General Intellectual Ability Research Articles

Enhanced motor noise in an autism subtype with poor motor skills

BackgroundMotor difficulties are common in many, but not all, autistic individuals. These difficulties can co-occur with other problems, such as delays in language, intellectual, and adaptive functioning. Biological mechanisms underpinning such difficulties are less well understood. Poor motor skills tend to be more common in individuals carrying highly penetrant rare genetic mutations. Such mechanisms may have downstream consequences of altering neurophysiological excitation-inhibition balance and lead to enhanced behavioral motor noise.MethodsThis study combined publicly available and in-house datasets of autistic (n = 156), typically-developing (TD, n = 149), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD, n = 23) children (age 3–16 years). Autism motor subtypes were identified based on patterns of motor abilities measured from the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition. Stability-based relative clustering validation was used to identify autism motor subtypes and evaluate generalization accuracy in held-out data. Autism motor subtypes were tested for differences in motor noise, operationalized as the degree of dissimilarity between repeated motor kinematic trajectories recorded during a simple reach-to-drop task.ResultsRelatively ‘high’ (n = 87) versus ‘low’ (n = 69) autism motor subtypes could be detected and which generalize with 89% accuracy in held-out data. The relatively ‘low’ subtype was lower in general intellectual ability and older at age of independent walking, but did not differ in age at first words or autistic traits or symptomatology. Motor noise was considerably higher in the ‘low’ subtype compared to ‘high’ (Cohen’s d = 0.77) or TD children (Cohen’s d = 0.85), but similar between autism ‘high’ and TD children (Cohen’s d = 0.08). Enhanced motor noise in the ‘low’ subtype was also most pronounced during the feedforward phase of reaching actions.LimitationsThe sample size of this work is limited. Future work in larger samples along with independent replication is important. Motor noise was measured only on one specific motor task. Thus, a more comprehensive assessment of motor noise on many other motor tasks is needed.ConclusionsAutism can be split into at least two discrete motor subtypes that are characterized by differing levels of motor noise. This suggests that autism motor subtypes may be underpinned by different biological mechanisms.

Age-stratified norms for Raven’s standard progressive matrices for Sri Lankan adults

Objective The aim of this study was to create age-stratified norms for the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) for Sri Lankan adults. Methods A sample of 610 adults (age: 18–72 years; education: 1–19 years), underwent the 60-item version of the SPM under individual supervision of a test administrator. The sample was stratified into 5-year age bands, and the norms are presented as percentile tables and percentile curves. Results The age-related changes were more accurately predicted by a curvilinear model (overall R 2 = 0.961) than a linear regression model (R 2 = 0.639). The SPM norms are presented as age-stratified percentile tables, as well as sex-, age- and education-adjusted multiple regression equations. The highest percentiles in the younger end of the age spectrum showed a ceiling effect. In the context of age-stratified US (1993) and British (1992) norms, older individuals in the Sri Lankan sample scored much lower than their Western counterparts. However, the difference narrowed in the younger age bands, showing no difference among the 18-to-22-year age bands in the three countries. Conclusions This age-by-country interaction can be partly explained by poorer education in the older individuals in the present sample compared to those in the US and UK standardization samples. SPM norms presented in this paper fill a hiatus in assessment of general intellectual ability in Sri Lankan adults. Given that Sri Lanka improves its educational, socioeconomic and health standards faster than the nations who have already reached higher standards, these norms would require re-standardization in the coming decades.

TEACHING APTITUDE IN RELATION TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF B.ED. STUDENT TEACHERS IN NAGALAND

Aptitude has been identified as an important correlate of academic achievement and professional success in certain specific fields. It is an observable fact that people differ from one another and within themselves in their performance in one or the other field of human activity such as leadership, music, art, mechanical work and teaching etc. Therefore, aptitude may be described as a special ability or specific capacity distinct from the general intellectual ability which helps an individual to acquire the required degree of proficiency on achievement in a specific field. In this study, an attempt has been made to know the quality of teachers through the teaching aptitude test battery. Coefficient of correlation has been established between teaching aptitude score and academic achievement (result) of prospective teachers in Nagaland. The investigator has used Analytic survey method and found number of findings: i) there exist significant difference of mean in teaching aptitude between male and female B.Ed. student teachers in total group, Arts and Science stream B.Ed. student teachers. The female student teachers possess better teaching aptitude than the male student teachers, ii) there exist significant and positive relationship between teaching aptitude and academic achievement of total group, Arts and Science stream male and female B.Ed. student teachers etc.

