Foveal neural adaptation to optically induced contrast reduction.

Contrast processing is suggested to interact with eye growth and myopia development. A novel contrast-reducing myopia control lens design decreases image contrast and was shown to slow myopia progression. Limited insights exist regarding neural visual processing following adaptation to image contrast reduction. This study investigated foveal neural contrast sensitivity in 29 young adults following a 30-minute adaptation to scattering using a Bangerter occlusion foil 0.8, +0.5-diopter defocus, and a clear lens control condition. Neural contrast sensitivity at its peak sensitivity of 6 cycles per degree was assessed before and after adaptation to the lens conditions, employing a unique interferometric system. Pre-adaptation measurements were averaged from six replicates and post-adaptation measurements by the first and last three of six replicates. The change in neural contrast sensitivity was largest for scattering across the first and last three post-adaptation measurements (+0.05 ± 0.01 logCS and +0.04 ± 0.01 logCS, respectively) compared with control and defocus (all +0.03 ± 0.01 logCS). For scattering, the observed increase of neural contrast sensitivity within the first three measurements differed significantly from the pre-adaptation baseline (p = 0.04) and was significantly higher compared with the control condition (p = 0.04). The sensitivity increases in the control and defocus conditions were not significant (all p > 0.05). As the adaptation effect diminished, no significant differences were found from baseline or between the conditions in the last three measurements (all p > 0.05). When post-adaptation neural contrast sensitivities were clustered into 25-second sequences, a significant effect was observed between the conditions, with only a significant relevant effect between control and scattering at 25 seconds (p = 0.04) and no further significant effects (all p > 0.05). The alteration in neural contrast sensitivity at peak sensitivity was most pronounced following adaptation to the scattering condition compared with defocus and control, suggesting that induced scattering might be considered for myopia control.

Comparative analysis of initial vocalizations of preterm and full-term infants with and without risk for development. / Análise comparativa das vocalizações iniciais de bebês prematuros e a termo, com e sem risco ao desenvolvimento.

PURPOSE: To compare the evolution of vocalization in preterm and full-term infants, with and without risk for development, analyzing the possible association of sociodemographic, obstetric and psychosocial variables with vocalization. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 30 infants, aged 3 months and 1 day to 4 months and 29 days (Phase 1) and 6 months and 1 day to 7 months and 29 days (Phase 2), of both genders, with gestational age <37 weeks (preterm group) and >37 weeks (full-term group). The following instruments were used for data collection: Child Development Risk Indicators (IRDl), the Denver II Test, an interview on the experience of motherhood with sociodemographic, obstetric and psychosocial data, as well as filming of the mother-infant dyad at the two phases of the research. Footage was analyzed using the EUDICO Linguistic Annotator (ELAN) software and the results were statistically analyzed on the STATISTICA 9.0 software. RESULTS: The larger the total number of Phase II infants' and mothers' vocalizations using motherese, the greater the number of IRDls present. Significant increase in vocalizations without motherese was also observed in Phase 2. Sociodemographic variables, gestational age, weight at birth, maternal schooling, and the Brazil Criterion did not directly affect the infants' vocalization level. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the infants' vocalizations was sensitive to risk development and Child Development Risk Indicators in Phase 1; the Denver-language test was more effective in Phase 2. No influence of the sociodemographic variables was observed in the phases studied.

Análise comparativa das vocalizações iniciais de bebês prematuros e a termo, com e sem risco ao desenvolvimento / Comparative analysis of initial vocalizations of preterm and full-term infants with and without risk for development

RESUMO Objetivo Comparar a evolução das vocalizações em bebês prematuros e a termo, com e sem risco ao desenvolvimento, analisando as possíveis relações entre variáveis sociodemográficas, obstétricas e psicossociais com as vocalizações. Método A amostra foi composta por 30 bebês com idade entre os 3 meses e 1 dia aos 4 meses e 29 dias (fase 1) e 6 meses e 1 dia aos 7 meses e 29 dias (fase 2), de ambos os gêneros, com idade gestacional inferior a 37 semanas (grupo de prematuros) e superior a 37 semanas (grupo a termo). Para a coleta de dados, utilizaram-se os protocolos Indicadores de Risco ao Desenvolvimento Infantil, o teste Denver II e entrevista sobre a experiência da maternidade com dados sociodemográficos, obstétricos e psicossociais, além de filmagem da díade mãe-bebê nas duas fases da pesquisa. Os dados das filmagens foram analisados no software EUDICO Linguistic Anotador (ELAN) e os resultados analisados estatisticamente no software STATISTICA 9.0. Resultados Quanto maior o número total de vocalizações do bebê e quanto mais vocalizações das mães com manhês, maior o número de Indicadores de Risco ao Desenvolvimento Infantil presentes. Também se percebeu aumento significativo de vocalizações sem manhês na fase 2 pesquisada. As variáveis sociodemográficas, idade gestacional, peso ao nascer, escolaridade materna e o Critério Brasil não incidiram diretamente no nível de vocalizações dos bebês. Conclusão A análise das vocalizações dos bebês associou-se ao risco ao desenvolvimento, assim como os Indicadores de Risco ao Desenvolvimento Infantil, na fase 1 pesquisada, o teste Denver-Linguagem é mais efetivo na fase 2. Não houve influência das variáveis sociodemográficas na fase estudada.

ABSTRACT Purpose To compare the evolution of vocalization in preterm and full-term infants, with and without risk for development, analyzing the possible association of sociodemographic, obstetric and psychosocial variables with vocalization. Methods The study sample consisted of 30 infants, aged 3 months and 1 day to 4 months and 29 days (Phase 1) and 6 months and 1 day to 7 months and 29 days (Phase 2), of both genders, with gestational age <37 weeks (preterm group) and >37 weeks (full-term group). The following instruments were used for data collection: Child Development Risk Indicators (IRDl), the Denver II Test, an interview on the experience of motherhood with sociodemographic, obstetric and psychosocial data, as well as filming of the mother-infant dyad at the two phases of the research. Footage was analyzed using the EUDICO Linguistic Annotator (ELAN) software and the results were statistically analyzed on the STATISTICA 9.0 software. Results The larger the total number of Phase II infants' and mothers' vocalizations using motherese, the greater the number of IRDls present. Significant increase in vocalizations without motherese was also observed in Phase 2. Sociodemographic variables, gestational age, weight at birth, maternal schooling, and the Brazil Criterion did not directly affect the infants' vocalization level. Conclusion Analysis of the infants' vocalizations was sensitive to risk development and Child Development Risk Indicators in Phase 1; the Denver-language test was more effective in Phase 2. No influence of the sociodemographic variables was observed in the phases studied.