Table 2 Mean comparisons for the cognitive functions across the two age groups of adequately nourished and malnourished children
From: Cognitive development in children with chronic protein energy malnutrition
WN (n = 20) | MN (n = 20) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Functions | Test scores | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | F ratio | ||
5–7 yrs | 8–10 yrs | 5–7 yrs | 8–10 yrs | |||
Motor functions (primarily mediated by frontal cortex) | ||||||
Motor speed-Right hand | Finger tapping test: Avg no. of taps | 26.5 (8.6) | 27.9 (4.5) | 24.7 (2.2) | 28.3 (3.2) | 1.63ns |
Motor speed-Left hand | Finger tapping test: Avg no. of taps | 26.1 (9.1) | 26.2 (5.08) | 21.5 (2.8) | 24.9 (1.51) | .85ns |
Attention (primarily mediated by frontal and parietal cortex) | ||||||
Selective attention | +Colour cancellation test | 129" (20.2) | 95.9" (18.3) | 202.8" (17.7) | 153.6" (19.6) | 9.4** |
Focused attention | Colour trails test +Trail A | --- | 105" (25.8) | --- | 249" (49.2) | 4.09** |
+Trail B | --- | 213.4" (18.1) | --- | 383.6" (27.5) | 4.06** | |
Executive functions (primarily mediated by dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) | ||||||
Verbal fluency | FAS phonemic fluency test | 4.3 (1.36) | 5.7 (1.8) | 1.36 (.15) | 4.4 (2.3) | 10.8** |
Design fluency | Design fluency test | 5.4 (2.4) | 10.3 (1.06) | 3.2 (1.94) | 4.5 (2.4) | 7.75** |
Working memory | Visuospatial working memory span task | 5.6 (2.02) | 7.6 (2.05) | 3.2 (1.2) | 4.2 (2.4) | 7.4** |
Visuospatial functions (primarily mediated by right parietal cortex) | ||||||
Visual perception | Motor free visual perception test | 26 (2.7) | 30 (2.4) | 17.4 (2.03) | 20.4 (3.8) | 7.8** |
Visual construction | Block design test | 10 (2.6) | 15.8 (5.5) | 3.0 (1.3) | 4.8 (2.2) | 9.37** |
Visual conceptual reasoning | Picture completion test | 9.4 (1.8) | 10 (1.3) | 6.0 (2.0) | 7.0 (2.7) | 7.87** |
Comprehension, learning and memory (primarily mediated by bilateral medial and anterior lateral temporal cortex) | ||||||
Verbal comprehension | Token test | 27.7 (2.0) | 30.6 (1.5) | 19.6 (4.4) | 23 (5.4) | 14.2** |
Verbal learning | Rey's auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT)-total learning score | 32.4 (11.8) | 42.3 (11.7) | 26.9 (11.0) | 30.7 (9.3) | 4.2* |
Verbal memory | Delayed recall score, RAVLT | 7.1 (2.2) | 8.9 (1.7) | 5.6 (2.01) | 6.0 (1.8) | 5.08* |
Visual memory | Delayed recall score, memory for designs test | 6.6 (1.6) | 9.7 (3.5) | 2.2 (1.8) | 2.4 (1.6) | 8.04** |