Deficits In Transfer Research Articles

Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI and spectroscopy of gas exchange abnormalities in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis

PurposeTo evaluate 3D gas-exchange functional imaging characteristics using 129Xe MRI in a group of study participants with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP) as compared with healthy control participants. MethodsIn this prospective study, 11 participants with clinical and CT findings of CHP (4M 7F, mean age 67 ± 6.1 years) as well as 41 healthy subjects (25M 16F, mean age 44 ± 18 years) were enrolled between 2017 and 2022 and underwent 129Xe MRI. Three-dimensional images of ventilation, interstitial membrane uptake, and RBC transfer were rendered into quantitative 3D maps relative to a healthy reference cohort. In addition, 129Xe spectroscopy was used to assess the RBC:membrane ratio (RBC:M), the oxygen-dependent RBC chemical shift, and cardiogenically-driven RBC oscillation amplitude. Differences between the CHP participants and healthy subjects were assessed using the two-sample t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test as appropriate. ResultsCHP participants demonstrated significant differences in 6 parameters (p < 0.001) including regions of reduced ventilation, increased membrane uptake, and reduced RBC transfer as compared to healthy subjects. Gas exchange abnormalities measured on spectroscopy included a reduced RBC:M, reduced RBC chemical shift, and increased RBC oscillation amplitude. ConclusionIn participants with CHP, 129Xe MRI demonstrated gas exchange abnormalities common to other fibrotic lung diseases including increased membrane uptake, deficits in RBC transfer, and reduced RBC:M. However, CHP participants also exhibited prominent ventilation abnormalities, which may be reflective of the airway-centric nature of the disease. Further, the high variability observed in the membrane uptake could suggest varying degrees of disease progression or activity.

Compromised interhemispheric transfer of information partially mediates cognitive function deficits in adolescents with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been associated with compromised interhemispheric transfer of tactile stimuli in childhood and structural changes to the corpus callosum (CC). In this study, we used a finger localization task (FLT) to investigate whether interhemispheric transfer deficits persist in adolescence; whether effects of PAE on perceptual reasoning, working memory, and executive function are mediated by deficits in interhemispheric transfer of information; and whether CC size in childhood predicts FLT performance in adolescence. Participants, aged 16 to 17years, were from the Cape Town Longitudinal Cohort, whose mothers were recruited during pregnancy and interviewed regarding their alcohol use using the timeline follow-back method. Diagnoses of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and partial FAS (PFAS) were determined by two expert dysmorphologists; nonsyndromal exposed children were designated as heavily exposed (HE); those born to abstainers or light drinkers, as controls. The FLT was administered to 74 participants (12 FAS, 16 PFAS, 14 HE and 32 controls). CC size at age 9 to 12years was available for 35 participants (7 FAS, 13 PFAS, 5 HE and 10 control). Although the degree of PAE was similar in the FAS, PFAS, and HE groups, only the adolescents with FAS showed more transfer-related errors than controls in conditions in which one finger was stimulated. FLT performance mediated the effects of FAS on perceptual reasoning and executive function. In the subsample for which neuroimaging data from childhood were available, there was an association among adolescents with PAE of smaller CC volumes with more transfer-related errors on the one-finger/hand hidden condition, suggesting that CC damage previously seen in childhood continues to impact function through adolescence. This study provides evidence of compromised interhemispheric transfer of information in adolescents with FAS, while those with PFAS or heavy exposed nonsyndromal individuals are apparently spared. It is the first to show that PAE effects on important aspects of cognitive function are partially mediated by deficits in the interhemispheric transfer of information.

Cross-subunit interactions that stabilize open states mediate gating in NMDA receptors

NMDA receptors are excitatory channels with critical functions in the physiology of central synapses. Their activation reaction proceeds as a series of kinetically distinguishable, reversible steps, whose structural bases are currently under investigation. Very likely, the earliest steps include glutamate binding to glycine-bound receptors and subsequent constriction of the ligand-binding domain. Later, three short linkers transduce this movement to open the gate by mechanical pulling on transmembrane helices. Here, we used molecular and kinetic simulations and double-mutant cycle analyses to show that a direct chemical interaction between GluN1-I642 (on M3 helix) and GluN2A-L550 (on L1-M1 linker) stabilizes receptors after they have opened and thus represents one of the structural changes that occur late in the activation reaction. This native interaction extends the current decay, and its absence causes deficits in charge transfer by GluN1-I642L, a pathogenic human variant.

