Intellectually Research Articles

Questioning cognitive heterogeneity and intellectual functioning in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Introduction: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are characterized by a variety of multiple cognitive and behavioral impairments, with intellectual, attentional, and executive impairments being the most commonly reported. In populations with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) may not be a proper measure of intellectual abilities, rarely interpreted in FASD clinical practice because the heterogeneity of the cognitive profile is deemed too strong. We propose a quantitative characterization of this heterogeneity, of the strengths and weaknesses profile, and a differential analysis between global cognitive (FSIQ) and elementary reasoning abilities in a large retrospective monocentric FASD sample. Methods: Using clinical and cognitive data (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) from 107 children with FASD, we characterized subject heterogeneity (variance and scatter of scaled/composite scores), searched for strengths and weaknesses, and specified intellectual functioning in terms of FSIQ and elementary reasoning (General Abilities Index, Highest Reasoning Scaled Score), in comparison with standardization norms and a Monte-Carlo-simulated sample from normalization data. Results: Performance of children with FASD was lower on all subtests, with a significant weakness in working memory and processing speed. We found no increase in the variance and scatter of the scores, but a discordance between the assessment of global cognitive functioning (28% borderline, 23% deficient) and that of global and elementary reasoning abilities (23–9% borderline, 15–14% deficient). Conclusion: Our results question the notion of WISC profile heterogeneity in FASD and point to working memory and processing speed over-impairment, with global repercussions but most often preserved elementary reasoning abilities.

2 Associations Between Motor Functioning and Intellectual Abilities in Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke

Objective:Motor impairments are one of the most common adverse outcomes after pediatric arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), affecting approximately half of survivors. The development of motor and cognitive skills is closely interrelated, and they share common neural substrates. The objective of this study was to examine whether motor functioning after the acute phase of stroke is associated with school-age intellectual abilities. We also examined associations between concurrent motor functioning and intellectual abilities. Finally, we explored clinical features associated with motor impairments.Participants and Methods:Participants were 64 children, 34 childhood AIS (Meanage= 11.90[2.38]); 30 perinatal AIS (Meanage= 8.75[2.22]), from the Children’s Stroke Program at SickKids Hospital. Motor functioning was assessed with the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure sensorimotor subscale at two timepoints, Time 1 or early recovery (childhood group between 30 days post-stroke to 1 year; perinatal group between 2-5 years of age) and Time 2, closest to neuropsychological testing. Intellectual abilities were measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th or 5th edition. Associations between motor and intellectual functioning were examined separately in childhood and perinatal AIS groups. Clinical features associated with motor impairment were examined across the full sample.Results:Motor functioning during early recovery was significantly associated with processing speed (r= -.391, p= .036) in the perinatal group and with overall intellectual functioning (r= -.414, p= .018) verbal intellectual abilities (r= -.444, p= .011), working memory (r= .393, p= .026), and processing speed (r= -.351, p= .042) in the childhood group. There were no associations between concurrent motor and intellectual functioning in the perinatal group, and only with processing speed (r= -.525, p= .002) in the childhood group. When motor functioning was dichotomized as no/mild motor deficit and moderate/severe motor deficit at Time 1, children in the perinatal group with moderate/severe motor deficit had significantly lower perceptual reasoning scores (f[28]= 2.15, p= .040) and participants in the childhood group with moderate/severe motor deficit had significantly lower perceptual reasoning (f[32]= 2.35, p= .025) and processing speed (f[32]= 2.14, p= 0.41) scores. There were no differences between no/mild and moderate/severe motor deficit groups for either perinatal or childhood AIS at Time 2. Clinical features associated with moderate/severe motor deficit at Time 1 were cortical+subcortical infarcts, large lesions, presenting with hemiparesis and seizures at time of neuropsychological assessment, and accessing occupational therapy and physical therapy.Conclusions:Results suggest that motor functioning during early stroke recovery is associated with intellectual outcome, whereas motor functioning at time closest to neuropsychological assessment is not. This may be related neuroplastic changes post-injury, likely in frontal-subcortical connections, that result in observable motor deficits after stroke and affect subsequent hierarchal brain maturational processes thereby impacting later cognitive outcome. Different patterns of associations between motor functioning and specific intellectual abilities in perinatal and childhood groups suggest possible age-mediated effects on this relationship.

