Visual Aural Digit Span Research Articles

Do auditory brainstem implants favor the development of sensory integration and cognitive functions?

Information about the development of cognitive skills and the effect of sensory integration in children using auditory brainstem implants (ABIs) is still limited. This study primarily aims to investigate the relationship between sensory processing skills and attention and memory abilities in children with ABI, and secondarily aims to examine the effects of implant duration on sensory processing and cognitive skills in these children. The study included 25 children between the ages of 6 and 10 years (mean age: 14 girls and 11 boys) with inner ear and/or auditory nerve anomalies using auditory brainstem implants. Visual-Aural Digit Span Test B, Marking Test, Dunn Sensory Profile Questionnaire were applied to all children. The sensory processing skills of children are statistically significant and positive, and moderately related to their cognitive skills. As the duration of implant use increases, better attention and memory performances have been observed (p<.05). The study demonstrated the positive impact of sensory processing on the development of memory and attention skills in children with ABI. It will contribute to evaluating the effectiveness of attention, memory, and sensory integration skills, and aiding in the development of more effective educational strategies for these children.

Assessment of Executive Function Skills in Children with Isolated Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Cross-sectional Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate executive function (EF), such as inhibition and working memory, in children with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) using performance-based tests and parent-report scales. A total of seventy children between the ages of 7 and 12 years were included in the study. Half (n=35) had children with IGHD and half were healthy controls. To evaluate the EF performances of the participants, the Visual Aural Digit Span Test-B Form (VADS-B) and Stroop task were applied. EF was also evaluated using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Children with IGHD scored lower on the VADS-B form for short-term memory (p<0.05) compared to healthy controls. In addition, the completion time for the Stroop-color/word test was significantly longer in children with IGHD (p<0.05). For children with IGHD, their parents reported higher scores on all sub-scales of the BRIEF scale, with statistically significant differences for all sub-scales with the exception of “organization of materials” (p<0.05). In this study, children with IGHD had poorer EF skills compared to unaffected peers. EF skills may influence academic success by affecting children’s language skills, mathematical comprehension, cognitive flexibility, and hypothetical thinking. We believe that psychiatric evaluation of children with IGHD before and during treatment may positively contribute to both their academic performance and social relationships.

Cognıtıve functıons in idiopathic intracranial hypertensıon.

Cognitive problems in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is generally overlooked in the presence of disabling headache and threat to visual function. The aim of this study was to search for cognitive deficits in patients with IIH using neuropsychologic tests in addition to P300 potential recordings to assess cognition related brain activity. Fifty IIH patients were examined using Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test, Stroop Test and Visual Aural Digit Span Test to measure different domains of cognition at the time of diagnosis. P300 potentials were recorded by using an oddball paradigm. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scalewas used to determine anxiety and depression. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by SF-36. The results were compared with fifty healthy controls with matching age, gender and body mass index. Neuropsychologic tests revealed wide cognitive impairment including attention, working memory, executive function, naming, language, delayed recall and orientation in IIH patients. In addition, quality of life was affected in the sub-parameters of general health perceptions, emotional role functioning, vitality, mental health and bodily pain. P300 potential latencies were long and the amplitudes were reduced indicating deficits in attention and working memory. Anxiety scores were high, and health-related QoL was low mainly involving vitality, emotional and mental health. Cognitive dysfunction was not correlated with the levels of anxiety and the correlation with headache severity was mild. A multidomain cognitive decline mainly involving attention and working memory was recorded in IIH patients. It was not correlated with anxiety and only a mild correlation with headache severity was present which may indicate a casual relationship between raised intracranial pressure and cognitive deficits. Screening is important as neuropsychological rehabilitation might be relevant in these patients.

