The Attention Deficit Disorders or: pay attention!

The idea that made me write this entry arose over a photograph that I took of a cardinal bird, honestly I just saw the cardinal but my good friend Roberto Estévez made me a comment: it seems the bird is looking at you!.

My response to that comment was that surely the bird was watching paying attention to every detail since they are being a wild creature there are around several predators, also because it has to compete for food.

Two days later, my husband went to a meeting to another city and when he called explained me he was surprised and upset with so many people around, because it looks like everybody was absorbed by sending messages on their cell phones and they seemed not to look at who was at their side, making any walk a struggle for space and attention. Even drivers seemed to not be pay attention or remember that there was a  junglearound them.

An extra element to write this was the constant news about how more and more children are diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Disorder all of them highlighting that is alarming the number of cases submitted.

What "experts" don’t know

Ok, who am I to say experts don’t know something?, Maybe they don’t say this because to much complexity don’t sell enough magazines, but the thing is the attentional process is given to the survival of the species (not a school term) to provide tied sensory mechanisms to protect themselves from the dangers of the environment or to provide the capacity of food and caring for the offspring.

Imagine a rabbit focused on its inteligent phone screen or just looking at the female bunny front him without paying attention to the smell of possible predators, without looking at if something strange moves around, without listening to the movement of the wind and the leaves. While you are reading this, the rabbit was already attacked byyour cat, a hawk, a more attentive rabbit fornicated with the beautiful rabbit it was trying to conquest and our rabbit lost the chance of eating and of course, it  lost its cell phone in the confusion. 

What happens when a species loses its capacity of adaptation to the environment or they are unable to respond to the warning signs?, simple, extinguishes!. Therefore the capacity of attention to the environment is so important.

Now let’s return to the attention deficit deficit issue, psychologists and teachers believe that children do not have the ability to pay attention, just because does not see me as I speak them or have no view stuck on the Board or on the display, and also dare to be multitasking! that sounds, what do  these children believe?.

Let`s go by steps: attention is not an action, it is a process which involves all the senses and other superior processes such as working memory. 

Although someone can have their eyes focused on a screen, that person can hear the click, click of the keys, other noises of the environment, as the television or Spotify, or even  he or she can smell the environment, for example if something is burning, and we can’t  forget is feeling  the position of  his or her body over the chair. 

So I am sorry but even if someone ask me to pay attention to only onething, there is no way to disconnect the cranial nerves or sensory areas and even less the information flowing between the areas of association or biochemical information flow, or erase years of evolution, that is foolish.

What you have is selective attention, which is captured naturally if a stimulus is interesting, enjoyable, or dangerous. Yes, if I see someone going to hit me I move to avoid any contact because we usually react quicklier to fast movements different than slow movements.

Selective attention is one of the problems of many children, but does not only tell someone pay attention!, when I hear that I wonder to which put attention?, do to your speech, to the intensity of your words, your choice or how you move your mouth?.

There is evidence that we evolved to looking at the lips and face of other persons to recognize emotional emphasis in speech, and of course the gestures.

But attention cannot be sustained for long time, eyes tend to move, noises of the environment will cause that there is another source of attention, and it’s not only an extreme noise, in a classroom where you can hear the thoughts, even the hint of a pencil or a pen on the paper can cause a rotation of our heads to find the focus of noise. And if someone pulls out a pencil tip during an examination?, if... we are going to flip, because naturally, the ears are intensified, since that may depend on our life.

Many people then, to forget these natural principles, but it doesn’t mean they don’t knkow it,  I believe they sometimes forget that we are not experts, but how can we avoid years of evolution and selection natural and that attention as a mean of survival depends on the environment, then says that if a child not focuses attention on one single thing  has a  damaged brain.

Schools of the 16th century, which were basically churches built to avoid the temptations, where you can hear a yawn to far because of those wonderful domes and the acoustics that allows you to hear every note of praise choir, it was clear that meditation was the best way to listen to God, but if we see them as laboratories, it was certainly possible to maintain attention because after the first time of admiration, there isn't much to see.

