Performance on Executive Functioning and Attention Measures in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Compared to Unaffected Controls
Mentor 1
Bonita Klein-Tasman
Start Date
28-4-2023 12:00 AM
Description
Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) often have difficulties with executive functioning and attention. Executive function encompasses the cognitive processes driving goal-directed and self-regulatory behavior. Executive function deficits in NF1 have been identified in the domains of inhibition, working memory, planning, and organization. Attention is the ability to focus one’s cognitive resources on relevant stimuli while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. Attentional difficulties in NF1 have been identified in the areas of sustained, selective, divided, and switching attention. This project examines the performance of children ages 7-11 with NF1 in comparison to a group of same-aged unaffected children on two behavioral measures of attention and executive function. The Conners Continuous Performance Test-Third Edition (CPT-3) is a computer software-based neuropsychological assessment that yields information about four dimensions of attention: inattentiveness, impulsivity, sustained attention, and vigilance. Dependent measures include: omission errors (missed responses), and variability (speed consistency). The NEPSY-2 Auditory Attention and Response Set (AARS) is a two-part instrument used to assess auditory attention and impulsivity. Dependent measures for both parts include: omission errors (missed responses), commission errors (incorrect responses), and inhibitory errors (responses indicating impulsivity or shifting problems). The NF1 group was predicted to show difficulty in comparison to the unaffected group across all dependent measures. T-tests analyzing between-group differences on CPT-3 scores yielded some medium to large effect sizes that did not reach statistical significance. T-tests analyzing differences in AARS standard scores showed significantly more difficulties with the response set, but not with auditory attention, in the NF1 group in comparison to controls. A chi-square analysis yielded no significant group differences in the distribution of AARS error percentiles. These results suggest that the NF1 group has difficulties with inhibition. Implications and study limitations are discussed.
Performance on Executive Functioning and Attention Measures in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Compared to Unaffected Controls
Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) often have difficulties with executive functioning and attention. Executive function encompasses the cognitive processes driving goal-directed and self-regulatory behavior. Executive function deficits in NF1 have been identified in the domains of inhibition, working memory, planning, and organization. Attention is the ability to focus one’s cognitive resources on relevant stimuli while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. Attentional difficulties in NF1 have been identified in the areas of sustained, selective, divided, and switching attention. This project examines the performance of children ages 7-11 with NF1 in comparison to a group of same-aged unaffected children on two behavioral measures of attention and executive function. The Conners Continuous Performance Test-Third Edition (CPT-3) is a computer software-based neuropsychological assessment that yields information about four dimensions of attention: inattentiveness, impulsivity, sustained attention, and vigilance. Dependent measures include: omission errors (missed responses), and variability (speed consistency). The NEPSY-2 Auditory Attention and Response Set (AARS) is a two-part instrument used to assess auditory attention and impulsivity. Dependent measures for both parts include: omission errors (missed responses), commission errors (incorrect responses), and inhibitory errors (responses indicating impulsivity or shifting problems). The NF1 group was predicted to show difficulty in comparison to the unaffected group across all dependent measures. T-tests analyzing between-group differences on CPT-3 scores yielded some medium to large effect sizes that did not reach statistical significance. T-tests analyzing differences in AARS standard scores showed significantly more difficulties with the response set, but not with auditory attention, in the NF1 group in comparison to controls. A chi-square analysis yielded no significant group differences in the distribution of AARS error percentiles. These results suggest that the NF1 group has difficulties with inhibition. Implications and study limitations are discussed.
