Developmental changes in visual–cognitive and attentional functions in infancy

Abstract

BackgroundIdentifying developmental changes in visual-cognitive and attentional functions during infancy may lead to early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD and ADHD. AimsTo clarify the developmental changes in visual–cognitive and attentional functions during infancy (3–36 months of age). Study designCross-sectional study. SubjectsWe included 23, 24, 31, and 26 participants aged 3, 9, 18, and 36 months, respectively (full-term births). Fifteen children who cried intensely or whose data could not be accurately recorded were excluded. Outcome measuresThree activities were given to each child while they were seated in front of a gaze-tracking device to evaluate re-gaze, motion transparency, and color–motion integration. We analyzed whether the child's attention shifted to the new stimulus in their peripheral vision in the re-gaze task. In the motion transparency and color–motion integration tasks, two images were presented simultaneously on the screen. In the motion transparency task, participants preferred random dots moving in opposite directions; in the color–motion task, they preferred subjective contours from apparent motion stimuli consisting of random red and green dots with different luminance. ResultsIn the re-gaze task, fewer 3-month-olds gazed at the new target than other age groups participants. All ages showed preference for target stimuli in the motion transparency task, but 3-month-olds showed significantly lower preference in the color–motion integration task. ConclusionThese tasks may be useful for measuring visual–cognitive and attentional functions in infants.