A Framework to Diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Morphological Connectivity of sMRI and XGBoost.

In this study, we automated the diagnostic procedure of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the help of anatomical alterations found in structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data of the ASD brain and machine learning tools. Initially, the sMRI data was preprocessed using the FreeSurfer toolbox. Further, the brain regions were segmented into 148 regions of interest using the Destrieux atlas.

Conflict monitoring and adaptation to affective stimuli as a function of ageing.

The current study investigated whether preference for positive affect would be observed in the context of a higher order control process with increasing age given the premise of affective prioritization with ageing. The study examined how affect interacted with cognitive control mechanisms across young, middle-aged and older adults. Conflict monitoring and adaptation for affective stimuli was examined with a face-word Stroop task using happy and fearful facial expressions.

Development and standardization of the DALI-DAB (dyslexia assessment for languages of India - dyslexia assessment battery).

A majority of Indian schoolchildren are biliterate in that they acquire literacy in at least two language systems, necessitating dyslexia assessment in both. The DALI-DAB assesses risk for dyslexia by evaluating reading ability and literacy-learning potential through a battery including literacy tests (letter and word reading, spelling, nonword reading, reading comprehension), and mediator skills (phonological awareness, processing automaticity and executive fluency, oral language) in multiple languages. DALI-DAB was developed in three languages - English, Hindi, and Marathi - and standardized on a sample of 1013 children.

Neurocognitive mechanisms of affective conflict adaptation: An event related fMRI study.

Control of conflict can be seen in reduced effects of conflict following incompatible trials known as conflict adaptation. Such control mechanisms have been shown to depend on emotional content present in stimuli, which could be a motivational force for control adjustments. We explored the neural mechanisms of the interaction between proactive control in terms of conflict adaptation effect and emotions through an event related fMRI study involving an emotional Stroop effect (facial expression-emotional word paradigm) involving happy and angry expressions.

Effect of language proficiency on proactive occulo-motor control among bilinguals.

We examined the effect of language proficiency on the status and dynamics of proactive inhibitory control in an occulo-motor cued go-no-go task. The first experiment was designed to demonstrate the effect of second language proficiency on proactive inhibitory cost and adjustments in control by evaluating previous trial effects. This was achieved by introducing uncertainty about the upcoming event (go or no-go stimulus).

Proactive and reactive control depends on emotional valence: a Stroop study with emotional expressions and words.

We examined proactive and reactive control effects in the context of task-relevant happy, sad, and angry facial expressions on a face-word Stroop task. Participants identified the emotion expressed by a face that contained a congruent or incongruent emotional word (happy/sad/angry). Proactive control effects were measured in terms of the reduction in Stroop interference (difference between incongruent and congruent trials) as a function of previous trial emotion and previous trial congruence.

Bilingual language control and general purpose cognitive control among individuals with bilingual aphasia: evidence based on negative priming and flanker tasks.

Background: Bilingualism results in an added advantage with respect to cognitive control. The interaction between bilingual language control and general purpose cognitive control systems can also be understood by studying executive control among individuals with bilingual aphasia. objectives: The current study examined the subcomponents of cognitive control in bilingual aphasia.

Development of cognitive and affective control networks and decision making.

Cognitive control and decision making are two important research areas in the realm of higher-order cognition. Control processes such as interference control and monitoring in cognitive and affective contexts have been found to influence the process of decision making. Development of control processes follows a gradual growth pattern associated with the prolonged maturation of underlying neural circuits including the lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and the medial prefrontal cortex.

Bilingualism and the increased attentional blink effect: evidence that the difference between bilinguals and monolinguals generalizes to different levels of second language proficiency.

The attentional blink task involves rapid serial presentation of visual stimuli, two of which the participants have to report. The usual finding is that participants are impaired at reporting the second target if it appears in close temporal proximity to the first target. Previous research has shown that the effect is stronger in bilinguals than monolinguals.

Attention and memory biases as stable abnormalities among currently depressed and currently remitted individuals with unipolar depression.

Background: In the present study, we explored the possibility of the stability of attention bias and memory bias in currently remitted individuals with unipolar depression compared to currently depressed individuals with unipolar depression and never-depressed individuals.

Methods: The Emotional Stroop and autobiographical memory task (AMT) were administered on 10 participants, who were currently depressed, currently remitted with unipolar depression, or never-depressed. In the emotional Stroop task (EST), the respondent's task was to indicate the color of the ink of the positive, negative, and neutral words by selecting one of a series of colored blocks.

Growth patterns of neuropsychological functions in Indian children.

We investigated age-related differences in neuropsychological performance in 400 Indian school children (5-15 years of age). Functions of motor speed, attention, executive functions, visuospatial functions, comprehension, learning, and memory were examined. Growth curve analysis was performed.

Cognitive-motivational deficits in ADHD: development of a classification system.

The classification systems developed so far to detect attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not have high sensitivity and specificity. We have developed a classification system based on several neuropsychological tests that measure cognitive-motivational functions that are specifically impaired in ADHD children. A total of 240 (120 ADHD children and 120 healthy controls) children in the age range of 6-9 years and 32 Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) children (aged 9 years) participated in the study.

Neuropsychological lateralization of brain dysfunction in children with mesial temporal sclerosis: a presurgical evaluation.

Presurgical evaluation of children with mesial temporal sclerosis has shown severe neurocognitive impairments. There is debate about lateralized material-specific deficits in memory in children with mesial temporal sclerosis. The authors examined lateralization of brain dysfunction and age appropriate development of cognitive functions in 17 children (7-15 years) with mesial temporal sclerosis who had histories of uncontrolled epilepsy.

Development of task switching and post-error-slowing in children.

Background: Executive control processes such as task switching and error processing have been shown to change with age. The present study explored from a developmental perspective whether shared or different mechanisms underlie these processes.

Methods: The sample included 180 children (30 in each of the six age groups from 6-11 years) who were required to perform two different tasks: identification of a digit, or counting the number of digits.

Development of attentional processes in ADHD and normal children.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder. Typical development of attentional processes is rapid during early childhood. ADHD results in impairment in response inhibition, error monitoring, attentional disengagement, executive attention, and delay aversion and may effect the ongoing development of these processes during childhood.

Cognitive development in children with chronic protein energy malnutrition.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with both structural and functional pathology of the brain. A wide range of cognitive deficits has been reported in malnourished children. Effect of chronic protein energy malnutrition (PEM) causing stunting and wasting in children could also affect the ongoing development of higher cognitive processes during childhood (>5 years of age).