60 research outputs found
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Language abilities in children with autism and language impairment: using narrative as a additional source of clinical information
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Language Impairment (SLI) are disorders of communication that are sometimes thought to show similar structural language difficulties. Recent research has even suggested that they might be aetiologically related. However, it may be that standardized language tasks are not sensitive enough to detect similarities and differences accurately. This study involved 26 Greek children with either ASD or SLI and compared them on standardized measures of structural and pragmatic language as well as using a structured narrative task. Children with ASD were more impaired on receptive but not expressive scores from standardized language tests. In contrast, narrative measures showed significantly poorer ASD performance in expressive skills involving wider story-telling skill and in some sentence-level skills, in particular referencing, compared to peers with SLI. ASD and SLI groups also showed different relationships between structural language and other measures. The data suggests that narrative is a useful tool for revealing qualitative differences in language between overlapping communication disorders both at the clinical and theoretical level, since it provides information that is lost in more formalized testing. This may be particularly true where norms are not available or testing is difficult
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Assessment of autonomic symptoms may assist with early identification of mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies
Funder: GE Healthcare; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006775Funder: Alzheimer's Research UK; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002283Funder: NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100012295Abstract: Objectives: Autonomic symptoms are a common feature of the synucleinopathies, and may be a distinguishing feature of prodromal Lewy body disease. We aimed to assess whether the cognitive prodrome of dementia with Lewy bodies, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies (MCIâLB), would have more severe reported autonomic symptoms than cognitively healthy older adults, with MCI due to Alzheimer's disease (MCIâAD) also included for comparison. We also aimed to assess the utility of an autonomic symptom scale in differentiating MCIâLB from MCIâAD. Methods: Ninetyâthree individuals with MCI and 33 healthy controls were assessed with the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31âitem scale (COMPASS). Mild cognitive impairment patients also underwent detailed clinical assessment and differential classification of MCIâAD or MCIâLB according to current consensus criteria. Differences in overall COMPASS score and individual symptom subâscales were assessed, controlling for age. Results: Ageâadjusted severity of overall autonomic symptomatology was greater in MCIâLB (Ratio = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.37â2.96), with higher orthostatic intolerance and urinary symptom severity than controls, and greater risk of gastrointestinal and secretomotor symptoms. MCIâAD did not have significantly higher autonomic symptom severity than controls overall. A cutâoff of 4/5 on the COMPASS was sensitive to MCIâLB (92%) but not specific to this (42% specificity vs. MCIâAD and 52% vs. healthy controls). Conclusions: Mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies had greater autonomic symptom severity than normal ageing and MCIâAD, but such autonomic symptoms are not a specific finding. The COMPASSâ31 may therefore have value as a sensitive screening test for earlyâstage Lewy body disease
Assessment of autonomic symptoms may assist with early identification of mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies
Funder: GE Healthcare; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006775Funder: Alzheimer's Research UK; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002283Funder: NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100012295Abstract: Objectives: Autonomic symptoms are a common feature of the synucleinopathies, and may be a distinguishing feature of prodromal Lewy body disease. We aimed to assess whether the cognitive prodrome of dementia with Lewy bodies, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies (MCIâLB), would have more severe reported autonomic symptoms than cognitively healthy older adults, with MCI due to Alzheimer's disease (MCIâAD) also included for comparison. We also aimed to assess the utility of an autonomic symptom scale in differentiating MCIâLB from MCIâAD. Methods: Ninetyâthree individuals with MCI and 33 healthy controls were assessed with the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31âitem scale (COMPASS). Mild cognitive impairment patients also underwent detailed clinical assessment and differential classification of MCIâAD or MCIâLB according to current consensus criteria. Differences in overall COMPASS score and individual symptom subâscales were assessed, controlling for age. Results: Ageâadjusted severity of overall autonomic symptomatology was greater in MCIâLB (Ratio = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.37â2.96), with higher orthostatic intolerance and urinary symptom severity than controls, and greater risk of gastrointestinal and secretomotor symptoms. MCIâAD did not have significantly higher autonomic symptom severity than controls overall. A cutâoff of 4/5 on the COMPASS was sensitive to MCIâLB (92%) but not specific to this (42% specificity vs. MCIâAD and 52% vs. healthy controls). Conclusions: Mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies had greater autonomic symptom severity than normal ageing and MCIâAD, but such autonomic symptoms are not a specific finding. The COMPASSâ31 may therefore have value as a sensitive screening test for earlyâstage Lewy body disease
Applied neurophysiology of the horse; implications for training, husbandry and welfare
Understanding the neural circuits underlying equine behaviour has the potential to help optimise strategies
of husbandry and training. This review discusses two areas of neurophysiological research in a range
of species and relates this information to the horse. The first discussion focuses on mechanisms of learning
and motivation and assesses how this information can be applied to improve the training of the horse.
The second concerns the identification of the equine neurophysiological phenotype, through behavioural
and genetic probes, as a way of improving strategies for optimal equine husbandry and training success.
The review finishes by identifying directions for future research with an emphasis on how neurophysiological
systems (and thus behaviour) can be modified through strategic husbandry. This review highlights
how a neurophysioloigical understanding of horse behaviour can play an important role in attaining the
primary objectives of equitation science as well as improving the welfare of the hors
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