Exploring the relationship between visuospatial function and age-related deficits in motor skill transfer.

Generalizing learned information from one motor task to another is critical for effective motor rehabilitation. A recent study demonstrated age-related declines in motor skill transfer, yet findings from other motor learning studies suggest that visuospatial impairments may explain such aging effects. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to test whether age-related deficits in motor skill transfer were related to low visuospatial ability. Forty-two participants (mean ± SD age: 72.1 ± 9.9years) were tested on an upper extremity dexterity task before and after 3days of training on an upper extremity reaching task. Training and control data have been published previously. Prior to training, global cognitive status and specific cognitive domains (visuospatial/executive, attention, and delayed memory) were evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Backward-stepwise linearregression indicated that the Visuospatial/Executive subtest was related to motor skill transfer (i.e., the amount of change in performance on the untrained motor task), such that participants with higher visuospatial scores improved more on the untrained dexterity task than those with lower scores. Global cognitive status was unrelated to motor skill transfer. Consistent with previous studies showing a positive relationship between visuospatial function and other aspects of motor learning, this secondary analysis indicates that less motor skill transfer among older adults may indeed be due to declines in visuospatial function. The present study highlights the potential utility of assessing older patients' visuospatial ability within motor rehabilitation to provide valuable insight into the extent to which they may learn and generalize motor skills through training.

Control of lateral weight transfer is associated with walking speed in individuals post-stroke

Restoring functional gait speed is an important goal for rehabilitation post-stroke. During walking, transferring of one’s body weight between the limbs and maintaining balance stability are necessary for independent functional gait. Although it is documented that individuals post-stroke commonly have difficulties with performing weight transfer onto their paretic limbs, it remains to be determined if these deficits contributed to slower walking speeds. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the weight transfer characteristics between slow and fast post-stroke ambulators. Participants (N=36) with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis walked at their comfortable and maximal walking speeds on a treadmill. Participants were stratified into 2 groups based on their comfortable walking speeds (≥0.8m/s or <0.8m/s). Minimum body center of mass (COM) to center of pressure (COP) distance, weight transfer timing, step width, lateral foot placement relative to the COM, hip moment, peak vertical and anterior ground reaction forces, and changes in walking speed were analyzed. Results showed that slow walkers walked with a delayed and deficient weight transfer to the paretic limb, lower hip abductor moment, and more lateral paretic limb foot placement relative to the COM compared to fast walkers. In addition, propulsive force and walking speed capacity was related to lateral weight transfer ability. These findings demonstrated that deficits in lateral weight transfer and stability could potentially be one of the limiting factors underlying comfortable walking speeds and a determinant of chronic stroke survivors’ ability to increase walking speed.

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule-positive CD8 T lymphocytes mediate central nervous system inflammation.

Although Tc17 lymphocytes are enriched in the central nervous system (CNS) of multiple sclerosis (MS) subjects and of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animals, limited information is available about their recruitment into the CNS and their role in neuroinflammation. Identification of adhesion molecules used by autoaggressive CD8(+) T lymphocytes to enter the CNS would allow further characterization of this pathogenic subset and could provide new therapeutic targets in MS. We propose that melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) is a surface marker and adhesion molecule used by pathogenic CD8(+) T lymphocytes to access the CNS. Frequency, phenotype, and function of MCAM(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes was characterized using a combination of ex vivo, in vitro, in situ, and in vivo approaches in humans and mice, including healthy controls, MS subjects, and EAE animals. Herein, we report that MCAM is expressed by human effector CD8(+) T lymphocytes and it is strikingly upregulated during MS relapses. We further demonstrate that MCAM(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes express more interleukin 17, interferon γ, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor than MCAM(-) lymphocytes, and exhibit an enhanced killing capacity toward oligodendrocytes. MCAM blockade restricts the transmigration of CD8(+) T lymphocytes across human blood-brain barrier endothelial cells in vitro, and blocking or depleting MCAM in vivo reduces chronic neurological deficits in active, transfer, and spontaneous progressive EAE models. Our data demonstrate that MCAM identifies encephalitogenic CD8(+) T lymphocytes, suggesting that MCAM could represent a biomarker of MS disease activity and a valid target for the treatment of neuroinflammatory conditions.