Cognitive functioning in adolescents with severe obesity undergoing bariatric surgery or intensive non-surgical treatment in Sweden (AMOS2): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial

Severe obesity during childhood is associated with cognitive deficits. Studies in adults have suggested improvements in executive functioning and memory after bariatric surgery. Our aim was to explore changes in cognitive function in adolescents over two years after bariatric surgery or intensive non-surgical treatment. The Adolescent Morbid Obesity Surgery 2 (AMOS2) is a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial in which adolescents (aged 13-16 years) with severe obesity (defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥35kg/m2) at three specialised obesity centres in Sweden, were randomly assigned to receive bariatric surgery or intensive non-surgical treatment. Herein we report the results of the prespecified exploratory endpoint of change in cognitive functioning. Inclusion in AMOS2 required Tanner pubertal stage ≥3, previous participation in lifestyle obesity treatment for at least one year, and passed assessment form a paediatrician and a paediatric psychologist. Adolescents with severe intellectual disability or other severe, pervasive developmental disorder were excluded. Participants underwent baseline assessment of general intellectual ability, executive functioning, and memory before randomisation. Tests were administrated by clinical psychologists and repeated at one- and two-year follow-up timepoints. Differences in means between groups during follow-up are provided with confidence intervals. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02378259. Between October 28 2015 and June 7 2017, 46 adolescents (74% girls), with a mean age of 15.8 (±0.92) years and a mean BMI of 42.8 (±5.4) kg/m2, were included and randomised (23 to bariatric surgery and 23 to intensive non-surgical treatment). At baseline 23/46 (50%) of the adolescents had general intellectual functioning classified as borderline or below. For 15/18 (83%) aspects of cognitive functioning, no significant differences in change over two years were identified between groups; Immediate (average difference during follow-up 1.0 [95% CI:-2.6 to 4.6]) and Delayed (0.5 [95% CI:-0.6 to 1.6]) Verbal Recall, Category Fluency (1.1 [95% CI:-1.6 to 3.8]) and Switching (1.5 [95% CI:-0.0 to 2.9]), Number (-6.0 [95% CI:-12.3 to 0.3]) and Letter (0.1 [95% CI:-5.2 to 5.3]) Sequencing, Number-Letter Switching (-10.3 [95% CI:-26.4 to 5.8]), Motor Speed (-8.3 [95% CI:-17.5 to 0.9]), Colour Naming (-1.9 [95% CI:-4.2 to 0.3]), Inhibition (-3.6 [95% CI:-9.6 to 2.5]), Inhibition Switching (-6.7 [95% CI:-15.3 to 1.9]), Mazes (-0.5 [95% CI:-4.9 to 3.9]), Digit Span Forward (0.1 [95% CI:-0.6 to 0.9 ]) and Backward (0.6 [95% CI:-0.4 to 1.6 ]), and Estimated IQ (0.4 [95% CI:-3.9 to 4.8]; all p>0.05). Three sub-tests assessing fundamental cognitive skills improved more over two years in operated adolescents than in intensive non-surgical treatment; Letter Fluency (average difference during follow-up 3.8 [95% CI: 0.1-7.5]; p=0.046), Visual Scanning (-6.5 [95% CI:-11.6 to-1.5]; p=0.011), and Word Reading (-1.9 [95% CI:-3.3 to-0.4]; p=0.011). In contrast to non-randomised studies in adults, we could not demonstrate an association of bariatric surgery and its accompanying significant weight loss with overall greater improvement in executive functions and memory in adolescents over two years compared with a non-surgical group without weight loss. However, lack of statistical power is a potential limitation. The clinical relevance of greater improvements in basic cognitive skills needs to be explored. Sweden's innovation agency (VINNOVA), Swedish Research Council, Joanna Cocozza foundation for paediatric research, The Skane University Hospital Psychology Research and Development Grant, Tore Nilsson's Foundation, SUS Foundations and Donations, and Mary von Sydow's Foundation.

