surgical performance? Participants were instructed to remove 3 simulated brain tumors with identical visual appearance, stiffness, and random bleeding points. Validated tier 1, tier 2, and advanced tier 2 metrics were used to assess bimanual psychomotor performance. Demographic data included weeks of neurosurgical elective and prior operative exposure. This pilot study was carried out at the McGill Neurosurgical Simulation Research and Training Center immediately following neurosurgical residency interviews at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. All 17 medical students interviewed were asked to participate, of which 16 agreed. Performances were clustered in definable top, middle, and bottom groups with significant differences for all metrics. Increased time spent playing music, increased applicant self-evaluated technical skills, high self-ratings of confidence, and increased skin closures statistically influenced performance on univariate analysis. A trend for both self-rated increased operating room confidence and increased weeks of neurosurgical exposure to increased blood loss was seen in multivariate analysis. Simulation technology identifies neurosurgical residency applicants with differing levels of technical ability. These results provide information for studies being developed for longitudinal studies on the acquisition, development, and maintenance of psychomotor skills. Technical abilities customized training programs that maximize individual resident bimanual psychomotor training dependant on continuously updated and validated metrics from virtual reality simulation studies should be explored. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The peculiarities of the application of transcranial magnetic therapy and electrical stimulation for the treatment of the patients presenting with various types of stroke].

PubMed

Melnikova, E A

2015-01-01

In this article, the results of the authors' research, including analysis of the clinical and instrumental data concerning 203 patients with, stroke are presented. It is shown that the clinical effectiveness of the transcranial methods incorporated in the combined rehabilitation programs depends on the type of stroke and localization of the lesions. Specifically, the patients presenting with ischemic stroke of hemispheric localization experienced a neurophysiologically confirmed significant clinical improvement that became apparent after the consistent application of transcranial magnetic therapy and micropolarization. In the patients with ischemic stroke of stem localization, the positive influence on psychomotor recovery was achieved with the application of transcranial magnetic therapy, but transcranial micropolarization did not have an appreciable effect on the recovery of such patients. The patients presenting with hemorrhagic stroke did not experience any significant improvement of psychomotor parameters from transcranial magnetic therapy and transcranial micropolarization. The likely mechanism underlying the recovery of psychomotor processes under effect of transcranial magnetic therapy in the patients with ischemic stroke is the normalization of the frequency of interaction between brain structures. In addition, in the patients with ischemic stroke of hemispheric localization and in the patients with hemorrhagic stroke electrical myostimulation has a marked impact on the psychomotor recovery only in case of functional treatment. In the patients suffering from ischemic stroke of stem localization non-functional electromyostimulation significantly improves motor functions and cognitive motor control.

[Neurological and psychomotor development of foetuses and children with congenital heart disease--causes and prevalence of disorders and long-term prognosis].

PubMed

Herberg, U; Hövels-Gürich, H

2012-06-01

Children with severe congenital heart defects (CHD) requiring open heart surgery in the first year of life are at high risk for developing neurological and psychomotor abnormalities. Depending on the type and severity of the CHD, between 15 and over 50% of these children have deficits, which are usually confined to distinct domains of development, although formal intelligence tends to be normal. Children with mild CHD, who comprise the majority of congenital heart defects, have a far better developmental prognosis than those with complex CHD. This review concentrates on the impact of severe CHD on the developing brain of the foetus and infant. It also provides a summary of recent clinical and neuroimaging studies, and an overview of the long-term neurological prognosis. Advanced neuroimaging modalities indicate that, related to altered cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, foetuses with severe CHD show delayed third trimester brain maturation and increased vulnerability for hypoxic injury. Morphological and neurological abnormalities are present before surgery, commonly affecting the white matter. In the long-term, impaired neurological and developmental outcomes are related to the combination of prenatal, perinatal and additional perioperative risk factors. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches aim to optimise the intra- and perinatal management of foetuses and newborns with congenital heart defects. Identification and avoidance of risk factors, early neurodevelopmental assessment and therapy may optimise the long-term outcome in this high-risk population. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Association of Cognitive, Affective, Psychomotor and Intuitive Domains in Education, Sönmez Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sönmez, Veysel

2017-01-01

Problem statement: Educational goals are classified taxonomically as cognitive, affective, psycho-motor and intuitive. Can these classifications be associated? Sönmez's model represents an attempt for this. Purpose of Study: Is the model regarding the association of four domains developed by Sönmez supported significantly by empirical data? What…

A Taxonomy of Psychomotor Forms. Occasional Paper No. 35.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberger, Michael

A taxonomy of psychomotor skills provides a classification of all human movement forms. The development of motor skills in this hierarchy begins with the reflexive physical responses of the infant. The stages of growth include basic interactive movement forms, skilled movement forms, and functional and creative movement forms. This taxonomy offers…

An Occupational Survey of Refrigeration Technicians Aiming at Determining Psychomotor Competencies in Turkish Vocational Higher Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isik, Nurettin; Onat, Ayhan

2004-01-01

In this study of "Occupational Survey of Refrigeration Technicians" in which the "Task Inventory Questionnaires" have been developed, we aim at determining the vocational psychomotor competencies (skills) of refrigeration technicians for effectively carrying out the occupational duties in labor-life. In the first phase of the…

The Integration of Psychomotor Skills in a Hybrid-PBL Dental Curriculum: The Clinical Clerkships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Joanne N.; MacNeil, M. A. J.; Harrison, Rosamund L.; Clark, D. Christopher

1998-01-01

Describes the restructuring of clinical clerkships at the University of British Columbia (Canada) dental school as part of a new, hybrid, problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum, focusing on strategies for integrating development of psychomotor skills. Methods of achieving both horizontal and vertical integration of competencies through grouping…

Development of an Assessment Tool to Measure Students' Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galloway, Kelli R.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2015-01-01

Research on learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory necessitates an understanding of students' perspectives of learning. Novak's Theory of Meaningful Learning states that the cognitive (thinking), affective (feeling), and psychomotor (doing) domains must be integrated for meaningful learning to occur. The psychomotor domain is the…

Iron Deficiency in Preschool Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilgic, Ayhan; Gurkan, Kagan; Turkoglu, Serhat; Akca, Omer Faruk; Kilic, Birim Gunay; Uslu, Runa

2010-01-01

Iron deficiency (ID) causes negative outcomes on psychomotor and behavioral development of infants and young children. Children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are under risk for ID and this condition may increase the severity of psychomotor and behavioral problems, some of which already inherently exist in these children. In the present…

Psycho-Motor Needs Assessment of Virginia School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glen Haven Achievement Center, Fort Collins, CO.

An effort to assess psycho-motor (P-M) needs among Virginia children in K-4 and in special primary classes for the educable mentally retarded is presented. Included are methods for selecting, combining, and developing evaluation measures, which are verified statistically by analyses of data collected from a stratified sample of approximately 4,500…

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in pregnancy and infant neuropsychological development.

PubMed

Morales, Eva; Guxens, Mònica; Llop, Sabrina; Rodríguez-Bernal, Clara L; Tardón, Adonina; Riaño, Isolina; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Lertxundi, Nerea; Espada, Mercedes; Rodriguez, Agueda; Sunyer, Jordi

2012-10-01

To investigate whether circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) [25(OH)D(3)] concentration in pregnancy is associated with neuropsychological development in infants. The Spanish population-based cohort study INfancia y Medio Ambiente Project recruited pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy between November 2003 and February 2008. Completed data on 1820 mother-infant pairs were used. Maternal plasma 25(OH)D(3) concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in pregnancy (mean 13.5 ± 2.1 weeks of gestation). Offspring mental and psychomotor scores were assessed by trained psychologists at age 14 months (range, 11-23) by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. β-Coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of mental and psychomotor scores associated with continuous or categorical concentrations of maternal plasma 25(OH)D(3) were calculated by using linear regression analysis. The median plasma value of 25(OH)D(3) in pregnancy was 29.6 ng/mL (interquartile range, 21.8-37.3). A positive linear relationship was found between circulating concentrations of maternal 25(OH)D(3) concentrations in pregnancy and mental and psychomotor scores in the offspring. After adjustment for potential confounders, infants of mothers with 25(OH)D(3) concentrations in pregnancy >30 ng/mL showed higher mental score (β = 2.60; 95% CI 0.63-4.56) and higher psychomotor score (β = 2.32; 95% CI 0.36-4.28) in comparison with those of mothers with 25(OH)D(3) concentrations <20 ng/mL. Higher circulating concentration of maternal 25(OH)D(3) in pregnancy was associated with improved mental and psychomotor development in infants.

Recovery of short-term memory and psychomotor speed but not postural stability with long-term sobriety in alcoholic women.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Margaret J; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Sullivan, Edith V

2004-07-01

The authors assessed effects of extended abstinence on cognitive and motor function deficits previously observed in a group of alcoholic women (n = 43) initially tested after 15 weeks of sobriety. Alcoholic women were retested 1 and 4 years later, and control women were retested 3 years later. At Year 1, 14 of 23 returners had maintained sobriety, but they did not perform significantly better than relapsers; the group as a whole continued to show deficits relative to age norms. By Year 4, 13 of 14 returners had maintained sobriety for more than 30 months; as a group, these women had returned to normal levels on tests of memory and psychomotor speed but remained impaired in standing balance.

[Congenital myotonic dystrophy in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: case series].

PubMed

Domingues, Sara; Alves Pereira, Clara; Machado, Angela; Pereira, Sandra; Machado, Leonilde; Fraga, Carla; Oliveira, Abílio; Vale, Isabel; Quelhas, Ilídio

2014-02-01

Steinert myotonic dystrophy is a multisystemic disease, autosomal dominant, with a wide spectrum of severity and clinical manifestations. The most severe form is one that manifests in the neonatal period, called congenital myotonic dystrophy. This condition is distinguished by overall hypotonia at birth and respiratory function compromise. Complications are frequent, mainly psychomotor development delay, growth failure, food difficulties and constipation. It is associated with a poor prognosis, with an overall mortality of up to 50% of severely affected children. We present five patients with congenital myotonic dystrophy in order to describe clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Existing data in the literature on psychomotor development, complications and prognosis of survivors with congenital myotonic dystrophy are scarce. In our case studies, we have found significant chronic psychomotor limitations.

Defining and Measuring Psychomotor Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autio, Ossi

2007-01-01

Psychomotor performance is fundamental to human existence. It is important in many real world activities and nowadays psychomotor tests are used in several fields of industry, army, and medical sciences in employee selection. This article tries to define psychomotor activity by introducing some psychomotor theories. Furthermore the…

[Dental caries and early childhood development: a pilot study].

PubMed

Núñez, F Loreto; Sanz, B Javier; Mejía, L Gloria

2015-01-01

To investigate the association between dental caries and early childhood development in 3-year-olds from Talca, Chile. A pilot study with a convenience sample of 3-year-olds from Talca (n = 39) who attend public healthcare centers. Child development was measured by the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI), a screening tool used nationally among pre-school children to assess language development, fine motor skills and coordination areas. Dental caries prevalence was evaluated by decayed, missing, filled teeth (DFMT) and decayed, missing, filled tooth surfaces (DFMS) ceo-d and ceo-s indexes. The children were divided into two groups according to the PDIscore: those with a score of 40 or more were considered developmentally normal (n = 32), and those with a score below 40 were considered as having impaired development (n = 7). The severity of caries (DMFT) was negatively correlated with PDI (r = -0.82), and children with the lowest TEPSI score had the highest DFMT values. The average DMFT in children with normal development was 1.31, and 3.57 for those with impaired development. This pilot study indicates that the severity of dental caries is correlated with early childhood development. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

The Orthopaedic Training Study, Phase II 1968-1972. Final Report Supplement, Psychomotor Skills, Part B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Carl J.; And Others

This document, as a supplement to the final report of the Orthopaedic Training Study, presents a discussion of the rationale behind the implementation of a laboratory course in psychomotor skills development for medical students. Medical educators examined resident training in terms of 3 components of cognitive elements of learning: cognitive,…

Carglumic acid: a second look. Confirmed progress in a rare urea cycle disorder.

PubMed

2008-04-01

(1) N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency is a rare congenital disorder that causes hyperammonaemic comas, resulting in severe neurological morbidity and usually leading to death during childhood. (2) Carglumic acid is the first drug to be used for replacement therapy. Data available in 2003 showed beneficial effects on growth and psychomotor development. (3) In 2007, about 20 patients treated with carglumic acid for N-acetyglutamate synthase deficiency, for at least 5 years in half of cases, were all still alive. Their development was normal when treatment was initiated before complications occurred. (4) No serious adverse effects have been observed. (5) In practice, although this treatment has to continue for life, carglumic acid represents a major advance for patients with N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency.

38 CFR 4.122 - Psychomotor epilepsy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Psychomotor epilepsy. 4... Psychomotor epilepsy. The term psychomotor epilepsy refers to a condition that is characterized by seizures... psychomotor epilepsy vary from patient to patient and in the same patient from seizure to seizure. (b) A...

38 CFR 4.122 - Psychomotor epilepsy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Psychomotor epilepsy. 4... Psychomotor epilepsy. The term psychomotor epilepsy refers to a condition that is characterized by seizures... psychomotor epilepsy vary from patient to patient and in the same patient from seizure to seizure. (b) A...

38 CFR 4.122 - Psychomotor epilepsy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Psychomotor epilepsy. 4... Psychomotor epilepsy. The term psychomotor epilepsy refers to a condition that is characterized by seizures... psychomotor epilepsy vary from patient to patient and in the same patient from seizure to seizure. (b) A...

38 CFR 4.122 - Psychomotor epilepsy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Psychomotor epilepsy. 4... Psychomotor epilepsy. The term psychomotor epilepsy refers to a condition that is characterized by seizures... psychomotor epilepsy vary from patient to patient and in the same patient from seizure to seizure. (b) A...

Prospective long-term follow up of children with anorectal malformation: growth and development until 5years of age.

PubMed

van den Hondel, Desiree; Sloots, Cornelius E J; Gischler, Saskia J; Meeussen, Conny J H M; Wijnen, Rene M H; IJsselstijn, Hanneke

2013-04-01

To evaluate growth and development in children with anorectal malformations and to analyze effects of type of malformation and comorbidities. Non-syndromal children with anorectal malformations were prospectively evaluated at 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 years. Biometrics were obtained at all visits. Mental and psychomotor function development was determined. 108 children (59% male) were included. 49% had a high malformation, and 46% had ≥ 1 additional major comorbidity. All growth parameters were below the norm at all ages (p<0.01), irrespective of type of malformation. Children with ≥ 1 additional major anomaly had lower height at all ages; at 5 years, mean (95% CI) height was -1.83 (-2.7 to -1.1) and -0.70 (-1.3 to -0.1) in children with and without comorbidities, respectively (p=0.019). Mental development was normal, irrespective of the type of malformation or comorbidities. Motor development was delayed at all ages. At 5 years, motor development (n=30) was normal in 70%, borderline in 23%, and 7% had definitive motor problems (p=0.043). Non-syndromal children with anorectal malformations are at risk for growth impairment, especially those with additional major comorbidity. Mental development is normal. Motor development is slightly impaired. Supportive care should focus on growth, dietary management, and motor development besides defecation problems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep Patterns, Mood, Psychomotor Vigilance Performance, and Command Resilience of Watchstanders on the Five and Dime Watchbill

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-28

currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 28-02-2015 2. REPORT TYPE...9 E. ANALYTICAL APPROACH .............................................................................. 9 1. Actigraphy Data...Comparison between Normal and Elevated ESS groups . ............................. 34 Table 8. Organizational Commitment, Psychological Safety, and

Using the ADDIE Model to Create an Online Strength Training Program: An Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Rebekah L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this design and development research was to investigate whether the ADDIE model can be used to design online modules that teach psychomotor skills. The overarching research question was: How can the ADDIE Model of Instructional Design be used to create an online module that teaches safe and effective movement for psychomotor skills?…

Psychomotor coordination and intelligence in childhood and health in adulthood--testing the system integrity hypothesis.

PubMed

Gale, Catharine R; Batty, G David; Cooper, Cyrus; Deary, Ian J

2009-07-01

To examine associations between intelligence and psychomotor coordination in childhood and risk of psychological distress, poorer self-rated health, and obesity in adulthood. To investigate whether psychomotor coordination as a potential marker of the construct "system integrity" explains associations between intelligence and these outcomes. Participants were members of two British national birth cohorts: the 1958 National Child Development Survey (n = 6147) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (n = 6475). They took tests of psychomotor coordination and intelligence at age 10 to 11 years and reported on their health when in their early 30s. For a standard deviation increase in psychomotor coordination score, sex-adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for the 1958 and 1970 cohorts, respectively, were 0.79 (0.72-0.87) and 0.83 (0.77-0.89) for psychological distress, 0.79 (0.73-0.85) and 0.85 (0.78-0.91) for fair/poor self-rated health, and 0.81 (0.75-0.88) and 0.85 (0.78-0.92) for obesity. These associations were independent of childhood intelligence and most remained significant after adjustment for other covariates. Higher intelligence quotient was associated with a reduced risk of psychological distress, fair/poor self-rated health, and obesity in adulthood. These associations were not explained by potential confounding factors or by psychomotor coordination in childhood. Having better psychomotor coordination in childhood seems protective for some aspects of health in adulthood. Examination of the role played by other markers of the efficiency of the central nervous system may help reveal the extent to which system integrity underlies the link between intelligence and health.

[Developmental outcome of extremely low birth weight infants (<1,000 g) during the first three years of life].

PubMed

Jiménez Martín, A M; Servera Ginard, C; Roca Jaume, A; Frontera Juan, G; Pérez Rodríguez, J

2008-04-01

Obstetrics and Perinatal Care has improved in the last few years. As a result there has been a significant increase in preterm babies and longer survival. The risk of abnormalities in their development is high; they need follow up, prompt action and prevention from the neonatal period. We evaluated 116 preterm babies, birth weight less than or equal to 1,000 grams, admitted to our Unit over 5 years. Seventy five neonates survived after the neonatal period (64.7 %). We studied the development during the first three years of life. The number of admissions of extremely low birth weigh infants has increased by 100 % in the last five years and the survival has increased by 15 %. Failure to thrive was the most frequent problem; in the first 2 years of life neonatal growth retardation was present in more than 50 % of cases (58 % 1st year, 57 % 2nd year, 40 % 3rd year). Catch-up growth occurred except in infants who had intrauterine growth retardation. Motor function disorders were the most serious; minor alterations in this system were the most frequent but usually did not compromise the life of the patient. Cerebral palsy was present in 14 % in the 1st year of life, 17,4 % 2nd year and 19 % 3rd year. Retinopathy of prematurity was very high in our group (74 %), but ophthalmic sequela were infrequent (3.2 % 1st year, 3.9 % 2nd year, and 3.4 % 3rd year); similarly with hearing function (deafness 2.0 %). Only some mild or moderate language development delay was present and psychomotor development was normal in the majority of cases and those who were retarded improved with time. Nowadays there is a significant increase in the incidence and survival of extremely low birth weigh infants. They have a higher risk of abnormal development. The most frequent problem is failure to thrive and the most serious is cerebral palsy. Major ophthalmic and hearing sequela are rare. Psychomotor and language development is normal in the majority of these patients.

[10 congenital trigger fingers. Apropos of a case report].

PubMed

Moutet, F; Lebrun, C; Sartorius, C

1987-01-01

Ten congenital triggers fingers have been treated on a 3 years old girl after correction of congenital bilateral club feet. Such a case, without any other congenital malformation seems to be unique in the French literature and only found twice in the English one. This child in spite of a normal growth and good psychomotor development, presents an unusual face, with a mouth a little bit too small, but her karyotype is normal. No trismus and no microstomia were found to enable this case to be classified in a specific syndrome. The right diagnosis may be a non evolutive arthrogryposis of the extremities. Dividing the ten proximal pulleys (A1) let 10 voluminous nodules pass through and allowed full range of motion in nine out of ten fingers. A remaining flexion deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joint needed an anterior arthrolysis, the final result was good.

Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale as a predictor of cognitive development and IQ in full-term infants: a 6-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Canals, Josefa; Hernández-Martínez, Carmen; Esparó, Griselda; Fernández-Ballart, Joan

2011-10-01

To evaluate the predictive capacity of neonatal behaviour on infant mental and psychomotor development at 4 and 12 months, and infant intelligence at 6 years. Eighty full-term newborns were followed from 3 days until 6 years. Neonatal behaviour was assessed by the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) at 3 days postpartum, infant mental and psychomotor development was assessed by the Bayley Scales for Infant Development at 4 and 12 months, and child intelligence was assessed by the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence at 6 years. Neonatal general irritability was the predictor of mental development at 12 months. Self-regulation behaviours were predictors of psychomotor development at 4 and 12 months and verbal and total intelligence quotient at 6 years. Neonatal orientation was a predictor of performance Wechsler subtests related to visomotor abilities and attention. Neonatal self-regulation behaviours were the best predictors of infant development and intelligence. We suggest that the NBAS could be a useful tool to observe behaviours related to later development in healthy infants. © 2011 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2011 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Psychomotor Vigilance Task Evaluation for Touchscreen Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arsintescu, Lucia

2017-01-01

The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) is considered the gold standard fatigue detection device and is used frequently in fatigue research. The purpose of this study was to compare a psychomotor vigilance task developed for use on touchscreen devices with the original PVT-192 in conditions of acute sleep loss and circadian desynchronization. Participants arrived in the lab approximately two hours after their habitual time and were asked to stay awake for up to 24 hrs and take 5-minute reaction time tests every 2 hours on two different devices: the original PVT-192 and NASA-PVT on an iPod. We found that the NASA-PVT and PVT-192 were sensitive to the 24 hrs of extended wakefulness.

Effects of an intervention to promote socioemotional development in terms of attachment security: a study in early institutionalization in Chile.

PubMed

Lecannelier, Felipe; Silva, Jaime R; Hoffmann, Marianela; Melo, Rolando; Morales, Raquel

2014-01-01

The Chilean government commissioned a quasi-experimental study with a pre-/postintervention design that had two general aims: (a) to assess infants' psychoaffective developmental levels (pre-intervention phase) and (b) to evaluate whether an intervention based on the promotion of socioemotional development modifies the infant's psychoaffective development. Sixty-two institutionalized infants and their alternative caregivers were evaluated at a pre-intervention stage. An intervention then took place, with the caregivers trained according to an "attachment sensitivity manual." Results showed normal ranges of psychomotor development (64% normal, 9% delayed) and a very high frequency of attachment insecurity, as compared to the normative population (53%).The intervention significantly improved social orientation and object orientation as well as activity and reactivity levels. We conclude that although institutionalized infants in Chile do not exhibit high levels of atypical attachment, socioemotional deterioration may lead to vulnerability in present and future development. Finally, the scope of this study affected public policies regarding children, initiating a change to a foster family system and a variety of modifications in the strategies for adopting institutionalized infants. © 2014 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Total sleep deprivation decreases flow experience and mood status

PubMed Central

Kaida, Kosuke; Niki, Kazuhisa

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sleep deprivation on flow experience. Methods Sixteen healthy male volunteers of mean age 21.4±1.59 (21–24) years participated in two experimental conditions, ie, sleep-deprivation and normal sleep. In the sleep-deprived condition, participants stayed awake at home for 36 hours (from 8 am until 10 pm the next day) beginning on the day prior to an experimental day. In both conditions, participants carried out a simple reaction time (psychomotor vigilance) task and responded to a questionnaire measuring flow experience and mood status. Results Flow experience was reduced after one night of total sleep deprivation. Sleep loss also decreased positive mood, increased negative mood, and decreased psychomotor performance. Conclusion Sleep deprivation has a strong impact on mental and behavioral states associated with the maintenance of flow, namely subjective well-being. PMID:24376356

Leigh syndrome associated with a novel mutation in the COX15 gene.

PubMed

Miryounesi, Mohammad; Fardaei, Majid; Tabei, Seyed Mohammadbagher; Ghafouri-Fard, Soudeh

2016-06-01

Leigh syndrome (LS) is a subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy with a diverse range of symptoms, such as psychomotor delay or regression, weakness, hypotonia, truncal ataxia, intention tremor as well as lactic acidosis in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid or urine. Both nuclear gene defects and mutations of the mitochondrial genome have been detected in these patients. Here we report a 7-year-old girl with hypotonia, tremor, developmental delay and psychomotor regression. However, serum lactate level as well as brain magnetic resonance imaging were normal. Mutational analysis has revealed a novel mutation in exon 4 of COX15 gene (c.415C>G) which results in p.Leu139Val. Previous studies have demonstrated that COX15 mutations are associated with typical LS as well as fatal infantile hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Consequently, clinical manifestations of COX15 mutations may be significantly different in patients. Such information is of practical importance in genetic counseling.

Residual effects of hypnotics: an update.

PubMed

Hindmarch, I

1991-07-01

The sedative/hypnotic benzodiazepines introduced worldwide in the early 1960s were acclaimed for their low chemical toxicity and safety in clinical use. A decade later, some researchers and clinicians found that while all the drugs had undoubted potency and efficacy as sleep inducers and maintainers, the trade-off in residual effects (e.g., excessive daytime tiredness, poor concentration, impaired psychomotor performance, lowered mental abilities) was cause for concern. These sequelae not only affected patients' safety and ability to perform daytime tasks, but were also counter-therapeutic; the daytime sleep that was produced interfered with the natural nocturnal sleep. In a recent study, the degree to which patient abilities were impaired was measured by a number of psychomotor tests. Benzodiazepines with a duration of clinical effect of less than 8 to 10 hours produced fewer, less frequent residual effects than those with a measurable activity in excess of the normal nocturnal sleep period.

Next-day effects of ramelteon (8 mg), zopiclone (7.5 mg), and placebo on highway driving performance, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, and mood in healthy adult subjects.

PubMed

Mets, Monique A J; de Vries, Juna M; de Senerpont Domis, Lieke M; Volkerts, Edmund R; Olivier, Berend; Verster, Joris C

2011-10-01

To evaluate the next-morning residual effects of ramelteon (8 mg), zopiclone (7.5 mg), and placebo on driving performance, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, and mood in healthy adult subjects following bedtime dosing and a middle of the night awakening. Single-center, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Utrecht University, The Netherlands. 30 healthy volunteers (15 males and 15 females). a single dose of ramelteon (8 mg), zopiclone (7.5 mg), and placebo, administered at bedtime. A balance test was performed at night. Other tests were performed the following morning, 8.5 h after administration. Subjects performed a 100-km highway driving test in normal traffic. Primary outcome measure was the standard deviation of the lateral position (SDLP), i.e., the weaving of the car. After driving, cognitive, memory, and psychomotor tests were performed and mood was assessed. SDLP was significantly increased after the intake of ramelteon (+2.2 cm) and zopiclone (+2.9 cm). Ramelteon and zopiclone produced significant impairment on reaction time (P<0.024) in the Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, slow (P<0.007) and fast (P<0.010) tracking, reaction speed (P<0.015) and tracking (P<0.001) in the Divided Attention Test, and delayed recall (P<0.032) in the Word Learning Test. In contrast to ramelteon, zopiclone additionally impaired performance on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (P<0.001) and the balance test (P<0.001). Ramelteon (8 mg) and zopiclone (7.5 mg) significantly impaired driving performance, cognitive, memory, and psychomotor performance the morning following bedtime administration. In contrast to zopiclone, ramelteon produced no balance impairments. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIER: NCT00319215 (www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Extremely preterm infants small for gestational age are at risk for motor impairment at 3 years corrected age.

PubMed

Kato, Takeshi; Mandai, Tsurue; Iwatani, Sota; Koda, Tsubasa; Nagasaka, Miwako; Fujita, Kaori; Kurokawa, Daisuke; Yamana, Keiji; Nishida, Kosuke; Taniguchi-Ikeda, Mariko; Tanimura, Kenji; Deguchi, Masashi; Yamada, Hideto; Iijima, Kazumoto; Morioka, Ichiro

2016-02-01

Few studies have targeted psychomotor development and associated perinatal risk factors in Japanese very low birth weight (VLBW) infants who are severely small for gestational age (SGA). A single-center study was conducted in 104 Japanese VLBW infants who were born preterm, due to maternal, umbilical cord, or placental abnormalities, between 2000 and 2007. Psychomotor development as a developmental quotient (DQ) was assessed using the Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development at 3 years corrected age. Severely SGA was defined as birth weight or length below -2 standard deviation values of the mean values at the same gestation. VLBW infants were divided into 2 subgroups based on gestational age at birth: ⩾28 weeks (n=64) and <28 weeks (n=40). DQs of infants with severe SGA were compared with those of infants who were appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Factors associated with developmental disabilities in VLBW infants with severe SGA (n=23) were determined. In the group born at ⩾28 weeks gestation, infants with severe SGA had normal DQ values and did not significantly differ from those with AGA. However, in the group born at <28 weeks gestation, severe SGA infants had significantly lower postural-motor DQ values than AGA infants. Gestational age <28 weeks was an independent factor for low postural-motor DQ, regardless of the cause of severe SGA or pregnancy termination. Extremely preterm newborns with severe SGA are at risk of motor developmental disability at age 3 years. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Problem-Based Learning Model Used to Scientific Approach Based Worksheet for Physics to Develop Senior High School Students Characters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yulianti, D.

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the application of Problem Based Learning(PBL) model aided withscientific approach and character integrated physics worksheets (LKS). Another purpose is to investigate the increase in cognitive and psychomotor learning outcomes and to know the character development of students. The method used in this study was the quasi-experiment. The instruments were observation and cognitive test. Worksheets can improve students’ cognitive, psychomotor learning outcomes. Improvements in cognitive learning results of students who have learned using worksheets are higher than students who received learning without worksheets. LKS can also develop the students’ character.

Psychomotor retardation in depression: Biological underpinnings, measurement, and treatment

PubMed Central

Buyukdura, Jeylan S.; McClintock, Shawn M.; Croarkin, Paul E.

2013-01-01

Psychomotor retardation is a long established component of depression that can have significant clinical and therapeutic implications for treatment. Due to its negative impact on overall function in depressed patients, we review its biological correlates, optimal methods of measurement, and relevance in the context of therapeutic interventions. The aim of the paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature on psychomotor retardation in depression with the goal of enhanced awareness for clinicians and researchers. Increased knowledge and understanding of psychomotor retardation in major depressive disorder may lead to further research and better informed diagnosis in regards to psychomotor retardation. Manifestations of psychomotor retardation include slowed speech, decreased movement, and impaired cognitive function. It is common in patients with melancholic depression and those with psychotic features. Biological correlates may include abnormalities in the basal ganglia and dopaminergic pathways. Neurophysiologic tools such as neuroimaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation may play a role in the study of this symptom in the future. At present, there are three objective scales to evaluate psychomotor retardation severity. Studies examining the impact of psychomotor retardation on clinical outcome have found differential results. However, available evidence suggests that depressed patients with psychomotor retardation may respond well to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Current literature regarding antidepressants is inconclusive, though tricyclic antidepressants may be considered for treatment of patients with psychomotor retardation. Future work examining this objective aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD) is essential. This could further elucidate the biological underpinnings of depression and optimize its treatment. PMID:21044654

Evaluation of cognitive learning, memory, psychomotor, immunologic, and retinal functions in healthy puppies fed foods fortified with docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil from 8 to 52 weeks of age.

PubMed

Zicker, Steven C; Jewell, Dennis E; Yamka, Ryan M; Milgram, Norton W

2012-09-01

To assess effects of foods fortified with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich fish oil on cognitive, memory, psychomotor, immunologic, and retinal function and other measures of development in healthy puppies. Evaluation study. 48 Beagle puppies. Puppies were assigned to 3 groups after weaning (n = 16/group) and received 1 of 3 foods (low-DHA, moderate-DHA, or high-DHA food) as their sole source of nutrition until 1 year of age. Visual discrimination learning and memory tasks, psychomotor performance tasks, and physiologic tests including blood and serum analysis, electroretinography, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were performed at various time points. Anti-rabies virus antibody titers were evaluated 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after vaccination at 16 weeks of age. Foods had similar proximate analysis results but varied in concentration of DHA from fish oil; the high-DHA food also contained higher concentrations of vitamin E, taurine, choline, and l-carnitine than did other foods. The high-DHA group had significantly better results for reversal task learning, visual contrast discrimination, and early psychomotor performance in side-to-side navigation through an obstacle-containing maze than did the moderate-DHA and low-DHA groups. The high-DHA group had significantly higher anti-rabies antibody titers 1 and 2 weeks after vaccination than did other groups. Peak b-wave amplitudes during scotopic electroretinography were positively correlated with serum DHA concentrations at all evaluated time points. Dietary fortification with fish oils rich in DHA and possibly other nutrients implicated in neurocognitive development following weaning improved cognitive, memory, psychomotor, immunologic, and retinal functions in growing dogs.

[Malnutrition and cognitive development if infants in rural marginalized areas in Mexico].

PubMed

Carrasco Quintero, María Del Refugio; Ortiz Hernández, Luis; Roldán Amaro, José Antonio; Chávez Villasana, Adolfo

2016-01-01

To analyze the relationship between nutritional status measured by anthropometry and the mental, psychomotor and language development of infants in marginalized rural areas of Mexico. Cross-sectional study with 576 infants aged from 7 to 26 months in four rural locations. Variables consisted of measures of anthropometric and cognitive development. Infants with short stature had a lower rate of language development, while birth weight was marginally associated with psychomotor development. Although acute malnutrition (identified by underweight) is no longer a problem in rural areas of Mexico, chronic malnutrition (expressed as stunting) is still common and is associated with alterations in mental development in the child population. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Behavioural typologies of experienced benefit of psychomotor therapy in patients with chronic shoulder pain: A grounded theory approach.

PubMed

Stamp, Anne Schinkel; Pedersen, Lise Lang; Ingwersen, Kim Gordon; Sørensen, Dorthe

2018-05-01

In this study we aimed to develop a theoretical account of the experienced benefit of psychomotor therapy in addition to treatment as usual in patients with chronic shoulder pain. The qualitative study design was based on a grounded theory approach. Open-ended face-to-face interviews were conducted after treatment was completed. We generated data and performed analyses by constant comparative analysis and theoretical sampling that focused on the patients' behavioural characteristics related to the experienced benefit of psychomotor therapy. We conducted 12 interviews, eight of which were with men. "Regaining capability" emerged as representative of the pattern of behaviour. Through this pattern, the patients resolved concern about losing capability. Regaining capability involved three behavioural typologies: taking advice, minding the body, and encompassing life changes. The patients' behavioural typologies revealed different levels of life changes. Psychomotor therapy offered the patients in our study new and better ways of coping with their shoulder pain. Copyright © 2018 Department of Physio- and Occupational Therapy, Hospital Lillebaelt - Vejle Hospital. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of prenatal phthalate exposure on thyroid hormone levels, mental and psychomotor development of infants: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health.

PubMed

Minatoya, Machiko; Naka Jima, Sonomi; Sasaki, Seiko; Araki, Atsuko; Miyashita, Chihiro; Ikeno, Tamiko; Nakajima, Tamie; Goto, Yuko; Kishi, Reiko

2016-09-15

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is commonly used phthalates and concerns of adverse effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on neonatal thyroid hormone (TH) and neurodevelopment are increasing. However, there is no report regarding association between prenatal DEHP exposure and infant neurodevelopment including TH levels in Japanese population. Thus the aim of present study was to evaluate the associations between prenatal DEHP exposure and mental and psychomotor development of infants 6 and 18months along with investigating influence on neonatal free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the prospective birth cohort study. Maternal blood samples collected between 23 and 41weeks of gestation was analyzed for mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), metabolite of DEHP levels. Neonatal FT4 and TSH were obtained from mass screening data. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed by Bayley Scale of Infant Development second edition at 6 and 18month of age. For the final analysis, 328 participants were included. The median levels of maternal MEHP was 10.6ng/ml, neonatal TSH and FT4 was 2.20 μU/ml and 2.03ng/ml, respectively. We did not find any associations between prenatal DEHP exposure and neonatal TH levels or infant mental and psychomotor development at 6 and 18month. In this study, prenatal DEHP exposure did not show adverse effects on infant TH levels or mental and psychomotor development in early life stage. However, our previous study revealed negative effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on sex hormone levels, continuous investigation on neurodevelopment in later life in association with prenatal DEHP exposure is necessary. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assessment of visual perception in adolescents with a history of central coordination disorder in early life – 15-year follow-up study

PubMed Central

Kowalski, Ireneusz M.; Domagalska, Małgorzata; Szopa, Andrzej; Dwornik, Michał; Kujawa, Jolanta; Stępień, Agnieszka; Śliwiński, Zbigniew

2012-01-01

Introduction Central nervous system damage in early life results in both quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of psychomotor development. Late sequelae of these disturbances may include visual perception disorders which not only affect the ability to read and write but also generally influence the child's intellectual development. This study sought to determine whether a central coordination disorder (CCD) in early life treated according to Vojta's method with elements of the sensory integration (S-I) and neuro-developmental treatment (NDT)/Bobath approaches affects development of visual perception later in life. Material and methods The study involved 44 participants aged 15-16 years, including 19 diagnosed with moderate or severe CCD in the neonatal period, i.e. during the first 2-3 months of life, with diagnosed mild degree neonatal encephalopathy due to perinatal anoxia, and 25 healthy people without a history of developmental psychomotor disturbances in the neonatal period. The study tool was a visual perception IQ test comprising 96 graphic tasks. Results The study revealed equal proportions of participants (p < 0.05) defined as very skilled (94-96), skilled (91-94), aerage (71-91), poor (67-71), and very poor (0-67) in both groups. These results mean that adolescents with a history of CCD in the neonatal period did not differ with regard to the level of visual perception from their peers who had not demonstrated psychomotor development disorders in the neonatal period. Conclusions Early treatment of children with CCD affords a possibility of normalising their psychomotor development early enough to prevent consequences in the form of cognitive impairments in later life. PMID:23185199

Gene mapping of the Usher syndromes.

PubMed

Kimberling, W; Smith, R J

1992-10-01

USH is an autosomal recessive group of diseases characterized by auditory impairment and visual loss owing to RP. Two common types of USH are known, types I and II. USH type I is characterized by a congenital severe to profound hearing impairment, absent vestibular function, and a progressive pigmentary retinopathy. Persons with type I do not find hearing aids useful, have delayed motor development, and experience progressive night blindness and peripheral visual loss, which usually begins in their second decade. USH type II is characterized by a congenital moderate to severe hearing loss with a down-sloping audiogram, normal vestibular function, and a progressive pigmentary retinopathy. Persons with USH2 find hearing aids beneficial, have normal psychomotor development, and experience progressive night blindness and peripheral visual loss, which usually begins in their third decade. Vestibular dysfunction is the best distinguishing hallmark to differentiate USH type I from type II. One USH type II gene (called USH2) has been assigned to chromosome 1q. One USH type I gene has been tentatively assigned to chromosome 14q. There are other USH genes that have not yet been localized.

Sleep Deprivation and Time-on-Task Performance Decrement in the Rat Psychomotor Vigilance Task

PubMed Central

Oonk, Marcella; Davis, Christopher J.; Krueger, James M.; Wisor, Jonathan P.; Van Dongen, Hans P.A.

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: The rat psychomotor vigilance task (rPVT) was developed as a rodent analog of the human psychomotor vigilance task (hPVT). We examined whether rPVT performance displays time-on-task effects similar to those observed on the hPVT. Design: The rPVT requires rats to respond to a randomly presented light stimulus to obtain a water reward. Rats were water deprived for 22 h prior to each 30-min rPVT session to motivate performance. We analyzed rPVT performance over time on task and as a function of the response-stimulus interval, at baseline and after sleep deprivation. Setting: The study was conducted in an academic research vivarium. Participants: Male Long-Evans rats were trained to respond to a 0.5 sec stimulus light within 3 sec of stimulus onset. Complete data were available for n = 20 rats. Interventions: Rats performed the rPVT for 30 min at baseline and after 24 h total sleep deprivation by gentle handling. Measurements and Results: Compared to baseline, sleep deprived rats displayed increased performance lapses and premature responses, similar to hPVT lapses of attention and false starts. However, in contrast to hPVT performance, the time-on-task performance decrement was not significantly enhanced by sleep deprivation. Moreover, following sleep deprivation, rPVT response times were not consistently increased after short response-stimulus intervals. Conclusions: The rat psychomotor vigilance task manifests similarities to the human psychomotor vigilance task in global performance outcomes, but not in post-sleep deprivation effects of time on task and response-stimulus interval. Citation: Oonk M, Davis CJ, Krueger JM, Wisor JP, Van Dongen HPA. Sleep deprivation and time-on-task performance decrement in the rat psychomotor vigilance task. SLEEP 2015;38(3):445–451. PMID:25515099

The Adaptive Effects Of Virtual Interfaces: Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex and Simulator Sickness.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-08-07

rearrangement: a pattern of stimulation differing from that existing as a result of normal interactions with the real world. Stimulus rearrangements can...is immersive and interactive . virtual interface: a system of transducers, signal processors, computer hardware and software that create an... interactive medium through which: 1) information is transmitted to the senses in the form of two- and three dimensional virtual images and 2) psychomotor

The effect of shunt surgery on neuropsychological performance in normal pressure hydrocephalus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Peterson, Katie A; Savulich, George; Jackson, Dan; Killikelly, Clare; Pickard, John D; Sahakian, Barbara J

2016-08-01

We conducted a systematic review of the literature and used meta-analytic techniques to evaluate the impact of shunt surgery on neuropsychological performance in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Twenty-three studies with 1059 patients were identified for review using PubMed, Web of Science, Google scholar and manual searching. Inclusion criteria were prospective, within-subject investigations of cognitive outcome using neuropsychological assessment before and after shunt surgery in patients with NPH. There were statistically significant effects of shunt surgery on cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination; MMSE), learning and memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test; RAVLT, total and delayed subtests), executive function (backwards digit span, phonemic verbal fluency, trail making test B) and psychomotor speed (trail making test A) all in the direction of improvement following shunt surgery, but with considerable heterogeneity across all measures. A more detailed examination of the data suggested robust evidence for improved MMSE, RAVLT total, RAVLT delayed, phonemic verbal fluency and trail making test A only. Meta-regressions revealed no statistically significant effect of age, sex or follow-up interval on improvement in the MMSE. Our results suggest that shunt surgery is most sensitive for improving global cognition, learning and memory and psychomotor speed in patients with NPH.

[Consequences of exclusive breast-feeding in vegan mother newborn--case report].

PubMed

Mariani, A; Chalies, S; Jeziorski, E; Ludwig, C; Lalande, M; Rodière, M

2009-11-01

We report on the case of an infant who was hospitalized because of failure to thrive, megaloblastic anemia, and delayed psychomotor development. He was 10 months old and had been exclusively breast-fed by his vegan mother. Investigations showed vitamin B(12) deficiency with hematocytopenia and pervasive developmental disorders as well as vitamin K and vitamin D deficiencies. The infant's mother presented the same deficiencies. Introduction of vitamin supplementation normalized the biological disorders, and the infant showed weight gain and neurological improvement. This case highlights that a vegan diet during pregnancy followed by exclusive breast-feeding can induce nutritional deficiencies in the newborn, with clinical consequences. Detecting mother and child vitamin deficiencies and preventing them is essential.

Syndrome of proximal interstitial deletion 4p15

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fryns, J.P.

1995-09-11

In this journal, Chitayat et al. reported on 2 boys and a girl with interstitial deletion in the short arm of chromosome 4, including p15.2p15.33. All 3 patients had a characteristic face distinct from that of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and multiple minor congenital anomalies. One patient had a congenitally enlarged penis. The authors noted that all had normal growth, and all had moderate psychomotor retardation (patient 1, developmental age of 4-6 years at age 9 years; patient 2, mental age 6 years at age 25 years; and patient 3, global delay with hypotonia, difficulties in both gross and fine motor development,more » and persistent delay in language skills). 5 refs., 1 fig.« less

Oleoylethanolamide dose-dependently attenuates cocaine-induced behaviours through a PPARα receptor-independent mechanism.

PubMed

Bilbao, Ainhoa; Blanco, Eduardo; Luque-Rojas, María Jesús; Suárez, Juan; Palomino, Ana; Vida, Margarita; Araos, Pedro; Bermúdez-Silva, Francisco J; Fernández-Espejo, Emilio; Spanagel, Rainer; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando

2013-01-01

Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is an acylethanolamide that acts as an agonist of nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) to exert their biological functions, which include the regulation of appetite and metabolism. Increasing evidence also suggests that OEA may participate in the control of reward-related behaviours. However, direct experimental evidence for the role of the OEA-PPARα receptor interaction in drug-mediated behaviours, such as cocaine-induced behavioural phenotypes, is lacking. The present study explored the role of OEA and its receptor PPARα on the psychomotor and rewarding responsiveness to cocaine using behavioural tests indicative of core components of addiction. We found that acute administration of OEA (1, 5 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced spontaneous locomotor activity and attenuated psychomotor activation induced by cocaine (20 mg/kg) in C57Bl/6 mice. However, PPARα receptor knockout mice showed normal sensitization, although OEA was capable of reducing behavioural sensitization with fewer efficacies. Furthermore, conditioned place preference and reinstatement to cocaine were intact in these mice. Our results indicate that PPARα receptor does not play a critical, if any, role in mediating short- and long-term psychomotor and rewarding responsiveness to cocaine. However, further research is needed for the identification of the targets of OEA for its inhibitory action on cocaine-mediated responses. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Parental separation: a risk for the psychomotor development of children aged 28 to 32 months? A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kacenelenbogen, Nadine; Dramaix-Wilmet, Michèle; Schetgen, M; Roland, M; Godin, Isabelle

2016-07-11

In Western countries, about a quarter of children are affected by parental separation and a number of authors have previously investigated how familial structure impacts children's health. The purpose of the work: to analyze the psychomotor development of children aged 28 to 32 months based on family structure (parents together or separated), independently of the influence of socio-economic environment that is well documented. To analyse the psychomotor development of children younger than 3 years based on family structure (parents together or separated) independently of the influence of socio-economic environment that is well documented. Cross-sectional study by examination of 28 871 children as part of a free preventive medicine consultation. The data came from an assessment conducted 28 to 32 months after birth during which information was collected about the psychomotor development: to perform a standing jump, dress themselves, draw a vertical line and circle, use the "I" pronoun, build a three-word sentence, and say their first name Ten percent of the children had separated parents. Compared to parents who were together, when adjusting for the socioeconomic environment, as well as all potential confounders, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95 % confidence interval [CI]) for children with separated parents, in terms of their ability to perform a standing jump, dress themselves, and draw a vertical line and circle were respectively 0.9 (0.7-1.1), 1.1 (0.9-1.2), 1.3 (1.1-1.4) and 1.2 (1.1-1.4). The adjusted ORs (95 % CI) for children's inability to say the "I" pronoun, build a three-word sentence, and say their first name were respectively 1.2 (1.1-1.3), 1.3 (1.2-1.5), and 1.2 (0.9-1.5). After adjusting for sociocultural factors and other potential confounders, we observed that the children exhibited slower progression in psychomotor development, especially in language and graphic abilities when their parents were separated. While the implications of our study are somewhat limited, they do provide us with the necessary arguments enabling us to set up a prospective cohort study. Such a study should be able to better assess the impact of parental separation on the child's development, confirming our preliminary results.

Comprehensive simulation-enhanced training curriculum for an advanced minimally invasive procedure: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zevin, Boris; Dedy, Nicolas J; Bonrath, Esther M; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2017-05-01

There is no comprehensive simulation-enhanced training curriculum to address cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical skills for an advanced minimally invasive procedure. 1) To develop and provide evidence of validity for a comprehensive simulation-enhanced training (SET) curriculum for an advanced minimally invasive procedure; (2) to demonstrate transfer of acquired psychomotor skills from a simulation laboratory to live porcine model; and (3) to compare training outcomes of SET curriculum group and chief resident group. University. This prospective single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial allocated 20 intermediate-level surgery residents to receive either conventional training (control) or SET curriculum training (intervention). The SET curriculum consisted of cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical training modules. Psychomotor skills in a live anesthetized porcine model in the OR was the primary outcome. Knowledge of advanced minimally invasive and bariatric surgery and nontechnical skills in a simulated OR crisis scenario were the secondary outcomes. Residents in the SET curriculum group went on to perform a laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy in the OR. Cognitive, psychomotor, and nontechnical skills of SET curriculum group were also compared to a group of 12 chief surgery residents. SET curriculum group demonstrated superior psychomotor skills in a live porcine model (56 [47-62] versus 44 [38-53], P<.05) and superior nontechnical skills (41 [38-45] versus 31 [24-40], P<.01) compared with conventional training group. SET curriculum group and conventional training group demonstrated equivalent knowledge (14 [12-15] versus 13 [11-15], P = 0.47). SET curriculum group demonstrated equivalent psychomotor skills in the live porcine model and in the OR in a human patient (56 [47-62] versus 63 [61-68]; P = .21). SET curriculum group demonstrated inferior knowledge (13 [11-15] versus 16 [14-16]; P<.05), equivalent psychomotor skill (63 [61-68] versus 68 [62-74]; P = .50), and superior nontechnical skills (41 [38-45] versus 34 [27-35], P<.01) compared with chief resident group. Completion of the SET curriculum resulted in superior training outcomes, compared with conventional surgery training. Implementation of the SET curriculum can standardize training for an advanced minimally invasive procedure and can ensure that comprehensive proficiency milestones are met before exposure to patient care. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iron deficiency anemia: adverse effects on infant psychomotor development.

PubMed

Walter, T; De Andraca, I; Chadud, P; Perales, C G

1989-07-01

In a double-blind, placebo-control prospective cohort study of 196 infants from birth to 15 months of age, assessment was made at 12 months of age of the relationship between iron status and psychomotor development, the effect of a short-term (10-day) trial of oral iron vs placebo, and the effect of long-term (3 months) oral iron therapy. Development was assessed with the mental and psychomotor indices and the infant behavior record of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development in 39 anemic, 30 control, and 127 nonanemic iron-deficient children. Anemic infants had significantly lower Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Index scores than control infants or nonanemic iron-deficient infants (one-way analysis of variance, P less than .0001). Control infants and nonanemic iron-deficient infants performed comparably. No difference was noted between the effect of oral administration of iron or placebo after 10 days or after 3 months of iron therapy. Among anemic infants a hemoglobin concentration less than 10.5 g/dL and duration of anemia of greater than 3 months were correlated with significantly lower motor and mental scores (P less than .05). Anemic infants failed specifically in language capabilities and body balance-coordination skills when compared with controls. These results, in a design in which intervening variables were closely controlled, suggest that when iron deficiency progresses to anemia, but not before, adverse influences in the performance of developmental tests appear and persist for at least 3 months despite correction of anemia with iron therapy. If these impairments prove to be long standing, prevention of iron deficiency anemia in early infancy becomes the only way to avoid them.

47 patients with FLNA associated periventricular nodular heterotopia.

PubMed

Lange, Max; Kasper, Burkhard; Bohring, Axel; Rutsch, Frank; Kluger, Gerhard; Hoffjan, Sabine; Spranger, Stephanie; Behnecke, Anne; Ferbert, Andreas; Hahn, Andreas; Oehl-Jaschkowitz, Barbara; Graul-Neumann, Luitgard; Diepold, Katharina; Schreyer, Isolde; Bernhard, Matthias K; Mueller, Franziska; Siebers-Renelt, Ulrike; Beleza-Meireles, Ana; Uyanik, Goekhan; Janssens, Sandra; Boltshauser, Eugen; Winkler, Juergen; Schuierer, Gerhard; Hehr, Ute

2015-10-15

Heterozygous loss of function mutations within the Filamin A gene in Xq28 are the most frequent cause of bilateral neuronal periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH). Most affected females are reported to initially present with difficult to treat seizures at variable age of onset. Psychomotor development and cognition may be normal or mildly to moderately impaired. Distinct associated extracerebral findings have been observed and may help to establish the diagnosis including patent ductus arteriosus Botalli, progressive dystrophic cardiac valve disease and aortic dissection, chronic obstructive lung disease or chronic constipation. Genotype-phenotype correlations could not yet be established. Sanger sequencing and MLPA was performed for a large cohort of 47 patients with Filamin A associated PVNH (age range 1 to 65 years). For 34 patients more detailed clinical information was available from a structured questionnaire and medical charts on family history, development, epileptologic findings, neurological examination, cognition and associated clinical findings. Available detailed cerebral MR imaging was assessed for 20 patients. Thirty-nine different FLNA mutations were observed, they are mainly truncating (37/39) and distributed throughout the entire coding region. No obvious correlation between the number and extend of PVNH and the severity of the individual clinical manifestation was observed. 10 of the mutation carriers so far are without seizures at a median age of 19.7 years. 22 of 24 patients with available educational data were able to attend regular school and obtain professional education according to age. We report the clinical and mutation spectrum as well as MR imaging for a large cohort of 47 patients with Filamin A associated PVNH including two adult males. Our data are reassuring in regard to psychomotor and cognitive development, which is within normal range for the majority of patients. However, a concerning median diagnostic latency of 17 to 20 years was noted between seizure onset and the genetic diagnosis, intensely delaying appropriate medical surveillance for potentially life threatening cardiovascular complications as well as genetic risk assessment and counseling prior to family planning for this X-linked dominant inherited disorder with high perinatal lethality in hemizygous males.

[Leigh syndrome and leukodystrophy due to partial succinate dehydrogenase deficiency: regression with riboflavin].

PubMed

Pinard, J M; Marsac, C; Barkaoui, E; Desguerre, I; Birch-Machin, M; Reinert, P; Ponsot, G

1999-04-01

Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) deficiency is rare. Clinical manifestations can appear in infancy with a marked impairment of psychomotor development with pyramidal signs and extrapyramidal rigidity. A 10-month-old boy developed severe neurological features, evoking a Leigh syndrome; magnetic resonance imaging showed features of leukodystrophy. A deficiency in the complex II respiratory chain (succinate dehydrogenase [SDH]) was shown. The course was remarkable by the regression of neurological impairment under treatment by riboflavin. The delay of psychomotor development, mainly involving language, was moderate at the age of 5 years. The relatively good prognosis of this patient, despite severe initial neurological impairment, may be due to the partial enzyme deficiency and/or riboflavin administration.

Differentiating Challenge Reactivity from Psychomotor Activity in Studies of Children’s Psychophysiology: Considerations for Theory and Measurement

PubMed Central

Bush, Nicole R.; Alkon, Abbey; Obradović, Jelena; Stamperdahl, Juliet; Boyce, W. Thomas

2014-01-01

Current methods of assessing children’s physiologic “stress reactivity” may be confounded by psychomotor activity, biasing estimates of the relation between reactivity and health. We examine the joint and independent contributions of psychomotor activity and challenge reactivity during a protocol for children ages 5–6 (N=338). Measures of parasympathetic (RSA) and sympathetic (PEP) reactivity were calculated for social, cognitive, sensory, and emotional challenge tasks. Reactivity was calculated relative to both resting and a paired comparison task that accounted for psychomotor activity effects during each challenge. Results indicated that comparison tasks themselves elicited RSA and PEP responses, and reactivity adjusted for psychomotor activity was incongruent with reactivity calculated using rest. Findings demonstrate the importance of accounting for confounding psychomotor activity effects on physiologic reactivity. PMID:21524757

Epistemological and methodological significance of quantitative studies of psychomotor activity for the explanation of clinical depression.

PubMed

Terziivanova, Petya; Haralanov, Svetlozar

2012-12-01

Psychomotor disturbances have been regarded as cardinal symptoms of depression for centuries and their objective assessment may have predictive value with respect to the severity of clinical depression, treatment outcome and prognosis of the affective disorder. Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A). Psychomotor indicators of activity and reactivity were objectively recorded and measured by means of computerized ultrasonographic craniocorpography. We found a statistically significant correlation between disturbances in psychomotor indicators and MADRS total score (r = 0.4; P < 0.0001). The severity of HAM-A total score had no statistically significant correlation with psychomotor indicators (P > 0.05). We found that different items of MADRS and HAM-A correlated with psychomotor disturbances of different strength and significance. Objectively, measured psychomotor retardation was associated with greater severity of depressive symptoms assessed at the clinical level. Integration between different methods is needed in order to improve understanding of the psychopathology and the neurobiology of a disputable diagnosis such as clinical depression. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prader-Willi-like phenotype: investigation of 1p36 deletion in 41 patients with delayed psychomotor development, hypotonia, obesity and/or hyperphagia, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Carla S; Da Paz, José A; Kim, Chong A; Bertola, Débora R; Castro, Claudia I E; Varela, Monica C; Koiffmann, Célia P

2006-01-01

Monosomy 1p36 is one of the most commonly observed mental retardation (MR) syndromes that results in a clinically recognizable phenotype including delayed psychomotor development and/or MR, hypotonia, epilepsy, hearing loss, growth delay, microcephaly, deep-set eyes, flat nasal bridge and pointed chin. Besides, a Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS)-like phenotype has been described in patients with 1p36 monosomy. Forty-one patients presenting hypotonia, developmental delay, obesity and/or hyperphagia and behavioral problems who tested negative for PWS were investigated by FISH and/or microsatellite markers. Twenty-six were analyzed with a 1p-specific subtelomeric probe, and one terminal deletion was identified. Thirty patients (15 of which also studied by FISH) were investigated by microsatellite markers, and no interstitial 1p36 deletion was found. Our patient presenting the 1p36 deletion did not have the striking features of this monosomy, but her clinical and behavioral features were quite similar to those observed in patients with PWS, except for the presence of normal sucking at birth. The extent of the deletion could be limited to the most terminal 2.5 Mb of 1p36, within the chromosomal region 1p36.33-1p36.32, that is smaller than usually seen in monosomy 1p36 patients. Therefore, chromosome 1p36.33 deletion should be investigated in patients with hypotonia, developmental delay, obesity and/or hyperphagia and behavioral problems who test negative for PWS.

[Psychomotor re-education--movement as therapeutic method].

PubMed

Golubović, Spela; Tubić, Tatjana; Marković, Slavica

2011-01-01

Psychomotor re-education represents a multidimensional therapeutic approach in dealing with children and adults with psychomotor disorders. Therapeutic programs should be based on individual differences, abilities and capabilities, relationships, feelings and individual developmental needs as well as emotional condition of a child. BODY AND MOVEMENT AS THE Bases OF THE TREATMENT: A movement, glance, touch, voice and word, all being an integral part of a process of psychomotor re-education, are used with a purpose of helping children to discover their own body, their feelings, needs, behaviour. When moving, children discover the space of their own bodily nature, and, subsequently, gestural space and objective space. The body represents a source of pleasure and the freedom of movement, as well as one's own existence, are soon to be discovered. An adequate assessment is a precondition to design a work plan, select the best exercises for each child individually and direct the course of therapy. This is the most suitable method for treating children with slow or disharmonious development, mentally challenged children, children with speech and behaviour disorders. It is also used in the treatment of children with dyspraxic difficulties, difficulties in practognostic and gnostic development, pervasive developmental disorder and children with lateral dominance problems. Therefore, a systematic observation seems to be necessary as well as an increased number of research projects aimed at assessing results obtained by exercises in order to get a more precise insight into the process of re-education, selection of exercises, duration period and possible outcomes.

The structure of lifetime manic-hypomanic spectrum.

PubMed

Cassano, G B; Mula, M; Rucci, P; Miniati, M; Frank, E; Kupfer, D J; Oppo, A; Calugi, S; Maggi, L; Gibbons, R; Fagiolini, A

2009-01-01

The observation that bipolar disorders frequently go unrecognized has prompted the development of screening instruments designed to improve the identification of bipolarity in clinical and non-clinical samples. Starting from a lifetime approach, researchers of the Spectrum Project developed the Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR) that assesses threshold-level manifestations of unipolar and bipolar mood psychopathology, but also atypical symptoms, behavioral traits and temperamental features. The aim of the present study is to examine the structure of mania/hypomania using 68 items of the MOODS-SR that explore cognitive, mood and energy/activity features associated with mania/hypomania. A data pool of 617 patients with bipolar disorders, recruited at Pittsburgh and Pisa, Italy was used for this purpose. Classical exploratory factor analysis, based on a tetrachoric matrix, was carried out on the 68 items, followed by an Item Response Theory (IRT)-based factor analytic approach. Nine factors were initially identified, that include Psychomotor Activation, Creativity, Mixed Instability, Sociability/Extraversion, Spirituality/Mysticism/Psychoticism, Mixed Irritability, Inflated Self-esteem, Euphoria, Wastefulness/Recklessness, and account overall for 56.4% of the variance of items. In a subsequent IRT-based bi-factor analysis, only five of them (Psychomotor Activation, Mixed Instability, Spirituality/Mysticism/Psychoticism, Mixed Irritability, Euphoria) were retained. Our data confirm the central role of Psychomotor Activation in mania/hypomania and support the definitions of pure manic (Psychomotor Activation and Euphoria) and mixed manic (Mixed Instability and Mixed Irritability) components, bearing the opportunity to identify patients with specific profiles for a better clinical and neurobiological definition.