Assessment of Executive Functioning in School-Age Children With And Without Stuttering: A case-control study

Background: Stuttering is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder, with disruptions in the normal fluency and time patterning of speech that are inappropriate for the individual's age and language skills. Executive functions (EF) include various cognitive skills, such as directing the attention required for planning and maintaining thoughts and behaviors, suppressing inappropriate stimuli, keeping the processed information active, and providing the transition between the information. This study was aimed at investigating whether there is a difference between school-age children with and without stuttering about executive functions (EF) skills and attention. Method: Twenty-six children with stuttering (14 boys; mean age=10.1±2.88) and twenty-five children without stuttering (14 boys; mean age=10.2±2.77) aged between 7 and 12 were admitted to the study. The participants were administered the Visual Aural Digit Span Test-B Form (VADS-B), which evaluates working memory and audiovisual attention, and the Cancellation Tests (CT), which evaluates sustained attention. The Parents of the participants were applied the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), which was developed to evaluate executive functions, problem-solving skills and adaptive behaviors. Differences in mean subscores of VADS-B, CT, and BRIEF were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with participant group as the factor and VADS-B, CT, and BRIEF subscores as the dependent variable; Chronological age (years) was designated as a covariate. Results: This study was conducted between two groups that were equal in terms of age, gender, developmental steps (walking, talking, toilet training), family structure, and socioeconomic status (p&gt;0.05). All subscales of VADS-B (aural-verbal, aural-written, visual-verbal, visual-written) were found to be significantly lower in children with stuttering (p&lt;0.05). In cancellation test results, there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of hit scores and total number of errors in organized letter and random letter forms (p&lt;0.05). No difference was found between the two groups in the BRIEF scale completed by the parents (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that school-aged children with stuttering had weaker working memory and sustained attention performance in performance-based tests. Thus, we believe that in the evaluation and treatment of stuttering, comprehensive approaches should be adopted to evaluate attention and executive functions and to improve these functions. In this area, studies with larger samples are needed in which stuttering, attention, and executive functions are evaluated more comprehensively with different tasks (computer-based performance tests, parent-teacher scales, etc.) and neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). Lastly, the tasks used in our study (VADS-B, CT, and BRIEF) were applied to Turkish-speaking school-age children with stuttering for the first time. In this regard, we think that our study will contribute to the literature.

Working Memory, Attention Skills and Language Proficiency in Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cochlear Implants

ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies observed that children with cochlear implants (CIs) have poor language, working memory, and attention skills. The ability to perform cognitive tasks, such as attention and memory, plays a crucial role in the academic achievement and everyday life of children with hearing impairment. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of age at the time of implantation and bilateral hearing on cognitive skills, such as language development, working memory, and selective attention, among children with CIs. Research Design: Language skills were assessed using the Test of Language Development-Primary: Fourth Edition (TOLD-P:4), working memory using the Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-Revised Form (VADS-R), and selective attention skills using the Stroop Test TBAG Form. Study sample: A total of 58 participants, comprised of 21 children with early unilateral CIs (before 2 years), 18 children with late unilateral CIs (after 2 years), and 19 children with bilateral CIs, between the ages of 6 and 9 years, were included in the study. Data collection and analysis: According to the age at the time of implantation and whether or not the participant was unilaterally or bilaterally implanted, the mean scores, percentage values, and resultant scores of the participants were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U test. The number of repeated backward digit spans for the VADS-R test, completion times, number of errors and corrections for the Stroop test, raw scores, scaled scores corresponding to raw scores at the relevant age, descriptive terms for the TOLD-P:4 test, and within-group comparisons for all tests were examined. Results: There were significant differences in language, working memory, and attention skills between individuals with early and late unilateral cochlear implantation, whereas there were no significant differences in many subtests between individuals with early unilateral and bilateral cochlear implantation. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the importance of early cochlear implantation and bilateral hearing on the development of cognitive processes, such as language development, selective attention, and memory skills, which are important factors that may contribute to children's academic performance and overall success.

Evaluation of language, attention, and memory skills in children with auditory brainstem implants.