Deficits in information transfer between hospital-based and primary-care physicians, the case of kidney disease: a cross-sectional study.

Late recognition plays an important role in prognosis associated with kidney disease; thus, information transfer at hospital discharge regarding kidney disease is crucial. Whether it is notified in patients' hospital discharge summary (HDS) is presently largely unknown. Cross-sectional. The prevalence of kidney dysfunction [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)] and its reporting to primary-care physicians from 26 units [11 surgery, 11 medical, 4 intensive care units (ICUs)] of a university hospital were analyzed in 14,000 hospitalizations. eGFR. Notification of kidney dysfunction in HDS. GFR was estimated from serum creatinine using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Kidney dysfunction was frequent (27.2 %) but infrequently notified in the main-body of the HDS (overall 25.3 %, medical 25 %, surgical 16.3 %, ICU 48.4 %) even when severe (eGFR 15-29.9 ml/min/1.73 m(2) was notified in 68.8, 38.5, and 79.8 % of HDSs in medical, surgical and ICUs, respectively). Notification in the HDS conclusion was rare (overall 11.4 %, medical 9.8 %, surgical 8.4 %, ICU 27.5 %). Reporting remained low when eGFR remained abnormal at discharge (medical 35.8 %, surgical 22.5 %, ICU 62.2 %) but was worse for acute kidney injury (16.0, 17.1, and 37.7 %, respectively). The optimal eGFR cut-off for reporting was 39 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Longer durations of hospitalization, greater numbers of creatinine measurements and of abnormal eGFR were associated with notification, regardless of the type of unit. Lack of data to define acute or chronic kidney injury with precision. Kidney dysfunction is frequent in hospitalized patients but is usually not notified, even when severe or still present at discharge, suggesting that it is not considered important to disclose to primary-care physicians. This lack of information may decrease physicians' awareness, and may affect continuity of care in patients with kidney dysfunction.

Discharge summary for medically complex infants transitioning to primary care.

Improvements in the care of the premature infant and advancements in technology are increasing life expectancy of infants with medical conditions once considered lethal; these infants are at risk of becoming a medically complex infant. Complex infants have a significant existing problem list, are on several medications, and receive medical care by several specialists. Deficits in communication and information transfer at the time of discharge remain problematic for this population. A questionnaire was developed for primary care providers (PCPs) to explore the effectiveness of the current discharge summary because it is related to effective communication when assuming the care of a new patient with medical complexity. PCPs assuming the care of these infants agree that an evidence-based tool, in the form of a specialized summary for this population, would be of value.

Deficits in information transfer between anaesthesiologist and postanaesthesia care unit staff

The immediate postoperative period is important, as the patient recovers from the acute derangements resulting from the surgical insult and anaesthesia. Incomplete or incorrect communication between the anaesthesiologist and the postanaesthesia care unit nurse during the transfer process may lead to dangerous clinical mistakes. The literature examining handovers from operating room to the postanaesthesia care unit is scarce. The primary objective of this study was to examine the current transfer practice through observation of handovers between the anaesthesiologists and the postanaesthesia care unit staff in order to identify data omissions. The secondary objective was to learn which data items the clinicians and nurses thought were a necessary part of the transfer process and whether this information was communicated at the time of handover. A prospective observational study. Academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. After Research Ethics Board approval, a prospective observational study was conducted at a university-affiliated teaching centre. During a 2-month period, multiple observations of patient handover were performed. The data provided were marked on a checklist. At the end of the study, participating nurses and physicians were surveyed regarding the necessity of communicating different items on the checklist. A total of 526 transfers were observed. Of 29 data items examined, only two items (type of surgery and analgesics given) were reported in more than 90% of handovers. Only three items (difficult intubation, ST-wave changes and co-morbidities/healthy) were reported in more than 80% of cases. Many items deemed as needed to be reported by the participants in the study were not communicated. This study demonstrates that the handover process is inconsistent and in some cases information defined as important by the physicians and the nurses is not transferred. Further studies need to investigate whether a handover protocol leads to a minimisation of omissions in information transfer.