59 Perinatal Risk Factors and Cognitive Outcomes in Children HIV-Exposed, Uninfected

Objective:Children who are HIV-exposed uninfected (CHEU) are at risk of neurodevelopmental impairments due to perinatal HIV and antiretroviral therapy exposure as well as additional health and psychosocial burdens. There is limited understanding of the impact of perinatal risk factors on long-term outcomes of CHEU. The present study investigated the association between perinatal risk factors and the intellectual and language abilities in CHEU and children who are HIV-unexposed uninfected (CHUU).Participants and Methods:CHEU and CHUU, 6 to 10 years, of age underwent neurodevelopmental assessments through the Kids Imaging and Neurocognitive Development (KIND) study at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada between January 2020 and August 2022. CHUU were recruited from the community with similar sociodemographic backgrounds based on residential area in Toronto and parental income levels. Measures of Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal Comprehension (VCI), Visual Spatial skills (VSI), Fluid Reasoning (FRI), Working Memory (WMI), and Processing Speed (PSI) were evaluated with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition. Core Language, Receptive Language, and Expressive Language skills were assessed with the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals - Fifth Edition. Perinatal risk factors included birthweight, birth complications (e.g., premature rupture of membranes, jaundice, etc.), maternal smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy, and NICU admission. Analyses of variance and chi-square tests were performed to investigate group differences and multiple regression analyses tested the relation between neurodevelopmental measures and birth factors. Significance was held at p <0.05.Results:36 CHEU (21 female, 8.74 ±1.56 years) and 26 CHUU (12 female, 8.53 ±1.50 years) children were included. For both groups, mean standardized scores of the cognitive abilities assessed were in the average range. CHEU had significantly lower birth weight than CHUU, but there were no differences between these groups with respect to maternal smoking and alcohol use, birth complications or NICU admission. There were no between group differences identified for the intellectual and language abilities. In the CHEU group, birthweight was significantly associated with lower VCI, WMI, and expressive language. In the CHUU group, prenatal alcohol and smoking exposure was associated with lower VCI scores. Birth complications were associated with lower WMI, PSI, and FSIQ scores.Conclusions:In this interim analysis, perinatal risk factors impacted neurodevelopmental outcomes of CHEU and CHUU differently. While the groups did not differ in frequency of birth complications and maternal smoking and alcohol use, these factors negatively impacted aspects of intellectual ability in the CHUU group. CHEU with lower birthweight are at greater risk of working memory and language difficulties, supporting the need for early interventions and close neuropsychological follow-up of this population throughout childhood.

Some psychological aspects of the development of intellectual abilities of junior schoolchildren in the process of learning activity

Nowadays there is a change in the mentality of society, the growth of information and culture. These processes necessitate the development of intellectual abilities. In elementary school the basic mental functions of personality (attention, perception, memory, imagination, thinking, speech) are most intensively developed, its tasks are revealed, intellectual qualities are formed, and intellectual abilities are developed. The article presents some aspects of improving the intellectual abilities of junior schoolchildren, as well as methods of identifying the levels of intellectual abilities. The results of application of the system of specially organized classes for the purpose of development of intellectual ability of pupils are presented.

2 Sex difference of Developmental Neurotoxicants on Intellectual Abilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective:Early life exposures to lead, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybromide diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), and phthalates have been associated with diminished IQ scores in children. Some studies suggest that these neurotoxicants impact boys and girls differently. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and quantify sex differences in IQ deficits from pre- and post-natal exposures to these developmental neurotoxicants.Participants and Methods:We used PubMed and PsychINFO to screen abstracts of articles published between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 2021 for empirical studies of six neurotoxicants [lead, mercury, PCBs, PBDEs, OPPs, and/or phthalates] that (1) used an individualized biomarker; (2) measured exposure during the prenatal period or within the first six years of life; and (3) provided different effect estimates on children's intellectual abilities by sex. We assessed each study for risk of bias using Navigation Guide (Woodruff & Sutton, 2014). For studies with combinable data, we performed separate random effects meta-analyses for boys and girls with subgroup analyses by neurotoxicant. To homogenize the magnitude of effect observed in each study, we recalculated results to be expressed as the absolute change in intellectual abilities for a relative change of 1.5 times (i.e., 50% increase) in the exposure variable.Results:Of 3205 studies screened, 53 met inclusion criteria: 34 evaluated prenatal exposure, 11 postnatal exposure, and 8 both pre- and post-natal exposure. We generally rated these studies as "low" to "probably low" risk of bias. Among the studies examining prenatal exposure, 27 reported no significant differences between the sexes, 7 found negative associations in boys, 4 found negative associations in girls, 5 found negative nonsignificant associations in boys and positive nonsignificant associations in girls, and 3 found no clear pattern, where differences by sex depended on the specific phthalate compound or outcome measurement. Among the studies examining postnatal exposure, 14 reported no significant differences between the sexes, 1 found a negative association in boys, 2 found negative associations in girls, and 2 found positive associations for either boys or girls. In our meta-analysis of 16 studies (4 lead, 4 mercury, 2 PBDEs, 2 OPPs, 4 phthalates), we found that prenatal exposure to developmental neurotoxicants was associated with decreased full-scale intelligence in boys (B = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.45, -0.08), but not girls (B = 0.09; 95% CI: -0.14, 0.31). In subgroup analyses by neurotoxicant, prenatal exposure to lead (B = -1.07; 95% CI: -1.63, -0.52), and ZPBDEs (B = -0.57; 95% CI: -1.14, -0.01) were associated with decreased full-scale intelligence in boys, whereas the girls' effect sizes were consistently near zero.Conclusions:During fetal development, boys appear to be more vulnerable than girls to IQ deficits from neurotoxic exposures, and especially from lead and PBDEs. More research is needed to examine the nuanced sex-specific effects found for postnatal exposures to toxic chemicals.

