Delineating picture and Chinese Character recognition: an ERP approach

Poster Session A - Orthographic Processing, Writing, Spelling: no. A21The logographic nature of the Chinese script has often been compared to alphabet scripts and argued that more visual-spatial analysis is required, given that character components are arranged in a fixed square shape (Tan et al., 2001). The analogy between characters and pictographs or line-drawings has led to some discussion of whether the two are similar or distinct in visual-spatial analysis particularly in the right occipital hemisphere (e.g. Yum et al., 2012; Zhang, et al., 2011). Using ERP’s method, this study aimed to address whether visual-spatial analysis of characters is dissociable from line drawings, particularly focusing at the initial occipital P100 ...postprin

Learning together through international collaboration in teacher education in Malaysia. Report of a project to develop a Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Primary Mathematics

Copyright University of Hertfordshire, School of Education 2011Learning together through international collaboration in teacher education in Malaysia is the report of an enterprising partnership between the University of Hertfordshire, UK, the Ministry of Education Malaysia and two Institutes of Teacher Education in Malaysia. Working collaboratively with colleagues in Malaysia, the University of Hertfordshire School of Education designed, validated, supported and quality assured a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree programme for initial teacher training for a single cohort of 120 students over four years. All the students graduated in 2010. Learning together through international collaboration in teacher education in Malaysia provides a record of the project itself. It also documents in-depth insights from contributors to the project in two main areas: the collaborative approach to working together and issues relating to learning and teaching, including the Action – Reflection – Modelling (ARM) pedagogical approach, which underpinned the degree programme. Senior managers, teacher educators and lecturers share some of their learning from working together to develop and implement the new degree programme. Student teachers voice some experiences from their school placements. They describe how they used ARM; highlight some of the benefits of the approach and identify some of the challenges associated with introducing a different pedagogy in schools as they were 'learning to teach'. There are glimpses of 'lively and attractive' classes in which 'pupils enjoy and feel comfortable to learn' and 'are eager to answer my questions'. School mentors provide additional insights into the student teachers' learning and teaching practice. The richness of the contributions is reflected in the many quotations included in the report. The successful completion of this project was due to the dedication and expertise of many contributors. The findings documented in this report are relevant for all those engaged in international collaboration and teacher education.Final Published versio

Resting-State Brain Network Dysfunctions Associated With Visuomotor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show elevated levels of motor variability that are associated with clinical outcomes. Cortical–cerebellar networks involved in visuomotor control have been implicated in postmortem and anatomical imaging studies of ASD. However, the extent to which these networks show intrinsic functional alterations in patients, and the relationship between intrinsic functional properties of cortical–cerebellar networks and visuomotor impairments in ASD have not yet been clarified. Methods: We examined the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of cortical and cerebellar brain regions during resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in 23 individuals with ASD and 16 typically developing (TD) controls. Regions of interest (ROIs) with ALFF values significantly associated with motor variability were identified for for patients and controls respectively, and their functional connectivity (FC) to each other and to the rest of the brain was examined. Results: For TD controls, greater ALFF in bilateral cerebellar crus I, left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, and left angular gyrus each were associated with greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar lobule VIII was associated with less visuomotor variability. For individuals with ASD, greater ALFF in right calcarine cortex, right middle temporal gyrus (including MT/V5), left Heschl's gyrus, left post-central gyrus, right pre-central gyrus, and left precuneus was related to greater visuomotor variability. Greater ALFF in cerebellar vermis VI was associated with less visuomotor variability. Individuals with ASD and TD controls did not show differences in ALFF for any of these ROIs. Individuals with ASD showed greater posterior cerebellar connectivity with occipital and parietal cortices relative to TD controls, and reduced FC within cerebellum and between lateral cerebellum and pre-frontal and other regions of association cortex. Conclusion: Together, these findings suggest that increased resting oscillations within visuomotor networks in ASD are associated with more severe deficits in controlling variability during precision visuomotor behavior. Differences between individuals with ASD and TD controls in the topography of networks showing relationships to visuomotor behavior suggest atypical patterns of cerebellar–cortical specialization and connectivity in ASD that underlies previously documented visuomotor deficits.NIMH K23 (MH092696)NIMH R01 (MH112734)Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART) Research Investment Council Strategic Initiative GrantNICHD U54 Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center Award (U54HD090216)National Natural Science Foundation of China Award (grant no. 81371527

Cerebral hemorrhagic infarction following cranioplasty in a shunted patient with tension pneumocephalus resulting from depressed skull and craniodural defect

