OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the sensory processing abilities of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children without disabilities, and to analyze the relationship between sensory processing difficulties and behavioural symptoms presented by children with ADHD. METHOD : Thirty-seven children with ADHD were compared with thirty-seven controls using a translated and adapted version of the "Sensory Profile" answered by the parents/caregivers. For the ADHD group, Sensory Profile scores were correlated to behavioural symptoms assessed using the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) and the Behavioural Teacher Rating Scale (EACI-P). The statistical analyses were conducted using the Mann Whitney test and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS : Children with ADHD showed significant impairments compared to the control group in sensory processing and modulation, as well as in behavioural and emotional responses as observed in 11 out of 14 sections and 6 out of 9 factors. Differences in all Sensory Profile response patterns were also observed between the two groups of children. Sensory Profile scores showed a moderately negative correlation with CBCL and EACI-P scores in the ADHD group. CONCLUSION : These results indicate that children with ADHD may present sensory processing impairments, which may contribute to the inappropriate behavioural and learning responses displayed by children with ADHD. It also suggests the importance of understanding the sensory processing difficulties and its possible contribution to the ADHD symptomatology.

The present study analyzed the effects of age and gender on performance on the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CCPT II) in a sample of Brazilian adolescents aged 12-17 years. The sample consisted of 480 participants (210 boys) with a mean age of 14.34 years (SD ± 1.61 years) who were representative of the socioeconomic class distribution of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The participants were prescreened for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The present results found effects of age and gender that were similar to other Brazilian age groups. Compared with males, female participants presented a lower rate of responding to non-target stimuli (i.e., commission errors), a greater ability to discriminate signals (d'), and fewer impulsive responses (i.e., less perseveration) but longer reaction times (Hit RT and Hit RT Std Error). A significant effect of age was found on RTs (Hit RT, Hit RT Sdt Error, Variability, Hit RT Block Change), commission errors, and perseveration. As age increased, the differences diminished. The present results may be useful for research and clinical studies with Brazilian adolescents.

O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar o processo de desenvolvimento e validação de conteúdo do Instrumento de Avaliação Neuropsicológica Breve Infantil NEUPSILIN-INF, que avalia, de modo breve, componentes de oito funções neuropsicológicas em crianças em idade escolar: orientação, atenção, percepção visual, memória, habilidades aritméticas, linguagem, habilidades visuoconstrutivas e funções executivas. O processo envolveu: 1) análise do instrumento original NEUPSILIN e definição das funções e tarefas a serem adaptadas para avaliação neuropsicológica infantil; 2) desenvolvimento de novas tarefas consideradas fundamentais para a avaliação na infância; 3) estudo piloto 1 com a versão preliminar do instrumento; 4) análise de juízes especialistas; 5) estudos piloto 2 e 3, nova reformulação de tarefas do instrumento e elaboração de sua versão final. O instrumento apresentou adequada validade aparente e de conteúdo.

The aim of this study is to present the development process and content validation of Child Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Battery NEUPSILIN-INF, which briefly assesses the components of eight neuropsychological functions in school-aged children: orientation, attention, visual perception, memory, arithmetic abilities, language, visuoconstructive abilities and executive functions. The process comprised: 1) the analysis of the original NEUPSILIN instrument and definition of the functions and tasks to be adapted for the child neuropsychological assessment; 2) the development of new tasks considered as fundamental for the assessment in children; 3) pilot study 1 with the preliminary version of the instrument; 4) analysis by specialist judges; 5) pilot studies 2 and 3, new reformulation of the instrument's tasks and preparation of its final version. The instrument presented appropriate face and content validity.

