Electroencephalographic correlates of working memory deficits in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder using a single-electrode pair recording device.
OBJECTIVE
Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) exhibit cognitive deficits that can be probed using eye movement tasks. We employed a recently developed, single-sensor electroencephalographic (EEG) recording device in measuring EEG activity during the performance of an eye movement task probing working memory in this population.


METHODS
Children with FASD (n=18) and typically developing children (n=19) performed a memory-guided saccade task requiring the participant to remember the spatial location of one, two or three stimuli. We hypothesized that children with FASD would (i) exhibit performance deficits, particularly at greater mnemonic loads; and (ii) display differences in theta (4-8Hz) and alpha (8-12Hz) frequency band power compared with controls.


RESULTS
Children with FASD failed to perform the task correctly more often than controls when presented with two or three stimuli, and demonstrated related reductions in alpha and theta power.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the memory-guided task is sensitive to working memory deficits in children with FASD.


CONCLUSIONS
Simultaneous recording of EEG activity suggest differing patterns of underlying neural recruitment in the clinical group, consistent with previous literature indicating more cognitive resources are required by children with FASD in order to complete complex tasks correctly.
Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Kasey S
KS
Hemington
Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada. Electronic address: jnr@queensu.ca.
James N
JN
Reynolds
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004566:Electrodes; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology
Band power; Electroencephalogram; Executive function; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; Saccade