Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders最新文献

Developmental dyslexia (DD) affects approximately 10% of individuals, impairing reading ability thus limiting professional fulfilment and psychological wellbeing. DD is associated with both phonological and visual deficits, and the latter are attributed to dysfunctions of the magnocellular-dorsal visual stream, which has a critical role in planning saccades and supporting the extraction of letters/words identity. Currently, there are no effective treatments to restore the brain networks underlying visuospatial analysis and oculomotor efficiency. Adults with DD were enrolled in a randomised clinical trial introducing a non-invasive neuromodulation protocol specifically designed to enhance dorsal stream functionality. We used bi-focal beta-band transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in parietal areas, due to the recognized role of beta oscillation in the dorsal stream functionality. Coupled with a 12-session visuoattentional training, such protocol induced improvements in reading speed, oculomotor control, and visual motion perception. Additionally, beta-tACS led to long-term enhancement of working memory. These outcomes were exclusive or superior to those obtained with a placebo/sham neuromodulation, and were accompanied by plastic changes in the stimulated brain networks. Overall, our findings show the efficacy of multisession tACS in improving core visual, oculomotor and cognitive deficits associated with reading disorders.

Background: The interhemispheric transfer deficit theory proposes that individuals with dyslexia have impaired interhemispheric transfer, particularly affecting the integration of visual information from the left and right visual fields. This study aimed to evaluate this hypothesis by examining interhemispheric transfer in dyslexia using visual half-field tasks targeting both linguistic and visuospatial processing.

Methods: We examined interhemispheric transfer in dyslexia using two visual half-field tasks: a lexical decision task to assess written word processing, and a symmetry decision task to examine visuospatial processing. We compared reaction times and accuracy in 90 Dutch-speaking participants (45 with dyslexia, 45 controls) across left, right, and bilateral stimulus presentations.

Results: While both tasks successfully captured expected visual half-field differences in the control group, favoring the right visual field in the lexical decision task and the left visual field in the symmetry detection task, we did not observe that the dyslexia group showed increased differences between the two fields, as predicted by the interhemispheric transfer deficit theory. Furthermore, the dyslexia group benefited just as much as controls from stimuli presented simultaneously to both visual fields. Thus, no evidence of interhemispheric transfer deficits related to dyslexia was found in either task.

Conclusions: These findings challenge the broad applicability of the interhemispheric transfer deficit theory in dyslexia, suggesting that such impairments may be task-dependent rather than domain-general. Future studies should further explore the conditions under which interhemispheric transfer deficits might occur in dyslexia.

Background: Movement differences in autism have attracted growing attention in recent years. Anecdotally, autistic movement has been likened to that of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Given that PD assessments are primarily movement-based, it is important to ensure that autistic individuals are not scoring highly on PD diagnostic criteria due to autism-related movement differences. Quantifying overlap in movement profiles and identifying distinguishing features is essential, particularly given increased PD diagnosis rates in the autistic population.

Methods: We conducted the first direct comparison study of autistic and parkinsonian movement. Autistic individuals (N = 31), individuals with PD (N = 32) and control participants (N = 31) completed a Shapes Tracing Task and a Reaction Time Task. Kinematic features were compared between groups and classification algorithms were run to distinguish between groups.

Results: Groups were distinguishable based on kinematic features. The autistic group differed from both PD and control groups in speed modulation and sub-movements, and from the PD group in reaction time. Classification algorithms for clinical (autism and PD) versus non-clinical groups, and for autism versus PD, were most accurate when combining kinematic and questionnaire data. There were no kinematic similarities between autism and PD that were also distinct from controls.

Conclusions: Whilst kinematic features did not appear similar between autism and PD, they were informative for group classification. This proof-of-concept study highlights that movement-based metrics may aid in identifying whether someone belongs to a clinical group, and which one - suggesting potential for refining diagnostic approaches for both autism and PD.

Background: To classify MRI patterns in children with cerebral palsy (CP) using the MRI Classification System (MRICS) and examine their associations with perinatal risk factors and clinical outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 1,403 children with CP who underwent post-neonatal cranial MRI between 2011 and 2020. MRI patterns were categorized using MRICS. We analyzed the associations between MRI findings and perinatal risk factors (e.g., gestational age, birth weight, sex, perinatal adversity, plurality) using univariate and multivariable multinomial logistic regression. Clinical outcomes-including CP subtype, gross motor function, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and composite impairment index-were assessed using chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and correspondence analysis.

Results: MRI abnormalities were observed in 86.5% of children, with predominant white matter injury (PWMI) being most common (46.5%). Preterm birth and perinatal adversity significantly increased the risk of PWMI and PGMI. PWMI was linked with spastic CP, better motor outcomes, and lower rates of intellectual disability. In contrast, PGMI and maldevelopments were associated with epilepsy, hearing loss, and severe impairment. Importantly, a subset of children with normal MRI findings still exhibited substantial functional impairments, emphasizing the limitations of structural imaging alone.

Conclusions: MRI patterns, as classified by MRICS, provide critical insight into the neurodevelopmental heterogeneity of CP. Normal MRI findings do not preclude significant clinical impairment, underscoring the need for integrated neuroimaging and clinical-genetic assessment in CP management.