OBJETIVOS: comparar o perfil neuropsicológico de crianças eutróficas, desnutridas pregressas e crônicas, em idade escolar, e analisar o papel de fatores, socioeconômicas, no seu desenvolvimento cognitivo. MÉTODOS: foram avaliadas crianças de ambos os sexos, 27 eutróficas, 31 desnutridas pregressas e 15 desnutridas crônicas, de 7 a 10 anos de idade, de uma comunidade carente da cidade de São Paulo. A avaliação incluiu funções cognitivas pouco investigadas nessa população; memória operacional, memória declarativa e não-declarativa, atenção e funções executivas. Foram analisados também condições socioeconômicas, saúde mental materna e comportamento na escola. RESULTADOS: as crianças desnutridas crônicas tiveram pior desempenho do que as eutróficas no teste de vocabulário (p s < 0,05) e no teste de memória operacional vísuo-espacial (p = 0,01), mostraram-se mais ansiosas (p = 0,006), somente dois indivíduos tinham desnutrição pré-natal. As crianças desnutridas pregressas não mostraram prejuízos. Nas variáveis socioeconômicas não houve diferenças. CONCLUSÕES: a desnutrição crônica foi relacionada a prejuízo de linguagem expressiva, memória operacional vísuo-espacial e maior ansiedade. Não houve prejuízo de nível intelectual, funções executivas, memória de longo prazo e função vísuo-construtiva. A preservação da maioria das funções cognitivas pode ser atribuída à ausência de desnutrição intra-uterina, e/ou ao fato de que, as crianças vivem em adequado ambiente socio-econômico.

OBJECTIVES: to compare the neuropsychological profile of eutrophic, stunted and chronically malnourished children, and to analyse the role of socio-economic factors on the cognitive development. METHODS: seven to 10 year-old girls and boys from a poor community in São Paulo were evaluated: 27 eutrophyc, 31 stunted and 15 chronically malnourished. Neuropsychological evaluation involved cognitive functions not fully assessed in this population, such as working, declarative and non-declarative memories, attention and executive functions. Socio-economic indicators, maternal mental health and the children's behaviour at school were also evaluated. RESULTS: malnourished children had a lower score on the vocabulary test than the eutrophic and stunted groups (p s<0.05), performed worse in the visuospatial working memory task (p = 0.01), were more anxious than the stunted (p = 0.006), and despite having lower average birth weight than eutrophic children (p = 0.01), only two children as had prenatal malnutrition. Stunted children exhibited no impairment. No differences in socio-economic variables were found among groups. CONCLUSIONS: chronic malnutrition was associated to impairment of expressive speech, visual-spatial short-term memory and increased anxiety. No effects were observed in intellectual abilities, executive functions, verbal working memory, long-term memory, nor in visuoconstructive function. Preservation of the latter cognitive functions can be attributed to adequate environmental conditions and the lack of overall prenatal malnutrition.

A esclerose múltipla (EM) é doença comum em países de clima temperado/frio, mas também em países tropicais um crescente número de casos tem sido diagnosticado. Motivado pela escassez de informações acerca da cognição dos portadores de EM em nosso país, o presente estudo procurou traçar o perfil neuropsicológico de pacientes com EM da forma surto-remissão, residentes no município de São Paulo, os quais foram comparados a pessoas sadias, com idade e escolaridade semelhantes. A inteligência geral dos pacientes estava preservada mas foram detectados déficits: a) em tarefas de aprendizagem e de memória verbal e visual de figura complexa, ambas de longo prazo; b) em tarefas cronometradas, explicados por lentificação do processamento mental; c) em tarefas com componente motor. Tendência a depressão foi observada; os níveis de ansiedade encontravam-se normais.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disease in Western countries of temperate/cold climate, but in tropical countries an increasing number of cases have been diagnosticated. Moved by the lack of information about cognitive dysfunction of Brazilian MS patients, the present study attempted to describe features of neuropsychological alterations in patients with relapsing remitting MS living in the city of São Paulo. They were compared to healthy volunteers, matched for age and education. In the absence of global intellectual deterioration, the patients had a deficit: a) in learning and verbal long-term memory tasks and in visual long-term memory of complex figure; b) in timed tasks, accounted for by a slowness of mental processes; c) in tasks with a motor component. Tendency to depression was observed; anxiety levels were normal.