Auditory influences on walking: Children's walking to the beat.

Research on the multisensory control of locomotion has demonstrated that adults exhibit auditory-motor entrainment across an array of contexts. In such work adults will consciously modulate the cadence of their walking when instructed to match their footfalls to an auditory metronome equal to, slower than, or faster than, their natural walking cadence. The current study extends such investigations to young toddlers between 14 and 24 months ( = 59, drawn from Toronto, Ontario), as well as adults ( = 20, drawn from Toronto, Ontario), demonstrating that even new walkers will modify their gait when presented with auditory input at or faster than their natural walking cadence.

Detection of Children/Youth With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Through Eye Movement, Psychometric, and Neuroimaging Data.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is one of the most common causes of developmental disabilities and neurobehavioral deficits. Despite the high-prevalence of FASD, the current diagnostic process is challenging and time- and money- consuming, with underreported profiles of the neurocognitive and neurobehavioral impairments because of limited clinical capacity. We assessed children/youth with FASD from a multimodal perspective and developed a high-performing, low-cost screening protocol using a machine learning framework.

Resting-state functional connectivity in children born from gestations complicated by preeclampsia: A pilot study cohort.

Background: Individuals (PE-F1s) born from preeclampsia (PE)-complicated pregnancies have elevated risks for cognitive impairment. Intervals of disturbed maternal plasma angiokines precede clinical signs of PE. We hypothesized pan-blastocyst dysregulation of angiokines underlies altered PE-F1 brain vascular and neurological development.

Neurological function in children born to preeclamptic and hypertensive mothers - A systematic review.

Background: Offspring whose mothers developed preeclampsia (PE-F1s) show developmental effects that are now being identified, such as cognitive, behavioural, and mood differences compared to offspring from non-complicated pregnancies. We hypothesize that the progressive angiokine dysregulation associated with development of preeclampsia (PE) reflects gene dysregulation in pre-implantation conceptuses, and manifests in all developing fetal tissues rather than exclusively to the placenta. This hypothesis predicts that fetal cerebrovascular and brain development are deviated by fetal-intrinsic, brain-based mechanisms during what is currently considered a placentally-induced maternal disease.

Infants' perceptions of constraints on object motion as a function of object shape.

Three studies examined young infants' ability to distinguish between expected and unexpected motion of objects based on their shape. Using a preferential-looking paradigm, 8- and 12-month-old infants' looking time towards expected and unexpected motion displays of familiar, everyday objects (e.g.

Immediate Neural Plasticity Involving Reaction Time in a Saccadic Eye Movement Task is Intact in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Saccades are rapid eye movements that bring an image of interest onto the retina. Previous research has found that in healthy individuals performing eye movement tasks, the location of a previous visual target can influence performance of the saccade on the next trial. This rapid behavioral adaptation represents a form of immediate neural plasticity within the saccadic circuitry.

Ethical Challenges in Contemporary FASD Research and Practice.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is increasingly recognized as a growing public health issue worldwide. Although more research is needed on both the diagnosis and treatment of FASD, and a broader and more culturally diverse range of services are needed to support those who suffer from FASD and their families, both research and practice for FASD raise significant ethical issues. In response, from the point of view of both research and clinical neuroethics, we provide a framework that emphasizes the need to maximize benefits and minimize harm, promote justice, and foster respect for persons within a global context.

Diffusion tensor imaging of white matter and correlates to eye movement control and psychometric testing in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can cause central nervous system dysfunction and widespread structural anomalies as detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study focused on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter in a large sample of PAE participants that allowed us to examine correlations with behavioral outcomes. Participants were confirmed PAE (n = 69, mean age = 12.

Impact of preeclampsia on cognitive function in the offspring.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a significant clinical disorder occurring in 3-5% of all human pregnancies. Offspring of PE pregnancies (PE-F1s) are reported to exhibit greater cognitive impairment than offspring from uncomplicated pregnancies. Previous studies of PE-F1 cognitive ability used tests with bias that do not assess specific cognitive domains.

Eye movements reveal sexually dimorphic deficits in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Background: We examined the accuracy and characteristics of saccadic eye movements in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) compared with typically developing control children. Previous studies have found that children with FASD produce saccades that are quantifiably different from controls. Additionally, animal studies have found sex-based differences for behavioral effects after prenatal alcohol exposure.

Response inhibition deficits in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: relationship between diffusion tensor imaging of the corpus callosum and eye movement control.

Response inhibition is the ability to suppress irrelevant impulses to enable goal-directed behavior. The underlying neural mechanisms of inhibition deficits are not clearly understood, but may be related to white matter connectivity, which can be assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between response inhibition during the performance of saccadic eye movement tasks and DTI measures of the corpus callosum in children with or without Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Working memory and visuospatial deficits correlate with oculomotor control in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Previous studies have demonstrated that children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) exhibit deficits in measures of eye movement control that probe aspects of visuospatial processing and working memory. The goal of the present study was to examine, in a large cohort of children with FASD, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) but not FASD, and typically developing control children, the relationship between performance in eye movement tasks and standardized psychometric tests that assess visuospatial processing and working memory. Participants for this dataset were drawn from a large, multi-site investigation, and included children and adolescents aged 5-17 years diagnosed with an FASD (n=71), those with PAE but no clinical FASD diagnosis (n=20), and typically developing controls (n=111).

Deficits in response inhibition correlate with oculomotor control in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and prenatal alcohol exposure.

Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) or prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) frequently exhibit impairment on tasks measuring inhibition. The objective of this study was to determine if a performance-based relationship exists between psychometric tests and eye movement tasks in children with FASD. Participants for this dataset were aged 5-17 years and included those diagnosed with an FASD (n=72), those with PAE but no clinical FASD diagnosis (n=21), and typically developing controls (n=139).

Altered accuracy of saccadic eye movements in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Background: Prenatal exposure to alcohol is a major, preventable cause of neurobehavioral dysfunction in children worldwide. The measurement and quantification of saccadic eye movements is a powerful tool for assessing sensory, motor, and cognitive function. The quality of the motor process of an eye movement is known as saccade metrics.