FAS: Neuropsychological Assessment of Children

描述(由申请人提供)：大量产前酒精暴露的影响超出了胎儿酒精综合症的诊断范围，并可能导致复杂的神经发育障碍模式。尽管这种模式的确切性质还没有很好地定义，但目前的研究正在朝着这个目标前进。同样，大脑成像研究指出，出生前大量饮酒的儿童大脑结构有一种影响模式，其中一些结构受到的影响比其他结构的影响更大。目前的申请是基于最近对重度产前酒精暴露儿童的神经心理学和神经解剖学研究提出的研究。这些研究旨在阐明三个重要的功能比较：“什么”与“在哪里”的视觉空间加工，“全局”与“局部”的分层视觉空间加工，以及视觉注意的“脱离”与“转移”。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。虽然之前对脑损伤患者的研究已经分别评估了这三个领域，但这里提出的研究旨在评估一个人群中的这三个领域。首先，将使用计算机化和传统测试对“在哪里”视觉空间功能进行评估。根据初步数据，预测了“Where”处理中的相对弱点。其次，将使用等级数字的回忆效应和潜在偏向效应的测试来评估全局-局部加工。基于先前的研究，预测了局部处理的相对弱点。最后，将使用一种经典的注意空间定向测量方法来评估视觉注意的分离-转移。基于脑成像研究和先前关于注意力转移的研究，可以预测脱离的程度相对较弱。因此，拟议的一系列研究针对三个重要的功能分离，这三个功能分离在解剖学上是相互关联的。这些研究的基本原理和假设是基于先前的神经心理学和影像研究。澄清这些分离将有助于确定产前重度酒精暴露儿童的弱点和优势，并有助于确定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.