FAS: Neuropsychological Assessment of Children

描述（由申请人提供）：产前大量酒精暴露的影响超出了胎儿酒精综合征的诊断，并可能导致神经发育障碍的复杂模式。虽然这种模式的确切性质还没有得到很好的定义，但目前的研究正在朝着这个方向发展。同样，大脑成像研究指出，产前大量饮酒的儿童大脑结构的影响模式，某些结构受到的影响程度大于其他结构。本申请提出了基于最近对产前酒精暴露严重的儿童的神经心理学和神经解剖学研究的研究。拟议的研究旨在澄清三个重要的功能比较：“什么”与“在哪里”的视觉空间处理，“全球”与“本地”层次的视觉空间处理，和“脱离”与“转移”的视觉注意。这些区域与顶叶有关，顶叶是大脑中受产前酒精暴露影响的区域。虽然以前对脑损伤个体的研究分别评估了这三个领域，但本文提出的研究旨在评估一个人群中的三个领域。首先，将使用计算机化和传统测试评估“什么-哪里”视觉空间功能。根据初步的数据，相对薄弱的“在哪里”处理的预测。第二，评估全球本地处理将进行使用测试的回忆和潜在的偏见效应的等级数字。基于以前的研究，预测在本地处理的相对弱点。最后，将使用注意力空间定向的经典测量来评估视觉注意力的分散转移。基于大脑成像研究和先前的注意力转移研究，预测了脱离的相对弱点。因此，拟议的一系列研究目标是解剖学上相关的三个重要功能分离。这些研究的基本原理和假设是基于以前的神经心理学和成像研究。澄清这些分离将有助于定义的弱点和优势的配置文件在儿童产前酒精暴露严重，并帮助确定在这一人群的核心缺陷。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The effects of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure reach beyond the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and can result in a complex pattern of neurodevelopmental disorders. Although the precise nature of this pattern is not well defined, current research is progressing toward this end. Similarly, brain imaging studies point to a pattern of effects in the brain structure of children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure with some structures affected to a greater degree than others. The current application proposes studies based on recent neuropsychological and neuroanatomical studies of children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. The proposed studies are aimed at clarifying three important functional comparisons: "what" vs. "where" visuospatial processing, "global" vs. "local" hierarchical visuospatial processing, and "disengaging" vs. "shifting" of visual attention. These areas have been linked to the parietal lobe, an area of the brain affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Although previous studies of individuals with brain damage have assessed these three areas separately, the research proposed herein aims to assess the three domains in one population. First, assessment of "what-where" visuospatial functioning will be conducted using computerized and traditional tests. Based on preliminary data, relative weaknesses in "where" processing are predicted. Second, assessment of global-local processing will be conducted using tests of both recall and potential biasing effects of hierarchical figures. Based on previous research, a relative weakness in local processing is predicted. Finally, assessment of disengaging-shifting of visual attention will be conducted using a classic measure of spatial orienting of attention. Based on both brain imaging studies and previous studies of attentional shifting, a relative weakness in disengagement is predicted. Thus, the proposed series of studies targets three important functional dissociations that are anatomically linked. The underlying rationale and hypotheses for these studies are based on previous neuropsychological and imaging studies. Clarification of these dissociations will help define the profile of weaknesses and strengths in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and help identify core deficits in this population.