Event-Related Correlations in Learning Impaired Children during a Hybrid Go/No-Go Choice Reaction Visual-Motor Task

Abstract

One hundred sixty-nine learning impaired (LI) and 71 non-learning impaired (NLI) children underwent a hybrid go/no-go choice reaction time visual-motor task to study the behavioral and physiological fundamentals of learning disorders. A left button was pressed for Left Arrow (LA) stimuli, a right for Right Arrow (RA) stimuli, none (no-go) for a non-directional arrow. Stimulus specific visual evoked potentials were formed and, with PZ as index electrode, were lag-correlated to frontal electrodes to form Event-Related Correlations (ERC). Exploratory t-statistic significance probability maps (t-SPM) were used to define regions of interest (ROI).

Behaviorally, there was a right-hand advantage over the left in the NLI group, but less in the LI group. Electrophysiologically, RA and LA conditions increased correlation between visual areas (PZ) and contralateral frontal areas (F3 and F4). A unilateral ROI, at electrode FC1, also preceded both left- and right-handed responses. Neurobehaviorally, increased visual-motor correlation was associated with better performance, especially for the left hemisphere, at F3 and FC1. Surprisingly, visual-motor correlations were not associated with performance for the NLI group in the RA and no-go condition. Our data support previously reported difficulties of learning impaired children in low-level information processing. Furthermore, we hypothesize that LI, in contrast to NLI children, demonstrate difficulty in automatizing routine tasks.