This study aimed to evaluate attention, memory, and language skills in children with auditory brainstem implants and cochlear implants. This study included 20 children with auditory brainstem implants (ABI) and 20 cochlear implanted (CI) children between the ages of 6years and 8years 11months and their families. "Test of Language Development: Primary (TOLD-P:4)" was used to assess language skills, "STROOP Test, Visual-Aural Digit Span (VADS) test, and Cancellation Test" were used to evaluate attention and memory skills. In addition, the functional outcomes of hearing skills in daily life were scored by "Auditory Behavior in Everyday Life (ABEL) scale". The significance level was determined as 0.05. Children with ABI showed lower language skills than children with CI in terms of TOLD-P:4 language test scores, STROOP sub-test completion times, and the VADS and Cancellation test scores (p < 0.05). In addition, statistically significant correlations were found between language, attention, memory skills, and auditory behavior scale. This study is one of the limited numbers of studies investigating cognitive processes in children with ABI. Since attention and memory are correlated with language skills, it is recommended that the development of cognition should be considered in follow-up and intervention approaches of children with ABI and/or CI.

Long-lasting cognitive effects of COVID-19: is there a role of BDNF?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects numerous systems of the body during the illness, and there have been long-lasting effects. BDNF plays an important role in synaptic plasticity and synaptic communication. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 54 patients who had COVID-19 infection participated in this study. Thirty-six age-, sex-, body mass index (BMI)-, education level- and smoking status-matched healthy controls were included in the present study. All participants were individually administered the Stroop test and Visual Aural Digit Span Test Form B (VADS-B). Serum BDNF levels were measured by ELISA. Stroop test word reading spontaneous correction number and reading time, word color saying wrong number, spontaneous correction number and reading time, box color speaking spontaneous correction number and reading time, Stroop interference and speed factor duration were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group. All scores of the VADS-B test were found to be significantly lower in the COVID-19 group. The mean serum BDNF levels were found to be 10.9 ± 6.9ng/ml in the COVID-19 group and 12.8 ± 6.4ng/ml in the healthy control group. Two-way ANOVA showed that the serum mean BDNF level was significantly lower in the COVID-19 group than in the control group. Gender had a significant effect on BDNF levels (F = 12.21; p = 0.008). The present study is the first to demonstrate the association between the role of serum BDNF and cognitive decline in patients with COVID-19 infection. Additionally, there is a significant role of male gender in terms of lower BDNF level and cognitive decline.

Bender-Gestalt II Test: Psychometric Properties with Global Scoring System on a Turkish Standardization Sample

ABSTRACT The present study aims to standardize the Bender-Gestalt II Test by exploring its psychometric properties on a Turkish sample between the ages of 4 and 17 years and to obtain its normative values. The standardization sample consisted of 2691 students aged 4.0–17.11 years/months from low, middle, and high socioeconomic statuses, attending preschool, primary, and high school education. The participants were administered the Bender-Gestalt II Test and other tests, including the Gesell Developmental Schedules test, Colored Progressive Matrices Test, Goodenough Draw-a-Man Test, Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Test, and Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-Revised Form, according to their age groups. The results revealed the absolute agreement values of the Copy items to be between .87 and .98. Thereafter, we calculated the test-retest reliability coefficients of the Copy scores to range from .74 to .67 by age groups, while the split-half reliability coefficients for each age group were between .62 and .87. The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested its single-factor structure for all age groups. The Copy scores showed significant correlations and predicted the criterion characteristics, which include general cognitive ability, mental development/fine motor skills, short-term memory, and attention. Overall, the present study confirmed that the Bender-Gestalt II Test is a valid, reliable, and standardized measure to evaluate the visual-motor integration ability of those aged 4.0–17.11 years/months.

