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Disrupted visual attention relates to cognitive development in infants with Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Jannath Begum-Ali1, Luke Mason2, Tony Charman3
1Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Henry Wellcome Building, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, UK. jannath.begum.ali@bbk.ac.uk.
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
|March 15, 2025
Summary
Infants with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) show early attention differences, specifically in visual foraging and saccadic reaction times, which may impact learning. These findings highlight potential early markers for cognitive development in NF1.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Pediatric neurology
- Cognitive psychology
Background:
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder linked to cognitive and developmental issues, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- Early attention differences are observed in children with NF1, but their developmental trajectory and relation to broader learning difficulties remain unclear.
- Longitudinal studies from infancy are crucial to map the relationship between visual attention and cognitive development in NF1.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early development of visual attention in infants with NF1.
- To examine the relationship between attention, specifically exogenous and endogenous visual attention, and cognitive development over time.
- To compare attention development in infants with NF1 to typical infants and those with a family history of ASD/ADHD.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 28 infants with NF1 at 5, 10, and 14 months.
- Comparison with control groups: 29 typical likelihood infants and 123 infants with a family history of ASD/ADHD.
- Utilized an eyetracking battery to assess exogenous and endogenous control of visual attention.
Main Results:
- Infants with NF1 exhibited normal social orienting but delayed endogenous visual foraging, showing prolonged focus on stimuli.
- NF1 infants had faster saccadic reaction times (exogenous attention) than typical infants, but slower developmental improvement from 5 to 14 months.
- Individual differences in attention measures correlated with visual reception abilities across all infant groups.
Conclusions:
- Alterations in saccadic reaction time and visual foraging are preliminary indicators potentially contributing to learning difficulties in infants with NF1.
- Early identification of attention differences may inform interventions for cognitive development in NF1.
- This research underscores the importance of early visual attention assessment in managing developmental outcomes for infants with NF1.
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