But today at any place away from home or school, children face the streets, where cars are moving at a certain speed, there are many people talking, they must  pay attention to traffic lights or the movement of the cars to know when crossing the streets, and pay attention to so many other persons around and even notice if the light is red or if a driver may decide that being in a hurry is worther than a life. Also  if mom is  texting while crossing street, so she is not careful while people is crossing and hit eachother, and there is a bicycle in the opposite direction... and trees move and birds singing…

Attention on the natural environment

We have asked children to  focus  on something or someone, do not you look anything else!, and at the same time have increased the transit accidents, in particular those fatal accidents because people are not able to attend all stimuli a round such as number of passengers in the car, number of cars around, number of hours of monotonous journey or level of danger at the intersections  are factors of the most serious accidents.

To this we must be add that we learned to pay attention to the voice that speaks or the screen. Ups, if you drive don't send text messages!.

What do happen to children in the family environment?, children vie for attention of parents or caregivers that are between the cell phone, Facebook, twitter, television, problems at work, trying to finish a proposal while cooking, the dog barks, siblings yells, brother shouts stronger and if they ask for a little attention with the wonderful phrase as “look what I did!”, sometimes only receives a: “not now”,  “I can't answer”, “leave me alone”, “perhaps later”, and sometimes a good!, without even looking at what the child  did, or sometimes only receives a grunt in response. Who can meet the request of the child when there are many things by turning at the same time?.

Teachers complain that they are between 15 and 20 children, all looking for their  attention, talking, making noises, of course they want a little peace!, but their  reaction is to say to everybody: if you sit down and cab be quiet, you will look prettier!, and if any of them dare to stand up without permission no doubt some children will win a visit to the and a flight non stop with all expenses paid to the psychologist’s office, who is faithful friend of the ignorance of the neurodevelopmental but who knows very well how not only apply harmless tests and without context, also know how to ask money for them as if they  are useful.

Attention to the brain

I won't say that attention-deficit disorder does not exist, the brain studies show differences in anatomical and electrophysiological brain mechanisms in children affected with one of three types of 3 attention deficit disorders. Hey! Wait a second: 3?  everyone is talking only about deficit of attention disorder!, when have you seen a happy meal with three toys?. The popular side of the disorder usually don’t talk  about it, but there are three types, the hyperactivity, inattention, and the combined type attention deficit disorder.

Neurological studies show that children with attention deficit have a slow brain development a lower overall, but specifically the cerebellar, volume especially in portions postero inferior (lobes VIII to X) as well as the vermix, the volume of the nigra substance in the right frontal gyrus and putamen are at the same time lower than the brains of healthy children, however it is worth mentioning that this can not be seen with a test in a doctor's Office.

The main problem with the diagnosis of the call children epidemics, i.e attention deficit deficit  and never well recognized autism, is that manuals of diagnostic observed clinical and non-neurological shunts, what I mean is diagnostics are based on subjective observations reported by parents, teachers based on questionnaires that analyze the inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity under criteria such as "often"regardless of the contexts in which behaviors are manifested.

Occasionally apply two or three tests, is observed to the child, and as an immediate response to the problem, it prescribes a pill, and is sent to the world with a diagnosis that for better or for worse will follow throughout all  life.

But, what if the child was not the problem?, andif the problem is the environment?, and if rather than ask parents how the child behaves asked how parents and teachers to behave with the child?, what do happen when children ask something? Do we ignore them?, if when children speak they are ignored  so we push them to  do something extrem like a stop breathing and vomiting the carpet so that caregivers give them 2 seconds of attention.

Yes, because like the screen that jumps so we notice we have received a new message, an update or a new email, the child jumps, makes noise, not to disturb the world, but to say: "here I am,  pay me attention!".

The environment is chaotic, certainly to survive must pay attention to many stimuli, but is not the case  that we are becoming psychotic, reality is that way, or  the car will run and hit us, the boss asks us something that we don't know how to do because we lost the sticky note where we detailed instructions, overflowing emails and accounts invoices do not stop. The reality is that each one must find a way to adapt to the environment and does not expect the environment adapts to each of us.

References:

Bernfeld, j. (2012) ADHD and factor analysis Are there really three distinct subtypes of ADHD? Applied Neuropsychology Child. 1 (2) 100-104.

Fernandez Perrone, a., Fernández - Mayoralas DM, & Fernandez-jaen, a. (2013) of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: inattentive to the restrictive type type. Revista de Neurología. 56 (Supl 1) S77-S84.

Kiyonaga, a., & Egner, T. (2013) Working memory as internal attention: Toward an integrative account of internal and external selection processes. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 2 (2) 228-242.

