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Autonomic correlates at rest and during evoked attention in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and effects of sympathomimetic medicationNegrao, Bianca Lee 07 July 2009 (has links)
Indications are that autonomic under-arousal exists in children with ADHD. Published results are, however, controversial and few studies examine the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and focussed attention. In line with the indications of sympathetic under-arousal, patients with the disorder are treated with sympathomimetic stimulants such as Ritalin (methylphenidate). Since these medications stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, they possess the potential to influence cardiac function. The aims of this study were a) to assess autonomic nervous system functioning in 20 children with ADHD, as compared to controls, and to examine the effects of focussed attention and sympathomimetic medication on this system, b) to investigate cardiac functioning in 20 children with ADHD, as compared to controls, and to examine the effects of sympathomimetic medication on this system and c) to assess EEG functioning in children with ADHD, as compared to controls, and to examine the effects of sympathomimetic medication on this functioning. Children with ADHD were tested while they were stimulant-free and during a period in which they were on stimulant medication, while controls were tested once. Autonomic nervous system activity of the children was assessed at baseline and during focussed attention by means of heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductivity. Attention was evoked by means of a program on the BioGraph Infiniti biofeedback apparatus, which is used specifically to train ADHD individuals to increase their attentive abilities. HRV was determined by time-domain, frequency-domain and Poincaré analysis of RR interval data. Skin conductivity was determined by BioGraph Infiniti biofeedback apparatus. Cardiac functioning of the children was assessed at baseline by means of blood pressure recordings and electrocardiograms (ECGs). Blood pressure was measured by means of a stethoscope and mercurial sphygmomanometer. ECGs were obtained by means of a Schiller CardioLaptop AT-110 ECG recorder using the standard 12-lead cable positioning for a resting ECG and parameters measured included HR, RR, QT, JT, QTc, JTc, QTd, JTd, QTcd and JTcd. EEG values were determined at baseline and during focussed attention by means of BioGraph Infiniti biofeedback apparatus. EEG values measured in this study included theta/beta ratios, theta/SMR ratios and thalpha, low alpha and high alpha power. The main findings of this study are that: <ul> <li>Stimulant-free ADHD children show a parasympathetic dominance of the sympathovagal balance relative to controls.</li> <li>Methylphenidate usage shifts the autonomic balance of children with ADHD towards normal levels; however a normal autonomic balance is not reached.</li> <li>Stimulant-free ADHD children exhibit a shift in the sympathovagal balance towards the sympathetic nervous system from baseline to focussed attention; however, methylphenidate abolishes this shift.</li> <li>Methylphenidate usage does not, in general, cause QTc or JTc prolongation but it may cause QTc or JTc prolongation in susceptible individuals.</li> <li>Children with ADHD can not be differentiated from normal children on the basis of theta/beta ratios, theta/SMR ratios or alpha power.</li> <li>Methylphenidate increases the level of centering in children with ADHD.</li> <li>Stimulant-free ADHD children display an alpha block from baseline to focussed attention; however, methylphenidate abolishes this alpha block.</li></ul> Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Physiology / unrestricted
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Interaktionskvalitet - hur mäts det?Friberg, Annika January 2009 (has links)
Den tekniska utvecklingen har lett till att massiva mängder av information sänds, i högahastigheter. Detta flöde måste vi lära oss att hantera. För att maximera nyttan av de nyateknikerna och undkomma de problem som detta enorma informationsflöde bär med sig, börinteraktionskvalitet studeras. Vi måste anpassa gränssnitt efter användaren eftersom denneinte har möjlighet att anpassa sig till, och sortera i för stora informationsmängder. Vi måsteutveckla system som gör människan mer effektiv vid användande av gränssnitt.För att anpassa gränssnitten efter användarens behov och begränsningar krävs kunskaperom den mänskliga kognitionen. När kognitiv belastning studeras är det viktigt att en såflexibel, lättillgänglig och icke-påträngande teknik som möjligt används för att få objektivamätresultat, samtidigt som pålitligheten är av största vikt. För att kunna designa gränssnittmed hög interaktionskvalitet krävs en teknik att utvärdera dessa. Målet med uppsatsen är attfastställa en mätmetod väl lämpad för mätning av interaktionskvalitet.För mätning av interaktionskvalitet rekommenderas en kombinering av subjektiva ochfysiologiska mätmetoder, detta innefattar en kombination av Functional near-infraredspecroscopy; en fysiologisk mätmetod som mäter hjärnaktiviteten med hjälp av ljuskällor ochdetektorer som fästs på frontalloben, Electrodermal activity; en fysiologisk mätmetod sommäter hjärnaktiviteten med hjälp av elektroder som fästs över skalpen och NASA task loadindex; en subjektiv, multidimensionell mätmetod som bygger på kortsortering och mäteruppfattad kognitiv belastning i en sammanhängande skala. Mätning med hjälp av dessametoder kan resultera i en ökad interaktionskvalitet i interaktiva, fysiska och digitalagränssnitt. En uppskattning av interaktionskvalitet kan bidra till att fel vid interaktionminimeras, vilket innebär en förbättring av användares upplevelse vid interaktion. / Technical developments have led to the broadcasting of massive amounts of information, athigh velocities. We must learn to handle this flow. To maximize the benefits of newtechnologies and avoid the problems that this immense information flow brings, interactionquality should be studied. We must adjust interfaces to the user because the user does nothave the ability to adapt and sort overly large amounts of information. We must developsystems that make the human more efficient when using interfaces.To adjust the interfaces to the user needs and limitations, knowledge about humancognitive processes is required. When cognitive workload is studied it is important that aflexible, easily accessed and non assertive technique is used to get unbiased results. At thesame time reliability is of great importance. To design interfaces with high interaction quality,a technique to evaluate these is required. The aim of this paper is to establish a method that iswell suited for measurement of interaction quality.When measuring interaction quality, a combination of subjective and physiologicalmethods is recommended. This comprises a combination of Functional near-infraredspectroscopy; a physiological measurement which measures brain activity using light sourcesand detectors placed on the frontal lobe, Electrodermal activity; a physiological measurementwhich measures brain activity using electrodes placed over the scalp and NASA task loadindex; a subjective, multidimensional measurement based on card sorting and measures theindividual perceived cognitive workload on a continuum scale. Measuring with these methodscan result in an increase in interaction quality in interactive, physical and digital interfaces.An estimation of interaction quality can contribute to eliminate interaction errors, thusimproving the user’s interaction experience.
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