Symposium 15: Impact of Environmental Contaminants on Child Neurodevelopment

Summary Abstract:Children are exposed to toxic chemicals throughout development and the long-term consequences of this exposure can be profound. Despite decades of research documenting the vulnerability of the developing brain to environmental contaminants, there has been little progress in protecting against developmental neurotoxicity. This symposium will discuss recent research in developmental neurotoxicology using a "developmental origins of health and disease" (DOHaD) framework that examines the context in which environmental contaminants exert their effects. We will examine the timescale for developmental toxicity, windows of vulnerability, and the bases of individual differences in vulnerability, including sex-specific effects of chemical exposures. This symposium will feature new pregnancy and birth cohort studies that have implicated fluoride as a developmental neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor. In addition, we will discuss emerging issues in epidemiology, including how environmental contaminants may interact with non-chemical stressors and have lifelong impacts on cognition and behaviours. This symposium will be capped with a discussion of the public's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to developmental toxicity and strategies to reduce exposure. All speakers will be asked to draw conclusions on research priorities, and discuss how to balance regulators' need for "ideal evidence" with a public health strategy that aims to protect the public from critical environmental hazards. The symposium will consist of the following five presentations, each 12 minutes in length, followed by a 15 minute discussion.1. John Krzeckowski, PhD, York University, Toronto, Canada.TITLE: Applying a Dimensional Framework to the Study of Developmental Neurotoxicity2. Carly Goodman, PhD candidate, York University, Toronto, CanadaTITLE: Sex difference of Developmental Neurotoxicants on Intellectual abilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis3. Meaghan Hall, PhD candidate, York University, Toronto, Canada.TITLE: Fluoride Exposure and Hypothyroidism in Pregnant Women: A Potential Mechanism of Fluoride Neurotoxicity4. Ashley Malin, PhD, University of Florida,Florida, USA.TITLE: Urinary Fluoride Levels and Metal Co-Exposures among Pregnant Women in Los Angeles, California5. Rivka Green, PhD, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.TITLE: Translating developmental neurotoxicity for the public: A large, multi-country, randomized-control trial investigating children's environmental health literacy

50 The Neuropsychological Profile of S/A/3A-Related Disorder/Witteveen-Kolk Syndrome: A Case Study

Objective:The SIN3A gene mutation is a rare genetic mutation with few reported cases (< 1 in 1,000,000) associated with autosomal dominant Witteveen-Kolk Syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental syndrome only discussed in the past decade (Witteveen et al., 2016). This syndrome can be characterized by short stature, distinctive facial features, developmental delay, mild intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, hypotonia, and seizures (Balasubramanian et al., 2021), however a paucity of information regarding comprehensive neuropsychological functioning in these individuals is present in the literature, and even this recent review study noted that intellectual ability was rarely assessed through formal testing (6 of 28 cases). We present a case, “M”, to help describe a potential pattern of neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses in this population.Participants and Methods:The participant, “M”, was diagnosed with a de novo mutation in the SIN3A gene at the age of 11 years with previous diagnoses of global developmental delay, hypotonia, autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disability in mathematics, developmental coordination disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. M was seen for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at 11 years of age at an academic medical center, which consisted of comprehensive review of medical and school records, parent and child interview, questionnaires, and performance-based testing.Results:M’s verbal and language skills emerged as a particular strength. Her verbal memory, verbal fluency, and verbal comprehension skills were all in the average range or above, as were reading, reading comprehension, and spelling skills. M demonstrated a pattern of notable weaknesses in visuospatial skills, including impaired visuospatial reasoning, visuomotor integration, visual scanning, visual perception, and visual memory. Additionally, M demonstrated a slight weakness in Low Average mathematics skills. M also demonstrated fine motor impairment with impaired speed, coordination, and accuracy. Although immediate auditory attention was noted to be average, performance on a test of sustained attention indicated a moderate persistence of attention concerns. Likewise, M’s mother reported her to be very elevated on symptoms of both attention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Finally, M’s mother reported elevated concerns related to M’s peer relations and atypical behaviors and below average adaptive skills.Conclusions:Due to the rarity of M’s de novo mutation in the SIN3A gene, M’s pattern of weaknesses in visuospatial skills, fine motor skills, attention/executive functioning, and social skills, as well as her strengths in verbal skills can aid in further understanding the pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses in children with a mutation in the SIN3A gene. Additionally, given her mild weaknesses in math skills, it is possible that M’s performance on mathematics assessments may be impacted by her visuospatial weakness and thus better conceptualized as a visuospatial issue rather than a learning disability. Overall, this case can aid in identifying specific cognitive risk factors, such as visuospatial skills, in this population and lead to more targeted assessment and intervention, and highlights the importance of more nuanced cognitive evaluation as reporting of a general cognitive ability score alone may obscure underlying patterns of cognitive strength and weakness.