Malonyl CoA decarboxylase deficiency: C to T transition in intron 2 of the MCD gene.

PubMed

Surendran, S; Sacksteder, K A; Gould, S J; Coldwell, J G; Rady, P L; Tyring, S K; Matalon, R

2001-09-15

Malonyl CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of fatty acids synthesis. Based on reports of MCD deficiency, this enzyme is particular important in muscle and brain metabolism. Mutations in the MCD gene result in a deficiency of MCD activity, that lead to psychomotor retardation, cardiomyopathy and neonatal death. To date however, only a few patients have been reported with defects in MCD. We report here studies of a patient with MCD deficiency, who presented with hypotonia, cardiomyopathy and psychomotor retardation. DNA sequencing of MCD revealed a homozygous intronic mutation, specifically a -5 C to T transition near the acceptor site for exon 3. RT-PCR amplification of exons 2 and 3 revealed that although mRNA from a normal control sample yielded one major DNA band, the mutant mRNA sample resulted in two distinct DNA fragments. Sequencing of the patient's two RT-PCR products revealed that the larger molecular weight fragments contained exons 2 and 3 as well as the intervening intronic sequence. The smaller size band from the patient contained the properly spliced exons, similar to the normal control. Western blotting analysis of the expressed protein showed only a faint band in the patient sample in contrast to a robust band in the control. In addition, the enzyme activity of the mutant protein was lower than that of the control protein. The data indicate that homozygous mutation in intron 2 disrupt normal splicing of the gene, leading to lower expression of the MCD protein and MCD deficiency. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Association of Postpartum Maternal Morbidities with Children's Mental, Psychomotor and Language Development in Rural Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Tofail, F.; Hilaly, A.; Mehrin, F.; Shiraji, S.; Banu, S.; Huda, S.N.

2012-01-01

Little is known from developing countries about the effects of maternal morbidities diagnosed in the postpartum period on children's development. The study aimed to document the relationships of such morbidities with care-giving practices by mothers, children's developmental milestones and their language, mental and psychomotor development. Maternal morbidities were identified through physical examination at 6-9 weeks postpartum (n=488). Maternal care-giving practices and postnatal depression were assessed also at 6-9 weeks postpartum. Children's milestones of development were measured at six months, and their mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) development, language comprehension and expression, and quality of psychosocial stimulation at home were assessed at 12 months. Several approaches were used for identifying the relationships among different maternal morbidities, diagnosed by physicians, with children's development. After controlling for the potential confounders, maternal anaemia diagnosed postpartum showed a small but significantly negative effect on children's language expression while the effects on language comprehension did not reach the significance level (p=0.085). Children's development at 12 months was related to psychosocial stimulation at home, nutritional status, education of parents, socioeconomic status, and care-giving practices of mothers at six weeks of age. Only a few mothers experienced each specific morbidity, and with the exception of anaemia, the sample-size was insufficient to make a conclusion regarding each specific morbidity. Further research with a sufficient sample-size of individual morbidities is required to determine the association of postpartum maternal morbidities with children's development. PMID:22838161

[Central hypomyelination, hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and hypodontia: a new leukodystrophy].

PubMed

Vázquez-López, M; Ruiz-Martín, Y; de Castro-Castro, P; Garzo-Fernández, C; Martín-del Valle, F; Márquez-de la Plata, L

To report one patient with slowly progressive encephalopathy, ataxia, central hypomyelination, hypodontia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, the 4H syndrome. This clinical picture has been described recently and there are only four patients reported previously. A girl with a previously normal early psychomotor development, presented a slowly progressive deterioration since 15 months of age. Now, she is 14 years old, and has a severe cerebellar ataxia, with tremor and dysmetria. She can't neither walk nor remain standing alone. She has lost the sphincter control and has an immature expressive language. She has no puberal development and definitive hypodontia of upper central incisors. The brain magnetic resonance imaging shows a diffuse hypomyelination, that is confirmed with diffusion and spectroscopy studies. The hypomyelinating leukoencephalopathies are disorders with abnormally low amount of myelin. The diagnosis is difficult in most of the patients. The hypomyelinating leukoencephalopathies include classic disorders and new leukoencephalopathies, described in the past few years.

Effects of CPAP therapy on cognitive and psychomotor performances in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea: a prospective 1-year study.

PubMed

Pecotic, Renata; Dodig, Ivana Pavlinac; Valic, Maja; Galic, Tea; Kalcina, Linda Lusic; Ivkovic, Natalija; Dogas, Zoran

2018-02-16

We prospectively investigated the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on long-term cognitive and psychomotor performances, and excessive daytime sleepiness in severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. A total of 40 patients were recruited and 23 patients with severe OSA fully completed the study protocol to investigate the effects of CPAP therapy on psychomotor performance at 1, 3, and 6 months and 1 year following initiation of the therapy. Psychomotor CRD-series tests measuring reaction times of light stimulus perception, solving simple arithmetic operations, and complex psychomotor limb coordination, were used in this study. The data collected following CPAP therapy were compared to baseline values prior to the CPAP treatment for each patient. All of the measured variables improved following CPAP treatment. However, the most pronounced effect was observed in improvement of reaction times to complex psychomotor limb coordination test (p < 0.05). Self-reported evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness measured by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) showed significant decrease from 10.0 ± 1.1 before to 3.5 ± 0.5 (p < 0.001), after 1 year on CPAP therapy. The CPAP therapy improved cognitive and psychomotor performance on CRD-series tests with the most significant improvement observed in complex psychomotor limb coordination of severe OSA patients.

[Kinematic movement analyses and their application in psychiatry].

PubMed

Juckel, Georg; Mergl, Roland; Hegerl, Ulrich

2005-04-01

There is a long tradition to develop valid instruments for the exact assessment of psycho-motor dysfunctions in psychiatry. However, progress is hampered by the complexity of emotionally driven movements in psychiatric patients. Methods used up to now either remains unspecific due to only qualitative measurements or focus on the neurophysiological aspects too much. Thus, the results accomplished so far are only very general unspecific concerning different groups of psychiatric patients. In this paper, two own methods are presented which are aimed to avoid the two poles above mentioned. Kinematic analyses of facial expressions as well as handwriting movements provide quantitative and quite specific informations about psycho-motor dysfunctions of psychiatric patients and the effects of psychotropic substances. Thus, these methods are well suitable for relating them to other neurobiological parameters in order to contribute to the pathophysiological understanding of psycho-motor symptoms in psychiatric patients.

Computerized tests to evaluate recovery of cognitive function after deep sedation with propofol and remifentanil for colonoscopy.

PubMed

Borrat, Xavier; Ubre, Marta; Risco, Raquel; Gambús, Pedro L; Pedroso, Angela; Iglesias, Aina; Fernandez-Esparrach, Gloria; Ginés, Àngels; Balust, Jaume; Martínez-Palli, Graciela

2018-03-27

The use of sedation for diagnostic procedures including gastrointestinal endoscopy is rapidly growing. Recovery of cognitive function after sedation is important because it would be important for most patients to resume safe, normal life soon after the procedure. Computerized tests have shown being accurate descriptors of cognitive function. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the time course of cognitive function recovery after sedation with propofol and remifentanil. A prospective observational double blind clinical study conducted in 34 young healthy adults undergoing elective outpatient colonoscopy under sedation with the combination of propofol and remifentanil using a target controlled infusion system. Cognitive function was measured using a validated battery of computerized cognitive tests (Cogstate™, Melbourne, Australia) at different predefined times: prior to starting sedation (Tbaseline), and then 10 min (T10), 40 min (T40) and 120 min (T120) after the end of colonoscopy. Tests included the assessment of psychomotor function, attention, visual memory and working memory. All colonoscopies were completed (median time: 26 min) without significant adverse events. Patients received a median total dose of propofol and remifentanil of 149 mg and 98 µg, respectively. Psychomotor function and attention declined at T10 but were back to baseline values at T40 for all patients. The magnitude of psychomotor task reduction was large (d = 0.81) however 100% of patients were recovered at T40. Memory related tasks were not affected 10 min after ending sedation. Cognitive impairment in attention and psychomotor function after propofol and remifentanil sedation was significant and large and could be easily detected by computerized cognitive tests. Even though, patients were fully recovered 40 min after ending the procedure. From a cognitive recovery point of view, larger studies should be undertaken to propose adequate criteria for discharge after sedation.

Designing simulator-based training: an approach integrating cognitive task analysis and four-component instructional design.

PubMed

Tjiam, Irene M; Schout, Barbara M A; Hendrikx, Ad J M; Scherpbier, Albert J J M; Witjes, J Alfred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G

2012-01-01

Most studies of simulator-based surgical skills training have focused on the acquisition of psychomotor skills, but surgical procedures are complex tasks requiring both psychomotor and cognitive skills. As skills training is modelled on expert performance consisting partly of unconscious automatic processes that experts are not always able to explicate, simulator developers should collaborate with educational experts and physicians in developing efficient and effective training programmes. This article presents an approach to designing simulator-based skill training comprising cognitive task analysis integrated with instructional design according to the four-component/instructional design model. This theory-driven approach is illustrated by a description of how it was used in the development of simulator-based training for the nephrostomy procedure.

Performance Simulation: The Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rucker, Lance M.

A logical, performer-based approach to teaching psychomotor skills is described. Four phases of surgical psychomotor skills training are identified, using an example from a dental preclinical training curriculum: (1) dental students are acquainted with the postural and positional parameters of balanced psychomotor performances; (2) students learn…

The Walter Reed performance assessment battery.

PubMed

Thorne, D R; Genser, S G; Sing, H C; Hegge, F W

1985-01-01

This paper describes technical details of a computerized psychological test battery designed for examining the effects of various state-variables on a representative sample of normal psychomotor, perceptual and cognitive tasks. The duration, number and type of tasks can be customized to different experimental needs, and then administered and analyzed automatically, at intervals as short as one hour. The battery can be run on either the Apple-II family of computers or on machines compatible with the IBM-PC.

Parental tobacco consumption and child development.

PubMed

Santos, Nadine F; Costa, Raquel A

2015-01-01

To analyze the association between parental tobacco consumption and the prevalence of psychomotor development disorders in children between 6 and 22 months of age. One hundred and nine mothers, fathers, and their babies participated in the study. The sociodemographic and clinical conditions were assessed using questionnaires. Tobacco consumption was assessed using the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Child development was evaluated using the Scale of Psychomotor Development in Early Childhood. There was a significant negative correlation between the father's morning smoking (FTND) and the child's language development quotient; r=-0.41, p=0.005, r(2)=0.15. The children of mothers without nicotine dependence had a higher mean language development quotient than children of mothers with nicotine dependence; F(1, 107)=5.51, p=0.021, ηp(2)=0.05. Parental smoking appears to have a detrimental effect on child development. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Psychomotor Battery Approaches to Performance Prediction and Evaluation in Hyperbaric, Thermal and Vibratory Environments: Annotated Bibliographies and Integrative Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

Psychomotor Battery in the early 1940’s. This effort was a natural extension of the development of the Complex Coordinator in 1929. During World War...to note that manual dexterity has been reported to decrease signif - icantly at 4 ATA when the divers were exercisint aj opposed k.o a significant...each pressure level by means of .a t-test. Results on the manual dexterity task showed that, with the subjects at rest, performance deteriorated signif

PTS performance by flight- and control-group macaques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washburn, D. A.; Rumbaugh, D. M.; Richardson, W. K.; Gulledge, J. P.; Shlyk, G. G.; Vasilieva, O. N.

2000-01-01

A total of 25 young monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained with the Psychomotor Test System, a package of software tasks and computer hardware developed for spaceflight research with nonhuman primates. Two flight monkeys and two control monkeys were selected from this pool and performed a psychomotor task before and after the Bion 11 flight or a ground-control period. Monkeys from both groups showed significant disruption in performance after the 14-day flight or simulation (plus one anesthetized day of biopsies and other tests), and this disruption appeared to be magnified for the flight animal.

Establishing a curriculum for the acquisition of laparoscopic psychomotor skills in the virtual reality environment.

PubMed

Sinitsky, Daniel M; Fernando, Bimbi; Berlingieri, Pasquale

2012-09-01

The unique psychomotor skills required in laparoscopy result in reduced patient safety during the early part of the learning curve. Evidence suggests that these may be safely acquired in the virtual reality (VR) environment. Several VR simulators are available, each preloaded with several psychomotor skills tasks that provide users with computer-generated performance metrics. This review aimed to evaluate the usefulness of specific psychomotor skills tasks and metrics, and how trainers might build an effective training curriculum. We performed a comprehensive literature search. The vast majority of VR psychomotor skills tasks show construct validity for one or more metrics. These are commonly for time and motion parameters. Regarding training schedules, distributed practice is preferred over massed practice. However, a degree of supervision may be needed to counter the limitations of VR training. In the future, standardized proficiency scores should facilitate local institutions in establishing VR laparoscopic psychomotor skills curricula. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design of therapeutic clothing for sensory stimulation of children with psychomotor delay.

PubMed

Pires, Ângela; Miguel, Rui

2012-01-01

This research work was based on an experimental concept of functional clothing for children with psychomotor development limitations. No matter the analyzed pathology, all these children need sensorial stimulation because of their psychomotor difficulties, especially at fine motor skills level. The main objective was to develop functional and comfortable clothing with sensorial stimulation elements (colours, textures, fragrances, sounds, etc.). It is intended, on the one hand, to increase the autonomy of the children in what concerns the act of dressing/undressing and, on the other hand, to stimulate their learning, coordination and self-esteem. A study about the specific needs of these children concerning clothing was worked out, which consisted in inquiring their parents and therapists. Based on the inquiries results, bibliographic revision in the area of therapeutic/ interactive clothing and analysis of didactic and therapeutic material catalogues we developed a clothing prototype (sweat-shirt). The prototype was then tested by the children of the study sample and the test results were, once again, explained by the parents through the fulfilling of a prototype evaluation inquiry. This study supplied some important conclusions, more directed to the confirmation of the theme significance and to the definition of a methodology to be used in future research.

Development of a Field-Deployable Psychomotor Vigilance Test to Monitor Helicopter Pilot Performance.

PubMed

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2016-04-01

Flying a helicopter is a complex psychomotor skill. Fatigue is a serious threat to operational safety, particularly for sustained helicopter operations involving high levels of cognitive information processing and sustained time on task. As part of ongoing research into this issue, the object of this study was to develop a field-deployable helicopter-specific psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) for the purpose of daily performance monitoring of pilots. The PVT consists of a laptop computer, a hand-operated joystick, and a set of rudder pedals. Screen-based compensatory tracking task software includes a tracking ball (operated by the joystick) which moves randomly in all directions, and a second tracking ball which moves horizontally (operated by the rudder pedals). The 5-min test requires the pilot to keep both tracking balls centered. This helicopter-specific PVT's portability and integrated data acquisition and storage system enables daily field monitoring of the performance of individual helicopter pilots. The inclusion of a simultaneous foot-operated tracking task ensures divided attention for helicopter pilots as the movement of both tracking balls requires simultaneous inputs. This PVT is quick, economical, easy to use, and specific to the operational flying task. It can be used for performance monitoring purposes, and as a general research tool for investigating the psychomotor demands of helicopter operations. While reliability and validity testing is warranted, data acquired from this test could help further our understanding of the effect of various factors (such as fatigue) on helicopter pilot performance, with the potential of contributing to helicopter operational safety.

Assessing subjective and psychomotor effects of the herbal medication valerian in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Sandra; Ang-Lee, Michael K; Walker, Diana J; Zacny, James P

2004-05-01

Valerian is the common name given to the genus Valeriana, an odiferous, herbaceous perennial plant widely distributed in the temperate regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. It is among the most widely used herbal medicines in the world. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated valerian's ability to improve sleep; however, to the best of our knowledge, no study has systematically assessed subjective and psychomotor/cognitive effects of valerian in young healthy adults across a range of doses. In the present study, we sought to determine whether valerian extract (Valeriana officinalis) altered mood and/or impaired psychomotor/cognitive performance in young healthy volunteers. We examined the effects of valerian extract (600, 1200, and 1800 mg) and 10 mg diazepam (positive control) compared to placebo in 10 young healthy volunteers. Dependent measures included subjective and psychomotor variables. The valerian extract had no significant effects on any of the dependent measures. Diazepam, though, produced subjective effects as measured by four different rating scales, and impaired psychomotor/cognitive performance. The data suggest that acute administration of valerian does not have mood-altering or psychomotor/cognitive effects in young healthy volunteers.

Individual Differences in Infant Oculomotor Behavior During the Viewing of Complex Naturalistic Scenes.

PubMed

Wass, Sam V; Smith, Tim J

2014-07-01

Little research hitherto has examined how individual differences in attention, as assessed using standard experimental paradigms, relate to individual differences in how attention is spontaneously allocated in more naturalistic contexts. Here, we analyzed the time intervals between refoveating eye movements (fixation durations) while typically developing 11-month-old infants viewed a 90-min battery ranging from complex dynamic to noncomplex static materials. The same infants also completed experimental assessments of cognitive control, psychomotor reaction times (RT), processing speed (indexed via peak look during habituation), and arousal (indexed via tonic pupil size). High test-retest reliability was found for fixation duration, across testing sessions and across types of viewing material. Increased cognitive control and increased arousal were associated with reduced variability in fixation duration. For fixations to dynamic stimuli, in which a large proportion of saccades may be exogenously cued, we found that psychomotor RT measures were most predictive of mean fixation duration; for fixations to static stimuli, in contrast, in which there is less exogenous attentional capture, we found that psychomotor RT did not predict performance, but that measures of cognitive control and arousal did. The implications of these findings for understanding the development of attentional control in naturalistic settings are discussed.

Diet, Environment and Children's Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senemaud, B.

1988-01-01

This report describes the relationship between maternal malnutrition and child development. The report is divided into three sections. The first section, which describes child development, focuses on brain, mental, and psychomotor development. The second section describes the methodological difficulties of measuring effects of malnutrition on the…

Elementary Physical Education and Math Skill Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFrancesco, Charmaine; Casas, Betty

2004-01-01

Physical education programs are essential to holistic development of children, because learning occurs within several domains. In addition to addressing the psychomotor objectives related to physical development, many physical education curriculums include learning objectives geared toward facilitating the cognitive development of children. One…

Chronic ("normal pressure") hydrocephalus in childhood and adolescence. A review of 16 cases and reappraisal of the syndrome.

PubMed

Bret, P; Chazal, J

1995-12-01

"Normal pressure" hydrocephalus (NPH) is generally considered to be a disorder of the adult and geriatric population. Only a few reports have described the possible occurrence of this condition in children. A series of 16 patients aged less than 20 years forms the basis of the present report. Among these 16 patients, 11 had a clearly identified etiologic factor and 7 had had a shunt previously implanted. The majority of patients exhibited at least two elements of the adult's triad of psychomotor retardation (14 cases) and/or psychotic-like symptoms (4 cases), gait anomalies (8 cases), and sphincter disturbances (3 cases). Six patients had their intracranial pressure (ICP) monitored. ICP values were estimated to be within the normal limits for age. All the 16 patients underwent shunting or shunt revision. Surgical results were as follows (mean follow-up 20 +/- 17.2 months): a good response to shunting was obtained in 12 cases ("cured": 5, improved: 7), while the other 4 patients failed to improve. It seems likely that associated parenchymal disorders have played a major role in therapeutic failures. In children showing ventricular dilation on computed tomographic (CT) analysis and a clinical picture of subtle psychomotor deterioration, it may be difficult to distinguish an active disorder of the CSF dynamics from "arrested hydrocephalus." Since intracranial manometry cannot be undertaken as a routine procedure, less invasive methods such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap test, psychometric, or urodynamic tests deserve special attention as reliable predictors of outcome after shunting. Because most patients undergo shunting without prior assessment of their CSF pressure, the term "chronic hydrocephalus" is proposed as an alternative designation to "NPH," since there is little argument for maintaining an instrumentally based definition of the syndrome.

Teaching psychomotor skills in the twenty-first century: Revisiting and reviewing instructional approaches through the lens of contemporary literature.

PubMed

Nicholls, Delwyn; Sweet, Linda; Muller, Amanda; Hyett, Jon

2016-10-01

A diverse range of health professionals use psychomotor skills as part of their professional practice roles. Most health disciplines use large or complex psychomotor skills. These skills are first taught by the educator then acquired, performed, and lastly learned. Psychomotor skills may be taught using a variety of widely-accepted and published teaching models. The number of teaching steps used in these models varies from two to seven. However, the utility of these models to teach skill acquisition and skill retention are disputable when teaching complex skills, in contrast to simple skills. Contemporary motor learning and cognition literature frames instructional practices which may assist the teaching and learning of complex task-based skills. This paper reports 11 steps to be considered when teaching psychomotor skills.

[Comunicable diseases, mental health and exposure to environmental pollutants in population living near Las Bambas mining project before exploitation phase, Peru 2006].

PubMed

Astete, Jonh; Gastañaga, María del Carmen; Fiestas, Víctor; Oblitas, Tania; Sabastizagal, Iselle; Lucero, Martha; Abadíe, Jesús del Milagro; Muñoz, María Elena; Valverde, Ada; Suarez, Magna

2010-01-01

To determine the prevalence of communicable diseases, mental health and environmental pollutants exposure in population living near Las Bambas mining project before exploitation phase. Cross sectional study performed in 453 subjects (children and adults) living in three Apurimac region districts: Haquira, Chalhuahuacho and Progreso. Psychomotor development, intelligence quotient, anxiety and depression levels and the presence of communicable diseases (viral hepatitis B, C and delta, syphilis and HIV) were evaluated, as well as heavy metals (lead in blood, and cadmium, arsenic and mercury in urine samples) and serum cholinesterase levels. Mean age was 29 ± 17.25 years, 59.2% were female and a range of 6 to 15 years of living in the area was found. No cases of HIV, hepatitis C and delta were found, 1.4% were positive for syphilis and in relation to hepatitis B, we found 1,7% of subjects positive to total anti HBc and 0.5% positive for HBsAg. Heavy metal testing identified people with exceeding limits of mercury in 1.8% arsenic in 4.6%, lead in 24.3% and cadmium in 43.9%. Besides, 29.1% of the population had cholinesterase levels below normal range. Among children, 12.5% were at psychomotor development levels of risk; 2.1% and 3.1% suffered from mild and borderline intellectual disability (mental retardation), respectively. 34.3% of subjects older than 12 had anxiety and 17.5% depression. Evidence of heavy metal environmental pollution and presence of communicable diseases in this population were already found. Future careless mining activity could worsen the current health situation.

Wheel-running mitigates psychomotor sensitization initiation but not post-sensitization conditioned activity and conditioned place preference induced by cocaine in mice.

PubMed

Geuzaine, Annabelle; Tirelli, Ezio

2014-04-01

Previous literature suggests that physical exercise allowed by an unlimited access to a running wheel for several weeks can mitigate chronic neurobehavioral responsiveness to several addictive drugs in rodents. Here, the potential preventive effects of unlimited wheel-running on the initiation of psychomotor sensitization and the acquisition and extinction of conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by 10 mg/kg cocaine in C56BL/6J mice were assessed in two independent experiments. To this end, half of the mice were singly housed with a running wheel at 28 days of age for 10 weeks prior to psychopharmacological tests, during which housing conditions did not change, and the other half of mice were housed without running wheel. In Experiment 1, prior to initiating sensitization, psychomotor activity on the two first drug-free once-daily sessions was not affected by wheel-running. This was also found for the acute psychomotor-activating effect of cocaine on the first sensitization session. Psychomotor sensitization readily developed over the 9 following once-daily sessions in mice housed without wheel, whereas it was inhibited in mice housed with a wheel. However, that difference did not transfer to post-sensitization conditioned activity. In contrast with the sensitization results, mice housed with a wheel still expressed a clear-cut CPP which did not extinguish differently from that of the other group, a result in disaccord with previous studies reporting either an attenuating or an increasing effect of wheel-running on cocaine-induced conditioned reward. The available results together indicate that interactions between wheel-running and cocaine effects are far from being satisfactorily characterized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Salivary Pharmacodynamics and Bioavailability of Promethazine in Human Subjects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putcha, Lakshmi; Harm, Deborah L.; Nimmagudda, Ram; Berens, Kurt L.; Bourne, David W. A.

1999-01-01

The acute effects of exposure to microgravity include the development of space motion sickness which usually requires therapeutic intervention. The current drug of choice, promethazine (PMZ), has side effects which include nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, sedation and impaired psychomotor performance. In a ground-based study with commercial airline pilots and shuttle simulator trainers, we measured sleep and psychomotor performance variables, and physiological variables such as blood pressure and heart rate, as a function of circulating drug concentrations in the body. We evaluated a non-invasive sampling method (saliva) as a means of assessing pharmacodynamics following a single intramuscular (IM) dose of PMZ.

[Alobar holoprosencephaly associated with diabetes insipidus and hypothyroidism in a 10-month old infant].

PubMed

Seck, Ndiogou; Basse, Idrissa; Keita, Younoussa; Boiro, Djiril; Thiam, Lamine; Ndongo, Aliou Adoulaye; Diagne, Ibrahima

2017-01-01

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a serious brain malformation due to a failure of medial forebrain cleavage. This is an abnormality which is more often associated with craniofacial malformations, psychomotor development delay, diabetes insipidus and variable endocrine disorders. It is due to different causes including chromosomal abnormalities (trisomy 13, 18)and polymalformative syndromes (CHARGE Syndrome). Diagnosis is based on brain imaging. A few rare cases have been described in the literature. We here report the case of alobar HPE in a 10-month old infant. Diagnosis was based on cerebral CT scan performed due to delayed psychomotor development and in the absence of visible malformations. Endocrine assessment allowed to detect central diabetes insipidus and central hypothyroidism, probably of hypothalamic origin.

Modeling Psychomotor Retardation using iPSCs from MCT8-Deficient Patients Indicates a Prominent Role for the Blood-Brain Barrier.

PubMed

Vatine, Gad D; Al-Ahmad, Abraham; Barriga, Bianca K; Svendsen, Soshana; Salim, Ariel; Garcia, Leslie; Garcia, Veronica J; Ho, Ritchie; Yucer, Nur; Qian, Tongcheng; Lim, Ryan G; Wu, Jie; Thompson, Leslie M; Spivia, Weston R; Chen, Zhaohui; Van Eyk, Jennifer; Palecek, Sean P; Refetoff, Samuel; Shusta, Eric V; Svendsen, Clive N

2017-06-01

Inactivating mutations in the thyroid hormone (TH) transporter Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) cause severe psychomotor retardation in children. Animal models do not reflect the biology of the human disease. Using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we generated MCT8-deficient neural cells that showed normal TH-dependent neuronal properties and maturation. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) controls TH entry into the brain, and reduced TH availability to neural cells could instead underlie the diseased phenotype. To test potential BBB involvement, we generated an iPSC-based BBB model of MCT8 deficiency, and we found that MCT8 was necessary for polarized influx of the active form of TH across the BBB. We also found that a candidate drug did not appreciably cross the mutant BBB. Our results therefore clarify the underlying physiological basis of this disorder, and they suggest that circumventing the diseased BBB to deliver active TH to the brain could be a viable therapeutic strategy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD): a case with long-term follow-up after liver transplantation.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Paula M; Hinshaw, Jessica; Stringer, Anthony Y

2013-01-01

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare hereditary metabolic condition where the body is unable to breakdown amino acids causing toxic buildup. Acute and long-term management of MSUD involves a restricted diet and regular monitoring of amino acid levels; however, more recently liver transplants have been shown to be successful in treating this condition. Even with successful management of MSUD there is evidence from pediatric cases that shows a distinct pattern of neurocognitive deficits associated with this condition, including impaired nonverbal skills and psychomotor functioning with relatively intact verbal abilities. In the present paper, we report an adult case of MSUD with associated neurocognitive deficits and functional limitations following liver transplantation. Neuroimaging revealed no structural abnormalities, while the results from the neuropsychological evaluation showed impairment in visual-spatial processing, attention, executive functioning, and psychomotor abilities, with relative strengths in verbal skills. The patient also showed reduced adaptive functioning and mild anxiety. This case demonstrates neurocognitive deficiencies within the context of normal magnetic resonance imaging. The possible underlying mechanism of this neuropsychological profile is discussed in relation to other neurodevelopmental models.

Central additive effect of Ginkgo biloba and Rhodiola rosea on psychomotor vigilance task and short-term working memory accuracy.

PubMed

Al-Kuraishy, Hayder M

2016-01-01

The present study investigates the effect of combined treatment with Ginkgo biloba and/or Rhodiola rosea on psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and short-term working memory accuracy. A total number of 112 volunteers were enrolled to study the effect of G. biloba and R. rosea on PVT and short-term working memory accuracy as compared to placebo effects, the central cognitive effect was assessed by critical flicker-fusion frequency, PVT, and computerized N-back test. Placebo produced no significant effects on all neurocognitive tests measure P > 0.05 in normal healthy volunteers, G. biloba or R. rosea improve PVT and low to moderate working memory accuracy, The combined effect of R. rosea and G. biloba leading to more significant effect on PVT, all levels of short-term working memory accuracy and critical fusion versus flicker P < 0.01, more than of G. biloba or R. rosea when they used alone. The combined effect of R. rosea and G. biloba leading to a more significant effect on cognitive function than either G. biloba or R. rosea when they used alone.

Effects of Psychomotor Intervention Program on Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ElGarhy, Sayed; Liu, Ting

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a psychomotor intervention program (PIP) on body awareness and psychomotor concepts for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty-eight students (23 boys and 5 girls) with ASD participated in this study. Fourteen students with ASD were randomly assigned to the experimental group…

Differentiating Challenge Reactivity from Psychomotor Activity in Studies of Children's Psychophysiology: Considerations for Theory and Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Nicole R.; Alkon, Abbey; Obradovic, Jelena; Stamperdahl, Juliet; Boyce, W. Thomas

2011-01-01

Current methods of assessing children's physiological "stress reactivity" may be confounded by psychomotor activity, biasing estimates of the relation between reactivity and health. We examined the joint and independent contributions of psychomotor activity and challenge reactivity during a protocol for 5- and 6-year-old children (N = 338).…

The Effects of Kinetic Structure on Knowledge About and Performance of a Psychomotor Skill: Teaching Students to Use the Compound Microscope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Ellen Stephanie

1977-01-01

Investigates effects of method of presentation and structure on secondary student's acquisition of knowledge and psychomotor skills in teaching use of the compound microscope. Psychomotor skills and knowledge acquisitions were both found to be directly related to high structure and separated presentations. (SL)

Impact of glycemic status on longitudinal cognitive performance in men with and without HIV Infection.

PubMed

Yang, Jingyan; Jacobson, Lisa P; Becker, James T; Levine, Andrew; Martin, Eileen M; Munro, Cynthia A; Palella, Frank J; Lake, Jordan E; Sacktor, Ned C; Brown, Todd T

2018-05-08

To determine the relationship between glycemic status and cognitive performance in men living with (MLWH) and without HIV infection. A prospective HIV/AIDS cohort study in four U.S. cities between 1999 and 2016. Glycemic status was categorized as normal glucose (NG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) and uncontrolled DM at each semi-annual visit. Cognitive performance was evaluated using nine neuropsychological tests which measure attention, constructional ability, verbal learning, executive functioning, memory, and psychomotor speed. Linear mixed models were used to assess the association between glycemic status and cognition. Overall, 900 MLWH and 1149 men without HIV were included. MLWH had significantly more person-visits with IFG (52.1% vs 47.9%) and controlled DM (58.2% vs 41.8%) than men without HIV (p < 0.05). Compared to men with NG, men with DM had significantly poorer performance on psychomotor speed, executive function and verbal learning (all p < 0.05). There was no difference in cognition by HIV serostatus. The largest effect was observed in individuals with uncontrolled DM throughout the study period, equivalent to 16.5 and 13.4 years of aging on psychomotor speed and executive function, respectively, the effect of which remained significant after adjusting for HIV-related risk factors. Lower CD4+ nadir was also associated with worse cognitive performance. Abnormalities in glucose metabolism were more common among MLWH than men without HIV and were related to impaired cognitive performance. Metabolic status, along with advanced age and previous immunosuppression, may be important predictors of cognition in the modern antiretroviral therapy era.

Prenatal and early postnatal dietary sodium restriction sensitizes the adult rat to amphetamines.

PubMed

McBride, Shawna M; Culver, Bruce; Flynn, Francis W

2006-10-01

Acute sodium deficiency sensitizes adult rats to psychomotor effects of amphetamine. This study determined whether prenatal and early life manipulation of dietary sodium sensitized adult offspring to psychomotor effects of amphetamine (1 or 3 mg/kg ip) in two strains of rats. Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) dams were fed chow containing low NaCl (0.12%; LN), normal NaCl (1%; NN), or high NaCl (4%; HN) throughout breeding, gestation, and lactation. Male offspring were maintained on the test diet for an additional 3 wk postweaning and then fed standard chow thereafter until testing began. Overall, blood pressure (BP), total fluid intake, salt preference, and adrenal gland weight were greater in SHR than in WKY. WKY LN offspring had greater water intake and adrenal gland weight than did WKY NN and HN offspring, whereas WKY HN offspring had increased BP, salt intake, and salt preference compared with other WKY offspring. SHR HN offspring also had increased BP compared with other SHR offspring; all other measures were similar for SHR offspring. The low-dose amphetamine increased locomotor and stereotypical behavior compared with baseline and saline injection in both WKY and SHR offspring. Dietary sodium history affected the rats' psychomotor response to the higher dose of amphetamine. Injections of 3 mg/kg amphetamine in both strains produced significantly more behavioral activity in the LN offspring than in NN and HN offspring. These results show that early life experience with low-sodium diets produce long-term changes in adult rats' behavioral responses to amphetamine.

HIV-associated cognitive performance and psychomotor impairment in a Thai cohort on long-term cART.

PubMed

Do, Tanya C; Kerr, Stephen J; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Suksawek, Saowaluk; Klungkang, Supalak; Channgam, Taweesak; Odermatt, Christoph C; Maek-A-Nantawat, Wirach; Ruxtungtham, Kiat; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Valcour, Victor; Reiss, Peter; Wit, Ferdinand W

2018-01-01

To assess cognitive performance and psychomotor impairment in an HIV-positive cohort, well-suppressed on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), in an Asian resource-limited setting. Cross-sectional sociodemographic and cognitive data were collected in 329 HIV-positive and 510 HIV-negative participants. Cognitive performance was assessed using the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), WAIS-III Digit Symbol, Trail Making A, and Grooved Pegboard (both hands). Psychomotor test scores in the HIV-positive participants were converted to Z-scores using scores of the HIV-negative participants as normative data. Psychomotor impairment was defined as performance on two tests more than 1 standard deviation (SD) from controls or more than 2 SD on one test. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations between HIV and non-HIV-related covariates and poorer cognitive performance and psychomotor impairment. HIV-positive participants, mean age 45 (SD 7.69) years received cART for a median of 12.1 years (interquartile range [IQR] 9.1-14.4). Median CD4 cell count was 563 cells/mm 3 (IQR 435-725), and 92.77% had plasma HIV RNA <40 copies/mL. The adjusted mean differences between HIV-positive versus HIV-negative cohorts indicated significantly inferior cognitive performance (tests all P <0.001) with increasing age and lower income, independently associated. Psychomotor impairment was found ( P <0.02) in all tests except the Grooved Pegboard non-dominant hand ( P =0.48). Psychomotor impairment prevalence was 43% in the HIV-positive cohort, associated with male gender and lower income. In this study, in individuals with viral suppression rates >90% on long-term cART, we found that inferior cognitive performance and psychomotor impairment were primarily associated with non-HIV-related factors.

Psychomotor Ability and Short-term Memory, and Reading and Mathematics Achievement in Children.

PubMed

Murrihy, Cherée; Bailey, Maria; Roodenburg, John

2017-08-01

The aim of our study was to examine whether the findings from previous research, indicating the role of short-term memory as a mediator of the relationship between motor coordination and academic achievement in adolescents, is also evident in a younger child population. The study utilized a quantative cross-sectional design involving 133 children aged 8-12. The McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND) provided four indicators of psychomotor ability (Finger Nose, Walking, Balancing, and Jumping). The Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive battery and the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA) provided two measures of short-term memory (Numbers Reversed and Digit Recall) and the WJIII Achievement battery provided two measures of reading achievement (Letter-word Identification and Passage Comprehension) and two measures of mathematics achievement (Applied Problems and Calculation). Structural equation modeling was used, controlling for age, processing speed, crystallized, and fluid intelligence where appropriate. The results found support for the hypothesis that short-term memory fully mediates the relationship between psychomotor ability and reading and mathematics achievement. These findings indicate the significant affect of psychomotor ability on learning outcomes and consequently the need to assess these in considering learning difficulties, and as such these findings also advance understanding of developmental neural mechanisms underpinning the relationships. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychomotor and Perceptual Speed Abilities and Skilled Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-02-01

of the perceptual speed and touch-panel psychomotor tests used in the current project were administered to School of Dentistry students. Although...progress). Touch-panel monitor based psychomotor tests for predicting skilled performance: An exploratory study with School of Dentistry students...Paper to be submitted for presentation at the 1999 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society annual meeting. Ackerman, P. L., & Kanfer, R. (1993

Quantitative psychomotor dysfunction in schizophrenia: a loss of drive, impaired movement execution or both?

PubMed

Docx, Lise; Sabbe, Bernard; Provinciael, Pieter; Merckx, Niel; Morrens, Manuel

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of qualitative psychomotor performance levels and subaspects of the negative syndrome for quantitative motor activity levels in patients with schizophrenia. Twenty-seven stabilized patients with schizophrenia and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. An extensive battery of psychomotor performance tests (Finger Tapping Test, Purdue Pegboard Test, Line Copying Test, Neurological Evaluation Scale, Salpêtrière Retardation Rating Scale), clinical rating scales (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and 24-hour actigraphy were administered to all participants. Correlational analyses showed that motor activity levels were associated with avolition as well as clinically assessed psychomotor slowing. However, in a regression model, only avolition was found to be a significant predictor for motor activity levels in patients with schizophrenia; none of the psychomotor performance tests nor the severity of emotional expressivity deficits contributed to the model. Qualitative and quantitative psychomotor deficits seem to be independent phenomena in stabilized patients with schizophrenia. The diminishing in motor activity in patients with schizophrenia is related to a loss of drive and not to problems in the quality of movement execution. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Compare Of the West Syndrome with Other Syndromes in the Epileptic Encephalopathy - Kosovo Experience

PubMed Central

Zeka, Naim; Gërguri, Abdurrahim; Bejiqi, Ramush; Retkoceri, Ragip; Vuciterna, Armend

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: West Syndrome (WS) represents as a specific epileptic encephalopathy characterised with a unique type of attacks, called infantile spasms, severe forms of abnormalities in electroencephalographic (EEG) records as a hypsarythmias and delays in the psychomotoric development. The characteristics of the disease, mostly affecting male gender, are infantile spasms and typical findings in EEG as a hypsarythmia. Infantile spasms are a consequence of many factors in the undeveloped brain. AIM: We aimed: (1) to see the incidence of the illness and the spreading out because of gender in rapport with other syndromes in the epileptic encephalopathies group; (2) to show principles of the treatment for the illness; and (3) to present the effects of the disease in the psycho-motoric development of affected children. METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study of the patients with epileptic encephalopathies, treated in Paediatric Clinic in Prishtina, from 1st of January 2013 until the 31st of December 2015. RESULTS: From the cohort group of 97 children diagnosed with epileptic encephalopathies, in 14 of them clinical and EEG signs of WS were noted. The earliest age of disease manifestation was 74 days (± 63.8 days). On the group of children with WS, 13 of them with Natrium Valpropat were treated, with the doses of 301.9 mg (± 64.1). From the cohort group, in 89 children (91.8%) psychomotoric retardation was documented, within the higher reoccurrence in the undifferentiated epileptic encephalopathies (96%) and the WS (78.6%). CONCLUSION: WS is a frequent disease of the encephalopathies with the epileptogenic framework. The resistance in anticonvulsive therapy is huge, and psychomotoric retardation follows a big percentage of children with this syndrome. PMID:29362620

Effect of iodine status and other nutritional factors on psychomotor and cognitive performance of Filipino schoolchildren.

PubMed

Amarra, Ma Sofia V; Bongga, Demetria C; Peñano-Ho, Leticia; Cruz, Federico B; Solis, José S; Barrios, Erniel B

2007-03-01

Until 1998, iodine deficiency was a public health problem in the Philippines. A law entitled "An Act Promoting Salt Iodization Nationwide" (ASIN) has been passed and implemented by the government to eliminate iodine deficiency. The contribution of salt iodization, as well as dietary, health, and environmental factors, to improving the intellectual performance of Filipino schoolchildren remains to be determined. The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between iodine status and levels of psychomotor and cognitive performance in first-grade children aged 6 to 10 years, and to examine the extent to which dietary, biochemical, health, and environmental factors contribute to children's mental performance. Two hundred ninety children in six classroom sections from a public school in Manila were examined by measurement of urinary iodine excretion (UIE) and thyroid palpation. The median UIE level for each section was determined. Sixty-five children classified as iodine deficient (UIE < 90 microg/L with grade 1 goiter, n = 34) and non-iodine deficient (UIE > 100 microg/L without goiter, n = 31) were given psychomotor and cognitive function tests (Bender-Gestalt and Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices). Scores from the two tests were used to determine each child's general ability percentile rank. Other variables examined were dietary intake (% RDA of nutrients ingested based on two nonconsecutive 24-hour recalls); deficiencies in iron, vitamin A, and selenium; parasitic infection; coliform contamination of drinking water; household use of iodized salt; illness in the past 2 weeks; and wasting and stunting. Children whose general ability scores were at or above the 50th percentile had higher UIE levels, but the relationship was not significant. Children from sections with higher median UIE levels had higher percentile ranks for general ability (p = .002). Backward logistic regression showed that the variance in deficient and adequate mental performance was explained by dietary intakes that met > or = 80% of the RDA for energy, protein, thiamin, and riboflavin; the use of iodized salt; child's iodine status; and stunting (R2 = .520, p = .0016). Higher class median UIE was associated with better psychomotor and cognitive performance in children who were tested. Factors that contributed to better performance include higher intakes of energy, protein, thiamin, and riboflavin; household use of iodized salt; normal iodine status; and absence of stunting or chronic malnutrition. Salt iodization, accompanied by adequate intakes of energy, protein, and foods rich in thiamin and riboflavin, can contribute to improved mental performance in Filipino schoolchildren. Longer-term factors that can contribute to improved performance are achievement of normal iodine status and elimination of protein-energy malnutrition.

Quantifying auditory handicap. A new approach.

PubMed

Jerger, S; Jerger, J

1979-01-01

This report describes a new audiovisual test procedure for the quantification of auditory handicap (QUAH). The QUAH test attempts to recreate in the laboratory a series of everyday listening situations. Individual test items represent psychomotor tasks. Data on 53 normal-hearing listeners described performance as a function of the message-to-competition ratio (MCR). Results indicated that, for further studies, an MCR of 0 dB represents the condition above which the task seemed too easy and below which the task appeared too difficult for normal-hearing subjects. The QUAH approach to the measurement of auditory handicap seems promising as an experimental tool. Further studies are needed to describe the relation of QUAH results (1) to clinical audiologic measures and (2) to more traditional indices of auditory handicap.

Enhancement of autonomic and psychomotor arousal by exposures to blue wavelength light: importance of both absolute and relative contents of melanopic component.

PubMed

Yuda, Emi; Ogasawara, Hiroki; Yoshida, Yutaka; Hayano, Junichiro

2017-01-31

Blue light containing rich melanopsin-stimulating (melanopic) component has been reported to enhance arousal level, but it is unclear whether the determinant of the effects is the absolute or relative content of melanopic component. We compared the autonomic and psychomotor arousal effects of melanopic-enriched blue light of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with those of OLED lights with lesser absolute amount of melanopic component (green light) and with greater absolute but lesser relative content (white light). Using a ceiling light consisting of 120 panels (55 × 55 mm square) of OLED modules with adjustable color and brightness, we examined the effects of blue, green, and white lights (melanopic photon flux densities, 0.23, 0.14, and 0.38 μmol/m 2 /s and its relative content ratios, 72, 17, and 14%, respectively) on heart rate variability (HRV) during exposures and on the performance of psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) after exposures in ten healthy subjects with normal color vision. For each of the three colors, five consecutive 10-min sessions of light exposures were performed in the supine position, interleaved by four 10-min intervals during which 5-min PVT was performed under usual fluorescent light in sitting position. Low-frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF, 0.15-0.40 Hz) power and LF-to-HF ratio (LF/HF) of HRV during light exposures and reaction time (RT) and minor lapse (RT >500 ms) of PVT were analyzed. Heart rate was higher and the HF power reflecting autonomic resting was lower during exposures to the blue light than the green and white lights, while LF/HF did not differ significantly. Also, the number of minor lapse and the variation of reaction time reflecting decreased vigilance were lower after exposures to the blue light than the green light. The effects of blue OLED light for maintaining autonomic and psychomotor arousal levels depend on both absolute and relative contents of melanopic component in the light.

Risk Factors and Relationship Between Intestinal Parasites and the Growth Retardation and Psychomotor Development Delays of Children in Şanlıurfa, Turkey.

PubMed

Yentur Doni, Nebiye; Yildiz Zeyrek, Fadile; Simsek, Zeynep; Gurses, Gulcan; Sahin, İbrahim

2015-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for and relationship among parasitic infections, growth retardation, and psychomotor developmental delays in children aged 6 years and below. This case-control study was performed in Şanlıurfa in southeastern Turkey between October and December 2007. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, anthropometry, Ankara Development Screening Inventory, and laboratory analysis of stool specimens. The most common parasite was Giardia intestinalis (42.53%) followed by Enterobius vermicularis (27.58%), Ascaris lumbricoides (18.39%), Hymenolepis nana (5.75%), Trichuris trichiura (3.45%), Escherichia coli (1.15%), and Blastocystis spp. (1.15%). Fifty-eight percent of all children were infected with intestinal parasites; 55.2% had only one parasite, whereas 44.8% had multiple parasites. The children infected with G. intestinalis and other intestinal parasites had significantly higher levels of growth retardation and psychomotor development delay than non-infected children. Children with parasitic infections had growth delay up to 2.9 times, general development delay up to 1.9 times, language-cognitive development delay up to 2.2 times, and fine motor development delay up to 2.9 times higher than children without any parasitic infections. However, no significant relationship among intestinal parasites, gross motor development, social-self skills, and development delay was identified. The education level of parents, poor economic situation, number of households, not washing hands, playing with soil, family history of parasitic infection were the significant risk factors for intestinal parasites. Our study indicates that the presence of either malnutrition or intestinal parasites may put a child in a high-risk group for developmental delays and growth retardation. Therefore, public health interventions can embrace nationwide deworming in children.

South Carolina Guide for Child Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pough, Carmen; Evans, Hattie

South Carolina's Guide to Child Development addresses three domains of learning: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective. The first unit of the guide, Child Development I, concerns the processes of understanding prenatal development, caring for an infant, providing care for children between 1 and 6 years of age, and delivering care for the…

Individual Differences in Infant Oculomotor Behavior During the Viewing of Complex Naturalistic Scenes

PubMed Central

Wass, Sam V; Smith, Tim J

2014-01-01

Little research hitherto has examined how individual differences in attention, as assessed using standard experimental paradigms, relate to individual differences in how attention is spontaneously allocated in more naturalistic contexts. Here, we analyzed the time intervals between refoveating eye movements (fixation durations) while typically developing 11-month-old infants viewed a 90-min battery ranging from complex dynamic to noncomplex static materials. The same infants also completed experimental assessments of cognitive control, psychomotor reaction times (RT), processing speed (indexed via peak look during habituation), and arousal (indexed via tonic pupil size). High test–retest reliability was found for fixation duration, across testing sessions and across types of viewing material. Increased cognitive control and increased arousal were associated with reduced variability in fixation duration. For fixations to dynamic stimuli, in which a large proportion of saccades may be exogenously cued, we found that psychomotor RT measures were most predictive of mean fixation duration; for fixations to static stimuli, in contrast, in which there is less exogenous attentional capture, we found that psychomotor RT did not predict performance, but that measures of cognitive control and arousal did. The implications of these findings for understanding the development of attentional control in naturalistic settings are discussed. PMID:25635173

Ability Grouping in Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kneer, Marian E.

1982-01-01

Psychomotor ability differences in students are a result of innate motor ability, fitness, neurologic development, psychology, experience, and students' interests and goals. Models and procedures for serving students with ability differences, in the areas of ability identification, curriculum development, and instruction, are described. (CJ)

Dysmorphic features and developmental outcome of 2-year-old children.

PubMed

Seggers, Jorien; Haadsma, Maaike L; Bos, Arend F; Heineman, Maas Jan; Middelburg, Karin J; van den Heuvel, Edwin R; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to assess the associations between dysmorphic features and neurological, mental, psychomotor, and behavioural development in order to improve our understanding of aetiological pathways leading to minor developmental problems. In our cross-sectional study, 272 generally healthy 2-year-olds (143 males, 129 females; median gestational age 39 weeks, [range 30-43wks]), born after a parental history of subfertility either with or without fertility treatment, were examined. Dysmorphic features were classified as abnormalities (clinically relevant or not), minor anomalies, or common variants according to Merks' classification system. Hempel's neurological assessment resulted in a neurological optimality score (NOS) and fluency score. Mental and psychomotor development were assessed with the Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and behavioural development with the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist. Of the different types of dysmorphic feature, clinically relevant abnormalities were most strongly associated with a lower NOS (difference -2.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.23 to -0.83) and fluency score (difference -0.62, 95% CI -1.1 to -0.15). The presence of one or more abnormalities (clinically relevant or not) or one or more common variants was significantly associated with a lower NOS, and the presence of three or more minor anomalies was associated with lower fluency scores. Dysmorphic features were not associated with mental, psychomotor, or behavioural development. As dysmorphic features originate during the first trimester of pregnancy, the association between dysmorphic features and minor alterations in neurodevelopment may suggest an early ontogenetic origin of subtle neurological deviations. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Preterm infants fed nutrient-enriched formula until 6 months show improved growth and development.

PubMed

Jeon, Ga Won; Jung, Yu Jin; Koh, Sun Young; Lee, Yeon Kyung; Kim, Kyung Ah; Shin, Son Moon; Kim, Sung Shin; Shim, Jae Won; Chang, Yun Sil; Park, Won Soon

2011-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of feeding nutrient-enriched preterm formula to preterm infants until 6 months' corrected age (CA) on growth and development in the first 18 months of life. Very low-birthweight preterm infants were fed preterm formula until term (40 weeks CA). Infants were then assigned to one of three groups and were fed term formula until 6 months' CA (group 1, n= 29); preterm formula to 3 months' CA and then term formula to 6 months' CA (group 2, n= 30); or preterm formula until 6 months' CA (group 3, n= 31). Anthropometry was performed at term, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and at s18 months' CA. Mental and psychomotor development were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II at 18 months' CA. Although body weight, length, head circumference and z score for CA at term in group 3 were significantly lower than those of groups 1 and 2, growth rates of these parameters were significantly higher in group 3 up to 18 months CA', as compared to groups 1 and 2. The mental developmental index and psychomotor developmental index of the Bayley test were not significantly different between the three groups. Very low-birthweight preterm infants fed nutrient-enriched preterm formula until 6 months' CA demonstrated significantly improved growth rates for bodyweight, length and head circumference, and comparable mental and psychomotor development throughout the first 18 months of life. © 2011 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2011 Japan Pediatric Society.

How the Arts Develop the Young Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, David A.

2006-01-01

The arts play an important role in human development, enhancing the growth of cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor pathways. Neuroscience research reveals the impressive impact of arts instruction, such as, music, drawing and physical activity, on students' cognitive, social and emotional development. Much of what young children do as…

Maternal stress during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children during the first 2 years of life.

PubMed

Polanska, Kinga; Krol, Anna; Merecz-Kot, Dorota; Jurewicz, Joanna; Makowiec-Dabrowska, Teresa; Chiarotti, Flavia; Calamandrei, Gemma; Hanke, Wojciech

2017-03-01

A growing body of literature documents associations between maternal stress in pregnancy and child development, but findings across studies are often inconsistent. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between exposure to different kinds of prenatal stress and child psychomotor development. The study population consisted of 372 mother-child pairs from Polish Mother and Child Cohort. The analysis was restricted to the women who worked at least 1 month during pregnancy period. Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy was assessed based on: the Subjective Work Characteristics Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale and Social Readjustment Rating Scale. The level of satisfaction with family functioning and support was evaluated by APGAR Family Scale. Child psychomotor development was assessed at the 12th and 24th months of age by Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Negative impact on child cognitive development at the age of two was observed for the Perceived Stress Scale (β = -0.8; P = 0.01) and the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (β = -0.4; P = 0.03) after adjusting for the variety of confounders. Occupational stress, as well as satisfaction with family functioning, was not significantly associated with child psychomotor development (P > 0.05). The study supports the findings that prenatal exposure to maternal stress is significantly associated with decreased child cognitive functions. In order to further understand and quantify the effects of prenatal stress on child neurodevelopment further studies are needed. This will be important for developing interventions that provide more assistance to pregnant women, including emotional support or help to manage psychological stress. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Selenium status in pregnancy influences children's cognitive function at 1.5 years of age.

PubMed

Skröder, Helena M; Hamadani, Jena D; Tofail, Fahmida; Persson, Lars Åke; Vahter, Marie E; Kippler, Maria J

2015-10-01

Selenium deficiency has been shown to affect the neurological development in animals, but human research in this area is scarce. We aimed to assess the impact of selenium status during pregnancy on child development at 1.5 years of age. This prospective cohort study was nested into a food and micronutrient supplementation trial (MINIMat) conducted in rural Bangladesh. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we measured selenium concentrations in erythrocyte fraction of blood collected from 750 mothers at gestational week 30, and calculated μg per g hemoglobin. A revised version of Bayley Scales of Infant Development was used to assess children's mental and psychomotor development. A Bangladeshi version of MacArthur's Communicative Development Inventory was used to assess language comprehension and expression. Linear regression analyses adjusted for multiple covariates were used to assess the associations. Maternal erythrocyte selenium concentrations varied considerably, from 0.19 to 0.87 μg/g hemoglobin (median 0.46 μg/g hemoglobin), and were associated with developmental measures. An increase in erythrocyte selenium by 0.50 μg/g hemoglobin was associated with an increase in children's language comprehension by 3.7 points (0.5 standard deviations; 95% confidence interval: 0.40, 7.1; p = 0.028). The same increase in erythrocyte selenium corresponded to an increase in the girls' psychomotor development by 12 points (0.9 standard deviation; 95% confidence interval: 4.3, 19; p = 0.002), but much less in boys. Low prenatal selenium status seems to be disadvantageous for children's psychomotor and language development. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Multimedia Design Principles in the Psychomotor Domain: The Effect of Multimedia and Spatial Contiguity on Students' Learning of Basic Life Support with Task Cards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iserbyt, Peter; Mols, Liesbet; Elen, Jan; Behets, Daniel

2012-01-01

This study adds to the literature by introducing multimedia research in the psychomotor area. In this study, 87 freshman students in pedagogy used task cards to learn Basic Life Support (BLS), a psychomotor skill consisting of nine lifesaving actions to be performed in a specific order. Task cards are printed materials and are often implemented…

Web-based Learning and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning for psychomotor skill acquisition: perspectives of medical undergraduate students.

PubMed

Koh, Jansen; Cheung, Jeffrey J H; Mackinnon, Kim; Brett, Clare; Kapralos, Bill; Dubrowski, Adam

2013-01-01

There is a lack of evidence for the use of Web-based Learning (WBL) and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) for acquiring psychomotor skills in medical education. In this study, we surveyed medical undergraduate students attending a simulation based training session for central line insertion on their perspectives and utilization of WBL and CSCL for acquisition of a complex psychomotor skill.

Impact of Excellence in Armor Program on Soldier Performance in One Station Unit Training

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

soldiers and 83 NT soldiers matched on cognitive and psychomotor abilities. ASVAB and Project Alpha predictor batter (PAPB) performance data were...34(Continued) administered to 83 ET soldiers and 83 NT soldiers matched on cognitive and psychomotor abilities. ASVAB and Project A predictor battery...loading, driving, or gunnery performance on the basis of cognitive , perceptual, psychomotor, or biodata measures. This past research is germane to

[Phenylketonuria diagnosed during the neonatal period and breast feeding].

PubMed

Cornejo, Verónica; Manríquez, Viviana; Colombo, Marta; Mabe, Paulina; Jiménez, Mónica; De la Parra, Alicia; Valiente, Alf; Raimann, Erna

2003-11-01

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is due to of a defect in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (12q22-24.1) leading to hyperphenylalaninemia. Treatment consists in a low phenylalanine (Phe) diet. To evaluate the evolution of early diagnosed PKU children, receiving direct breast feeding, and a special formula without Phe, during their first six months of life. Nineteen PKU children diagnosed in the neonatal period (19.29 +/- 13.8 days of age), treated with breast feeding and formula without Phe since diagnosis, were studied. Intake of calories, proteins and dietary Phe were quantified. Blood Phe, nutritional status and psychomotor development were also measured. The diet that these children received during the 6 months period of study, had a mean of 127 +/- 19.9 Kcal/kg/day, 1.95 +/- 0.3 g protein/kg/day and 35.3 +/- 9.5 mg Phe/kg/day. Fifteen children maintained the blood level of Phe under 8 mg/dl, considered an excellent metabolic control. Only 4 cases had intermittently high levels, between 10-12 mg/dl. At 6 months of age, 74% of the children maintained breast feeding as the only source of Phe. Sixty three percent had a normal nutritional status, 5.2% were at nutritional risk and 31.6% were overweight. Eighty one percent had a normal mental development. The use of direct breast feeding allows a good metabolic control and improves growth and development of early diagnosed PKU children.

Transient hypothyroidism in infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis--a nationwide study of twenty-three cases. The Transient Hypothyroidism Study Group.

PubMed

Matsuura, N; Konishi, J

1990-06-01

To define the difference in prognosis and the clinical features of transient neonatal hypothyroidism in infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis, we conducted a nationwide study of this condition. Sixteen mothers with chronic thyroiditis and twenty-three of their offspring with transient hypothyroidism were registered and reported in this paper. Five (group A) of twenty-two live infants showed physical, mental and/or psychomotor developmental delay (IQ below 80). No significant difference between TSH-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) or thyroid-stimulation blocking antibody (TSBAb) activities in groups A and B (normal development) were noted. Moreover, there was no significant difference in thyroid function in the newborn period, ages at the start of thyroid medication or the dose and duration of treatment in the two groups. A striking difference observed between the two groups was the thyroid function of their mothers during pregnancy. In group A, four mothers were hypothyroid during pregnancy, and another mother discontinued thyroid medication in the last trimester and her baby was most delayed at the start thyroid medication. On the other hand, the mothers of only two of seventeen live cases in group B had mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy. There were two sets of siblings whose mother received inadequate treatment during the first pregnancy and adequate treatment during the second pregnancy. The psychomotor, physical and mental developmental delay were observed in their first babies. These findings suggested that maternal thyroid function during pregnancy might be an important factor in the prognosis of infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis.

Association of subjective memory complaint and depressive symptoms with objective cognitive functions in prodromal Alzheimer's disease including pre-mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Seo, Eun Hyun; Kim, Hoowon; Choi, Kyu Yeong; Lee, Kun Ho; Choo, Il Han

2017-08-01

Subjective memory complaints (SMC) and depressive symptoms (SDS) are common in the elderly population. However, the relationship among SMC, SDS, and cognitive function remains unclear. We investigated these associations in the elderly from cognitively normal (CN), pre-mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and amnestic MCI (aMCI) groups. Participants (CN, 299; pre-MCI, 106; aMCI, 267) underwent comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. and self-report SMC and SDS questionnaires. SMC and SDS were administered in a self-report format. For each neuropsychological test z-score, stepwise multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the relative contribution of SMC, SDS, and their interactions. SMC are associated with lower objective memory, while SDS are associated with lower psychomotor speed. Interactions between SMC and SDS were significant for tests of memory, executive function, psychomotor speed, and global cognition. Additional analyses revealed that SDS moderated the SMC-cognition relationship such that only individuals with higher SDS showed significant SMC-cognition associations. Due to the cross-sectional design, associations among SMC, SDS, and cognitive function was rather weak, albeit significant. Additionally, future biomarker studies, such as those assessing amyloid burden, are needed to explore the mechanisms underlying the relationship among SMC, SDS, and cognitive function. Early identification of individuals at risk for developing abnormal cognitive changes is critical. Our findings from the study involving a large sample of carefully selected participants suggest that SMC and SDS could be used as early detection markers of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Relationship of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation to neurodevelopmental outcome and brain magnetic resonance imaging at 1 year of age in infants undergoing biventricular repair.

