scholarly journals Are reading and face processing related? An investigation of reading in developmental prosopagnosia

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randi Starrfelt ◽  
Solja K. Klargaard ◽  
Anders Petersen ◽  
Christian Gerlach

Recent hypotheses suggest that learning to read influences the cognitive and cerebral organization of other perceptual skills, including face processing. Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a disorder of face recognition in the absence of acquired brain injury, and in the context of normal intelligence and general cognitive development. To shed light on the potential relationship between reading and face processing in this group (and in general), we investigated reading performance in 10 participants with DP and 20 matched controls. We find that the group of DPs perform strikingly similar to the control group on four sensitive reading tests measuring visual recognition and naming of single letters and words, word length effects, and text reading speed and comprehension. Thus, there is a clear dissociation between impaired face processing and preserved reading in this group, a finding that challenges the recently proposed hypothesis that reading acquisition and face processing abilities are intrinsically linked. Developmental prosopagnosics can learn to read as fluently as normal subjects, while they are seemingly unable to learn efficient strategies for recognizing faces.

1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne B. Sereno ◽  
Philip S. Holzman

Saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements were recorded in three groups of subjects: a schizophrenic group, a non-schizophrenic psychotic patient comparison group, and a normal control group. Schizophrenic subjects demonstrated a greater decrease in saccadic response time than did normal controls in a gap task (when the fixation point was turned off 150 msec before the target appeared). The psychiatric comparison subjects did not differ from normal controls. Further, only schizophrenic subjects demonstrated a relation between smooth pursuit and saccadic eye movement performance, such that subjects with impaired smooth pursuit showed a larger decrease in saccadic response time in the gap task. The relation between performance on the gap task and quality of smooth pursuit and its relevance for a prefrontal deficit hypothesis of schizophrenia are discussed.


1993 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marly de Albuquerque ◽  
Carlos José Reis de Campos

We have analyzed 155 subjects with STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory): 75 epileptic patients and 80 normal subjects used as a control group. A higher trait-anxiety score (chronic anxiety) than that of controls was found for the epileptic group. For the epileptic group higher levels of the A-trait occurred in patients with EEG abnormalities with left temporal localization. We have also observed that the shorter the epilepsy lasts (less than two years), the higher the trait-anxiety levels. Convulsions and awareness loss during epileptic seizures do not modify state and trait-anxiety scores.


1980 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Lloyd ◽  
Douglas Cullinan ◽  
Elizabeth D. Heins ◽  
Michael H. Epstein

Twenty-three learning disabled children were randomly assigned to three different classrooms, one of which served as a control condition. The two experimental classrooms consisted of homogeneous groups of students who were provided behaviorally based instruction, including direct instruction in language skills such as vocabulary, statement repetition, literal and inferential comprehension, and basic facts (e.g., names of months). At posttesting on the Slosson Intelligence and Gilmore Oral Reading tests the mean score of the experimental classes were found to be approximately three-fourths of a standard deviation higher that the means for the control group, a directionally significant difference in both cases. The results are discussed as support for the proposition that use of direct instruction procedures is a successful means of overcoming the learning difficulties of children considered learning disabled.


Author(s):  
J Butler ◽  
T Cundy

Using a sensitive immunoradiometric assay, serum concentrations of thyrotrophin (TSH) were measured both basally and after intravenous thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) in two groups of patients with destructive pituitary lesions. Group A patients, who had more extensive pituitary hormone deficiencies and biochemical evidence of hypothyroidism at the time of study, had significantly lower mean serum TSH concentrations than the group B patients who were biochemically euthyroid. Basal TSH was below the lowest value seen in a control group of normal subjects in 5 of the 8 group A patients. In all patients TSH increased significantly after injection of TRH; the peak values being significantly correlated with the basal. In contrast to recent studies, which have emphasised other mechanisms in the production of secondary hypothyroidism, our data suggest that inadequate production of immunoassayable TSH is a common cause of secondary hypothyroidism in patients with destructive pituitary disease. Little, if any, additional clinical information is to be gained by measurement of TSH after TRH stimulation in this circumstance.