Speech in Noise: Implications of Age, Hearing Loss, and Cognition

Introduction: Individuals with hearing loss have reduced hearing sensitivity and may not adequately process the temporal cues in acoustic signals. Cognitive skills that decrease with aging and hearing loss contribute negatively on the ability to understand speech. Hence, they may experience communication problems in noisy environments. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of sloping high-frequency hearing loss on speech perception in noise and to examine the impact of temporal and cognitive processing in young and middle-age adults. Methods: Speech in noise (SIN), temporal processing, and cognitive tests were conducted to hearing loss and normal hearing individuals aged 18–59 years. The measurements included the matrix sentence test, binaural temporal fine structure sensitivity (TFS) test, Visual Aural Digit Span (VADS), and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). Twenty participants with normal hearing were recruited in the control group, whereas 20 participants with hearing loss at high frequencies were composed of the study group. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis for SIN was performed by entering 3 separate blocks of independent variables. We entered age and hearing loss into the first block, which explained a significant amount of variability in SIN (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.001). Block 2 was comprised of scores from TFS sensitivity test, and this independent variable characterized temporal processing (R2 change = 0.002, p < 0.001). Block 3 was consisted of scores from VADS test and AVLT; these variables characterized cognitive processing and accounted for a good portion of SIN variance (R2 change = 0.04, p < 0.001). The age, hearing loss, and VADS contributed independently in the presence of all independent variables. Conclusion: The final model accounted for 76.2% of the variance in SIN. The results suggested that sloping hearing loss, aging, and cognitive decline affected auditory performance, and the poor performance starts from an early age. Additionally, the findings indicated that a more comprehensive approach might be recommended to evaluate the listening skills and identify communication problems.

Spontaneous age-related changes of attention in unmedicated boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective Neuropsychological, neuroanatomical, and electrophysiological studies have reported a steady increase in the different attention types until the age of 10 years. Moreover, differences between healthy control (HC) boys and those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) become nonsignificant in late childhood. This cross-sectional study aimed to perform a comparative analysis of attentional processing in boys with ADHD and HC in the 6:00-10:11 years age range. Methods: Age-related changes in attentional processing were compared between Caucasian Turkic boys (72-131 months of age) with ADHD (n = 144) and HC (n = 112). Selective, focused, and inhibitory attention were measured using the Stroop Test (5 scores); sustained attention was measured using the Cancellation Test (3 scores); and attention span was measured using the Visual Aural Digit Span Test-Revised (6 scores). Results: At the age of 6 years, the ADHD group had a significantly lower performance for all attention types. By the age of 10 years, there were no significant between-group differences. However, the component structure of the neuropsychological test scores in the ADHD group differed from that in the HC group and previous studies. Conclusions: Attentional processing in boys with ADHD changes within the age-range of 6:00-10:00 years where it finally becomes similar to that in HC boys. This delayed maturation is consistent with the maturational lag model of ADHD. However, there was a between-group difference in the component structure of attentional processing, which is consistent with the maturational deviance model of ADHD.

The effect of nasal polyposis related nasal obstruction on cognitive functions.

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory mucosa of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The aim of this study was investigate the effect of nasal obstruction related to chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis on cognitive functions. Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis causing bilateral total or near total nasal obstruction were enrolled in the study. Symptoms of nasal congestion, loss of smell, postnasal drip, headaches, snoring, concentration difficulties and blunted affect were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale. Brief symptom inventory test, Stroop test, visual aural digit span, serial digit learning test and P300 test were used to evaluate cognitive functions. Three months after treatment, the tests done before surgery were repeated and the results were compared. A total of 30 patients were included in the study. On the Visual Analog Scale, all symptoms showed significant postoperative improvement in all patients (p < 0.001 for all symptoms). Preoperative nasal congestion accompanied with impaired concentration were detected in 27 patients (90%), and these symptoms recovered in all these patients after treatment (p = 0.035) (correlation coefficient 0.4). Only 22 patients completed the neuropsychological tests. The mean preoperative Stroop test (23.16 ± 5.30), visual aural digit span test (24.68 ± 3.52), and serial digit learning test (16.18 ± 5.35) scores were showed significant improvement compared with mean postoperative Stroop test (21.12 ± 5.69), visual aural digit span test (26.45 ± 2.98), and serial digit learning test (19.31 ± 4.47) scores (p = 0.047, p = 0.022, p = 0.005 respectively). The postoperative P300 latency values improved in 19 (63%) patients. The preoperative and postoperative latency values for P300 showed a significant difference (p = 0.029), whereas the preoperative and postoperative amplitude values for P300 did not differ (p = 0.096). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) has negative effects on cognitive functions, such as the ability to focus and maintain concentration. These cognitive functions improve after the patients undergo endoscopic sinus surgery to treat their CRSwNP.