PubMed

Kussman, Barry D; Wypij, David; Laussen, Peter C; Soul, Janet S; Bellinger, David C; DiNardo, James A; Robertson, Richard; Pigula, Frank A; Jonas, Richard A; Newburger, Jane W

2010-07-20

Near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation (rSo(2)) has become routine in many centers, but no studies have reported the relationship of intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy to long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes after cardiac surgery. Of 104 infants undergoing biventricular repair without aortic arch reconstruction, 89 (86%) returned for neurodevelopmental testing at 1 year of age. The primary near-infrared spectroscopy variable was the integrated rSo(2) (area under the curve) for rSo(2)

The effects of physiological arousal on cognitive and psychomotor performance among individuals with high and low anxiety sensitivity.

PubMed

Barnard, Kirsten E; Broman-Fulks, Joshua J; Michael, Kurt D; Webb, Rosemary M; Zawilinski, Laci L

2011-03-01

Information-processing models of anxiety posit that anxiety pathology is associated with processing biases that consume cognitive resources and may detract from one's ability to process environmental stimuli. Previous research has consistently indicated that high anxiety has a negative impact on cognitive and psychomotor performance. Anxiety sensitivity, or the fear of anxiety and anxiety-related arousal sensations, is an anxiety vulnerability factor that has been shown to play a role in the development and maintenance of panic attacks and panic disorder. However, relatively little is known regarding the potential impact of anxiety sensitivity on performance. In the present study, 105 college students who scored either high (≥ 24) or low (≤ 14) on the Anxiety Sensitivity Index were randomly assigned to complete a series of arousal-induction tasks or no activity, followed immediately by three cognitive and psychomotor performance tasks: digit span - backward, math fluency, and grooved pegboard. Results indicated that participants with high anxiety sensitivity performed comparably to individuals with low anxiety sensitivity on each task, regardless of arousal level.

Subcortical heterotopia appearing as huge midline mass in the newborn brain.

PubMed

Fukumura, Shinobu; Watanabe, Toshihide; Kimura, Sachiko; Ochi, Satoko; Yoshifuji, Kazuhisa; Tsutsumi, Hiroyuki

2016-02-01

We report the case of a 2-year-old boy who showed a huge midline mass in the brain at prenatal assessment. After birth, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a conglomerate mass with an infolded microgyrus at the midline, which was suspected as a midline brain-in-brain malformation. MRI also showed incomplete cleavage of his frontal cortex and thalamus, consistent with lobar holoprosencephaly. The patient underwent an incisional biopsy of the mass on the second day of life. The mass consisted of normal central nervous tissue with gray and white matter, representing a heterotopic brain. The malformation was considered to be a subcortical heterotopia. With maturity, focal signal changes and decreased cerebral perfusion became clear on brain imaging, suggesting secondary glial degeneration. Coincident with these MRI abnormalities, the child developed psychomotor retardation and severe epilepsy focused on the side of the intracranial mass.

Toxoplasma gondii genotypes isolated from pregnant women with follow-up of infected children in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Higa, Lourenço T; Garcia, João L; Su, Chunlei; Rossini, Rita C; Falavigna-Guilherme, Ana L

2014-04-01

Toxoplasma gondii populations that perpetuate in South America's natural ecosystems display broad genetic diversity, but the impact of this diversity on humans is generally unknown. In this short communication, we depict the genotypic traits of four isolates related to congenital parasitism as it emerges in Southern Brazil. Using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism markers SAG1, 5'3'SAG2, alt. SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Three of the four strains (TgCTBral, TgCTBrv, and TgCTBrac) were identified as ToxoDB genotype #166. Three children displayed normal cognitive/psychomotor development, and one child displayed Sabin's tetrad (TgCTBral). Vertical transmission of the two genotypes was observed and contributes to knowledge of T. gondii strains isolated from humans in Brazil.

The effect of clobazam and lorazepam on the psychomotor performance of anxious patients

PubMed Central

Oblowitz, H.; Robins, A. H.

1983-01-01

1 Psychomotor performance and anxiety were measured in 70 anxious outpatients in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing the 1,5-benzodiazepine clobazam (10 mg twice a day) to lorazepam (1 mg twice a day). Carefully selected tests were administered pre-treatment and at 2 and 9 days after treatment. Compliance was checked by blood assays. 2 All three treatment groups (clobazam, lorazepam and placebo) showed a significant improvement in anxiety over the course of the trial. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of anxiety reduction. 3 All three groups improved over the course of the trial in choice reaction time, digit symbol substitution test, Purdue pegboard test (both hands) and in the Inglis paired-associate learning test: there were no significant differences between the groups with regard to these tests. There was no change in critical flicker fusion threshold over the trial period in any of the three groups. 4 The placebo and clobazam groups showed a significant improvement in two of the Purdue pegboard tests (preferred hand and assembly) from pre-treatment to 2 days but no further improvement at 9 days. The lorazepam group, however, showed no improvement in these two tests from pre-treatment to 2 days; a significant improvement only emerged between the 2-day and 9-day assessments. This might reflect an initial, transient sedation in the lorazepam-treated patients. 5 Generally, we failed to demonstrate any consistent impairment in psychomotor performance with either clobazam or lorazepam in our anxious patients. These findings contrast with those obtained after administration of 1,4-benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam) to normal volunteers and they suggest that data from the latter cannot necessarily be extrapolated to anxious patients. PMID:6136292

Building and Retaining the Career Force: New Procedures for Accessing and Assigning Army Enlisted Personnel: Annual Report 1990 Fiscal Year

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

researched, valid measure of general cognitive abilities. However, many critical Army tasks appear to require psychomotor and perceptual skills for their...temperament (achievement, discipline, stress toler- ance), psychomotor ability (e.g., eye-hand coordination), and spatial ability to job performance...answered: (1) What combinations of aptitude, temperament, psychomotor ability, and spatial ability, measured at or before entry into the Army, best

Psychomotor development index in children younger than 6 years from Argentine provinces.

PubMed

Lejarraga, Horacio; Kelmansky, Diana M; Masautis, Alicia; Nunes, Fernando

2018-04-01

To obtain a psychomotor development index (PDI) for each Argentine province. Using a national, probabilistic, and stratified sample of 13 323 male and female children younger than 6 years selected for the National Survey on Nutrition and Health (Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición y Salud, ENNyS 2004), we estimated the PDI per province based on compliance with 10 developmental milestones. The median age at attainment (median age) of each milestone was estimated adjusting a logistic regression. The PDI was estimated as 100* (1 + b), where "b" is the regression coefficient of y= a + b x, where "y" is the median age as per the national reference (x) minus the median age at attainment of a milestone. The theoretical value expected for the PDI was 100. The PDI per province ranged between 72.1 and 106.4. Most provinces showed a negative regression coefficient, which indicated a progressive increase of the delay in the age at attainment of milestones. The correlation coefficient between the PDI per province and infant mortality in 2005was extremely high: -0.85, suggesting that both indicators share similar biological and social determinants. The PDI was negative because the higher the mortality, the lower the PDI. We have now a positive health indicator available in Argentina: the psychomotor development index, which is a low-cost, easy to collect, and reliable tool that may be used in national health statistics. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

Something about China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowen, Sonia; And Others

The major objective of this instructional program on the People's Republic of China is to help elementary grade students develop an understanding and tolerance of cultural relativism. The development of intellectual, affective, and psychomotor skills through the utilization of subject matter is also an important objective of the program. The…

Physical Education Objectives. DOD Dependents Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dependents Schools (DOD), Washington, DC.

These program objectives were developed to support the Department of Defense Dependent Schools Five Year Curriculum Development Plan and are designed to provide a basis for elementary, middle, and secondary school physical education curricula. A balance of psychomotor, cognitive, and affective aspects is emphasized. General, program, and…

The Effect of Low Dose Iron and Zinc Intake on Child Micronutrient Status and Development during the First 1000 Days of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Petry, Nicolai; Olofin, Ibironke; Boy, Erick; Donahue Angel, Moira; Rohner, Fabian

2016-11-30

Adequate supply of micronutrients during the first 1000 days is essential for normal development and healthy life. We aimed to investigate if interventions administering dietary doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of iron and zinc within the window from conception to age 2 years have the potential to influence nutritional status and development of children. To address this objective, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized fortification, biofortification, and supplementation trials in women (pregnant and lactating) and children (6-23 months) delivering iron or zinc in doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) levels was conducted. Supplying iron or zinc during pregnancy had no effects on birth outcomes. There were limited or no data on the effects of iron/zinc during pregnancy and lactation on child iron/zinc status, growth, morbidity, and psychomotor and mental development. Delivering up to 15 mg iron/day during infancy increased mean hemoglobin by 4 g/L ( p < 0.001) and mean serum ferritin concentration by 17.6 µg/L ( p < 0.001) and reduced the risk for anemia by 41% ( p < 0.001), iron deficiency by 78% (ID; p < 0.001) and iron deficiency anemia by 80% (IDA; p < 0.001), but had no effect on growth or psychomotor development. Providing up to 10 mg of additional zinc during infancy increased plasma zinc concentration by 2.03 µmol/L ( p < 0.001) and reduced the risk of zinc deficiency by 47% ( p < 0.001). Further, we observed positive effects on child weight for age z -score (WAZ) ( p < 0.05), weight for height z -score (WHZ) ( p < 0.05), but not on height for age z -score (HAZ) or the risk for stunting, wasting, and underweight. There are no studies covering the full 1000 days window and the effects of iron and zinc delivered during pregnancy and lactation on child outcomes are ambiguous, but low dose daily iron and zinc use during 6-23 months of age has a positive effect on child iron and zinc status.

The Effect of Low Dose Iron and Zinc Intake on Child Micronutrient Status and Development during the First 1000 Days of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Petry, Nicolai; Olofin, Ibironke; Boy, Erick; Donahue Angel, Moira; Rohner, Fabian

2016-01-01

Adequate supply of micronutrients during the first 1000 days is essential for normal development and healthy life. We aimed to investigate if interventions administering dietary doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of iron and zinc within the window from conception to age 2 years have the potential to influence nutritional status and development of children. To address this objective, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized fortification, biofortification, and supplementation trials in women (pregnant and lactating) and children (6–23 months) delivering iron or zinc in doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) levels was conducted. Supplying iron or zinc during pregnancy had no effects on birth outcomes. There were limited or no data on the effects of iron/zinc during pregnancy and lactation on child iron/zinc status, growth, morbidity, and psychomotor and mental development. Delivering up to 15 mg iron/day during infancy increased mean hemoglobin by 4 g/L (p < 0.001) and mean serum ferritin concentration by 17.6 µg/L (p < 0.001) and reduced the risk for anemia by 41% (p < 0.001), iron deficiency by 78% (ID; p < 0.001) and iron deficiency anemia by 80% (IDA; p < 0.001), but had no effect on growth or psychomotor development. Providing up to 10 mg of additional zinc during infancy increased plasma zinc concentration by 2.03 µmol/L (p < 0.001) and reduced the risk of zinc deficiency by 47% (p < 0.001). Further, we observed positive effects on child weight for age z-score (WAZ) (p < 0.05), weight for height z-score (WHZ) (p < 0.05), but not on height for age z-score (HAZ) or the risk for stunting, wasting, and underweight. There are no studies covering the full 1000 days window and the effects of iron and zinc delivered during pregnancy and lactation on child outcomes are ambiguous, but low dose daily iron and zinc use during 6–23 months of age has a positive effect on child iron and zinc status. PMID:27916873

The Flinders Sensitive Line rat: a selectively bred putative animal model of depression.

PubMed

Overstreet, David H; Friedman, Elliot; Mathé, Aleksander A; Yadid, Gal

2005-01-01

The Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats were originally selectively bred for increased responses to an anticholinesterase agent. The FSL rat partially resembles depressed individuals because it exhibits reduced appetite and psychomotor function but exhibits normal hedonic responses and cognitive function. The FSL rat also exhibits sleep and immune abnormalities that are observed in depressed individuals. Neurochemical and/or pharmacological evidence suggests that the FSL rat exhibits changes consistent with the cholinergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, NPY, and circadian rhythm models but not the noradrenergic, HPA axis or GABAergic models of depression. However, evidence for the genetic basis of these changes is lacking and it remains to be determined which, if any, of the neurochemical changes are primary to the behavioral alterations. The FSL rat model has been very useful as a screen for antidepressants because known antidepressants reduced swim test immobility when given chronically and psychomotor stimulants did not. Furthermore, rolipram and a melatonin agonist were shown to have anti-immobility effects in the FSL rats and later to have antidepressant effects in humans. Thus, the FSL rat model of depression exhibits some behavioral, neurochemical, and pharmacological features that have been reported in depressed individuals and has been very effective in detecting antidepressants.

Psychomotor epileptic symptoms in six patients with bipolar mood disorders.

PubMed

Lewis, D O; Feldman, M; Greene, M; Martinez-Mustardo, Y

1984-12-01

Of 12 consecutive patients with bipolar mood disorders satisfying DSM-III criteria, six were discovered to have five or more psychomotor epileptic symptoms. All of the six had olfactory hallucinations, metamorphopsias, and multiple déjà vu or mystical experiences. Each of them responded to lithium carbonate and had a first-degree relative with a bipolar disorder. The authors suggest that psychomotor symptoms may be more prevalent in bipolar patients than has hitherto been recognized.

Organizational and operational capabilities of specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan.

PubMed

Alloh, D; Nandjui, B; Bombo, J; Manou, B; Twoolys, A; Alloukou, R; Ake, N; Konate-Konan, E; Pillah, L; Coulibaly, A

2009-06-01

To describe the organizational and operational capabilities of specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. This descriptive study was carried out from February to May, 2006 at the various specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability that exist in the district of Abidjan. The procedure comprised a clinical description of the disabled children admitted to these centres and an assessment of the centres' organization and operational capabilities. Six specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability were identified, namely the Infant Guidance Centre, the Awakening and Stimulation Centre for disabled Children, the "Sainte-Magdeleine" Centre, the Medical and Training Institute, the "Page Blanche" institute and the "Colombes Notre Dame de la Paix" Centre. Among the children, 97.15% were day patients, 66.37% were mentally challenged, 30.96% had psychomotor impairment and 2.66% had motor impairments. The level of organization varied but the centres nevertheless had operational administrative, medical and paramedical staff, despite the absence of certain specialties. However, the lack of personnel, equipment and infrastructure is hindering the delivery of adequate services to the children. In Abidjan District, reception centres for children with psychomotor impairments are essentially privately run. Organizational and operational performances were suboptimal, with a low carer-to-patient ratio. Reinforcement of the centres' operational capabilities appears to be necessary.

Smoked Cannabis' Psychomotor and Neurocognitive Effects in Occasional and Frequent Smokers

PubMed Central

Desrosiers, Nathalie A.; Ramaekers, Johannes G.; Chauchard, Emeline; Gorelick, David A.; Huestis, Marilyn A.

2015-01-01

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in cannabis, impairs psychomotor performance, cognition and driving ability; thus, driving under the influence of cannabis is a public safety concern. We documented cannabis' psychomotor, neurocognitive, subjective and physiological effects in occasional and frequent smokers to investigate potential differences between these smokers. Fourteen frequent (≥4x/week) and 11 occasional (<2x/week) cannabis smokers entered a secure research unit ∼19 h prior to smoking one 6.8% THC cigarette. Cognitive and psychomotor performance was evaluated with the critical tracking (CTT), divided attention (DAT), n-back (working memory) and Balloon Analog Risk (BART) (risk-taking) tasks at −1.75, 1.5, 3.5, 5.5 and 22.5 h after starting smoking. GLM (General Linear Model) repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to compare scores. Occasional smokers had significantly more difficulty compensating for CTT tracking error compared with frequent smokers 1.5 h after smoking. Divided attention performance declined significantly especially in occasional smokers, with session × group effects for tracking error, hits, false alarms and reaction time. Cannabis smoking did not elicit session × group effects on the n-back or BART. Controlled cannabis smoking impaired psychomotor function, more so in occasional smokers, suggesting some tolerance to psychomotor impairment in frequent users. These data have implications for cannabis-associated impairment in driving under the influence of cannabis cases. PMID:25745105

The Importance of Team Sex Composition in Team-Training Research Employing Complex Psychomotor Tasks.

PubMed

Jarrett, Steven M; Glaze, Ryan M; Schurig, Ira; Arthur, Winfred

2017-08-01

The relationship between team sex composition and team performance on a complex psychomotor task was examined because these types of tasks are commonly used in the lab-based teams literature. Despite well-documented sex-based differences on complex psychomotor tasks, the preponderance of studies-mainly lab based-that use these tasks makes no mention of the sex composition of teams across or within experimental conditions. A sample of 123 four-person teams with varying team sex composition learned and performed a complex psychomotor task, Steal Beasts Pro PE. Each team completed a 5-hr protocol whereby they conducted several performance missions. The results indicated significant large mean differences such that teams with larger proportions of males had higher performance scores. These findings demonstrate the potential effect of team sex composition on the validity of studies that use complex psychomotor tasks to explore and investigate team performance-related phenomena when (a) team sex composition is not a focal variable of interest and (b) it is not accounted for or controlled. Given the proclivity of complex psychomotor action-based tasks used in lab-based team studies, it is important to understand and control for the impact of team sex composition on team performance. When team sex composition is not controlled for, either methodologically or statistically, it may affect the validity of the results in teams studies using these types of tasks.

[Developmental amnesia as a focal cognitive sequela of a neonatal pathology].

PubMed

Sans, Anna; Colomé, Roser; López-Sala, Anna; Boix, Cristina; Muchart, Jordi; Rebollo, Mónica; Guitet, Montse; Callejón-Póo, Laura; Campistol, Jaume

2011-03-01

The developmental amnesia is a recently known entity that occurs as a consequence of hypoxic-ischemic events in the perinatal period. This is a specific deficit of episodic memory with greater preservation of semantic memory and other memory components such as the immediate and working memory. It occurs in patients without apparent neurological sequelae, with normal psychomotor development and general intelligence. The developmental amnesia has been associated with bilateral involvement of the hippocampus, which is evident in some cases on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as signal disturbance and signs of atrophy, or reduced size of the hippocampus in brain volumetric studies. We present six observations of developmental amnesia, their clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings. All of them show impaired episodic memory with preservation of semantic memory, have a normal general intelligence and follow a regular school with special educational needs. It is necessary to keep in mind this entity in monitoring risk newborns by their perinatal history and include the exploration of memory in neuropsychological study of these subjects. On the other hand, we highlight the specificity of the clinical and neuropsychological profile for the diagnosis of developmental amnesia even in the absence of hippocampal lesions on conventional MRI.

Dietary patterns in early childhood and child cognitive and psychomotor development: the Rhea mother-child cohort study in Crete.

PubMed

Leventakou, Vasiliki; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Sarri, Katerina; Koutra, Katerina; Kampouri, Mariza; Kyriklaki, Andriani; Vassilaki, Maria; Kogevinas, Manolis; Chatzi, Leda

2016-04-01

Early-life nutrition is critical for optimal brain development; however, few studies have evaluated the impact of diet as a whole in early childhood on neurological development with inconsistent results. The present analysis is a cross-sectional study nested within an ongoing prospective birth cohort, the Rhea study, and aims to examine the association of dietary patterns with cognitive and psychomotor development in 804 preschool (mean age 4·2 years) children. Parents completed a validated FFQ, and dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis. Child cognitive and psychomotor development was assessed by the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA). Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the associations of dietary patterns with the MSCA scales. After adjustment for a large number of confounding factors, the 'Snacky' pattern (potatoes and other starchy roots, salty snacks, sugar products and eggs) was negatively associated with the scales of verbal ability (β=-1·31; 95 % CI -2·47, -0·16), general cognitive ability (β=-1·13; 95 % CI -2·25, -0·02) and cognitive functions of the posterior cortex (β=-1·20; 95 % CI -2·34, -0·07). Further adjustment for maternal intelligence, folic acid supplementation and alcohol use during pregnancy attenuated the observed associations, but effect estimates remained at the same direction. The 'Western' and the 'Mediterranean' patterns were not associated with child neurodevelopmental scales. The present findings suggest that poorer food choices at preschool age characterised by foods high in fat, salt and sugar are associated with reduced scores in verbal and cognitive ability.

The Role of Field Exercises in Ecological Learning and Values Education: Action Research on the Use of Campus Wetlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sukhontapatipak, Chutamas; Srikosamatara, Sompoad

2012-01-01

Providing undergraduate biology students with ecological knowledge and environmental awareness is critical for developing professionalism in sustainable development. In addition to the cognitive and psychomotor development, outdoor ecological exercises combining place-based education and experiential learning can stimulate the affective domain of…

Developmental outcome after a single episode of status epilepticus.

PubMed

Roy, Hélène; Lippé, Sarah; Lussier, Francine; Sauerwein, Hannelore Catherine; Lortie, Anne; Lacroix, Jacques; Lassonde, Maryse

2011-08-01

Consequences of status epilepticus (SE) on psychomotor development and the specific impact of the convulsive event on emerging executive functions remain controversial. Infants treated for a single episode of SE, those treated for a single febrile seizure, and healthy infants were tested with respect to motor development, language, personal, and social skills and self-regulation. The children were divided into two age groups to investigate the impact of the convulsive event at different windows of brain maturation. We found that infants who had had SE were inferior to healthy controls on the development scales. Age differentiated SE impact on visuomotor development versus sociolinguistic development. Children who had been treated for SE had significantly more difficulties delaying a response to an attractive stimulus in one of the long-delay conditions. A single episode of SE can interfere with psychomotor and cognitive development in children without previous developmental delay, and it seems that the functions that are emerging at the time of insult are most vulnerable. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine on cognition and psychomotor function in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Milovan, Denise; Almeida, Luis; Romach, Myroslava K; Nunes, Teresa; Rocha, José Francisco; Sokowloska, Marta; Sellers, Edward M; Soares-da-Silva, Patrício

2010-08-01

The results of two single-blind studies conducted to evaluate the cognitive and psychomotor effects of eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine following single and repeated administration in healthy volunteers are reported. The cognitive and psychomotor evaluation consisted of several computerized and paper-and-pencil measures. Eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine had similar overall cognitive profiles and did not cause clinically relevant cognitive impairment. The incidence of adverse events was lower with eslicarbazepine acetate than with oxcarbazepine. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Rett syndrome: an overlooked diagnosis in women with stereotypic hand movements, psychomotor retardation, Parkinsonism, and dystonia?

PubMed

Roze, Emmanuel; Cochen, Valérie; Sangla, Sophie; Bienvenu, Thierry; Roubergue, Anne; Leu-Semenescu, Smaranda; Vidaihet, Marie

2007-02-15

Rett syndrome is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder resulting in profound psychomotor retardation. It is usually diagnosed by a pediatrician or pediatric neurologist. Adult neurologists may, therefore, overlook the possibility of Rett syndrome in women with psychomotor retardation of unknown etiology. We report the case of a woman diagnosed with Rett syndrome at age 49 years. This report emphasizes the diagnostic value of movement disorders, including hand stereotypies, Parkinsonism, and dystonia, in adults with Rett syndrome.

Therapeutic benefits of ACTH and levetiracetam in STXBP1 encephalopathy with a de novo mutation: A case report and literature review.

PubMed

Liu, Shunli; Wang, Liyuan; Cai, Xiao Tang; Zhou, Hui; Yu, Dan; Wang, Zhiling

2018-05-01

The case report aims to discuss the clinical symptoms and treatment of encephalopathy caused by a novel syntaxin- binding protein 1 (STXBP1) genetic mutation. The patient, a girl, was born at 38+4 weeks of gestation. She had frequent spasm attacks accompanied by obvious psychomotor development retardation since the neonatal period. Genetic screening identified a novel STXBP1 genetic mutation. Early-onset epileptic encephalopathy with STXBP1 mutation. We adjusted the antiepileptic strategy to oral levetiracetam and topiramate, and intravenous administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) for 2 weeks. Subsequently, prednisone was continued, and gradually reduced and withdrawn over 3 months. The treatment was effective with complete control of the epileptic seizures and improvements in the electroencephalogram readings. However, the effects on psychomotor ability were slow and limited. A literature review of STXBP1 mutation cases in which ACTH was administered showed that complete seizure control is observed in 60% of cases, 20% are partially affected, and the remaining 20% show no effect. ACTH and levetiracetam had good therapeutic effects in epilepsy control in this case of de novo STXBP1 mutation. ACTH is an effective drug for early-onset epileptic encephalopathy caused by STXBP1 mutation. However, controlling epilepsy using this therapy does not alter the psychomotor development retardation caused by the STXBP1 mutation.

[Clinical diagnosis of dyslexia].

PubMed

Martínez Hermosillo, A; Balderas Gil, A

1980-01-01

In 5 years of experience at the Instituto Nacional de la Comunicacion Humana, 302 clinical histories showed the diagnosis of dyslexia. The following parameters were studied: age, sex, heredofamilial history, gestation, psychomotor development, clinical picture, examination of the language (type, reading, spontaneous writing, dictation, mathematic concepts), laterality, scholarship, scholar failures, psychological study. The following results were obtained: Dyslexia was more important or frequent between 5 to 8.9 years of age. Males predominated 3:1. The heredofamilial history was important. Dyslexia prevailed in products of the first gestations. A high disturbance was found in the psychomotor development of a large percent of dyslexic patients. Examination of language was also important. Dyslexia was more frequent in right-handed patients. Scholar failures in one or more instances were found. The psychological study must be done. If dyslexia is diagnosed on time, it may be prevented and all unwanted sequelae may be avoided.

Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and gigantism syndrome.

PubMed

Skyllouriotis, M L; Marx, M; Bittner, R E; Skyllouriotis, P; Gross, M; Wimmer, M

1997-07-01

We report a 20-year-old man with gigantism syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, muscle weakness, exercise intolerance, and severe psychomotor retardation since childhood. Histochemical and biochemical analysis of skeletal muscle biopsy revealed myoadenylate deaminase deficiency; molecular genetic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of primary (inherited) myoadenylate deaminase deficiency. Plasma, urine, and muscle carnitine concentrations were reduced. L-Carnitine treatment led to gradual improvement in exercise tolerance and cognitive performance; plasma and tissue carnitine levels returned to normal, and echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy disappeared. The combination of inherited myoadenylate deaminase deficiency, gigantism syndrome and carnitine deficiency has not previously been described.

Syndrome of proximal interstitial deletion 4p15: Report of three cases and review of the literature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chitayat, D.; Babul, R.; Teshima, I.E.

1995-01-16

We report on two boys and a girl with interstitial deletion in the short arm of chromosome 4 including the segment p15.2p15.33. All had normal growth with psychomotor retardation, multiple minor congenital anomalies, and a characteristic face distinct from that of the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. One of the patients had congenitally enlarged penis. These patients resemble some of the previously reported patients with similar cytogenetic abnormalities and suggests the recognition of a specific clinical chromosome deletion syndrome. 12 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

Rich micronutrient fortification of locally produced infant food does not improve mental and motor development of Zambian infants: a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Manno, Daniela; Kowa, Priscilla K.; Bwalya, Hellen K.; Siame, Joshua; Grantham-McGregor, Sally; Baisley, Kathy; De Stavola, Bianca L.; Jaffar, Shabbar; Filteau, Suzanne

2013-01-01

It is uncertain whether multiple micronutrients benefit the mental and psychomotor development of young children in developing countries. We conducted a randomised double-blind controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a richly micronutrient-fortified v. a basal fortified porridge on mental and psychomotor development in Zambian infants. Infants (n 743) were randomised at age 6 months to receive either the richly fortified or the basal fortified infant food and were followed up until 18 months of age. All the infants were evaluated monthly for achievement of a series of developmental milestones. The Bayley scales of infant development II were administered to a subsample of 502 infants at 6, 12 and 18 months. Rich micronutrient fortification had no significant benefit on the following: (a) number of developmental milestones achieved (rate ratio at 12 months = 1·00; 95 % CI 0·96, 1·05; P=0·81, adjusted for sex, socio-economic status and maternal education, with similar results at 15 and 18 months); (b) ages of walking unsupported (hazard ratio (HR) 1·04; 95 % CI 0·88, 1·24; P=0·63, adjusted for the above covariates) and of speaking three or four clear words (HR 1·01; 95 % CI 0·84, 1·20; P=0·94, adjusted for the above covariates); (c) mental development index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI) of the Bayley scales (scores difference adjusted for baseline scores, age at the assessment, sex, socio-economic status, maternal education, language, age and HIV status: MDI 0·3 (95 % CI −0·5, 1·1), P=0·43; PDI −0·1 (95 % CI −0·9, 0·7), P=0·78). In conclusion, the results do not support the hypothesis that rich micronutrient fortification improves Zambian infants’ mental and motor development. PMID:21733297

The measurement of retardation in depression.

PubMed

Dantchev, N; Widlöcher, D J

1998-01-01

The description of clinical features helps to distinguish between depressive illness and nondepressive psychic pain and enables the clinician to decide whether prescription of an antidepressant is beneficial. Psychomotor retardation is probably a central feature of depression, and this review discusses the methods available for measuring it. The Salpêtrière Retardation Rating Scale (SRRS) specifically measures psychomotor retardation; the scale and applications are described. Means of measuring motor and speech activity and an experimental approach for understanding the process underlying psychomotor retardation are reviewed. Comparison of the SRRS and other rating scale scores demonstrates that retardation is related to depression severity and therapeutic change and is a good criterion for prediction of therapeutic effect. The SRRS has been used to show that selective antidepressants target specific clinical dimensions of depression depending on the patient subgroup treated. Measures of motor and speech activity are sensitive to therapeutic response. Choice Reaction Time and Simple Reaction Time tasks are particularly suited for examining psychomotor retardation because they test the decision process while avoiding motivation and attention interference. Psychomotor retardation is a constant and probably central feature of depression. Means available for measuring it can be used to assess the effects of antidepressants on specific clinical dimensions.

Impact of Nutritional Supplementation and a Psychomotor Program on Patients With Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Vicente de Sousa, Odete; Soares Guerra, Rita; Sousa, Ana Sofia; Pais Henriques, Bebiana; Pereira Monteiro, Anabela; Amaral, Teresa Freitas

2017-09-01

This study aims to evaluate the impact of oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) and a psychomotor rehabilitation program on nutritional and functional status of community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A 21-day prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted and third intervention group performed a psychomotor rehabilitation program. Patients were followed up for 180 days. Mean (standard deviation) score of Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) increased both in the nutritional supplementation group (NSG; n = 25), 0.4 (0.8), and in the nutritional supplementation psychomotor rehabilitation program group (NSPRG; n = 11), 1.5 (1.0), versus -0.1 (1.1) in the control group (CG; n = 43), P < .05. Further improvements at 90-day follow-up for MNA in NSG: 1.3 (1.2) and NSPRG: 1.6 (1.0) versus 0.3 (1.7) in CG ( P < .05) were observed. General linear model analysis showed that the NSG and NSPRG ▵MNA score improved after intervention, at 21 days and 90 days, was independent of the MNA and Mini-Mental State Examination scores at baseline ( Ps > .05). The ONS and a psychomotor rehabilitation program have a positive impact on long-term nutritional and functional status of patients with AD.

Information and psychomotor skills knowledge acquisition: A student-customer-centered and computer-supported approach.

PubMed

Nicholson, Anita; Tobin, Mary

2006-01-01

This presentation will discuss coupling commercial and customized computer-supported teaching aids to provide BSN nursing students with a friendly customer-centered self-study approach to psychomotor skill acquisition.

The Study of Children's Psychomotor Behavior. A Comprehensive Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl P.

1985-01-01

The Child Movement Laboratory at Texas A&M University was created to provide a multifaceted approach to teacher preparation, research, and service regarding psychomotor behavior of children. This article discusses the program. (MT)

Assessment of executive functioning in binge-eating disorder independent of weight status.

PubMed

Eneva, Kalina T; Arlt, Jean M; Yiu, Angelina; Murray, Susan M; Chen, Eunice Y

2017-08-01

Executive functioning (EF) problems may serve as vulnerability or maintenance factors for Binge-Eating Disorder (BED). However, it is unclear if EF problems observed in BED are related to overweight status or BED status. The current study extends this literature by examining EF in overweight and normal-weight BED compared to weight-matched controls. Participants were normal-weight women with BED (n = 23), overweight BED (n = 32), overweight healthy controls (n = 48), and normal-weight healthy controls (n = 29). The EF battery utilized tests from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). After controlling for years of education and minority status, overweight individuals performed more poorly than normal-weight individuals on a task of cognitive flexibility requiring generativity (p < .01), and speed on psychomotor performance tasks (p = .01). Normal-weight and overweight BED performed worse on working memory tasks compared to controls (p = .04). Unexpectedly, normal-weight BED individuals out-performed all other groups on an inhibitory control task (p < .01). No significant differences were found between the four groups on tasks of planning. Regardless of weight status, BED is associated with working memory problems. Replication of the finding that normal-weight BED is associated with enhanced inhibitory control is needed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cognitive and motor abilities of young children and risk of injuries in the home.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, Jennifer; Xu, Yingying; Khoury, Jane; Yolton, Kimberly; Lanphear, Bruce; Phelan, Kieran

2017-02-01

Residential injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US children. Rates and types of injury vary by child age but little is known about injury risk based on child cognitive and motor abilities. The objective of this study was to determine whether cognitive or motor development in young children is associated with residential injury. We employed data from Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study. Parent report of medically attended injury was obtained at regular intervals from 0 to 42 months. Child development was assessed at 12, 24 and 36 months using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 2nd edition, which generates both mental developmental index (MDI) and a psychomotor developmental index (PDI). Injury risk was modelled using multivariable logistic regression as function of child's MDI or PDI. Effects of MDI and PDI on injury risk were examined separately and jointly, adjusting for important covariates. Children with cognitive delay (MDI <77) were at significantly higher risk of injury than children without cognitive delay (OR=3.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 10.5, p=0.012). There was no significant association of PDI with injury. There was, however, significant interaction of MDI and PDI (p=0.02); children with cognitive delay but normal motor development were at significantly higher risk of injury than children with normal cognitive and motor development (OR=9.6, 95% CI 2.6 to 35.8, p=0.001). Children with cognitive delays, especially those with normal motor development, are at elevated risk for residential injuries. Injury prevention efforts should target children with developmental delays. NCT00129324; post-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

[Characteristics of growth and development in children from families at social risk].

PubMed

Stojadinović, A

2001-01-01

Body height and weight are important indicators of children's health status. There are many evidences that children from disadvantaged families have lower height and weight than children of the same age from families without social risk. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of growth and development of children from economically disadvantaged families. The study was partly retrospective and partly prospective. The retrospective study included 509 children from disadvantaged families hospitalized at the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health Care in Novi Sad, during a five-year period. The prospective study included 90 children from disadvantaged families (experimental group) and 132 children from families without social risk (control group) hospitalized at the Institute during a six month period. Height/length, weight, head circumference, and psychomotor/intellectual development have been examined. In the retrospective study results were compared with theoretically expected values, whereas the prospective study results of experimental and control group were compared. In the retrospective study that included only children from disadvantaged families, 136 (26.7%) children had height/length, 173 (34%) had weight, and 86 (16.9%) children had head circumference below 10th percentile. Delay in psychomotor/intellectual development was established in 177 (34.8%) children. Children from families with social risk have significantly more often height/length, weight, head circumference and developmental delay than theoretically expected. In the prospective study 40 (44.4%) children from experimental group had height/length, 29 (32.2%) had weight, 20 (22.2%) children had head circumference below 10th percentile, and 17 (26.2%) had delay in psychomotor/intellectual development. Children from disadvantaged families (experimental group) significantly more often had delay in growth and development comparing with children from families without social risk (control group). Children from disadvantaged families significantly more often exhibit delay in growth and development, comparing with children of the same age from families without social risk. Therefore, pediatricians should consider social risk factors whenever treating children with growth or developmental delay.

[Effect of early nutrition on growth parameters and psychomotor development of children of very low birth weight].

PubMed

Kocourková, I; Sobotková, D; Pilarová, M; Dittrichová, J; Vondrácek, J; Stranák, Z

2004-12-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate influence of early nutrition on growth parameters and psychomotor development of children with very low birth weight (VLBW). A prospective clinical study. Institute for Care of Mother and Child, Prague. Thirty nine children of birth weight 1,000-1,499 were followed up to one year of their corrected age in a prospective study. The group was divided in two groups according to type of nutrition: 17 children (group A) were fed with milk of own mother - "preterm milk", 22 children (group B) were orally fed with mature milk from the Bank of mother milk - "term milk", which was fortified with BMF preparation (Nutricia, Netherlands). Both groups were comparable in basic anthropometric parameters (weight, lenght, circumference of head and thotax) and in psychosocial characteristics of their mothers. Growths parameters were monitored in weekly intervals for approximatelly eight weeks. In the period between 11th and 15th month of corrected age, the children were evaluated by a clinical psychologist on a blind basis in mental a motor development by using Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II). Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test and t-test. No statistically significant differences between the two groups in evaluating the growth parameters were observed. The psychological examination demonstrated statistically significant differences in the motor development. The psychomotor developmental index (PVI) proved to be 84.4 +/- 14.6 in the group A and 94.3 +/- 12.5 in the group B (t-test = 2.28, p<0.05). There was not any statistically significent difference in metal development between the two groups. The mean mentel developmental index (MVI) was 98.2 +/- 10.2 in the A group and 101.0 +/- 13.3 in the group B. Result of the study indicate favorable effect of fortification of breast milk in VLBW newborns, especially in view of the observed favorable influence of fortfication on motor development of the children.

Narcolepsy Treated with Racemic Amphetamine during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.

PubMed

Öhman, Inger; Wikner, Birgitta Norstedt; Beck, Olof; Sarman, Ihsan

2015-08-01

This case report describes a woman with narcolepsy treated with racemic amphetamine (rac-amphetamine) during pregnancy and breastfeeding with follow-up on the infant's development up to 10 months of age. The pregnancy outcome and the pharmacokinetics of rac-amphetamine were studied during breastfeeding. The pregnancy and the delivery were uneventful. Concentrations of rac-amphetamine were determined in the plasma of the mother and infant, and in the breast milk with a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Samples were obtained at 2, 5, and 9 weeks postpartum. The transfer of rac-amphetamine to the breast milk was extensive (mean milk/maternal plasma concentration ratio approximately 3). The breastfed infant had a low plasma concentration of rac-amphetamine (about 9% of the maternal plasma level) and the calculated relative infant dose was low (2%). No adverse effects were observed in the breastfed infant. The infant's somatic and psychomotor development up to 10 months of age was normal. Further studies of amphetamine prescribed for medical reasons during pregnancy and lactation are needed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Smoked cannabis' psychomotor and neurocognitive effects in occasional and frequent smokers.

PubMed

Desrosiers, Nathalie A; Ramaekers, Johannes G; Chauchard, Emeline; Gorelick, David A; Huestis, Marilyn A

2015-05-01

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in cannabis, impairs psychomotor performance, cognition and driving ability; thus, driving under the influence of cannabis is a public safety concern. We documented cannabis' psychomotor, neurocognitive, subjective and physiological effects in occasional and frequent smokers to investigate potential differences between these smokers. Fourteen frequent (≥4x/week) and 11 occasional (<2x/week) cannabis smokers entered a secure research unit ∼19 h prior to smoking one 6.8% THC cigarette. Cognitive and psychomotor performance was evaluated with the critical tracking (CTT), divided attention (DAT), n-back (working memory) and Balloon Analog Risk (BART) (risk-taking) tasks at -1.75, 1.5, 3.5, 5.5 and 22.5 h after starting smoking. GLM (General Linear Model) repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to compare scores. Occasional smokers had significantly more difficulty compensating for CTT tracking error compared with frequent smokers 1.5 h after smoking. Divided attention performance declined significantly especially in occasional smokers, with session × group effects for tracking error, hits, false alarms and reaction time. Cannabis smoking did not elicit session × group effects on the n-back or BART. Controlled cannabis smoking impaired psychomotor function, more so in occasional smokers, suggesting some tolerance to psychomotor impairment in frequent users. These data have implications for cannabis-associated impairment in driving under the influence of cannabis cases. Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

An Empirical Study of the Application of Psychological Principles to the Teaching of Orienteering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martland, J. R.

1983-01-01

An empirical study was carried out to explore effects of three sets of schedules developed by Edgar Stones as guidelines conducive to student learning. Guidelines for concept teaching, psychomotor skill development, and teaching problem solving formed the instructional framework for teaching 11-year-old children the principles of navigational…

The Effects of Three Styles of Teaching on the Psychomotor Performance and Social Skill Development of Fifth Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberger, Michael; And Others

1982-01-01

The effectiveness of three teaching styles in promoting motor skill acquisition and social skill development were examined in 96 fifth-grade students. Styles B, C, and E from Mosston's "Spectrum of Teaching Styles" appeared to be beneficial in helping students learn motor skills. (CJ)

Development of a Validated Instructional System for Hospitality Education. First Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Thomas F.

Funded by a grant from Pennsylvania's Research Coordinating Unit, three key seminar-practicum courses were designed for psychomotor and cognitive skills development in the food service area of post-secondary hospitality education. This 36-week, 3-course sequence utilizes weekly seminars, self-instructional packages, and "real-life"…

Altered Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Novel Imaging Approach.

PubMed

Gulati, Gaurav; Jones, Jordan T; Lee, Gregory; Altaye, Mekibib; Beebe, Dean W; Meyers-Eaton, Jamie; Wiley, Kasha; Brunner, Hermine I; DiFrancesco, Mark W

2017-02-01

To evaluate a safe, noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method to measure regional blood-brain barrier integrity and investigate its relationship with neurocognitive function and regional gray matter volume in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this cross-sectional, case-control study, capillary permeability was measured as a marker of blood-brain barrier integrity in juvenile SLE patients and matched healthy controls, using a combination of arterial spin labeling and diffusion-weighted brain MRI. Regional gray matter volume was measured by voxel-based morphometry. Correlation analysis was done to investigate the relationship between regional capillary permeability and regional gray matter volume. Formal neurocognitive testing was completed (measuring attention, visuoconstructional ability, working memory, and psychomotor speed), and scores were regressed against regional blood-brain barrier integrity among juvenile SLE patients. Formal cognitive testing confirmed normal cognitive ability in all juvenile SLE subjects (n = 11) included in the analysis. Regional capillary permeability was negatively associated (P = 0.026) with neurocognitive performance concerning psychomotor speed in the juvenile SLE cohort. Compared with controls (n = 11), juvenile SLE patients had significantly greater capillary permeability involving Brodmann's areas 19, 28, 36, and 37 and caudate structures (P < 0.05 for all). There is imaging evidence of increased regional capillary permeability in juvenile SLE patients with normal cognitive performance using a novel noninvasive MRI technique. These blood-brain barrier outcomes appear consistent with functional neuronal network alterations and gray matter volume loss previously observed in juvenile SLE patients with overt neurocognitive deficits, supporting the notion that blood-brain barrier integrity loss precedes the loss of cognitive ability in juvenile SLE. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the findings of this pilot study. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Liver transplantation for classical maple syrup urine disease: long-term follow-up.

PubMed

Díaz, Victoria M; Camarena, Carmen; de la Vega, Ángela; Martínez-Pardo, Mercedes; Díaz, Carmen; López, Manuel; Hernández, Francisco; Andrés, Ane; Jara, Paloma

2014-11-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate indications, results, and clinical and neurological evolution in children who have undergone liver transplantation for classical maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). Descriptive study of liver transplantation for MSUD between 1991 and 2012. Eight patients were transplanted. Indications for transplant were poor metabolic control expressed as significant psychomotor disabilities (4 had psychomotor delays, 5 had spasticity, and 5 had epilepsy) and poor quality of life (mean number of acute metabolic decompensations and mean number of total hospitalizations before transplantation 5 and 12, respectively). Four required nasogastric tube, with a maximum 4 g/day protein-restricted diet in all of them. Seven sustained significant alterations in brain magnetic resonance imaging. Mean leucine and alloisoleucine levels were 608 (standard deviation [SD] 516) and 218 μmol/L (SD 216), respectively. All of the patients received transplants with deceased-donor livers, with ages between 1.5 and 2.5 years (mean 1.78 years). Mean posttransplantation follow-up period was 12.2 years (range 5-21 years). Final patient and graft survival was 87.5% and 75%, respectively. Following transplantation, none required hospitalization in the last 3 years nor did any have new acute metabolic decompensations following a normal diet. Five followed normal schooling, 2 had motor disabilities, and 2 had convulsive crises. Brain magnetic resonance imaging was taken in 4 patients, showing neuroimage improvement in 3 of them. Mean leucine levels were <350 μmol/L from the immediate posttransplantation period (mean 225 μmol/L, SD 78), with a maximum alloisoleucine level of 20 μmol/L. Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for classical MSUD that arrests brain damage, although it does not reverse the process.

Effects of the common cold on mood, psychomotor performance, the encoding of new information, speed of working memory and semantic processing.

PubMed

Smith, Andrew P

2012-10-01

Previous research has shown that people with the common cold report a more negative mood and psychomotor slowing. Recent research suggests that memory speed may also be impaired. This was examined in the study reported here. A prospective design was used and all participants (N=200; half male, half female; mean age 21 years, range 18-30 years) carried out a baseline session when healthy. The test battery involved mood rating, simple and choice reaction time, verbal reasoning and semantic processing. Volunteers returned when they developed an upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) and repeated the test battery. If they remained healthy they were recalled as a control. One hundred and eighty-nine participants completed the study and 48 developed URTIs and 141 were in the healthy control group. Symptoms and signs suggested that those who were ill had colds rather than influenza. The results showed that those with colds reported lower alertness, a more negative mood, and psychomotor slowing. They were also slower at encoding new information and slower on the verbal reasoning and semantic processing tasks. The magnitude of the mood changes associated with being ill were correlated with symptom severity. The performance changes were not correlated with symptom severity, sleep duration or mood changes. Further research is now needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the behavioral malaise associated with URTIs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visual attention shifting in autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Richard, Annette E; Lajiness-O'Neill, Renee

2015-01-01

Abnormal visual attention has been frequently observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Abnormal shifting of visual attention is related to abnormal development of social cognition and has been identified as a key neuropsychological finding in ASD. Better characterizing attention shifting in ASD and its relationship with social functioning may help to identify new targets for intervention and improving social communication in these disorders. Thus, the current study investigated deficits in attention shifting in ASD as well as relationships between attention shifting and social communication in ASD and neurotypicals (NT). To investigate deficits in visual attention shifting in ASD, 20 ASD and 20 age- and gender-matched NT completed visual search (VS) and Navon tasks with attention-shifting demands as well as a set-shifting task. VS was a feature search task with targets defined in one of two dimensions; Navon required identification of a target letter presented at the global or local level. Psychomotor and processing speed were entered as covariates. Relationships between visual attention shifting, set shifting, and social functioning were also examined. ASD and NT showed comparable costs of shifting attention. However, psychomotor and processing speed were slower in ASD than in NT, and psychomotor and processing speed were positively correlated with attention-shifting costs on Navon and VS, respectively, for both groups. Attention shifting on VS and Navon were correlated among NT, while attention shifting on Navon was correlated with set shifting among ASD. Attention-shifting costs on Navon were positively correlated with restricted and repetitive behaviors among ASD. Relationships between attention shifting and psychomotor and processing speed, as well as relationships between measures of different aspects of visual attention shifting, suggest inefficient top-down influences over preattentive visual processing in ASD. Inefficient attention shifting may be related to restricted and repetitive behaviors in these disorders.

Developmental tempo in children aged 0-5 years living under unfavourable environmental conditions.

PubMed

Lejarraga, Horacio; Kelmansky, Diana M; Nunes, Fernando

2018-04-01

To describe the dynamics of development along the early years of life among children living under unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. In 5401 children younger than 6 years old living in Florencio Varela and in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin (Matanza, Villa 21-24, Wilde, Villa Inflamable and Acuba), areas with a high proportion of families with unmet basic needs, a logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the median age at attainment of 13 psychomotor developmental milestones; differences between these ages and median age at attainment of milestones as per the national reference were plotted on the y-axis, while the median age as per the national reference was plotted on the x-axis. Three stages were observed: the first one between 0 and 270 days with normal development, in which the median age at attainment was similar to that of the national reference; a second one of progressive development delay; and a third one of recovery at 1260 days. Adjusted linear spline slopes were 0.06 (not significant), -0.26 (p < 0.0001) and 0.26 (p < 0.01) for stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The three slopes were statistically different from each other. The stage of normal development (stage 1) was attributed to the protective effect of the mother and the family environment; stage 2 of progressive delay, to the unfavorable impact of the environment, and stage 3 of partial recovery was attributed to attending a daycare center. These findings allow the implementation of effective interventions at each stage. Three periods with different developmental tempos were identified. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

Glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome with carbohydrate-responsive symptoms but without epilepsy.

PubMed

Koy, Anne; Assmann, Birgit; Klepper, Joerg; Mayatepek, Ertan

2011-12-01

Glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1-DS) is caused by a defect in glucose transport across the blood-brain barrier. The main symptoms are epilepsy, developmental delay, movement disorders, and deceleration of head circumference. A ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective in controlling epilepsy in GLUT1-DS. We report a female child (3 y 4 mo) who presented with delayed psychomotor development and frequent episodes of staggering, impaired vigilance, and vomiting that resolved promptly after food intake. Electroencephalography was normal. The cerebrospinal fluid-blood glucose ratio was 0.42 (normal ≥ 0.45). GLUT1-DS was confirmed by molecular genetic testing, which showed a novel de novo heterozygous mutation in the SLC2A1 gene (c.497_499delTCG, p.VAL166del). Before starting a ketogenic diet, the child's cognitive development was tested using the Snijders-Oomen Non-Verbal Intelligence Test, which revealed a heterogeneous intelligence profile with deficits in her visuomotor skills and spatial awareness. Her motor development was delayed. Three months after introducing a ketogenic diet, she showed marked improvement in speech and motor development, as tested by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (manual dexterity 16th centile, ball skills 1st centile, static and dynamic balance 5th centile). This case demonstrates that GLUT1-DS should be investigated in individuals with unexplained developmental delay. Epilepsy is not a mandatory symptom. The ketogenic diet is also beneficial for non-epileptic symptoms in GLUT1-DS. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2011 Mac Keith Press.

A de novo Mutation in KMT2A (MLL) in monozygotic twins with Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome.

PubMed

Dunkerton, Sophie; Field, Matthew; Cho, Vicki; Bertram, Edward; Whittle, Belinda; Groves, Alexandra; Goel, Himanshu

2015-09-01

Growth deficiency, psychomotor delay, and facial dysmorphism was originally described in a male patient in 1989 by Wiedemann et al. and later in 2000 by Steiner et al. Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome (WSS) has since been described only a few times in the literature, with the phenotypic spectrum both expanding and becoming more delineated with each patient reported. We report on the clinical and molecular features of monozygotic twins with a de novo mutation in KMT2A. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray was done on both twins and whole-exome sequencing was done using both parents and one of the affected twins. SNP microarray confirmed that they were monozygotic twins. A de novo heterozygous variant (p. Arg1083*) in the KMT2A gene was identified through whole-exome sequencing, confirming the diagnosis of WSS. In this study, we have identified a de novo mutation in KMT2A associated with psychomotor developmental delay, facial dysmorphism, short stature, hypertrichosis cubiti, and small kidneys. This finding in monozygotic twins gives specificity to the WSS. The description of more cases of WSS is needed for further delineation of this condition. Small kidneys with normal function have not been described in this condition in the medical literature before. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychomotor effect differences between l-methamphetamine and d-methamphetamine are independent of murine plasma and brain pharmacokinetics profiles.

PubMed

Nishimura, Tetsuya; Takahata, Kazue; Kosugi, Yuri; Tanabe, Takaaki; Muraoka, Shizuko

2017-05-01

l-Methamphetamine has been occasionally referred to as a stimulant similar to d-methamphetamine, probably owing to insufficient comparative studies. Here, we directly compared psychomotor efficacies and pharmacokinetics of methamphetamine enantiomers in mice. Only d-methamphetamine, but not l-methamphetamine, induced stereotypy and sensitization at 1-10 mg/kg. However, plasma pharmacokinetic parameters of 10 mg/kg l-methamphetamine were ≥tenfold those of 1 mg/kg d-methamphetamine. These results clearly indicate that differential psychomotor efficacies of methamphetamine enantiomers are independent of their pharmacokinetic profiles.

Video capture on student-owned mobile devices to facilitate psychomotor skills acquisition: A feasibility study.

PubMed

Hinck, Glori; Bergmann, Thomas F

2013-01-01

Objective : We evaluated the feasibility of using mobile device technology to allow students to record their own psychomotor skills so that these recordings can be used for self-reflection and formative evaluation. Methods : Students were given the choice of using DVD recorders, zip drive video capture equipment, or their personal mobile phone, device, or digital camera to record specific psychomotor skills. During the last week of the term, they were asked to complete a 9-question survey regarding their recording experience, including details of mobile phone ownership, technology preferences, technical difficulties, and satisfaction with the recording experience and video critique process. Results : Of those completing the survey, 83% currently owned a mobile phone with video capability. Of the mobile phone owners 62% reported having email capability on their phone and that they could transfer their video recording successfully to their computer, making it available for upload to the learning management system. Viewing the video recording of the psychomotor skill was valuable to 88% of respondents. Conclusions : Our results suggest that mobile phones are a viable technology to use for the video capture and critique of psychomotor skills, as most students own this technology and their satisfaction with this method is high.

Effects of Sport-Specific Training Intensity on Sleep Patterns and Psychomotor Performance in Adolescent Athletes.

PubMed

Suppiah, Haresh T; Low, Chee Yong; Chia, Michael

2016-11-01

Adolescent student-athletes face time constraints due to athletic and scholastic commitments, resulting in habitually shortened nocturnal sleep durations. However, there is a dearth of research on the effects of sleep debt on student-athlete performance. The study aimed to (i) examine the habitual sleep patterns (actigraphy) of high-level student-athletes during a week of training and academic activities, (ii) ascertain the effects of habitual sleep durations experienced by high-level student-athletes on psychomotor performance, and (iii) examine the impact of sport training intensities on the sleep patterns of high-level student-athletes that participate in low and high intensity sports. Sleep patterns of 29 high-level student-athletes (14.7 ± 1.3 yrs) were monitored over 7 days. A psychomotor vigilance task was administered on weekdays to ascertain the effects of habitual sleep durations. Weekend total sleep time was longer than weekdays along with a delay in bedtime, and waketimes. Psychomotor vigilance reaction times on Monday were faster than on Thursday and Friday, with reaction times on Tuesday also faster than on Friday. False starts and lapses were greater on Friday compared with Monday. There was a negative impact of sleep debt on student-athletes' psychomotor performance.

Video capture on student-owned mobile devices to facilitate psychomotor skills acquisition: A feasibility study

PubMed Central

Hinck, Glori; Bergmann, Thomas F.

2013-01-01

Objective We evaluated the feasibility of using mobile device technology to allow students to record their own psychomotor skills so that these recordings can be used for self-reflection and formative evaluation. Methods Students were given the choice of using DVD recorders, zip drive video capture equipment, or their personal mobile phone, device, or digital camera to record specific psychomotor skills. During the last week of the term, they were asked to complete a 9-question survey regarding their recording experience, including details of mobile phone ownership, technology preferences, technical difficulties, and satisfaction with the recording experience and video critique process. Results Of those completing the survey, 83% currently owned a mobile phone with video capability. Of the mobile phone owners 62% reported having email capability on their phone and that they could transfer their video recording successfully to their computer, making it available for upload to the learning management system. Viewing the video recording of the psychomotor skill was valuable to 88% of respondents. Conclusions Our results suggest that mobile phones are a viable technology to use for the video capture and critique of psychomotor skills, as most students own this technology and their satisfaction with this method is high. PMID:23957324

Correlation between perceptual, visuo-spatial, and psychomotor aptitude to duration of training required to reach performance goals on the MIST-VR surgical simulator.

PubMed

McClusky, D A; Ritter, E M; Lederman, A B; Gallagher, A G; Smith, C D

2005-01-01

Given the dynamic nature of modern surgical education, determining factors that may improve the efficiency of laparoscopic training is warranted. The objective of this study was to analyze whether perceptual, visuo-spatial, or psychomotor aptitude are related to the amount of training required to reach specific performance-based goals on a virtual reality surgical simulator. Sixteen MS4 medical students participated in an elective skills course intended to train laparoscopic skills. All were tested for perceptual, visuo-spatial, and psychomotor aptitude using previously validated psychological tests. Training involved as many instructor-guided 1-hour sessions as needed to reach performance goals on a custom designed MIST-VR manipulation-diathermy task (Mentice AB, Gothenberg, Sweden). Thirteen subjects reached performance goals by the end of the course. Two were excluded from analysis due to previous experience with the MIST-VR (total n = 11). Perceptual ability (r = -0.76, P = 0.007) and psychomotor skills (r = 0.62, P = 0.04) significantly correlated with the number of trials required. Visuo-spatial ability did not significantly correlate with training duration. The number of trials required to train subjects to performance goals on the MIST-VR manipulation diathermy task is significantly related to perceptual and psychomotor aptitude.

The Influence of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Factors on the Development of Rifle Marksmanship Skills. CRESST Report 753

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Nagashima, Sam O.; Espinosa, Paul D.; Berka, Chris; Baker, Eva L.

2009-01-01

In this report, researchers examined rifle marksmanship development within a skill development framework outlined by Chung, Delacruz, de Vries, Bewley, and Baker (2006). Thirty-three novice shooters used an M4 rifle training simulator system to learn to shoot an 8-inch target at a simulated distance of 200 yards. Cognitive, psychomotor, and…

Designing Preclinical Instruction for Psychomotor Skills (II)--Instructional Engineering: Task Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, G. William; And Others

1994-01-01

The first step in engineering the instruction of dental psychomotor skills, task analysis, is explained. A chart details the procedural, cognitive, desired-criteria, and desired-performance analysis of a single task, occlusal preparation for amalgam restoration with carious lesion. (MSE)

A Psychomotor Skills Course for Orthopaedic Residents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippert, Frederick G.; And Others

1975-01-01

The course described and evaluated here was developed at the University of Washington School of Medicine to teach 20 orthopaedic residents operative techniques, instrument usage, and safety precautions outside of the operating room without hazard to the patient or regard to time constraints. (JT)

The Differential Effect of Sustained Operations on Psychomotor Skills of Helicopter Pilots.

PubMed

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2018-06-01

Flying a helicopter is a complex psychomotor skill requiring constant control inputs from pilots. A deterioration in psychomotor performance of a helicopter pilot may be detrimental to operational safety. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that psychomotor performance deteriorates over time during sustained operations and that the effect is more pronounced in the feet than the hands. The subjects were helicopter pilots conducting sustained multicrew offshore flight operations in a demanding environment. The remote flight operations involved constant workload in hot environmental conditions with complex operational tasking. Over a period of 6 d 10 helicopter pilots were tested. At the completion of daily flying duties, a helicopter-specific screen-based compensatory tracking task measuring tracking accuracy (over a 5-min period) tested both hands and feet. Data were compared over time and tested for statistical significance for both deterioration and differential effect. A statistically significant deterioration of psychomotor performance was evident in the pilots over time for both hands and feet. There was also a statistically significant differential effect between the hands and the feet in terms of tracking accuracy. The hands recorded a 22.6% decrease in tracking accuracy, while the feet recorded a 39.9% decrease in tracking accuracy. The differential effect may be due to prioritization of limb movement by the motor cortex due to factors such as workload-induced cognitive fatigue. This may result in a greater reduction in performance in the feet than the hands, posing a significant risk to operational safety.McMahon TW, Newman DG. The differential effect of sustained operations on psychomotor skills of helicopter pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(6):496-502.

