Early adversity and neural correlates of executive function: Implications for academic adjustment

Abstract

Early adversity can negatively impact the development of cognitive functions, although little is known about whether such effects can be remediated later in life. The current study examined one facet of executive functioning — inhibitory control — among children who experienced institutional care and explored the impact of a foster care intervention within the context of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP). Specifically, a go/nogo task was administered when children were eight years old and behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures were collected. Results revealed that children assigned to care as usual (i.e., institutional care) were less accurate and exhibited slower neural responses compared to children assigned to the foster care intervention and children who had never been institutionalized. However, children in both the care as usual and foster care groups exhibited diminished attention processing of nogo cues as assessed via P300 amplitude. Foster care children also showed differential reactivity between correct and error responses via the error-related negativity (ERN) as compared to children in the care as usual group. Combined, the results highlight perturbations in neural sources of behavioral and attention problems among children experiencing early adversity. Potential implications for academic adjustment in at risk children are discussed.

Modelos cognitivos del desarrollo de las funciones ejecutivas. Limitaciones metodológicas y desafíos teóricos.

“…During the last three decades, the importance of EF integrity for human adaptation to the environment lead to an increase of researches aimed to understand the origin and development of such processes (Bernier, Carlson, Deschenes, & Matte-Gagné, 2012;Conway & Stifter, 2012;Diamond, 2001Diamond, , 2002Diamond, , 2013McDermott, Westerlund, Zeanah, Nelson, & Fox, 2012;Posner, Rothbart, Sheese, & Voelker, 2012;Welsh, Pennington, & Groisser, 1991). The implementation and expansion of such studies required the establishment of adequate EF tests for its application with children.…”

Neural Correlates of Face Familiarity in Institutionally Reared Children With Distinctive, Atypical Social Behavior

“…Research on institutionalized children, which reveals both neural markers of lack of attention/response monitoring, and behavioral inaccuracy in performing a required response, highlights this as a major difficulty in these children (Loman et al, 2013;McDermott, Westerlund, Zeanah, Nelson, & Fox, 2012). Consistent with the two studies just cited, the behavioral performance of institutionalized children in the current study (i.e., error of omission of a response in Go trials, but accuracy in inhibiting a response in No-go trials) reflects difficulties in sustained attention, rather than selective attention or inhibitory control.…”

EEG Correlation during Social Decision-making in Institutionalized Adolescents

“…According to the pattern of impulsivity described on this group in previous works [18], we expected a lower amount of money accumulated in the institutionalized group as a result of a series of emotional reactions related with unfair proposals (75% of the total trials). INST adolescents would be less able to sacrifice some financial gain in order to get some money perhaps according to a higher socioemotional reactivity.…”

“…In relation with behavioral and cognitive consequences, diverse studies have found that the institutionalized children present impulsivity [18], social problems and delinquent behavior [19], as well as, affectation in cognitive functions like working memory, inhibitory control, memory for faces and visual attention [2,5]. Talking about social abilities, it has been demonstrated that children that was previously institutionalized and were randomly assigned to a foster care intervention program have better social abilities with less social communication problems compared to institutionalized children [20].…”

“…Also, it has been found a generalized lower alpha power which is positively related to social skills according to a maturational patter found on institutionalized children placed on a foster care home before 20 months of age [16]. Finally, it has been demonstrated that the more time for children living in institutional settings, the more affectation this population suffers [17].In relation with behavioral and cognitive consequences, diverse studies have found that the institutionalized children present impulsivity [18], social problems and delinquent behavior [19], as well as, affectation in cognitive functions like working memory, inhibitory control, memory for faces and visual attention [2,5]. Talking about social abilities, it has been demonstrated that children that was previously institutionalized and were randomly assigned to a foster care intervention program have better social abilities with less social communication problems compared to institutionalized children [20].…”