The effects of artificial intelligence on the Kenyan society

<span lang="EN-US">Artificial intelligence technology (AI) is an array of computer technologies that provide machines with human-like abilities in perception, action, and cognition. It can mimic human intellect in a broad variety of situations thanks to its advanced processing of information and mega-thinking procedures and powers. AI's power to mimic the intellect of humans means it will disrupt or significantly affect practically every major industry, including but not limited to manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and logistics. AI helps several industries move forward. Developed Western nations and leading digital titans like Google and Facebook have invested significantly in AI, utilizing its human skills in various vital societal sectors. Regrettably, most poor countries, particularly those in the sub-Saharan African region, do not have the necessary administration, learning, data reserves, and legislation to support the adoption and implementation of AI. Nevertheless, certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Kenya, have incorporated and used AI technologies in several key areas for the benefit of their inhabitants. This article explores how AI has affected Kenya and demonstrates how other sub-Saharan African countries might use AI-related technology to their full potential.</span>

Symposium 07: Early Development in Infants and Toddlers with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum

Summary AbstractThe corpus callosum is the largest transverse white matter fiber tract connecting the two hemispheres of the brain. It plays an essential role in the interhemispheric transfer and bihemispheric coordination involved in perception and sensory-motor integration, as well as higher level cognition (e.g., memory, executive functioning). The corpus callosum forms prenatally (10-15 weeks gestation) and continues to develop through early adulthood. Damage to the corpus callosum throughout the lifespan, but especially later in life, can result in sensory and motor coordination deficits and produces disconnection syndromes.However, individuals born with a partial or fully absent corpus callosum, known as Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC), do not exhibit a full disconnection syndrome and may, in fact, demonstrate many intact skills including broadly average intellectual abilities. Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is a relatively common congenital brain malformation that occurs in 1 out of ∼4000 live births (Glass, Shaw, Ma, & Sherr, 2008; Paul et al., 2007). There is significant heterogeneity in outcomes for these individuals, often related to the presence of additional neuropathology, and the presence of co-occurring medical and genetic conditions. In adults for whom ACC is the primary neurological finding, there is a core constellation of cognitive symptoms that include reduced interhemispheric transfer, slowed processing, and difficulty with complex novel problem solving (Brown & Paul, 2019). There is also an elevated likelihood of autism spectrum disorders in this population as well (Paul et al, 2014).Modern ultrasound technology facilitates diagnosis of ACC in utero, offering a unique opportunity to study these individuals’ development from infancy. However, no studies to date have examined early development in this population using validated measures, leaving neuropsychologists, neurologists and primary care providers to make educated guesses about what families should expect and appropriate therapies/treatment.This symposium presents a series of studies examining the early development of individuals with primary ACC across domains including language, adaptive skills, autism symptomology, and temperament/anxiety. We will provide the first in-depth prospective characterization of development in ACC relative to typically developing children at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months and discuss what these findings reveal about brain development and plasticity more broadly (e.g. how does early disruption in interhemispheric connection impact cognitive development across key domains?).Finally, while ACC is defined specifically by corpus callosum anatomy, the corpus callosum has been implicated in other neurodevelopmental conditions (Paul, 2011). Utilizing extant comparison, we also assess how early development in ACC both overlaps and differs from two monogenic conditions (e.g. Fragile X and Down Syndrome) and a developmental behavioral diagnoses (e.g. autism) and discuss how early disruptions in interhemispheric transfer may contribute to shared behavioral phenotypes in these conditions.