Developing strategies for predicting and preventing readmissions in vascular surgery

The escalating cost burden of hospital readmission has prompted recent nationwide efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of this important quality measure. Because patients undergoing vascular surgery account for a significant proportion of readmissions, vascular surgeons may face reduced reimbursements in the near future if these trends continue. However, risk factors associated with readmission remain poorly defined, and further research is needed to identify interventions that will prevent readmission following vascular procedures. Accordingly, this manuscript will (1) propose a conceptual model to explain the driving forces behind readmissions in vascular surgery, (2) review current evidence directed at identifying risk factors and evaluating interventions to reduce readmissions across different medical and surgical specialties, and (3) identify key areas in patient care where targeted research or interventions may be implemented in vascular surgery.

Laser Printing of RFID Antenna Coils on Ceramic

Printed electronics are a major field of activity in research and industrial applications nowadays, especially in thick-film technology. Within the last decade, large progress was made to digitally print electronic circuits, in order to supplement or replace the established screen printing technology. The advantage of digital printing is its capability to rapidly produce any layout desired at minimum space requirements. This highly flexible production method is especially applicable for prototyping and small series productions. Electrophotography, commonly known as laser printing, has been considered very rarely as a method for digital printing of electronic circuits. It is a completely solvent-free method with high speeds and a high potential regarding precision. At Helmut Schmidt University, electrophotography is tried to be established as an alternative method to print silver lines as basis for a conductive layout. After a first set of conductive silver lines was printed and the results were published, this paper describes the development from initial conductivity to a functional circuit element. Deficits in toner transfer to tape are examined and a more effective transfer method is established. Furthermore, the performance of the used silver toner is improved, and the best toner for the desired application is determined. Silver lines are printed on green tape and sintered in a co-firing process, as well as on ceramic using a post-firing process. After reaching a certain level of quality, a functional RFID antenna coil is printed that proves the capability of the process to create a conductive layout.

Age differences in spatial working memory contributions to visuomotor adaptation and transfer

Throughout our life span we encounter challenges that require us to adapt to the demands of our changing environment; this entails learning new skills. Two primary components of motor skill learning are motor acquisition, the initial process of learning the skill, and motor transfer, when learning a new skill is benefitted by the overlap with a previously learned one. Older adults typically exhibit declines in motor acquisition compared to young adults, but remarkably, do not demonstrate deficits in motor transfer [10]. Our recent work demonstrates that a failure to engage spatial working memory (SWM) is associated with skill learning deficits in older adults [16]. Here, we investigate the role that SWM plays in both motor learning and transfer in young and older adults. Both age groups exhibited performance savings, or positive transfer, at transfer of learning for some performance variables. Measures of spatial working memory performance and reaction time correlated with both motor learning and transfer for young adults. Young adults recruited overlapping brain regions in prefrontal, premotor, parietal and occipital cortex for performance of a SWM and a visuomotor adaptation task, most notably during motor learning, replicating our prior findings [12]. Neural overlap between the SWM task and visuomotor adaptation for the older adults was limited to parietal cortex, with minimal changes from motor learning to transfer. Combined, these results suggest that age differences in engagement of cognitive strategies have a differential impact on motor learning and transfer.

Electrophotographic Printing of RFID Antenna Coils on Cofired and Postfired Ceramics

Digitally printed electronics are a major field of activity in research and industrial applications nowadays, especially in thick-film technology. Within the last decade great progress has been made in print electronics toward the goal of supplementing or replacing the established screen printing technology. The advantage of digital printing is its capability for rapid production without any layout-specific tools (i.e., screens). This highly flexible production method is especially applicable for prototyping and small series productions. Electrophotography, commonly known as laser printing, has been considered very rarely as a method for digital printing of electronic circuits. It is a completely solvent-free method with high speeds and a high potential for precision. At Helmut Schmidt University, electrophotography is being developed as an alternative method to print silver lines as a basis for a conductive layout. Following the publication of the first set of conductive silver lines to be printed, this paper covers the development from initial conductivity to a functional circuit element. Deficits in toner transfer to tape are examined and a more effective transfer method is established. Furthermore, the used silver toner is improved, and its performance is tested regarding the desired application. Silver lines are printed on green tape and sintered in a cofiring process, as well as on ceramic using a postfiring process. After reaching a certain level of quality, a set of functional RFID antenna coils is printed that proves the capability of the process to create a conductive layout.