Investigation of distinctive characteristics of children with specific learning disorder and borderline intellectual functioning

Background Borderline intelligence function (BIF) and specific learning disorder (SLD) are common diagnoses in children who are brought up for learning problems and school failure. Objective The aim of our study was to determine whether there were distinctive aspects of cognitive testing routinely used in evaluating SLD and BIF and investigate emotion regulation skills and minor neurologic symptoms. Method Sixty children (30 SLD and 30 BIF) who are currently attending primary school are selected for study. Visual Aural Digit Span Test – Form B, Gessel Figure Drawing Test, Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Perception Test, WISC-R, Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS) and Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was administered. Results There was no statistically significant difference between groups in cognitive tests. The emotional regulation ability measured by the emotional regulation subscale was better in the SLD group than the BIF group (p = 0.014). In the NES, sensory integration (p = 0.008), motor coordination (p = 0.047) and other (p < 0.001) subscales showed higher scores in the BIF group. Discussion It has been shown that cognitive tests don’t have distinguishing features in the evaluation of SLD and BIF. Emotion regulation subscale score of ERS and sensory integration, motor coordination, and total scores of NES can be used in both discrimination of groups.

Using Neuropsychometric Measurements in the Differential Diagnosis of Specific Learning Disability.

The aim of this study was to develop a neuropsychometric battery for the differential diagnosis of specific learning disability (SLD), with specific respect to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to help resolve the conflicting results in the literature by an integrative utilization of scores on both the Bannatyne categories and neuropsychological tests. The sample included 168 primary school boys who were assigned to SLD (n=21), ADHD (n=45), SLD and ADHD (n=57), and control groups (n=45). The exclusion criteria were a neurological or psychiatric comorbidity other than ADHD, a level of anxiety and/or depression above the cutoff score, medication affecting cognitive processes, visual and/or auditory disorders, and an intelligence level outside the IQ range of 85-129. Psychometric scores were obtained from the SLD Battery and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised in the form of Bannatyne category scores. Neuropsychological scores were from the Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-Form B, Serial Digit Learning Test, Judgment of Line Orientation, and Mangina Test. The battery was called the Integrative Battery of SLD. The correctness of estimation for classifying cases into the diagnostic dyads (SLD/ADHD, SLD/SLD+ADHD, and SLD+ADHD/ADHD) by an integrative utilization of both the Bannatyne category scores (n=4) and scores from the four neuropsychological tests (n=10) was 92.4%, 81.4%, and 71.8%, respectively. These proportions were generally higher than those obtained using the Bannatyne category scores alone (86.4%, 75.5%, and 73.1%, respectively). The same trend was seen in the classification of children into diagnostic and control groups. However, the proportion of the correctness of estimation was higher than that obtained for the diagnostic dyads. When conducted using appropriately chosen research designs and statistical techniques and if confounding variables are sufficiently controlled, a neuropsychometric battery that includes capacities that relate to intelligence (Bannatyne categories) and those that relate to neurocognitive processes (neuropsychological tests) can be useful in the differential diagnosis of SLD.

Evaluation of Executive Functions in Patients With Childhood Absence Epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the executive function of patients with typical absence epilepsy. Thirty-eight (19 healthy children and 19 patients) individuals were enrolled in this study. Neurocognitive function tests, such as the Serial Digit Learning Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Visual Aural Digit Span Test-Form B, KAS-Animal Test, Trail Making Test-A Time Test, and STROOP Test, were given to all of the participants. There was a significant difference between the groups on the Serial Digit Learning Test (P = .037) and on a subtest of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. As for the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance, there were significant differences in perseverative errors and perseverative responses between the patient and control groups (P = .011 and P = .010, respectively). Long-term risk for learning impairments, failure in executive abilities, and short-term memory and attention disorders can occur in children with absence epilepsy.