Klauer, SG., dinghys, TA., Neale, VL., Sudweeks, JD., Ramsey, DJ. (2006) The impact of driver vigilance on near-crash risk: An analysis using the 100-Car naturalistic driving study data. Available at: http://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=786825

Koziol, LF, Budding, & D. (2012) ADHD and sensory processing disorders: Placing the diagnostic issues in context. Journal of Applied Neuropsychology Child. 1 (2) 137-144.

Mules, f., Gandia, r., rock, p., Etchepareborda MC., Abad, l. (2012) update drug of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: intervention models and drugs. Revista de Neurología. 54 (Suppl 3) S41-S53.

Ramos-Quiroga, JA., Chalita, PJ., Vidal, r., Bosch, r., Palomar, g., Prats, l., and houses, M. (2012) diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorder / hyperactivity in adults. Revista de Neurología. 54 (Supl 1) S105-S115.

Schmidt, EA., Schrauf, M., Simon, M., Fritzsche, M., Buchner, j., Kincses, WE. (2009) Drivers' misjudgement of vigilance state during prolonged, monotonous daytime driving. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 41 (5) 1087-1093.

 Tivesten E., Wiberg, H. (20013) What can the driver's own description from combinated sorces provide in an analysis of driver distraction and low vigilance in accident situactions?. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 52 (2) 51-63.

Tye.Murray, N., Spehar, BP., Myerson, j., Hale, S., Sommers, MS. (2013) Reading your own lips: Common coding theory and visual speech perception. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 115-119 (1) 20. 

Whitehead, JW. (2013) The psycho.therapeutic school system: pathologizing childhood. Huffington Post: The Blog. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-whitehead/the-psychotherapeutic-sch_b_3037194.html?utm_hp_ref=%40education123

Drawing the soul and intelligence of a child

Bill Waterson wrote and illustrated a comic daily from November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995, which exposed a child’s mind 6 year old that together with his toy Tiger, staged all sorts of adventures that over-invested in the imagination of their creator and touched the hearts and minds of many.

Imagination and creativity are the main ingredients of the stories without a educational goal but helped to many to understand children mind, criticizing the society and above of all, exposing the role of education in childhood.

Once I gave a lecture and I began showing a book that most had taught me about child cognition and when I show Calvin and Hobbes, audience was ready to leave the Auditorium, but examples could not show in a better way how some children watch reality and the way that as adults we mold their minds.

Wikipedia says this famous couple received their name from a French theologian called John Calvino who lived in the 16th century, and Hobbes receives its name as a tribute to Thomas Hobbes, who was an English philosopher born in the 17TH century and no doubt the brilliance of both characters do honor to the pair's minds that gave their them names.

The stories go around a friendship impossible to break between Calvin, an American child and its Tiger toy named Hobbes, who likes to eat tuna, and together live all sorts of adventures using simple elements that are in their environment.

Calvin is the only one who can talk and see Hobbes beyond its figure of Tiger rag.  Calvin’s parents are constantly watching him doing crazy things but almost never intervene in its mental activities. Finally, it does not hurt anyone.

The stories always reflect the friendship and the discoveries that Calvin shares with his Tiger, which always has a phrase to his little friend and rarely seen interacting with parents, which appear in the stories only to substantiate the role of the family and adults in children's lives.

Of course Waterson took advantage of this space of expression to criticize various society sphere, from the incongruity of the parents to educate children, as is the case with this mini story where Calvin is showing signs that it has learned that does not like her mom that soiled the floor...

 

To education as a means of personal development, which also is even stronger as the child is who confronts to society with the firm idea of maybe education is not exactly the best thing for him. 

But from a cognitive level that impacts of the history is the ability of Calvin and Hobbes to understand the world, resolve dilemmas and course, adapt to their reality, hence it is not difficult to find examples that explain this child thought, for example the Piagetian notions, where the first instance draws the child's ability to observe the reality and try to explain it but it fails to understand the transformation of the object up to abstract and explain such complex issues as the first movement law of Newton and if you find it hilarious explanation, take into account that only Calvin is 6 years old and uses mental resources at its disposal to explain something that students only repeated or copied a text and that even for an average adult is a complex issue.

Of course later you will be able to apply the laws of physics not to bother, but as an example that the theories of physics are applied to reality. This reveals a child's capacity to understand and apply the same which are transformed into planning and execution of ideas that are not always well received by adults:

So it is possible to look at the cognitive ability of children beyond what classrooms give in a limited way, sometimes restricting even the inventive capabilities of children.

