Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
13:08

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia

Published on: December 2, 2015

9.5K

Prefrontal activation during Stroop and Wisconsin card sort tasks in children with developmental coordination

Jennifer K Lange Koch1, Helga Miguel2, Ann L Smiley-Oyen3

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, 534 Wallace Road, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. jkparker@iastate.edu.

Experimental Brain Research
|August 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) show sustained brain activation during executive tasks, unlike typically developing peers who modulate activity. This suggests a compensatory mechanism in DCD to maintain performance accuracy.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills and may involve executive function differences.
  • Executive functions, including planning and inhibition, rely on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity.
  • Understanding neural differences in DCD is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in DLPFC activation patterns between children with and at-risk for DCD and typically developing (TD) children during executive function tasks.
  • To explore the temporal dynamics and lateralization of neural activity in relation to task demands.

Main Methods:

  • Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to measure DLPFC activation in 10 children with or at-risk for DCD and 11 TD children (ages 8-12).
  • Participants completed the Stroop task and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), both demanding executive processing.
  • Behavioral accuracy and NIRS-derived brain activation data were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Both groups performed with comparable accuracy on the Stroop and WCST.
  • TD children demonstrated dynamic DLPFC modulation over time, with rightward lateralization during the Stroop task.
  • Children with DCD exhibited sustained, high activation across both hemispheres and tasks, irrespective of task demands.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that sustained DLPFC activation in children with DCD may represent a compensatory strategy to achieve similar task accuracy.
  • Differences in neural activation patterns, not just behavioral outcomes, highlight potential executive function challenges in DCD.
  • This research provides insights into the neural underpinnings of DCD and informs potential therapeutic targets.

Keywords:
DCDExecutive functionNear-infrared spectroscopyPrefrontal cortex

More Related Videos

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance09:01

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

10.6K
Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task05:31

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Published on: February 26, 2020

15.6K

Related Concept Videos

Coordination Number and Geometry02:57

Coordination Number and Geometry

For transition metal complexes, the coordination number determines the geometry around the central metal ion. Table 1 compares coordination numbers to molecular geometry. The most common structures of the complexes in coordination compounds are octahedral, tetrahedral, and square planar.
19.0K
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature02:54

Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature

In most main group element compounds, the valence electrons of the isolated atoms combine to form chemical bonds that satisfy the octet rule. For instance, the four valence electrons of carbon overlap with electrons from four hydrogen atoms to form CH4. The one valence electron leaves sodium and adds to the seven valence electrons of chlorine to form the ionic formula unit NaCl (Figure 1a). Transition metals do not normally bond in this fashion. They primarily form coordinate covalent bonds, a...
26.8K
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
11.7K
Equations of Motion: Rectangular Coordinates and Cylindrical Coordinates01:21

Equations of Motion: Rectangular Coordinates and Cylindrical Coordinates

Understanding the motion of particles is a fundamental aspect of classical mechanics, and the choice of the coordinate system plays a pivotal role in unraveling the complexities of their dynamics.
When a particle moves relative to an inertial frame, the equations of motion can be expressed using rectangular components. If the motion is confined to the x-y plane, the equations having the x and y coordinates only can be used to simplify the mathematical representation.
However, when particles...
782
Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
1.6K
Spherical Coordinates01:23

Spherical Coordinates

Spherical coordinate systems are preferred over Cartesian, polar, or cylindrical coordinates for systems with spherical symmetry. For example, to describe the surface of a sphere, Cartesian coordinates require all three coordinates. On the other hand, the spherical coordinate system requires only one parameter: the sphere's radius. As a result, the complicated mathematical calculations become simple. Spherical coordinates are used in science and engineering applications like electric and...
16.1K