TNFα G308A polymorphism is associated with resilience to sleep deprivation-induced psychomotor vigilance performance impairment in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Satterfield, Brieann C; Wisor, Jonathan P; Field, Stephanie A; Schmidt, Michelle A; Van Dongen, Hans P A

2015-07-01

Cytokines such as TNFα play an integral role in sleep/wake regulation and have recently been hypothesized to be involved in cognitive impairment due to sleep deprivation. We examined the effect of a guanine to adenine substitution at position 308 in the TNFα gene (TNFα G308A) on psychomotor vigilance performance impairment during total sleep deprivation. A total of 88 healthy women and men (ages 22-40) participated in one of five laboratory total sleep deprivation experiments. Performance on a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) was measured every 2-3h. The TNFα 308A allele, which is less common than the 308G allele, was associated with greater resilience to psychomotor vigilance performance impairment during total sleep deprivation (regardless of time of day), and also provided a small performance benefit at baseline. The effect of genotype on resilience persisted when controlling for between-subjects differences in age, gender, race/ethnicity, and baseline sleep duration. The TNFα G308A polymorphism predicted less than 10% of the overall between-subjects variance in performance impairment during sleep deprivation. Nonetheless, the differential effect of the polymorphism at the peak of performance impairment was more than 50% of median performance impairment at that time, which is sizeable compared to the effects of other genotypes reported in the literature. Our findings provided evidence for a role of TNFα in the effects of sleep deprivation on psychomotor vigilance performance. Furthermore, the TNFα G308A polymorphism may have predictive potential in a biomarker panel for the assessment of resilience to psychomotor vigilance performance impairment due to sleep deprivation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel mutation in the aristaless domain of the ARX gene leads to Ohtahara syndrome, global developmental delay, and ambiguous genitalia in males and neuropsychiatric disorders in females.

PubMed

Ekşioğlu, Yaman Z; Pong, Amanda W; Takeoka, Masanori

2011-05-01

ARX, the aristaless-related homeobox gene, is implicated in cerebral, testicular, and pancreatic development. ARX mutations are associated with various forms of epilepsy, developmental delay, and ambiguous genitalia in humans. A mouse model that recapitulates X-linked lissencephaly with ambiguous genitalia (XLAG) is far from elucidating the substrate for phenotypes that different ARX mutations cause. Moreover, despite phenotypic pleomorphism associated with X-linked dominant ARX mutations, heterozygous female carriers have not been thoroughly studied. Reviewing records of patients with ARX mutations, infantile epilepsies, and psychomotor retardation, we analyzed a family harboring a novel ARX mutation with different phenotypes in males and females, including Ohtahara syndrome. Children's Hospital Boston patient records were retrospectively screened for patients with infantile epileptic encephalopathies who underwent ARX sequencing based on clinical suspicion. Identified families were analyzed for genetic and neuropsychiatric phenomena. The proband was a male with Ohtahara syndrome, ambiguous genitalia, psychomotor delay, and central nervous system dysgenesis due to a novel ARX mutation in exon 5, causing a frameshift in the aristaless domain. Heterozygous females demonstrated neurocognitive/psychiatric phenomena including learning difficulties, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. This is the first reported case of Ohtahara syndrome with abnormal genital and psychomotor development in the setting of this novel ARX mutation in exon 5. Based on the unique phenotype of the proband and on the presence of heterozygous females with neurocognitive/psychiatric ailments, this study describes the potential roles for ARX mutations in epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disease, underscoring the importance of ARX in interneuron development, cerebral electrical activity, cognition, and behavior. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2011 International League Against Epilepsy.

Validation of a touchscreen psychomotor vigilance task.

PubMed

Arsintescu, Lucia; Kato, Kenji H; Cravalho, Patrick F; Feick, Nathan H; Stone, Leland S; Flynn-Evans, Erin E

2017-11-30

The purpose of this study was to compare a psychomotor vigilance task developed for use on touchscreen devices with the original PVT-192 in conditions of acute sleep loss and circadian desynchronization. The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) is considered the gold standard fatigue detection test and is used frequently in fatigue research. With the rapid development of new technologies it is essential to develop a PVT available on different platforms such as touchscreen devices. The advantage of such PVT is that it can be implemented on small devices and can be easily used in field studies. Ten participants completed a 5-min PVT (NASA-PVT) on a touchscreen device and a 5-min PVT on the original PVT-192. On the day of the experiment, participants arrived in the lab approximately two hours after their habitual wake time. Participants completed a constant routine protocol under dim lighting, while maintaining a constant posture. The 5-min PVT-192 and NASA-PVT were taken every two hours for at least 24h. The NASA-PVT and PVT-192 were sensitive to extended wakefulness in the same manner. The reaction times were slower and the lapses were higher as time progressed on both NASA-PVT and PVT-192 (p<0.001). Overall, there was a sharp decline in performance after 16h of being awake which coincided with the time the participants were usually going to bed and the worst performance occurred after 24h of wakefulness for both PVTs (p<0.001). Overall, our data suggest that the NASA-PVT is a valid tool for assessing fatigue in field studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circulating adrenal hormones are not necessary for the development of sensitization to the psychomotor activating effects of amphetamine.

PubMed

Badiani, A; Morano, M I; Akil, H; Robinson, T E

1995-02-27

We reported previously that when amphetamine is given in NOVEL test cages both its acute psychomotor activating effects (rotational behaviour and locomotor activity) and the degree of sensitization are greater than when amphetamine is given in HOME cages that are physically identical to the NOVEL test cages. Since exposure to the NOVEL environment increases plasma corticosterone levels (Experiment 1) it is possible that the enhancement in the effects of amphetamine in the NOVEL condition is mediated by corticosterone. If this hypothesis is correct adrenalectomy (ADX) should abolish the difference between the HOME and NOVEL groups. This was tested in three independent experiments, in which the response (rotational behavior in Experiments 2 and 3; locomotor activity and rearing behavior in Experiment 4) to repeated injections of amphetamine was assessed in rats that underwent adrenalectomy (ADX) or a sham operation (SHAM). ADX animals received either no corticosterone replacement or one of two corticosterone replacement treatments. Adrenalectomy, with or without corticosterone replacement treatment, had no significant effect on the development of amphetamine sensitization, either in the HOME or the NOVEL environment. By contrast, the effects of adrenalectomy on the acute response to amphetamine varied depending on the behavioral measure and possibly on the dose of amphetamine (2.0 mg/kg, 3.0 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg IP, in Experiments 2, 3 and 4, respectively). We conclude that: (i) a stress-induced secretion of adrenal hormones is not responsible for the enhancement in sensitization to amphetamine seen in animals tested in a NOVEL environment; (ii) circulating adrenal hormones are not necessary for development of sensitization to the psychomotor activating effects of amphetamine.

Rapid e-Learning Tools Selection Process for Cognitive and Psychomotor Learning Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ku, David Tawei; Huang, Yung-Hsin

2012-01-01

This study developed a decision making process for the selection of rapid e-learning tools that could match different learning domains. With the development of the Internet, the speed of information updates has become faster than ever. E-learning has rapidly become the mainstream for corporate training and academic instruction. In order to reduce…

Child Growth, Shocks, and Food Aid in Rural Ethiopia. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamano, Takashi; Alderman, Harold; Christiaensen, Luc

Children that grow slowly experience poorer psychomotor development and tend to have delayed school enrollment and lower scores on cognitive tests. Rural households in developing countries often are unable to protect their consumption against temporary income shocks, such as droughts. Such income shocks have been shown to have negative effects on…

Iron Deficiency and the Cognitive and Psychomotor Development of Children: A Pilot Study with Institutionalized Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driva, A.; And Others

1985-01-01

Describes a pilot study, involving 48 institutionalized infants and toddlers, which aimed to treat iron deficiency anemia and to discover other factors contributing to the problem. Results indicate improvement in cognitive development after the administration of iron among three groups, while no significant differences were observed in psychomotor…

Self Regulated Learning for Developing Nursing Skills via Web-Based

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Hua, Khor Bee

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to find out whether the first year student nurses able to learn and develop the psychomotor skills for basic nursing care using web-based learning environment. More importantly, the researcher investigated whether web-based learning environment using self regulated learning strategy able to help students to apply the…

Preoperative oral Passiflora incarnata reduces anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Movafegh, Ali; Alizadeh, Reza; Hajimohamadi, Fatimah; Esfehani, Fatimah; Nejatfar, Mohmad

2008-06-01

Many patients have preoperative anxiety; therefore, the development of a strong anxiolytic with minimal psychomotor impairment for premedication may be desirable. In this study, 60 patients were randomized into two groups to receive either oral Passiflora incarnata (500 mg, Passipy IranDarouk) (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) as premedication, 90 min before surgery. A numerical rating scale (NRS) was used for each patient to assess anxiety and sedation before, and 10, 30, 60, and 90 min after premedication. Psychomotor function was assessed with the Trieger Dot Test and the Digit-Symbol Substitution Test at arrival in the operating room, 30 and 90 min after tracheal extubation. The time interval between arrival in the postanesthesia care unit and discharge to home (discharge time) was recorded for each patient. The demographic characteristics of patients, ASA physical status, duration of surgery, basal NRS score, sedation at the preset time intervals, and discharge time were similar in the two groups. The NRS anxiety scores were significantly lower in the passiflora group than in the control group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in psychological variables in the postanesthesia care unit and recovery of psychomotor function was comparable in both groups. In outpatient surgery, administration of oral Passiflora incarnata as a premedication reduces anxiety without inducing sedation.

A Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment (SNAKE)-Concordance with a Global Rating of Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Dreier, Larissa Alice; Zernikow, Boris; Blankenburg, Markus; Wager, Julia

2018-02-01

Sleep problems are a common and serious issue in children with life-limiting conditions (LLCs) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). The "Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment" (Schlaffragebogen für Kinder mit Neurologischen und Anderen Komplexen Erkrankungen, SNAKE) was developed for this unique patient group. In a proxy rating, the SNAKE assesses five different dimensions of sleep(-associated) problems (disturbances going to sleep, disturbances remaining asleep, arousal and breathing disorders, daytime sleepiness, and daytime behavior disorders). It has been tested with respect to construct validity and some aspects of criterion validity. The present study examined whether the five SNAKE scales are consistent with parents' or other caregivers' global ratings of a child's sleep quality. Data from a comprehensive dataset of children and adolescents with LLCs and SPMI were analyzed through correlation coefficients and Mann-Whitney U testing. The results confirmed the consistency of both sources of information. The highest levels of agreements with the global rating were achieved for disturbances in terms of going to sleep and disturbances with respect to remaining asleep. The results demonstrate that the scales and therefore the SNAKE itself is well-suited for gathering information on different sleep(-associated) problems in this vulnerable population.

Psychological effects of MDE in normal subjects. Are entactogens a new class of psychoactive agents?

PubMed

Hermle, L; Spitzer, M; Borchardt, D; Kovar, K A; Gouzoulis, E

1993-02-01

The so-called entactogens 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ([MDMA] also known as "Ecstasy," or "Adam") and its analog 3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine ([MDE] also known as "Eve") exert similar psychotropic effects in humans. Two double-blind placebo-controlled psychometric studies with normal control subjects were conducted. Placebo or MDE (140 mg) was administered orally to eight male volunteers at 1:30 P.M. and to six subjects (3 male, 3 female) at 11 P.M. Psychologic tests and clinical ratings were performed 1 hour before the administration of the drugs, as well as 2, 5, and 24 hours after drug intake and 7 days thereafter in the first study. In the second study, measures were taken at times -1, +8.5, +24 hours, and +7 days. The majority of the psychotropic effects resembled those that have already been described in anecdotal reports. The substance produced a partially controllable state of enhanced insight, empathy, and peaceful feelings. All subjects displayed a general stimulation with increased psychomotor drive, logorrhea, and facilitation of communication. One of the fourteen volunteers developed a toxic psychosis. One volunteer displayed a dysphoric reaction, one suffered from episodes of anxiety for some days after the experiment. The findings support the hypothesis that MDMA and MDE represent a novel pharmacologic class.

38 CFR 4.122 - Psychomotor epilepsy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Psychomotor epilepsy. 4.122 Section 4.122 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SCHEDULE FOR..., macropsia, micropsia, dreamy states), alterations in thinking (not open to reason), alterations in memory...

Student-Directed Video Validation of Psychomotor Skills Performance: A Strategy to Facilitate Deliberate Practice, Peer Review, and Team Skill Sets.

PubMed

DeBourgh, Gregory A; Prion, Susan K

2017-03-22

Background Essential nursing skills for safe practice are not limited to technical skills, but include abilities for determining salience among clinical data within dynamic practice environments, demonstrating clinical judgment and reasoning, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork competence. Effective instructional methods are needed to prepare new nurses for entry-to-practice in contemporary healthcare settings. Method This mixed-methods descriptive study explored self-reported perceptions of a process to self-record videos for psychomotor skill performance evaluation in a convenience sample of 102 pre-licensure students. Results Students reported gains in confidence and skill acquisition using team skills to record individual videos of skill performance, and described the importance of teamwork, peer support, and deliberate practice. Conclusion Although time consuming, the production of student-directed video validations of psychomotor skill performance is an authentic task with meaningful accountabilities that is well-received by students as an effective, satisfying learner experience to increase confidence and competence in performing psychomotor skills.

A randomized trial on the acute and steady-state effects of a new antidepressant, vortioxetine (Lu AA21004), on actual driving and cognition.

PubMed

Theunissen, E L; Street, D; Højer, A-M; Vermeeren, A; van Oers, A; Ramaekers, J G

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a novel antidepressant, vortioxetine 10 mg, on driving, cognitive, and psychomotor performance in 24 healthy subjects in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover design. Mirtazapine 30 mg was included as an active comparator. Drugs were administered in the evening of 15 consecutive days. Performance was measured in the morning of days 2 and 16, using standardized tests measuring on-the-road driving, memory, tracking, divided attention, and vigilance. The statistical analysis on the primary measure of driving, i.e., SD of lateral position showed noninferiority of vortioxetine on days 2 and 16, and inferiority for mirtazapine on day 2. Vortioxetine did not cause cognitive or psychomotor impairment. Mirtazapine, however, impaired cognitive and psychomotor performance on day 2. Most of these effects disappeared after multiple doses of mirtazapine. To conclude, vortioxetine did not impair driving, cognitive, or psychomotor performance after single or multiple doses.

Cognitive, psychomotor, and subjective effects of sodium oxybate and triazolam in healthy volunteers

PubMed Central

Carter, Lawrence P.; Griffiths, Roland R.; Mintzer, Miriam Z.

2009-01-01

Rationale Illicit gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has received attention as a “date rape drug” that produces robust amnesia; however, there is little experimental evidence in support of GHB’s amnestic effects. Objectives This study compared the cognitive effects of GHB (sodium oxybate) with those of triazolam in healthy volunteers. Materials and methods Doses of sodium oxybate (1.125, 2.25, and 4.5 g/70 kg), triazolam (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/70 kg), and placebo were administered to 15 volunteers under repeated measures, counterbalanced, double-blind, double-dummy conditions. The time course and peak physiological, psychomotor, subjective, and cognitive effects were examined. Results Sodium oxybate and triazolam produced similar increases in participant ratings of drug effects. Performance on psychomotor, working memory, and episodic memory tasks was impaired to a greater extent after triazolam than sodium oxybate. Conclusions Together, these data suggest that sodium oxybate produces less psychomotor and cognitive impairment than triazolam at doses that produce equivalent participant-rated subjective effects in healthy volunteers. PMID:19543883

Effects of fluoxetine on fine motor performance in dysthymia: an 8-week, nonrandomized, open-label study.

PubMed

Schrijvers, Didier; Maas, Yvonne J; Sabbe, Bernard G C

2009-01-01

Present findings on psychomotor retardation in dysthymia are inconsistent and changes in psychomotor performance during antidepressant treatment have not been investigated in this population to date. The present study aims to explore the psychomotor effects of an 8-week regimen of fluoxetine in dysthymic patients. Dysthymic patients (both inpatients and outpatients of the Psychiatric Hospital Sint-Norbertus, Duffel, Belgium), presenting over a period of 2 years, meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria for dysthymia, and having Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores of > or = 12 were enrolled. During 8 weeks of treatment with fluoxetine 20 mg/d, depression severity and graphic motor activity were assessed 4 times by recording the time (a reaction time [RT] and a movement time [MT]) participants needed to copy single lines and simple and complex figures. The patients' outcomes were compared with those of untreated, healthy controls, matched for sex and comparable age and education. The assessors were masked to treatment and group. Eighteen dysthymic patients (mean age, 40 years; male/female ratio, 4/14; mean weight, 70 kg; all white) were treated; 18 healthy controls (mean age, 40 years; male/female ratio, 4/14; mean weight, 72 kg; all white) were used as comparison. The overall patient group experienced significant psychomotor changes only in association with the complex figure-copying task (RT: F = 5.67, P < 0.05). In a subgroup analysis of 9 patients who clinically responded to treatment (ie, > 40% decrease in severity scores), significant improvements were observed only for the RT of the line- (F = 4.75, P < 0.05) and complex figure-copying task (F = 11.86, P < 0.01) and the MT of the simple figure-copying task (F = 7.57, P < 0.05), but not for the other psychomotor variables. Although some significant psychomotor changes were observed in a subgroup of clinically responsive dysthymic patients, the overall results of this small, nonrandomized, open-label study do not suggest a beneficial psychomotor effect associated with short-term fluoxetine treatment of dysthymia.

Delayed rotation of the cerebellar vermis: a pitfall in early second-trimester fetal magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Pinto, J; Paladini, D; Severino, M; Morana, G; Pais, R; Martinetti, C; Rossi, A

2016-07-01

We describe two cases in which delayed rotation of the cerebellar vermis simulated a Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) on early second-trimester magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two pregnant women with suspected fetal posterior fossa anomaly on ultrasound examination underwent fetal MRI at 21 (Case 1) and 19 (Case 2) weeks' gestation. In both cases, upward rotation of the cerebellar vermis was noted; on midsagittal imaging, the brainstem-vermis angle was 28° and 43°, respectively, while cerebellar morphometry showed a reduced vermian anteroposterior diameter compared to reference data. The posterior fossa appeared to be mildly enlarged, while all other findings were normal. Follow-up MRI at 28 + 3 weeks' gestation (Case 1) and at 1 postnatal year (Case 2) showed completely normal findings. Both children had normal psychomotor development and neurological examinations at 1 year of age. Incomplete rotation of the cerebellar vermis can be a physiological finding on early second-trimester fetal MRI examination and can simulate DWM or other forms of cerebellar hypoplasia. Embryologically, delayed permeabilization of Blake's pouch could account for the delayed vermian rotation. Follow-up imaging at a later gestational age is crucial to ensure that this condition is not over-reported and to avoid the potential risk of unnecessary pregnancy interruption. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Human behavior and human performance: Psychomotor demands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The results of several experiments are presented in abstract form. These studies are critical for the interpretation and acceptance of flight based science to be conducted by the Behavior and Performance project. Some representative titles are as follow: External audio for IBM/PC compatible computers; A comparative assessment of psychomotor performance (target prediction by humans and macaques); Response path (a dependent measure for computer maze solving and other tasks); Behavioral asymmetries of psychomotor performance in Rhesus monkey (a dissociation between hand preference and skill); Testing primates with joystick based automated apparatus; and Environmental enrichment and performance assessment for ground or flight based research with primates;

Facial nerve activity disrupts psychomotor rhythms in the forehead microvasculature.

PubMed

Drummond, Peter D; O'Brien, Geraldine

2011-10-28

Forehead blood flow was monitored in seven participants with a unilateral facial nerve lesion during relaxation, respiratory biofeedback and a sad documentary. Vascular waves at 0.1Hz strengthened during respiratory biofeedback, in tune with breathing cycles that also averaged 0.1Hz. In addition, a psychomotor rhythm at 0.15Hz was more prominent in vascular waveforms on the denervated than intact side of the forehead, both before and during relaxation and the sad documentary. These findings suggest that parasympathetic activity in the facial nerve interferes with the psychomotor rhythm in the forehead microvasculature. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teaching Typewriting. Delta Pi Epsilon Rapid Reader No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Gary N.

This teaching guide provides secondary and postsecondary business teachers with ideas for teaching typewriting and evaluating students. Content is presented in seven sections. The first section discusses learning principles as they relate to psychomotor skill development including, stimulus-response, association, knowledge of results, temporal…

Computer Based Simulation of Laboratory Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie S.

1997-01-01

Examines computer based simulations of practical laboratory experiments in engineering. Discusses the aims and achievements of lab work (cognitive, process, psychomotor, and affective); types of simulations (model building and behavioral); and the strengths and weaknesses of simulations. Describes the development of a centrifugal pump simulation,…

[Prenatal diagnosis of the Dandy-Walker syndrome using sonography and computed tomography].

PubMed

Tölly, E; Ebner, F; Oberbauer, R W

1984-07-01

A case of Dandy-Walker-syndrome is presented, comparing the value of sonography and CT in intrauterine diagnosis. Together with a review of the literature of the subject, pathogenesis, morphology and prognosis in regard to the psychomotoric development are discussed.

Nutrition and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldsmith, Robert H.

Nutritional deficiencies and imbalances can influence learning directly or indirectly. Fatigue, boredom and low motivation may be the result of poor nutrition. Some vision problems, it is known, are related to deficiencies in vitamin A. A number of studies indicate that protein-caloric malnutrition affects intellectual and psychomotor development.…

Battery for ECT Related Cognitive Deficits (B4ECT-ReCoDe): development and validation.

PubMed

Viswanath, Biju; Harihara, Shashidhara N; Nahar, Abhinav; Phutane, Vivek Haridas; Taksal, Aarati; Thirthalli, Jagadisha; Gangadhar, Bangalore N

2013-06-01

The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treatment of psychiatric disorders is associated with adverse cognitive effects. There is a need to develop a short assessment tool of cognitive functions during the course of ECT. This study aimed at developing and validating a short, sensitive battery to assess cognitive deficits associated with ECT in India. Battery for ECT Related Cognitive Deficits (B4ECT-ReCoDe), a brief cognitive battery (20-30 min) to assess verbal, visual, working and autobiographic memory, sustained attention, psychomotor speed and subjective memory impairment, was administered to 30 in-patients receiving bilateral ECT, one day after the 1st, 3rd and 6th ECT. Data was analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation. Significant deficits were found in verbal, visual and autobiographic memory, psychomotor speed. Subjective experience of memory loss correlated positively with verbal memory impairment. B4ECT-ReCoDe, a brief, sensitive measure of cognitive impairments associated with ECT can be used in routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive simulators for medical education and training.

PubMed

Kahol, Kanav; Vankipuram, Mithra; Smith, Marshall L

2009-08-01

Simulators for honing procedural skills (such as surgical skills and central venous catheter placement) have proven to be valuable tools for medical educators and students. While such simulations represent an effective paradigm in surgical education, there is an opportunity to add a layer of cognitive exercises to these basic simulations that can facilitate robust skill learning in residents. This paper describes a controlled methodology, inspired by neuropsychological assessment tasks and embodied cognition, to develop cognitive simulators for laparoscopic surgery. These simulators provide psychomotor skill training and offer the additional challenge of accomplishing cognitive tasks in realistic environments. A generic framework for design, development and evaluation of such simulators is described. The presented framework is generalizable and can be applied to different task domains. It is independent of the types of sensors, simulation environment and feedback mechanisms that the simulators use. A proof of concept of the framework is provided through developing a simulator that includes cognitive variations to a basic psychomotor task. The results of two pilot studies are presented that show the validity of the methodology in providing an effective evaluation and learning environments for surgeons.

Criterion-Referenced Measurement (CRM) in the Initial Acquisition of a Psychomotor Skill with Exceptional Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhich, Dolores

1976-01-01

Criterion Referenced Measurement (CRM) in the initial acquisition of the psychomotor skill of typewriting demonstrated speed gains from 8 hours of instruction distributed over a 6-week interval for 4 male adolescent underachievers of above- and below-average intelligence. (Author)

Facility Maintenance. V-TECS Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Charles G.; And Others

This facility maintenance guide is a compilation of duties, tasks, performance objectives, and performance guides that deals with the psychomotor aspect of an occupation. The guide addresses the three domains of learning: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective. Each unit provides job-relevant tasks, standards of performance, source of standard,…

Psychomotor performance during a 28 day head-down tilt with and without lower body negative pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traon, A. Pavy-le; de Feneyrols, A. Rous; Cornac, A.; Abdeseelam, R.; N'uygen, D.; Lazerges, M.; Güell, A.; Bes, A.

Several factors may affect psychomotor performance in space: sensory-motor changes, sleep disturbances, psychological modifications induced by the social isolation and confinement. However, psychomotor performance is difficult to assess. A battery of standardized and computerized tests, so-called "Automated Portable Test System" (APTS) was devised to ascertain the cognitive, perceptive and motor abilities and their possible fluctuations according to environmental effects. Antiorthostatic bedrest, often used to simulate weightlessness, (particularly cardiovascular modifications) also constitutes a situation of social confinement and isolation. During two bedrest experiments (with head-down tilt of -6°) of 28 days each, we intended to assess psychomotor performance of 6 males so as to determine whether: —on the one hand, it could be altered by remaining in decubitus; —on the other, the Lower Body Negative Pressure sessions, designed to prevent orthostatic intolerance back on Earth, could improve the performance. To accomplish this, part of the APTS tests as well as an automated perceptive attention test were performed. No downgrading of psychomotor performance was observed. On the contrary, the tasks were more accurately performed over time. In order to assess the experimental conditions on the acquisition phase, the learning curves were modelled. A beneficial effect of the LBNP sessions on simple tests involving the visual-motor coordination and attention faculties can only be regarded as a mere trend. Methods used in this experiment are also discussed.

Effectiveness of Mobile Learning on Athletic Training Psychomotor Skill Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davie, Emily; Martin, Malissa; Cuppett, Micki; Lebsack, Denise

2015-01-01

Context: Instruction of psychomotor skills is an important component of athletic training education. Accommodating the varied learning abilities and preferences of athletic training students can be challenging for an instructor initiating skill acquisition in a traditional face-to-face (F2F) environment. Video instruction available on mobile…

Psychomotor and Motor Speed in Power Athletes Self-Administering Testosterone and Anabolic Steroids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Era, Pertti; And Others

1988-01-01

Self-administered testosterone and anabolic steroids resulted in insignificant improvement in psychomotor and motor speed tests of power athletes. This study is part of a larger study on the effects of such drugs on endocrinology, metabolism and neuromuscular functions. Methodolgy and results are discussed. (Author/JL)

Developmental Quantitative EEG Differences during Psychomotor Response to Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flohr, John W.; Miller, Daniel C.

This study examined the electrophysiological differences between baseline EEG frequencies and EEG frequencies obtained during a psychomotor response to musical stimuli. Subjects were 9 children, with mean age of 5.2 years old. Electrophysiological differences between two different musical conditions were also compared. EEG was recorded during 3…

An Assessment of the Application of Psychomotor Learning Theory Constructs in Preclinical Laboratory Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feil, Philip

1992-01-01

A survey investigated the application of constructs related to acquisition of psychomotor skills in the preclinical dental curriculum in 220 departments of operative dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and periodontics. Results indicate insufficient opportunities for students to define desired outcomes and…

Individual Differences in the Attribution of Incentive Salience to a Reward-Related Cue: Influence on Cocaine Sensitization

PubMed Central

Flagel, Shelly B.; Watson, Stanley J.; Akil, Huda; Robinson, Terry E.

2008-01-01

When a discrete cue (a “sign”) is presented repeatedly in anticipation of a food reward the cue can become imbued with incentive salience, leading some animals to approach and engage it, a phenomenon known as “sign-tracking” (the animals are sign-trackers; STs). In contrast, other animals do not approach the cue, but upon cue presentation go to the location where food will be delivered (the goal). These animals are known as goal-trackers (GTs). It has been hypothesized that individuals who attribute excessive incentive salience to reward-related cues may be especially vulnerable to develop compulsive behavioral disorders, including addiction. We were interested, therefore, in whether individual differences in the propensity to sign-track are associated with differences in responsivity to cocaine. Using an autoshaping procedure in which lever (conditioned stimulus) presentation was immediately followed by the response-independent delivery of a food pellet (unconditioned stimulus), rats were first characterized as STs or GTs and subsequently studied for the acute psychomotor response to cocaine and the propensity for cocaine-induced psychomotor sensitization. We found that GTs were more sensitive than STs to the acute locomotor activating effects of cocaine, but STs showed a greater propensity for psychomotor sensitization upon repeated treatment. These data suggest that individual differences in the tendency to attribute incentive salience to a discrete reward-related cue, and to approach and engage it, are associated with susceptibility to a form of cocaine-induced plasticity that may contribute to the development of addiction. PMID:17719099

A Resource Curriculum in Driver and Traffic Safety Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Automotive Safety Foundation, Washington, DC.

Secondary school driver education courses should provide the student with cognitive and affective learning experiences as well as psychomotor skills. Developed through the cooperation of an advisory committee, workshop group, and other consultants, this curriculum guide is intended to help teachers, supervisors, program administrators and teacher…

Homozygous SALL1 Mutation Causes a Novel Multiple Congenital Anomaly—Mental Retardation Syndrome

PubMed Central

Vodopiutz, Julia; Zoller, Heinz; Fenwick, Aimée L.; Arnhold, Richard; Schmid, Max; Prayer, Daniela; Müller, Thomas; Repa, Andreas; Pollak, Arnold; Aufricht, Christoph; Wilkie, Andrew O.M.; Janecke, Andreas R.

2013-01-01

Objective To delineate a novel autosomal recessive multiple congenital anomaly-mental retardation (MCA-MR) syndrome in 2 female siblings of a consanguineous pedigree and to identify the disease-causing mutation. Study design Both siblings were clinically characterized and homozygosity mapping and sequencing of candidate genes were applied. The contribution of nonsense-mediated messenger RNA (mRNA) decay to the expression of mutant mRNA in fibroblasts of a healthy carrier and a control was studied by pyrosequencing. Results We identified the first homozygous SALL1 mutation, c.3160C > T (p.R1054*), in 2 female siblings presenting with multiple congenital anomalies, central nervous system defects, cortical blindness, and absence of psychomotor development (ie, a novel recognizable, autosomal recessive MCA-MR). The mutant SALL1 transcript partially undergoes nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and is present at 43% of the normal transcript level in the fibroblasts of a healthy carrier. Conclusion Previously heterozygous SALL1 mutations and deletions have been associated with dominantly inherited anal-renal-radial-ear developmental anomalies. We identified an allelic recessive SALL1-related MCA-MR. Our findings imply that quantity and quality of SALL1 transcript are important for SALL1 function and determine phenotype, and mode of inheritance, of allelic SALL1-related disorders. This novel MCA-MR emphasizes SALL1 function as critical for normal central nervous system development and warrants a detailed neurologic investigation in all individuals with SALL1 mutations. PMID:23069192

Predictive value of early amplitude-integrated electroencephalography for later diagnosed cerebral white matter damage in preterm infants.

PubMed

Song, Juan; Zhu, Changlian; Xu, Falin; Guo, Jiajia; Zhang, Yanhua

2014-10-01

 The aim of the article is to assess the predictive value of amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) for cerebral white matter damage (WMD) in preterm infants. Patients and  Preterms ≤ 32 weeks' gestational age (GA) born between March 2012 and December 2012 were enrolled. The aEEG patterns within 72 hours were classified and recorded to predict their neurodevelopmental prognosis and the predictive results were used to compare with the results by cerebral ultrasound examination. Neurobehavioral disorder (neonatal behavioral neurological assessment score < 35, dyskinesia or dysgnosia) or death was thought as poor neurodevelopmental prognosis. Psychomotor development index (PDI) or mental development index (MDI) ≤ 79 was regarded as dyskinesia or dysgnosia, respectively.  Of the 63 preterms, 3.2% were born < 27 weeks' gestation and 96.8% at 27 to 32 weeks' gestation. The median GA was 29.3 weeks and the median birth weight was 1,030 g. On the basis of the aEEG results, normal, mildly abnormal, and severely abnormal cases were 10, 24, and 29; whereas determined by cerebral ultrasound, normal, mild, and severe cases were 17, 20, and 26, respectively. The aEEG degree showed significantly positive correlations with both WMD and poor neurodevelopmental prognosis (p < 0.01).  Abnormal aEEG of preterm infants within 72 hours after birth may imply WMD occurrence and poor neurodevelopmental prognosis. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and neuropsychological development in pre-school children: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Casas, Maribel; Forns, Joan; Martínez, David; Guxens, Mònica; Fernandez-Somoano, Ana; Ibarluzea, Jesus; Lertxundi, Nerea; Murcia, Mario; Rebagliato, Marisa; Tardon, Adonina; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

2017-10-01

BackgroundMaternal pre-pregnancy obesity may impair infant neuropsychological development, but it is unclear whether intrauterine or confounding factors drive this association.MethodsWe assessed whether maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with neuropsychological development in 1,827 Spanish children. At 5 years, cognitive and psychomotor development was assessed using McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms using the Criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and autism spectrum disorder symptoms using the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and maternal intelligence quotient. We used paternal obesity as negative control exposure as it involves the same source of confounding than maternal obesity.ResultsThe percentage of obese mothers and fathers was 8% and 12%, respectively. In unadjusted models, children of obese mothers had lower scores than children of normal weight mothers in all McCarthy subscales. After adjustment, only the verbal subscale remained statistically significantly reduced (β: -2.8; 95% confidence interval: -5.3, -0.2). No associations were observed among obese fathers. Maternal and paternal obesity were associated with an increase in ADHD-related symptoms. Parental obesity was not associated with autism symptoms.ConclusionMaternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with a reduction in offspring verbal scores at pre-school age.

[Walking performance of elderly practitioners of psychomotricity].

PubMed

dos Santos, Sarah Lins; Soares, Maria Júlia Guimarães Oliveira; Ravagni, Eduardo; Costa, Marta Miriam Lopes; Fernandes, Maria das Graças Melo

2014-01-01

Quasi-experimental study conducted with fifteen elderlies, developed at the Physiotherapy Clinical School, Federal University of Paraíba, in 2011. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of gait in elderly practitioners of psychomotor activities. It was conducted a structured interview focusing on social, clinical and functional data, in order to be able to correlate various information which supported the aim of the study. The average cognitive performance was 19.4 at the first assessment and 23.2 in the second. The average performance of activities related to the gait was 11.6 at the first assessment, and 15.5 in the second, after the practice of psychomotor activities. It was found a significant improvement in the performance of activities related to the gait, with irregularities persisting in height and continuity of the step, as well as in the midline deviation.

Evaluating the Impact of the "Teaching as a Chemistry Laboratory Graduate Teaching Assistant" Program on Cognitive and Psychomotor Verbal Interactions in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaherty, A.; O'Dwyer, A.; Mannix-McNamara, P.; Leahy, J. J.

2017-01-01

Designing and evaluating teacher development programs for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who teach in the laboratory is a prominent feature of chemistry education research. However, few studies have investigated the impact of a GTA teacher development program on the verbal interactions between participating GTAs and students in the…

Interactive Textbook--A New Tool in Off-Line and On-Line Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solcova, Lucia

2016-01-01

Implementation of ICT in the educational process has allowed us especially in the last decade to fully develop cognitive and psychomotor skills of students. A typical example is the use of multimedia, through which the learner gradually formed and developed their skills in the area of sensory perception. The paper is focused on one of the modern…

Maternal intelligence-mental health and child neuropsychological development at age 14 months.

PubMed

Forns, Joan; Julvez, Jordi; García-Esteban, Raquel; Guxens, Mònica; Ferrer, Muriel; Grellier, James; Vrijheid, Martine; Sunyer, Jordi

2012-01-01

To examine the relationship between maternal intelligence-mental health and neuropsychological development at age 14 months in a normal population, taking into account maternal occupational social class and education. We prospectively studied a population-based birth cohort, which forms part of the INMA (Environment and Childhood) Project. Cognitive and psychomotor development was assessed at 14 months using Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Maternal intelligence and mental health were assessed by the Cattell and Cattell test and the General Health Questionnaire-12 respectively. We observed a crude association between maternal intelligence and cognitive development in children at 14 months but this association disappeared when maternal education was included. The associations were stratified by maternal education and occupational social class. Within the manual maternal occupational social class, there was a significant difference in cognitive development between children whose mothers scored in the highest tertile of maternal IQ and those whose mothers scored in the lowest tertile. In contrast, no differences were observed among children whose mothers were in the non-manual occupational social class. The association between maternal intelligence and child cognitive development differed by occupational social class. While this association was not confounded by education or other variables in manual occupational social classes, maternal education explained this association among advantaged occupational social classes. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Body posture in children with obesity - the relationship to physical activity (PA).

PubMed

Brzęk, Anna; Sołtys, Jacek; Gallert-Kopyto, Weronika; Gwizdek, Katarzyna; Plinta, Ryszard

2016-01-01

The modern world of electronic devices offers children and young people various forms of leisure activities, while reducing the need for natural movement, necessary for normal psychomotor development. Sedentary life contributes to an increased body weight and, thereby, to the development of body posture abnormalities. The aim of the study was to evaluate body posture, leisure activities, and the number of hours spent using electronic devices among children with obesity. The study involved 51 children with obesity (BMI above 95 percentile) - A group, and 69 children with normal body weight at the age of 9-13 years (10.98 ± 1.29) - B group (control). Body posture has been evaluated with the scoliometer, the digital inclinometer and the plumb line. The hump ratio has been calculated on the basis of SOSORT recommendations. Time spent in front of electronic devices based on a questionnaire results has also been calculated. Children with obesity have more body posture defects in the sagittal plane than children with normal z-scores (p<0.001). 46.8% of children in group A have distorted depth of the two curvatures of the spine. In the control group, the majority of deviations have been observed in the evaluation of the ATR (Angle Trunk Rotation) at the lumbar spine (p<0.05), while in group A, at the level of the thoracic spine (40.42% vs. 23.07%). Both groups of respondents use electronic devices at least 3 days a week (p>0.05). Obese children often use mobile devices, while children with normal body weight often use desktop equipment. Definitely more body posture abnormalities are found in the group of obese children. Children use electronic devices regardless of weight. It is worth to expand educational activities with programs that improve the quality of body posture through a daily change of abnormal patterns. © Polish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.

Adolescent Expectancy-Value Motivation and Learning: A Disconnected Case in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Xihe; Chen, Ang

2010-01-01

This study reports adolescent expectancy-value motivation, and its relation to fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning in physical education. Students (N = 854) from 12 middle schools provided data on expectancy-value motivation, fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning. Results from dependent t-test and MANOVA indicated that 8th…

The Effect of Simulation Training on Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Competency in Performing Intramuscular Injection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Jennifer Gunberg

2011-01-01

Simulation is a teaching method that closely replicates reality by integrating all three learning domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Despite the widespread use of simulation in nursing education today, there is a dearth of empirical evidence supporting the use of simulation to teach psychomotor skills. Furthermore, there is no…

Mastery Learning of Stunts and Tumbling Activities for the Mentally Retarded.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambless, Jim R.; And Others

Intended for physical education teachers of the handicapped, teacher educators at teacher training institutions, and research workers in areas of the handicapped, the document reports the effects of a theoretical model of teaching psychomotor tasks on the motor behavior of mentally retarded children. Chapter 1 introduces a psychomotor teaching…

Movement. Proceedings of Seventh Symposium in Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Physical Activity Professionals of Quebec, Montreal.

The symposium on the physical and psychomotor aspects of sports covered a variety of topics. Among those contained in this report are: discussions on the taxonomies of sports; the time dimension of physical activity including response variables, judgment of temporal order, and duration discrimination; memory; information and its use in physical…

Teaching ESL Content through Kite Making for Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, N.

Ideas for teaching elementary and secondary students of English as a Second Language (ESL) through a unit on kites and kite-making are offered. First, unit objectives are outlined. These include objectives for cognitive skill development (classification, comparison), psychomotor skills (constructing a kite), mathematical operations (measuring,…

Bringing Out Head Start Talents (BOHST). Talent Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amundsen, Jane; And Others

Designed for preschoolers identified as talented by the Bringing Out Head Start Talents (BOHST) project, the small-group lessons contained in this manual focus on nine areas of talent programming and are presented in color-coded sections: creative, intellectual, leadership, art, music, reading, math, science, and psychomotor talent development.…

Independent Research Annual Report 1990 (Naval Medical Research and Development Command)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

main research topic areas studied by NMRDC scientists Include combat casualty care and combat dentistry , infectious dis- eases and AIDS, diving and...performance of psychomotor and cognitive tasks. Ergonomics 30:1431-1445; 1987. 17. Gehres, L D.; Randall, C.; Riccio, D. C.; Vardans, R. M

Role of cerebral ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in newborns with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

PubMed

Capretti, Maria Grazia; Lanari, Marcello; Tani, Giovanni; Ancora, Gina; Sciutti, Rita; Marsico, Concetta; Lazzarotto, Tiziana; Gabrielli, Liliana; Guerra, Brunella; Corvaglia, Luigi; Faldella, Giacomo

2014-03-01

To assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) in comparison with that of cerebral ultrasound (cUS) in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in newborns with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Forty CMV-congenitally infected newborns underwent cUS and cMRI within the first month of life. Clinical course, laboratory findings, visual/hearing function and neurodevelopmental outcome were documented. Thirty newborns showed normal cMRI, cUS and hearing/visual function in the first month of life; none showed CMV-related abnormalities at follow-up. Six newborns showed pathological cMRI and cUS findings (pseudocystis, ventriculomegaly, calcifications, cerebellar hypoplasia) but cMRI provided additional information (white matter abnormalities in three cases, lissencephaly/polymicrogyria in one and a cyst of the temporal lobe in another one); cerebral calcifications were detected in 3/6 infants by cUS but only in 2/6 by cMRI. Four of these 6 infants showed severe neurodevelopmental impairment and five showed deafness during follow-up. Three newborns had a normal cUS, but cMRI documented white matter abnormalities and in one case also cerebellar hypoplasia; all showed neurodevelopmental impairment and two were deaf at follow-up. One more newborn showed normal cUS and cMRI, but brainstem auditory evoked responses were abnormal; psychomotor development was normal at follow-up. Compared with cUS, cMRI disclosed additional pathological findings in CMV-congenitally infected newborns. cUS is a readily available screening tool useful in the identification of infected newborns with major cerebral involvement. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to determine the prognostic role of MRI, particularly regarding isolated white matter lesions. Copyright © 2013 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of WIN 55,212-2 (a synthetic cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor agonist) on the anticonvulsant activity of various novel antiepileptic drugs against 6 Hz-induced psychomotor seizures in mice.

PubMed

Florek-Luszczki, Magdalena; Wlaz, Aleksandra; Zagaja, Mirosław; Andres-Mach, Marta; Kondrat-Wrobel, Maria W; Luszczki, Jarogniew J

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of WIN 55,212-2 mesylate (WIN-a non-selective cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor agonist) on the anticonvulsant activity of various second- and third-generation antiepileptic drugs (i.e., gabapentin, lacosamide, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, pregabalin and tiagabine) in the mouse 6 Hz-induced psychomotor seizure model. Psychomotor seizures were evoked in albino Swiss mice by a current (32 mA, 6 Hz, 3s stimulus duration) delivered via ocular electrodes. Additionally, total brain antiepileptic drug concentrations were measured. Results indicate that WIN (5 mg/kg, administered i.p.) significantly potentiated the anticonvulsant action of gabapentin (P < 0.05) and levetiracetam (P < 0.01), but not that of lacosamide, oxcarbazepine, pregabalin or tiagabine in the mouse psychomotor seizure model. Moreover, WIN (2.5 mg/kg) had no significant effect on the anticonvulsant activity of all tested antiepileptic drugs in the 6 Hz test in mice. Measurement of total brain antiepileptic drug concentrations revealed that WIN (5 mg/kg) had no impact on gabapentin or levetiracetam total brain concentrations, indicating the pharmacodynamic nature of interaction between these antiepileptic drugs in the mouse 6Hz model. In conclusion, WIN in combination with gabapentin and levetiracetam exerts beneficial anticonvulsant pharmacodynamic interactions in the mouse psychomotor seizure model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Video gaming enhances psychomotor skills but not visuospatial and perceptual abilities in surgical trainees.

PubMed

Kennedy, A M; Boyle, E M; Traynor, O; Walsh, T; Hill, A D K

2011-01-01

There is considerable interest in the identification and assessment of underlying aptitudes or innate abilities that could potentially predict excellence in the technical aspects of operating. However, before the assessment of innate abilities is introduced for high-stakes assessment (such as competitive selection into surgical training programs), it is essential to determine that these abilities are stable and unchanging and are not influenced by other factors, such as the use of video games. The aim of this study was to investigate whether experience playing video games will predict psychomotor performance on a laparoscopic simulator or scores on tests of visuospatial and perceptual abilities, and to examine the correlation, if any, between these innate abilities. Institutional ethical approval was obtained. Thirty-eight undergraduate medical students with no previous surgical experience were recruited. All participants completed a self-reported questionnaire that asked them to detail their video game experience. They then underwent assessment of their psychomotor, visuospatial, and perceptual abilities using previously validated tests. The results were analyzed using independent samples t tests to compare means and linear regression curves for subsequent analysis. Students who played video games for at least 7 hours per week demonstrated significantly better psychomotor skills than students who did not play video games regularly. However, there was no difference on measures of visuospatial and perceptual abilities. There was no correlation between psychomotor tests and visuospatial or perceptual tests. Regular video gaming correlates positively with psychomotor ability, but it does not seem to influence visuospatial or perceptual ability. This study suggests that video game experience might be beneficial to a future career in surgery. It also suggests that relevant surgical skills may be gained usefully outside the operating room in activities that are not related to surgery. Copyright © 2011 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pediatric selective mutism therapy: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Esposito, Maria; Gimigliano, Francesca; Barillari, Maria R; Precenzano, Francesco; Ruberto, Maria; Sepe, Joseph; Barillari, Umberto; Gimigliano, Raffaele; Militerni, Roberto; Messina, Giovanni; Carotenuto, Marco

2017-10-01

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare disease in children coded by DSM-5 as an anxiety disorder. Despite the disabling nature of the disease, there is still no specific treatment. The aims of this study were to verify the efficacy of six-month standard psychomotor treatment and the positive changes in lifestyle, in a population of children affected by SM. Randomized controlled trial registered in the European Clinical Trials Registry (EuDract 2015-001161-36). University third level Centre (Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Clinic). Study population was composed by 67 children in group A (psychomotricity treatment) (35 M, mean age 7.84±1.15) and 71 children in group B (behavioral and educational counseling) (37 M, mean age 7.75±1.36). Psychomotor treatment was administered by trained child therapists in residential settings three times per week. Each child was treated for the whole period by the same therapist and all the therapists shared the same protocol. The standard psychomotor session length is of 45 minutes. At T0 and after 6 months (T1) of treatments, patients underwent a behavioral and SM severity assessment. To verify the effects of the psychomotor management, the Child Behavior Checklist questionnaire (CBCL) and Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ) were administered to the parents. After 6 months of psychomotor treatment SM children showed a significant reduction among CBCL scores such as in social relations, anxious/depressed, social problems and total problems (P<0.001), Withdrawn (P=0.007) and Internalizing problems (P=0.020). Regarding SM severity according to SMQ assessment, children of group A showed a reduction of SM symptoms in all situations (school, P=0.003; family, P=0.018; and social, P=0.030 situations) and in SMQ total score (P<0.001). Our preliminary results suggest the positive effect of the psychomotor treatment in rehabilitative program for children affected by selective mutism, even if further studies are needed. The present study identifies in psychomotricity a safe and efficacy therapy for pediatric selective mutism.

Peer-assisted learning and orthopaedic evaluation psychomotor skills.

PubMed

Weidner, Thomas G; Popp, Jennifer K

2007-01-01

Athletic training educators often anecdotally suggest that athletic training students enhance their learning by teaching their peers. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has not been examined within athletic training education to provide evidence for PAL's current use or for its use as a pedagogic tool. To assess the effectiveness of intentional, formal PAL on the performance of psychomotor skills and to identify students' perceptions of PAL. Randomized, pretest-posttest experimental design. Athletic Training Research and Education Laboratory. Fifty-one undergraduate students (27 athletic training majors, 24 nonmajors). Review sessions led by either an Approved Clinical Instructor or peer tutor. We assessed pretest and posttest performance scores (number of correct skills) and the amount of time to complete the psychomotor skills in 3 categories of orthopaedic evaluation of the hand and wrist for subjects assigned to either a peer tutor or an Approved Clinical Instructor review group. Using the Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey, we evaluated the perceptions of students assigned to the peer-tutor group regarding the benefits of, and preferences for, PAL. Differences in the pretest-posttest skill scores were noted in both groups (P < .05). No differences in the posttest skills scores or the times to perform the skills were seen between the groups. The Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey revealed that most (n = 19, 70.4%) of the subjects felt less anxious when practicing psychomotor skills with peer tutors than with the laboratory instructor, and many students (n = 12, 44.4%) felt more self-confident when practicing psychomotor skills with a peer tutor. Peer-assisted learning appears to be a valid method for improving athletic training psychomotor skills. Peers can be resources for practicing clinical skills and report benefiting from the collaboration. Peer-assisted learning should be deliberately integrated into athletic training education programs to enhance student learning and collaboration.

Residual effects of middle-of-the-night administration of zaleplon and zolpidem on driving ability, memory functions, and psychomotor performance.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Volkerts, Edmund R; Schreuder, Antonia H C M L; Eijken, Erik J E; van Heuckelum, Janet H G; Veldhuijzen, Dieuwke S; Verbaten, Marinus N; Paty, Isabelle; Darwish, Mona; Danjou, Philippe; Patat, Alain

2002-12-01

Thirty healthy volunteers participated in this two-part study. Part 1 was a single-blind, two-period crossover design to determine the effects of a single dose of ethanol (0.03% < BAC < 0.05%) or ethanol-placebo on driving ability, memory, and psychomotor performance. Part 2 was a double-blind, five-period crossover design to measure the effects of a middle-of-the-night administration of zaleplon 10 or 20 mg, zolpidem 10 or 20 mg, or placebo on driving ability 4 hours after administration and memory and psychomotor performance 6 hours after administration. The on-the-road driving test consisted of operating an instrumented automobile over a 100-km highway circuit at a constant speed (95 km/h) while maintaining a steady lateral position between the right lane boundaries. The standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) was the primary performance parameter of the driving test. The psychomotor and memory test battery consisted of the Word Learning Test, the Critical Tracking Test, the Divided Attention Test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Data for each part were analyzed separately using ANOVA for crossover designs. Zaleplon 10 and 20 mg did not significantly impair driving ability 4 hours after middle-of-the-night administration. Relative to placebo, after zolpidem 10 mg, SDLP was significantly elevated, but the magnitude of the difference was small and not likely to be of clinical importance. Memory and psychomotor test performance was unaffected after both doses of zaleplon and zolpidem 10 mg. In contrast, zolpidem 20 mg significantly increased SDLP and speed variability. Further, zolpidem 20 mg significantly impaired performance on all psychomotor and memory tests. Finally, driving performance, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Divided Attention Test, and immediate and delayed free recall of the Word Learning Test were significantly impaired after ethanol. The results show that zaleplon (10 and 20 mg) is a safe hypnotic devoid of next-morning residual impairment when used in the middle of the night.

Differential response of nNOS knockout mice to MDMA ("ecstasy")- and methamphetamine-induced psychomotor sensitization and neurotoxicity.

PubMed

Itzhak, Yossef; Anderson, Karen L; Ali, Syed F

2004-10-01

It has been shown that mice deficient in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene are resistant to cocaine-induced psychomotor sensitization and methamphetamine (METH)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that nNOS has a major role in dopamine (DA)- but not serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT)-mediated effects of psychostimulants. The response of nNOS knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice to the psychomotor-stimulating and neurotoxic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "Ecstasy") and METH were investigated. Repeated administration of MDMA for 5 days resulted in psychomotor sensitization in both WT and nNOS KO mice, while repeated administration of METH caused psychomotor sensitization in WT but not in KO mice. Sensitization to both MDMA and METH was persistent for 40 days in WT mice, but not in nNOS KO mice. These findings suggest that the induction of psychomotor sensitization to MDMA and METH is NO independent and NO dependent, respectively, while the persistence of sensitization to both drugs is NO dependent. For the neurochemical studies, a high dose of MDMA caused marked depletion of 5-HT in several brain regions of both WT and KO mice, suggesting that the absence of the nNOS gene did not afford protection against MDMA-induced depletion of 5-HT. Striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity caused by high doses of MDMA and METH in WT mice was partially prevented in KO mice administered with MDMA, but it was fully precluded in KO mice administered with METH. The differential response of nNOS KO mice to the behavioral and neurotoxic effects of MDMA and METH suggests that the nNOS gene is required for the expression and persistence of DA-mediated effects of METH and MDMA, while 5-HT-mediated effects of MDMA (induction of sensitization and 5-HT depletion) are not dependent on nNOS.

Acute glycaemic load breakfast manipulations do not attenuate cognitive impairments in adults with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Lamport, Daniel Joseph; Dye, Louise; Mansfield, Michael W; Lawton, Clare L

2013-04-01

Research on young healthy samples suggests that low glycaemic load foods can confer benefits for cognitive performance. The aim was to examine the effects of type 2 diabetes on cognitive function, and to investigate whether consumption of low glycaemic load breakfasts affects cognitive function in adults with type 2 diabetes. Memory, psychomotor skill and executive function were examined at two morning test sessions in 24 adults with type 2 diabetes and 10 adults with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) aged 45-77 years without dementia after water, low, and high glycaemic load breakfasts were consumed in accordance with a crossover, counterbalanced design. The type 2 diabetes and NGT groups were matched for education, depression, and IQ. Type 2 diabetes was associated with impairments in verbal memory, spatial memory, psychomotor skill, and executive function compared to adults with NGT. Consumption of the three breakfast conditions did not impact on cognitive performance in the type 2 diabetes or NGT participants. Abnormalities in glucose tolerance such as type 2 diabetes can have demonstrable negative effects on a range of cognitive functions. However, there was no evidence that low GL breakfasts administered acutely could confer benefits for cognitive function (ClincalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01047813). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

[A preliminary study of low dosage zuclopenthixol depot in Alzheimer's disease].

PubMed

Robles, A; Rodríguez Navarrete, F J; Taboada, O; Docasar, L; Páramo, M; Noya, M

1996-03-01

Persistent psychomotor agitation and psychotic ideation in patients with Alzheimer's disease are normally treated orally with antipsychotic drugs and are occasionally treated with other drugs. Neuroleptics administered intramuscularly at very low doses are an alternative, especially when the patient rejects medicine as a results of his or her anosognosia or of paranoid manifestations. We present the results we obtained after observing the effects of depot zuclopenthixol in six patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (based upon NINCDS-ADRDA criteria). Psychic abnormalities were assessed as per the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Possible extrapyramidal side effects were evaluated by means of the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Initially 60 mg (0.3 ml) were administered intramuscularly and successive doses could be modified by +/-20 mg (0.1 ml) according to results seen on the various scales. During the first six weeks of treatment progressive improvement was noted on all three psychic functions scales in all patients. Between the sixth and twelfth weeks improvement continued although without significant change. The AIMS did not show significant changes in the twelve weeks of follow-up. We consider depot zuclopenthixol at low doses as efficacious in treating persistent psychomotor agitation and/or psychotic manifestations of Alzheimer's disease. No undesired side effects were observed in our group after a twelve week follow-up.

Simulation in undergraduate paediatric nursing curriculum: Evaluation of a complex 'ward for a day' education program.

PubMed

Gamble, Andree S

2017-03-01

Simulation in health education has been shown to increase confidence, psychomotor and professional skills, and thus positively impact on student preparedness for clinical placement. It is recognised as a valuable tool to expose and engage students in realistic patient care encounters without the potential to cause patient harm. Although inherent challenges exist in the development and implementation of simulation, variability in clinical placement time, availability and quality dictates the need to provide students with learning opportunities they may otherwise not experience. With this, and a myriad of other issues providing the impetus for improved clinical preparation, 28 final semester undergraduate nursing students in a paediatric nursing course were involved in an extended multi-scenario simulated clinical shift prior to clinical placement. The simulation focussed on a complex ward experience, giving students the opportunity to demonstrate a variety of psychomotor skills, decision making, leadership, team work and other professional attributes integral for successful transition into the clinical arena. Evaluation data were collected at 3 intermittent points; post-simulation, post clinical placement, and 3 months after commencing employment as a Registered Nurse. Quantitative and qualitative analysis suggested positive impacts on critical nursing concepts and psychomotor skills resulted for participants in both clinical placement and beyond into the first months of employment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolic alterations and neurodevelopmental outcome of infants with transposition of the great arteries.

PubMed

Park, I Sook; Yoon, S Young; Min, J Yeon; Kim, Y Hwue; Ko, J Kok; Kim, K Soo; Seo, D Man; Lee, J Hee

2006-01-01

Abnormal neurodevelopment has been reported for infants who were born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and underwent arterial switch operation (ASO). This study evaluates the cerebral metabolism of TGA infants at birth and before ASO and neurodevelopment 1 year after ASO. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was performed on 16 full-term TGA brains before ASO within 3-6 days after birth. The brain metabolite ratios of [NAA/Cr], [Cho/Cr], and [mI/Cr] evaluated measured. Ten infants were evaluated at 1 year using the Bayley Scales of Infants Development II (BSED II). Cerebral metabolism of infants with TGA was altered in parietal white matter (PWM) and occipital gray matter (OGM) at birth before ASO. One year after ASO, [Cho/Cr] in PWM remained altered, but all metabolic ratios in OGM were normal. The results of BSID II at 1 year showed delayed mental and psychomotor development. This delayed neurodevelopmental outcome may reflect consequences of the altered cerebral metabolism in PWM measured by 1H-MRS. It is speculated that the abnormal hemodynamics due to TGA in utero may be responsible for the impaired cerebral metabolism and the subsequent neurodevelopmental deficit.

Williams-Beuren syndrome associated with single kidney and nephrocalcinosis: a case report.

PubMed

Abidi, Kamel; Jellouli, Manel; Ben Rabeh, Rania; Hammi, Yousra; Gargah, Tahar

2015-01-01

Williams-Beuren syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by congenital heart defects, abnormal facial features, mental retardation with specific cognitive and behavioral profile, growth hormone deficiency, renal and skeletal anomalies, inguinal hernia, infantile hypercalcaemia. We report a case with Williams-Beuren syndrome associated with a single kidney and nephrocalcinosis complicated by hypercalcaemia. A male infant, aged 20 months presented growth retardation associated with a psychomotor impairment, dysmorphic features and nephrocalcinosis. He had also hypercalciuria and hypercalcemia. Echocardiography was normal. DMSA renal scintigraphy showed a single functioning kidney. The FISH generated one ELN signal in 20 metaphases read and found the presence of ELN deletion, with compatible Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Temporal lobe dual pathology in malignant migrating partial seizures in infancy.

PubMed

Coppola, Giangennaro; Operto, Francesca Felicia; Auricchio, Gianfranca; D'Amico, Alessandra; Fortunato, Delia; Pascotto, Antonio

2007-06-01

A child had the characteristic clinical and EEG pattern of migrating partial seizures in infancy with left temporal lobe atrophy, hippocampal sclerosis and cortical-subcortical blurring. Seizures were drug-resistant, with recurring episodes of status epilepticus. The child developed microcephaly with arrest of psychomotor development. Focal brain lesions, in the context of migrating partial seizures, have not been previously reported.[Published with video sequences].

Micronutrient deficiencies and developmental delays among infants: evidence from a cross-sectional survey in rural China

PubMed Central

Luo, Renfu; Shi, Yaojiang; Zhou, Huan; Yue, Ai; Zhang, Linxiu; Sylvia, Sean; Medina, Alexis; Rozelle, Scott

2015-01-01

Objectives Research increasingly indicates the importance of the nutritional programming that occurs in the first 2–3 years of life. Quality nutrition during this brief window has been shown to have large and significant effects on health and development throughout childhood and even into adulthood. Despite the widespread understanding of this critical window, and the long-term consequences of leaving nutritional deficiencies unaddressed, little is known about the status of infant nutrition in rural China, or about the relationship between infant nutrition and cognitive development in rural China. Design, setting and participants In April 2013 and October 2013, we conducted a survey of 1808 infants aged 6–12 months living in 351 villages across 174 townships in nationally designated poverty counties in rural areas of southern Shaanxi Province, China. Main outcome measures Infants were administered a finger prick blood test for haemoglobin and assessed according to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. They were also measured for length and weight. Caregivers were administered a survey of demographic characteristics and feeding practices. Results We found that 48.8% of sample infants were anaemic, 3.7% were stunted, 1.2% were underweight and 1.6% were wasted. Approximately 20.0% of the sample infants were significantly delayed in their cognitive development, while just over 32.3% of the sample infants were significantly delayed in their psychomotor development. After controlling for potential confounders, infants with lower haemoglobin counts were significantly more likely to be delayed in both their cognitive (p<0.01) and psychomotor development (p<0.01). Conclusions The anaemia rates that we identify in this study classify anaemia as a ‘severe’ public health problem according to the WHO. In contrast, there is virtually no linear growth failure among this population. We find that low haemoglobin levels among our sample population are associated with significant cognitive and psychomotor delays that could eventually affect children's schooling performance and labour force outcomes. Trial registration number ISRCTN44149146. PMID:26438137

Micronutrient deficiencies and developmental delays among infants: evidence from a cross-sectional survey in rural China.