It is true that this is just a cartoon, but can all children understand the world?. 

Of course back then Deficit of attention was not so popular, otherwise Calvin would have ended up with a psychologist who would have undoubtedly applied thousands of tests to ensure that the child had brain damage.

On occasions Calvin shared his imagination with the adults, who do not appreciated it and maybe time has been so he decided to take refuge in Hobbes, with whom he had a Pact of respect and also became his best friend, this allowed him to get away from the world of adults, who harassed him with obligations and meals never enjoyed.

As a result, it was possible to enjoy their occurrences, creative wonders and compelling explanations that were always you sprinkle by the games between them, always together, without barriers of thought, without violence and when the same emerging, everything ended with a hug between the two.

This image is an example of how the author was able to understand the child mind. It is true that the author is an adult, but in only 4 drawings reminds us that objects have a thousand and one uses, same that we cannot in the adult world, where there is an endless list of No´s. 

Reflective thinking, use and management of information, Metacognition are just some topics explored in the mind of a child who looked at life beyond what adults are usually allowed with which makes us ask ourselves when did we stop seeing life so simple?.

So beyond school and all its obligations is always possible to have fun for children, and this is something that Calvin understands perfect, because he found out that most of tasks are not read by teachers, did you laugh? Let us reflect a little what we do every day in the classroom, where only inflate weak ideas, poor reasoning becomes dark and inhibits the clarity, and everything sounds so elegant!.

 I want to believe author reflected so much this child happiness that helps us to have inspiration every day and give us an example of the child genius that we ignore our rush to watch them grow as men and women of good by, without remembering that today they sometimes children, able to see the different life, and which gradually learning to be afraid of errors and to adult life

Perhaps that makes this story so sophisticated from the point of view of children's cognitive development, because when the adults look at them, we do it with our own perspectives and dogmatic theories that search to explain the functioning of all, without allowing us to simply listen.

Waterson captured it perfect in this cartoon, where he asks Calvin inspiration and Calvin responds: “Maybe I don’t feel inspired what’s it worth to you?”.

Faithful sample of adults expect a lot from children, but we don't hear them, just give them obligations.

I hope one day to be able to schools to remember that children are more than answers in an exam and the World Bank numbers which guarantee funds that continue to perpetuate an education that binds to a desk and kills creativity. Hopefully one day... we can have many Calvins talking to Hobbes on philosophy, physics or on how to enjoy summers to the fullest.

Note, if you want to see the images so that they can read, just click on either and all images will appear in actual size.

Autism spectrum disorders: a detection of abilities and not dis-abilities.

I found once a quote which is supposed was written by Volkman and Cohen and it says: “If all individuals diagnosed with autism could be together in a room, the most striking fact would not be their similarity, but how different they are between them". And I would like to  add: and if at the same room we can  join all therapists and people who do not live with children with autism  every day, them it would be very easy to see what children cannot do, but only a few would be able to admire their skills.

I learned the word autism more than 20 years ago during my work in a children's hospital in Mexico. Those days, the diagnosis was confused with psychosis and not many persons spoke so publicly about the topic. The only therapeutic proposed was medications that maintain quiet to children and if at home behavior and socialization did not work, then the only one answer was a hospital. There were some behavioral therapies that were used with a few children, but the therapeutic goal was to keep them quiet.

Nobody spoke too much, at least in Mexico,  of other developmental disorders such as syndrome fragile X, Rett syndrome, the Prade Willi syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, tuberous sclerosis, Williams syndrome, Angelman's syndrome or Asperger's syndrome, and if anything was said something of the autism spectrum disorders, the only one word was autism.

In contrast, Autism Speaks is currently an international voice that gives help to autism children and families and their numbers reported that 1 in every 88 children has autism diagnosis at the United States. 

Certainly there is extensive information now. On the internet when someone types the word autism appear at least 9 860 000 results. But there is still something on the entire set of signs and symptoms that children have and that every parent knows so well. Something that every site, campaigned and paper, sometimes forget: we started to talk about autism and we forget the children and the people behind it. 

As experts we can’t hide our perplexity, because the autistic spectrum has a variety of features, even though they have tried to group into versions of the DSM and ICD, there is always a child that presents all the symptoms and none of the above.