SummaryA 34-year-old female sustained a severe traumatic brain injury that was treated with decompressive craniectomy and subsequent cranioplasty, then with ventriculoperitoneal shunt about 10 years previously. However, the skull flap was found to be depressed ever since. She was admitted to our hospital for a headache and left hemiparesis with sudden onset. The computed tomography scan displayed tension pneumocephalus in the right frontoparietal region. First, she underwent emergency burr hole drainage and placement of a subdural drain with external ventricular drainage tube. Then her symptoms improved considerably. Unfortunately, 6 months later she was admitted again to our hospital because of headache and left hemiparesis with sudden onset, and the brain computed tomography showed tension pneumocephalus in the right frontoparietal region. She underwent craniectomy to remove the previous depressed skull and simultaneous cranioplasty with Ti-Mesh. On the day of her operation, generalized seizure occurred and her consciousness deteriorated. The magnetic resonance imaging showed hemorrhagic infarction on both sides of the thalamus and the right parieto-occipital region. We think it probable that a sudden increase of cerebral blood flow in the cerebral hemisphere where the cranioplasty had been performed caused reperfusion injury and resulted in hemorrhagic infarction

Neuroanatomical abnormalities in first-episode psychosis across independent samples: a multi-centre mega-analysis

Background. Neuroanatomical abnormalities in first-episode psychosis (FEP) tend to be sub tle and widespread. The vast majority of previous studies have used small samples, and there fore may have been underpowered. In addition, most studies have examined participants at a single research site, and therefore the results may be specific to the local sample investigated. Consequently, the findings reported in the existing literature are highly heterogeneous. This study aimed to overcome these issues by testing for neuroanatomical abnormalities in indivi duals with FEP that are expressed consistently across several independent samples. Methods. Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging data were acquired from a total of 572 FEP and 502 age and gender comparable healthy controls at five sites. Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate differences in grey matter volume (GMV) between the two groups. Statistical inferences were made at p < 0.05 after family-wise error correction for multiple comparisons. Results. FEP showed a widespread pattern of decreased GMV in fronto-temporal, insular and occipital regions bilaterally; these decreases were not dependent on anti-psychotic medication. The region with the most pronounced decrease – gyrus rectus – was negatively correlated with the severity of positive and negative symptoms. Conclusions. This study identified a consistent pattern of fronto-temporal, insular and occipi tal abnormalities in five independent FEP samples; furthermore, the extent of these alterations is dependent on the severity of symptoms and duration of illness. This provides evidence for reliable neuroanatomical alternations in FEP, expressed above and beyond site-related differ ences in anti-psychotic medication, scanning parameters and recruitment criteri

Upper and Lower Limb Movement Kinematics in Aging

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with a premutation cytosine-guanine-guanine (CGG) trinucleotide repeat expansion of the FMR1 gene. FXTAS is estimated to be the most common single-gene form of ataxia in the aging population. Gait ataxia and intention tremor are the primary behavioral symptoms of FXTAS, though clinical evaluation of these symptoms often is subjective, contributing to difficulties in reliably differentiating individuals with FXTAS and asymptomatic premutation carriers. This study aimed to clarify the extent to which quantitative measures of gait and upper limb kinematics may serve as biobehavioral markers of FXTAS degeneration. Nineteen premutation carriers (aged 46-77 years), including 9 with possible, probable, or definite FXTAS and 16 sex- and IQ-matched healthy controls, completed tests of non-constrained walking and reaching while both standing (static reaching) and walking (dynamic reaching) to quantify gait and upper limb control, respectively. For the non-constrained walking task, participants wore reflective markers and walked at their preferred speed on a walkway. During the static reaching task, participants reached and lifted boxes of different sizes while standing. During the dynamic reaching task, participants walked to reach and lift the boxes. Movement kinematics were examined in relation to clinical ratings of neuromotor impairments and CGG repeat length. During non-constrained walking, individuals with FXTAS showed decreased stride lengths and stride velocities, increased percentages of double support time, and increased variabilities of cadence and center of mass relative to both asymptomatic premutation carriers and controls. While individuals with FXTAS did not show any static reaching differences relative to the other two groups, they showed multiple differences during dynamic reaching trials, including reduced maximum reaching velocity, prolonged acceleration time, and jerkier movement of the shoulder, elbow, and hand. Gait differences during non-constrained walking were associated with more severe clinically rated posture and gait symptoms. Reduced maximum reaching velocity and increased jerkiness during dynamic reaching were each related to more severe clinically rated kinetic dysfunction and overall neuromotor symptoms in FMR1 premutation carriers. Our findings suggest kinematic alterations consistent with gait ataxia and upper limb bradykinesia are each selectively present in individuals with FXTAS, but not asymptomatic aging premutation carriers. Consistent with neuropathological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of FXTAS, these findings implicate cerebellar and basal ganglia degeneration associated with neuromotor decline. Our results showing associations between quantitative kinematic differences in FXTAS and clinical ratings suggest that objective assessments of gait and reaching behaviors may serve as critical and reliable targets for detecting FXTAS risk and monitoring progression

