JOURNAL OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Year:2019 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 (17) |Papers Count:8

Aim: The aim of the present study was to Effectiveness of Neuropsychological Early Interventions Package on Fine and Gross Motor Performance of Children with Developmental Delay. The research method was a pretest post test quasi-experimental design with follow-up and control group. The research population consisted of 4-6 year-old children with developmental delay who were under training in kindergartens and preschool centers in Tabriz. The multistage random sampling method was employed in such a way that three regions were selected randomly and from each of them, three kindergartens and pre-school centers were randomly selected. The Developmental screening test (Denver-II) was administered on children for screening, and the number of 30 students with development Motor (Fine and Gross)delays and enjoyed inclusion criteria were randomly selected and divided into two experimental and control groups Afterwards a 16-session neuropsychological intervention program was performed on the experimental group and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed by the repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS-22. Findings: The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the subjects in the experimental group and control group in terms of Fine and Gross performance in post-test and follow up stages (P <0. 05). Conclusion: As a result, it can be concluded that a neuropsychological interventions package has led to an increase in Fine and Gross Motor performance in children with developmental delays.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an empowerment program based on self-regulation executive functions on the reading performance of dyslexic primary school students. Method: The study employed quasi-experimental design, using pretest, posttest and follow up with the control group. The population of the study was all dyslexic boys students in the fourth grade of primary school in Islamshahr city in the academic year of 201718. 38 students were selected through combined sampling method (Census and Cluster sampling), and were randomly divided into an experiment group and a control group (20 in the experiment group and 18 in the control group). The experimental group received an intervention program in 2 months (15 sessions of 50 minutes, and 2 months of environmental modifications and practical interventions that was integrated into daily curricula). Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance, one-variable covariance. Findings: The results showed there were significant differences between reading speed, reading accuracy and comprehension students with and without dyslexia. Conclusion: the empowerment program based on selfregulation executive functions can improve the reading performance of dyslexic primary school students.

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of alpha Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on the brain wave pattern of the frontal lobe in methamphetamine users. Methods: This was a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental study with control group. Twenty male methamphetamine users were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups (10 in each). The QEEG was recorded in all participants to evaluate absolute power of alpha wave in the frontal lobe region. A single session transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), for 20 min at 10 Hz or sham, was applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F4). At the end, QEEG was recorded again. Collected data were analyzed by multivariate covariance method. Findings: Findings showed that Experimental group showed greater absolute alpha power at F4, F3, F7 and Fz compared to the control group (p˂ 0. 05). Discussion and Conclusion: According to the results, 10 Hz tACS stimulation over F4 can increase alpha activity at dorsolateral, ventrolateral and central prefrontal cortex, a region of the frontal lobes that is associated with cognitive functions. Regarding to cognitive role of alpha oscillations, it can be concluded that tACS stimulation at alpha Frequency (α-tACS) can be used as a non-pharmacological method to improve cognitive function in methamphetamine users.

Aim: The present study has been performed to evaluate the gifted underachievement phenomenon on mathematics and compare neuropsychological skills profile of these students in groups with different levels of achievement. Methods: This study used a causal-comparative design. The study population includes all students of exceptional talents middle schools, in the academic year 2018/19. For this purpose, 36 male and female students were selected by the convenience sampling method and were studied based on their neuropsychological skills. To collect the data, the online version of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Corsi blocktapping test and Deary-Liewald reaction time task were used. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance. Findings: The results indicated there was a significant difference between neuropsychological skills in two groups in visual-spatial working memory, choice reaction time task and executive functions. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that underachiever gifted students experience more neuropsychological skills insufficiency than those gifted students with expected achievement. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to personality and environmental factors, evaluation of neuropsychological skills and application of appropriate neuropsychological interventions to prevent of the occurrence of gifted underachievement is recommended.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive computer rehabilitation on social cognition, inhibitory control and cognitive avoidance of students with learning disabilities. Metods: This research was a semi-experimental, pretest, post-test design with control group. The statistical population of this study was all male students with mathematical disorder in the sixth district of Tabriz, in the academic year of 2018-2019. The population of this study was 30 people selected by multi-stage random sampling method and divided into two groups: intervention and control (15 persons for each group) were placed. The intervention group was exposed to cognitive rehabilitation and did not receive educational control. To collect data, social cognitive tools, cognitive avoidance control and cognitive avoidance, mathematical test were used. Data analysis was done by statistical analysis of covariance. Findings: The findings showed that computer cognitive rehabilitation has an effect on social cognition, inhibitory control and cognitive avoidance of students with learning disabilities, and it increases social cognition and decreases inhibition control and cognitive avoidance in students. Conclusion: Therefore, the use of cognitive computer rehabilitation on students with learning disabilities is suggested.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of video and live observation on activation of mirror neurons in football keep-up skill. Metod: Twenty-four students (mean age: 17. 66 0. 816 years) who have taken part in Olympiads competition, voluntarily participated ad yoked into live and video observation. Participants’ brain waves were recorded by EEG in open eye resting and observing live and video observation conditions. Mu rhythm Suppression, as the mirror neuron activation, was calculated as a ratio of the alpha absolute power during observation of video and live models relative to the alpha absolute power in the baseline condition (rest) Findings: Results showed that there were no significant differences in mu rhythm suppression between live and video observation groups in C3, Cz and C4 brain areas. In addition, absolute alpha power was suppressed significantly in observation conditions compared to rest. Conclusion: Regarding the activation of mirror neurons in both live and video observation, our result suggested that in the case of limitation in the use of the live model, video model can be used in soccer keep-up skill.

Aim: Independent variables in this research were four Architectural images in two dual group members of simple, complex and Islamic, non-Islamic, to examine the effect of two factors of complexity level and the subjective familiarity of the participants on two dependent variables of perceived time duration and heart rate. Also, the between factor effect of the two dependent variables, of produced time and the heart rate examined. Method: The research design was causal-comparative, and the study population was all students of different faculties of the Tabriz Islamic Art University during the first and second semesters of the academic year2016-2017. The sample size consisted of two groups of 100 students from the population and participated in two separate experiments. Findings: The findings show that the complexity of the images affects both the production time of individuals and their heart rate. Familiarity factor of the Islamic and non-Islamic images had only a significant effect on the heart rate. Conclusion: Findings in many respects are consistent with the results of previous studies and show the need for the introduction of "ecological" and closer to the real environment subjects into the field time perception.

Aim: Hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common chronic developmental disorders that has always been of interest to researchers and therapists. So far, several studies have been conducted to evaluate and improve cognitive problems such as working memory function in children with this disorder. The purpose of this study was to collect and combine the results of these studies and calculate their effect size using a meta-analysis research model in order to achieve a more comprehensive view on the difference between the working memory of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with healthy children, as well as the effectiveness of interventions on it. Method: 23 studies (10 comparisons and 13 interventions) that were accepted methodologically were selected and meta-analysis was performed on them. The tool was a meta-analysis checklist. Findings: The meta-analysis findings showed that the effect size of the comparison of working memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with normal children was 1. 21 (p <0. 00001) and the effect size of the interventions on the active memory of these children 1. 87 (p <0. 00001). Conclusion: According to Cohen table, both sizes of the effect obtained in this research are high and this confirms the existence of the difference between the working memory of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and healthy children and also shows the effectiveness of the interventions.