P48 – 2876: The evaluation of the frontal lobe function in the patients with absence epilepsy

Objective Based on earlier studies, CAE has been considered as a benign disorder with relatively easily attained seizure control and minimal involvement of cognition and behavior. However, more recent outcome studies report a varying rate of seizure control, as well as learning and cognitive difficulties. The aim of this study is the evaluation of neurocognitive function, especially frontal lobe, in the patients with typical absence epilepsy. Methods Thirty-eight (19 healthy children and 19 patients) participants were enrolled. Neurocognitive function tests such as Serial Digit Learning Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Visual Aural Digit Span Test and STROOP Test were performed to all participants. Results There was a significant difference between the groups according to Serial Digit Learning Test (SDLT) and the subgroup of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. As for the WCST performance, there was significant difference in categories achieved, difficulty of maintaining set, perseverative errors, and perseverative responses between patient and control groups (p=0.037, p=0.010, p=0.011). In Serial Digit Learning Test and in the non-perseverative error subgroup of WCST performance, there was a significant difference in the patient group whose seizures started before the age 6 (p=0.029, p=0.041). As for the Visual-Aural Digit Span Test performance, there was a significant difference between the groups when compared to the duration response to drug treatment in categories achieved, aural-oral, visual-oral, aural-written, and visual-written. (p=0.010, p=0.025, p=0.012, p=0.034). Conclusion Long-term risk of learning impairments, failure in executive abilities, short-term memory and attention disorders can occur in children with absence epilepsy, especially in patients whose seizure started before the age of 7 years not responding to single drug, and the duration of response to drug was longer than 6 months. Our results highlight potentially detrimental effect of absence seizures on cognition.

Neurocognitive evaluation in children with occipital lobe epilepsy

PurposeThis study aimed to explore cognitive functions in patients with childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (CEOP) and to compare the performance of these patients with that of patients with symptomatic occipital epilepsy (SOE) and healthy control subjects. MethodTwenty-eight patients with epilepsy (17 CEOP, 11 SOE) were enrolled. The control group had similar demographical characteristics. Cognitive functions evaluated with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-revised edition (WISC-R), The Visual Aural Digit Span (VADS) and Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test (BVMG). ResultsThe WISC-R showed lower performance IQ with WISC-R in patients with occipital epilepsy than in healthy controls. The VADS test only showed lower scores in children with symptomatic occipital epilepsy. Mean BVMG test scores were significantly abnormal in both subgroups of childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (early-onset CEOP/late-onset CEOP) and the group with SOE. ConclusionPatients with CEOP, especially the late-onset form, have significant problems in the domains of visuomotor coordination, memory and attention. The academic performance of these patients should be monitored carefully in follow-up and appropriate educational support should be given as necessary.

Neuropsychological Assessment of Adult Patients with Shunted Hydrocephalus

This study is planned to determine the neurocognitive difficulties of hydrocephalic adults. THE RESEARCH GROUP CONTAINED HEALTHY ADULTS (CONTROL GROUP, N : 15), and hydrocephalic adults (n : 15). Hydrocephalic group consisted of patients with idiopathic aquaduct stenosis and post-meningitis hydrocephalus. All patients were followed with shunted hydrocephalus and not gone to shunt revision during last two years. They were chosen from either asymptomatic or had only minor symptoms without motor and sensorineural deficit. A neuropsychological test battery (Raven Standart Progressive Matrices, Bender-Gestalt Test, Cancellation Test, Clock Drawing Test, Facial Recognition Test, Line Orientation Test, Serial Digit Learning Test, Stroop Color Word Interference Test-TBAG Form, Verbal Fluency Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-B) was applied to all groups. Neuropsychological assessment of hydrocephalic patients demonstrated that they had poor performance on visual, semantic and working memory, visuoconstructive and frontal functions, reading, attention, motor coordination and executive function of parietal lobe which related with complex and perseverative behaviour. Eventually, these patients had significant impairment on the neurocognitive functions of their frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. On the other hand, the statistical analyses performed on demographic data showed that the aetiology of the hydrocephalus, age, sex and localization of the shunt (frontal or posterior parietal) did not affect the test results. This prospective study showed that adult patients with hydrocephalus have serious neuropsychological problems which might be directly caused by the hydrocephalus; and these problems may cause serious adaptive difficulties in their social, cultural, behavioral and academic life.