Psychopathy, Emotional Recognition, and Moral Judgment in Female Inmates

Despite the lower levels of psychopathy in women than in men, the scientific interest in studying psychopathy in female participants is increasing. Nevertheless, the number of studies investigating psychopathy in women and associated phenomena remains low. The influence of psychopathy in women inmates on experimental tasks of emotional recognition and moral judgment was evaluated, aiming to contribute to this field of research. Utilitarian moral judgment was predicted by psychopathy, specifically by primary and secondary psychopathy, while primary psychopathy predicted a worse performance on the emotional recognition task. There was no significant influence of general intellectual abilities on either task. Contrarily to what was expected, emotional recognition did not prove to be a significant mediator of the relationship between psychopathy and utilitarian moral judgment. These results emphasize that the tendency to utilitarian moral judgment and worse recognition of facial expressions of emotion are associated to higher psychopathy scores in female inmates (especially primary psychopathy), but more studies are necessary to address the role of the emotional component in the process of moral judgment.

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children seeking obesity treatment- associations with intellectual ability and psychiatric conditions.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), psychiatric comorbidity and cognitive deficits are commonly seen in children with obesity; however, little is known about the overlap between these conditions. This study aimed to examine the undiagnosed and diagnosed frequency of NDDs and explore its association with psychiatric conditions and general intellectual ability (IQ) in children presenting for obesity treatment. In this observational study at two outpatient obesity clinics during 2018-2019, 80 children (8-17 years) were consecutively recruited, and screened for NDD unless already diagnosed with an NDD. A psychiatric unit evaluated children who screened positive for NDD. Diagnoses and clinical background factors were collected from medical records. IQ was assessed with the Weschler Intelligence Scales and internalizing symptoms were assessed using the Beck Youth Inventories. Associations between background factors, IQ and internalizing symptoms were explored in relation to having an NDD or not. We found that 47/80 children had at least one NDD. Children with a diagnosed NDD before study start (n = 30) had significantly more comorbidities than children diagnosed after the study screening (n = 17) (P = .01). Greater cognitive impairment was seen in children with NDD compared with children without an NDD (P = .01). Also, 33/73 participants self-reported substantial internalizing symptoms. At follow-up, 21/79 participants, in addition to NDD, had been diagnosed with another psychiatric disorder. Ten of these were children that had been diagnosed with an NDD before study start. The overlap between NDD, cognitive deficits and psychiatric conditions in children with obesity is an important consideration for clinical practice. Screening for these conditions may be necessary when providing targeted interventions.

Preparedness of Students for Self-regulated Learning of Mathematics

This work aims to examine the relationship between general self-regulated learning abilities and students' general intellectual abilities, mathematical learning abilities, and academic achievement. A study was conducted with a sample of eighth-grade students (N=325). The research employed a survey and descriptive method, and the instruments used included a test of general intellectual abilities, a test of self-regulated learning abilities, a test to measure mathematical learning abilities, and a standardized math knowledge test. Based on the obtained results, we indicate those factors with high or moderately high correlations. Among the results obtained, there is a high correlation between general intellectual abilities and general self-regulated learning abilities (subtests for interpreting graphs and interpreting geographic maps). The results show a high correlation between the total score on the self-regulated learning abilities test and math achievement. A moderately high correlation was achieved between the test of general intellectual abilities and self-regulated learning abilities (subtests for finding necessary information, exploring new material, and the index of developed abilities and techniques for self-regulated learning). On the math learning ability test, various abilities are differentiated, including formalization of mathematical content, spatial abilities, imagination, flexibility, and critical thinking. Based on the research results, it is considered significant to investigate the effects of different innovative teaching systems and teaching methods on students' self-regulated learning abilities and mathematical learning abilities.