Melinda Nadj Abonji’s Prose from a Transcultural Perspective

Abstract This paper explores the ways in which transculturality manifests in the prose of Melinda Nadj Abonji. Besides Tauben fliegen auf [Fly Away, Pigeon] (2010), her well known and highly acclaimed novel translated into several languages, it also looks at her latest novel, Schildkrötensoldat [Tortoise Soldier] (2017). It is concerned with articulations of the experience of transculturality, closely related to the experience of territorial displacement. Tauben fliegen auf describes the life of a family of migrant workers in Switzerland whose background sets them apart from the milieu in which they live. Variations on national identity take on a key role. In the novel Schildkrötensoldat, a young man of modest intellectual abilities struggles to find his identity in the face of the threat of the Yugoslav Wars. In the language of her novels, Melinda Nadj Abonji recreates the transcultural interrelationships. Besides the sensitivity to metalinguistic issues, her novels make existence in a multicultural milieu tangible by incorporating multilingual text units. Multilingualism, however, not only characterizes the speech of the characters but also defines the discursive position of the narrator, which is the most distinctive and salient poetic feature of her prose. The possibilities of translating multilingual texts are also discussed in this paper.1

79 Concordance Between Theorized Cognitive Profiles, Medical Risk Factors, and Clinical Diagnoses Within Preschool-Aged Children

Objective:Early childhood is recognized as a critical window of rapid cognitive development. Unfortunately, many risk factors for atypical cognitive development may occur during this period, including genetic syndromes, congenital neuroanatomical malformations, pre- or perinatal injury, and neurological and medical disorders. The impact of these risk factors on cognitive functioning may not always map onto patterns typically observed in adults. Limited literature exists on the presentation of cognitive profiles within clinical populations in the preschool developmental period. The present study aimed to evaluate whether discrete a priori cognitive profiles consistent with common neurobehavioral syndromes emerge and are distinguishable on testing in early childhood in a mixed clinical sample. We also aimed to determine if there was a consistent association between known medical risk factors and resultant cognitive profiles.Participants and Methods:Participants included 163 children aged 1-5 years (M=48.5 months, SD=12.8 months) referred for neuropsychological evaluation. The sample was predominantly male (67.5%) and White (72.9%), followed by other/mixed race (11.6%), Black (9.7%), and Latino/Hispanic (5.8%). Cognitive abilities assessed included broad intellectual abilities, verbal abilities, nonverbal abilities, attention, and executive functioning. Continuous test scores were transformed into categorical ranges of performance, with scores classified as “above average,” “average,” “below average,” or “extremely low” to allow for profile classification. Theoretical clinical profiles consistent with common neurobehavioral syndromes were determined a priori by consensus among three authors (JK, AH, LM). Chi square tests of independence were conducted to compare membership across neurobehavioral diagnostic groups, clinical profile groups, and medical groups.Results:Based on cognitive data, 55.2% of the sample (n=90) was classified as Global Developmental Delay/Intellectual Disability, 19.6% (GDD/ID; n=32) was classified asLanguage Disorder, and 18.4% (n=30) was classified as Typical Cognitive Development. 4.3% (n=7) of the sample was classified as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and 2.5% (n=4) was classified as Nondominant Hemisphere Dysfunction. As hypothesized, cognitive profile group membership was consistent with diagnostic impressions, as actual clinical diagnoses of Language Disorder, ADHD, GDD/ID, or a classification of typical cognitive development were significantly associated with theorized cognitive profile based on test performance alone (x2 (1,20) = 147.29, p < .001). Cognitive profile group membership was also significantly associated with referral source (1,28) = 62.88, p < .001) and the presence of a neurological disorder (1,4) = 14.64, p =.006).Conclusions:Findings support the presence of specific theorized cognitive profiles in preschoolers in a mixed clinical sample. Specifically, GDD/ID, Language Disorder, and typical cognitive development are discrete and consistently distinguishable cognitive profiles in this age range. Early life neurological risk factors are also significantly related to cognitive profile membership, suggesting that these factors may be useful in predicting cognitive development even in very young children. Future work is needed to examine the consistency of these profiles over time and their predictive value in estimating subsequent development, and the possibility of discriminating unique cognitive profiles for specific medical conditions in preschoolers.