At a conference held in the CISAME in 2010, once all the experts talked with passion about what each of us we have studied about the disorder, a girl of 8 years raised her hand. I think we all ignore it for a few moments, and it was not we did not see her, but there were more hands trying to ask those things we wanted to share, so she raised her hand higher, to the point that we all thought that she would jump on the person near to her to get our attention. We finally gave her the word and with reverence asked us: "why do you speak about autism?" before autism I am a girl when will you speak about children with a diagnosis of autism? ".

She was my motor and I started to write about what it’s possible, all the things any child can with or without  developmental disorders, the reason why so many  experts have sometimes spent a lifetime saying loud and strong things beyond the word autism, and even beyond all behaviors that have caused distress to the parents, or the moment when they receive the diagnosis, much more than the long list of No that parents and children here every day: they cannot talk, you cannot write, they cannot go to school, they  cannot dance, they  cannot go to College, they cannot make anybody smile, do not, do not not. 

Don’t they breathe?, perhaps don´t  they grow?, let’s go slowly.

Looking for evidence

More than 50 years ago was suspected that autism is linked to a specific gene. At least 17 candidate genes linked to the disorder to varying degrees and in different ways have been reported so far, he points to others who may have incomplete information or translocate. That's why there is more research with families who have more than one child with a diagnosis of autism, but so far, there is not a single research that points to a single gene.

Even those development disorders such as the fragile X or Rett syndrome, where there are a limited number of genes responsible for all the symptoms, can show variations in the development of the children and there were found mutations or genetic drafts that do not tie in all cases. That’s one reason why unique children can be found, children who have more skills than ICD show in its pages.

On the other hand, mirror neurons have been mentioned as responsible for the difficulties in socialization and empathy, however, some children "learn" to socialize depending on environmental conditions.

Vaccines were during some years claimed as responsible of autism, but it has already proven that they are not guilty of triggering, and even better all the story was an invention.

A new group of evidence show than the virus HHV-6 can be part of some cases, but there is only few articles about it.

And I can continue mentioning factors, from environmental, family, social, and even cultural, but no matter how much time you can take to try to explain the causes of autism spectrum disorders, the truth is that the great needremains to help children and their families to have a more happy life.

And following my passion about the brain and trying to find answers where the disorder originates, I began to look for answers, trying to see what everyone sees, that no one looks. 

All studies point out about all the neuro degenerative aspects and brain differences, particularly in the white matter, which are the nerve fibers, myelinated responsible for the transmission of information from one cell to another. Differences in the amount of gray matter that is the neural bodies and dendrites devoid of myelin have also noted. With this in mind, there is no doubt autism is a neural problem.

I’ll stop for a second to say that for many years researches know that the brain is plastic, moldable, flexible and it adapts to environmental emergencies. This feature is probably given by evolutionary aspects, what you have may change with the passage of the years. And although many generations are required to see a general shift to level species, if it is possible to see brain differences from various learning tools. 

In the case of normal development, even the brain does not know what kind of environment must adapt, the plasticity allows to babies to develop those skills that will be used in the environment. Those actions can make him or her feel happier, those that will be reinforced, to speak, walk, and smile. This usually this reminds me an old question: Is an artist born or made?. 

The answer that I like most is that perhaps all of us concert pianists, but we never had the opportunity to beat a piano.

For example, it’s known that even though children are able to recognize foreign languages, they will lose this ability to give priority to the native language, finally it is that is going to provide an effective socialization. This is clear that neurons survive depending on usage. 

It seems that nature has very clear use of resources and their exploitation, by what is not the luxury of having neurons which does not use, and will maximize those that serve as tools in response to the environment.

The brain with developmental disorders

Under this principle of plasticity, the idea is that the neurodegenerative process apparently happens even before the first symptoms, but to the passage of the cerebral arrangement, imprisons areas that are losing connections and that imprisonment, and eventually becomes little used. However, there are other areas that manage to survive and become efficient, much to its way.

If every child had deficiencies such as are indicated by the diagnosis books, it would be easy to diagnose the disorders, however, it seems to me that it is not. Even for experts, it is easy to confuse the symptoms. For example, in a study conducted in the Autism clinic of CISAME, in Mexico city, it was found that 27% of cases should not be diagnosed as part of the autistic spectrum, because the clinical histories revealed perinatal problems as causes of the symptoms and signs of children.

That’s why I prefer to invite parents to analyze: what children can do?. The main symptom is focused on the shortcomings of communication, but even in children who do not speak show means of expression. This is the case of Carly Feischmann, who had never said a word, until by chance, his parents and therapists discovered that she was able to write on a laptop and that opened the door to communication.