Association of screen use trajectories from early childhood with cognitive development in late childhood: The EDEN mother–child cohort

Screen use has been related to children's cognitive development, but more evidence from longitudinal studies is needed. We investigated the association of screen use trajectories from age 2 to 11–12 years and cognitive development at 11–12 years in 459 children from the EDEN cohort. Parents reported how frequently TV was on during family meals at age 2, 3, 5 and 8 years and children's screen time at the same ages up to 11–12 years. Intellectual abilities were derived from subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test at 11–12 years. Trajectories of screen time and TV on during family meals were identified and examined in relation with intellectual abilities using multivariable linear regression models. Four screen time trajectories were identified: low (11%), average (50%), high (32%), and very high (6%) user. The three trajectories of TV on during family meals were never (41%), sometimes (34%), and often/always (25%). Screen time trajectories were not associated with intellectual abilities at 11–12 years. TV on sometimes (vs never), but not often/always, during family meals was associated with reduced non-verbal and general intellectual abilities. Future studies need to consider the context of screen use, not just the time.

SOCIAL COGNITION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS AND FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF PATIENTS.

Misattribution of motivational salience to non-salient (neutral) stimuli could be viewed as a hallmark of psychosis in schizophrenia. Studies have recently revealed increased subjective experience of emotional arousal (EA) to neutral social stimuli in paranoid schizophrenia psychosis, suggesting a misattribution of emotional salience to them. We examined this phenomenon directly by quantifying the level of EA subjectively attributed to low-arousal, neutral-valenced faces. Patients with remitted schizophrenia (PG) (n=26), first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients (RG) (n=25), and healthy controls (HCG) (n=36) were compared in terms of oxidative stress parameters -serum Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Nitrite, Nitrate, Malondialdehyde, and Total Glutathione levels-, social cognition measured by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and working memory measured by the N-back Task. Groups were compared, assuming that HCG had a genetically lower risk of schizophrenia compared to PG and RG. HCG performed significantly better than PG and RG, who were genetically at high risk, in terms of social cognition (respectively p=0.000, p=0.014), working memory (respectively p=0.001, p=0.003), and had statistically lower Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX) level than the PG and RG (both p:0.000). After controlling for the effect of the general intellectual abilities measured by the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Test and working memory the differences between groups on the Eyes Test disappeared (p=0.057). However, this value tended to be significant. It was concluded that social cognition and working memory and GPx level may be used as endophenotypes and social cognition, working memory, and general intellectual skills are different but strongly related constructs. Endophenotypes guide treatment targets even after the disease has developed. The results of our study showed that in addition to psychopharmacological treatments, interventions to reduce oxidative stress and approaches to improve cognitive skills will have a positive impact on the disease's progression.

Taking it to the extreme: The search for determinants of cognitive vulnerability and resilience in children with autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract:Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) mutations predispose individuals to develop autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) in middle adulthood. While the pathogenesis of ADAD may be different from late-onset sporadic AD (e.g., differences in disease etiology, age of disease onset, etc), these conditions share many characteristics, including similar abnormalities in amyloid and tau biomarkers, brain structure and brain activity, and clinical features (Quiroz et al., 2010, Quiroz et al., 2011, Quiroz et al. 2018). Biomarker investigations of families with ADAD have already shed light on the trajectory of some AD-related brain changes, especially prior to the onset of clinical symptoms.We have been studying a Colombian kindred with a genetic form of AD caused by a single genetic mutation in the PSEN1 (E280A), which serves as a unique model for preclinical AD. Because of a well-defined age at clinical onset, and near 100% penetrance, this kindred provides important information about the time course and relationships between physiological mechanisms and cognitive changes, and in so doing, it has yielded new insights about presymptomatic AD that will enhance future prevention trials for AD, including primary prevention trials.The well-characterized clinical trajectory of these PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers allow us to examine brain function in children, more than three decades before the average age of onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in this cohort (45 years for MCI, 50 years for dementia). This is giving us the unique opportunity to characterize the cognitive and behavioral profiles of children genetically determined to develop dementia in their forties, and is helping us improve our understanding of the impact of ADAD mutations in early life cognitive and brain functioning, as well as its potential impact on learning, academic performance and educational attainment. We previously studied 20 PSEN1 E280A carriers and 20 non-carriers aged 9 to 17 years from the Colombian ADAD cohort and showed that mutation-carrying children were distinguished from non-carriers by plasma biomarker findings consistent with Aß1-42 overproduction, as well as by increased functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex with medial temporal lobe regions (Quiroz et al 2015). More recently, we used the WISC-IV, a measure of general intellectual abilities to examine cognitive abilities in these children. We reported in 265 children with the E280A mutation and 1089 non-carriers that they did not differ on any of the WISC-IV indices. Surprisingly, male carriers performed slightly worse than female carriers on working memory (mean difference = -4.97; P = .001) (Fox-Fuller et al., 2021). Some of our ongoing work includes comprehensive examinations of social, educational and developmental histories along with functional brain networks, as markers of synaptic dysfunction in individuals with ADAD, as this is particularly relevant to understanding the impact of PSEN1 mutations on the developing brain and subsequent neurodegenerative changes seen later in life, without the confounds of aging and age-related comorbidities that often exist in late-onset sporadic AD.Disclosures: Financial: Dr. Quiroz receives a consulting fee from Biogen. Non-Financial: Dr. Quiroz is a Hispanic Neuropsychological Society Member-At-Large and serves as the INS Teleneuropsychology Special Interest Group Chair

