Children born with very low birth weight show difficulties with sustained attention but not response inhibition.

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Children born with very low birth weight show difficulties with sustained attention but not response inhibition. Katherine A. Johnson1*, Elaine Healy2, Barbara Dooley3, Simon P. Kelly4 and Fiona McNicholas2 1 University of Melbourne, School of Psychological Sciences, Australia 2 Lucena Clinic, Ireland 3 University College Dublin, School of Psychology, Ireland 4 City College of New York, Department of Biomedical Engineering, United States Children born with very low birth weight (VLBW) perform poorly on executive function batteries, showing difficulties on tasks measuring response inhibition, task switching, working memory, verbal fluency and concept generation. Impairments have also been shown on attention measures, including difficulties with selective, sustained, shifting and divided attention control. Previous sustained attention research on children with VLBW has used tasks that have methodological problems. Any difficulties with sustained attention may underpin problematic performances on tasks measuring higher-order cognitive control. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of VLBW and normal birth weight (NBW) children on a well-controlled task of sustained attention. The Fixed and Random versions of the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) were given to 17 VLBW and 18 NBW children. The response time data were analysed using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to define fast- and slow-frequency contributions to overall response variability. The VLBW group performed the Fixed and Random SARTs in a similar manner as the NBW group on all measures except for the omission error and Slow Frequency Area under the Spectra (SFAUS) variables on the Fixed SART. These measures index lapses in sustained attention. The VLBW group showed no response inhibition deficits. Omission error and SFAUS measures are sensitive measures of behaviour associated with premature birth and low birth weight and may mark difficulties with sustained attention and arousal during a predictable, taxing task. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge Dr Martin White, Dr Margaret Sheridan and Niamh O'Connor for their assistance with the study. Keywords: Attention, low birth weight, sustained attention, omission errors, response time variability Conference: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013. Presentation Type: Oral Topic: Attention Citation: Johnson KA, Healy E, Dooley B, Kelly SP and McNicholas F (2013). Children born with very low birth weight show difficulties with sustained attention but not response inhibition.. Conference Abstract: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00133 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 15 Oct 2013; Published Online: 25 Nov 2013. * Correspondence: Dr. Katherine A Johnson, University of Melbourne, School of Psychological Sciences, Melbourne, Australia, kajo@unimelb.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Katherine A Johnson Elaine Healy Barbara Dooley Simon P Kelly Fiona McNicholas Google Katherine A Johnson Elaine Healy Barbara Dooley Simon P Kelly Fiona McNicholas Google Scholar Katherine A Johnson Elaine Healy Barbara Dooley Simon P Kelly Fiona McNicholas PubMed Katherine A Johnson Elaine Healy Barbara Dooley Simon P Kelly Fiona McNicholas Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.