PubMed

Luo, Renfu; Shi, Yaojiang; Zhou, Huan; Yue, Ai; Zhang, Linxiu; Sylvia, Sean; Medina, Alexis; Rozelle, Scott

2015-10-05

Research increasingly indicates the importance of the nutritional programming that occurs in the first 2-3 years of life. Quality nutrition during this brief window has been shown to have large and significant effects on health and development throughout childhood and even into adulthood. Despite the widespread understanding of this critical window, and the long-term consequences of leaving nutritional deficiencies unaddressed, little is known about the status of infant nutrition in rural China, or about the relationship between infant nutrition and cognitive development in rural China. In April 2013 and October 2013, we conducted a survey of 1808 infants aged 6-12 months living in 351 villages across 174 townships in nationally designated poverty counties in rural areas of southern Shaanxi Province, China. Infants were administered a finger prick blood test for haemoglobin and assessed according to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. They were also measured for length and weight. Caregivers were administered a survey of demographic characteristics and feeding practices. We found that 48.8% of sample infants were anaemic, 3.7% were stunted, 1.2% were underweight and 1.6% were wasted. Approximately 20.0% of the sample infants were significantly delayed in their cognitive development, while just over 32.3% of the sample infants were significantly delayed in their psychomotor development. After controlling for potential confounders, infants with lower haemoglobin counts were significantly more likely to be delayed in both their cognitive (p<0.01) and psychomotor development (p<0.01). The anaemia rates that we identify in this study classify anaemia as a 'severe' public health problem according to the WHO. In contrast, there is virtually no linear growth failure among this population. We find that low haemoglobin levels among our sample population are associated with significant cognitive and psychomotor delays that could eventually affect children's schooling performance and labour force outcomes. ISRCTN44149146. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A Comparison of Adaptive and Nonadaptive Training Strategies in the Acquisition of a Physically Complex Psychomotor Skill.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riedel, James A.; And Others

Results of research to determine if an adaptive technique could be used to teach a physically complex psychomotor skill (specifically, performing on an arc welding simulator) more efficiently than the skill could be taught with a nonadaptive technique are presented. Sixty hull maintenance technician firemen and fireman apprentice trainees were…

Performance Assessment in CTE: Focusing on the Cognitive, Psychomotor ...and Affective Domains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washer, Bart; Cochran, Lori

2012-01-01

When a student is performing in the psychomotor domain, the authors believe the student is also performing in the cognitive domain (sequencing steps, evaluating the situation) and in the affective domain (appreciating a job well done, quality control, safety). As Dabney Doty, former instructor at the University of Central Missouri, stated, "There…

Modeling Expert Behavior in Support of an Adaptive Psychomotor Training Environment: A Marksmanship Use Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Benjamin; Amburn, Charles; Ragusa, Charlie; Chen, Dar-Wei

2018-01-01

The U.S. Army is interested in extending the application of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) beyond cognitive problem spaces and into psychomotor skill domains. In this paper, we present a methodology and validation procedure for creating expert model representations in the domain of rifle marksmanship. GIFT (Generalized Intelligent Framework…

Comparative evaluation of twenty pilot workload assessment measure using a psychomotor task in a moving base aircraft simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connor, S. A.; Wierwille, W. W.

1983-01-01

A comparison of the sensitivity and intrusion of twenty pilot workload assessment techniques was conducted using a psychomotor loading task in a three degree of freedom moving base aircraft simulator. The twenty techniques included opinion measures, spare mental capacity measures, physiological measures, eye behavior measures, and primary task performance measures. The primary task was an instrument landing system (ILS) approach and landing. All measures were recorded between the outer marker and the middle marker on the approach. Three levels (low, medium, and high) of psychomotor load were obtained by the combined manipulation of windgust disturbance level and simulated aircraft pitch stability. Six instrument rated pilots participated in four seasons lasting approximately three hours each.

The influence of vibration on seated human drowsiness

PubMed Central

AZIZAN, Amzar; FARD, Mohammad; AZARI, Michael F.; BENEDIKTSDÓTTIR, Bryndís; ARNARDÓTTIR, Erna Sif; JAZAR, Reza; MAEDA, Setsuo

2016-01-01

Although much is known about human body vibration discomfort, there is little research data on the effects of vibration on vehicle occupant drowsiness. A laboratory experimental setup has been developed. Vibration was applied to the volunteers sitting on the vehicle seat mounted on the vibration platform. Seated volunteers were exposed to a Gaussian random vibration, with 1–15 Hz frequency bandwidth at 0.2 ms−2 r.m.s., for 20-minutes. Two drowsiness measurement methods were used, Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Significant changes in PVT (p<0.05) and KSS (p<0.05) were detected in all eighteen volunteers. Furthermore, a moderate correlation (r>0.4) was observed between objective measurement (PVT) and subjective measurement (KSS). The results suggest that exposure to vibration even for 20-minutes can cause significant drowsiness impairing psychomotor performance. This finding has important implications for road safety. PMID:26829971

Design and implementation of a proficiency-based, structured endoscopy course for medical students applying for a surgical specialty

PubMed Central

De Win, Gunter; Van Bruwaene, Siska; Allen, Christopher; De Ridder, Dirk

2013-01-01

Background Surgical simulation is becoming increasingly important in surgical education. Despite the important work done on simulators, simulator model development, and simulator assessment methodologies, there is a need for development of integrated simulators in the curriculum. In this paper, we describe the design of our evidence-based preclinical training program for medical students applying for a surgical career at the Centre for Surgical Technologies. Methods Twenty-two students participated in this training program. During their final months as medical students, they received structured, proficiency-based endoscopy training. The total amount of mentored training was 18 hours and the training was organized into three training blocks. The first block focused on psychomotor training, the second block focused on laparoscopic stitching and suturing, and the third block on laparoscopic dissection techniques and hemostasis. Deliberate practice was allowed and students had to show proficiency before proceeding to the next training block. Students’ psychomotor abilities were tested before the course and after each training block. At the beginning of their careers as surgical registrars, their performance on a laparoscopic suturing task was compared with that of registrars from the previous year who did not have this training course. Student opinions about this course were evaluated using a visual analog scale. Results All students rated the training course as useful and their psychomotor abilities improved markedly. All students performed deliberate practice, and those who participated in this course scored significantly (P < 0.0001) better on the laparoscopic suturing task than first year registrars who did not participate in this course. Conclusion Organization of a structured preclinical training program in laparoscopy for final year medical students is feasible, attractive, and successful. PMID:23901308

Seaford School District Science Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Mod System, Dover, DE.

This monography presents the concepts to be presented, the psychomotor skills through to pertain to all the concepts, the process skills required, and the values and attitudes hoped to be developed for a science curriculum, K through 8. A list of suggested field trips accompanies each syllabus. At the kindergarten through grade 6 levels,…

Training the Body: The Potential of AIED to Support Personalized Motor Skills Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Olga C.

2016-01-01

This paper argues that the research field of Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) can benefit from integrating recent technological advances (e.g., wearable devices, big data processing, 3D modelling, 3D printing, ambient intelligence) and design methodologies, such as TORMES, when developing systems that address the psychomotor learning…

Early Learning in Psychomotor Training of Down's Syndrome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanz Aparicio, Maria Teresa; Menendez Balana, Javier

2003-01-01

Compared effectiveness of modeling from a clinician to that of written instructions to train parents to use a motor stimulation program with their infants with Down syndrome. Obtained motor development quotients prior to the program and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Found that infants of parents trained by modeling obtained higher motor…

Programmatic Research Project in Physical Education for the Mentally Retarded Child in the Elementary School. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wessel, Janet A.

The project developed and evaluated an individualized physical education curriculum (called I CAN) for trainable mentally retarded children, ages 5-14 years. The instructional system consists of a set of primary psychomotor skills curriculum resource materials for individualizing instruction and a competency-based teaching guide for…

Collaboration between Special and Physical Education: The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle for All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Emily; Hollingshead, Aleksandra

2015-01-01

Physical education (PE) has holistic benefits for all students, including those with disabilities, as it supports the development of three critical learning areas: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective ("Adapted Physical Education," 2012; Bailey, 2006; Burgeson, 2004). PE is potentially the main source of physical activity and the…

Linguistic and Psychomotor Development in Children with Chromosome 14 Deletions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zampini, Laura; D'Odorico, Laura; Zanchi, Paola; Zollino, Marcella; Neri, Giovanni

2012-01-01

The present study focussed on a specific type of rare genetic condition: chromosome 14 deletions. Children with this genetic condition often show developmental delays and brain and neurological problems, although the type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the size and location of the deleted genetic material. The specific aim of the…

The Use of Piagetian Theory in the Development of Middle School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sproatt, Rod H.

1981-01-01

The middle school originated out of an understanding for the need of a learning environment geared specifically to the needs of the early adolescent. The transition from concrete to formal operational thought and the affective and psychomotor developmental stages demonstrate the uniqueness of the early adolescent experience. (JN)

[Clinical and laboratory studies on 28 patients with glutaric aciduria type 1].

PubMed

Wang, Qiao; Ding, Yuan; Liu, Yupeng; Li, Xiyuan; Wu, Tongfei; Song, Jinqing; Wang, Yujie; Yang, Yanling

2014-06-01

To investigate the clinical, biochemical and genetic profiles of 28 Chinese patients with glutaric aciduria type 1. Twenty-eight patients with glutaric aciduria type 1 seen in the Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital from July 2003 to October 2013 were studied. The data of clinical course, laboratory examinations, cranial MRI and GCDH gene mutations of the patients were analyzed. (1) Three cases were detected by newborn screening, and the other patients were diagnosed at the age of 2 months to 17 years. (2) 22 patients (79%) were infant onset cases with psychomotor retardation, dystonia, seizures, athetosis, recurrent vomiting, drowsiness or feeding difficulty. Only two of the 22 patients with infant onset got normal intelligence and movement after treatment. Twenty of them were improved slowly with delayed development, dystonia and other neurological problems. Three patients (11%) had late onset. They had motor regression, headache and seizure at the age of 8, 9 and 17 years, respectively. Rapid improvement was observed after treatment. (3) Cranial MRI has been checked in 23 patients; 22 of them showed characteristic widening of the Sylvian fissure, abnormalities of the basal ganglia, leukoencephalopathy and brain atrophy. Thirty-five mutations in GCDH gene of the patients were identified; c.148T>C (p.W50R) was the most common mutation with the frequency of 7.7%; 6 mutations (c.628A>G, c.700C>T, c.731G>T, c.963G>C, c.1031C>T and c.1109T>C) were novel. Glutaric aciduria type 1 usually induced neurological deterioration resulting in severe psychomotor retardation and dystonia. Most of our patients were clinically diagnosed. Patients with early onset usually remained having neurological damage. Phenotype and genotype correlation has not been found in the patients. Neonatal screening for organic acidurias should be expanded in China.

Mutations in ACY1, the Gene Encoding Aminoacylase 1, Cause a Novel Inborn Error of Metabolism

PubMed Central

Sass, Jörn Oliver; Mohr, Verena; Olbrich, Heike; Engelke, Udo; Horvath, Judit; Fliegauf, Manfred; Loges, Niki Tomas; Schweitzer-Krantz, Susanne; Moebus, Ralf; Weiler, Polly; Kispert, Andreas; Superti-Furga, Andrea; Wevers, Ron A.; Omran, Heymut

2006-01-01

N-terminal acetylation of proteins is a widespread and highly conserved process. Aminoacylase 1 (ACY1; EC 3.5.14) is the most abundant of the aminoacylases, a class of enzymes involved in hydrolysis of N-acetylated proteins. Here, we present four children with genetic deficiency of ACY1. They were identified through organic acid analyses using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, revealing increased urinary excretion of several N-acetylated amino acids, including the derivatives of methionine, glutamic acid, alanine, leucine, glycine, valine, and isoleucine. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis of urine samples detected a distinct pattern of N-acetylated metabolites, consistent with ACY1 dysfunction. Functional analyses of patients’ lymphoblasts demonstrated ACY1 deficiency. Mutation analysis uncovered recessive loss-of-function or missense ACY1 mutations in all four individuals affected. We conclude that ACY1 mutations in these children led to functional ACY1 deficiency and excretion of N-acetylated amino acids. Questions remain, however, as to the clinical significance of ACY1 deficiency. The ACY1-deficient individuals were ascertained through urine metabolic screening because of unspecific psychomotor delay (one subject), psychomotor delay with atrophy of the vermis and syringomyelia (one subject), marked muscular hypotonia (one subject), and follow-up for early treated biotinidase deficiency and normal clinical findings (one subject). Because ACY1 is evolutionarily conserved in fish, frog, mouse, and human and is expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) in human, a role in CNS function or development is conceivable but has yet to be demonstrated. Thus, at this point, we cannot state whether ACY1 deficiency has pathogenic significance with pleiotropic clinical expression or is simply a biochemical variant. Awareness of this new genetic entity may help both in delineating its clinical significance and in avoiding erroneous diagnoses. PMID:16465618

Moderators of noise-induced cognitive change in healthy adults.

PubMed

Wright, Bernice Al; Peters, Emmanuelle R; Ettinger, Ulrich; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Kumari, Veena

2016-01-01

Environmental noise causes cognitive impairment, particularly in executive function and episodic memory domains, in healthy populations. However, the possible moderating influences on this relationship are less clear. This study assessed 54 healthy participants (24 men) on a cognitive battery (measuring psychomotor speed, attention, executive function, working memory, and verbal learning and memory) under three (quiet, urban, and social) noise conditions. IQ, subjective noise sensitivity, sleep, personality, paranoia, depression, anxiety, stress, and schizotypy were assessed on a single occasion. We found significantly slower psychomotor speed (urban), reduced working memory and episodic memory (urban and social), and more cautious decision-making (executive function, urban) under noise conditions. There was no effect of sex. Variance in urban noise-induced changes in psychomotor speed, attention, Trail Making B-A (executive function), and immediate recall and social noise-induced changes in verbal fluency (executive function) and immediate recall were explained by a combination of baseline cognition and paranoia, noise sensitivity, sleep, or cognitive disorganization. Higher baseline cognition (but not IQ) predicted greater impairment under urban and social noise for most cognitive variables. Paranoia predicted psychomotor speed, attention, and executive function impairment. Subjective noise sensitivity predicted executive function and memory impairment. Poor sleep quality predicted less memory impairment. Finally, lower levels of cognitive disorganization predicted slower psychomotor speed and greater memory impairment. The identified moderators should be considered in studies aiming to reduce the detrimental effects of occupational and residential noise. These results highlight the importance of studying noise effects in clinical populations characterized by high levels of the paranoia, sleep disturbances, noise sensitivity, and cognitive disorganization.

Moderators of noise-induced cognitive change in healthy adults

PubMed Central

Wright, Bernice AL; Peters, Emmanuelle R; Ettinger, Ulrich; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Kumari, Veena

2016-01-01

Environmental noise causes cognitive impairment, particularly in executive function and episodic memory domains, in healthy populations. However, the possible moderating influences on this relationship are less clear. This study assessed 54 healthy participants (24 men) on a cognitive battery (measuring psychomotor speed, attention, executive function, working memory, and verbal learning and memory) under three (quiet, urban, and social) noise conditions. IQ, subjective noise sensitivity, sleep, personality, paranoia, depression, anxiety, stress, and schizotypy were assessed on a single occasion. We found significantly slower psychomotor speed (urban), reduced working memory and episodic memory (urban and social), and more cautious decision-making (executive function, urban) under noise conditions. There was no effect of sex. Variance in urban noise-induced changes in psychomotor speed, attention, Trail Making B-A (executive function), and immediate recall and social noise-induced changes in verbal fluency (executive function) and immediate recall were explained by a combination of baseline cognition and paranoia, noise sensitivity, sleep, or cognitive disorganization. Higher baseline cognition (but not IQ) predicted greater impairment under urban and social noise for most cognitive variables. Paranoia predicted psychomotor speed, attention, and executive function impairment. Subjective noise sensitivity predicted executive function and memory impairment. Poor sleep quality predicted less memory impairment. Finally, lower levels of cognitive disorganization predicted slower psychomotor speed and greater memory impairment. The identified moderators should be considered in studies aiming to reduce the detrimental effects of occupational and residential noise. These results highlight the importance of studying noise effects in clinical populations characterized by high levels of the paranoia, sleep disturbances, noise sensitivity, and cognitive disorganization. PMID:27157685

Effects of desloratadine and alcohol coadministration on psychomotor performance.

PubMed

Scharf, Martin; Berkowitz, David

2007-02-01

This study was set up to evaluate the effects of desloratadine 7.5 mg daily, with and without alcohol, on sedation and psychomotor performance. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-way crossover trial, 25 adult patients were randomized to desloratadine 7.5 mg, desloratadine 7.5 mg plus alcohol, placebo, or placebo plus alcohol. Alcohol was weight adjusted to an average blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%. Assessments included the modified Romberg test, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Serial Add Subtract Reaction Time Test, and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test. The primary variable was the mean score of each of the five tests averaged over the treatment period, expressed as the mean percent change from baseline. Across these assessments, differences between desloratadine alone or with alcohol versus placebo alone or without alcohol, were not significant, whereas most differences between desloratadine and placebo alone versus desloratadine and placebo with alcohol were significant (p < 0.01). Thus, with or without alcohol, desloratadine 7.5 mg does not increase sedation or impair psychomotor performance. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild-to-moderate in severity, with the most frequently reported individual AEs being headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and dry mouth. The study does have potential limitations. The measures used are restricted to a particular profile of the known effects of alcohol only, and the relatively high doses of alcohol used alone demonstrate effects on psychomotor function and attention. A single dose of desloratadine does not potentiate alcohol-mediated CNS impairment. Desloratadine alone or in combination with alcohol was safe and well tolerated.

Pointing to Parallels in Ability-Related Differences in the Use of Metacognition in Academic and Psychomotor Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martini, Rose; Shore, Bruce M.

2008-01-01

This paper offers a brief review of the use of metacognition by proficient and poor performers in academic and psychomotor tasks as well as highlights the parallels and provides directions for future research. Metacognition is knowledge about one's own cognitive processes [Flavell, J.H. (1979). "Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area…

Tool Use in a Psychomotor Task: The Role of Tool and Learner Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juarez-Collazo, Norma A.; Lust, Griet; Elen, Jan; Clarebout, Geraldine

2011-01-01

Research on the use of learning tools has brought to light variables that influence the learner on using or not using the tools. A deeper analysis on the current findings is attempted in this study. It adds a psychomotor task; it assesses the actual functionality of the employed tools, and it further explores learner-related variables that…

The Effect of Instructional Objectives and General Objectives on Student Self-Evaluation of Psychomotor Performance in Power Mechanics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janeczko, Robert John

The major purpose of this study was to ascertain the relative effects of student exposure to instructional objectives upon student self-evaluation of psychomotor activities in a college-level power mechanics course. A randomized posttest-only control group design was used with two different approaches to the statement of the objectives. Four…

Providing Opportunities for Student Self-Assessment: The Impact on the Acquisition of Psychomotor Skills in Occupational Therapy Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jay, Julie; Owen, Antonette

2016-01-01

The Occupational Therapy department at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa is responsible for ensuring students achieve psychomotor skill proficiency, as it is an essential component of health care practice. The aim of this study was to determine whether the introduction of opportunities to afford self-evaluation better prepared…

The efficacy of high-fidelity simulation on psychomotor clinical performance improvement of undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Vincent, Mary Anne; Sheriff, Susan; Mellott, Susan

2015-02-01

High-fidelity simulation has become a growing educational modality among institutions of higher learning ever since the Institute of Medicine recommended that it be used to improve patient safety in 2000. However, there is limited research on the effect of high-fidelity simulation on psychomotor clinical performance improvement of undergraduate nursing students being evaluated by experts using reliable and valid appraisal instruments. The purpose of this integrative review and meta-analysis is to explore what researchers have established about the impact of high-fidelity simulation on improving the psychomotor clinical performance of undergraduate nursing students. Only eight of the 1120 references met inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis using Hedges' g to compute the effect size and direction of impact yielded a range of -0.26 to +3.39. A positive effect was shown in seven of eight studies; however, there were five different research designs and six unique appraisal instruments used among these studies. More research is necessary to determine if high-fidelity simulation improves psychomotor clinical performance in undergraduate nursing students. Nursing programs from multiple sites having a standardized curriculum and using the same appraisal instruments with established reliability and validity are ideal for this work.

Impact of one HF-rTMS session on fine motor function in right-handed healthy female subjects: a comparison of stimulation over the left versus the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Baeken, C; Schrijvers, D L; Sabbe, B G C; Vanderhasselt, M A; De Raedt, R

2012-01-01

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive tool to investigate neural conduction in motor processes. Most rTMS research has been conducted by targeting the primary motor cortex. Several studies have also found increased psychomotor speed after rTMS of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, these studies were mainly performed in psychiatric patients, only targeting the left DLPFC, and often without sham control. Moreover, psychomotor speed is mostly measured based on tasks that also require higher executive functions. Here, we examined the lateralized effect of one sham-controlled high-frequency rTMS session applied to the left or right DLPFC on fine motor function in 36 healthy right-handed females, using the Fitts' paradigm. We found a significant improvement in psychomotor speed only after actively stimulating the right DLPFC. Our results support the assumption of a right prefrontal neural network implicated in visuomotor behavior and performance processes, and that the improvement in psychomotor speed is not a secondary effect of decreased mood. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Anticonvulsant and psychomotor activity of nitrendipine alone and in combination with phenytoin and valproate in rats.

PubMed

Balakrishnan, S; Bhargava, V K; Pandhi, P

1999-01-01

The effect of nitrendipine (NTP) alone and in combination with phenytoin (PHT) and valproate (VPA) against maximal electroshock seizures (MES) was studied in rats. In addition, the psychomotor effects of NTP alone and in combination with PHT and VPA were evaluated using the following tests: a) rotarod performance; b) spontaneous motor activity; c) despair behavior; d) righting reflex; e) hole board test; and f) passive avoidance test. ED50 values of PHT, VPA and NTP were 13,255 and 3.6 mg/kg, respectively. When NTP was combined with PHT or VPA, the ED50 values decreased to 0.9 and 226 mg/kg, respectively. In the psychomotor function tests, for the same degree of protection (50%) afforded against MES, PHT or VPA produced a greater impairment in all the parameters compared to NTP alone or a combination of NTP with PHT or VPA. Furthermore, NTP reversed the depression and long-term memory loss induced by PHT and VPA. Thus, NTP was effective against MES in rats, potentiating the anti-electroshock activity of PHT and VPA and producing less impairment of psychomotor activity. Thus, the agent can be considered a potential antiepileptic warranting further studies.

[Autism and Early Neurodevelopmental Milestones].

PubMed

Ferreira, Xavier; Oliveira, Guiomar

2016-03-01

Autism spectrum disorder, also referred to in this study as autism, is a neurodevelopmental chronic disease that manifests early in childhood by impairment in social interaction, communication and repetitive behavior. Since there are no specific biomarkers available, the diagnosis is based exclusively on clinical criteria. The purpose of the present study is to determine which are the early psychomotor development or neurodevelopmental milestones that present a significant correlation with the severity of the main symptoms of autism, development quotients, and adaptive function. We performed a retrospective study on a sample of 1572 individuals with a diagnosis of autism that were monitored at Hospital Pediátrico do Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, in the Neurodevelopment and Autism Unit. We analyzed six early psychomotor developmental milestones: age of acquisition of 'walking', 'first words', 'first phrases', 'daytime control of bladder sphincter', 'night-time control of bladder sphincter', and age of first complaints. Afterwards, we divided the sample in three subgroups regarding clinical severity, according to the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and we analyzed significant differences among each other concerning the six milestones established beforehand. The milestone 'age of first phrases' was, from the six milestones, the one with a stronger correlation with the variables of clinical manifestations of autism, development/intelligence quotients, and adaptive function. In division of the sample into subgroups of clinical severity, it was the most severe that showed later ages of acquisition of the neurodevelopmental milestones and earlier ages of first complaints. This study proves the clinical utility to know the age of achievement of early psychomotor developmental skills, since they act as predictors of clinical severity of autism, cognition, and adaptive function of a wide population with autism. Therefore, this data contribute for prognostic and prediction of autism progression. Taking into account the results of this study, it is strongly recommended to all clinicians who have contact with autistic children, to record the 'age of acquisition of first phrases'.

DARPP chocolate: a caffeinated morsel of striatal signaling.

PubMed

Bastia, Elena; Schwarzschild, Michael A

2003-01-14

The psychomotor stimulant effects of caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance, are mediated through its antagonism of extracellular adenosine receptors in the basal ganglia. In the absence of caffeine, adenosine stimulates inhibitory striatopallidal neurons that suppress motor activity by binding to A2A receptors, thereby activating a cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A signaling pathway. Bastia and Schwarzschild discuss recent research implicating DARRP-32 (dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of 32 kilodaltons) as an attractive mediator of the sustained psychomotor stimulant effect seen with low doses of caffeine. They highlight the role of postsynaptic A2A receptor blockade, but leave open the possibility that antagonism of presynaptic or postsynaptic A1 receptors also contributes to DARPP-32-dependent psychomotor stimulation by caffeine.

Neurologic Complications of Psychomotor Stimulant Abuse.

PubMed

Sanchez-Ramos, Juan

2015-01-01

Psychomotor stimulants are drugs that act on the central nervous system (CNS) to increase alertness, elevate mood, and produce a sense of well-being. These drugs also decrease appetite and the need for sleep. Stimulants can enhance stamina and improve performance in tasks that have been impaired by fatigue or boredom. Approved therapeutic applications of stimulants include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. These agents also possess potent reinforcing properties that can result in excessive self-administration and abuse. Chronic use is associated with adverse effects including psychosis, seizures, and cerebrovascular accidents, though these complications usually occur in individuals with preexisting risk factors. This chapter reviews the adverse neurologic consequences of chronic psychomotor stimulant use and abuse, with a focus on two prototypical stimulants methamphetamine and cocaine. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental effects of exposures to environmental factors: the Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study.

PubMed

Polanska, Kinga; Hanke, Wojciech; Sobala, Wojciech; Trzcinka-Ochocka, Malgorzata; Ligocka, Danuta; Brzeznicki, Slawomir; Strugala-Stawik, Halina; Magnus, Per

2013-01-01

This paper estimates the effects of exposure to environmental factors, including lead, mercury, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), on child psychomotor development. The study population consists of mother-child pairs in the Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to environmental factors was determined from biomarker measurements as follows: for lead exposure--cord blood lead level, for mercury--maternal hair mercury level, for ETS--cotinine level in saliva and urine, and for PAH--1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) in urine. At the age of 12 (406 subjects) and 24 months (198 subjects) children were assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. There were no statistically significant effects of prenatal exposure to mercury or 1-HP on child psychomotor development. After adjusting for potential confounders, adverse effects of prenatal exposure to ETS on motor development ( β = -2.6; P = 0.02) and postnatal exposure to ETS on cognitive ( β = -0.2; P = 0.05) and motor functions ( β = -0.5; P = 0.01) were found. The adverse effect of prenatal lead exposure on cognitive score was of borderline significance ( β = -6.2; P = 0.06). The study underscores the importance of policies and public health interventions that aim to reduce prenatal and postnatal exposure to lead and ETS.

Work Program. Fiscal Year 1969 for The Department of the Army. Research and Development in Training, Motivation, and Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-01-01

job requiremeits in these skills , and (2) developing technique.; for improving literacy skills through training. In addition, manpower pools for a given...job requirements in these skills , and (2) developing techniques for improving literacy skills through training. In addition, manpower pools for a...visual and psychomotor skills -for accurate .nd’efficient operation, and performance variations among gunners are the largest source of error in system

How to investigate a child with excessive growth?

PubMed

Coutant, Régis; Donzeau, Aurélie; Decrequy, Anne; Louvigné, Mathilde; Bouhours-Nouet, Natacha

2017-06-01

The diagnostic approach to tall stature in children is based on collecting birth data (macrosomia), sizes and family puberty, a family history of constitutional or pathological tall stature, search for a delay of development, dysmorphia, disproportion, analysis of the growth velocity (normal or accelerated), general examination and assessment of puberty, and bone age. When there is a history of psychomotor retardation, a family history of pathological tall stature, or a disproportion in the clinical examination, the genetic causes of tall stature will be mentioned. The most frequent causes are Marfan syndrome and similar, Sotos syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, and MEN2B. There are many genetic syndromes with tall stature, justifying consultation with the geneticist. When the speed of growth is accelerated, first of all it evokes puberty and early pseudopuberty, obesity and acromegaly. Finally, when the growth velocity is regular, and the parents are of tall stature, it evokes constitutional tall stature: this is the most frequent diagnosis, to retain after having rejected pathological tall statures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A Simple, Low-Cost Stereographic Video Capture and Viewing Solution for Teaching Psychomotor Skills Using Online Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Ian

2010-01-01

It is recognised that the teaching of complex psychomotor skills using online delivery is difficult without the support of either face-to-face coaching and tuition or a stereoscopic viewing system that provides users with a feel for the spatial nature of the skills being taught. To date, the limitations of bandwidth, and the high cost and…

Investigation of the Effects of an Aquatics Program on the Psycho-Motor Function of Trainable Mentally Retarded Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, James F.; Throop, Robert K.

To determine the effects of an aquatics program on the psycho-motor functions and body image of trainable mentally handicapped children, 60 children under 16 years of age were selected, and 39 children instructed three days per week over a period of one year. Results did not support the hypothesis that subjects in instructional aquatic classes…

Accuracy and reliability of peer assessment of athletic training psychomotor laboratory skills.

PubMed

Marty, Melissa C; Henning, Jolene M; Willse, John T

2010-01-01

Peer assessment is defined as students judging the level or quality of a fellow student's understanding. No researchers have yet demonstrated the accuracy or reliability of peer assessment in athletic training education. To determine the accuracy and reliability of peer assessment of athletic training students' psychomotor skills. Cross-sectional study. Entry-level master's athletic training education program. First-year (n  =  5) and second-year (n  =  8) students. Participants evaluated 10 videos of a peer performing 3 psychomotor skills (middle deltoid manual muscle test, Faber test, and Slocum drawer test) on 2 separate occasions using a valid assessment tool. Accuracy of each peer-assessment score was examined through percentage correct scores. We used a generalizability study to determine how reliable athletic training students were in assessing a peer performing the aforementioned skills. Decision studies using generalizability theory demonstrated how the peer-assessment scores were affected by the number of participants and number of occasions. Participants had a high percentage of correct scores: 96.84% for the middle deltoid manual muscle test, 94.83% for the Faber test, and 97.13% for the Slocum drawer test. They were not able to reliably assess a peer performing any of the psychomotor skills on only 1 occasion. However, the φ increased (exceeding the 0.70 minimal standard) when 2 participants assessed the skill on 3 occasions (φ  =  0.79) for the Faber test, with 1 participant on 2 occasions (φ  =  0.76) for the Slocum drawer test, and with 3 participants on 2 occasions for the middle deltoid manual muscle test (φ  =  0.72). Although students did not detect all errors, they assessed their peers with an average of 96% accuracy. Having only 1 student assess a peer performing certain psychomotor skills was less reliable than having more than 1 student assess those skills on more than 1 occasion. Peer assessment of psychomotor skills could be an important part of the learning process and a tool to supplement instructor assessment.

Dance Movement Therapy: A Healing Art. [Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Fran J.

The concern of this text is the need that many individuals have for nonverbal, primarily physical forms of expression, and how this need has fueled the development of a new psychomotor discipline. The book treats the theory and practice of dance therapy, and examines the entire field from its inception through the present. Dance therapy, the use…

Adapting the Physical Education Program for the Student with Special Needs: A Supplement to the K-12 Physical Education Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education, Winnipeg.

The booklet is designed to acquaint the physical education specialist, classroom teacher, special educator, and administrator with the importance of physical education for handicapped students. An initial chapter addresses movement's effects on cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. A second section outlines definitions of the major…

The Relationship between Teachers' Attitudes toward Measurement and Evaluation and Their Perceptions of Professional Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kamil; Arastaman, Gökhan; Dasci, Elif

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: The quality of teaching at schools mostly depends on the teachers' competencies. One of these competencies is measurement and evaluation (MaE). Evaluation of the students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development requires skills and knowledge about various measuring tools and techniques. It is essential for a teacher to…

The Meanings Attributed to Writing Skills in English by Turkish Children: A Concept Map Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erginer, Ergin; Yar, Veda

2013-01-01

One of the four basic language skills of children, writing, is central to expressing themselves and to developing high level thinking capabilities. Competence in writing is a rather complex learning structure in which cognitive and, especially, psycho-motor learning processes are intensively employed and it further needs to be fed by perceptive…

Researching the Pieces of a Puzzle: The Use of a Jigsaw Learning Approach in the Delivery of Undergraduate Gymnastics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Nicholas; Griggs, Gerald

2010-01-01

There have been strengthening recommendations that physical education (PE) should make a wider contribution to learning beyond that of psychomotor development. Cooperative learning models show considerable potential for study in PE but as yet these remain unexplored. This article reports upon an undergraduate gymnastics programme delivered using a…

[Arizona] Field Test Report. Vol. 10. Learn to Earn. 1974-75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Charles; And Others

The field test report on the "Learn to Earn" instructional unit for grade 6 is one of a series of reports on the Arizona developed Career Education Curriculum Units. Presented is specific information as to the success of the units in terms of the learner's cognitive, affective, and psychomotor behavior according to expressed performance…

Correlated Longitudinal Changes across Linguistic, Achievement, and Psychomotor Domains in Early Childhood: Evidence for a Global Dimension of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhemtulla, Mijke; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.

2011-01-01

An important question within developmental psychology concerns the extent to which the maturational gains that children make across multiple diverse domains of functioning can be attributed to global (domain-general) developmental processes. The present study investigated this question by examining the extent to which individual differences in…

Developing the Clinical Psychomotor Skills of Musculoskeletal Sonography Using a Multimedia DVD: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thoirs, Kerry; Coffee, Jane

2012-01-01

Sonographers are medical or non-medical health professionals in the radiology field who skilfully manipulate ultrasound equipment to produce images that are used to diagnose medical conditions and abnormalities. This technique is also becoming popular amongst the wider community in other medical specialities and allied health professionals, due to…

The Effect of the Psychomotor Program on Sugar Level in the Blood among the Elderly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Azzab, Saida; Ibrahim, Mohamed; Ahmed, Thoraya

2016-01-01

Background: Psychology has also proven to be helpful in developing and evaluating diabetes prevention programs, aimed at helping persons at risk for diabetes to achieve lasting lifestyle changes. There are psychological and chemical advantages of doing physical exercise over eating. Nurses caring for patients with diabetes need to be working…

Effect of chronic caffeine intake on choice reaction time, mood, and visual vigilance.

PubMed

Judelson, Daniel A; Armstrong, Lawrence E; Sökmen, Bülent; Roti, Melissa W; Casa, Douglas J; Kellogg, Mark D

2005-08-07

The stimulatory effects of acute caffeine intake on choice reaction time, mood state, and visual vigilance are well established. Little research exists, however, on the effects of chronic caffeine ingestion on psychomotor tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 5 days of controlled caffeine intake on cognitive and psychomotor performance. Three groups of 20 healthy males (age=22+/-3 years, mass=75.4+/-7.9 kg, body fat percentage=11.2+/-5.1%) twice completed a battery of cognitive and psychomotor tasks: after 6 days of 3 mg.kg(-1) day(-1) caffeine equilibration (Day 6), and after 5 days of experimental (0 [G0], 3 [G3], or 6 [G6] mg.kg(-1) day(-1)) caffeine intake (Day 11). Groups were randomized and stratified for age, mass, and body composition; all procedures were double-blind. Cognitive analyses involved a visual four-choice reaction time test, a mood state questionnaire, and a visual vigilance task. Experimental chronic caffeine intake did not significantly alter the number of correct responses or the mean latency of response for either the four-choice reaction time or the visual vigilance tasks. The Vigor-Activity subset of the mood state questionnaire was significantly greater in G3 than G0 or G6 on Day 11. All other mood constructs were unaffected by caffeine intake. In conclusion, few cognitive and psychomotor differences existed after 5 days of controlled caffeine ingestion between subjects consuming 0, 3, or 6 mg.kg(-1) day(-1) of caffeine, suggesting that chronic caffeine intake (1) has few perceptible effects on cognitive and psychomotor well-being and (2) may lead to a tolerance to some aspects of caffeine's acute effects.

Effects of Shift Work on the Postural and Psychomotor Performance of Night Workers

PubMed Central

Narciso, Fernanda Veruska; Barela, José A.; Aguiar, Stefane A.; Carvalho, Adriana N. S.; Tufik, Sergio; de Mello, Marco Túlio

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of shift work on the psychomotor and postural performance of night workers. The study included 20 polysomnography technicians working schedule of 12-h night shift by 36-h off. On the first day of protocol, the body mass and height were measured, and an actigraph was placed on the wrist of each participant. On the second day of protocol, sleepiness by Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, postural control by force platform (30 seconds) and psychomotor performance by Psychomotor Vigilance Task (10 minutes) were measured before and after 12-h night work. Results showed that after 12-h night work, sleepiness increased by 59% (p<0.001), postural control variables increased by 9% (p = 0.048), and 14% (p = 0.006). Mean reaction time, and the number of lapses of attention increased by 13% (p = 0.006) and 425% (p = 0.015), respectively, but the mean reciprocal reaction time decreased by 7%. In addition, there were correlations between sleepiness and postural control variables with opened eyes (r = 0.616, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.361–0.815; r = 0.538; 95% CI = 0.280–0.748) and closed eyes (r = 0.557; 95% CI = 0.304–0.764, r = 0497; 95% CI = 0.325–0.715) and a pronounced effect of sleepiness on postural sway (R2 = 0.393; 95% CI = 0.001–0.03). Therefore, 12-h night work system and sleepiness showed a negative impact in postural and psychomotor vigilance performance of night workers. As unexpected, the force platform was feasibility to detect sleepiness in this population, underscoring the possibility of using this method in the workplace to prevent occupational injuries and accidents. PMID:27115868

Actual driving performance and psychomotor function in healthy subjects after acute and subchronic treatment with escitalopram, mirtazapine, and placebo: a crossover trial.

PubMed

Wingen, Marleen; Bothmer, John; Langer, Stefan; Ramaekers, Johannes G

2005-04-01

The effects of escitalopram 10 to 20 mg/day and mirtazapine 30 to 45 mg/day on actual driving and psychomotor performance of 18 healthy subjects were determined in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose, 3-way crossover trial. Each treatment period lasted for 15 days and was separated from the next period by a washout period of at least 13 days. Subjects received an evening dose of escitalopram 10 mg, mirtazapine 30 mg, or placebo from days 1 to 7 and an evening dose of escitalopram 20 mg, mirtazapine 45 mg, or placebo from days 8 to 15. On days 2, 9, and 16, reflecting acute period, dose increase, and steady state, respectively, the Road Tracking Test was performed. The main parameter was standard deviation of lateral position. Psychomotor performance was also assessed on days 2, 9, and 16 by laboratory computer tasks. Subjective sleep quality was measured with the Groninger Sleep Quality Scale, and mood was measured by visual analogue scales. Treatment differences were apparent during the acute treatment period, in which subjects treated with mirtazapine 30 mg performed less well on the driving test as compared to placebo. The Divided Attention Task results also revealed a significant increase in tracking error after a single dose of mirtazapine 30 mg as compared to placebo. Mirtazapine decreased feelings of alertness and contentedness. Mirtazapine did not affect performance on days 9 and 16 of treatment. Escitalopram did not affect driving, psychomotor performance, or subjective mood throughout treatment. Driving performance, as well as psychomotor functioning, was not affected by escitalopram treatment in healthy subjects. Driving performance was significantly impaired after ingestion of mirtazapine 30 mg during the acute treatment period.

Effects of acute insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on psychomotor function: people with type 1 diabetes are less affected than non-diabetic adults.

PubMed

Geddes, J; Deary, I J; Frier, B M

2008-10-01

We examined the effects of acute insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on psychomotor function in non-diabetic volunteers and in adults with type 1 diabetes. Non-diabetic adults (n = 20) and adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 16) each underwent a euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp on two separate occasions. Arterialised blood glucose was maintained for 1 h at either 4.5 mmol/l (euglycaemia) or 2.5 mmol/l (hypoglycaemia). During this time participants underwent neuropsychological tests to assess psychomotor function. During hypoglycaemia the non-diabetic participants showed a significant deterioration in the following: (1) four-choice reaction time (p = 0.008); (2) grooved pegboard (a test of manual dexterity; p = 0.004); (3) hand steadiness (p = 0.003); (4) pursuit rotor (a test of fine motor function, attention and coordination; p = 0.018); and (5) test of total body coordination (p = 0.004). No significant differences were observed between euglycaemia and hypoglycaemia in hand-grip (p = 0.897) and line tracing time (p = 0.480) tests. In type 1 diabetes mellitus patients, only four-choice reaction time (p = 0.023) and pursuit rotor (p = 0.045) were impaired significantly during hypoglycaemia. Although acute hypoglycaemia caused significant impairment of several psychomotor functions in non-diabetic adults, a lower magnitude of impairment was observed in those with type 1 diabetes. The mechanism underlying this discrepant effect of hypoglycaemia on psychomotor function remains unknown, but may be related to the difference in sympathoadrenal activation observed between the groups. People with type 1 diabetes may also have had a behavioural advantage of over non-diabetic participants derived from their previous exposure to hypoglycaemia or potentially the disparate results arose from hypoglycaemia-induced cerebral adaptation.

Effects of Shift Work on the Postural and Psychomotor Performance of Night Workers.

PubMed

Narciso, Fernanda Veruska; Barela, José A; Aguiar, Stefane A; Carvalho, Adriana N S; Tufik, Sergio; de Mello, Marco Túlio

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of shift work on the psychomotor and postural performance of night workers. The study included 20 polysomnography technicians working schedule of 12-h night shift by 36-h off. On the first day of protocol, the body mass and height were measured, and an actigraph was placed on the wrist of each participant. On the second day of protocol, sleepiness by Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, postural control by force platform (30 seconds) and psychomotor performance by Psychomotor Vigilance Task (10 minutes) were measured before and after 12-h night work. Results showed that after 12-h night work, sleepiness increased by 59% (p<0.001), postural control variables increased by 9% (p = 0.048), and 14% (p = 0.006). Mean reaction time, and the number of lapses of attention increased by 13% (p = 0.006) and 425% (p = 0.015), respectively, but the mean reciprocal reaction time decreased by 7%. In addition, there were correlations between sleepiness and postural control variables with opened eyes (r = 0.616, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.361-0.815; r = 0.538; 95% CI = 0.280-0.748) and closed eyes (r = 0.557; 95% CI = 0.304-0.764, r = 0497; 95% CI = 0.325-0.715) and a pronounced effect of sleepiness on postural sway (R2 = 0.393; 95% CI = 0.001-0.03). Therefore, 12-h night work system and sleepiness showed a negative impact in postural and psychomotor vigilance performance of night workers. As unexpected, the force platform was feasibility to detect sleepiness in this population, underscoring the possibility of using this method in the workplace to prevent occupational injuries and accidents.

The catatonia conundrum: evidence of psychomotor phenomena as a symptom dimension in psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Ungvari, Gabor S; Caroff, Stanley N; Gerevich, Jozsef

2010-03-01

To provide a rational basis for reconceptualizing catatonia in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition), we briefly review historical sources, the psychopathology of catatonia, and the relevance of catatonic schizophrenia in contemporary practice and research. In contrast to Kahlbaum, Kraepelin and others (Jaspers, Kleist, and Schneider) recognized the prevalence of motor symptoms in diverse psychiatric disorders but concluded that the unique pattern and persistence of certain psychomotor phenomena defined a "catatonic" subtype of schizophrenia, based on intensive long-term studies. The enduring controversy and confusion that ensued underscores the fact that the main problem with catatonia is not just its place in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders but rather its lack of conceptual clarity. There still are no accepted principles on what makes a symptom catatonic and no consensus on which signs and symptoms constitute a catatonic syndrome. The resulting heterogeneity is reflected in treatment studies that show that stuporous catatonia in any acute disorder responds to benzodiazepines or electroconvulsive therapy, whereas catatonia in the context of chronic schizophrenia is phenomenologically different and less responsive to either modality. Although psychomotor phenomena are an intrinsic feature of acute and especially chronic schizophrenia, they are insufficiently recognized in practice and research but may have significant implications for treatment outcome and neurobiological studies. While devising a separate category of catatonia as a nonspecific syndrome has heuristic value, it may be equally if not more important to re-examine the psychopathological basis for defining psychomotor symptoms as catatonic and to re-establish psychomotor phenomena as a fundamental symptom dimension or criterion for both psychotic and mood disorders.

The Catatonia Conundrum: Evidence of Psychomotor Phenomena as a Symptom Dimension in Psychotic Disorders

PubMed Central

Ungvari, Gabor S.; Caroff, Stanley N.; Gerevich, Jozsef

2010-01-01

To provide a rational basis for reconceptualizing catatonia in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition), we briefly review historical sources, the psychopathology of catatonia, and the relevance of catatonic schizophrenia in contemporary practice and research. In contrast to Kahlbaum, Kraepelin and others (Jaspers, Kleist, and Schneider) recognized the prevalence of motor symptoms in diverse psychiatric disorders but concluded that the unique pattern and persistence of certain psychomotor phenomena defined a “catatonic” subtype of schizophrenia, based on intensive long-term studies. The enduring controversy and confusion that ensued underscores the fact that the main problem with catatonia is not just its place in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders but rather its lack of conceptual clarity. There still are no accepted principles on what makes a symptom catatonic and no consensus on which signs and symptoms constitute a catatonic syndrome. The resulting heterogeneity is reflected in treatment studies that show that stuporous catatonia in any acute disorder responds to benzodiazepines or electroconvulsive therapy, whereas catatonia in the context of chronic schizophrenia is phenomenologically different and less responsive to either modality. Although psychomotor phenomena are an intrinsic feature of acute and especially chronic schizophrenia, they are insufficiently recognized in practice and research but may have significant implications for treatment outcome and neurobiological studies. While devising a separate category of catatonia as a nonspecific syndrome has heuristic value, it may be equally if not more important to re-examine the psychopathological basis for defining psychomotor symptoms as catatonic and to re-establish psychomotor phenomena as a fundamental symptom dimension or criterion for both psychotic and mood disorders. PMID:19776208

Psychomotor performance in relation to acute oral administration of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and standardized cannabis extract in healthy human subjects.

PubMed

Roser, Patrik; Gallinat, Jürgen; Weinberg, Gordon; Juckel, Georg; Gorynia, Inge; Stadelmann, Andreas M

2009-08-01

Abnormalities in psychomotor performance are a consistent finding in schizophrenic patients as well as in chronic cannabis users. The high levels of central cannabinoid (CB(1)) receptors in the basal ganglia, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum indicate their implication in the regulation of motor activity. Based on the close relationship between cannabis use, the endogenous cannabinoid system and motor disturbances found in schizophrenia, we expected that administration of cannabinoids may change pattern of psychomotor activity like in schizophrenic patients. This prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study investigated the acute effects of cannabinoids on psychomotor performance in 24 healthy right-handed volunteers (age 27.9 +/- 2.9 years, 12 male) by comparing Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) and standardized cannabis extract containing Delta(9)-THC and cannabidiol. Psychomotor performance was assessed by using a finger tapping test series. Cannabis extract, but not Delta(9)-THC, revealed a significant reduction of right-hand tapping frequencies that was also found in schizophrenia. As to the pure Delta(9)-THC condition, left-hand tapping frequencies were correlated with the plasma concentrations of the Delta(9)-THC metabolite 11-OH-THC. These effects are thought to be related to cannabinoid actions on CB(1) receptors in the basal ganglia, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum. Our data further demonstrate that acute CB(1) receptor activation under the cannabis extract condition may also affect intermanual coordination (IMC) as an index of interhemispheric transfer. AIR-Scale scores as a measure of subjective perception of intoxication were dose-dependently related to IMC which was shown by an inverted U-curve. This result may be due to functional changes involving GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission within the corpus callosum.

Leigh syndrome caused by mutations in the flavoprotein (Fp) subunit of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHA).

PubMed

Horváth, R; Abicht, A; Holinski-Feder, E; Laner, A; Gempel, K; Prokisch, H; Lochmüller, H; Klopstock, T; Jaksch, M

2006-01-01

Detailed clinical, neuroradiological, histological, biochemical, and genetic investigations were undertaken in a child suffering from Leigh syndrome. The clinical symptoms started at age five months and led to a severe progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing epilepsy, psychomotor retardation, and tetraspasticity. Biochemical measurement of skeletal muscle showed a severe decrease in mitochondrial complex II. Sequencing of SDHA revealed compound heterozygosity for a nonsense mutation in exon 4 (W119X) and a missense mutation in exon 3 (A83V), both absent in normal controls. In six additional patients--five with Leigh or Leigh-like syndrome and one with neuropathy and ataxia associated with isolated deficiency of complex II--mutations in SDHA were not detected, indicating genetic heterogeneity.

Functional Impairment and Changes in Depression Subtypes for Women in STAR*D: A Latent Transition Analysis

PubMed Central

Rothschild, Anthony J.; Lapane, Kate L.

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: To characterize the association between functional impairment and major depression subtypes at baseline and to characterize changes in subtypes by functional impairment level in women receiving citalopram in level 1 of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression trial. Method: Women who completed baseline and week 12 study visits were included. Items from the self-reported Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology were used to define the latent depression subtypes. The Work and Social Adjustment Scale was used to classify baseline functional impairment. A latent transition analysis model provided estimates of the prevalence of subtype membership and transition probabilities by functional impairment level. Results: Of the 755 women included, 69% had major functional impairment at baseline. Regardless of functional impairment level, the subtypes were differentiated by depression severity, appetite changes, psychomotor disturbances, and insomnia. Sixty-seven percent of women with normal/significant functional impairment and 60% of women with major impairment were likely to transition to a symptom resolution subtype at week 12. Women with baseline major impairment who were in the severe with psychomotor agitation subtype at the beginning of the study were least likely to transition to the symptom resolution subtype (4% chance). Conclusions: Functional impairment level was related to both the baseline depression subtype and the likelihood of moving to a different subtype. These results underscore the need to incorporate not only depression symptoms but also functioning in the assessment and treatment of depression. PMID:26488110

A combined field and laboratory design for assessing the impact of night shift work on police officer operational performance.

PubMed

Waggoner, Lauren B; Grant, Devon A; Van Dongen, Hans P A; Belenky, Gregory; Vila, Bryan

2012-11-01

This study assessed the utility of a combined field and laboratory research design for measuring the impact of consecutive night shift work on the sleepiness, vigilance, and driving performance of police patrol officers. For police patrol officers working their normal night shift duty cycles, simulated driving performance and psychomotor vigilance were measured in a laboratory on two separate occasions: in the morning after the last of five consecutive 10.7-h night shifts, and at the same time in the morning after three consecutive days off duty. Order of participation in conditions was randomized among subjects. Subjects experienced manipulation of sleep schedules due to working night shifts in a real operational environment, but performance testing was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. N = 29 active-duty police patrol officers (27 male, 2 female; age 37.1 ± 6.3 years) working night shift schedules participated in this study. Simulated driving performance, psychomotor vigilance, and subjective sleepiness were significantly degraded following 5 consecutive night shifts as compared to 3 consecutive days off duty, indicating that active-duty police officers are susceptible to performance degradation as a consequence of working nights. This combined field and laboratory research design succeeded in bridging the gap between the realism of the operational environment and the control of laboratory performance testing, demonstrating that this is a useful approach for addressing the relationship between shift work induced fatigue and critical operational task performance.

Dopamine and reward: the anhedonia hypothesis 30 years on.

PubMed

Wise, Roy A

2008-10-01

The anhedonia hypothesis--that brain dopamine plays a critical role in the subjective pleasure associated with positive rewards--was intended to draw the attention of psychiatrists to the growing evidence that dopamine plays a critical role in the objective reinforcement and incentive motivation associated with food and water, brain stimulation reward, and psychomotor stimulant and opiate reward. The hypothesis called to attention the apparent paradox that neuroleptics, drugs used to treat a condition involving anhedonia (schizophrenia), attenuated in laboratory animals the positive reinforcement that we normally associate with pleasure. The hypothesis held only brief interest for psychiatrists, who pointed out that the animal studies reflected acute actions of neuroleptics whereas the treatment of schizophrenia appears to result from neuroadaptations to chronic neuroleptic administration, and that it is the positive symptoms of schizophrenia that neuroleptics alleviate, rather than the negative symptoms that include anhedonia. Perhaps for these reasons, the hypothesis has had minimal impact in the psychiatric literature. Despite its limited heuristic value for the understanding of schizophrenia, however, the anhedonia hypothesis has had major impact on biological theories of reinforcement, motivation, and addiction. Brain dopamine plays a very important role in reinforcement of response habits, conditioned preferences, and synaptic plasticity in cellular models of learning and memory. The notion that dopamine plays a dominant role in reinforcement is fundamental to the psychomotor stimulant theory of addiction, to most neuroadaptation theories of addiction, and to current theories of conditioned reinforcement and reward prediction. Properly understood, it is also fundamental to recent theories of incentive motivation.

[The effect of a new antiparkinson agent, Selegilin, on psychomotor performance in humans].

PubMed

Müller-Limmroth, W

1985-01-01

A combination of tests consisting of a compensation task with differential value indication, a tachystoscopic arrangement with verbal identification of characteristic features and an arrangement for a visually induced motor reaction was carried out on 12 healthy volunteers aged from 20-30 to determine psychomotor efficiency under the influence of the new antiparkinson drug selegiline (Eldepryl). The results were compared with the effects of the psychostimulant fenetylline and the depressant-antihistamine chlorphenoxamine, and with a placebo. While fenetylline and chlorphenoxamine produced the anticipated effects with regard to an improvement or deterioration in performance in all parameters, selegiline resulted in a slightly longer motor reaction time and an increase in control errors, and in a significantly longer mental processing time. In comparison with the placebo, selegiline increased the motor reaction time by 0.8 +/- 1.95% and mental processing time by 4.1 +/- 1.7%. This depressant effect of selegiline, however, only attained 1/8 and 2/3, resp., of the sedative effect of the normal dose of the antihistamine chlorophenoxamine. Under the influence of chlorphenoxamine, performance becomes less regular and under fenetylline more regular. Selegiline does not differ significantly from the placebo. In spite of selegiline metabolites 1-metamphetamine and 1-amphetamine, which act as mild stimulants, the slightly depressant effect of selegiline detected can be explained by the increased effect of dopamine inhibitory neurons, particularly in the inhibitory system of the formatio reticularis and the cortex frontalis as a result of a concentration of dopamine.

A Smart Toy to Enhance the Decision-Making Process at Children’s Psychomotor Delay Screenings: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background EDUCERE (“Ubiquitous Detection Ecosystem to Care and Early Stimulation for Children with Developmental Disorders”) is an ecosystem for ubiquitous detection, care, and early stimulation of children with developmental disorders. The objectives of this Spanish government-funded research and development project are to investigate, develop, and evaluate innovative solutions to detect changes in psychomotor development through the natural interaction of children with toys and everyday objects, and perform stimulation and early attention activities in real environments such as home and school. Thirty multidisciplinary professionals and three nursery schools worked in the EDUCERE project between 2014 and 2017 and they obtained satisfactory results. Related to EDUCERE, we found studies based on providing networks of connected smart objects and the interaction between toys and social networks. Objective This research includes the design, implementation, and validation of an EDUCERE smart toy aimed to automatically detect delays in psychomotor development. The results from initial tests led to enhancing the effectiveness of the original design and deployment. The smart toy, based on stackable cubes, has a data collector module and a smart system for detection of developmental delays, called the EDUCERE developmental delay screening system (DDSS). Methods The pilot study involved 65 toddlers aged between 23 and 37 months (mean=29.02, SD 3.81) who built a tower with five stackable cubes, designed by following the EDUCERE smart toy model. As toddlers made the tower, sensors in the cubes sent data to a collector module through a wireless connection. All trials were video-recorded for further analysis by child development experts. After watching the videos, experts scored the performance of the trials to compare and fine-tune the interpretation of the data automatically gathered by the toy-embedded sensors. Results Judges were highly reliable in an interrater agreement analysis (intraclass correlation 0.961, 95% CI 0.937-0.967), suggesting that the process was successful to separate different levels of performance. A factor analysis of collected data showed that three factors, trembling, speed, and accuracy, accounted for 76.79% of the total variance, but only two of them were predictors of performance in a regression analysis: accuracy (P=.001) and speed (P=.002). The other factor, trembling (P=.79), did not have a significant effect on this dependent variable. Conclusions The EDUCERE DDSS is ready to use the regression equation obtained for the dependent variable “performance” as an algorithm for the automatic detection of psychomotor developmental delays. The results of the factor analysis are valuable to simplify the design of the smart toy by taking into account only the significant variables in the collector module. The fine-tuning of the toy process module will be carried out by following the specifications resulting from the analysis of the data to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the product. PMID:28526666

Soldier Capability - Army Combat Effectiveness (SCACE). Volume 3. Historical Combat Data and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

data un Israeli experience with troops lacking literacy , elementary education, and/or psychomotor skills required for many current military occupations...overview of the relationship of cognitive skills to training and performance, with special reference to man-machine systems, (,nd the problems that...effective use of troops with low educational levels and psychomotor skills . Some IDF reports on these subjects are known to exist, and some interviews

The Effects of Plyometric Education Trainings on Balance and Some Psychomotor Characteristics of School Handball Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karadenizli, Zeynep Inci

2016-01-01

This study aims to search the effects of plyometric education trainings which was applied for 10-week on static-dynamic balance and some psychomotor characteristics of students who were been handball team of school. The female students-players (N = 16) who are in age 14,57 ± 0,92 years. All student have got 3,66 ± 0,63 years sport experience.…

Cognitive impairment and antiretroviral treatment in a Peruvian population of patients with human immunodeficiency virus.

PubMed

Guevara-Silva, E A

2014-05-01

HIV-associated cognitive impairment occurs even in the early stages of infection. Short-term memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and executive functioning are the main capacities affected. Controversy exists regarding whether highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is helpful in combating this process. The objective of the present study is to determine the association between cognitive impairment and HAART in HIV-infected patients from Hospital Regional de Huacho. Prospective study of HIV patients meeting criteria to start HAART. Twenty-one HIV-positive patients were recruited between April and July 2011. Researchers administered a standardised neuropsychological test battery before and 4 weeks after onset of HAART. Psychomotor speed, executive function, short term memory (visual and verbal), attention, and visuospatial performance were evaluated. Nineteen patients completed the study (14 males and 5 females). In the pre-HAART evaluation, most patients scored below average on the executive function and psychomotor speed subtests. Psychomotor speed and immediate visual memory improved significantly after four months of treatment with HAART. Some degree of cognitive decline may present even in the early and asymptomatic stages of HIV infection. The benefits of antiretroviral treatment for cognitive performance can be detected after only a few weeks of follow-up. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The impact of antipsychotics on psychomotor performance with regards to car driving skills.

PubMed

Brunnauer, Alexander; Laux, Gerd; Geiger, Elisabeth; Möller, Hans-Jürgen

2004-04-01

Cognitive and psychomotor impairments are a core feature of most patients with schizophrenia and may have an important influence on driving ability. The present study investigated the effects of neuroleptic monotherapy on psychomotor functions related to car driving skills in schizophrenic patients. Consecutively admitted schizophrenic inpatients (n = 120) were tested under steady state plasma level conditions before discharge to outpatient treatment. Patients met the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision criteria for schizophrenia. The study followed a naturalistic nonrandomized design. Data were collected with the computerized Act & React Testsystem and were analyzed according to medication, severity of illness, and age. Only 32.5% of the schizophrenic inpatients passed the tests without major impairments. Patients treated with atypical neuroleptics or clozapine showed a better test performance on skills related to driving ability when compared with patients on typical neuroleptics. Differences were most pronounced in measures of divided attention, stress tolerance, and attention. Data also suggest that treatment with clozapine had an overall positive impact on measures of reactivity and stress tolerance. These results show that even under steady state pharmacologic conditions psychomotor functions of most schizophrenic patients partly remitted must be considered as impaired. To evaluate these effects, a systematic neuropsychologic examination is recommended.

Factors affecting acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills by student nurses and midwives in CHAM Nursing Colleges in Malawi: A qualitative exploratory study.