16 Superior Verbal Learning and Memory in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors Treated with Proton Versus Photon Radiotherapy

Objective:Radiotherapy for pediatric brain tumor has been associated with late cognitive effects. Compared to conventional photon radiotherapy (XRT), proton radiotherapy (PRT) delivers less radiation to healthy brain tissue. PRT has been associated with improved long term cognitive outcomes compared to XRT. However, there is limited research comparing the effects of XRT and PRT on verbal memory outcomes.Participants and Methods:Survivors of pediatric brain tumor treated with either XRT (n = 29) or PRT (n = 51) completed neuropsychological testing > 1 year following radiotherapy. XRT and PRT groups were similar with respect to sex, handedness, race, age at diagnosis, age at evaluation, tumor characteristics, and treatment history (i.e., craniospinal irradiation, craniotomy, shunting, chemotherapy, radiation dose). Verbal learning and memory were assessed using the age-appropriate version of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II/CVLT-C). Measures of intellectual functioning, executive functioning, attention and adaptive behavior were also collected. Performance on neuropsychological measures was compared between treatment groups (XRT vs. PRT) using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). On the CVLT, each participant was classified as having an encoding deficit profile (i.e., impaired learning, recall, and recognition), retrieval deficit profile (i.e., impaired recall but intact recognition), intact profile, or other profile. Chi-squared tests of independence were used to compare the probability of each memory profile between treatment groups. Pearson correlation was used to examine associations between memory performance and strategy use, intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, attention, and executive functioning.Results:Overall, patients receiving PRT demonstrated superior verbal learning (CVLT Trials 1-5; t(76) = 2.61, p = .011), recall (CVLT Long Delay Free; t(76) = 3.57, p = .001) and strategy use (CVLT Semantic Clustering; t(76) = 2.29, p = .025) compared to those treated with XRT. Intact performance was more likely in the PRT group than the XRT group (71% PRT, 38% XRT; X2 = 8.14, p = .004). Encoding and retrieval deficits were both more common in the XRT group, with encoding problems being most prevalent (Encoding Deficits: 31% XRT, 12% PRT, X2 = 4.51, p = .034; Retrieval Deficits: 17% XRT, 4% PRT, X2 = 4.11, p = .043). Across all participants, semantic clustering predicted better encoding (r = .28, p = .011) and retrieval (r = .26, p = .022). Better encoding predicted higher intellectual (r = .56, p < .001) and adaptive functioning (r = .30, p = .011), and fewer parent-reported concerns about day-today attention (r = -.36, p = .002), and cognitive regulation (r = -.35, p = .002).Conclusions:Results suggest that PRT is associated with superior verbal memory outcomes compared to XRT, which may be driven by encoding skills and use of learning strategies. Moreover, encoding ability predicted general intellectual ability and day-to-day functioning. Future work may help to clarify underlying neural mechanisms associated with verbal memory decline following radiotherapy, which will better inform treatment approaches for survivors of pediatric brain tumor.

B - 89 The Association between Cognitive Ability and Performance Consistency on Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT).