But, what else can your child do?, if you search you will find that your child can do things, not like the others, perhaps  he or she does things with a special nuance, perhaps so sophisticated as the protagonist of the series, Touch, or much to his or her own way. Even maybe she or she smiles with that expression of a few friends, but for you, without place to doubt is a smile.

On the basis of brain plasticity, don't give up, your child's brain will adapt to circumstances, perhaps slower and not as high, and rightly so as other children. But if support you, there is no doubt that surprise.

Perhaps the rule is not to see him with pity, that feeling of disability is destructive, it makes us think that you can't, you don't know, that not this and not the other. Try, do it twice, three, four. How the Olympic athletes get so amazing victories?, they do the same movement over and over again until they can  make it perfect. It’s worth the attempt.

Finally, would like to recall that no brain is equal to another, that all we learn, feel and see the world in different ways, that's why I do not understand, and I would admit my ignorance, I don't understand the why focuses attention on what children cannot be achieved, as if genetics or disorder destination, if there are many evidence of brain plasticity and achievements perhaps small for humanity, but who become great strides of each child with any developmental disorder. Despite the difficult thing is sometimes deal with their tantrums.

I think that scientist, parents, and society must work in the understanding of disorders, not to ask for money, not for gain notoriety or be at the front of the photo, but to give a chance for adaptation to children, who one day will grow and become adult.

The big mistake is to ask that society adapts to them, asks to parent to stop their lives to one side for the sake of their children. One day the parents won’t be around to look after that child, so the goal is adaptation and not the adequacy.

Skills

Without falling into the trap that all children are like the books, I can say that several researches find math skills, music, the visual Arts, as the most reported, but, have tried to give your child a computer or a tablet computer?, maybe help you at the garden?, maybe the macrame is a choice... those who have in addition a little or a lot of obsession compulsion can be excellent for quality control. 

I would say, don’t think in them as the persons who can do nothing, find that they can do, and you will find the talent. The goal is to find what they can do. Even the blind deaf child can feel and smell and that can be enough to discover the world.

And for those who have brothers, enforces the same. My goal in education is that children can find their talent as young as possible so they can be happy children and successful adults. Perhaps a skill as an adult is to find the gift of each one of these children. Achieve communication, by any way is worth. I'm sure you'll be amazed of what you can  find. 

Being a child with autism is not a diagnosis, it is a tag of life, but most importantly, YOU have a life to decide what to do with it. They just need someone who provides one hand to achieve this.

Alma Dzib Goodin

If you would like to know more about my writing you can visit my web site:
http://www.almadzib.com

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Wolff, JJ., Gu, H., Gerig, G., Elison, JT., Styner, M., Gouttard, S., Botteron, KN., Dager, S., Dawson, G., Estes, AM., Evans, AC., Hazlett, HC., Kostopoulos, P., MCKinstry, RC., Paterson, SJ.,  Schultz, RT., Zwaigenbaum, L., and Piven, J. (2012)  Differences in White matter fiber tract development present from 6 to 24 months in infants with autism. American Journal of Psychiatry :.10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11091447

Memory and language

Alma Dzib Goodin

When we talk about memory, in general is associated with the past and memories, however, memory has a lot to do with language, because while we structure a phrase, many temporal associations are carried out either at present, past or future. I don't think is necessary explaining too much this aspect, since everybody suffers with   verbal conjugation at the first years of formal education.

And this is because the brain is constantly influenced by spatial and temporal patterns across of all the senses (Hawkins and Blakeslee, 2004), and then we say, of course, I had read that!, or it tastes like ... and ate it at....

During a conversation, is important to pay attention if you are talking in present tense, past or future, since this depends on the structure and meaning of the sentence. Of course, this is not knowledge that a newborn uses from day 1, it's one of the many tasks to be learned over time, related with brain maturation, environmental demands and verbal skills, some of them imposed by genetics.

Then, how can a brain work with multitasks?. It does this primarily by electrical impulses that travel through the synaptic connections, that are fired every 5 milliseconds, which work  parallelizing tasks, I mean, it does many things at once and at different levels, it performs tasks consciously and others unconsciously and also pay attention to the environment and the details (Hawkins and Blakeslee, 2004; Glöckner and Witteman, 2009).