PubMed

Mwale, Omero Gonekani; Kalawa, Roselyn

2016-01-01

Acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills has been shown to improve the quality of care provided to patients when care providers are competent. The aim of this study was to explore students, nurses and tutors experience on factors affecting acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design. The population was students, clinical nurses and tutors from a nursing College and mission hospital in the southern region of Malawi. In depth interviews using a semi structured guide was used to collect data. Thematic analysis method was employed to analyze the collected data. Ethical principles of respect of human dignity, beneficence and justice were observed. The findings have shown that acquisition of psychomotor skills is affected by: student motivation, lack of resources, learning environment, knowledge gap between the qualified nurses and tutors, and role modeling. In principle when student nurses have acquired necessary skills the quality of care provided to patients improve. Basing on the findings of this study it is recommended that Student should be well prepared before clinical placement Nurses and tutors should also update their knowledge and clinical teaching skills for them to adequately guide students. The clinical arena should have adequate resources.

Control of psychomotor agitation and aggressive behavior in patients with autistic disorder: a retrospective chart review.

PubMed

Novaes, Camila Marinho; Pondé, Milena Pereira; Freire, Antonio Carlos Cruz

2008-09-01

To evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapy on the symptoms of psychomotor agitation and aggressive behavior in a sample of patients with autistic spectrum disorder. The charts of all patients with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, receiving care for psychomotor agitation and/or aggressive behavior in two psychiatric outpatient departments between 2001 and 2006, were reviewed. The Clinical Global Impression-Severity and -Improvement scales (CGI-S and CGI-I) were applied to the data retrieved from the charts. The majority of the 26 patients included were treated with second-generation antipsychotics. A positive, statistically significant correlation was found between the implementation of pharmacotherapy and a reduction in CGI-S scores (p<0.05). Treatment response in patients with no mental retardation was better than in those mentally retarded (p<0.05). The majority of patients in whom clinical improvement was found following implementation of treatment had participated in at least one form of intervention therapy in addition to the principal treatment (p<0.05). Second-generation antipsychotics seem to reduce psychomotor agitation and aggressive behavior in patients with autistic spectrum disorder; however, further studies are required to evaluate the side effects of these drugs in relation to their beneficial effects.

Evaluation of betahistine for the prevention of seasickness: effect on vestibular function, psychomotor performance and efficacy at sea.

PubMed

Gordon, Carlos R; Doweck, Ilana; Nachum, Zohar; Gonen, Adi; Spitzer, Orna; Shupak, Avi

2003-01-01

Betahistine was evaluated for the prevention of seasickness in a laboratory and sea study. The effect of 48 mg betahistine on the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and on psychomotor performance was evaluated in twelve young healthy subjects in a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized, crossover design. The vestibulo-ocular reflex was evaluated by the Sinusoidal Harmonic Acceleration (SHA) test at frequencies of 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.16 Hz. Psychomotor performance was assessed by both computerized and paper and pencil test batteries. No significant differences in VOR gain or phase were found between betahistine and placebo treatment for any of the frequencies tested. No significant differences were found between treatments for any of the psychomotor performance tests or other possible side effects. The effect of 48 mg betahistine on seasickness severity was evaluated in 83 subjects during a voyage in rough seas. Betahistine had a borderline non-statistically significant effect on the prevention of seasickness in comparison with placebo (p = 0.053), with no notable side effects. Although our results are insufficient to recommend betahistine as an anti-seasickness drug, further studies are required to determine its possible effectiveness in less provocative motion sickness situations.

Hypomelanosis of Ito: neurological and psychiatric pictures in developmental age.

PubMed

Parisi, L; Di Filippo, T; Roccella, M

2012-02-01

Hypomelanosis of Ito (HOI) is a multisystem neurocutaneous disorder. In the described cases, cutaneous manifestations (unilateral or bilateral streaks and swirls of hypomelanosis with regular and confluent borders) and extracutaneous abnormalities are often associated. Extracutaneous abnormalities involve the musculoskeletal system (scoliosis, vertebral anomalies, cranial-facial malformations) and other organs, as well as the central nervous system (CNS). The most significant anomalies of the CNS are psychomotor retardation and cognitive deficit. Autism, epilepsy, language disorders, cerebral malformations (neural migration disorders, cerebral hypoplasia, cortical atrophy, agenesis of the corpus callosum) are sometimes present. Numerous abnormal chromosomal patterns have been observed. HOI is usually a sporadic disorder; though autosomal dominant transmission has been suggested, recessive and X-linked inheritance patterns have also been reported. This study describes five children with HOI presenting with various features of the clinical spectrum of the syndrome. Some of these cases were referred for psychomotor therapy as part of an integrated neuropsychologic and psychomotor treatment support program. In this view, psychomotor treatment aims to promote the emotional-relational component, to overcome rigid divisions, and to integrate learning-related cognitive aspects with psychodynamic concepts. Finally, the goals of psychological and social support are to help the parents accept their child's handicap, understand the child's behavior, plan future pregnancies, and foster an environment for their child's integration.

Psychomotor Impairment Detection via Finger Interactions with a Computer Keyboard During Natural Typing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giancardo, L.; Sánchez-Ferro, A.; Butterworth, I.; Mendoza, C. S.; Hooker, J. M.

2015-04-01

Modern digital devices and appliances are capable of monitoring the timing of button presses, or finger interactions in general, with a sub-millisecond accuracy. However, the massive amount of high resolution temporal information that these devices could collect is currently being discarded. Multiple studies have shown that the act of pressing a button triggers well defined brain areas which are known to be affected by motor-compromised conditions. In this study, we demonstrate that the daily interaction with a computer keyboard can be employed as means to observe and potentially quantify psychomotor impairment. We induced a psychomotor impairment via a sleep inertia paradigm in 14 healthy subjects, which is detected by our classifier with an Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) of 0.93/0.91. The detection relies on novel features derived from key-hold times acquired on standard computer keyboards during an uncontrolled typing task. These features correlate with the progression to psychomotor impairment (p < 0.001) regardless of the content and language of the text typed, and perform consistently with different keyboards. The ability to acquire longitudinal measurements of subtle motor changes from a digital device without altering its functionality may allow for early screening and follow-up of motor-compromised neurodegenerative conditions, psychological disorders or intoxication at a negligible cost in the general population.

Developmental Scores at 1 Year With Increasing Gestational Age, 37–41 Weeks

PubMed Central

Rose, Olga; Blanco, Estela; Martinez, Suzanna M.; Sim, Eastern Kang; Castillo, Marcela; Lozoff, Betsy; Vaucher, Yvonne E.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between gestational age and mental and psychomotor development scores in healthy infants born between 37 and 41 weeks. METHODS: The cohort included 1562 participants enrolled during infancy in an iron deficiency anemia preventive trial in Santiago, Chile. All participants were healthy, full-term (37–41 weeks) infants who weighed 3 kg or more at birth. Development at 12 months was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Using generalized linear modeling, we analyzed the association between gestational age and 1-year-old developmental status, taking into account potential confounders including birth weight percentile, gender, socioeconomic status, the home environment, iron status, and iron supplementation. RESULTS: For each additional week of gestation, the Mental Development Index increased by 0.8 points (95% confidence interval = 0.2–1.4), and the Psychomotor Development Index increased by 1.4 points (95% confidence interval = 0.6–2.1) controlling for birth weight percentile, gender, socioeconomic status, and home environment. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of healthy full-term infants, developmental scores obtained using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 12 months increased with gestational age (37–41 weeks). There is increasing evidence that birth at 39 to 41 weeks provides developmental advantages compared with birth at 37 to 38 weeks. Because cesarean deliveries and early-term inductions have increased to 40% of all births, consideration of ongoing brain development during the full-term period is an important medical and policy issue. PMID:23589812

Technology for communicational development and learning in psychomotor disability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trento, I.; Santucci, M.; Tula, S.; González, E.

2007-11-01

The applied investigation and experimental development project described in this paper has been carried out by Grupo Ingeniería Clínica of the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional together with two Special Education Schools dependent on the Ministry of Education of Córdoba Province. Its aim is the development of computer access assistive tools for students with mobility limitations, and with or without intellectual problems that need adaptations to access to a computer in order to learn, communicate, work, etc. On the other hand, it demonstrates the benefits that the use of a computer gives to these students. The evaluation of their performance was made trough Dr. Marianne Frostig's Developmental Test of Visual Perception and reading and writing graphic tests, comparing the results of the tests made on paper with those made on computer. Thus, an interdisciplinary team was formed by Engineering, Psychology and Special Education professionals, and 40 students were evaluated. The design of the mouse and keyboard had some adaptations. At present, the rating test stage is being achieved, and the preliminary results allow us to anticipate that pupils with psychomotor disabilities may manifest their perceptual ripeness and reach education in a more efficient way through the use of informatics tools according to their needs and possibilities.

[Overall child development: beyond pharmacological iodine supplementation].

PubMed

Gavilán, Enrique; Jiménez de Gracia, Laura

2013-12-01

Iodine deficiency is a factor that may compromise child development, but is not the only one. Other health determinants, some of them outside the healthcare system, are able to influence development. Fighting iodine deficiency may be a pragmatic and useful strategy if it is found to be not maleficent, beneficial to health, and cost-effective, and does not make us lose the notion that child development goes beyond psychomotor or cognitive performance. This article analyzes such constraints from a critical point of view. Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Echo simulator with novel training and competency testing tools.

PubMed

Sheehan, Florence H; Otto, Catherine M; Freeman, Rosario V

2013-01-01

We developed and validated an echo simulator with three novel tools that facilitate training and enable quantitative and objective measurement of psychomotor as well as cognitive skill. First, the trainee can see original patient images - not synthetic or simulated images - that morph in real time as the mock transducer is manipulated on the mannequin. Second, augmented reality is used for Visual Guidance, a tool that assists the trainee in scanning by displaying the target organ in 3-dimensions (3D) together with the location of the current view plane and the plane of the anatomically correct view. Third, we introduce Image Matching, a tool that leverages the aptitude of the human brain for recognizing similarities and differences to help trainees learn to perform visual assessment of ultrasound images. Psychomotor competence is measured in terms of the view plane angle error. The construct validity of the simulator for competency testing was established by demonstrating its ability to discriminate novices vs. experts.

Neuropsychological deficits in long-term frequent cannabis users.

PubMed

Messinis, Lambros; Kyprianidou, Anthoula; Malefaki, Sonia; Papathanasopoulos, Panagiotis

2006-03-14

The authors examined neuropsychological functioning in 20 long-term (LT), 20 shorter term (ST) heavy frequent cannabis users, and 24 controls after abstinence for > or =24 hours prior to testing. LT users performed significantly worse on verbal memory and psychomotor speed. LT and ST users had a higher proportion of deficits on verbal fluency, verbal memory, attention, and psychomotor speed. Specific cognitive domains appear to deteriorate with increasing years of heavy frequent cannabis use.

[Systemic-psychomotoric versus purely verbal systemic counselling in families of children with mental disorders].

PubMed

Richter, Joseph; Siegmund, Anja

2011-01-01

Systemic counselling and therapy are usually verbal interventions. However, communication on an abstract level often exceeds the capabilities of children up to about 12 years, leaving them less involved in the therapeutic process. In contrast, symbolic play has been shown to be an effective tool for psychological formulation and intervention. However, it has not been widely used so far in family therapy. In order to explore this hypothesis a form of systemic family therapy (SB; exclusively verbal) was compared with a new concept called systemic-psychomotor family counselling (PsyFam; based on symbolic play). We found good efficacy of PsyFam, reflected in an average effect size of d = .73 (SB: d = .53), even though statistical significance of the group effect could not be shown due to the small sample size. Systemic-psychomotoric family counselling is a promising new approach worth further research in controlled therapy studies.

Evaluation of an audience response system in a preclinical operative dentistry course.

PubMed

Elashvili, Ana; Denehy, Gerald E; Dawson, Deborah V; Cunningham, Marsha A

2008-11-01

Student performance was compared on written and psychomotor skill tests of freshman dental students receiving conventional lectures versus the same lectures containing interactive components using TurningPoint, a wireless audience response system (ARS). The research design was a controlled crossover study with seventy-seven freshman dental students conducted in a preclinical operative dentistry course. Two randomized groups alternated the two study lectures, one with ARS and the other without ARS. Student knowledge retention was measured through written examination using immediate posttest, as well as questions on the unit and final examinations. Psychomotor skill tests were given on both lecture topics. Statistically significant differences indicating superiority of ARS were identified for performance on the immediate posttest and psychomotor skill test only for the lecture "Principles of Dental Bonding." The other examinations/skill testing showed no significant difference. These results indicate that ARS is a promising teaching tool for dental education.

A double blind parallel group placebo controlled comparison of sedative and mnesic effects of etifoxine and lorazepam in healthy subjects [corrected].

PubMed

Micallef, J; Soubrouillard, C; Guet, F; Le Guern, M E; Alquier, C; Bruguerolle, B; Blin, O

2001-06-01

This paper describes the psychomotor and mnesic effects of single oral doses of etifoxine (50 and 100 mg) and lorazepam (2 mg) in healthy subjects. Forty-eight healthy subjects were included in this randomized double blind, placebo controlled parallel group study [corrected]. The effects of drugs were assessed by using a battery of subjective and objective tests that explored mood and vigilance (Visual Analog Scale), attention (Barrage test), psychomotor performance (Choice Reaction Time) and memory (digit span, immediate and delayed free recall of a word list). Whereas vigilance, psychomotor performance and free recall were significantly impaired by lorazepam, neither dosage of etifoxine (50 and 100 mg) produced such effects. These results suggest that 50 and 100 mg single dose of etifoxine do not induce amnesia and sedation as compared to lorazepam.

Cooperative learning using simulation to achieve mastery of nasogastric tube insertion.

PubMed

Cason, Melanie Leigh; Gilbert, Gregory E; Schmoll, Heidi H; Dolinar, Susan M; Anderson, Jane; Nickles, Barbara Marshburn; Pufpaff, Laurie A; Henderson, Ruth; Lee, Frances Wickham; Schaefer, John J

2015-03-01

Traditionally, psychomotor skills training for nursing students involves didactic instruction followed by procedural review and practice with a task trainer, manikin, or classmates. This article describes a novel method of teaching psychomotor skills to associate degree and baccalaureate nursing students, Cooperative Learning Simulation Skills Training (CLSST), in the context of nasogastric tube insertion using a deliberate practice-to-mastery learning model. Student dyads served as operator and student learner. Automatic scoring was recorded in the debriefing log. Student pairs alternated roles until they achieved mastery, after which they were assessed individually. Median checklist scores of 100% were achieved by students in both programs after one practice session and through evaluation. Students and faculty provided positive feedback regarding this educational innovation. CLSST in a deliberate practice-to-mastery learning paradigm offers a novel way to teach psychomotor skills in nursing curricula and decreases the instructor-to-student ratio. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

[Ichthyosis and social stigma in Burkina Faso].

PubMed

Korsaga/Somé, N; Salissou, L; Tapsoba, G P; Ouédraogo, M S; Traoré, F; Doulla, M; Barro/Traoré, F; Niamba, P; Traoré, A

2016-01-01

Through the story of two families presenting ichthyosis, we report the support and social integration difficulties inherent in these genetic diseases. Family No. 1: a 38-year-old shepherd and his wife of 25 years both had lamellar ichthyosis that had been present continually since childhood. They had had 2 stillborn infants as well as a live newborn that were all presenting lamellar ichthyosis. Family No. 2: a 45-year-old housewife was seen at our consultation with her 3 youngest children aged 8 years, 6 years and 18 months. According to the mother, at birth, all 3 children were covered with a membrane resembling plastic that crackled during movement, and they had red eyes. Examination of the 3 children revealed a clinical picture of lamellar ichthyosis with ectropion, malformed ears and brachydactyly. Although they presented delayed growth and weight development, psychomotor development was normal. There was no consanguinity between the parents. In both families, the visible nature of the dermatosis resulted in discrimination and ostracism. The precarious living conditions of the parents and the high cost of treatment in an African setting resulted in degradation of quality of life with exacerbation of the difficulties of social integration, resulting in a lack of schooling and a bleak future for these children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Predicting Job Performance for the Visually Impaired: Validity of the Fine Finger Dexterity Work Task.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giesen, J. Martin; And Others

The study was designed to determine the reliability and criterion validity of a psychomotor performance test (the Fine Finger Dexterity Work Task Unit) with 40 partially or totally blind adults. Reliability was established by using the test-retest method. A supervisory rating was developed and the reliability established by using the split-half…

Estimating the Effectiveness and Feasibility of a Game-Based Project for Early Foreign Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griva, Eleni; Semoglou, Klio

2012-01-01

This paper outlines the rationale for and the purpose of designing and implementing a project aiming to make very young EFL learners develop their language skills through their involvement in interactive psychomotor activities. The project, which is a part of a broader longitudinal project having introduced EFL in the first primary school grade,…

Kansas Adapted/Special Physical Education Test Manual. Health Related Fitness and Psychomotor Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Robert E.; Lavay, Barry

This manual was developed to address the need for health-related physical fitness testing of children with special needs. The first section defines the components of health-related physical fitness which consist of: (1)abdominal strength and endurance measured by a sit-up test; (2) flexibility, measured by a sit and reach test; (3) upper body…

Examination of Turkish Students' Opinions Related to Values in the Example of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tasdemir, Adem

2012-01-01

Reflecting effective and psychomotor skills to teaching environment are as important as cognitive skills in learning process. In this context, values are important to develop skills in affective domain. In this study, the opinions of the students who have been studying in three different countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey) were aimed to be…

The Influence of Content Knowledge on Teaching and Learning in Traditional and Sport Education Contexts: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iserbyt, Peter; Ward, Phillip; Martens, Jonas

2016-01-01

Background: Our understanding of the role in which content knowledge (CK) can strengthen instructional models and how that knowledge matters for professional development is limited. It is contended that mere use of an instructional model is insufficient to impact psychomotor learning in meaningful ways. Purpose: This study was conducted to…

Limbic system seizures and aggressive behavior (superkindling effects).

PubMed

Andy, O J; Velamati, S

1978-01-01

This study was done to further analyze the neural mechanisms underlying aggressive behavior associated with psychomotor or temporal lobe seizures. The studies revealed that superkindling the aggressive system by sequential stimulations at seizure-inducing thresholds, of two or more sites in the limbic, hypothalamic, and basal ganglia structures facilitated the production of aggressive seizures. Aggressive behavior in the freely moving cat was evaluated in relation to the occurrence of hissing and growling during stimulation, after-discharge and postictal period. The behavior was correlated with the frequency of the elicited seizures and the seizure durations. Aggression did develop as a component behavioral manifestation of the limbic (psychomotor) seizure. Development of aggressive seizures was facilitated by "priming" the aggressive system. Optimum levels of aggressive behavior occurred with seizures of medium duration. Catecholamine blockers tended to attentuate the occurrence of aggression, whereas the agonist tended to facilitate it. Once the aggressive system was rendered hyperexcitable, exteroceptive stimuli also evoked aggressive attack behavior. It was concluded that repeatedly recurring limbic system seizures through superkindling mechanisms can eventually render the limbic-basal ganglia-preoptico-hypothalamic aggressive system hyper-responsive to both recurring seizures and to exteroceptive stimuli with resulting aggressive behavior with or without an accompanying seizure.

Performance assessment instrument to assess the senior high students' psychomotor for the salt hydrolysis material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nahadi, Firman, Harry; Yulina, Erlis

2016-02-01

The purposes of this study were to develop a performance assessment instrument for assessing the competence of psychomotor high school students on salt hydrolysis concepts. The design used in this study was the Research & Development which consists of three phases: development, testing and application of instruments. Subjects in this study were high school students in class XI science, which amounts to 93 students. In the development phase, seven validators validated 17 tasks instrument. In the test phase, we divided 19 students into three-part different times to conduct performance test in salt hydrolysis lab work and observed by six raters. The first, the second, and the third groups recpectively consist of five, six, and eight students. In the application phase, two raters observed the performance of 74 students in the salt hydrolysis lab work in several times. The results showed that 16 of 17 tasks of performance assessment instrument developed can be stated to be valid with CVR value of 1,00 and 0,714. While, the rest was not valid with CVR value was 0.429, below the critical value (0.622). In the test phase, reliability value of instrument obtained were 0,951 for the five-student group, 0,806 for the six-student group and 0,743 for the eight-student group. From the interviews, teachers strongly agree with the performance instrument developed. They stated that the instrument was feasible to use for maximum number of students were six in a single observation.

A novel whole exon deletion in WWOX gene causes early epilepsy, intellectual disability and optic atrophy.

PubMed

Ben-Salem, Salma; Al-Shamsi, Aisha M; John, Anne; Ali, Bassam R; Al-Gazali, Lihadh

2015-05-01

Recent studies have implicated the WW domain-containing oxidoreductase encoding gene (WWOX) in a severe form of autosomal recessive neurological disorder. This condition showed an overlapping spectrum of clinical features including spinocerebellar ataxia associated with generalized seizures and delayed psychomotor development to growth retardation, spasticity, and microcephaly. We evaluated a child from a consanguineous Emirati family that presented at birth with growth retardation, microcephaly, epileptic seizures, and later developed spasticity and delayed psychomotor development. Screening for deletions and duplications using whole-chromosomal microarray analysis identified a novel homozygous microdeletion encompassing exon 5 of the WWOX gene. Analysis of parental DNA indicated that this deletion was inherited from both parents and lies within a large region of homozygosity. Sanger sequencing of the cDNA showed that the deletion resulted in exon 5 skipping leading to a frame-shift and creating a premature stop codon at amino acid position 212. Quantification of mRNA revealed striking low level of WWOX expression in the child and moderate level of expression in the mother compared to a healthy control. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first homozygous germline structural variation in WWOX gene resulting in truncated transcripts that were presumably subject to NMD pathway. Our findings extend the clinical and genetic spectrum of WWOX mutations and support a crucial role of this gene in neurological development.

A Novel Multiplayer Screen-Based Simulation Experience for African Learners Improved Confidence in Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Taekman, Jeffrey M; Foureman, Megan F; Bulamba, Fred; Steele, Michael; Comstock, Emily; Kintu, Andrew; Mauritz, Amy; Olufolabi, Adeyemi

2017-01-01

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a global challenge, affecting thirteen million women each year. In addition, PPH is a leading cause of maternal mortality in Asia and Africa. In the U.S.A., care of critically ill patients is often practiced using mannequin-based simulation. Mannequin-based simulation presents challenges in global health, particularly in low- or middle-income countries. We developed a novel multiplayer screen-based simulation in a virtual world enabling the practice of team coordination with PPH. We used this simulation with learners in Mulago, Uganda. We hypothesized that a multiplayer screen-based simulation experience would increase learner confidence in their ability to manage PPH. The study design was a simple pre- and a post-intervention survey. Forty-eight interprofessional subjects participated in one of nine 1-h simulation sessions using the PPH software. A fifteen-question self-assessment administered before and after the intervention was designed to probe the areas of learning as defined by Bloom and Krathwohl: affective, cognitive, and psychomotor. Combined confidence scores increased significantly overall following the simulation experience and individually in each of the three categories of Bloom's Taxonomy: affective, cognitive, and psychomotor. We provide preliminary evidence that multiplayer screen-based simulation represents a scalable, distributable form of learning that may be used effectively in global health education and training. Interestingly, despite our intervention being screen-based, our subjects showed improved confidence in their ability to perform psychomotor tasks. Although there is precedent for mental rehearsal improving performance, further research is needed to understand this finding.

Sleep deprivation and time-on-task performance decrement in the rat psychomotor vigilance task.

PubMed

Oonk, Marcella; Davis, Christopher J; Krueger, James M; Wisor, Jonathan P; Van Dongen, Hans P A

2015-03-01

The rat psychomotor vigilance task (rPVT) was developed as a rodent analog of the human psychomotor vigilance task (hPVT). We examined whether rPVT performance displays time-on-task effects similar to those observed on the hPVT. The rPVT requires rats to respond to a randomly presented light stimulus to obtain a water reward. Rats were water deprived for 22 h prior to each 30-min rPVT session to motivate performance. We analyzed rPVT performance over time on task and as a function of the response-stimulus interval, at baseline and after sleep deprivation. The study was conducted in an academic research vivarium. Male Long-Evans rats were trained to respond to a 0.5 sec stimulus light within 3 sec of stimulus onset. Complete data were available for n = 20 rats. Rats performed the rPVT for 30 min at baseline and after 24 h total sleep deprivation by gentle handling. Compared to baseline, sleep deprived rats displayed increased performance lapses and premature responses, similar to hPVT lapses of attention and false starts. However, in contrast to hPVT performance, the time-on-task performance decrement was not significantly enhanced by sleep deprivation. Moreover, following sleep deprivation, rPVT response times were not consistently increased after short response-stimulus intervals. The rPVT manifests similarities to the hPVT in global performance outcomes, but not in post-sleep deprivation effects of time on task and response-stimulus interval. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Efficacy and safety of electroconvulsive therapy in the first trimester of pregnancy: a case of severe manic catatonia.

PubMed

Pinna, Martina; Manchia, Mirko; Pillai, Gianluca; Salis, Piergiorgio; Minnai, Gian Paolo

2015-08-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an appropriate, albeit often neglected, option for managing severe or life-threatening psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy. We report on the rapid effectiveness and safety of ECT during the first trimester of pregnancy in a 28-year-old woman with severe catatonia. Catatonic symptoms were assessed using the Catatonia Rating Scale (CRS). The patient was treated with unilateral ECT using left anterior right temporal (LART) placement. Seizure quality and duration were monitored by a two-lead electroencephalograph (EEG) and by one-lead electromyography (EMG). During each ECT session, the fetal heart rate was monitored with electrocardiogram (ECG). After the second ECT treatment (day 13 of hospitalization), we observed remission of the catatonic symptoms, as shown by the drop in the CRS score from 22 to 0. No cognitive abnormalities were reported and no gynecological complications were detected (e.g. vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, or uterine contraction). The patient delivered at term a healthy male neonate who presented normal growth as well as normal psychomotor development. This case highlights the effectiveness of ECT in treating severe catatonic mania during the first 3 months of pregnancy. In addition, ECT proved to be a safe therapeutic option, since neither mother nor infant experienced any adverse event. We suggest that ECT might be considered as a valid and safe option in the therapeutic decision-making process when catatonic symptoms manifest during pregnancy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stroop performance in major depression: selective attention impairment or psychomotor slowness?

PubMed

Kertzman, Semion; Reznik, Ilya; Hornik-Lurie, Tzipi; Weizman, Abraham; Kotler, Moshe; Amital, Daniela

2010-04-01

Numerous neuropsychological studies reported impaired Stroop performance in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. The present study attempted to identify possible neuropsychological mechanisms involved in this impairment in untreated MDD outpatients (n=75) as compared to healthy subjects (n=83). Inspection Time, Finger Tapping, Simple and Choice Reaction Time were considered as measures of perceptual, motor, psychomotor speed, and response selection, respectively. MDD patients performed significantly slower than healthy controls in the neutral and the congruent conditions, but not in the incongruent ones. In order to identify predictors of Stroop performance, linear hierarchical regressions analyses were performed. Age, motor and psychomotor speed were predictors of response time and accuracy on Stroop performance. Significant correlations between response time and the number of errors in all three Stroop conditions were found in MDD patients, while such a correlation was obtained in the healthy controls only in the incongruent condition. Although education was included as a covariate in our analyses, suggesting that the observed effects could not be ascribed to education differences, further testing with education-matched samples is warranted. Our study shows that the Stroop task performance is affected by both aging and MDD. Impairment in the Stroop performance can be predicted by psychomotor slowness and by vigilance level in MDD outpatients, but not by impairment of selective attention per se. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Repeated intermittent administration of psychomotor stimulant drugs alters the acquisition of Pavlovian approach behavior in rats: differential effects of cocaine, d-amphetamine and 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("Ecstasy").

PubMed

Taylor, J R; Jentsch, J D

2001-07-15

Psychomotor stimulant drugs can produce long-lasting changes in neurochemistry and behavior after multiple doses. In particular, neuroadaptations within corticolimbic brain structures that mediate incentive learning and motivated behavior have been demonstrated after chronic exposure to cocaine, d-amphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). As stimulus-reward learning is likely relevant to addictive behavior (i.e., augmented conditioned reward and stimulus control of behavior), we have investigated whether prior repeated administration of psychomotor stimulant drugs (of abuse, including cocaine, d-amphetamine, or MDMA, would affect the acquisition of Pavlovian approach behavior. Water-deprived rats were tested for the acquisition of Pavlovian approach behavior after 5 days treatment with cocaine (15-20 mg/kg once or twice daily), d-amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg once or twice daily), or MDMA (2.5 mg/kg twice daily) followed by a 7-day, drug-free period. Prior repeated treatment with cocaine or d-amphetamine produced a significant enhancement of acquisition of Pavlovian approach behavior, indicating accelerated stimulus-reward learning, whereas MDMA administration produced increased inappropriate responding, indicating impulsivity. Abnormal drug-induced approach behavior was found to persist throughout the testing period. These studies demonstrate that psychomotor stimulant-induced sensitization can produce long-term alterations in stimulus-reward learning and impulse control that may contribute to the compulsive drug taking that typifies addiction.

Acute psychotropic effects of oral cannabis extract with a defined content of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Kaufmann, R M; Kraft, B; Frey, R; Winkler, D; Weiszenbichler, S; Bäcker, C; Kasper, S; Kress, H G

2010-01-01

The medical use of cannabinoids is limited mainly by their undesirable effects. With respect to acute psychotropic effects, the aim of this study is the comparison of an oral cannabis extract and low-dose diazepam in a cross-over experiment in drug-naïve healthy women. Sixteen healthy females participated in this randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled, single-dose, balanced 2-way cross-over study. Cannabis extract with standardised Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content (20 mg) or active placebo (5 mg diazepam) was administered orally. Subjects were assessed by self- and observer-rated visual analogue scales (VAS), the BRIEF PSYCHIATRIC RATING SCALE (BPRS) and three psychomotor tests up to 6 h after administration. VAS showed significantly elevated fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, and "feeling high" after cannabis as compared to baseline and diazepam. BPRS scores were significantly higher after cannabis intake. Only in one psychomotor test a decrease of psychomotor activity after cannabis was evident. One subject in the cannabis condition experienced severe transient psychotic symptoms. Orally administered cannabis produced significant central depressant side-effects compared to diazepam, mostly subjective effects (VAS) but marginal effects in psychomotor performance in 15 healthy females. Regarding the medical use of cannabis, a rigorous benefit-risk analysis and an exact psychiatric assessment before and during treatment are necessary. (c) Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

Two-day fasting evokes stress, but does not affect mood, brain activity, cognitive, psychomotor, and motor performance in overweight women.

PubMed

Solianik, Rima; Sujeta, Artūras

2018-02-15

The physiological, cognitive state, and motor behavior changes that occur during acute fasting are not completely understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate the effect of 2-day total fasting on evoked stress, mood, brain activity, and cognitive, psychomotor, and motor function in overweight women. Eleven overweight women (body mass index above 25kg/m 2 ) aged 20-30 years were tested under two conditions allocated randomly: 2-day zero-calorie diet with water provided ad libitum and 2-day usual diet. One week before the experiment, aerobic fitness was evaluated. Subjective stress ratings in relation to the diet, autonomic function, prefrontal cortex activity, cognitive performance, psychomotor coordination, and grip strength were evaluated before and after each diet. The study demonstrated that fasting decreased log-transformed high-frequency (HF) power, without affecting heart rate. The relative maximum oxygen uptake was negatively correlated with subjective stress rating and changes in log-transformed HF. Fasting did not affect mood, brain activity, and cognitive, motor, and psychomotor performance. Thus, 2-day total fasting evoked moderate stress with a shift of the autonomic nervous system balance toward sympathetic activity in overweight women. Better aerobic endurance is likely to facilitate the capacity for dealing with acute fasting. Regardless of the evoked stress, cognitive state and motor behavior remained intact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Non-pathological Geroneuropsychology: Implications for Nursing Practice and Research

PubMed Central

Graham, Martha A.; Fazeli, Pariya L.; Heaton, Karen; Moneyham, Linda

2011-01-01

One aspect of successful aging is maintaining cognitive functioning; that includes both subjective cognitive functioning and objective cognitive functioning even in lieu of subtle cognitive deficits that occur with normal, non-pathological aging. Age-related cognitive deficits emerge across several domains including attention, memory, language, speed of processing, executive, and psychomotor, just to name a few. A primary theory explaining such cognitive deficits is cognitive reserve theory; it posits that biological factors such as demyelination and oxidative stress interfere with neuronal communication which eventually produces observable deficits in cognitive functioning. Therefore, it is important to maintain or improve cognitive reserve in order to augment cognitive functioning in later life. This article provides a general overview of the principles of geroneuropsychology along with implications for nursing practice and research. PMID:22210304

Neurocognitive development of young children with sickle cell disease through three years of age.

PubMed

Thompson, Robert J; Gustafson, Kathryn E; Bonner, Melanie J; Ware, Russell E

2002-01-01

To determine (1) the neurocognitive development of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) from 6 months through 36 months of age, (2) the independent and combined contributions of biomedical risk and parenting risk to child neurocognitive functioning, and (3) the independent and combined contributions of biomedical risk, parent cognitive processes, and family functioning to parent adjustment. The study sample included 89 African American children and their parents served through the Duke University-University of North Carolina Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center. Measures of cognitive and psychomotor development were obtained at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of age, and parents completed self-report measures of the cognitive processes of daily stress and attributional style, psychological adjustment, and family functioning. There was no significant decrease in psychomotor functioning (PDI) over time but cognitive functioning (MDI) declined, with a significant decrease occurring between the 12- and 24-month assessment points. At 24 months, poorer cognitive functioning was associated with parenting risk, in terms of a learned-helplessness attributional style, and biomedical risk, in terms of HbSS phenotype. Levels of psychological distress within the clinical range were reported by 24% of the parents, and poorer parent adjustment was associated with high levels of daily stress, less knowledge about child development, lower expectations of efficacy, and HbSC phenotype. The findings indicate that young children with SCD are at risk for neurocognitive impairment and provide support for the initiation of early intervention studies to promote neurocognitive development.

[Early childhood development and risk factors in rural China: a cohort study].

PubMed

Cui, Y; Gao, J Q; Yue, A; Tang, L; Luo, R F; Scott, Rozelle

2018-02-02

Objective: To investigate the development status and risk factors of infants and toddlers in rural China. Methods: In this cohort study, 603 infants (6-12 months of age, Phase Ⅰ) in the rural areas of QinLing-Bashan (Qin-Ba) in Shaanxi were recruited in the control group that received no intervention from April 2013 to October 2015. Three follow-up visits were performed every six months (Phase Ⅱ(12-18 months of age), Phase Ⅲ (18-24 months of age) and Phase Ⅳ(24-30 months of age)). In all the 4 phases (Ⅰ-Ⅳ), general data of the children and the families were collected by questionnaires, early childhood growth and development were assessed by door to door visits, children's hemoglobin levels were determined by laboratory tests, and the cognitive and motor development screening was conducted by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the development of infants and toddlers in rural areas and the data were analyzed in terms of risk factors from infants, guardians and family. Results: Phase Ⅱ, Phase Ⅲ and Phase Ⅳ survey recruited 497, 483 and 486 participants respectively. The incidences of cognitive impairment (mental development scores<80) in rural areas of southern Shaanxi were 13.4% (81/603) in Phase Ⅰ(6-12 months), 20.1%(100/497) in PhaseⅡ(12-18 months), 42.9% (207/483) in Phase Ⅲ(18-24 months) and 50.4%(245/486) in Phase Ⅳ(24-30 months) respectively, which showed a significant increase with age (χ(2)=233.40, P< 0.01); the incidences of psychomotor impairment (psychomotor development scores<80) of Phase Ⅰ, Phase Ⅱ, Phase Ⅲ and Phase Ⅳ were 25.0% (151/603), 26.8% (133/497), 8.3% (40/483) and 11.9% (58/486), which showed a significant decrease with age (χ(2)=87.08, P< 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the leading risk factor of the cognitive development of 24-30-month-old children was the mothers' poor education background (≤9 years of school education) ( OR= 2.56, P< 0.01), and the main risk factors affecting psychomotor development were the mothers' poor education background (≤9 years of school education) ( OR= 2.64, P< 0.05) and growth retardation ( OR= 2.95, P= 0.07). Conclusions: The early childhood development (especially cognitive development) in the rural areas of Qin-Ba in Shaanxi of China is not optimistic. More attention should be paid to the early childhood development in rural China, especially to the development of children from the mothers with poor education background.

Effects of a Program of Sport Schools on Development of Social and Psychomotor Skills of People with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López, José María; Moreno-Rodríguez, Ricardo; Alcover, Carlos-María; Garrote, Inmaculada; Sánchez, Sergio

2017-01-01

Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present learning difficulties and limited performance of social skills, besides lower motor skills performance in comparison with their peers. Owing to these difficulties, most of children with ASD are at risk of social exclusion or a poor inclusion due to their behavior, mainly playing with other…

Mortality, Morbidity, and Developmental Outcomes in Infants Born to Women Who Received Either Mefloquine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy: A Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Rupérez, María; González, Raquel; Mombo-Ngoma, Ghyslain; Kabanywanyi, Abdunoor M.; Sevene, Esperança; Ouédraogo, Smaïla; Kakolwa, Mwaka A.; Vala, Anifa; Accrombessi, Manfred; Briand, Valérie; Aponte, John J.; Manego Zoleko, Rella; Adegnika, Ayôla A.; Cot, Michel; Kremsner, Peter G.; Massougbodji, Achille; Abdulla, Salim; Ramharter, Michael; Macete, Eusébio; Menéndez, Clara

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about the effects of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) on the health of sub-Saharan African infants. We have evaluated the safety of IPTp with mefloquine (MQ) compared to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for important infant health and developmental outcomes. Methods and Findings In the context of a multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of IPTp with MQ compared to SP in pregnancy carried out in four sub-Saharan countries (Mozambique, Benin, Gabon, and Tanzania), 4,247 newborns, 2,815 born to women who received MQ and 1,432 born to women who received SP for IPTp, were followed up until 12 mo of age. Anthropometric parameters and psychomotor development were assessed at 1, 9, and 12 mo of age, and the incidence of malaria, anemia, hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and mortality were determined until 12 mo of age. No significant differences were found in the proportion of infants with stunting, underweight, wasting, and severe acute malnutrition at 1, 9, and 12 mo of age between infants born to women who were on IPTp with MQ versus SP. Except for three items evaluated at 9 mo of age, no significant differences were observed in the psychomotor development milestones assessed. Incidence of malaria, anemia, hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and mortality were similar between the two groups. Information on the outcomes at 12 mo of age was unavailable in 26% of the infants, 761 (27%) from the MQ group and 377 (26%) from the SP group. Reasons for not completing the study were death (4% of total study population), study withdrawal (6%), migration (8%), and loss to follow-up (9%). Conclusions No significant differences were found between IPTp with MQ and SP administered in pregnancy on infant mortality, morbidity, and nutritional outcomes. The poorer performance on certain psychomotor development milestones at 9 mo of age in children born to women in the MQ group compared to those in the SP group may deserve further studies. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00811421 PMID:26905278

Sustained Attention is Associated with Error Processing Impairment: Evidence from Mental Fatigue Study in Four-Choice Reaction Time Task

PubMed Central

Xiao, Yi; Ma, Feng; Lv, Yixuan; Cai, Gui; Teng, Peng; Xu, FengGang; Chen, Shanguang

2015-01-01

Attention is important in error processing. Few studies have examined the link between sustained attention and error processing. In this study, we examined how error-related negativity (ERN) of a four-choice reaction time task was reduced in the mental fatigue condition and investigated the role of sustained attention in error processing. Forty-one recruited participants were divided into two groups. In the fatigue experiment group, 20 subjects performed a fatigue experiment and an additional continuous psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) for 1 h. In the normal experiment group, 21 subjects only performed the normal experimental procedures without the PVT test. Fatigue and sustained attention states were assessed with a questionnaire. Event-related potential results showed that ERN (p < 0.005) and peak (p < 0.05) mean amplitudes decreased in the fatigue experiment. ERN amplitudes were significantly associated with the attention and fatigue states in electrodes Fz, FC1, Cz, and FC2. These findings indicated that sustained attention was related to error processing and that decreased attention is likely the cause of error processing impairment. PMID:25756780

Development of Animal Physiology Practical Guidance Oriented Guided Inquiry for Student of Biology Department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, Z. A. Z.; Sumarmin, R.; Violita, V.

2018-04-01

The guides used for practicing animal physiology need to be revised and adapted to the lecture material. This is because in the subject of Animal Physiology. The guidance of animal physiology practitioners is still conventional with prescription model instructions and is so simple that it is necessary to develop a practical guide that can lead to the development of scientific work. One of which is through practice guided inquiry guided practicum guide. This study aims to describe the process development of the practical guidance and reveal the validity, practicality, and effectiveness Guidance Physiology Animals guided inquiry inferior to the subject of Animal Physiology for students Biology Department State University of Padang. This type of research is development research. This development research uses the Plomp model. Stages performed are problem identification and analysis stage, prototype development and prototyping stage, and assessment phase. Data analysis using descriptive analysis. The instrument of data collection using validation and practical questionnaires, competence and affective field of competence observation and psychomotor and cognitive domain competence test. The result of this research shows that guidance of Inquiry Guided Initiative Guided Physiology with 3.23 valid category, practicality by lecturer with value 3.30 practical category, student with value 3.37 practical criterion. Affective effectiveness test with 93,00% criterion is very effective, psychomotor aspect 89,50% with very effective criteria and cognitive domain with value of 67, pass criterion. The conclusion of this research is Guided Inquiry Student Guided Protoxial Guidance For Students stated valid, practical and effective.

Proceedings of the TRADOC Chiefs of Analysis Seminar (3rd) held 15-17 January 1980, Hampton, Virginia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-25

11:00 Functional Literacy COL Merrick TRADOC BSEP DR Spangenberg Task Force 11:45 Lunch 13:00 Skill Knowledge Survey Data CMDR Hawrysh Canadian Forces... PSYCHOMOTOR WE HAVE TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO DO MOTOR SKILLS , RIGHT? (ONLY FINE MOTOR!) FOR EXAMPLE ..... IT WOULD BE NICE IF A GIVEN TASK ONLY INVOLVED...GENERALIZATION IS NEEDED REASONS "WHY" MUST BE GIVEN *USER IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TERMINOLOGY *FINE PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS ARE REQUIRED. THIS JOB AID HELPS YOU

A Smart Toy to Enhance the Decision-Making Process at Children's Psychomotor Delay Screenings: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Gutiérrez García, María Angeles; Martín Ruiz, María Luisa; Rivera, Diego; Vadillo, Laura; Valero Duboy, Miguel Angel

2017-05-19

EDUCERE ("Ubiquitous Detection Ecosystem to Care and Early Stimulation for Children with Developmental Disorders") is an ecosystem for ubiquitous detection, care, and early stimulation of children with developmental disorders. The objectives of this Spanish government-funded research and development project are to investigate, develop, and evaluate innovative solutions to detect changes in psychomotor development through the natural interaction of children with toys and everyday objects, and perform stimulation and early attention activities in real environments such as home and school. Thirty multidisciplinary professionals and three nursery schools worked in the EDUCERE project between 2014 and 2017 and they obtained satisfactory results. Related to EDUCERE, we found studies based on providing networks of connected smart objects and the interaction between toys and social networks. This research includes the design, implementation, and validation of an EDUCERE smart toy aimed to automatically detect delays in psychomotor development. The results from initial tests led to enhancing the effectiveness of the original design and deployment. The smart toy, based on stackable cubes, has a data collector module and a smart system for detection of developmental delays, called the EDUCERE developmental delay screening system (DDSS). The pilot study involved 65 toddlers aged between 23 and 37 months (mean=29.02, SD 3.81) who built a tower with five stackable cubes, designed by following the EDUCERE smart toy model. As toddlers made the tower, sensors in the cubes sent data to a collector module through a wireless connection. All trials were video-recorded for further analysis by child development experts. After watching the videos, experts scored the performance of the trials to compare and fine-tune the interpretation of the data automatically gathered by the toy-embedded sensors. Judges were highly reliable in an interrater agreement analysis (intraclass correlation 0.961, 95% CI 0.937-0.967), suggesting that the process was successful to separate different levels of performance. A factor analysis of collected data showed that three factors, trembling, speed, and accuracy, accounted for 76.79% of the total variance, but only two of them were predictors of performance in a regression analysis: accuracy (P=.001) and speed (P=.002). The other factor, trembling (P=.79), did not have a significant effect on this dependent variable. The EDUCERE DDSS is ready to use the regression equation obtained for the dependent variable "performance" as an algorithm for the automatic detection of psychomotor developmental delays. The results of the factor analysis are valuable to simplify the design of the smart toy by taking into account only the significant variables in the collector module. The fine-tuning of the toy process module will be carried out by following the specifications resulting from the analysis of the data to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the product. ©María Angeles Gutiérrez García, María Luisa Martín Ruiz, Diego Rivera, Laura Vadillo, Miguel Angel Valero Duboy. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 19.05.2017.

Esophageal motility in children with suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease.

PubMed

Hoffman, Ilse; De Greef, Toon; Haesendonck, Nancy; Tack, Jan

2010-06-01

Motility abnormalities in adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include nontransmitted contractions, reduced distal esophageal contraction amplitude, and simultaneous contractions. Information on esophageal body motility in children with GERD is scarce. Our aim was to study esophageal motility patterns in children with GERD, taking into account the presence of anatomical abnormalities and neurological impairment, the effect of age on esophageal motility in GERD, and the relation between esophageal manometry and GERD severity parameters (acid exposure and presence of esophagitis). Consecutive children referred for severe GER(D) symptoms underwent a barium swallow, upper endoscopy, pH monitoring, and stationary water-perfused esophageal manometry. Mean lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure and velocity of propagation in the proximal and distal esophagus decreased with age in this group of children with GERD (all P < 0.01). Severely disturbed esophageal motility was found in children with previous esophageal atresia. Patients with psychomotor retardation had significantly lower occurrence of peristaltic waves (94% +/- 21% vs 79% +/- 38%; P = 0.001), distal propagation velocity (0.8 +/- 0.4 vs 0.6 +/- 0.5 cm/s; P = 0.05), and distal contraction duration (3.1 +/- 0.8 vs 3.4 +/- 1 seconds; P = 0.05). None of the manometric characteristics differed between patients with normal or abnormal esophageal pH monitoring or with or without erosive esophagitis. LES pressure and esophageal velocity decreased with increasing age. Esophageal manometry is severely impaired in children with esophageal atresia and psychomotor retardation. No specific esophageal motor abnormalities related to the presence of endoscopic esophagitis or abnormal pH monitoring were found.

[The influence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk factors on health, growth and development in the first year of life. A preliminary report].

PubMed

Zakrzewski, Maciej; Wojtak, Jerzy; Mazurkiewicz, Hanna; Grygalewicz, Jacek

2005-01-01

To establish the occurrence of SIDS risk factors (including 'removable' ones) and the incidence of the ecg long QT interval (accepted as a risk factor) and their influence upon infants development and morbidity. A group of 98 infants from normal birth at term to the end of first year of life was observed. The data sources were as follows: 1) a questionnaire filled by mothers before discharge front maternity ward, 2) records of four consecutive medical examinations (including ecg records) performed on 3rd day and 3rd, 6th and 12th month of life. Chi-Square test and Fisher test were used. The most often identified risk factors were: prone sleeping position of infant (60.2%), environmental and maternal tobacco smoking (40.8%) and bed sharing practices (32.6%). A significant but transient signs of delay in psychomotor development (in motor zone) as well as more frequent respiratory tract infections in infants sleeping prone were noted. There were no deaths in the observed group neither cases of long QT interval. 1) the most frequently occurring SIDS risk factors are: environmental tobacco smoking, infant prone sleeping and bed sharing, 2) these inappropriate nursing practices and improper habits of adult family members known as a 'removable' SIDS risk factors have a bad effect on infant health and development, 3) identification of SIDS risk factors in an infant does not predict crib death.

'Executive' functions and normal aging: selective impairment in conditional exclusion compared to abstraction and inhibition.

PubMed

Silver, Henry; Goodman, Craig; Gur, Ruben C; Gur, Raquel E; Bilker, Warren B

2011-01-01

Some executive functions may be selectively impaired in normal aging over and above the general cognitive decline. We examined the performance of healthy high functioning young (n = 77) and older (n = 57) individuals on three 'executive' tests: conditional exclusion, abstraction, and inhibition of prepotent responses. We compared their relationships to each other and to other cognitive functions including attention, psychomotor speed and working memory. Conditional exclusion was significantly more impaired than abstraction or inhibition in the elderly compared to the younger group and unlike them, showed a nonlinear relationship with age. These findings were independent of other cognitive functions. Analysis of PCET performance characteristics showed that older individuals were particularly impaired in attaining the last of the three achievable categories, were slower, and had fewer error monitoring resources compared to the younger group. Conditional exclusion shows an age-related pattern of impairment distinct from inhibition and abstraction. We propose that in healthy well-functioning individuals, it taps processes integrating task set establishment and shifting in context of accumulating information. It may thus be useful as a specific marker of complex cognitive functions in studies of normal cognitive aging and in early detection of cognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Conditional control of selectin ligand expression and global fucosylation events in mice with a targeted mutation at the FX locus.

PubMed

Smith, Peter L; Myers, Jay T; Rogers, Clare E; Zhou, Lan; Petryniak, Bronia; Becker, Daniel J; Homeister, Jonathon W; Lowe, John B

2002-08-19

Glycoprotein fucosylation enables fringe-dependent modulation of signal transduction by Notch transmembrane receptors, contributes to selectin-dependent leukocyte trafficking, and is faulty in leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) type II, also known as congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG)-IIc, a rare human disorder characterized by psychomotor defects, developmental abnormalities, and leukocyte adhesion defects. We report here that mice with an induced null mutation in the FX locus, which encodes an enzyme in the de novo pathway for GDP-fucose synthesis, exhibit a virtually complete deficiency of cellular fucosylation, and variable frequency of intrauterine demise determined by parental FX genotype. Live-born FX(-/-) mice exhibit postnatal failure to thrive that is suppressed with a fucose-supplemented diet. FX(-/-) adults suffer from an extreme neutrophilia, myeloproliferation, and absence of leukocyte selectin ligand expression reminiscent of LAD-II/CDG-IIc. Contingent restoration of leukocyte and endothelial selectin ligand expression, general cellular fucosylation, and normal postnatal physiology is achieved by modulating dietary fucose to supply a salvage pathway for GDP-fucose synthesis. Conditional control of fucosylation in FX(-/-) mice identifies cellular fucosylation events as essential concomitants to fertility, early growth and development, and leukocyte adhesion.

Issues in development, evaluation, and use of the NASA Preflight Adaptation Trainer (PAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, Norman E.; Kennedy, Robert S.

1988-01-01

The Preflight Adaptation Trainer (PAT) is intended to reduce or alleviate space adaptation syndrome by providing opportunities for portions of that adaptation to occur under normal gravity conditions prior to space flight. Since the adaptation aspects of the PAT objectives involve modification not only of the behavior of the trainee, but also of sensiomotor skills which underly the behavioral generation, the defining of training objectives of the PAT utilizes four mechanisms: familiarization, demonstration, training and adaptation. These mechanisms serve as structural reference points for evaluation, drive the content and organization of the training procedures, and help to define the roles of the PAT instructors and operators. It was determined that three psychomotor properties are most critical for PAT evaluation: reliability; sensitivity; and relevance. It is cause for concern that the number of measures available to examine PAT effects exceed those that can be properly studied with the available sample sizes; special attention will be required in selection of the candidate measure set. The issues in PAT use and application within a training system context are addressed through linking the three training related mechanisms of familiarization, demonstration and training to the fourth mechanism, adaptation.

Psychomotor development and learning difficulties in preschool children with probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An epidemiological study in Navarre and La Rioja.

PubMed

Marín-Méndez, J J; Borra-Ruiz, M C; Álvarez-Gómez, M J; Soutullo Esperón, C

2017-10-01

ADHD symptoms begin to appear at preschool age. ADHD may have a significant negative impact on academic performance. In Spain, there are no standardized tools for detecting ADHD at preschool age, nor is there data about the incidence of this disorder. To evaluate developmental factors and learning difficulties associated with probable ADHD and to assess the impact of ADHD in school performance. We conducted a population-based study with a stratified multistage proportional cluster sample design. We found significant differences between probable ADHD and parents' perception of difficulties in expressive language, comprehension, and fine motor skills, as well as in emotions, concentration, behaviour, and relationships. Around 34% of preschool children with probable ADHD showed global learning difficulties, mainly in patients with the inattentive type. According to the multivariate analysis, learning difficulties were significantly associated with both delayed psychomotor development during the first 3 years of life (OR: 5.57) as assessed by parents, and probable ADHD (OR: 2.34) CONCLUSIONS: There is a connection between probable ADHD in preschool children and parents' perception of difficulties in several dimensions of development and learning. Early detection of ADHD at preschool ages is necessary to start prompt and effective clinical and educational interventions. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Learning style and laparoscopic experience in psychomotor skill performance using a virtual reality surgical simulator.

PubMed

Windsor, John A; Diener, Scott; Zoha, Farah

2008-06-01

People learn in different ways, and training techniques and technologies should accommodate individual learning needs. This pilot study looks at the relationship between learning style, as measured with the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS), laparoscopic surgery experience and psychomotor skill performance using the MIST VR surgical simulator. Five groups of volunteer subjects were selected from undergraduate tertiary students, medical students, novice surgical trainees, advanced surgical trainees and experienced laparoscopic surgeons. Each group was administered the MIDAS followed by two simulated surgical tasks on the MIST VR simulator. There was a striking homogeny of learning styles amongst experienced laparoscopic surgeons. Significant differences in the distribution of primary learning styles were found (P < .01) between subjects with minimal surgical training and those with considerable experience. A bodily-kinesthetic learning style, irrespective of experience, was associated with the best performance of the laparoscopic tasks. This is the first study to highlight the relationship between learning style, psychomotor skill and laparoscopic surgical experience with implications for surgeon selection, training and credentialling.

Correlation of psychomotor skills and didactic performance among dental students in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Afify, Ahmed R; Zawawi, Khalid H; Othman, Hisham I; Al-Dharrab, Ayman A

2013-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the psychomotor skills and the academic performance of dental students. Didactic and preclinical scores were collected for students who graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2011. Three courses (Dental Anatomy, Removable Prosthodontic Denture, and Orthodontics) were selected. Correlations comparing didactic and practical scores were done for the total samples, then for the males and females separately. There was no significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for the three courses for the total sample. There was a significant correlation between all three subjects in the didactic scores. For females, the results showed that there was only a significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for Dental Anatomy. For males, no correlation was observed between the practical and didactic scores for all subjects. In the present sample, didactic performance did not correlate well with the students' psychomotor performance.

Intrusive trauma recollections is associated with impairment of interference inhibition and psychomotor speed in PTSD.

PubMed

Kertzman, Semion; Avital, Avi; Weizman, Abraham; Segal, Michael

2014-10-01

Intrusive cognitions that enter consciousness involuntarily are prominent symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study aimed to identify neuropsychological mechanisms involved. Fifty PTSD outpatients and 50 healthy controls were tested using Finger Tapping, Simple and Choice Reaction Times and Stroop Tasks, to measure motor, psychomotor speed, response selection, and interference inhibition ability respectively. PTSD patients performed poorly in all tests, presumably owing to their generalized slowness of information processing and motor reaction. Psychomotor speed was a predictor of slowness and high error rate during the Stroop. Impaired inhibition, as measured by the interference index of the Stroop task, explained 9.7% of the predicated variance in frequency of re-experiencing PTSD symptoms and 23.5% of the predicated variance in augmentation of the interference response time. Impaired interference control may be related to internal (re-experiencing) and external (sensory) stimuli that leads to cognitive deficits in PTSD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation of psychomotor skills and didactic performance among dental students in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Afify, Ahmed R; Zawawi, Khalid H; Othman, Hisham I; Al-Dharrab, Ayman A

2013-01-01

Objectives The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the psychomotor skills and the academic performance of dental students. Methods Didactic and preclinical scores were collected for students who graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2011. Three courses (Dental Anatomy, Removable Prosthodontic Denture, and Orthodontics) were selected. Correlations comparing didactic and practical scores were done for the total samples, then for the males and females separately. Results There was no significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for the three courses for the total sample. There was a significant correlation between all three subjects in the didactic scores. For females, the results showed that there was only a significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for Dental Anatomy. For males, no correlation was observed between the practical and didactic scores for all subjects. Conclusion In the present sample, didactic performance did not correlate well with the students’ psychomotor performance. PMID:24159266

[Characteristics of catatonia in schizophrenia and mood disorders].

PubMed

van den Ameele, S; Sabbe, B; Morrens, M

2015-01-01

Catatonia is a psychomotor symptom cluster that co-occurs with schizophrenia and with mood disorders. The characterisation and the differentiation of psychomotor symptom clusters can contribute to a more accurate diagnosis and a better understanding of underlying neurobiological processes. To compare epidemiology, clinical presentation and treatment of catatonia in schizophrenia and in mood disorders. We reviewed the literature using PubMed. Catatonia is highly prevalent in both schizophrenia and mood disorders, but is slightly more prevalent in the latter. In spite of a considerable overlap, there are differentiating trends in the catatonic symptom profile of schizophrenia and mood disorders. In both of these disorders catatonia is a marker for increasing severity of the course of the illness. Compared to catatonia in mood disorders, catatonia in schizophrenia has a poorer response to benzodiazepines and ECT. Catatonia in schizophrenia and mood disorders is characterized by a distinctive profile. Comparative research on clinical presentation and neurobiological processes is warranted in order to arrive at a more accurate characterisation of these psychomotor symptom clusters.

Virtual reality as a metric for the assessment of laparoscopic psychomotor skills. Learning curves and reliability measures.

PubMed

Gallagher, A G; Satava, R M

2002-12-01

The objective assessment of the psychomotor skills of surgeons is now a priority; however, this is a difficult task because of measurement difficulties associated with the assessment of surgery in vivo. In this study, virtual reality (VR) was used to overcome these problems. Twelve experienced (>50 minimal-access procedures), 12 inexperienced laparoscopic surgeons (<10 minimal-access procedures), and 12 laparoscopic novices participated in the study. Each subject completed 10 trials on the Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer; Virtual Reality (MIST VR). Experienced laparoscopic surgeons performed the tasks significantly (p < 0.01) faster, with less error, more economy in the movement of instruments and the use of diathermy, and with greater consistency in performance. The standardized coefficient alpha for performance measures ranged from a = 0.89 to 0.98, showing high internal measurement consistency. Test-retest reliability ranged from r = 0.96 to r = 0.5. VR is a useful tool for evaluating the psychomotor skills needed to perform laparoscopic surgery.

The Effect of Citicoline Supplementation on Motor Speed and Attention in Adolescent Males.

PubMed

McGlade, Erin; Agoston, Anna Monica; DiMuzio, Jennifer; Kizaki, Miho; Nakazaki, Eri; Kamiya, Toshikazu; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah

2015-07-15

This study assessed the effects of citicoline, a nutraceutical, on attention, psychomotor function, and impulsivity in healthy adolescent males. Seventy-five healthy adolescent males were randomly assigned to either the citicoline group (n = 51 with 250 or 500 mg citicoline) or placebo (n = 24). Participants completed the Ruff 2&7 Selective Attention Test, Finger Tap Test, and the Computerized Performance Test, Second Edition (CPT-II) at baseline and after 28 days of supplementation. Individuals receiving citicoline exhibited improved attention (p = 0.02) and increased psychomotor speed (p = 0.03) compared with those receiving placebo. Higher weight-adjusted dose significantly predicted increased accuracy on an attention task (p = 0.01), improved signal detectability on a computerized attention task (p = 0.03), and decreased impulsivity (p = 0.01). Adolescent males receiving 28 days of Cognizin® citicoline showed improved attention and psychomotor speed and reduced impulsivity compared to adolescent males who received placebo. © 2015 SAGE Publications.

Alpha1-adrenergic drugs affect the development and expression of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization.