To evaluate the relation between cognitive abilities and intra-individual variability (IIV) on the PASAT. 205 participants (M = 19years old, SD = 1.5; 55.1% female, 60% White, 24.4% Black, 6% Asian) completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), PASAT, Animal Naming, Trail-Making Test (TMT) Parts A and B, and CNS Vital Signs. Normed scores were used for analysis. IIV on PASAT was calculated as the standard deviation around their own mean across four rates of presentation (2.4, 2.0, 1.6, and 1.2seconds). Pearson r correlations revealed PASAT total score was correlated with FSIQ [r = 0.56; p < 0.001], Animal Naming [r = 0.27; p < 0.001], CNS psychomotor speed [r = 0.27; p < 0.001], CNS cognitive flexibility [r = 0.24; p < 0.001], Trails Part B [r = 0.28; p < 0.001] and CNS executive functioning [r = 0.22; p < 0.001]. PASAT IIV was negatively correlated with FSIQ [r = -0.46; p < 0.001] and Animal Naming [r = -0.15; p = 0.034]. There were no significant associations between PASAT IIV and CNS vital signs domains or TMT performance. PASAT total score and performance variability were related to general intellectual ability. Individuals with higher IQ levels were more consistent for PASAT performance and performed better on the task. This is at odds with previous IIV research in health samples where IIV increases with global cognitive ability. Additionally, PASAT IIV was negatively related to Animal Naming performance but not other aspects of executive functioning. This unexpected finding requires further research.

Supervised machine learning classification of psychosis biotypes based on brain structure: findings from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia network for intermediate phenotypes (B-SNIP)

Traditional diagnostic formulations of psychotic disorders have low correspondence with underlying disease neurobiology. This has led to a growing interest in using brain-based biomarkers to capture biologically-informed psychosis constructs. Building upon our prior work on the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes, we aimed to examine whether structural MRI (an independent biomarker not used in the Biotype development) can effectively classify the Biotypes. Whole brain voxel-wise grey matter density (GMD) maps from T1-weighted images were used to train and test (using repeated randomized train/test splits) binary L2-penalized logistic regression models to discriminate psychosis cases (n = 557) from healthy controls (CON, n = 251). A total of six models were evaluated across two psychosis categorization schemes: (i) three Biotypes (B1, B2, B3) and (ii) three DSM diagnoses (schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SAD) and bipolar (BD) disorders). Above-chance classification accuracies were observed in all Biotype (B1 = 0.70, B2 = 0.65, and B3 = 0.56) and diagnosis (SZ = 0.64, SAD = 0.64, and BD = 0.59) models. However, the only model that showed evidence of specificity was B1, i.e., the model was able to discriminate B1 vs. CON and did not misclassify other psychosis cases (B2 or B3) as B1 at rates above nominal chance. The GMD-based classifier evidence for B1 showed a negative association with an estimate of premorbid general intellectual ability, regardless of group membership, i.e. psychosis or CON. Our findings indicate that, complimentary to clinical diagnoses, the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes may offer a promising approach to capture specific aspects of psychosis neurobiology.

Assessing the Nexus of EFL Learners’ Academic Self-concept and Their Formal English Vocabulary Knowledge

Vocabulary is unquestionably the cornerstone of language learning. No matter the learners' first language, foreign language, age, or level of ability and skill. Yet, it is scarcely founded studies regarding formal English vocabulary knowledge. This investigation expected to explore the correlation between undergraduate EFL learners’ academic self-concept and their formal English vocabulary knowledge. The quantitative research method has been applied. The participants completed a written vocabulary test in English and filled in an academic self-concept questionnaire. The data were analyzed using simple correlation regression and qualitative analysis from data obtained from the interview. The results show that the undergraduate English as a Foreign Language learners’ academic self-concept has a positive correlation with the learners’ formal English vocabulary knowledge. Based on interview results confirm that illustrates the power of contextual language learning. Vocabulary learning was influenced by the amount of exposure, word self-regulation, general intellectual ability, motivation, and creativity factors that support the learners’ vocabulary knowledge achievement. The results suggested that teacher educators should pay more attention to the enhancement of the power of EFL learners’ academic self-concept to help the acceleration of teaching and learning English as a foreign language. For strengthening the academic self-concepts of EFL students as well as some essential considerations to be made before beginning the development of learners' English vocabulary knowledge are discussed. Last but not least, some pedagogical implications are proposed for EFL teacher educators.