But if focus at the language, the maximum achievement of the neocortex is the grouping of ideas, which can occur in prospective, this is, think ahead. During a conversation, we can predict what the speaker will say or do, this is an important process not only for language, but when we are driving a car, or watching a movie, which is an aspect of memory (Brewer and Marsh, 2010).

And of course, it's not possible ignore the great speed with which it is possible to remember something when the stimulation and the conditions are right. This is called reaction time in laboratory experiments, but that is pure fun when we play table games that require a unique quick response, which of course is a process that requires an active memory and familiarity of stimuli (Brewer and Gimbel, 2011).

But I guess, you reader   know your strengths in aspects of memory. Despite what teachers say that we must remember everything they say, our brain has something else in mind (that is literally). And while some people have better visual memory, and can remember what they saw or read just once and remember the name of the author of the book or article they read, there are some others who remember much better if the stimuli are auditory, and they learn to read loud to retrieve information better. There are also those who remember motor tasks and they are able to remember things when they do a movement. And I can not forget to mention my deep admiration for those who can recognize flavors, or the aroma of fine wine or a good meal.

Tasks that seem simple become complex when we try to explain them, for example, the recognition of faces is a complex but essential aspect in life. This process begins in the first days of life; it depends on the maturity of the oculomotor muscles and provides assurance that the caregiver is always the same. But it’s not the only one, because the sense of smell provides protection while babies develop the ability to focus objects. Thus, little by little they are making a complex network of processes that, with no doubt, help  to let us to know that we talk to someone we  know.

So, How do you remember a face?, Is it remembered or recognized?, this will be  another topic, that I will take as a  excuse to write again, but the fact is that  process is complicated: it starts with the rapid identification of the face, if it has similar racial characteristics, this can be a first  kind of identification, if not, you will have to considerate many details: the color of eyes, its location, shape, distance between them, the characteristics of each one and then the shape of the face, color, contour, form hair, color of the eyebrows, lips, cheekbones (Ewing, Pellicano and Rhodes, 2010), thus intersect other details such as whether the person is attractive, if we recognize that person and then, maybe we will try to find a  name in the library of memory, making a comparison  between face, name and a location where that person have seen  before.... and all that will be done in millisecond,

Of course, sometimes the process is not accurate, and the identification finishes with no an idea who is speaking with us. And even in that case, you can try some  clues as: if the other person knows or not my name?, the topic of conversation?, If I talk about this then I know this place, other clues can be the tone of voice, familiarity ... the system continues the search until it can  finds a positive recognition ... but you don't have to feel shamed if all the process fails, it may be easier to recognize the voice, or other aspects, such as recognizing the other person car, bag, shoes? ... each person is inclined to recognize objects in the environment in a distinctive manner.

In general, though not exclusively, men are capable of distinguishing details between cars, a Porsche and a Lamborghini are not equal, a Prius and Acura are not similar at all, and Who can confuse a beetle and an MDX?. Personally, I only know that cars have wheels and need gasoline, sometimes.

But vision is not always the main form of recognition. I used to feel worry  the first few times I waited for him at the airport, for who is now my husband, I was not able to make a mental image of his face. I only remember he had blue eyes and red hair. So I just could wait for someone with these features, but it was a challenge. The only consolation was that maybe he could recognize me, and when that happened, his voice did not let me any doubt, he was the right person.

Of course, once the recognition is done, the face has a name ... the vision is related to language when is trying to tie a memory. When everything matches, it's not necessary more searching at the data banks, all features are tied, but the issue is more complex than it seems, because although all that is accomplished in a few seconds, the search for the information needs of different brain areas and all information is concentrated in the hippocampus (Ewing, Pellicano and Rhodes, 2010).

If a task as simple and everyday as face recognition takes so much work, just enough to imagine the process of recognition of words, tense, voice tones, volume, modulation and content during a conversation.

Starting from the idea that thought is private and language is public, and then speak is making public the private. (In so many years, I can not remember from whom I learned this in my first years at university). However, both processes are completely different. But this  is conceivable under the multi-tasking system, because while we feel good or bad with  the external temperature, we plan activities for the next few hours or the next day, make a to do list, we feel hunger, we make mental notes of what to say on the next business meeting, we try to remember if we fed the cat and locked  the closet door or if we turn off the light ... the tasks can be endless, but, language only accepts the execution of a letter at a time, to form a word that is part of a sentence, to form an idea, and is able to link with the following (Weimer and Palermo, 1974).