65 Verbal and Visual-Spatial Abilities Differ by Ethnicity in a Referred Pediatric Sample

Objective:To compare performances of matched groups derived from caregiver-reported ethnicity on measures of verbal comprehension and visual-spatial abilities, and to identify factors potentially related to differences.Participants and Methods:Participants included 159 English speaking children from 615 years of age who were referred for neuropsychological evaluation at a clinic in the southwestern region of the United States. Participants were matched across four groups based on caregiver-reported ethnicity, including American Indian (n = 41), Hispanic (n= 41), White (n = 41), and Other (i.e., Black, Asian; n = 36) categories. Propensity score matching was used to derive samples, with participants matched on age, caregiver-reported sex assigned at birth, and the full-scale intelligence quotient on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V).Results:Using a dependent variable derived from subtracting the WISC-V Verbal Comprehension Index from the Visual-Spatial Index, significant differences across groups were found via a factorial analysis of variance model (p = .02, eta squared = .06). Achieved power was .82. Post-hoc analysis indicated significantly greater differences between verbal comprehension and visual-spatial abilities amongst participants of American Indian (mean difference = -6.61 standard score points) and Hispanic (mean difference = -6.66 standard score points) ethnicity relative to participants of White ethnicity (mean difference = 2.17 standard score points; p < .01). Differences did not relate to participant age or assigned sex.Conclusions:Greater differences between visual and verbal intellectual abilities were found amongst Hispanic and American Indian participants relative to White participants. Hispanic and American children tended to perform higher on visual spatial rather than verbal tasks, while the pattern was reversed for White children. Findings are congruent with previous research conducted using older versions of the WISC and continue to highlight potential issues related to the external validity of this measure in certain populations. This study contributes to the existing literature by replicating previous findings with the most recent iteration of the WISC in a referred sample. Current results continue to suggest that the WISC-V Verbal Comprehension Index may function more as a measure of English language ability rather than verbal intellectual ability. Given these findings, it is important that weaknesses in verbal comprehension amongst children of Hispanic or American Indian ethnicity be interpreted in this context when identified in clinical and research settings. Discrepancies between ethnic groups may relate broadly to cultural and systemic factors (e.g., differing patient/examiner characteristics, inequalities in access to education/intervention and healthcare, bilingualism/exposure to the English language).

Technology of Training of Future Teachers of Preschool Education Institutions to Work with Creatively Gifted Children

In the new conditions for the development of the Ukrainian society, studying intelligence, psychological mechanisms, and pedagogical means of developing creative talent becomes especially relevant, which is becoming one of the priority tasks of scientific research. This is due to several factors the intellectual abilities of humans are considered a powerful potential of human civilization, the development of which can significantly improve the quality of any social reforms. Creativity is an integral part of human spirituality and a prerequisite for personal freedom, serves as a social mechanism that resists the regress of society, taking into account that only the work of the intellect can provide the possibility of new knowledge. Components of giftedness are given: high intellectual level, the person’s ability to creativity, persistence. The main characteristics of a creative personality are highlighted. It is noted that an educator’s training consists of the innovative nature of the pedagogical activity, which requires adjustment of the teacher’s professional culture and his/her value orientations, a fundamental change of direction in the methodology and methods of work. It is emphasized that the main purpose of our experimental research is to test the effectiveness of the technology of preparing future educators to work with creatively gifted children; confirmation or refutation of the research hypothesis; making a description of the experimental study, analysis of its results. In pedagogical theory and practice, a significant amount of research related to the identification of giftedness has been developed, and programs have been developed to help children realize their abilities. These issues are reflected in such state documents as the Law of Ukraine "On Extracurricular Education" (2000), the Decree of the President of Ukraine "On State Support of Gifted Youth", "Program of Work with Gifted Youth for 2006-2010", the purpose of which is creation of favorable conditions for the realization of the creative potential of the Ukrainian people, search, support and stimulation of intellectually and Technology of training of future teachers of preschool education institutions to work with creatively gifted children creatively gifted children and youth, self-realization of the creative personality in the modern educational space.

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.

Symposium 01: Neuropsychological Outcomes Following Pediatric Stroke: Research Trends and Advances

