As yet, nearly all studies in face and facial affect recognition typically provide only data on the accuracy of processing, invariably also in the absence of reference data on abstract information processing. In this study, accuracy and speed of abstract visuo-spatial processing, face recognition, and facial emotion recognition were investigated in normal school children (7-10 years) and adults (25+/-4 years). In the age range of 7-10 years, accuracy of facial processing hardly increased, while speed did substantially increase with age. Adults, however, were substantially more accurate and faster than children. Differences between facial and abstract information processing were related to type of processing strategy, that is, configural or holistic processing versus featural or piecemeal processing. Improvement in task performance with age is discussed in terms of an enhanced efficiency of the configural organization of facial knowledge (facial information processing tasks), together with a further increase in processing capacity (all tasks). The differential developmental course of speed and accuracy levels indicates that speed is a more sensitive measure when children get older. Moreover, it also suggests that speed of performance, in addition to accuracy, might be successfully used in the assessment of clinical deficits, as has recently been demonstrated in children with autistic disorders of social contact.

Treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which includes CNS prophylaxis, is associated with central and peripheral neurotoxicity. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effects of chemotherapy on various levels of visuomotor control in survivors of childhood ALL treated without cranial irradiation, and to identify risk factors for possible deficits. Visuomotor function was compared between children after treatment for ALL (n 5 34), children after treatment for Wilms tumor, which consists of non-CNS directed chemotherapy (n 5 38), and healthy controls (n 5 151). Three tasks were administered: a simple visual reaction time task and two tasks measuring visuomotor control with one requiring a higher level of cognitive control than the other. Visuomotor deficits were detected only in the ALL group, with poorer performance restricted to the condition requiring the highest level of control. Significant risk factors for poorer performance were female gender and a short time since end of treatment, and a trend was found for a young age at diagnosis. A high cumulative methotrexate dose was an adverse predictive factor in girls. The results indicate that chemotherapy-induced central neurotoxicity in childhood ALL treatment is associated with higher order visuomotor control deficits. Girls appear to be particularly vulnerable. (JINS, 2005, 11, 554-565.)

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Part 1 of this study attempted to discriminate clinical responders and nonresponders to methylphenidate (MPH) on the basis of neuropsychological deficit profiles. Part 2 addressed the question to what extent MPH might ameliorate these deficits. Hyperactive clinical responders (n = 30) and nonresponders (n = 28) to MPH, were compared to normal controls (n = 27) on selective and sustained attention tasks and on conventional psychological and neurological measures. The responders took part in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. They ingested a placebo (PL) or MPH (0.3-0.6 mg/kg/day) during 4 weeks, and were then tested. After crossover, another period of 4 weeks was concluded by a second test series. Compared to controls, both responders and nonresponders showed attention deficits in encoding, memory search, and decision operations, as well as in focused and sustained attention, vigilance, and use of feedback. These deficits were the most severe in the responders. Anamnestic data, IQ scores, and neurological variables did not discriminate between groups. MPH selectively alleviates attention deficits. MPH did not affect divided attention, except for an increased accuracy of response organization. The drug, however, greatly improved focused and sustained attention, vigilance, impulsivity, and the behavioral adaptivity to feedback.

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