The methodological basis for increasing the internal intellectual potential of physical education and sports students

The intellectual potential of a person is closely related to the concept of intellectual capital as a component of human capital. This study aims to consider intellectual potential based on available psychometric methods and establish correlations between this potential and demographic and other easily observable factors. The study involved 128 students from universities and colleges of physical culture and sports located in Pavlodar (Republic of Kazakhstan). The study revealed a strong correlation between the level of academic achievement of the participants and the results of tests of general and implicit intellectual abilities (CCAT and IO4). Also, no significant correlations were found between the results of these tests and the factors of gender, age, and the year of study. A strong correlation was observed between the results of the two tests, which may indicate a close relationship between constantly used and hidden intellectual abilities. The research results can be used to improve the quality of training physical education teachers. The measurement and methodologically correct development of the intellectual potential of teachers multiplies the subsequent increase in human capital at the expense of their prospective students. Keywords: cognitive abilities; cross-disciplinary learning; intellectual capital; intellectual development; physical education.

Neuroelectric indices of attention are related to academic skills in preschool-aged children

PurposeThis study assessed the relationship between neuroelectric indices of attention and inhibition and academic skills in children 4–6 years-old. We hypothesized that modulation of the P3 and N2 components would be related to academic skills. MethodsParticipants (N = 27, 16 female) completed The Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test to assess general intellectual abilities (GIA) and early academic skills (EAS). Electroencephalography was recorded during an auditory oddball task to elicit P3 and N2 components. Two-step linear regressions including age, sex, income, and GIA assessed relationships between P3 and N2 modulations and EAS. ResultsP3 peak amplitude (R2=0.765, β=0.379, p = 0.030) and N2 mean (R2=0.759, β=0.302, p = 0.039) and peak (R2=0.759, β=0.303, p = 0.038) amplitude modulation were positively related to EAS. ConclusionUpregulation of P3 and N2 components was associated with EAS independent of GIA. Therefore, neuroelectric assessments of attention and inhibition may a biomarker of academic achievement in early childhood.

5612576 DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING AND EVALUATION SERVICES FOR ADULTS LIVING WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE: FINDINGS FROM A TWO-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM

Background: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) may experience diffuse brain injury, impacting neurocognitive development. They may also experience overt strokes and silent cerebral infarcts. These infarcts lead to impaired cognitive functioning across various domains including difficulties with aspects of executive functioning, working memory, processing speed, general intellectual abilities, and difficulties with learning. Research suggests the long-term consequences of these deficits in childhood are likely to have an impact on individuals’ lives as adults. Unfortunately, within the United States, neuropsychological screenings and evaluations are not considered a standard of care for SCD. Ensuring individuals with SCD have these services is critical for optimal care and improved health outcomes. Aims: Neurocognitive services are important for early identification, diagnosis, and treatment; and provide information about current level of functioning, including strengths and challenges. Neurocognitive data can inform strategies to increase health knowledge, adherence to appointments/medications, improve quality of life and prevent/reduce mortality rates. In July 2020, we were awarded a two-year grant to develop and implement a neuropsychological screening and evaluation program for adults living with SCD via an outpatient specialty clinic. Methods: Screening measures were used to detect cognitive dysfunction and challenges with attention and executive functioning. Fifty-one patients (18-73 years) were offered a screening, with 39 completing it. Fifteen patients were referred for further evaluation, with 13 completing a three-hour abbreviated neurocognitive evaluation to date. In this presentation, we will report results of these evaluations. Results: Ten patients were female, one transgender woman, and three were male. Ages ranged from 19-49 years (M = 28.5 years +/- 9.8); 12 were Black/African, and two biracial. Diagnoses were SCD-SS (n = 9), SCD-SC (n = 4), and one SCD-SB+ thalassemia. Five patients had had one or more strokes. Almost half (n = 7) performed in the lowest 10% of the normative population on a test of spatial visualization and motor skill. All performances on a test of visual-construction ability and visual memory were in the lowest 20% of the normative population, with six in the lowest one percent. Five performed in the average range or above on a test of cognitive slowing – the remainder scored very low on this test. In terms of areas of strength, many patients scored in the average range in areas such as verbal comprehension and perceptual reasoning, demonstrated persistence and had found ways to compensate for cognitive related difficulties. Summary: With all aspects of the neurocognitive evaluation taken together, we found that consistent with the literature, our patients evidenced challenges with processing speed, working memory, and aspects of executive functioning. While research on the impact of SCD on visual spatial/visual motor, and visual construction abilities is scant, our patients demonstrated notable deficits in this area, warranting further research. Conclusion: Neurocognitive services need to become a standard of care for SCD care. Additionally, as providers we need to better educate our patients on brain health throughout their lifespan and advocate for access to these types of services.