Summary Abstract:Stroke is an important cause of acquired brain injury in youth and a significant source of childhood disability. Up to 80% of survivors suffer long-term neurological deficits, including impairments across a range of neuropsychological domains. An improved understanding of neuropsychological outcomes is key to optimizing clinical care, improving evaluation of prognosis, and developing effective rehabilitation and intervention strategies. The proposed symposium will begin with a literature review on neuropsychological outcomes following pediatric stroke. Next, four studies will be presented, each posing distinct and complementary research questions regarding predictors of outcomes. The roles of both clinical (e.g., lesion size, motor impairment, inflammatory response) and environmental factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, family functioning) will be explored regarding cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The symposium will end with a Q&A period.Attendees will leave with an in-depth understanding of recent trends and scientific advances in research on neuropsychological outcomes in pediatric stroke, which should inform clinical practice and research directions. The first presentation examines predictors of neuropsychological outcomes following pediatric stroke. Findings have often conflicted, and more research is needed to disentangle the effects of predictors on specific domains. Explored predictors include: age at stroke; stroke subtype (hemorrhagic vs. ischemic); lesion location; lesion size; time since stroke; neurologic severity; seizure disorder; and socioeconomic status. This study examines the impact of these predictors on distinct neuropsychological domains. The next presentation addresses associations between neuropsychological outcomes and motor functioning following pediatric stroke. The development of cognitive and motor skills is interrelated and they share common neural substrates. In other populations, motor functioning predicts intellectual ability, and brain connectivity underlies this association. This study investigates associations between motor functioning and global neuropsychological outcomes in children with stroke and explores clinical features associated with motor impairments. The third presentation explores mental health outcomes. Neuropsychological deficits can hinder academic advancement and social-emotional development and may place youth at increased risk for psychological concerns. An increased focus on mental health is warranted given that psychosocial and behavioral issues are often the most concerning problems for parents and teachers. This study uses a qualitative paradigm to shed light on lived experience of youth with stroke with a focus on mental health, relationships, and social competence. The fourth presentation consists of a systematic review exploring the association between inflammatory response and neuropsychological outcome. Stroke induces an inflammation in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and high levels of inflammatory markers following stroke have been associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. This study reviews the state of research on this topic with a focus on pro-inflammatory cytokines and c-reactive protein. The symposium topics covered lie at the heart of the INS mission to study brain-behavior relationships using a multidisciplinary lens, with an emphasis on sharing and applying scientific knowledge. The symposium seeks to inform professionals working with youth with stroke about cutting-edge research, clinically applicable and novel insights, and ideas for future research directions. In this way, our symposium contributes to evidence-based care and the advancement of research.

21 Nonverbal Assessment of Theory of Mind in Children with Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Peers: An Examination of Group Differences and Associations with Structural Language Skills

Objective:Children with Down syndrome (DS) show marked differences in their early development when compared to typically developing (TD) peers. Major domains of challenge include intellectual abilities, executive functioning, and structural language. Children with DS have a unique profile of strengths and weaknesses that must be considered when comparing them to TD children, especially in terms of Theory of Mind (ToM). ToM encompasses the developmental milestones reached early in childhood when children develop the ability to conceptualize and understand others' thoughts, emotions, perspectives, and intentions. In TD children, these abilities typically begin to mature around 4-6 years of age, while in children with DS, delays are observed relative to chronological age expectations. Evidence shows that children with DS have impaired ToM abilities; however, these deficits might be more related to underlying delays in structural language, rather than a fundamental misunderstanding of social cues. The present study seeks to fill gaps in the literature by using a nonverbal assessment (The Penny Hiding Game; PHG) to evaluate a) ToM abilities in children with DS relative to younger TD peers of a similar mental ability level and b) relationships between ToM performance and structural language skills.Participants and Methods:25 children with DS (60% F, M=11.39 years) and 25 TD children (40% F, M = 5.37, range = 3 to 7) participated. Participants' structural language abilities were briefly assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test- III Listening Comprehension Test (Oral Discourse Comprehension subcomponent). ToM was assessed using the PHG.Results:Univariate analysis of covariance was used to explore differences in ToM performance between groups while controlling for mental ability level. Children with DS (M= 2.79, SD= 2.23) performed significantly worse than TD peers (M= 4.28, SD= 1.87) on the ToM task (F(1, 60)= 4.5, p= .038). Linear regression was used to assess associations between ToM and structural language abilities. When both groups were lumped together, there was a modest association between ToM and Listening Comprehension scores (R2 = .12, F (1, 55) = 7.29, p= .009). However, when groups were considered separately, significant associations were not observed (p>.1).Conclusions:The DS group showed markedly diminished ToM performance compared to TD controls, as expected based on the literature. However, data did not suggest a clear association between ToM and structural language skills. While an association was observed when groups were lumped, this relationship was likely driven by group differences in both ToM and structural language skills. Future research should examine the relationship between ToM performance, different aspects of language functioning, and the cooccurrence of autistic traits among children with DS in order to augment our understanding of linguistic and social correlates of ToM performance in young children with DS.