Neuropsychologic Impairment in Children With Rolandic Epilepsy

Although patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes exhibit normal intelligence, they frequently display neuropsychologic abnormalities. Thirty-five patients with rolandic epilepsy were included in this study. They were divided into three subgroups. Group I comprised patients with rolandic focus who were not receiving treatment. Group II comprised patients with rolandic focus who were receiving treatment. Group III comprised patients who demonstrated improved foci and were not receiving treatment. The control group comprised 16 children who were similar to patients in terms of age, sex, and sociocultural level. All children underwent standardized neuropsychologic testing, including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised subtests, Bender Gestalt Test, Stroop Test, Visual Aural Digit Span, Reading and Writing Performance, and Dichotic Listening Test. Patients exhibited significantly impaired visuomotor and reading ability and attention to verbal stimuli compared with control subjects. Reading disability persisted in patients in remission from seizures and epileptic discharges. Contrary to the presumed benign nature of rolandic epilepsy, this disorder may cause learning disabilities. Therefore, patients must be followed longitudinally to identify any learning problems.

Verbal short‐term memory span in children: long‐term modality dependent effects of intrauterine growth restriction

Recent reports showed that children born with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are at greater risk of experiencing verbal short-term memory span (STM) deficits that may impede their learning capacities at school. It is still unknown whether these deficits are modality dependent. This long-term, prospective design study examined modality-dependent verbal STM functions in children who were diagnosed at birth with IUGR (n = 138) and a control group (n = 64). Their STM skills were evaluated individually at 9 years of age with four conditions of the Visual-Aural Digit Span Test (VADS; Koppitz, 1981): auditory-oral, auditory-written, visuospatial-oral and visuospatial-written. Cognitive competence was evaluated with the short form of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children--revised (WISC-R95; Wechsler, 1998). We found IUGR-related specific auditory-oral STM deficits (p < .036) in conjunction with two double dissociations: an auditory-visuospatial (p < .014) and an input-output processing distinction (p < .014). Cognitive competence had a significant effect on all four conditions; however, the effect of IUGR on the auditory-oral condition was not overridden by the effect of intelligence quotient (IQ). Intrauterine growth restriction affects global competence and inter-modality processing, as well as distinct auditory input processing related to verbal STM functions. The findings support a long-term relationship between prenatal aberrant head growth and auditory verbal STM deficits by the end of the first decade of life. Empirical, clinical and educational implications are presented.

Multicomponent attention deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The aim of this study was to examine the specific aspects of attention, such as selective attention, sustained attention, and short-term memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined subtype (ADHD-C). A total of 40 children with a diagnosis of ADHD from the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, aged 6-11 years old were compared with 40 controls matched for age and gender on a battery of tests. Short-term memory span and attention was measured by Visual Aural Digit Span Test-Revised. Stroop test and the Turkish version of Cancellation Test were used to assess selective and sustained attention, respectively. In order to check for factor structure in two groups on the test scores, principal component analysis was conducted for both groups separately. Relative to the comparison children, children with ADHD showed significant deficits on tests that are related to different aspects of attention. The results are consistent with the theories explaining the biological basis of ADHD by scattered attention networks in the brain, which have reciprocal dynamic interactions. Further comparative studies are needed to elucidate whether the cognitive processes that are known to be assessed by these tests are specific to ADHD.