Upper and Lower Limb Movement Kinematics in Aging FMR1 Gene Premutation Carriers

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with a premutation cytosine-guanine-guanine (CGG) trinucleotide repeat expansion of the FMR1 gene. FXTAS is estimated to be the most common single-gene form of ataxia in the aging population. Gait ataxia and intention tremor are the primary behavioral symptoms of FXTAS, though clinical evaluation of these symptoms often is subjective, contributing to difficulties in reliably differentiating individuals with FXTAS and asymptomatic premutation carriers. This study aimed to clarify the extent to which quantitative measures of gait and upper limb kinematics may serve as biobehavioral markers of FXTAS degeneration. Nineteen premutation carriers (aged 46–77 years), including 9 with possible, probable, or definite FXTAS and 16 sex- and IQ-matched healthy controls, completed tests of non-constrained walking and reaching while both standing (static reaching) and walking (dynamic reaching) to quantify gait and upper limb control, respectively. For the non-constrained walking task, participants wore reflective markers and walked at their preferred speed on a walkway. During the static reaching task, participants reached and lifted boxes of different sizes while standing. During the dynamic reaching task, participants walked to reach and lift the boxes. Movement kinematics were examined in relation to clinical ratings of neuromotor impairments and CGG repeat length. During non-constrained walking, individuals with FXTAS showed decreased stride lengths and stride velocities, increased percentages of double support time, and increased variabilities of cadence and center of mass relative to both asymptomatic premutation carriers and controls. While individuals with FXTAS did not show any static reaching differences relative to the other two groups, they showed multiple differences during dynamic reaching trials, including reduced maximum reaching velocity, prolonged acceleration time, and jerkier movement of the shoulder, elbow, and hand. Gait differences during non-constrained walking were associated with more severe clinically rated posture and gait symptoms. Reduced maximum reaching velocity and increased jerkiness during dynamic reaching were each related to more severe clinically rated kinetic dysfunction and overall neuromotor symptoms in FMR1 premutation carriers. Our findings suggest kinematic alterations consistent with gait ataxia and upper limb bradykinesia are each selectively present in individuals with FXTAS, but not asymptomatic aging premutation carriers. Consistent with neuropathological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of FXTAS, these findings implicate cerebellar and basal ganglia degeneration associated with neuromotor decline. Our results showing associations between quantitative kinematic differences in FXTAS and clinical ratings suggest that objective assessments of gait and reaching behaviors may serve as critical and reliable targets for detecting FXTAS risk and monitoring progression

Conjoint and dissociated structural and functional abnormalities in first-episode drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder: a multimodal meta-analysis

Published MRI evidence of structural and resting-state functional brain abnormalities in MDD has been inconsistent. To eliminate interference by repeated disease episodes and antidepressant treatment, we conducted the first multimodal voxel-wise meta-analysis of studies of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in first-episode drug-naive MDD patients, using the Seed-based d Mapping method (SDM). Fifteen VBM data sets and 11 ALFF data sets were included. SDM-based multimodal meta-analysis was used to highlight brain regions with both structural and functional abnormalities. This identified conjoint structural and functional abnormalities in left lateral orbitofrontal cortex and right supplementary motor area, and also dissociated abnormalities of structure (decreased grey matter in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right inferior temporal gyrus; increased grey matter in right insula, right putamen, left temporal pole, and bilateral thalamus) and function (increased brain activity in left supplementary motor area, left parahippocampal gyrus, and hippocampus; decreased brain activity in right lateral orbitofrontal cortex). This study reveals a complex pattern of conjoint and dissociated structural and functional abnormalities, supporting the involvement of basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits, representing emotional, cognitive and psychomotor abnormalities, in the pathophysiology of early-stage MDD. Specifically, this study adds to Psychoradiology, an emerging subspecialty of radiology, which seems primed to play a major clinical role in guiding diagnostic and treatment planning decisions in patients with mental disorder