(W)uman Tong(ue): Writing a Bilingual Newspaper Column in “Postcolonial” Jamaica

The cantankerous public discourse generated by the author’s bilingual newspaper columns published in the Jamaica Observer (May 1993 to January 1998) and the Jamaica Gleaner (March 2013 to the present) illustrates the conservative, neocolonial language ideology that still prevails in Jamaica. The essay demonstrates how contestations around national identity are articulated in a repressive language of moral authority. Speakers of “good” (English) and “bad” (Jamaican) language varieties become embattled in a struggle for the control of public terrain. The essay concludes that the “bilingual” model of Jamaican/English language identity has very little currency in a society that still privileges the “command” of English as a sign of the intellectual abilities of its habitual speakers/writers and that disparages competence in Jamaican as a marker of intellectual deficiency. Nevertheless, the author sees hopeful signs that the Jamaican language is gradually gaining national prominence.

48 A Case of an Extremely Rare CNS C. Bantiana Infection with Cognitive Sequela in an Immunocompetent Patient

Objective:Central nervous system (CNS) infections with the dematiaceous fungus Cladophialophora bantiana (C. bantiana) are extremely rare, with approximately 120 confirmed cases reported as of 2016. C. bantiana is a highly neurotropic and thermotolerant fungus found in soil worldwide. The mode of entry into the CNS remains unknown, but inhalation of fungal spores or subcutaneous trauma have been suggested. Entry of fungal spores can cause cerebral phaeohyphomycosis with the main clinical manifestation of a brain abscess. Symptoms are non-specific and can include headache, fever, hemiparesis, aphasia, visual disturbances, and confusion. C. bantiana cerebral phaeohyphomycosis occurs in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, with a slightly higher prevalence in immunocompetent males for unknown reasons. Diagnosis is often delayed due to its nonspecific presentation and prevalence in individuals without pre-existing immunological disease. Prognosis is poor, with mortality rates of approximately 70% despite aggressive treatment. Treatment is not standardized but may include several anti-fungal agents and surgical intervention. Case reports documenting the variability seen with cerebral phaeohyphomycosis by C. bantiana can provide valuable insight into this emerging disease. C. bantiana’s neurotropic propensity also warrants cognitive investigation of the disease; however, there are currently limited descriptions of cognitive findings in published case reports of C. bantiana CNS infections.Participants and Methods:Here, we describe a case of a 35-year-old immunocompetent, college educated male with a CNS C. bantiana infection, presumably following a fall while biking in Costa Rica. First symptoms included left sided facial palsy, headache, and hand weakness, prompting extensive diagnostic workup, with diagnosis of C. bantiana infection confirmed 8 months after symptom onset. Initial treatment included anti-fungal agents and steroids, but his course of infection was complicated by infectious vasculitis with posterior circulation infarcts and obstructive hydrocephalus requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement two years following the fungal infection diagnosis. The most recent brain MRI revealed encephalomalacia in global periventricular areas, two small masses, likely representing small fungal phlegmons, and enhancing lesions in the upper cervical spinal canal.Results:The patient reported cognitive changes following the infarcts and shunt placement including difficulties with spatial navigation, following directions, and articulating thoughts. Memory concerns and lapses in judgment were also reported. Results from a neuropsychological evaluation revealed high average baseline intellectual abilities with decrements in visuospatial processing, processing speed, executive functioning, and aspects of memory stemming from his executive dysfunction. At the time, his cognitive profile suggested parietal and frontosubcortical systems disruption meeting criteria for mild cognitive impairment. Two years later, the patient reported continuing cognitive difficulties prompting a follow-up neuropsychological evaluation. Results were similar to his first evaluation, revealing deficits in aspects of visuospatial processing, decreased verbal and visual learning, bradyphrenia and processing speed deficits, and difficulties with visual planning and organization. Minimal anxiety and depression, but increased apathy and executive dysfunction were endorsed on self-report measures.Conclusions:This case report highlights neurological sequela resulting from CNS infection with C. bantiana, -with a course complicated by subsequent strokes, hydrocephalus, and cognitive impairment-, and contributes additional insight into the relatively limited existing reports of an extremely rare but emerging disease.

Deus, consciência e gnosticismo na actual filosofia da religião: algumas orientações tomistas

This article intends to address the problem about God, consciousness and gnostic legacy to modernity, whose immanent nature leads to serious philosophical conclusions. Indeed, the most important concept of contemporary idealism, within philosophy of religion, is consciousness, which is related with human’s individualism and self-sufficiency. In a cosmic approach, this doctrine proposes a pantheistic view of the universe and a paradigm of man’s deification and self-redemption, whose mainstream is the New Era’s spirituality without religion. Finally, an outline of Thomist doctrines on God’s transcendence and the human intellect is offered, as a proposal for a philosophy of religion based on common sense.