Volume reduction of the corpus callosum and its relationship with deficits in interhemispheric transfer of information in recent-onset psychosis

The present study aimed to investigate the presence of corpus callosum (CC) volume deficits in a population-based recent-onset psychosis (ROP) sample, and whether CC volume relates to interhemispheric communication deficits. For this purpose, we used voxel-based morphometry comparisons of magnetic resonance imaging data between ROP ( n = 122) and healthy control ( n = 94) subjects. Subgroups (38 ROP and 39 controls) were investigated for correlations between CC volumes and performance on the Crossed Finger Localization Test (CFLT). Significant CC volume reductions in ROP subjects versus controls emerged after excluding substance misuse and non-right-handedness. CC reductions retained significance in the schizophrenia subgroup but not in affective psychoses subjects. There were significant positive correlations between CC volumes and CFLT scores in ROP subjects, specifically in subtasks involving interhemispheric communication. From these results, we can conclude that CC volume reductions are present in association with ROP. The relationship between such deficits and CFLT performance suggests that interhemispheric communication impairments are directly linked to CC abnormalities in ROP.

Social cognition in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum

Past research has revealed that individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) have deficits in interhemispheric transfer, complex novel problem-solving, and the comprehension of paralinguistic aspects of language. Case studies and family reports also suggest problems in social cognition. The performance of 11 individuals with complete ACC and with normal intelligence was compared to that of 13 IQ- and age-matched controls on three measures of social cognition. Individuals with ACC were indistinguishable from controls on the Happé Theory of Mind Stories and the Adult Faux Pas Test, but performed significantly worse on various portions of the Thames Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) involving interpretations of videotaped social vignettes. Further analysis of the TASIT indicated that individuals with ACC showed deficiency in the recognition of emotion, weakness in understanding paradoxical sarcasm, and particular difficulty interpreting textual versus visual social cues. These results suggest that the tendency for deficient social cognition in individuals with ACC stems from a combination of difficulty integrating information from multiple sources, using paralinguistic cues for emotion, and understanding nonliteral speech. Together, these deficits would contribute to a less robust theory of mind.

Creating a better discharge summary: Improvement in quality and timeliness using an electronic discharge summary

Deficits in information transfer between inpatient and outpatient physicians are common and potentially dangerous. To evaluate the effect of a newly-created electronic discharge summary. Pre-post evaluation of discharge summaries using a survey of outpatient physicians and a medical records review. Outpatient physicians' ratings of satisfaction with discharge summaries before and after implementation of an electronic discharge summary using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied; 5 = very satisfied). Additionally, 196 randomly selected discharge summaries before and after implementation were rated for timeliness and presence of 16 key content areas by 3 internists. Two hundred and twenty-six of 416 (54%) and 256 of 397 (64%) outpatient physicians completed the baseline and postimplementation surveys. Satisfaction with quality and timeliness of discharge summaries improved with the use of the electronic discharge summary (mean quality rating 3.04 versus 3.64; P < 0.001, mean timeliness rating 2.59 versus 3.34; P < 0.001). A higher percentage of electronic discharge summaries were completed within 3 days of discharge as compared with dictated discharge summaries (44.8% versus 74.1%; P < 0.001). Several elements of the discharge summary were present more often with the electronic discharge summary, including discussion of follow-up issues (52.0% versus 75.8%; P = 0.001), pending test results (13.9% versus 46.3%; P < 0.001), and information provided to the patient and/or family (85.1% versus 95.8%; P = 0.01). The use of an electronic discharge summary significantly improved the quality and timeliness of discharge summaries.

Deficits in Communication and Information Transfer Between Hospital-Based and Primary Care Physicians