2003 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Nieznanski

The aim of the study was to explore the basic features of self-schema in persons with schizophrenia. Thirty two schizophrenic patients and 32 normal controls were asked to select personality trait words from a check-list that described themselves, themselves as they were five years ago, and what most people are like. Compared with the control group, participants from the experimental group chose significantly more adjectives that were common to descriptions of self and others, and significantly less that were common to self and past-self descriptions. These results suggest that schizophrenic patients experience their personality as changing over time much more than do healthy subjects. Moreover, their self-representation seems to be less differentiated from others-representation and less clearly defined than in normal subjects.


According to the Tambovagrochemcenter data, zinc deficiency in animal rations exceeds 33%. To de-termine the efficiency of ration additives 3 groups of calves were formed, one of which was control and received regular feed, first test group received additional Zinc Sulphate, and second test group received additional Zinc Bioplex. To assess the results, we take into account the following values: chemical com-position and nutritional values of the feed, body mass value, amount of immunoglobulins in blood, bio-chemical and hematological values of blood, morphological values of fur and skin. Noticeable results were achieved in 4 months, with first and second test groups receiving accordingly 3,15% and 6,13% more body mass increase over the control group. A tendency towards higher albumin concentration in both test groups was noted, and calves of the second test group had higher amounts of hemoglobin and higher concentrations of it per erythrocyte. In samples of epidermis and hairs of the second test group the papillary layer was well developed, with the amount of hair and hair follicles exceeding 7 in the field of view, with the thickness of hairs being at least 70 μm. Inner papilla of hair contained 6 to 8 layers of hair, thickness of awn hairs reaching 80-90 μm, down hairs reaching 40 μm, with the hair cortex making up more than 80% of the hair thickness. Thus, introducing zinc salts and chelated zinc compounds to the milk-fed calves’ ration, has resulted in monetary profit increases over the control group by 255,0 and 612,0 roubles accordingly. By all researched values, the highest results were reached from adding zinc bioplex with approximately 360 mg added per animal for the entire duration of the growth process.


Author(s):  
Tamkeen Fatima ◽  
Farah Zeb ◽  
A. Dar Farooq

Background: CYP2D6 is to be considered the most pronounced gene in pharmacegenetic field which is involved in metabolizing ~25% of all clinically used neuroleptic drugs and other antidepressants. We designed a study to evaluate differential expression of CYP2D6*4 and CYP2D6*10 variants which are very prevalent in Asian countries and exhibit variation in drug metabolizing ability that affect therapeutic responses. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the genotypic frequencies of CYP2D6 *1 (normal metabolizer), *4 (poor metabolizer) and *10 (intermediate metabolizer) variants among schizophrenic subjects and compared with control group from a sub-set of Karachi population. Method: Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA ) was extracted and amplified with CYP2D6*4 and *10 primers using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested by Bacillus stereothermophilus (BstN1) and Hemophilus parahemolyticus (Hph1) restriction enzymes. The digested bands were identified as wild type or mutants and their genotypic frequencies were estimated statistically by Hardy-Weinberg equation (HWE) and analyzed further under non-parametric Chi-square test. Results: The results mentioned the frequencies of CYP2D6*1 wild allele (57%) which produces functional enzyme in normal subjects but CYP2D6*4 variant (9%) that produces non-functional enzyme and CYP2D6*10 allele (70%) produces altered enzyme with reduced activity that was most prevalent in schizophrenic patients. Conclusion : Genotyping of CYP2D6 alleles among schizophrenic patients indicated prevalence of *4 and *10 variants in Karachi population producing non-functional and reduced functional drugs metabolizing enzymes respectively that increases the incurability rate of schizophrenia. Therefore, CYP2D6 gene screening program should be conducted routinely in clinical practice to help clinicians to prescribing appropriate doses according to patient’s genotype and minimize the sufferings of schizophrenia. Discussion: In last, drug response is a complex phenomenon that is dependent on genetic and environmental factors. CYP2D6 polymorphism may un-cured the schizophrenia due to improper drug metabolism and protein-proteins interaction that may alter the antipsychotic drugs metabolism among patients with variable drug resposes. Gene testing system need to establish for analyzing maximum patient’s genotypes predicted with poor metabolizer, intermediate metabolizer and ultrarapid metabolizer for the adjustment of antipsychotic drugs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 02 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurel Stringer ◽  
Sarah Malley ◽  
Darrell M. Hutto ◽  
Jason A. Griggs ◽  
Susana M. Salazar Marocho