PubMed

Kim, Andrezza Kyunmi; Souza-Formigoni, Maria Lucia Oliveira

2013-11-01

According to the incentive sensitization theory, addiction is caused primarily by drug-induced sensitization in the brain mesocorticolimbic systems. After repeated ethanol administration, some animals develop psychomotor sensitization, a phenomenon which occurs simultaneously with the incentive sensitization. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of norepinephrine (NE) in drug addiction, with a critical role in the ethanol reinforcing properties. In this study we evaluated the influence of an agonist (phenylephrine) and an antagonist (prazosin) of alpha1-adrenergic receptors on the development and expression of behavioral sensitization to ethanol. Male Swiss mice, previously treated with ethanol or saline, were challenged with the combined administration of ethanol (or saline) with alpha1-adrenergic drugs. Prazosin (0.1; 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) and phenylephrine (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) administration blocked the expression of behavioral sensitization to ethanol. In another set of experiments, mice treated with 0.5mg/kg of prazosin+ethanol did not present the development of behavioral sensitization. However, when challenged with ethanol alone, they showed the same sensitized levels of locomotor activity of those presented by mice previously treated with ethanol and saline. Phenylephrine (1.0 mg/kg) treatment did not affect the development of behavioral sensitization. Based on this data, we concluded that the alteration of alpha1-adrenergic receptors functioning, by the administration agonists or antagonists, affected the locomotor sensitization to the stimulant effect of ethanol, suggesting that the normal functioning of the noradrenergic system is essential to its development and expression. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosophoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficiency: Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

PubMed Central

Torres, Rosa J; Puig, Juan G

2007-01-01

Deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) activity is an inborn error of purine metabolism associated with uric acid overproduction and a continuum spectrum of neurological manifestations depending on the degree of the enzymatic deficiency. The prevalence is estimated at 1/380,000 live births in Canada, and 1/235,000 live births in Spain. Uric acid overproduction is present inall HPRT-deficient patients and is associated with lithiasis and gout. Neurological manifestations include severe action dystonia, choreoathetosis, ballismus, cognitive and attention deficit, and self-injurious behaviour. The most severe forms are known as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (patients are normal at birth and diagnosis can be accomplished when psychomotor delay becomes apparent). Partial HPRT-deficient patients present these symptoms with a different intensity, and in the least severe forms symptoms may be unapparent. Megaloblastic anaemia is also associated with the disease. Inheritance of HPRT deficiency is X-linked recessive, thus males are generally affected and heterozygous female are carriers (usually asymptomatic). Human HPRT is encoded by a single structural gene on the long arm of the X chromosome at Xq26. To date, more than 300 disease-associated mutations in the HPRT1 gene have been identified. The diagnosis is based on clinical and biochemical findings (hyperuricemia and hyperuricosuria associated with psychomotor delay), and enzymatic (HPRT activity determination in haemolysate, intact erythrocytes or fibroblasts) and molecular tests. Molecular diagnosis allows faster and more accurate carrier and prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis can be performed with amniotic cells obtained by amniocentesis at about 15–18 weeks' gestation, or chorionic villus cells obtained at about 10–12 weeks' gestation. Uric acid overproduction can be managed by allopurinol treatment. Doses must be carefully adjusted to avoid xanthine lithiasis. The lack of precise understanding of the neurological dysfunction has precluded development of useful therapies. Spasticity, when present, and dystonia can be managed with benzodiazepines and gamma-aminobutyric acid inhibitors such as baclofen. Physical rehabilitation, including management of dysarthria and dysphagia, special devices to enable hand control, appropriate walking aids, and a programme of posture management to prevent deformities are recommended. Self-injurious behaviour must be managed by a combination of physical restraints, behavioural and pharmaceutical treatments. PMID:18067674

Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity, and child neuropsychological development: two Southern European birth cohort studies.

PubMed

Casas, Maribel; Chatzi, Leda; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Amiano, Pilar; Guxens, Mònica; Kogevinas, Manolis; Koutra, Katerina; Lertxundi, Nerea; Murcia, Mario; Rebagliato, Marisa; Riaño, Isolina; Rodríguez-Bernal, Clara L; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Sunyer, Jordi; Mendez, Michelle; Vrijheid, Martine

2013-04-01

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity may be associated with impaired infant neuropsychological development; however, there are few studies and it is unclear if reported associations are due to intrauterine mechanisms. We assessed whether maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with cognitive and psychomotor development scores (mean 100 ± 15) of children aged 11-22 months in two birth cohorts: Environment and Childhood (INMA, Spain; n = 1967) and Mother-Child (RHEA, Greece: n = 412). Paternal body mass index (BMI) was used as a negative control exposure. The percentage of overweight and obese mothers was 18% and 8%, respectively, in INMA and 20% and 11% in RHEA, respectively. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with reduced infant cognitive development scores in both INMA (score reduction: -2.72; 95% CI: -5.35, -0.10) and RHEA (score reduction: -3.71; 95% CI: -8.45, 1.02), after adjusting for socioeconomic variables and paternal BMI. There was evidence in both cohorts of a dose-response relationship with continuous maternal BMI. Paternal overweight/obesity was not associated with infant cognitive development. Associations with psychomotor scores were not consistent between cohorts, and were stronger for paternal than maternal BMI in RHEA. This study in two birth cohorts with moderately high obesity prevalence suggests that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is associated with reduced child cognitive development at early ages. This association appears more likely to be due to maternal than shared family and social mechanisms, but further research is needed to disentangle a direct intrauterine effect from other maternal confounding factors.

Infant feeding and mental and motor development at 18 months of age in first born singletons.

PubMed

Florey, C D; Leech, A M; Blackhall, A

1995-01-01

To determine the relationship between type of infant feeding and mental and psychomotor development at age 18 months. A follow-up study of children born to primigravidae living in Dundee and booked into antenatal clinics in the City of Dundee (Local Authority District) from 1 May 1985 to 30 April 1986. The study population was 846 first born singletons, of whom 592 attended for developmental assessment at age 18 months. The main outcome measures were the Bayley Scales of Infant Mental and Motor Development. Higher mental development was significantly related to breast feeding on discharge from hospital and according to the health visitors' notes at about 2 weeks after discharge after allowing for partner's social class, mother's education, height, alcohol and cigarette consumption; placental weight and the child's sex, birth weight and gestational age at birth. After adjustment for statistically significant variables, the difference in Bayley mental development index between breast and bottle fed infants was between 3.7 and 5.7 units depending on the source of feeding data. No differences were found for psychomotor development or behaviour. The study provides further evidence of a robust statistical association between type of feeding and child intelligence. However, the literature is replete with suggestions for potential confounding variables which offer alternative causal explanations. To unravel what is an important clinical and public health question, further research should concentrate on randomized trials of supplemented formula feeds for children of mothers opting for bottle feeding and on epidemiological studies designed to disentangle the relation between method of feeding, parental intelligence and social environment.

Operational assessment of the 5-h on/10-h off watchstanding schedule on a US Navy ship: sleep patterns, mood and psychomotor vigilance performance of crewmembers in the nuclear reactor department.

PubMed

Shattuck, Nita Lewis; Matsangas, Panagiotis

2016-05-01

We assessed sleep patterns, psychomotor vigilance performance, work demands and mood of 77 crewmembers of USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) on the rotating 5-h on/10-h off (5/10) watchstanding schedule. Within the 3-day cycle of the 5/10, sleep occurred at distinctly different times each day. On two of these days, sailors typically received only brief, 4-h sleep episodes followed by periods of sustained wakefulness (approximately 22 and 20 h). Crewmembers received approximately seven hours of sleep daily, but reported excessive fatigue and dissatisfaction with their schedule. Crewmembers' mood worsened significantly over the course of the underway phase. Psychomotor vigilance performance (reaction times, lapses) was significantly degraded compared to performance when working circadian-aligned schedules. Overall, standing watch on the 5/10 schedule, combined with other work duties, resulted in poor sleep hygiene. Crewmembers on the 5/10 experienced periodic bouts of sustained wakefulness and accrued a significant sleep debt due to extended workdays and circadian-misaligned sleep. Practitioner summary: We assessed crewmembers' sleep patterns, psychomotor vigilance performance and work demands when working a rotating 5-h on/10-h off (5/10) watchstanding schedule. The 5/10, combined with other work duties, resulted in poor sleep hygiene. Crewmembers experienced periodic bouts of sustained wakefulness and accrued a significant sleep debt due to extended workdays and circadian-misaligned sleep.

Cognitive and subjective acute dose effects of intramuscular ketamine in healthy adults.

PubMed

Lofwall, Michelle R; Griffiths, Roland R; Mintzer, Miriam Z

2006-11-01

Ketamine is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist. Given the purported role of the NMDA receptor in long-term potentiation, the primary purpose of the present study was to further understand the dose-related effects of ketamine on memory. The study was also designed to provide information about the relative effects of ketamine on memory versus nonmemory effects and to more fully characterize ketamine's overall pattern and time course of effects. Single intramuscular injections of ketamine (0.2 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg) were administered to 18 healthy adult volunteers using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Word lists were used to evaluate episodic memory (free recall, recognition memory, source memory) and metamemory. Working memory, time estimation, psychomotor performance, and subjective effects were assessed repeatedly for 5 hours after drug administration. Ketamine selectively impaired encoding (as measured by free recall) while sparing retrieval, working memory while sparing attention, and digit symbol substitution task speed while sparing accuracy. Ketamine did not significantly impair recognition or source memory, metamemory, or time estimation. There were no hallucinations or increases in mystical experiences with ketamine. Memory measures were less sensitive to ketamine effects than subjective or psychomotor measures. Subjective effects lasted longer than memory and most psychomotor impairments. Ketamine produces selective, transient, dose- and time-related effects. In conjunction with previous studies of drugs with different mechanisms of actions, the observed selectivity of effects enhances the understanding of the pharmacological mechanisms underlying memory, attention, psychomotor performance, and subjective experience.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of psychomotor impairment induced by oral clonazepam in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

dos Santos, Fábio Monteiro; Gonçalves, José Carlos Saraiva; Caminha, Ricardo; da Silveira, Gabriel Estolano; Neves, Claúdia Silvana de Miranda; Gram, Karla Regina da Silva; Ferreira, Carla Teixeira; Jacqmin, Philippe; Noël, François

2009-10-01

This study was undertaken to model the relationship between clonazepam plasma concentrations and a central nervous system adverse effect (impairment of the psychomotor performance) following the oral administration of immediate-release tablets of clonazepam in healthy volunteers. Such a (P)pharmacokinetic/(P)pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) study is important to interpret properly the consequences of determined levels of plasma concentrations of psychoactive therapeutic drugs reported to be involved in road-traffic accidents. Twenty-three male subjects received a single oral dose of 4 mg clonazepam. Plasma concentration, determined by on-line solid phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and psychomotor performance, quantified through the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, were monitored for 72 hours. A 2-compartment open model with first order absorption and lag-time better fitted the plasma clonazepam concentrations. Clonazepam decreased the psychomotor performance by 72 +/- 3.7% (observed maximum effect), 1.5 to 4 hours (25th-75th percentile) after drug administration. A simultaneous population PK/PD model based on a sigmoid Emax model with time-dependent tolerance described well the time course of effect. Such acute tolerance could minimize the risk of accident as a result of impairment of motor skill after a single dose of clonazepam. However, an individual analysis of the data revealed a great interindividual variation in the relationship between clonazepam effect and plasma concentration, indicating that the phenomenon of acute tolerance can be predicted at a population, but not individual, level.

Improvement of Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Pediatric Residents by Recorded Video Feedbacks.

PubMed

Anantasit, Nattachai; Vaewpanich, Jarin; Kuptanon, Teeradej; Kamalaporn, Haruitai; Khositseth, Anant

2016-11-01

To evaluate the pediatric residents' cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, and their improvements after recorded video feedbacks. Pediatric residents from a university hospital were enrolled. The authors surveyed the level of pediatric resuscitation skill confidence by a questionnaire. Eight psychomotor skills were evaluated individually, including airway, bag-mask ventilation, pulse check, prompt starting and technique of chest compression, high quality CPR, tracheal intubation, intraosseous, and defibrillation. The mock code skills were also evaluated as a team using a high-fidelity mannequin simulator. All the participants attended a concise Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) lecture, and received video-recorded feedback for one hour. They were re-evaluated 6 wk later in the same manner. Thirty-eight residents were enrolled. All the participants had a moderate to high level of confidence in their CPR skills. Over 50 % of participants had passed psychomotor skills, except the bag-mask ventilation and intraosseous skills. There was poor correlation between their confidence and passing the psychomotor skills test. After course feedback, the percentage of high quality CPR skill in the second course test was significantly improved (46 % to 92 %, p = 0.008). The pediatric resuscitation course should still remain in the pediatric resident curriculum and should be re-evaluated frequently. Video-recorded feedback on the pitfalls during individual CPR skills and mock code case scenarios could improve short-term psychomotor CPR skills and lead to higher quality CPR performance.

Psychomotor retardation and vulnerability to interferon alpha induced major depressive disorder: Prospective study of a chronic hepatitis C cohort.

PubMed

Whale, Richard; Fialho, Renata; Rolt, Michael; Eccles, Jessica; Pereira, Marco; Keller, Majella; File, Alexandra; Haq, Inam; Tibble, Jeremy

2015-12-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common consequence of interferon alpha (IFNα) treatment and important supporting evidence of a role of inflammation in the aetiology of depression. This study aimed to expand the knowledge of baseline clinical vulnerability characteristics to IFNα induced MDD, particularly exploring sub-threshold depressive symptoms. A prospective cohort of chronic HCV patients undergoing treatment with pegylated-IFNα and ribavirin was studied. MDD was assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). Depressive symptoms and severity were assessed at baseline and monthly with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). Subjects with MDD or taking antidepressant treatment at baseline were excluded. 278 patients were assessed for this cohort with a final study sample of 190. 94.2% had contracted HCV through intravenous drug use. During six months IFNα treatment, 53.2% of patients transitioned to DSM-IV threshold MDD. In the multivariate logistic analysis, independent factors significantly associated with development of MDD were younger age (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-1.00, p=0.028), past history of MDD (OR 3.82, 95% CI 1.63-8.92, p=0.002), baseline HAMD items psychomotor retardation (OR 15.21, 95% CI 1.33-173.41, p=0.032) and somatic symptoms (general) (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.44-6.08, p=0.003), and HCV genotype 2 (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.07-4.78, p=0.032). During IFNα treatment, the rate of transition to MDD was high in this cohort. Psychomotor retardation and somatic symptoms may represent a greater inflamed state pre-treatment. This iatrogenic model of MDD may offer important insights into wider depression aetiology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychomotor effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields.

PubMed

Valentini, Elia; Ferrara, Michele; Presaghi, Fabio; De Gennaro, Luigi; Gennaro, Luigi De; Curcio, Giuseppe

2010-10-01

Over the past 10 years there has been increasing concern about the possible behavioural effects of mobile phone use. This systematic review and meta-analysis focuses on studies published since 1999 on the human cognitive and performance effects of mobile phone-related electromagnetic fields (EMF). PubMed, Biomed, Medline, Biological Sciences, PsychInfo, PsycARTICLES, Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management, Neurosciences Abstracts and Web of Science professional databases were searched and 24 studies selected for meta-analysis. Each study had to have at least one psychomotor measurement result as a main outcome. Data were analysed using standardised mean difference (SMD) as the effect size measure. Results Only three tasks (2-back, 3-back and simple reaction time (SRT)) displayed significant heterogeneity, but after studies with extreme SMD were excluded using sensitivity analysis, the statistical significance disappeared (χ(2)(7)=1.63, p=0.20; χ(2)(6)=1.00, p=0.32; χ(2)(10)=14.04, p=0.17, respectively). Following sensitivity analysis, the effect of sponsorship and publication bias were assessed. Meta-regression indicated a significant effect (b1/40.12, p<0.05) only for the 2-back task with mixed funding (industry and public/charity). Funnel plot inspection revealed a significant publication bias only for two cognitive tasks: SRT (Begg's rank correlation r=0.443; Egger's test b=-0.652) and the subtraction task (Egger's test b=-0.687). Mobile phone-like EMF do not seem to induce cognitive and psychomotor effects. Nonetheless, the existence of sponsorship and publication biases should encourage WHO intervention to develop official research standards and guidelines. In addition, future research should address critical and neglected issues such as investigation of repeated, intensive and chronic exposures, especially in highly sensitive populations such as children.

Prediction of developmental performance in preterm infants at two years of corrected age: contribution of the neurological assessment at term age.

PubMed

Simard, Marie-Noëlle; Lambert, Jean; Lachance, Christian; Audibert, François; Gosselin, Julie

2011-12-01

The population of preterm infants is increasing and resources available for follow-up are limited. Early markers are needed to identify children who will show major as well as more subtle neurodevelopmental impairments. Such a challenge could be achieved with the Amiel-Tison Neurological Assessment at Term (ATNAT). This study assesses the usefulness of the ATNAT in the prediction of developmental problems at two years of corrected age (CA) in infants born between 29 and 37 weeks of gestation. Inclusion criteria were: gestational age between 29(0/7) and 36(6/7) weeks inclusively, birth weight below 2500g and minimal 24-hour stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Sainte-Justine Hospital. A sample of 147 was prospectively recruited and assessed at two ages: at term with the ATNAT and at 24months CA with Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. No major impairment such as cerebral palsy and no neurosensory impairment were observed. Developmental delay defined by an index<70 on the mental or psychomotor scale was reported respectively in 6.2% and 5.4% of the cohort. Significant differences in mental, psychomotor and behavioral performances were found according to neurological status. Neurological status was the only variable to enter the predictive model for psychomotor and behavioral indexes. Gender and neurological status remained in the predictive model for mental performance. This study supports the inclusion of the ATNAT among the eligibility criteria for systematic neurodevelopmental surveillance as it allows early identification of infants at higher risk of low developmental performances at 24months CA. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

3-minute smartphone-based and tablet-based psychomotor vigilance tests for the assessment of reduced alertness due to sleep deprivation.

PubMed

Grant, Devon A; Honn, Kimberly A; Layton, Matthew E; Riedy, Samantha M; Van Dongen, Hans P A

2017-06-01

The psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) is widely used to measure reduced alertness due to sleep loss. Here, two newly developed, 3-min versions of the psychomotor vigilance test, one smartphone-based and the other tablet-based, were validated against a conventional 10-min laptop-based PVT. Sixteen healthy participants (ages 22-40; seven males, nine females) completed a laboratory study, which included a practice and a baseline day, a 38-h total sleep deprivation (TSD) period, and a recovery day, during which they performed the three different versions of the PVT every 3 h. For each version of the PVT, the number of lapses, mean response time (RT), and number of false starts showed statistically significant changes across the sleep deprivation and recovery days. The number of lapses on the laptop was significantly correlated with the numbers of lapses on the smartphone and tablet. The mean RTs were generally faster on the smartphone and tablet than on the laptop. All three versions of the PVT exhibited a time-on-task effect in RTs, modulated by time awake and time of day. False starts were relatively rare on all three PVTs. For the number of lapses, the effect sizes across 38 h of TSD were large for the laptop PVT and medium for the smartphone and tablet PVTs. These results indicate that the 3-min smartphone and tablet PVTs are valid instruments for measuring reduced alertness due to sleep deprivation and restored alertness following recovery sleep. The results also indicate that the loss of sensitivity on the 3-min PVTs may be mitigated by modifying the threshold defining lapses.

Impaired psychomotor function and plasma methadone and levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) concentrations in opioid-substitution patients.

PubMed

Newcombe, David A L; Somogyi, Andrew A; Bochner, Felix; White, Jason M

2017-06-01

Tolerance to the psychomotor impairing effects of opioid drugs is expected to develop with repeated dosing, but may be incomplete. The relationship between plasma opioid concentration and psychomotor function in opioid-dependent patients was examined to determine whether impairment was more likely at the time of highest plasma drug concentration. Sixteen patients participating in a cross-over trial comparing methadone and LAAM completed a tracking task (OSPAT) 11 times over the dosing-interval for methadone (24-hrs) and LAAM (48-hrs). Venous blood was collected for the quantification of plasma (R)-(-)-methadone, LAAM, and nor-LAAM concentrations. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Trail-Making Test were administered at the time of peak plasma concentration. Ten healthy controls (HCs) also participated. OSPAT scores (obtained for 15 patients) fluctuated significantly across the dosing-interval for both drugs and were lower in patients than HCs at the times of peak concentrations of (R)-(-)-methadone (1 hr: (mean difference; 95% CI) (2.13; 0.18-4.08); 2 hrs: (2.38; 0.48-4.28) postdosing) and LAAM (2 hrs: (1.81; 0.09-3.53), and 4 hrs (1.90: 0.9-3.71) postdosing). Within-participant analysis of the peak-change from baseline for OSPAT scores found that 10 of the 15 patients could be categorized as impaired on methadone and 9 on LAAM. No HCs were impaired. Patients performed worse on the DSST and Trails-A than HCs, but not on Trails-B. Results suggest that some patients receiving opioids long term may exhibit impairment at the time of highest plasma drug concentration. These patients should be made aware that their ability to undertake complex tasks may be affected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Pattern Recognition of Cardiovascular and Psychomotor Variability in Response to Pharmacological Agent.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-10

research. 7. A. Sleep research, chronobiology , and performance research have developed as three separate areas, but there is (and should be) growing...and Oxygen Uptake Response to performance of Xarate Kata, Journal ot Sports Medicine, Vol. 22, 1982. (6] D.A. Sideris, J.N. Nanas, S.Thomakos, and...DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 4. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) S. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER

Development of the OMPAT Neuropsychological/Psychomotor Performance Evaluation and OMPAT Data and Timing Support Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-31

effect of Ritalin on attention and traumatically brain injured adults and the issues concerning repeated measures using computer based testing with...heat, cold and fatigue on neurological functions, as well as, the interactive and independent effects of chemical agents and pharmaceuticals. 5) A...serial manner was becoming an increasingly important task in neuropsychology. Serial assessment was important for monitoring medication effects

Effects of Home and School Computer Use on School Readiness and Cognitive Development among Head Start Children: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xiaoming; Atkins, Melissa S.; Stanton, Bonita

2006-01-01

Data from 122 Head Start children were analyzed to examine the impact of computer use on school readiness and psychomotor skills. Children in the experimental group were given the opportunity to work on a computer for 15-20 minutes per day with their choice of developmentally appropriate educational software, while the control group received a…

A Perspective on Commissioning and Education -- Total Quality, Total Force

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

regarding literacy or other critical skills , creative thinking, social values, and the relative ability to support economic development and adaptation to...people. ROTC is seen as another flexible, expandable source of commissioned officers with broad civilian perspectives and specific skills , as well as...measured by the performance of selected (often psychomotor ) tasks, but the effectiveness of programs with broader goals is more difficult to measure. As

National Migrant Education Program: Early Childhood Development Skills--Birth Through 5 Years (Desarrollo de Destrezas en la Temprana Infancia--Desde el Nacimiento Hasta los Cinco Anos de Edad).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1979

Compiled to ensure cooperation between states and to provide continuity of reporting on developmental skills for the migrant child from birth through five years of age, this booklet lists the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective skills which are reported through the Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS). Published in both English and…

Corresponding Habits of Mind and Mathematical Ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwirahayu, G.; Kustiawati, D.; Bidari, I.

2017-09-01

Objective of learning process regarding system of Indonesia government should be consist of knowledge, attitudes, and skills, or in general we call cognitive, affective and psychomotor. These objective are apply to mathematics education also. Attitude in mathematics known as habits of mind. The teacher should create a learning objective which including all, cognitive, affective and psychomotor. In general, math teachers in Indonesia pay attention to aspects of knowledge, and they ignore other aspects. Habits of mind is term which means the tendency to behave intellectually or intelligently when faced with problems which is immediately known solution. This article examines the math teacher’s attention to students’ habits of mind. The research done by survey method to 38 students at Islamic School 32 Jakarta academic year 2015/2016 from April to May 2016. Habits of mind are observed in this research restricted to persisting, thinking about thinking, thinking flexible and applying past knowledge to new situation. Based on survey, conclude that teacher, without realizing, they have to improve students’ habits of mind, as long as teaching and learning only persisting and thinking about thinking are already well developed, while flexible thinking and applying past knowledge to new situation has not well developed. We hope, math teacher can pay attention not only cognitive aspect but habits of mind also.

Bags and blogs: creating an ostomy experience for nursing students.

PubMed

Reed, Karen S

2012-01-01

There are well over three-quarters of a million people living in the United States with an ostomy. These individuals experience many physical and emotional challenges which nurses should address during the in-patient hospitalization experience. The purpose of this educational activity was to provide undergraduate nursing students with a simulated laboratory experience which allowed the student to discuss and experience some of the challenges of living with an ostomy. Small group work, an experiential learning activity, and blogging were used to foster the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development of the nursing students. All 134 students participated in the small group work and blogging experience and over 100 students participated in the experiential learning activity of wearing an ostomy bag overnight with the bag containing a small amount of simulated fecal material. The impact of the simulated experience is evident in the depth of awareness and emotion expressed in the blogs. The students collectively acknowledged the value of the activity and the impact the gained awareness had on their careers as nurses. The use of social technology and the provision of learning activities, not available on the clinical unit, can have a significant impact on the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development of nursing students. © 2012 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Rehabilitation of the psychomotor consequences of falling in an elderly population: A pilot study to evaluate feasibility and tolerability of virtual reality training.

PubMed

Marivan, Kevin; Boully, Clémence; Benveniste, Samuel; Reingewirtz, Serge; Rigaud, Anne-Sophie; Kemoun, Gilles; Bloch, Frédéric

2016-01-01

A fall in elderly subjects can lead to serious psychological consequences. These symptoms can develop into Fear of Falling with behavioural disorders comparable to PTSD that may severely limit autonomy. Virtual reality training (VRT) could be seen as a worthwhile therapeutic approach for this syndrome since it has been shown to be a useful tool for motor rehabilitation or combat-related PTSD. We thus developed a training scenario for VRT with psychomotor therapists. To test the feasibility and acceptability of VRT when used by elderly adults for fall rehabilitation. Our population of 8 patients older than 75 years, with a Mini Mental Score Examination greater than 18/30 performed sessions of VRT and answered a questionnaire on the feasibility and acceptability of it. This sample showed a highly favourable response to the prototype of VRT. They found it easy to use, enjoyed the experience, and thought it realistic and helpful. The conclusions of our study are limited by sample size. However, applications with VRT can offer the potential of an acceptable technique for elderly subjects. The next step will be to show the efficacy of this method in the management of post-fall PTSD.

Current robotic curricula for surgery residents: A need for additional cognitive and psychomotor focus.

PubMed

Green, Courtney A; Chern, Hueylan; O'Sullivan, Patricia S

2018-02-01

Current robot surgery curricula developed by industry were designed for expert surgeons. We sought to identify the robotic curricula that currently exist in general surgery residencies and describe their components. We identified 12 residency programs with robotic curricula. Using a structured coding form to identify themes including sequence, duration, emphasis and assessment, we generated a descriptive summary. Curricula followed a similar sequence: learners started with online modules and simulation exercises, followed by bedside experience during R2-R3 training years, and then operative opportunities on the console in the final years of training. Consistent portions of the curricula reflect a device-dependent training paradigm; they defined the sequence of instruction. Most curricula lacked specifics on duration and content of training activities. None clearly described cognitive or psychomotor skills needed by residents and none required a proficiency assessment before graduation. Resident-specific robotic curricula remain grounded in initial industrial efforts to train experienced surgeons, are non-specific regarding the type and nature of hands on experience, and do not include discussion of operative technique and surgical concepts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Headache and neuropsychic disorders in the puerperium: a case report with suspected deficiency of urea cycle enzymes.

PubMed

Tonini, Maria Clara; Bignamini, V; Mattioli, M

2011-05-01

An enzymatic abnormality of the urea cycle is a metabolic disorder occasionally seen in adults, but particularly in the puerperium. The main risk is acute hyperammoniemic encephalopathy, leading to psychosis, coma and even death if not diagnosed promptly and treated appropriately. Headache is frequent in the puerperium normally manifesting between 3 and 6 days after delivery. We describe here a 39-year-old woman, who 3 days after delivery presented diffuse tension-type headache and depression, followed by behavioral disorders, psychomotor agitation, epileptic seizures, and finally coma 2 days later. Pregnancy and normal delivery: routine blood chemistry findings, CT scan, MR imaging, angio-MR of the brain, and lumbar puncture were normal. EEG when seizures started, it showed diffuse slowing, as in the case of metabolic encephalopathy. This led us to assay blood ammonia, which was high at >400 mmol. Liver function and abdominal US were normal; hence, we suspected a urea cycle enzymatic abnormality, and requested for genetic tests. These confirmed a congenital primary metabolic deficiency of arginine succinate synthetase, with high citrullinemia (type II, adult form). Dialysis was started promptly, with initially iv arginine, then orally, plus medical therapy for the hyperammoniemia and a low protein diet; plasma ammonia dropped swiftly to normal, and her state of consciousness gradually improved until all the clinical symptoms had resolved. Ammonia assay should always be considered in the first few days of the puerperium in women with headache and behavioral disorders, to exclude an inborn deficiency of the urea cycle, which may have gone unnoticed until then.

Psychomotor developmental delay and epilepsy in an offspring of father-daughter incest: quantification of the causality probability.

PubMed

Schmidtke, Jörg; Krawczak, Michael

2010-09-01

A 20-year-old offspring of father-daughter incest, who has been suffering from serious psychomotoric health problems since early childhood, is seeking financial compensation under the German federal act of victim indemnification. For her appeal to be valid, the probability X that the incest was causal for her disorder must exceed 50%. Based upon the available medical records, we show that this is indeed the case and that X is even likely to exceed 65%, thereby rendering the victim's claim scientifically and legally justified.

Can cerebral MRI at age 1 year predict motor and intellectual outcomes in very-low-birthweight children?

PubMed

Skranes, J; Vik, T; Nilsen, G; Smevik, O; Andersson, H W; Brubakk, A M

1998-04-01

This follow-up study reports on cerebral MRI findings in 20 very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants without disabilities at age 1 year in relation to motor, intellectual, and perceptual function at age 6 years. MRI findings, anthropometrics, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development scores at age 1 year as predictors of psychomotor status at age 6 years are also evaluated and compared. Outcome parameters were the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. The results show that infants with myelin hyperintensities including the centrum semiovale or with occipital hyperintensities with associated ventricular dilatation at age 1 scored lower on the Peabody Gross Motor Locomotion Scale at age 6 than infants with normal myelination or with isolated occipital hyperintensities. This may indicate damage to motor fibers caused by perinatal periventricular leukomalacia. No relation was found between abnormal MRI findings at age 1 and later fine motor, intellectual, and perceptual function. Comparing different age 1-year predictors, an abnormality score defined by MRI was used as an independent predictor of gross motor locomotion function at age 6 years. However, the Bayley Mental Development Index scores and weight at age 1 were more important predictors of later motor and intellectual outcome, respectively, than MRI findings. It is recommended that cerebral MRI should not be used routinely to examine VLBW infants without disabilities at 1 year of age.

Lung volume reduction surgery in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

PubMed

Siaplaouras, J; Heckmann, M; Reiss, I; Schaible, T; Waag, K L; Gortner, L

2003-06-01

We report on a female preterm infant of 29 wk gestational age, who developed acquired lobar emphysema after prolonged artificial ventilation secondary to respiratory disease syndrome and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The infant underwent atypical segmentectomy at the age of 12 mo because of life-threatening hypoxaemia with pulmonary hypertension and failure of conservative treatment. Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) dramatically improved the respiratory function and resulted in adequate weight gain and psychomotor development. In selected cases LVRS can be an option for lobar emphysema in premature infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

A CLIPS-based tool for aircraft pilot-vehicle interface design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fowler, Thomas D.; Rogers, Steven P.

1991-01-01

The Pilot-Vehicle Interface of modern aircraft is the cognitive, sensory, and psychomotor link between the pilot, the avionics modules, and all other systems on board the aircraft. To assist pilot-vehicle interface designers, a C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) based tool was developed that allows design information to be stored in a table that can be modified by rules representing design knowledge. Developed for the Apple Macintosh, the tool allows users without any CLIPS programming experience to form simple rules using a point and click interface.

Alcohol and Drug Use and the Developing Brain

PubMed Central

Gray, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

Adolescence is an important neurodevelopmental period marked by rapidly escalating rates of alcohol and drug use. Over the past decade, research has attempted to disentangle pre- and post-substance use effects on brain development by using sophisticated longitudinal designs. This review focuses on recent, prospective studies and addresses the following important questions: (1) what neuropsychological and neural features predate adolescent substance use, making youth more vulnerable to engage in heavy alcohol or drug use, and (2) how does heavy alcohol and drug use affect normal neural development and cognitive functioning? Findings suggest that pre-existing neural features that relate to increased substance use during adolescence include poorer neuropsychological functioning on tests of inhibition and working memory, smaller gray and white matter volume, changes in white matter integrity, and altered brain activation during inhibition, working memory, reward, and resting state. After substance use is initiated, alcohol and marijuana use are associated with poorer cognitive functioning on tests of verbal memory, visuospatial functioning, psychomotor speed, working memory, attention, cognitive control, and overall IQ. Heavy alcohol use during adolescence is related to accelerated decreases in gray matter and attenuated increases in white matter volume, as well as increased brain activation during tasks of inhibition and working memory, relative to controls. Larger longitudinal studies with more diverse samples are needed to better understand the interactive effects of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances, as well as the role of sex, co-occurring psychopathology, genetics, sleep, and age of initiation on substance use. PMID:26984684

Interrelation of Glycemic Status and Neuropsychiatric Disturbances in Farmers with Organophosphorus Pesticide Toxicity.

PubMed

Jamal, Farrukh; Haque, Quazi S; Singh, Sangram

2016-01-01

Diverse group of agro-chemicals are indiscriminately sprayed by the farmers for pest control to enhance crop yield. About 25 million agricultural workers in the developing world suffer from at least one episode of poisoning each year, mainly by anticholinesterase- like organophosphates (OPs). The present study was aimed to establish the OP toxicity in 187 occupationally exposed pesticide sprayers of mango plantation in rural Malihabad, Lucknow, in terms of neuro-cognitive impairment, mental health status, clinical symptoms, diabetes, and hematological factors. The exposed group was compared to 187 pesticides-unexposed normal healthy persons engaged in normal usual agricultural work (age, sex and education corresponding to age group of selected subject group) from Rural Malihabad, Lucknow (India). Neuro-cognitive impairment was measured using the Subjective Neurocognition Inventory and mental health status using the General Health questionnaire-28. The subjects were also tested for biochemical and enzymatic parameters. The exposed farmers showed alterations in enzymatic and clinical parameters. While the rates of anxiety / insomnia and severe depression were also significantly higher in the pesticide sprayers, disorders affecting psychomotor speed, selective attention, divided attention, verbal memory, nonverbal memory, prospective memory, spatial functioning, and initiative/energy were all lower in the sprayers. Pesticide sprayers showed a number of clinical symptoms like eczema, saliva secretion, fatigue, headache, sweating, abdominal pain, nausea, superior distal muscle weakness, inferior distal muscle weakness, hand tingling and etc. which all significantly correlated with the number of working years. These findings suggested that farmers who work with OPs are prone to neuro-psychological disorders and diabetes.

The Correlation of Cognitive and Psychomotor Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

a measure of association and was developed in its current form by Karl Pearson. He built upon the work of Sir Francis Galton who conceived of the...Sir Francis Galton who conceived of the idea and on the mathematical formulations of the product-moment of the Austrian mathematician, Bravis...is not unitary, but there’s more to the story: Comment on Kranzler and Jensen. Intelligence , 15, 423-436. Cronbach, L J. (1970). Essentials of

Effects of partial sleep deprivation on reaction time in anesthesiologists.

PubMed

Saadat, Haleh; Bissonnette, Bruno; Tumin, Dmitry; Raman, Vidya; Rice, Julie; Barry, N'Diris; Tobias, Joseph

2017-04-01

Fatigue in anesthesiologists may have implications that extend beyond individual well-being. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of sleep deprivation on the reaction time in anesthesiologists either after an overnight call or regular working hours. Moderation of this effect by coping strategies was observed. Psychomotor vigilance test was used to assess reaction time in 23 anesthesiologists at two time-points: (i) on a regular non-call day and (ii) after a 17-h in-house call. Student's paired t-test was used to compare Psychomotor Vigilance Task data at these two moments. Change score regression was performed to determine the association between coping strategies, assessed using the Coping Strategy Indicator instrument, and decline in reaction time after night call. Twenty-one colleagues completed the psychomotor vigilance test measurements after two decided to end their participation for personal reasons. Post-call psychomotor vigilance test mean reaction time decreased by an average of 31.2 ms (95% CI: 0.5, 61.9; P = 0.047) when compared to regular day. Reliance on specific coping mechanisms, indicated by Coping Strategy Indicator scale scores, included problem-solving (28 ± 4), followed by seeking social support (23 ± 5) and avoidance (19 ± 4). The change score regression model (r 2 = 0.48) found that greater reliance on avoidance was associated with greater increase in reaction time after night call. Reaction time increased considerably in anesthesiologists after a night call duty. Greater subjective reliance on avoidance as a coping strategy was associated with greater deterioration in performance. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dose-response relationship between sleep duration and human psychomotor vigilance and subjective alertness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jewett, M. E.; Dijk, D. J.; Kronauer, R. E.; Dinges, D. F.

1999-01-01

Although it has been well documented that sleep is required for human performance and alertness to recover from low levels after prolonged periods of wakefulness, it remains unclear whether they increase in a linear or asymptotic manner during sleep. It has been postulated that there is a relation between the rate of improvement in neurobehavioral functioning and rate of decline of slow-wave sleep and/or slow-wave activity (SWS/SWA) during sleep, but this has not been verified. Thus, a cross-study comparison was conducted in which dose-response curves (DRCs) were constructed for Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) tests taken at 1000 hours by subjects who had been allowed to sleep 0 hours, 2 hours, 5 hours or 8 hours the previous night. We found that the DRCs to each PVT metric improved in a saturating exponential manner, with recovery rates that were similar [time constant (T) approximately 2.14 hours] for all the metrics. This recovery rate was slightly faster than, though not statistically significantly different from, the reported rate of SWS/SWA decline (T approximately 2.7 hours). The DRC to the SSS improved much more slowly than psychomotor vigilance, so that it could be fit equally well by a linear function (slope = -0.26) or a saturating exponential function (T = 9.09 hours). We conclude that although SWS/SWA, subjective alertness, and a wide variety of psychomotor vigilance metrics may all change asymptotically during sleep, it remains to be determined whether the underlying physiologic processes governing their expression are different.

[Psychomotor reaction in primates placed in ballistic flight in rockets].

PubMed

Grandpierre, R; Chatelier, G

1968-01-01

Psychomotor reactions have been studied in Nemestrina Macaques during flights in rockets in which there were periods of weightlessness lasting about 10 minutes. The animals had undergone motor conditioning and responded to a light signal by pressing on a button placed on a panel where there were four other undifferentiated buttons. The lighting of the panel and pressing on the different buttons in reply was recorded with respect to time. Movement was observed by film recording, and electrical activity of the brain was kept under observation by six different recordings of the cortex. Activity of stretching and bending muscles of the legs was recorded, as well as breathing, and heart activity was recorded on an electrocardiogram. These psychological parameters were transmitted to the earth by long-distance measurement during the entire flight. The recordings made it possible to confirm that the absence of the sensation of weight seems to reduce the alertness of the animals. This fact had already been observed in Wistar's rat and cat. The sensor-psychomotor responses undergo important individual variations and depend on the motivation of the subjects. A very well motivated one reacted after a short period of adaption, as it did in the laboratory: one that was much less motivated would not work until after weightlessness has ended, and showed signs of drowsiness. These observations made during the flights in rockets confirm those of Chambers et al., Harris et al., Lilly et al. made in immersion studies; they show the important role of weight in maintaining alertness, but that changes of psychomotor activity are particularly related to motivation.

The influence of different training schedules on the learning of psychomotor skills for endoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Verdaasdonk, E G G; Stassen, L P S; van Wijk, R P J; Dankelman, J

2007-02-01

Psychomotor skills for endoscopic surgery can be trained with virtual reality simulators. Distributed training is more effective than massed training, but it is unclear whether distributed training over several days is more effective than distributed training within 1 day. This study aimed to determine which of these two options is the most effective for training endoscopic psychomotor skills. Students with no endoscopic experience were randomly assigned either to distributed training on 3 consecutive days (group A, n = 10) or distributed training within 1 day (group B, n = 10). For this study the SIMENDO virtual reality simulator for endoscopic skills was used. The training involved 12 repetitions of three different exercises (drop balls, needle manipulation, 30 degree endoscope) in differently distributed training schedules. All the participants performed a posttraining test (posttest) for the trained tasks 7 days after the training. The parameters measured were time, nontarget environment collisions, and instrument path length. There were no significant differences between the groups in the first training session for all the parameters. In the posttest, group A (training over several days) performed 18.7% faster than group B (training on 1 day) (p = 0.013). The collision and path length scores for group A did not differ significantly from the scores for group B. The distributed group trained over several days was faster, with the same number of errors and the same instrument path length used. Psychomotor skill training for endoscopic surgery distributed over several days is superior to training on 1 day.

Effects of withdrawal of phenytoin on cognitive and psychomotor functions in hospitalized epileptic patients on polytherapy.

PubMed

May, T W; Bulmahn, A; Wohlhüter, M; Rambeck, B

1992-08-01

The effects of the withdrawal of phenytoin (PT) on cognitive and psychomotor functions of long-term patients in an epilepsy centre were studied. The patients had been treated for many years (31.1 +/- 10.8 yrs.) with PT in combination with other antiepileptic drugs. The serum concentration of PT was in the lower to middle therapeutic range (6.8 +/- 3.1 mg/l). Only patients in which the efficacy of PT was questionable were included in the study. PT was withdrawn in 17 patients. The PT dose was not changed in 12 patients (control group). Psychological tests were carried out immediately before the withdrawal of PT and about 10 weeks later. Tests were also carried out with the control group at the same time. A significantly improved performance (using a composite score) was noted after the withdrawal of PT. The statistical evaluation of the different tests showed an significant improvement in one test of concentration and two tests of psychomotor function (tapping and pursuit rotor with the dominant hand). There was no significant change in the frequency of seizures.

Acute behavioural effects of bupropion and naltrexone, alone and in combination, in non-deprived male rats presented with palatable mash.

PubMed

Wright, F L; Rodgers, R J

2013-07-01

In appetite research, drugs frequently progress to clinical trials on the basis of outcome (reduced food intake/body weight gain) with insufficient attention to process (behavioural analysis). Although bupropion and naltrexone (alone and in combination) reduce food consumption in rodents and humans, their effects on behaviour during feeding tests have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to assess the behavioural specificity of anorectic responses to bupropion, naltrexone and their combination. Video analysis was employed to characterise the behavioural effects of acute systemic treatment with bupropion (10.0-40.0 mg/kg), naltrexone (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) and combined bupropion (20 mg/kg) plus naltrexone (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) in non-deprived male rats exposed for 1 h to palatable mash. Particular attention was paid to the behavioural satiety sequence (BSS). In experiment 1, the anorectic response to 40 mg/kg bupropion was associated with significant psychomotor stimulation and a complete disruption of the BSS. In experiment 2, the anorectic response to 3 mg/kg naltrexone was associated with an accelerated but otherwise normal BSS. In experiment 3, the co-administration of 20 mg/kg bupropion and naltrexone (0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) not only produced an additive anorectic profile (including a reduced rate of eating), but the addition of the opioid receptor antagonist also concurrently attenuated the psychomotor stimulant response to the atypical antidepressant. Low-dose co-treatment with naltrexone and bupropion produces a stronger suppression of appetite than that seen with either agent alone and has the additional advantage of reducing some of the unwanted effects of bupropion.

Effects of alprazolam on driving ability, memory functioning and psychomotor performance: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Volkerts, Edmund R; Verbaten, Marinus N

2002-08-01

Alprazolam is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorder. Most users are presumably involved in daily activities such as driving. However, the effects of alprazolam on driving ability have never been investigated. This study was conducted to determine the effects of alprazolam (1 mg) on driving ability, memory and psychomotor performance. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. One hour after oral administration, subjects performed a standardized driving test on a primary highway during normal traffic. They were instructed to drive with a constant speed (90 km/h) while maintaining a steady lateral position within the right traffic lane. Primary performance measures were the Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP) and the Standard Deviation of Speed (SDS). After the driving test, subjective driving quality, mental effort, and mental activation during driving were assessed. A laboratory test battery was performed 2.5 h after treatment administration, comprising the Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, a Continuous Tracking Test, and a Divided Attention Test. Relative to placebo, alprazolam caused serious driving impairment, as expressed by a significantly increased SDLP (F(1,19) = 97.3, p <.0001) and SDS (F(1,19) = 30.4, p <.0001). This was confirmed by subjective assessments showing significantly impaired driving quality (F(1,19) = 16.4, p <.001), decreased alertness (F(1,19) = 43.4, p <.0001), decreased mental activation (F(1,19) = 5.7, p <.03) and increased mental effort during driving (F(1,19) = 26.4, p <.0001). Furthermore, alprazolam significantly impaired performance on the laboratory tests. In conclusion, alprazolam users must be warned not to drive an automobile or operate potentially dangerous machinery.

Older drivers and rapid deceleration events: Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study.

PubMed

Keay, Lisa; Munoz, Beatriz; Duncan, Donald D; Hahn, Daniel; Baldwin, Kevin; Turano, Kathleen A; Munro, Cynthia A; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; West, Sheila K

2013-09-01

Drivers who rapidly change speed while driving may be more at risk for a crash. We sought to determine the relationship of demographic, vision, and cognitive variables with episodes of rapid decelerations during five days of normal driving in a cohort of older drivers. In the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study, 1425 older drivers aged 67-87 were recruited from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration's rolls for licensees in Salisbury, Maryland. Participants had several measures of vision tested: visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and the attentional visual field. Participants were also tested for various domains of cognitive function including executive function, attention, psychomotor speed, and visual search. A custom created driving monitoring system (DMS) was used to capture rapid deceleration events (RDEs), defined as at least 350 milli-g deceleration, during a five day period of monitoring. The rate of RDE per mile driven was modeled using a negative binomial regression model with an offset of the logarithm of the number of miles driven. We found that 30% of older drivers had one or more RDE during a five day period, and of those, about 1/3 had four or more. The rate of RDE per mile driven was highest for those drivers driving<59 miles during the 5-day period of monitoring. However, older drivers with RDE's were more likely to have better scores in cognitive tests of psychomotor speed and visual search, and have faster brake reaction time. Further, greater average speed and maximum speed per driving segment was protective against RDE events. In conclusion, contrary to our hypothesis, older drivers who perform rapid decelerations tend to be more "fit", with better measures of vision and cognition compared to those who do not have events of rapid deceleration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Older Drivers and Rapid Deceleration Events: Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study

PubMed Central

Keay, Lisa; Munoz, Beatriz; Duncan, Donald D; Hahn, Daniel; Baldwin, Kevin; Turano, Kathleen A; Munro, Cynthia A; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; West, Sheila K

2012-01-01

Drivers who rapidly change speed while driving may be more at risk for a crash. We sought to determine the relationship of demographic, vision, and cognitive variables with episodes of rapid decelerations during five days of normal driving in a cohort of older drivers. In the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study, 1425 older drivers ages 67 to 87 were recruited from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s rolls for licensees in Salisbury, Maryland. Participants had several measures of vision tested: visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and the attentional visual field. Participants were also tested for various domains of cognitive function including executive function, attention, psychomotor speed, and visual search. A custom created Driving Monitor System (DMS) was used to capture rapid deceleration events (RDE), defined as at least 350 milli-g deceleration, during a five day period of monitoring. The rate of RDE per mile driven was modeled using a negative binomial regression model with an offset of the logarithm of the number of miles driven. We found that 30% of older drivers had one or more RDE during a five day period, and of those, about 1/3 had four or more. The rate of RDE per mile driven was highest for those drivers driving <59 miles during the 5-day period of monitoring. However, older drivers with RDE’s were more likely to have better scores in cognitive tests of psychomotor speed and visual search, and have faster brake reaction time. Further, greater average speed and maximum speed per driving segment was protective against RDE events. In conclusion, contrary to our hypothesis, older drivers who perform rapid decelerations tend to be more “fit”, with better measures of vision and cognition compared to those who do not have events of rapid deceleration. PMID:22742775

Cognitive and psychomotor effects of risperidone in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Houthoofd, Sofie A M K; Morrens, Manuel; Sabbe, Bernard G C

2008-09-01

The aim of this review was to discuss data from double-blind, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have investigated the effects of oral and long-acting injectable risperidone on cognitive and psychomotor functioning in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. PubMed/MEDLINE and the Institute of Scientific Information Web of Science database were searched for relevant English-language double-blind RCTs published between March 2000 and July 2008, using the terms schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, cognition, risperidone, psychomotor, processing speed, attention, vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning, problem solving, social cognition, MATRICS, and long-acting. Relevant studies included patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive domains were delineated at the Consensus Conferences of the National Institute of Mental Health-Measurement And Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (NIMH-MATRICS). The tests employed to assess each domain and psychomotor functioning, and the within-group and between-group comparisons of risperidone with haloperidol and other atypical antipsychotics, are presented. The results of individual tests were included when they were individually presented and interpretable for either drug; outcomes that were presented as cluster scores or factor structures were excluded. A total of 12 articles were included in this review. Results suggested that the use of oral risperidone appeared to be associated with within-group improvements on the cognitive domains of processing speed, attention/vigilance, verbal and visual learning and memory, and reasoning and problem solving in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Risperidone and haloperidol seemed to generate similar beneficial effects (on the domains of processing speed, attention/vigilance, [verbal and nonverbal] working memory, and visual learning and memory, as well as psychomotor functioning), although the results for verbal fluency, verbal learning and memory, and reasoning and problem solving were not unanimous, and no comparative data on social cognition were available. Similar cognitive effects were found with risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine on the domains of verbal working memory and reasoning and problem solving, as well as verbal fluency. More research is needed on the domains in which study results were contradictory. For olanzapine versus risperidone, these were verbal and visual learning and memory and psychomotor functioning. No comparative data for olanzapine and risperidone were available for the social cognition domain. For quetiapine versus risperidone, the domains in which no unanimity was found were processing speed, attention/vigilance, nonverbal working memory, and verbal learning and memory. The limited available reports on risperidone versus clozapine suggest that: risperidone was associated with improved, and clozapine with worsened, performance on the nonverbal working memory domain; risperidone improved and clozapine did not improve reasoning and problem-solving performance; clozapine improved, and risperidone did not improve, social cognition performance. Use of long-acting injectable risperidone seemed to be associated with improved performance in the domains of attention/vigilance, verbal learning and memory, and reasoning and problem solving, as well as psychomotor functioning. The results for the nonverbal working memory domain were indeterminate, and no clear improvement was seen in the social cognition domain. The domains of processing speed, verbal working memory, and visual learning and memory, as well as verbal fluency, were not assessed. The results of this review of within-group comparisons of oral risperidone suggest that the agent appeared to be associated with improved functioning in the cognitive domains of processing speed, attention/vigilance, verbal and visual learning and memory, and reasoning and problem solving in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Long-acting injectable risperidone seemed to be associated with improved functioning in the domains of attention/vigilance, verbal learning and memory, and reasoning and problem solving, as well as psychomotor functioning, in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Cobalamin and folate status predicts mental development scores in North Indian children 12-18 mo of age.

PubMed

Strand, Tor A; Taneja, Sunita; Ueland, Per M; Refsum, Helga; Bahl, Rajiv; Schneede, Joern; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Bhandari, Nita

2013-02-01

Micronutrient deficiencies can affect cognitive function. Many young children in low- and middle-income countries have inadequate cobalamin (vitamin B-12) status. The objective was to measure the association of plasma concentrations of folate, cobalamin, total homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid with cognitive performance at 2 occasions, 4 mo apart, in North Indian children aged 12-18 mo. Bayley Scales of Infant Development II were used to assess cognition. In multiple regression models adjusted for several potential confounders, we measured the association between biomarkers for folate and cobalamin status and psychomotor or mental development scores on the day of blood sampling and 4 mo thereafter. Each 2-fold increment in plasma cobalamin concentration was associated with a significant increment in the mental development index score of 1.3 (95% CI: 0.2, 2.4; P = 0.021). Furthermore, each 2-fold increment in homocysteine or methylmalonic acid concentration was associated with a decrement in mental development index score of 2.0 (95% CI: 0.5, 3.4; P = 0.007) or 1.1 (95% CI: 0.3, 1.8; P = 0.004) points, respectively. Plasma folate concentration was significantly and independently associated with mental development index scores only when children with poor cobalamin status were excluded, ie, in those who had cobalamin concentrations below the 25th percentile. None of these markers was associated with psychomotor scores in the multiple regression models. Cobalamin and folate status showed a statistically significant association with cognitive performance. Given the high prevalence of deficiencies in these nutrients, folate and cobalamin supplementation trials are required to measure any beneficial effect on cognition.

Altered Behavioral Performance and Live Imaging of Circuit-Specific Neural Deficiencies in a Zebrafish Model for Psychomotor Retardation

PubMed Central

Lerer-Goldshtein, Tali; Vatine, Gad David; Appelbaum, Lior

2014-01-01

The mechanisms and treatment of psychomotor retardation, which includes motor and cognitive impairment, are indefinite. The Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS) is an X-linked psychomotor retardation characterized by delayed development, severe intellectual disability, muscle hypotonia, and spastic paraplegia, in combination with disturbed thyroid hormone (TH) parameters. AHDS has been associated with mutations in the monocarboxylate transporter 8 (mct8/slc16a2) gene, which is a TH transporter. In order to determine the pathophysiological mechanisms of AHDS, MCT8 knockout mice were intensively studied. Although these mice faithfully replicated the abnormal serum TH levels, they failed to exhibit the neurological and behavioral symptoms of AHDS patients. Here, we generated an mct8 mutant (mct8−/−) zebrafish using zinc-finger nuclease (ZFN)-mediated targeted gene editing system. The elimination of MCT8 decreased the expression levels of TH receptors; however, it did not affect the expression of other TH-related genes. Similar to human patients, mct8−/− larvae exhibited neurological and behavioral deficiencies. High-throughput behavioral assays demonstrated that mct8−/− larvae exhibited reduced locomotor activity, altered response to external light and dark transitions and an increase in sleep time. These deficiencies in behavioral performance were associated with altered expression of myelin-related genes and neuron-specific deficiencies in circuit formation. Time-lapse imaging of single-axon arbors and synapses in live mct8−/− larvae revealed a reduction in filopodia dynamics and axon branching in sensory neurons and decreased synaptic density in motor neurons. These phenotypes enable assessment of the therapeutic potential of three TH analogs that can enter the cells in the absence of MCT8. The TH analogs restored the myelin and axon outgrowth deficiencies in mct8−/− larvae. These findings suggest a mechanism by which MCT8 regulates neural circuit assembly, ultimately mediating sensory and motor control of behavioral performance. We also propose that the administration of TH analogs early during embryo development can specifically reduce neurological damage in AHDS patients. PMID:25255244

Nursing Student Self-efficacy in Psychomotor Skills: Findings From a Validation, Longitudinal, and Correlational Study.

PubMed

Bulfone, Giampiera; Fida, Roberta; Ghezzi, Valerio; Macale, Loreana; Sili, Alessandro; Alvaro, Rosaria; Palese, Alvisa

Student perceptions of self-efficacy (SE) prevent stress and burnout and improve engagement in nursing education, thus increasing learning outcomes. The study aims were to (1) validate a scale measuring nursing SE in psychomotor skills (NSE-PS), (2) describe changes in NSE-PS over time, and (3) explore NSE-PS correlations with burnout and engagement. A total of 1117 nursing students participated. A significant increase in the NSE-PS scores over the years has emerged; in addition, all NSE-PS dimensions were correlated negatively with burnout and positively with engagement.

The impact of a single 24 h working day on cognitive and psychomotor performance in staff anaesthesiologists.

PubMed

Karanovic, Nenad; Carev, Mladen; Kardum, Goran; Pecotic, Renata; Valic, Maja; Karanovic, Sandra; Ujevic, Ante; Dogas, Zoran

2009-10-01

The profession of anaesthesiologist is demanding and potentially hazardous. Extended work shifts combined with intensive work load may adversely affect physicians' performance. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of a single in-hospital 24 h shift on the cognitive and psychomotor performance of anaesthesiologists in a surgical emergency department. Following ethical and institutional approval, 11 staff anaesthesiologists [six men, five women, age 48 (35-50), years of experience 17 (7-20), median (range)] successfully completed the study protocol. Four computer-generated psychological tests (CRD, Complex Reactionmeter Drenovac, Croatia) consisting of light signal position discrimination (CRD 311), simple visual orientation (CRD 21), simple arithmetic operations (CRD 11), and complex psychomotor coordination (CRD 411) were used to measure objective parameters of cognitive and psychomotor performance at four time points (D1 = 8:00 a.m., D2 = 3:00 p.m., D3 = 11:00 p.m.; and D4 = 7:00-8:00 a.m. next day) during the 24 h working day. The control testing on an ordinary working day was performed at two time points (C1 = 8:00 a.m., C2 = 3:00 p.m.). Three parameters were recorded: total test solving time (TTST), total variability, and total number of errors for all four tests. TTST was significantly impaired during the 24 h shift in all tests, and TTST was prolonged in CRD 21 test at different time points from 1.6 +/- 1.4 to 5.5 +/- 1.6 s compared with the control (F = 6.39, P = 0.001). The reaction times were prolonged from 1.3 +/- 1.8 to 5.4 +/- 1.2 s (F = 3.49, P = 0.009) in CRD 311, from 3.8 +/- 9.0 to 34.3 +/- 5.8 s (F = 5.05, P = 0.002) in CRD 11 TTST, and from 0.8 +/- 3.0 to 16.3 +/- 8.6 s (F = 2.67, P = 0.034) in CRD 411. Total variability was significantly altered during the 24 h shift only in CRD 411 (F = 2.63, P = 0.036). There was no difference in the total number of errors between the 24 h shift and the ordinary working day. Anaesthesiologists' 24 h working day in the emergency department altered cognitive and psychomotor function in comparison with ordinary working days. Speed, reliability and mental endurance (measured by TTST) were significantly impaired in all four tests. Stability and reaction time (measured by total variability) were only slightly impaired. Paradoxically, attention and alertness (measured by total number of errors) were not adversely affected. In conclusion, anaesthesiologists' psychomotor performance was impaired during the single 24 h shift.

No change in developmental outcome with incubator covers and nesting for very preterm infants in a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Maguire, C M; Walther, F J; van Zwieten, P H T; Le Cessie, S; Wit, J M; Veen, S

2009-03-01

To investigate in a randomised controlled trial the effect of basic elements of developmental care (incubator covers and positioning aids) on growth and neurodevelopment in infants born at < 32 weeks. Infants were randomised within 48 h of birth to a developmental care (DC) or standard care (C) group. Outcome measures at 1 and 2 years corrected age were growth, standardised neurological examinations, and mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) development (Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II). 192 infants were recruited (DC = 98; C = 94). Thirteen infants (DC = 7, C = 6) were excluded because they were admitted for <5 days or died within the first 5 days. In total, 179 infants met the inclusion criteria. In-hospital mortality was 12/91 (13.2%) in the DC group and 8/88 (9.1%) in the C group. Assessments were carried out on 147 children (DC = 74, C = 73) at 1 year and 142 children (DC = 72, C = 70) at 2 years. No significant difference in growth, neurological outcomes or MDI was found. A positive trend in PDI at 1 year (p = 0.05) did not continue once the children reached 2 years. There was no difference found when neurological and developmental scores were combined. Basic developmental care has no positive effect on neurological and mental development or growth at 1 and 2 years of age in infants born at <32 weeks. A positive effect on psychomotor development at 1 year did not continue at 2 years of age.

Training to acquire psychomotor skills for endoscopic endonasal surgery using a personal webcam trainer.

PubMed

Hirayama, Ryuichi; Fujimoto, Yasunori; Umegaki, Masao; Kagawa, Naoki; Kinoshita, Manabu; Hashimoto, Naoya; Yoshimine, Toshiki

2013-05-01

Existing training methods for neuroendoscopic surgery have mainly emphasized the acquisition of anatomical knowledge and procedures for operating an endoscope and instruments. For laparoscopic surgery, various training systems have been developed to teach handling of an endoscope as well as the manipulation of instruments for speedy and precise endoscopic performance using both hands. In endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES), especially using a binostril approach to the skull base and intradural lesions, the learning of more meticulous manipulation of instruments is mandatory, and it may be necessary to develop another type of training method for acquiring psychomotor skills for EES. Authors of the present study developed an inexpensive, portable personal trainer using a webcam and objectively evaluated its utility. Twenty-five neurosurgeons volunteered for this study and were divided into 2 groups, a novice group (19 neurosurgeons) and an experienced group (6 neurosurgeons). Before and after the exercises of set tasks with a webcam box trainer, the basic endoscopic skills of each participant were objectively assessed using the virtual reality simulator (LapSim) while executing 2 virtual tasks: grasping and instrument navigation. Scores for the following 11 performance variables were recorded: instrument time, instrument misses, instrument path length, and instrument angular path (all of which were measured in both hands), as well as tissue damage, max damage, and finally overall score. Instrument time was indicated as movement speed; instrument path length and instrument angular path as movement efficiency; and instrument misses, tissue damage, and max damage as movement precision. In the novice group, movement speed and efficiency were significantly improved after the training. In the experienced group, significant improvement was not shown in the majority of virtual tasks. Before the training, significantly greater movement speed and efficiency were demonstrated in the experienced group, but no difference in movement precision was shown between the 2 groups. After the training, no significant differences were shown between the 2 groups in the majority of the virtual tasks. Analysis revealed that the webcam trainer improved the basic skills of the novices, increasing movement speed and efficiency without sacrificing movement precision. Novices using this unique webcam trainer showed improvement in psychomotor skills for EES. The authors believe that training in terms of basic endoscopic skills is meaningful and that the webcam training system can play a role in daily off-the-job training for EES.

