The relevance of the irrelevant: Attention and task-set adaptation in prematurely born adults

Ida Emilia Aasen; Asta Kristine Håberg; Alexander Olsen; Ann-Mari Brubakk; Kari Anne I Evensen; Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes; Jon Skranes; Jan Ferenc Brunner

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2016.07.005

The relevance of the irrelevant: Attention and task-set adaptation in prematurely born adults

Clin Neurophysiol. 2016 Oct;127(10):3225-33. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.07.005. Epub 2016 Jul 20.

Authors

Ida Emilia Aasen¹, Asta Kristine Håberg², Alexander Olsen³, Ann-Mari Brubakk⁴, Kari Anne I Evensen⁵, Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes⁴, Jon Skranes⁶, Jan Ferenc Brunner⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Imaging, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway; Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuropsychology, Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway. Electronic address: ida.aasen@ntnu.no.
² Department of Medical Imaging, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
³ MI Lab and Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway.
⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
⁵ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Physiotherapy, Trondheim Municipality, Norway.
⁶ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.
⁷ Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuropsychology, Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway.

PMID: 27522488
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.07.005

Abstract

Objective: To investigate attention and task-set adaptation in a preterm born very low birth weight (PT/VLBW) population by means of event-related potential components from an adapted cued go/no-go task.

Methods: P3 components after target and non-target cues, as well as target, no-go and non-target imperative stimuli were compared in 30 PT/VLBW young adults and 33 term-born controls. Changes in P3 amplitudes as a function of time-on-task were also investigated.

Results: The PT/VLBW group had larger P3 amplitudes to non-target cues and non-targets compared with controls. There were no significant group differences in the P3s to target or no-go stimuli. Moreover, the amplitude of the P3 to non-target cues and non-targets decreased significantly over time in the control group but not in the PT/VLBW group.

Conclusions: PT/VLBW young adults allocate more attention to behaviorally irrelevant information than term-born controls, and persist in attending to this information over time.

Significance: This is the first study to investigate ERP components in an adult population born preterm with very low birth weight.

Keywords: Cued go/no-go; Event-related potentials; P3; Preterm; Task-set adaptation; Very low birth weight.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / etiology*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology
Attention*
Case-Control Studies
Cues
Evoked Potentials*
Female
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight / growth & development*
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature / growth & development*
Male
Young Adult