Background: The most common approach to remove yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) fixed-dental prostheses (FDPs) is by means of diamond burs attached to a high-speed handpiece. This process is time-consuming and destructive. The use of lasers over mechanical instrumentation for removal of FDPs can lead to efficient and predictable restoration retrievability. However, the heat produced might damage the tooth pulp (>42˚C). Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum temperature (T) reached during the use of different settings of the erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet Er,Cr:YSGG laser through a YSZ ceramic. Methods: YSZ slices (1 mm thick) were assigned into 7 groups. For the control group, a diamond bur was used to cut a 1 mm groove into the YSZ slices. For the 6 experimental groups, the laser was operated at a constant combination of 33% water and 66% air during 30 s with two different power settings (W) at three frequencies (PPS), as follows (W/PPS): 2.5/20, 2.5/30, 2.5/45, 4.5/20, 4.5/30, 4.5/45. The T through the YSZ slice was recorded in degrees Celsius by using a digital thermometer with a K thermocouple. Results: The median T of the control group was 26.5˚C. The use of 4.5 W resulted in the median T (˚C) of 44.2 at 20 PPS, 53.3 at 30 PPS, and 58.9 at 45 PPS, while 2.5 W showed 34.6, 31.6, and 25.0 at 20, 30, and 45 PPS, respectively. KruskalWallis one-way ANOVA showed that within each power setting, the T was similar. The high power and lowest frequency (4.5/20) showed no significant difference from the 2.5 W settings and the control group. Conclusion: The lower power setting (2.5 W) is a potential method for the use of the Er,Cr:YSGG laser to debond YSZ structures. The higher power (4.5 W) with high frequencies (30 and 45 PPS) is unsuitable.


Author(s):  
Patil Aniket ◽  
Dindore Pallavi ◽  
Arbar Aziz ◽  
Kadam Avinash ◽  
Saroch Vikas

The quest for excellence in mental and physical health is not new. We find various references and formulations in Ayurvedic classics meant for promoting mental and physical health of a child. Suvarna Prashan is one of the formulations explained in age old Ayurvedic classic Kashyap Samhita. This formulation is very widely used now days as a memory and immune booster for children. But there is very little systematic documented study which can be used to evaluate the efficacy of the formulation. Suvarna Bhasma was prepared in Ayurved Rasayani Pharmacy, Pune. Madhu and Ghrita were collected from KLE Ayurveda Pharmacy, Belgaum. Suvarna Bindu Prashan was prepared in KLE Ayurved pharmacy, Belgaum. It contains Suvarna Bhasma, Ghrita and Madhu. Twenty apparently healthy male and female children with age group of three to four years were ready to sign inform consent form were selected into two groups each. Subjects in Group A received Suvarna Bindu Prashan where as Group B (Control group) did not receive any treatment. Both the groups were observed for six months. Children in Suvarna Bindu Prashan group showed significant reduction in the scores of eating habits, behavior, mood, temperament and scores of event of illness. However there was no significant difference in the score of sleeping habit. There was significant increase in IQ percentage.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Zhang ◽  
Yang Tao ◽  
Yun Zhong ◽  
Jacqueline Thompson ◽  
Jamal Rahmani ◽  
...  

UNSTRUCTURED Lifestyle interventions have been recognised as a line treatment of non-communicable diseases. The aimed of this study was to evaluate a bespoke mHealth approach to delivers personalised feedback to improve blood pressure and weight for hypertensive patients in community settings. A total of 307 participants, 50 from each community, were expected to be in the intervention or control group. A professional health facilitator was assigned for each of the 6 communities. The primary outcomes of the study are the reduction in blood pressure and weight at baseline and post-intervention. Of 307 recruited,192 (62.5%) participants completed the study (intervention: 104 and control: 88). There was no difference in attrition rates between the two groups (33.5%vs41.9%, p=0.291). After 6-months of intensive feedback intervention through mHealth approach, patients had better blood pressure, weight, and BMI compared with control. People who were adherent to the intervention demonstrated a clinical benefit with regards to weight and blood pressure.


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