Reversal learning tasks may provide rapid determination of cognitive deficits in lead-exposed children

Evans, Hugh L.

doi:10.1016/0892-0362(94)90125-2

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Also consistent with the hypothesis that lead affects prefrontal cognitive functioning are the findings of a study by Evans, Daniel, and Marmor (1994) who tested eight twin pairs, ages 6-15, using a reversal learning task. One member of each pair was assigned to a low-lead group (mean blood lead levels ranged from 30 to 50 mg/dl) and the other to a high-lead group (blood lead ranged from 43 to 80 mg/dl).…”

Section: Lead and The Prefrontal Cortexsupporting

confidence: 59%

Low-Level Lead Exposure, Executive Functioning, and Learning in Early Childhood

Canfield¹,

Kreher²,

Cornwell³

et al. 2003

Child Neuropsychology

116

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The current paper presents evidence relating low-level lead exposure to impaired executive functioning in young children. Using the Shape School task, we assessed focused attention, attention switching, working memory, and the ability to inhibit automatic responses in a cohort of 170 children. Participants performed the Shape School task at both 48 and 54 months of age; the mean blood lead level was 6.49 microg/dl at 48 months. After controlling for a wide range of sociodemographic, prenatal, and perinatal variables, blood lead level was negatively associated with children's focused attention while performing the tasks, efficiency at naming colors, and inhibition of automatic responding. In addition, children with higher blood lead levels completed fewer phases of the task and knew fewer color and shape names. There was no association between blood lead and performance on the most difficult tasks, those requiring attention switching or the combination of inhibition and switching. Children's IQ scores were strongly associated with blood lead and Shape School performance, and when entered as a covariate, only color knowledge and the number of tasks completed remained significant. Results provide only weak support for impaired executive functioning, but the deficits in color knowledge may indicate a primary sensory deficit or difficulty with forming conditional associations, both implicating disruptions in dopamine system function.

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Section: Lead and The Prefrontal Cortexsupporting

confidence: 59%

Low-Level Lead Exposure, Executive Functioning, and Learning in Early Childhood

Canfield¹,

Kreher²,

Cornwell³

et al. 2003

Child Neuropsychology

116

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“…Attending to the clinical field, we found only 4 acceptable studies for this scope, 3 of them (75%) labeled as medium-high (Stiles and Bellinger, 1992; Surkan et al, 2007; Nicolescu et al, 2010) and the remaining (25%) as medium-low quality (Evans et al, 1994).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Stiles and Bellinger (1992) found that both early (2 years old) and late (10 years old) postnatal Pb levels positively correlated with greater perseverative outcomes in children at the age of 10 assessed with the WCST and the California Verbal Learning Test for Children. Similarly, Evans et al (1994) found that postnatal exposure levels were associated with both learning and flexibility impairments in children (twins), as indicated by a greater number of errors during acquisition of a visual discrimination task and a reversal condition. Furthermore, an increased number of perseverative responses (WCST) was associated with lower level of Pb exposure (5–10 ug/dL) in children (Surkan et al, 2007).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

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A Systematic Review on the Influences of Neurotoxicological Xenobiotic Compounds on Inhibitory Control

Pérez-Fernández

Flores

Sánchez-Santed

2019

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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Background: Impulsive and compulsive traits represent a variety of maladaptive behaviors defined by the difficulties to stop an improper response and the control of a repeated behavioral pattern without sensitivity to changing contingencies, respectively. Otherwise, human beings are continuously exposed to plenty neurotoxicological agents which have been systematically linked to attentional, learning, and memory dysfunctions, both preclinical and clinical studies. Interestingly, the link between both impulsive and compulsive behaviors and the exposure to the most important xenobiotic compounds have been extensively developed; although the information has been rarely summarized. For this, the present systematic review schedule and analyze in depth the most important works relating different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors with 4 of the most important xenobiotic compounds: Lead (Pb), Methylmercury (MeHg), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and Organophosphates (OP) in both preclinical and clinical models. Methods: Systematic search strategy on PubMed databases was developed, and the most important information was structured both in text and in separate tables based on rigorous methodological quality assessment. Results: For Lead, Methylmercury, Polychlorinated biphenyls and organophosphates, a total of 44 (31 preclinical), 34 (21), 38 (23), and 30 (17) studies were accepted for systematic synthesis, respectively. All the compounds showed an important empirical support on their role in the modulation of impulsive and, in lesser degree, compulsive traits, stronger and more solid in animal models with inconclusive results in humans in some cases (i.e., MeHg). However, preclinical and clinical studies have systematically focused on different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors, as well as impulsive choice or habit conformations have been rarely studied. Discussion: The strong empirical support in preclinical studies contrasts with the lack of connection between preclinical and clinical models, as well as the different methodologies used. Further research should be focused on dissipate these differences as well as deeply study impulsive choice, decision making, risk taking, and cognitive flexibility, both in experimental animals and humans.

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“…Clearly, not all aspects of cognitive function were evaluated and no information is available to gauge the degree of functional impairment implied by the effects demon strated in these structured testing situations. However, children with clinically impaired cognitive function are known to perform poorly on these types of tests [24][25][26],…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Intrapartum Meperidine on Behavior of 3- to 12-Month-Old Infant Rhesus Monkeys

Golub¹,

Donald²

1995

Neonatology

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Potential long-term effects of intrapartum meperidine were studied in rhesus monkey infants whose dams received 0,2, or 3 mg/kg meperidine, i.v., during labor (n = 5, 5, 3). Spontaneous behavior and cognitive performance were evaluated at 3–12 months of age. Observation of spontaneous behaviors indicated less age-related increase in quiet activities in drug-exposed infants. In the discrimination reversal test, drug-exposed infants had more balks (p = 0.008) and fewer correct choices (p = 0.008) during initial phases of the first reversal. Due to sex differences in the delayed alternation test, evaluation of drug effects on short-term memory was not possible. In the continuous performance test, drug-exposed infants performed better (NS) and had fewer omission errors (p = 0.034) during the second half of the test period. These initial findings suggest that short-term opiate exposure during labor can alter later behavior of infant monkeys.

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Reversal learning tasks may provide rapid determination of cognitive deficits in lead-exposed children

Cited by 14 publications

References 32 publications

Low-Level Lead Exposure, Executive Functioning, and Learning in Early Childhood

Low-Level Lead Exposure, Executive Functioning, and Learning in Early Childhood

A Systematic Review on the Influences of Neurotoxicological Xenobiotic Compounds on Inhibitory Control

Effect of Intrapartum Meperidine on Behavior of 3- to 12-Month-Old Infant Rhesus Monkeys

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