Reducing the complexity of high-dimensional environmental data: An analytical framework using LASSO with considerations of confounding for statistical inference.

Frameworks for selecting exposures in high-dimensional environmental datasets, while considering confounding, are lacking. We present a two-step approach for exposure selection with subsequent confounder adjustment for statistical inference. We measured cognitive ability in 338 children using the Woodcock-Muñoz General Intellectual Ability (GIA) score, and potential associated features across several environmental domains. Initially, 111 variables theoretically associated with GIA score were introduced into a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) in a 50% feature selection subsample. Effect estimates for selected features were subsequently modeled in linear regressions in a 50% inference (hold out) subsample, first adjusting for sex and age and later for covariates selected via directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). All models were adjusted for clustering by school. Of the 15 LASSO selected variables, eleven were not associated with GIA score following our inference modeling approach. Four variables were associated with GIA scores, including: serum ferritin adjusted for inflammation (inversely), mother's IQ (positively), father's education (positively), and hours per day the child works on homework (positively). Serum ferritin was not in the expected direction. Our two-step approach moves high-dimensional feature selection a step further by incorporating DAG-based confounder adjustment for statistical inference.

PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENTS PLANNING TO START AVIATION TRAINING. PRELIMINARY STUDY

Introduction: Cognitive and psychomotor skills as well as selected personality traits are important factors determining success in aviation training. Many people decide to take the aviation career at an early age, so the question arises whether the psychological features visible in developmental age can be a basis for predicting success in adulthood. Methods: The analysis took into account the results of psychological tests of 97 people (15-16 years old) who were enrolled in the Aviation High School, then after graduation again tested as candidates for aviation studies. Measurements of the stability of the psychological variables were calculated, as well as the factor structure of the results. Then, the predictive value of factors distinguished in this analysis was determined. Results: Despite the visible developmental changes in cognitive functions (higher results in the second assessment), most of the indicators are characterized by a satisfactory stability. In the structure of the results, six relatively independent factors were distinguished, one of which, defined as general intellectual ability, turned out to be the best predictor of a positive qualification in later assessment. Discussion and Conclusions: The obtained results allow us to conclude that the psychological tests and indicators used in the study of adolescents seem to be adequate and guarantee high stability of measurements, even over a period of several years. As predicted, the greatest predictive power has the general intellectual ability, which is the basic property that allows the acquisition and consolidation of other skills.

Pyrethroid and Chlorpyrifos Pesticide Exposure, General Intellectual Abilities, and Executive Functions of School Children from Montevideo, Uruguay.

Children's developing brains are susceptible to pesticides. Less is known about the effect of exposure to chlorpyrifos and pyrethroids on executive functions (EF). We measured urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), a metabolite of chlorpyrifos, and urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a general, nonspecific metabolite of pyrethroids in first-grade children from Montevideo, Uruguay (n = 241, age 80.6 ± 6.4 months, 58.1% boys). EFs were assessed with the Intra-dimensional/Extra-dimensional shift (IED), Spatial Span (SSP), and Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated (CANTAB) Battery. General intellectual ability (GIA) was assessed using the Woodcock-Muñoz Cognitive battery. Median (range) urinary TCPy and 3-PBA levels were 16.7 (1.9, 356.9) ng/mg of creatinine and 3.3 (0.3, 110.6) ng/mg of creatinine, respectively. In multivariable generalized linear models, urinary TCPy was inversely associated with postdimensional errors on the IED task β [95% CI]: -0.11 [-0.17, -0.06]. Urinary 3-PBA was inversely associated with the total number of trials -0.07 [-0.10, -0.04], and the total number of errors -0.12 [-0.18, -0.07] on the IED task. When TCPy and 3-PBA were modeled together, the associations did not differ from single-metabolite models. We found no evidence of effect modification by blood lead level (BLL). Pesticide exposure may affect EF performance in urban children.