R2* mapping for brain iron: associations with cognition in normal aging.

PubMed

Ghadery, Christine; Pirpamer, Lukas; Hofer, Edith; Langkammer, Christian; Petrovic, Katja; Loitfelder, Marisa; Schwingenschuh, Petra; Seiler, Stephan; Duering, Marco; Jouvent, Eric; Schmidt, Helena; Fazekas, Franz; Mangin, Jean-Francois; Chabriat, Hugues; Dichgans, Martin; Ropele, Stefan; Schmidt, Reinhold

2015-02-01

Brain iron accumulates during aging and has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Magnetic resonance (MR)-based R2* mapping enables the in vivo detection of iron content in brain tissue. We investigated if during normal brain aging iron load relates to cognitive impairment in region-specific patterns in a community-dwelling cohort of 336 healthy, middle aged, and older adults from the Austrian Stroke Prevention Family Study. MR imaging and R2* mapping in the basal ganglia and neocortex were done at 3T. Comprehensive neuropsychological testing assessed memory, executive function, and psychomotor speed. We found the highest iron concentration in the globus pallidus, and pallidal and putaminal iron was significantly and inversely associated with cognitive performance in all cognitive domains, except memory. These associations were iron load dependent. Vascular brain lesions and brain volume did not mediate the relationship between iron and cognitive performance. We conclude that higher R2*-determined iron in the basal ganglia correlates with cognitive impairment during brain aging independent of concomitant brain abnormalities. The prognostic significance of this finding needs to be determined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High T3, Low T4 Serum Levels in Mct8 Deficiency Are Not Caused by Increased Hepatic Conversion through Type I Deiodinase

PubMed Central

Wirth, Eva K.; Rijntjes, Eddy; Meyer, Franziska; Köhrle, Josef; Schweizer, Ulrich

2015-01-01

Background The Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome is a severe psychomotor retardation accompanied by specific changes in circulating thyroid hormone levels (high T3, low T4). These are caused by mutations in the thyroid hormone transmembrane transport protein monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8). Objective: To test the hypothesis that circulating low T4 and high T3 levels are caused by enhanced conversion of T4 via increased activity of hepatic type I deiodinase (Dio1). Methods We crossed mice deficient in Mct8 with mice lacking Dio1 activity in hepatocytes. Translation of the selenoenzyme Dio1 was abrogated by hepatocyte-specific inactivation of selenoprotein biosynthesis. Results Inactivation of Dio1 activity in the livers of global Mct8-deficient mice does not restore normal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Conclusions Our data suggest that although hepatic Dio1 activity is increased in Mct8-deficient mice, it does not cause the observed abnormal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Since global inactivation of Dio1 in Mct8-deficient mice does normalize circulating thyroid hormone levels, the underlying mechanism and relevant tissues involved remain to be elucidated. PMID:26601078

High T3, Low T4 Serum Levels in Mct8 Deficiency Are Not Caused by Increased Hepatic Conversion through Type I Deiodinase.

PubMed

Wirth, Eva K; Rijntjes, Eddy; Meyer, Franziska; Köhrle, Josef; Schweizer, Ulrich

2015-09-01

The Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome is a severe psychomotor retardation accompanied by specific changes in circulating thyroid hormone levels (high T3, low T4). These are caused by mutations in the thyroid hormone transmembrane transport protein monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8). To test the hypothesis that circulating low T4 and high T3 levels are caused by enhanced conversion of T4 via increased activity of hepatic type I deiodinase (Dio1). We crossed mice deficient in Mct8 with mice lacking Dio1 activity in hepatocytes. Translation of the selenoenzyme Dio1 was abrogated by hepatocyte-specific inactivation of selenoprotein biosynthesis. Inactivation of Dio1 activity in the livers of global Mct8-deficient mice does not restore normal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Our data suggest that although hepatic Dio1 activity is increased in Mct8-deficient mice, it does not cause the observed abnormal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Since global inactivation of Dio1 in Mct8-deficient mice does normalize circulating thyroid hormone levels, the underlying mechanism and relevant tissues involved remain to be elucidated.

Fluoxetine: clinical pharmacology and physiologic disposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lemberger, L.; Bergstrom, R.F.; Wolen, R.L.

Fluoxetine (30 mg), administered for 7 days to normal volunteers, produced a 66% inhibition of tritiated serotonin uptake into platelets. Plasma concentrations of fluoxetine correlated positively with inhibition of serotonin uptake. Fluoxetine is well absorbed after oral administration in both the fed and fasted states and demonstrates dose proportionality. Fluoxetine disappears from plasma with a half-life of 1-3 days; its metabolite norfluoxetine has a plasma half-life of 7-15 days. After administration of /sup 14/C-fluoxetine, approximately 65% of the administered dose of radioactivity is recovered in urine and about 15% in feces. Fluoxetine, given as a single dose or in multiplemore » doses over 8 days, did not produce significant effects on the plasma disappearance of warfarin, diazepam, tolbutamide, or chlorothiazide. Coadministration of fluoxetine and ethanol did not result in an increase from control values in the blood ethanol levels, nor did it produce significant changes in physiologic, psychometric, or psychomotor activity. Pharmacokinetics of fluoxetine in the elderly and normal volunteers appear to be similar. In addition, pharmacokinetic analyses in patients with varying degrees of renal impairment did not show significant differences from healthy subjects.« less

[Isotretinoin embryopathy. Report of one case].

PubMed

Troncoso Sch, Mónica; Rojas H, Carla; Bravo C, Eduardo

2008-06-01

Retinoic acid is a widely used drug in the treatment of cystic acne. It has teratogenic effects that depend on the gestational period in which it is used. We report a seven months old female whose mother was exposed to retinoic acid in both pre-gestational and gestational periods. She had a retardation of psychomotor development and a brain MRI showed frontal atrophy and a malformation of the posterior fossa. We discuss the mechanisms of the teratogenic effects of retinoic acid.

Psycho-Motor and Error Enabled Simulations: Modeling Vulnerable Skills in the Pre-Mastery Phase Medical Practice Initiative Procedural Skill Decay and Maintenance (MPI-PSD)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Additional simulation stations were added to the standards and purchases (including a motion tracking system) were...framework for laparoscopic ventral hernia; Incorporation of error-based simulators into an exit assessment of chief surgical residents; Development of...simulating a laparoscopic ventral hernia (LVH) repair. Based on collected data, the lab worked to finalize the incorporation of error-based simulators

Evaluation of the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) 8/ 9/10 Clerical Composite for Predicting Training School Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

specific predictor such as clerical speed or psychomotor skill , since the AR test would probably predict success equally well in many different areas...to specific occupational skills . Ř? When the aptitude area system was reconstituted in 1958, each composite contained only two tests, one measuring... literacy into each composite was that the composites were highly intercorrelated. The same aptitude composites developed for ACB-73 were also used

Late onset epilepsy associated with marijuana abuse: a case report with MRI findings.

PubMed

Fogang, Yannick Fogoum; Camara, Massaman; Mbonda, Paul Chimi; Toffa, Dènahin; Touré, Kamadore

2014-01-01

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the world. The relation between marijuana use and epileptic seizures is still controversial. We report a case of late onset epilepsy associated with marijuana abuse, with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. A 44-year-old patient was admitted for 03 isolated episodes of secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. He had a history of 26 years regular marijuana smoking. On admission, we found a tachycardia, psychomotor slowing, asymmetric hyperreflexia, bilateral Babinski sign without weakness. Laboratory work-up showed a high level of urine of Δ-9-tétrahydroxycannabinol. Electroencephalogram was normal. Brain MRI revealed abnormal signal intensities in the right frontal lobe and basal ganglia. Seizures cessation was obtained with anti-epileptic treatment. We suggest that marijuana abuse through vascular and toxic mechanisms could explain seizures in this case.

Episodic memory deficits slow down the dynamics of cognitive procedural learning in normal ageing

PubMed Central

Beaunieux, Hélène; Hubert, Valérie; Pitel, Anne Lise; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis

2009-01-01

Cognitive procedural learning is characterized by three phases, each involving distinct processes. Considering the implication of the episodic memory in the first cognitive stage, the impairment of this memory system might be responsible for a slowing down of the cognitive procedural learning dynamics in the course of aging. Performances of massed cognitive procedural learning were evaluated in older and younger participants using the Tower of Toronto task. Nonverbal intelligence and psychomotor abilities were used to analyze procedural dynamics, while episodic memory and working memory were assessed to measure their respective contributions to learning strategies. This experiment showed that older participants did not spontaneously invoke episodic memory and presented a slowdown in the cognitive procedural learning associated with a late involvement of working memory. These findings suggest that the slowdown in the cognitive procedural learning may be linked with the implementation of different learning strategies less involving episodic memory in older subjects. PMID:18654928

Repeated dose comparison of nomifensine, imipramine and placebo on subjective assessments of sleep and objective measures of psychomotor performance

PubMed Central

Hindmarch, I.; Parrott, A. C.

1977-01-01

1 Nine normal subjects volunteered to participate in a randomized single-blind crossover study of nomifensine 75 mg and two comparators, imipramine 75 mg and placebo. 2 Each volunteer received placebo for 3 d, then the first test drug for 4 days. This sequence was repeated twice more, so that each subject received each comparator. All medication was taken three times daily. 3 Assessments were made on days 3, 5 and 7 of each sequence, and consisted of a Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire, a test of Critical Flicker Fusion and a measurement of Complex Reaction Time (CRT). 4 There were no significant differences in the CRT. There was a significant increase in critical flicker fusion with nomifensine. 5 Although both nomifensine and imipramine disturbed the quality of sleep, only imipramine produced a hangover. PMID:334219

Tandem duplication dup(X)(q13q22) in a male proband inherited from the mother showing mosaicism of X-inactivation.

PubMed

Steinbach, P; Horstmann, W; Scholz, W

1980-01-01

An aberrant X chromosome containing extra material in the long arm was observed in a psychomotoric retarded boy and his healthy, short-statured mother. The proband showed generalized muscular hypotony, growth retardation, and somatic anomalies including hypoplastic genitalia and cryptorchism. Chromosomal banding techniques suggested a tandem duplication of the segment Xq13 leads to Xq22. In the mother the vast majority of lymphocytes showed late replication of the aberrant X chromosome. Some of her cells, however, contained an apparently active aberrant X. Both the early- and late-replicating aberrant X exhibited late replication patterns very similar to those described for normal X chromosomes in lymphocytes. Asynchrony of DNA replication among the two segments Xq13 leads to Xq22 in the dup(X) was never observed. We consider that the clinical picture of the proband is caused by an excess of active X material.

Persistent hyperlactacidaemia: about a clinical case.

PubMed

Oliveira, Ana Rita Saraiva; Valente, Rosalina; Ramos, José; Ventura, Lurdes

2013-05-22

Lactate is the endogenous end product of the anaerobic glycolysis, whose production is favoured in situations of hypoperfusion or mitochondrial dysfunction. Leigh syndrome is a rare, progressive encephalomyopathy that represents a spectrum of mitochondrial genetic diseases phenotypically distinct, but with neuroradiological and pathological uniform presentation. We present the case of a 7-month-old infant, with a history of prematurity, psychomotor retardation and epilepsy, admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) due to cardio-respiratory arrest because of respiratory infection. Hyperlactacidaemia was detected and was persistent. The study of redox potential was normal but MRI with spectroscopy identified bilateral and symmetrical lesions involving thalamic and basal ganglia, with small lactate peaks at T2 flair, findings that were suggestive of Leigh syndrome. Subsequent enzymatic study identified lack of pyruvate dehydrogenase. Persistent hyperlactacidaemia, in the appropriate clinical context, should lead to the screening of mitochondrial diseases.

Modeling Simple Driving Tasks with a One-Boundary Diffusion Model

PubMed Central

Ratcliff, Roger; Strayer, David

2014-01-01

A one-boundary diffusion model was applied to the data from two experiments in which subjects were performing a simple simulated driving task. In the first experiment, the same subjects were tested on two driving tasks using a PC-based driving simulator and the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT). The diffusion model fit the response time (RT) distributions for each task and individual subject well. Model parameters were found to correlate across tasks which suggests common component processes were being tapped in the three tasks. The model was also fit to a distracted driving experiment of Cooper and Strayer (2008). Results showed that distraction altered performance by affecting the rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate) and/or increasing the boundary settings. This provides an interpretation of cognitive distraction whereby conversing on a cell phone diverts attention from the normal accumulation of information in the driving environment. PMID:24297620

Dubowitz syndrome: review of 141 cases including 36 previously unreported patients.

PubMed

Tsukahara, M; Opitz, J M

1996-05-03

We review clinical information on 141 individuals with Dubowitz syndrome, 105 reported since 1965, and 36 previously unreported. We define the Dubowitz syndrome phenotype on the basis of clinical descriptions. The facial appearance is characteristic and present in most patients with Dubowitz syndrome. The phenotypic spectrum is quite variable and ranges from normal growth and head circumference with mild psychomotor retardation and lack of eczema to a condition of severe growth retardation, mental retardation, microcephaly, and eczema. Overall, the condition may involve the cutaneous, ocular, dental, digestive, musculoskeletal, urogenital, cardiovascular, neurological, hematological, and immune systems. Characteristic behavior patterns which have not been cited previously are present in our cases; most patients are hyperactive, shy, hate crowds, and like music, rhythm, and vibrations from music speakers, tape recorders, or transmitted through floors. Dubowitz syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder with possibly increased frequency of parental consanguinity. Heterogeneity cannot be excluded at this time.

Saccadic eye movements analysis as a measure of drug effect on central nervous system function.

PubMed

Tedeschi, G; Quattrone, A; Bonavita, V

1986-04-01

Peak velocity (PSV) and duration (SD) of horizontal saccadic eye movements are demonstrably under the control of specific brain stem structures. Experimental and clinical evidence suggest the existence of an immediate premotor system for saccade generation located in the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF). Effects on saccadic eye movements have been studied in normal volunteers with barbiturates, benzodiazepines, amphetamine and ethanol. On two occasions computer analysis of PSV, SD, saccade reaction time (SRT) and saccade accuracy (SA) was carried out in comparison with more traditional methods of assessment of human psychomotor performance like choice reaction time (CRT) and critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT). The computer system proved to be a highly sensitive and objective method for measuring drug effect on central nervous system (CNS) function. It allows almost continuous sampling of data and appears to be particularly suitable for studying rapidly changing drug effects on the CNS.

The relationship between driving simulation performance and obstructive sleep apnoea risk, daytime sleepiness, obesity and road traffic accident history of commercial drivers in Turkey.

PubMed

Demirdöğen Çetinoğlu, Ezgi; Görek Dilektaşlı, Aslı; Demir, Nefise Ateş; Özkaya, Güven; Acet, Nilüfer Aylin; Durmuş, Eda; Ursavaş, Ahmet; Karadağ, Mehmet; Ege, Ercüment

2015-09-01

Driving performance is known to be very sensitive to cognitive-psychomotor impairment. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between obesity, risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), daytime sleepiness, history of road traffic accident (RTA) and performance on a driving simulator, among commercial drivers. We examined commercial vehicle drivers admitted to Psycho-Technical Assessment System (PTAS), which is a computer-aided system that includes a driving simulator test and tests assessing psychomotor-cognitive skills required for driving. Risk of OSA and daytime sleepiness were assessed by the Berlin Questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), respectively. A total of 282 commercial vehicle drivers were consecutively enrolled. The age range was 29-76 years. Thirty drivers were at high risk of OSA. Median ESS of the group was 2 (0-20). Forty-seven percent of the subjects at high risk of OSA failed in early reaction time test, while 28% of the drivers with low risk of OSA failed (p = 0.03). The obese drivers failed the peripheral vision test when compared with non-obese drivers (p = 0.02). ESS was higher for drivers with a history of RTA when compared to those without RTA (p = 0.02). Cognitive-psychomotor functions can be impaired in obese and high risk of OSA patients. In our opinion, requiring obese and/or high risk of OSA drivers to take PTAS tests that assess driving skills and psychomotor-cognitive functions crucial to those skills would significantly improve road traffic safety, which is of considerable importance to public health.

Effects of reference analgesics and psychoactive drugs on the noxious heat threshold of mice measured by an increasing-temperature water bath.

PubMed

Boros, Melinda; Benkó, Rita; Bölcskei, Kata; Szolcsányi, János; Barthó, Loránd; Pethő, Gábor

2013-12-01

The study aimed at validating an increasing-temperature water bath suitable for determining the noxious heat threshold for use in mice. The noxious heat threshold was determined by immersing the tail of the gently held awake mouse into a water container whose temperature was near-linearly increased at a rate of 24°C/min. until the animal withdrew its tail, that is, heating attained the noxious threshold. The effects of standard analgesic, neuroleptic and anxiolytic drugs were investigated in a parallel way on both the noxious heat threshold and the psychomotor activity assessed by the open field test. Morphine, diclofenac and metamizol (dipyrone) elevated the heat threshold of mice with minimum effective doses of 6, 30 and 1000 mg/kg i.p., respectively. These doses of morphine and diclofenac failed to induce any remarkable effect on psychomotor activity in the open field test while that of metamizol exerted a profound inhibition. The anxiolytic diazepam and the neuroleptic droperidol at doses evoking a mild and moderate, respectively, psychomotor inhibition failed to alter the heat threshold. Combination of a subliminal dose of morphine (regarding both antinociceptive and psychomotor inhibitory action) with diclofenac, metamizol, diazepam or droperidol at doses also subliminal regarding the thermal antinociceptive effect elevated the noxious heat threshold without major additional effects in the open field test. It is concluded that the increasing-temperature water bath is suitable for studying the thermal antinociceptive effects of morphine and diclofenac as well as the morphine-sparing action of diclofenac, metamizol, droperidol and diazepam. Behavioural testing is recommended when testing analgesics. © 2013 Nordic Pharmacological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Systematic review of the quality and generalizability of studies on the effects of opioids on driving and cognitive/psychomotor performance.

PubMed

Mailis-Gagnon, Angela; Lakha, Shehnaz Fatima; Furlan, Andrea; Nicholson, Keith; Yegneswaran, Balaji; Sabatowski, Rainer

2012-07-01

The effect of opioids on driving performance has been much debated. Driving is a complex task requiring integration of psychomotor, cognitive, motor and decision-making skills, visual-spatial abilities, divided attention, and behavioral and emotional control. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the quality of studies and to revisit the concept that patients on stable opioids are safe to drive as it applies to everyday practice. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCinfo, CENTRAL, TRANSPORT, CINAHL, reference lists of retrieved articles and narrative reviews, for studies on chronic cancer and noncancer pain patients on opioids, tested by driving, driving simulator, or cognitive/psychomotor tests. Methodological quality was assessed with Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies, cognitive/psychomotor tests were appraised regarding their sensitivity and validation, and whether confounding variables potentially affecting the study conclusions were recorded. The results were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. We included 35 studies (2044 patients, 1994 controls), 9% of the studies were of poor, 54% of fair, and 37% of high quality; 3 quarters of the studies used high sensitivity cognitive tests. Amount and dose of opioids varied largely in many studies. Mean number of possible but unreported confounders was 2.2 (range, 0 to 4), relating to failure of the studies to mention co-prescriptions with psychotropic effects, pain severity, sleep disorder or daytime somnolence, and/or significant depressive or anxiety-related problems. The commonly held concept that "chronic pain patients on stable opioids are safe to drive" cannot be generalized to all such patients in everyday practice, but may be applicable only to a subset who meet certain criteria.

Imaging skills for transthoracic echocardiography in cardiology fellows: The value of motion metrics

PubMed Central

Montealegre-Gallegos, Mario; Mahmood, Feroze; Kim, Han; Bergman, Remco; Mitchell, John D.; Bose, Ruma; Hawthorne, Katie M.; O’Halloran, T. David; Wong, Vanessa; Hess, Philip E.; Matyal, Robina

2016-01-01

Background: Proficiency in transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) requires an integration of cognitive knowledge and psychomotor skills. Whereas cognitive knowledge can be quantified, psychomotor skills are implied after repetitive task performance. We applied motion analyses to evaluate psychomotor skill acquisition during simulator-based TTE training. Methods and Results: During the first month of their fellowship training, 16 cardiology fellows underwent a multimodal TTE training program for 4 weeks (8 sessions). The program consisted of online and live didactics as well as simulator training. Kinematic metrics (path length, time, probe accelerations) were obtained at the start and end of the course for 8 standard TTE views using a simulator. At the end of the course TTE image acquisition skills were tested on human models. After completion of the training program the trainees reported improved self-perceived comfort with TTE imaging. There was also an increase of 8.7% in post-test knowledge scores. There was a reduction in the number of probe accelerations [median decrease 49.5, 95% CI = 29-73, adjusted P < 0.01], total time [median decrease 10.6 s, 95% CI = 6.6-15.5, adjusted P < 0.01] and path length [median decrease 8.8 cm, 95% CI = 2.2-17.7, adjusted P < 0.01] from the start to the end of the course. During evaluation on human models, the trainees were able to obtain all the required TTE views without instructor assistance. Conclusion: Simulator-derived motion analyses can be used to objectively quantify acquisition of psychomotor skills during TTE training. Such an approach could be used to assess readiness for clinical practice of TTE. PMID:27052064

Cognition Predicts Quality of Life Among Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease.

PubMed

Paulson, Daniel; Shah, Mona; Miller-Matero, Lisa Renee; Eshelman, Anne; Abouljoud, Marwan

2016-01-01

Impaired cognitive functioning and poor quality of life (QoL) are both common among patients with end-stage liver disease; however, it is unclear how these are related. This study examines how specific cognitive domains predict QoL among liver transplant candidates by replicating Stewart and colleagues' (2010) 3-factor model of cognitive functioning, and determining how variability in these cognitive domains predicts mental health and physical QoL. The sample included 246 patients with end-stage liver disease who were candidates for liver transplant at a large, Midwestern health care center. Measures, including the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, Trail Making Test, Shipley Institute of Living Scale, Short-Form Health Survey-36 Version 2, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, comprised latent variables representing global intellectual functioning, psychomotor speed, and learning and memory functioning. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the 3-factor solution model comprised of global intellectual functioning, psychomotor speed, and learning and memory functioning fit the data well. Addition of physical and mental health QoL latent factors resulted in a structural model also with good fit. Results related physical QoL to global intellectual functioning, and mental health QoL to global intellectual functioning and psychomotor functioning. Findings elucidate a relationship between cognition and QoL and support the use of routine neuropsychological screening with end-stage liver disease patients, specifically examining the cognitive domains of global intellectual, psychomotor, and learning and memory functioning. Subsequently, screening results may inform implementation of targeted interventions to improve QoL. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of psychomotor subtypes and duration of delirium on 6-month mortality in hip-fractured elderly patients.

PubMed

Bellelli, Giuseppe; Carnevali, Lucio; Corsi, Maurizio; Morandi, Alessandro; Zambon, Antonella; Mazzola, Paolo; Galeazzi, Marianna; Bonfanti, Alessandra; Massariello, Francesca; Szabo, Hajnalka; Oliveri, Giulia; Haas, Justin; d'Oro, Luca Cavalieri; Annoni, Giorgio

2018-05-31

Studies exploring the incidence and impact of the psychomotor subtypes of postoperative delirium (POD) on the survival of hip fracture patients are few, and results are inconsistent. We sought to assess the incidence of POD subtypes and their impact, in addition to delirium duration, on 6-month mortality in older patients after hip-fracture surgery. This is a prospective study involving 571 individuals admitted to an Orthogeriatric Unit within a 5-year period with a diagnosis of hip fracture. Survival status was assessed 6 months after posthip fracture surgery. Postoperative delirium was diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Postoperative delirium subtypes were classified according to Lipowski's criteria. Cox regressions were used to evaluate the associations between POD subtypes, POD duration, and 6-month mortality, adjusting for covariates. The incidence of psychomotor POD subtypes was hypoactive 57 (10.0%), hyperactive 84 (14.7%), and mixed 79 (13.8%). Six-month mortality rates were 8.3%, 10.7%, 36.8%, and 29.1% in the no-delirium, hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed-delirium subgroups, respectively. In adjusted models, the hypoactive subgroup (Hazard Ratio, HR = 3.14, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI, 1.63-6.04) and mixed subgroup (HR = 2.89, 95% CI, 1.49-5.62) showed high mortality rates and a significantly increased risk of mortality associated with POD duration as well. Hyperactive delirium was the most common POD psychomotor subtype, but hypoactive and mixed POD were associated with 6-month mortality risk. Moreover, the risk of death 6 months after surgery increased for both subgroups (hypoactive and mixed) with increasing duration of POD. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Executive and attentional functions in chronic pain: Does performance decrease with increasing task load?

PubMed Central

Oosterman, Joukje M; Derksen, Laura C; van Wijck, Albert JM; Kessels, Roy PC; Veldhuijzen, Dieuwke S

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Diminished executive function and attentional control has been reported in chronic pain patients. However, the precise pattern of impairment in these aspects of cognition in chronic pain remains unclear. Moreover, a decline in psychomotor speed could potentially influence executive and attentional control performance in pain patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine different aspects of executive and attentional control in chronic pain together with the confounding role of psychomotor slowing. METHODS: Neuropsychological tests of sustained attention, planning ability, inhibition and mental flexibility were administered to 34 participants with chronic pain and 32 control participants. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, participants with chronic pain took longer to complete tests of sustained attention and mental flexibility, but did not perform worse on inhibition or planning tasks. The decreased performance on the mental flexibility task likely reflects a reduction in psychomotor speed. The pattern of performance on the sustained attention task reveals a specific decline in attention, indicated by a disproportionate decline in performance with an increase in task duration and by increased fluctuations in attention during task performance. No additional effect was noted of pain intensity, pain duration, pain catastrophizing, depressive symptoms, reduced sleep because of the pain or opioid use. CONCLUSIONS: Executive and attention functions are not uniformly affected in chronic pain. At least part of the previously reported decline in executive function in this group may reflect psychomotor slowing. Overall, limited evidence was found that executive and attention performance is indeed lower in chronic pain. Therefore, it can be concluded that in chronic pain sustained attention performance is diminished while mental flexibility, planning and inhibition appear to be intact. PMID:22606680

Growth and psychomotor development of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Sarrazin, Elisabeth; von der Hagen, Maja; Schara, Ulrike; von Au, Katja; Kaindl, Angela M

2014-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common hereditary degenerative neuromuscular diseases and caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. The objective of the retrospective study was to describe growth and psychomotor development of patients with DMD and to detect a possible genotype-phenotype correlation. Data from 263 patients with DMD (mean age 7.1 years) treated at the Departments of Pediatric Neurology in three German University Hospitals was assessed with respect to body measurements (length, weight, body mass index BMI, head circumference OFC), motor and cognitive development as well as genotype (site of mutation). Anthropometric measures and developmental data were compared to those of a reference population and deviations were analyzed for their frequency in the cohort as well as in relation to the genotypes. Corticosteroid therapy was implemented in 29 from 263 patients. Overall 30% of the patients exhibit a short statue (length < 3rd centile) with onset early in development at 2-5 years of age, and this is even more prevalent when steroid therapy is applied (45% of patients with steroid therapy). The BMI shows a rightwards shift (68% > 50th centile) and the OFC a leftwards shift (65% < 50th centile, 5% microcephaly). Gross motor development is delayed in a third of the patients (mean age at walking 18.3 months, 30% > 18 months, 8% > 24 months). Almost half of the patients show cognitive impairment (26% learning disability, 17% intellectual disability). Although there is no strict genotype-phenotype correlation, particularly mutations in the distal part of the dystrophin gene are frequently associated with short stature and a high rate of microcephaly as well as cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2013 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An uncommon phenotype with familial central hypogonadism caused by a novel PROP1 gene mutant truncated in the transactivation domain.

PubMed

Reynaud, Rachel; Barlier, Anne; Vallette-Kasic, Sophie; Saveanu, Alexandru; Guillet, Marie-Pierre; Simonin, Gilbert; Enjalbert, Alain; Valensi, Paul; Brue, Thierry

2005-08-01

PROP1 gene mutations are usually associated with childhood onset GH and TSH deficiencies, whereas gonadotroph deficiency is diagnosed at pubertal age. We report a novel PROP1 mutation revealed by familial normosmic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. We performed in vitro transactivation and DNA binding experiments to study functional consequences of this mutation. Three brothers were followed in the Department of Endocrinology of a French university hospital. These patients from a consanguineous kindred were referred for cryptorchidism and/or delayed puberty. Initial investigations revealed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. One of the patients had psychomotor retardation, intracranial hypertension, and minor renal malformations. The brothers reached normal adult height and developed GH and TSH deficiencies after age 30. A novel homozygous nonsense mutation (W194X) was found in the PROP1 gene, indicating that the protein is truncated in its transactivation domain. Transfection studies confirmed the deleterious effect of this mutation, whose transactivation capacity was only 34.4% of that of the wild-type. Unexpectedly altered DNA-binding properties suggested that the C-terminal end of the factor plays a role in protein-DNA interaction. PROP1 mutations should be considered among the growing number of genetic causes of initially isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. This report extends the phenotype variability associated with PROP1 mutations.

Prospective evaluation of three point of care devices for glycemia measurement in a neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Diaw, Corinne Stadelmann; Piol, Nicolas; Urfer, Jocelyne; Werner, Dominique; Roth-Kleiner, Matthias

2013-10-21

Hypoglycemia, if recurrent, may have severe consequences on cognitive and psychomotor development of neonates. Therefore, screening for hypoglycemia is a daily routine in every facility taking care of newborn infants. Point-of-care-testing (POCT) devices are interesting for neonatal use, as their handling is easy, measurements can be performed at bedside, demanded blood volume is small and results are readily available. However, such whole blood measurements are challenged by a wide variation of hematocrit in neonates and a spectrum of normal glucose concentration at the lower end of the test range. We conducted a prospective trial to check precision and accuracy of the best suitable POCT device for neonatal use from three leading companies in Europe. Of the three devices tested (Precision Xceed, Abbott; Elite XL, Bayer; Aviva Nano, Roche), Aviva Nano exhibited the best precision. None completely fulfilled the ISO-accuracy-criteria 15197: 2003 or 2011. Aviva Nano fulfilled these criteria in 92% of cases while the others were <87%. Precision Xceed reached the 95% limit of the 2003 ISO-criteria for values ≤4.2 mmol/L, but not for the higher range (71%). Although validated for adults, new POCT devices need to be specifically evaluated on newborn infants before adopting their routine use in neonatology. © 2013.

Is the Alzheimer's disease cortical thickness signature a biological marker for memory?

PubMed

Busovaca, Edgar; Zimmerman, Molly E; Meier, Irene B; Griffith, Erica Y; Grieve, Stuart M; Korgaonkar, Mayuresh S; Williams, Leanne M; Brickman, Adam M

2016-06-01

Recent work suggests that analysis of the cortical thickness in key brain regions can be used to identify individuals at greatest risk for development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is unclear to what extent this "signature" is a biological marker of normal memory function - the primary cognitive domain affected by AD. We examined the relationship between the AD signature biomarker and memory functioning in a group of neurologically healthy young and older adults. Cortical thickness measurements and neuropsychological evaluations were obtained in 110 adults (age range 21-78, mean = 46) drawn from the Brain Resource International Database. The cohort was divided into young adult (n = 64, age 21-50) and older adult (n = 46, age 51-78) groups. Cortical thickness analysis was performed with FreeSurfer, and the average cortical thickness extracted from the eight regions that comprise the AD signature. Mean AD-signature cortical thickness was positively associated with performance on the delayed free recall trial of a list learning task and this relationship did not differ between younger and older adults. Mean AD-signature cortical thickness was not associated with performance on a test of psychomotor speed, as a control task, in either group. The results suggest that the AD signature cortical thickness is a marker for memory functioning across the adult lifespan.

SATB2-associated syndrome presenting with Rett-like phenotypes.

PubMed

Lee, J S; Yoo, Y; Lim, B C; Kim, K J; Choi, M; Chae, J-H

2016-06-01

The SATB2-associated syndrome (SAS) was proposed recently, after the SATB2 gene was initially discovered to be associated with isolated cleft palate. This syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability with delayed speech development, facial dysmorphism, cleft or high-arched palate, and dentition problems. Here, we describe two novel SATB2 sequence variants in two unrelated patients presenting with Rett-like phenotypes. We performed trio-based whole-exome sequencing in a 17-month-old girl presenting with severe retardation and Rett-like phenotypes, which revealed a de novo missense variant in SATB2 (p.Glu396Gln). Moreover, targeted sequencing of the SATB2 gene was performed in a 2-year-old girl with severe psychomotor retardation, facial hypotonia, and cleft palate who also exhibited some features of Rett syndrome. A nonsense variant in SATB2 was identified in this patient (p.Arg459*). This study expanded the clinical and genetic spectrum of SAS. SATB2 variants should be considered in cases with psychomotor retardation alone or in any cases with Rett-like phenotypes, regardless of the typical features of SAS such as cleft palate. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Arresting the Development of Addiction: The Role of β-Arrestin 2 in Drug Abuse.

PubMed

Porter-Stransky, Kirsten A; Weinshenker, David

2017-06-01

The protein β -arrestin ( β arr) 2 directly interacts with receptors and signaling pathways that mediate the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse, making it a prime candidate for therapeutic interventions. β arr2 drives desensitization and internalization of G protein-coupled receptors, including dopamine, opioid, and cannabinoid receptors, and it can also trigger G protein-independent intracellular signaling. β arr2 mediates several drug-induced behaviors, but the relationship is complex and dependent on the type of behavior (e.g., psychomotor versus reward), the class of drug (e.g., psychostimulant versus opioid), and the circuit being interrogated (e.g., brain region, cell type, and specific receptor ligand). Here we discuss the current state of research concerning the contribution of β arr2 to the psychomotor and rewarding effects of addictive drugs. Next we identify key knowledge gaps and suggest new tools and approaches needed to further elucidate the neuroanatomical substrates and neurobiological mechanisms to explain how β arr2 modulates behavioral responses to drugs of abuse, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Predicting operator workload during system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldrich, Theodore B.; Szabo, Sandra M.

1988-01-01

A workload prediction methodology was developed in response to the need to measure workloads associated with operation of advanced aircraft. The application of the methodology will involve: (1) conducting mission/task analyses of critical mission segments and assigning estimates of workload for the sensory, cognitive, and psychomotor workload components of each task identified; (2) developing computer-based workload prediction models using the task analysis data; and (3) exercising the computer models to produce predictions of crew workload under varying automation and/or crew configurations. Critical issues include reliability and validity of workload predictors and selection of appropriate criterion measures.

Simulation in otolaryngology: smart dummies and more.

PubMed

Deutsch, Ellen S

2011-12-01

Simulation is revolutionizing medical education, certification, and ongoing professional development. Simulation encompasses a variety of technologies as well as nontechnical approaches to improve individual psychomotor skills, group effectiveness, and systems processes, all without direct risk to patients. Simulation-enhanced learning experiences, addressing learning objectives based on the needs of the individual or the group and following the principles of adult education, can be used to ensure consistent and comprehensive learning opportunities, thereby creatively complementing didactic and clinical learning experiences. Pockets of simulation expertise are already present in the field of otolaryngology; more will develop as these exciting and important innovations blossom.

Advanced helmet tracking technology developments for naval aviation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brindle, James H.

1996-06-01

There is a critical need across the Services to improve the effectiveness of aircrew within the crewstation by capitalizing on the natural psycho-motor skills of the pilot through the use of a variety of helmet-mounted visual display and control techniques. This has resulted in considerable interest and significant ongoing research and development efforts on the part of the Navy, as well as the Army and the Air Force, in the technology building blocks associated with this area, such as advanced head position sensing or head tracking technologies, helmet- mounted display optics and electronics, and advanced night vision or image intensification technologies.

Design of experimental studies of human performance under influences of simulated artificial gravity. [effects of rotation on psychomotor tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piland, W. M.; Hausch, H. G.; Maraman, G. V.; Green, J. A.

1973-01-01

A ground based research program is now being undertaken to provide data concerning the effects of a rotating environment on man's ability to adequately perform gross and fine psychomotor tasks. Emphasis is being placed on establishing the levels of artificial gravity and rates and radii of rotation required in future space systems for preservation of crew performance and comfort. An experimental study utilizing a rotational facility to investigate crew mobility, cargo transfer and handling, and fine motor coordination at radii up to 24 meters and at rotational rates up to 5 rpm is reported.

Laterality and Lateralization in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Using a Standardized Neuro-Psychomotor Assessment.

PubMed

Paquet, A; Golse, B; Girard, M; Olliac, B; Vaivre-Douret, L

2017-01-01

A detailed assessment of laterality in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was realized, including handedness and other measures (muscle tone, manual performance, dominant eye), using a standardized battery for the developmental assessment of neuro-psychomotor functions. The results of the laterality tests relating to cerebral hemisphere organization (spontaneous gestural laterality and tonic laterality) were different in ASD children, and indicate that the cerebral organization could be disrupted. These assessments, added to the observations of usual laterality most often reported in the literature, provide better understanding of the developmental organization from the pathophysiological point of view in children with ASD.

Previous hepatitis a virus infection is related to slower psychomotor speed in elderly adults.

PubMed

Hsieh, Cheng-Fang; Liu, Ching-Kuan; Fang, Tzu-Jung; Yu, Yau-Hua; Lai, Chiou-Lian; Kuo, Hsu-Ko

2009-10-01

Patients with chronic viral hepatitis are at a higher risk for cognitive dysfunction. Little is known about the association between hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and cognitive function. From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002, we selected study participants (> or =60 years, n = 1,529) without hepatitis B, C, or D virus infection; without previous hepatitis A vaccination; and without abnormal liver function. HAV-seropositive participants represented people with previous HAV infection. Psychomotor speed and executive functioning domain of cognitive function were measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). HAV-seropositive participants had lower DSST scores than HAV-seronegative participants (weighted mean, 44.4 vs 53.9, p < .001). We designated HAV-seronegative participants as the reference group. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the weighted beta coefficient of DSST score was -9.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] -9.57 to -9.54, p < .001) for the HAV-seropositive participants. In a multivariable model, the weighted adjusted beta coefficient of DSST score was -2.48 (95% CI -2.49 to -2.46, p < .001) for the HAV-seropositive participants. HAV seropositivity is associated with slower psychomotor speed among the U.S. community-dwelling elders.

Comparison of psychomotor function between music students and students participating in music training.

PubMed

Chansirinukor, Wunpen; Khemthong, Supalak

2014-07-01

To compare psychomotor function between a music student group who had music education and a non-music student group who participated in music training. Consecutive sampling was used for completing questionnaires, testing reaction times (visual, auditory, and tactile system), measuring electromyography of upper trapezius muscles both sides and taking photos of the Craniovertebral (CV) angle in the sitting position. Data collection was made twice for each student group: the music students at one-hour intervals for resting and conducting nonmusic activities, the non-music students at two-day intervals, 20 minutes/session, and performed music training (by a manual of keyboard notation). The non-music students (n = 65) improved reaction times, but responded slower than the music students except for the tactile system. The music students (n = 28) showed faster reaction times and higher activities of the trapezius muscle than the non-music students at post-test. In addition, the CV angle of the non-music students was significantly improved. The level of musical ability may influence the psychomotor function. Significant improvement was observed in visual, auditory and tactile reaction time, and CV angle in the non-music students. However upper trapezius muscle activities between both student groups were unchanged.

Anxiety or agitation in mood disorder with mixed features: A review with a focus on validity as a dimensional criterion.

PubMed

Shim, In Hee; Bae, Dong Sik; Bahk, Won-Myong

2016-08-01

The diagnostic validity of mixed features, excluding anxiety or psychomotor agitation in mood disorders, has not yet been fully examined. PubMed and relevant English-language literature (regardless of year) were searched. Keywords were mixed or mixed state or mixed features or mixed episode and anxious or anxiety or agitation and bipolar disorder or depressive disorder or mood disorder or affective disorder. Most studies on anxiety or psychomotor agitation have included a significant correlation relevant to the "with mixed features" specifier, although it is common in both poles of mood episodes regardless of the predominant polarity. There is some confusion between the characteristic of classical mixed states and the definition of the mixed features specifier with the newly added anxious distress specifier in DSM-5, specifically, whether to include anxiety and agitation as significant characteristics. This change is of concern because a large proportion of patients with mixed features are now unspecified, and this may influence treatment planning and prognosis. The findings of our review suggest that anxiety and psychomotor agitation can be core symptoms in mood episodes with mixed features and important clinical clues for prediction of treatment effects and disease course.

Symptoms of depression as possible markers of bipolar II disorder.

PubMed

Benazzi, Franco

2006-05-01

Underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis of bipolar-II disorder (BP-II) as a major depressive disorder (MDD) are frequently reported. The study aim was to find which symptoms of depression could be possible cross-sectional markers of BP-II, in order to reduce underdiagnosing BP-II. Consecutive 379 BP-II and 271 MDD major depressive episode (MDE) outpatients were interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Hypomania Interview Guide, and the Family History Screen, by a senior psychiatrist in a private practice. Inside-MDE hypomanic symptoms (elevated mood and increased self-esteem always absent by definition) were systematically assessed. Mixed depression was defined as an MDE plus 3 or more inside-MDE hypomanic symptoms, a definition validated by Akiskal and Benazzi. The MDE symptoms significantly more common in BP-II versus MDD were weight gain, increased eating, hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation, worthlessness, and diminished ability to concentrate. The inside-MDE hypomanic symptoms significantly more common in BP-II were distractibility, racing/crowded thoughts, irritability, psychomotor agitation, more talkativeness, increased risky and goal-directed activities. Multiple logistic regression showed that hypersomnia, racing/crowded thoughts, irritability, and psychomotor agitation were independent predictors of BP-II. Irritability had the most balanced combination of sensitivity and specificity predicting BP-II. Psychomotor agitation had the highest specificity but the lowest sensitivity. Racing/crowded thoughts had the highest sensitivity but the lowest specificity. These symptoms had a similar positive predictive value (PPV) for BP-II, which was around 70% (PPV is more clinically useful than sensitivity and specificity), which in turn was similar to the PPV of mixed depression and atypical depression (two diagnostic clinical markers of BP-II). All possible combinations of these symptoms had a PPV similar to that of the individual symptoms. The validity as BP-II markers of these symptoms was supported by a significant association with bipolar family history. Hypersomnia, racing/crowded thoughts, irritability, and psychomotor agitation may be useful, cross-sectional markers of BP-II. Finding these symptoms in depression should lead the clinician to careful probing for history of hypomania, which should reduce the BP-II misdiagnosed as MDD. Results may also have treatment impacts, as antidepressants used alone (i.e., no concurrent mood stabilising agent) in BP-II depression misdiagnosed as MDD may increase cycling.

The Effects of US Army Chemical Protective Clothing on Speech Intelligibility, Visual Field, Body Mobility and Psychomotor Coordination of Men

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

soldiers wearing NBC clothing in hot/humid and hot/dry climates (Report MRL-R-826).Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia : Materials Research Laboratories...Development and Engineering Center. 47. White, R.M. and Churchill, E. (1971). The body size of soldier-: U.S. Army anthropometry - 1966 (Tech. Rep. 72... Anthropometry of U.S. Army aviators - 1970 (Tech. Rep. 72-52-CE). Natick, MA: US Army Natick Laboratories. (AD 743 528) 112 ,7 r4 r

A cost-effective junior resident training and assessment simulator for orthopaedic surgical skills via fundamentals of orthopaedic surgery: AAOS exhibit selection.

PubMed

Lopez, Gregory; Wright, Rick; Martin, David; Jung, James; Bracey, Daniel; Gupta, Ranjan

2015-04-15

Psychomotor testing has been recently incorporated into residency training programs not only to objectively assess a surgeon's abilities but also to address current patient-safety advocacy and medicolegal trends. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a cost-effective psychomotor training and assessment tool-The Fundamentals of Orthopaedic Surgery (FORS)-for junior-level orthopaedic surgery resident education. An orthopaedic skills board was made from supplies purchased at a local hardware store with a total cost of less than $350 so as to assess six different psychomotor skills. The six skills included fracture reduction, three-dimensional drill accuracy, simulated fluoroscopy-guided drill accuracy, depth-of-plunge minimization, drill-by-feel accuracy, and suture speed and quality. Medical students, residents, and attending physicians from three orthopaedic surgery residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education participated in the study. Twenty-five medical students were retained for longitudinal training and testing for four weeks. Each training session involved an initial examination followed by thirty minutes of board training. The time to perform each task was measured with accuracy measurements for the appropriate tasks. Statistical analysis was done with one-way analysis of variance, with significance set at p < 0.05. Forty-seven medical students, twenty-nine attending physicians, and fifty-eight orthopaedic surgery residents participated in the study. Stratification among medical students, junior residents, and senior residents and/or attending physicians was found in all tasks. The twenty-five medical students who were retained for longitudinal training improved significantly above junior resident level in four of the six tasks. The FORS is an effective simulator of basic motor skills that translates across a wide variety of operations and has the potential to advance junior-level participants to senior resident skill level. The FORS simulator may serve as a valuable tool for resident education. Copyright © 2015 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Highway driving performance and cognitive functioning the morning after bedtime and middle-of-the-night use of gaboxadol, zopiclone and zolpidem.

PubMed

Leufkens, Tim R M; Lund, Jesper S; Vermeeren, Annemiek

2009-12-01

Gaboxadol is a selective extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptor agonist previously in development for the treatment of insomnia. Due to its short half-life (1.5-2 h) it is expected to be free from residual effects the next morning. The present study assessed the residual effects of evening and middle-of-the-night administration of 15 mg of gaboxadol on cognitive, psychomotor and driving performance. Twenty-eight healthy volunteers entered the study with 25 (12 women; mean age 31.4 years) completing a double-blind, placebo-controlled, active-referenced five-way cross-over study. Each treatment night subjects ingested one capsule at 23:00 hours and one at 04:00 hours. Treatments were placebo at both times, 15 mg gaboxadol or 7.5 mg zopiclone followed by placebo, and placebo followed by 15 mg gaboxadol or 10 mg zolpidem. Effects on cognition and psychomotor performance were assessed between 07:30 and 08:30 hours and on driving between 09:00 and 10:00 hours. Driving, as measured by standard deviation of lateral position in an on-the-road driving test, was almost significantly (P < 0.07) impaired after evening administration of gaboxadol for the all-subjects-completed set (n = 25) but significantly (P < 0.05) in the full analysis set (n = 28). Effects of all other active treatments on driving were significant. Evening administration of gaboxadol had minor effects on divided attention only, whereas middle-of-the-night administration impaired performance significantly in all tests except memory. Zolpidem and zopiclone impaired performance significantly in every test except tracking after zopiclone; 15 mg of gaboxadol can produce minor residual effects on driving after evening administration. Administration later at night is associated with moderately impairing residual effects on driving and psychomotor performance but not on memory.

Two years of growth hormone therapy in young children with Prader-Willi syndrome: physical and neurodevelopmental benefits.

PubMed

Myers, Susan E; Whitman, Barbara Y; Carrel, Aaron L; Moerchen, Victoria; Bekx, M Tracy; Allen, David B

2007-03-01

Infants with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) typically display failure to thrive and decreased muscle mass with excess body fat for age. Growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with PWS improves, but does not normalize, body composition and muscle strength and agility. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of earlier GH therapy on anthropometric measurements, body composition, and psychomotor development in affected PWS infants and toddlers. Twenty-five subjects, ages 4-37 months, were randomized to 2 years of GH therapy (1 mg/m(2)/day) or 1 year of observation without GH treatment and then placed on GH (1.5 mg/m(2).day) for 1 year only. Anthropometric measurements were obtained by standard methods: percent body fat, lean body mass, and total body bone mineral density by dual x-ray absorptiometry; motor constructs of mobility and stability by the Toddler Infant Motor Evaluation; and cognitive and language function by the Capute Scales of Infant Language and Cognitive Development. GH-treated PWS subjects demonstrated normalization of length/height standard deviation scores (SDS), faster head growth, increased lean body mass accrual, and decreased percent body fat (P < 0.005 for all parameters), as well as improved language (P = 0.05) and cognitive (P = 0.02) quotient Z-scores compared with similarly aged untreated PWS subjects after 1 year into the study. PWS subjects treated before their first birthday spoke their first words at a mean age of 14.4 +/- 2.8 months and walked independently at 23.3 +/- 4.8 months. GH therapy was well-tolerated; however, one PWS subject experienced scoliosis progression. As greater benefits were seen in our study with early treatment, prompt referral to a pediatric endocrinologist for consideration of GH therapy is recommended for PWS at an early age. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6 caused by mutations in RARS2: definition of the clinical spectrum and molecular findings in five patients.

PubMed

Cassandrini, Denise; Cilio, Maria Roberta; Bianchi, Marzia; Doimo, Mara; Balestri, Martina; Tessa, Alessandra; Rizza, Teresa; Sartori, Geppo; Meschini, Maria Chiara; Nesti, Claudia; Tozzi, Giulia; Petruzzella, Vittoria; Piemonte, Fiorella; Bisceglia, Luigi; Bruno, Claudio; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; D'Amico, Adele; Fattori, Fabiana; Carrozzo, Rosalba; Salviati, Leonardo; Santorelli, Filippo M; Bertini, Enrico

2013-01-01

Recessive mutations in the mitochondrial arginyl-transfer RNA synthetase (RARS2) gene have been associated with early onset encephalopathy with signs of oxidative phosphorylation defects classified as pontocerebellar hypoplasia 6. We describe clinical, neuroimaging and molecular features on five patients from three unrelated families who displayed mutations in RARS2. All patients rapidly developed a neonatal or early-infantile epileptic encephalopathy with intractable seizures. The long-term follow-up revealed a virtual absence of psychomotor development, progressive microcephaly, and feeding difficulties. Mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes in muscle and fibroblasts were normal in two. Blood and CSF lactate was abnormally elevated in all five patients at early stages while appearing only occasionally abnormal with the progression of the disease. Cerebellar vermis hypoplasia with normal aspect of the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres appeared within the first months of life at brain MRI. In three patients follow-up neuroimaging revealed a progressive pontocerebellar and cerebral cortical atrophy. Molecular investigations of RARS2 disclosed the c.25A>G/p.I9V and the c.1586+3A>T in family A, the c.734G>A/p.R245Q and the c.1406G>A/p.R469H in family B, and the c.721T>A/p.W241R and c.35A>G/p.Q12R in family C. Functional complementation studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that mutation MSR1-R531H (equivalent to human p.R469H) abolished respiration whereas the MSR1-R306Q strain (corresponding to p.R245Q) displayed a reduced growth on non-fermentable YPG medium. Although mutations functionally disrupted yeast we found a relatively well preserved arginine aminoacylation of mitochondrial tRNA. Clinical and neuroimaging findings are important clues to raise suspicion and to reach diagnostic accuracy for RARS2 mutations considering that biochemical abnormalities may be absent in muscle biopsy.

[Assessment of motor and sensory pathways of the brain using diffusion-tensor tractography in children with cerebral palsy].

PubMed

Memedyarov, A M; Namazova-Baranova, L S; Ermolina, Y V; Anikin, A V; Maslova, O I; Karkashadze, M Z; Klochkova, O A

2014-01-01

Diffusion tensor tractography--a new method of magnetic resonance imaging, that allows to visualize the pathways of the brain and to study their structural-functional state. The authors investigated the changes in motor and sensory pathways of brain in children with cerebral palsy using routine magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-tensor tractography. The main group consisted of 26 patients with various forms of cerebral palsy and the comparison group was 25 people with normal psychomotor development (aged 2 to 6 years) and MR-picture of the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on the scanner with the induction of a magnetic field of 1,5 Tesla. Coefficients of fractional anisotropy and average diffusion coefficient estimated in regions of the brain containing the motor and sensory pathways: precentral gyrus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, thalamus, posterior thalamic radiation and corpus callosum. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) values of fractional anisotropy and average diffusion coefficient in patients with cerebral palsy in relation to the comparison group. All investigated regions, the coefficients of fractional anisotropy in children with cerebral palsy were significantly lower, and the average diffusion coefficient, respectively, higher. These changes indicate a lower degree of ordering of the white matter tracts associated with damage and subsequent development of gliosis of varying severity in children with cerebral palsy. It is shown that microstructural damage localized in both motor and sensory tracts that plays a leading role in the development of the clinical picture of cerebral palsy.

Do developmental milestones at 4, 8, 12 and 24 months predict IQ at 5-6 years old? Results of the EDEN mother-child cohort.

PubMed

Peyre, Hugo; Charkaluk, Marie-Laure; Forhan, Anne; Heude, Barbara; Ramus, Franck

2017-03-01

The present study aims: (i) to determine how well developmental milestones at 4, 8, 12 and 24 months may predict IQ at 5-6 years old, (ii) to identify cognitive domains during the first two years that best predict later IQ and (iii) to determine whether children with IQ in the normal range at 5-6 years old may differ from disabled (IQ < 70) and gifted children (IQ > 130) with regard to their early cognitive development. The main developmental milestones were collected through self-administered questionnaires rated by parents at 4, 8, 12 and 24 months and through parental questionnaires administered by a trained interviewer and questionnaires completed following a medical examination at 12 months. These questionnaires were derived from the Brunet-Lézine Psychomotor Development Scale and they addressed several cognitive domains (gross and fine motor skills, language and socialization). (i) Developmental milestones predict a substantial part of the later IQ variance from 24 months (R 2  ∼ 20%). (ii) Early language skills more strongly predict later IQ than the other cognitive domains. (iii) Several cognitive domains, but particularly language skills, predict disabled children at 5-6 years old (from the age of 8 months) and gifted children (from the age of 12 months). The present study provides valuable information for early developmental assessment and could contribute to a better understanding of intellectual development. Copyright © 2016 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chorea--an unusual manifestation in a woman recovering from myxedema coma.

PubMed

Yu, Catherine H Y; Stovel, Rebecca; Fox, Susan

2012-01-01

To report a case of reversible chorea in a woman with myxedema coma. We describe the clinical course, imaging findings, and laboratory test results of a patient who initially presented with myxedema coma and then developed reversible chorea upon treatment. A 33-year-old woman with a known history of primary hypothyroidism presented with a 3-week history of lethargy, progressing to a precipitous decline in consciousness that required intubation. Physical examination revealed concurrent hypothermia and bradycardia. Laboratory investigations demonstrated a thyrotropin concentration greater than 100 mIU/L, a free triiodothyronine concentration of 1.9 pg/mL, and a free thyroxine concentration of 0.24 ng/dL, but no other metabolic abnormalities. She was treated with intravenous levothyroxine therapy on the first 2 days of hospital admission (200 mcg and 250 mcg, respectively). On day 2, she was obeying commands and she was extubated. She began exhibiting choreiform movements. Thyroid function test results revealed a normal free thyroxine concentration (1.10 ng/dL), but an elevated thyrotropin concentration (40.98 mIU/L) and a low free triiodothyronine concentration (1.9 pg/mL). Findings from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of her brain and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid were normal. Her regimen was transitioned to oral levothyroxine, 88 mcg daily, and by day 4, her choreiform movements ceased. Neurologic manifestations of hypothyroidism include psychomotor slowing, memory deficits, and dementia, with myxedema coma at the extreme of this spectrum. Although chorea is a rare manifestation of hyperthyroidism, this is the first report of a patient with acquired, reversible choreiform movement disorder while still being severely hypothyroid and treated with levothyroxine.

Cognitive Function Among Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients in North East Malaysia.

PubMed

Yusop, Che Yusfarina Che; Mohamad, Irfan; Mohammad, Wan Mohd Zahiruddin Wan; Abdullah, Baharudin

2017-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea patients may develop deficits in the cognitive domains of attention, concentration, executive function, verbal and visuospatial memory, constructional abilities, and psychomotor functioning. As cognitive performance will improve with the treatment, early screening for cognitive dysfunction should be done to prevent further deterioration. We aim to evaluate the cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea patients by using the 'Mini Mental State Examination'. This was a cross sectional study to evaluate the cognitive function of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea patients with age ranged from 18 to 60 old who attended our sleep clinic. These patients were confirmed to have moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea by Type 1 polysomnography (attended full overnight study). The age, gender and ethnicity were noted and other relevant data such as weight, height, body mass index and apnea and hypopnoea index were recorded accordingly. The cognitive function was evaluated using validated Malay version of Mini Mental State Examination which measured 5 areas of cognitive functions comprising orientation, registration, attention and calculation, word recall and language abilities, and visuospatial. A total of 38 patients participated in this study. All 19 patients of moderate group and 14 patients of severe group had normal cognitive function while only 5 patients in severe group had mild cognitive function impairment. There was a statistically significant difference between the moderate group and severe group on cognitive performance (p value = 0.042). Severe obstructive sleep apnea patients may have impaired cognitive function. Mini Mental State Examination is useful in the screening of cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea patients but in normal score, more sophisticated test batteries are required as it is unable to identify in 'very minimal' or 'extremely severe' cognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Clinical analysis of three cases with infant botulism and review of literature].

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Xu, Wenrui; Zhao, Manman; Wu, Ye; Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Chunyu; Wang, Ying; Liu, Xueqin; Lu, Shan; Xu, Xuefang

2016-03-01

To analyze the clinical characteristics and diagnosis of three cases with infant botulism. Clinical data of three clinically diagnosed cases with infant botulism in May 2015 in Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Literature search at databases of PubMed, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP with the key words"infant AND botulism". The date of literature retrieval was from the database founding to November 2015. The characteristics of infant botulism were summarized through review of literature. Three patients were infants of 4-8 months of age, and all had acute onsets of anorexia and poor response. All of them had normal psychomotor development previously, and without clear history of exposure to poisons. The main findings on physical examination were reduced muscle strength and hypotonia, dullness or disappeared pupillary light reflex, reduced facial expression, weak crying and dysphagia. Unexpectedly their states of consciousness were relatively normal. Finally, through identification and PCR genotyping of bacteria in stool, 2 cases were confirmed as Clostridium (C.) botulinum type B infection. Totally 446 reports were retrieved from foreign language literature and 52 reports from Chinese literature. More than 3,000 cases of infant botulism cases were reported in the world. Rare cases were reported in China and only 1 case was reported in 2000. Most cases of infant botulism had no clear exposure history. The main clinical manifestations are hypotonia, cranial nerve paralysis, flaccid paralysis, but different patients may have different presentations. Detection of C. Botulinum and its toxin in stool can help to confirm the diagnosis. Infant botulism is relatively rare in China, which may be related to the insufficient understanding and inspection level of the disease. It might be underestimated in China.

The development and psychometric assessment of a questionnaire to assess sleep and daily troubles in parents of children and young adults with severe psychomotor impairment.

PubMed

Tietze, Anna L; Zernikow, Boris; Otto, Michael; Hirschfeld, Gerrit; Michel, Erik; Koh, Michelle; Blankenburg, Markus

2014-02-01

Children with severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI) often experience sleep disturbances that severely distress both the child and his or her parents. Validated questionnaires for the assessment of parents' distress related to their child's sleep disturbances are lacking. We developed and validated a new questionnaire, the HOST (holistic assessment of sleep and daily troubles in parents of children with SPMI) to assess the effect of the sleep disturbances in children with SPMI on their parents. The questionnaire was developed based on published data and expert opinion, and it was refined via direct consultation with affected parents. Its psychometric characteristics were assessed in a sample of parents of 214 children with SPMI. It was retested using a random subsample of the participants. Explorative factor analysis revealed that the HOST was composed of four scales. Fit indices, item analysis, and convergent validity (coherence with preexisting instruments of sleep disturbances and health status) were adequate. Retest analysis (n=62) revealed high stability of the HOST questionnaire and adequate replication validity. Sleep-related difficulties significantly impact the sociomedical characteristics of the parents of children with complex neurologic diseases. Typically, parents are severely affected in various aspects of daily life (i.e., medical health, social life, professional life). The HOST proved to be a valid, reliable and economical assessment tool of sleep-related difficulties in parents and relatives of children with SPMI. The HOST is capable of identifying individuals and specific areas requiring intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.