Delayed or inaccurate communication between hospital-based and primary care physicians at hospital discharge may negatively affect continuity of care and contribute to adverse events. To characterize the prevalence of deficits in communication and information transfer at hospital discharge and to identify interventions to improve this process. MEDLINE (through November 2006), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and hand search of article bibliographies. Observational studies investigating communication and information transfer at hospital discharge (n = 55) and controlled studies evaluating the efficacy of interventions to improve information transfer (n = 18). Data from observational studies were extracted on the availability, timeliness, content, and format of discharge communications, as well as primary care physician satisfaction. Results of interventions were summarized by their effect on timeliness, accuracy, completeness, and overall quality of the information transfer. Direct communication between hospital physicians and primary care physicians occurred infrequently (3%-20%). The availability of a discharge summary at the first postdischarge visit was low (12%-34%) and remained poor at 4 weeks (51%-77%), affecting the quality of care in approximately 25% of follow-up visits and contributing to primary care physician dissatisfaction. Discharge summaries often lacked important information such as diagnostic test results (missing from 33%-63%), treatment or hospital course (7%-22%), discharge medications (2%-40%), test results pending at discharge (65%), patient or family counseling (90%-92%), and follow-up plans (2%-43%). Several interventions, including computer-generated discharge summaries and using patients as couriers, shortened the delivery time of discharge communications. Use of standardized formats to highlight the most pertinent information improved the perceived quality of documents. Deficits in communication and information transfer at hospital discharge are common and may adversely affect patient care. Interventions such as computer-generated summaries and standardized formats may facilitate more timely transfer of pertinent patient information to primary care physicians and make discharge summaries more consistently available during follow-up care.

Outpatient physicians' satisfaction with discharge summaries and perceived need for an electronic discharge summary

Deficits in information transfer between inpatient and outpatient physicians are common and potentially dangerous. To evaluate satisfaction with current discharge summaries, perceptions of preventable adverse events related to suboptimal information transfer, and the perceived need for the electronic discharge summary we plan to design. : Survey of Department of Medicine physicians with an outpatient practice. Satisfaction with timeliness and quality of discharge summaries was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents estimated the number of patients with preventable adverse events related to suboptimal information transfer at discharge. Of the 416 eligible respondents, 226 completed the survey (54%). Only 19% of the participants were satisfied or very satisfied with timeliness, and only 32% were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of discharge summaries. Overall, 41% believed that at least 1 of their patients hospitalized in the previous 6 months had experienced a preventable adverse event related to poor transfer of information at discharge. Physicians were not satisfied with the timeliness or quality of discharge summaries. Physicians indicated that suboptimal transfer of information at hospital discharge contributed to preventable adverse events.

Righting Wrong Site Surgery

As defined by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), wrong site surgery includes wrong side or siteof the body, wrong procedure, and wrong-patient surgeries. Although many health care organizations are implementing guidelines and procedures to decrease the occurrence of wrong site surgery, numerous barriers to their effectiveness have been identified. A human factors system analysis can be used to better understand how elements of a work system combine andinteract to contribute to breakdowns in the system. A case study of wrong site surgery in an outpatient setting illustrates how the different work systtem elements can contribute to the occurrence of a wrong site surgery. In analyzing the care process, it is particularly important to identify the transitions of care, which can be sources of patient safety problems when deficits in communication and information transfer occur (for example, miscommunication, information not transmitted on time, wrong information transmitted, misunderstanding of the information transmitted). After a wrong site surgery, conduct a root cause analysis that uses the work system model and includes a surgery care process analysis similar to the one described in the case study; collaborate with human factors engineers to learn how to apply the work system model; apply the work system model to process analysis; and optimize work systems.

Interhemispheric Transfer in Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Background Prenatal alcohol exposure has long been associated with alterations in brain structure and behavioral changes. The corpus callosum can be affected by heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, and agenesis (absence) of this structure occurs more often in children with fetal alcohol syndrome than in the general population or in other developmentally delayed populations. Although the majority of children with fetal alcohol syndrome do not have agenesis of the corpus callosum, callosal area is reduced in this population, particularly in the anterior and posterior regions. However, the functional implication of these size reductions has not been examined.Methods The current study used a finger localization task to measure the transfer of information across the corpus callosum in children and adolescents with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and age‐ and sex‐matched controls. In a subset of children, correlational analysis was also conducted between behavioral data and cross‐sectional area of the corpus callosum.Results When compared with nonexposed controls, alcohol‐exposed children made more errors on trials for which information had to cross the corpus callosum (“crossed” trials) than on trials for which it did not (“uncrossed” trials), and they also made more errors as the task increased in complexity. Additionally, correlations with magnetic resonance imaging data in a subset of children revealed that impairment in interhemispheric transfer was related to reductions in the size of the corpus callosum. These correlations were independent of effects expected from the relationship between corpus callosum size and general intellectual functioning alone.Conclusions These findings suggest that children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure display subtle deficits in the interhemispheric transfer of information in the somatosensory domain. Such deficits in interhemispheric transfer are likely to be related to the myriad of other behavioral and cognitive impairments observed in these children.