We remember  what it was said, what is being said and what we are going to say,  or we can predict the next sentence, in studies  of laboratory, researchers try to see  separate processes, but in everyday life, they  are seemingly inseparable.

And all this has been learned in daily interaction, even before a first word can be said, and when babies start practicing, of course they make verbal mistakes, because their memory is not consolidated yet. But nobody cares about these failed attempts; adults encourage toddler to try it again, and again.

Different brain areas are used depending the kind of speech, for example, if we are talking about colors, there is an isolated portion of the brain that needs to be involved, but if we are trying to do a voice recognition, or shapes, other areas must work together, because all processes are separated, and then re grouped into the brain, but yet it's not possible to understand how this is possible.

That's why learning in children, can not be based only in isolated memorization and meaningless, specially because there is a specific area where all information must be joined and summarized to give sense to the world. But on the other hand, remembering can be   too inconvenienced because when an area of the brain is over specialized, it means another area is compressed, and this can be the case of talented or gifted children for whom the neocortex is the raw material in exchange for neglecting the social skills (Herbert, 2005).

The clearest case of this are  people with a diagnosis of Savant Syndrome, whom are able to remember very little details of what captures their attention, but sometimes with an IQ less than 50 (Winner, 1998).

Remembering then, depends on the attention, of environmental stimulation and the hippocampal ability to recognize tasks (Brewer and Gimbel, 2011). Does it seem complex?, Well, if you  try to explain it using only electrical impulses, bio chemicals, neural connections and a little knowledge of neurophysiology, if it is, but it's an activity that every brain does every  day, every second each day of our lives ...

Alma Dzib Goodin 

If you would like to know more about my writing you can visit my web site:
http://www.almadzib.com

References

Brewer, G. and Marsh, RL. (2010) On the role of episodic future simulation in encoding of prospective memories. Cognitive Neuroscience. 1 (2) 81-88.

Brewer, JB. and Gimbel, SI. (2011) Reaction time, memory strength, and fMRI activity during memory retrieval: Hippocampus and default network are differentially responsive during recollection of familiarity judgments. Cognitive Neuroscience. 2 (1) 19- 26.

Ewing, L., Rhodes, G. and Pellicano, E. (2010) Have you got the look? Gaze direction affects judgment of facial attractiveness. Visual cognition. 18 (3) 321-330.

Glöckner, A. and Witteman, C.  (2009) Beyond dual- processes model: A categorization of processes underlying intuitive judgment and decision making. Thinking and reasoning. 16 (1) 1-25.

Hawkins, J., and Blakeslee, S. (2004) On intelligence. Times Books. USA.

Herbert, M. (2005) Large brains in autism: the challenge or pervasive abnormality. The Neuroscientist. 11 (5) 417-440.

Molinaro, N., Conrad, M., Barber, H. and Carreiras, M. (2010) On the Functional Nature of the N400: Contrasting effect related to visual word recognition and contextual semantic integration. Cognitive Neuroscience. 1 (1) 1-7.

Pendarvis, E., Howley, A., & Howley, C. (1990) The abilities of gifted children. Prentice Hall. USA.

Weimer, W. and Palermo, DS. (1974) Cognition and the symbolic processes. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. USA.

Winner, E. (1998) Uncommon Talents: Gifted Children, Prodigies and Savants. Scientific American Presents. 32-37.

3D Image: Juan Conde Tovany

The attention process: much more than just a look.

In the post about attention to details in this blog, who watches the video may notice than more distance between stimuli easier to notice differences. Many of the observers of the video are adults, theoretically adapted, they sit down every single day front their computer screens and pay attention, but even they need at least 3 video scenes to realize what is going on.

Then what, is it the attention something specific? , what does it mean when we ask to a child to pay attention?

Attention depends basically of the development of multiple brain structures, but socially is given more importance to visual attention, so all sensory processes converge to make possible to notice something.

 In a colloquial way, attention is defined as the selective perception and directed that focuses on the interest a particular source of stimulation, or the effort and concentration on a task (Van Zomeren and Brouwer, 1994). The complexity comes when someone is trying to pay attention at the same time than many complex stimuli are around: something is flashing, there is all kind of noises, something smells good or bad, and also it's possible to feel pressure on muscles ... and we must add that children always have an adult saying: pay attention, as if someone has an idea what that is ...

The Attention, like all neurocognitive process is adaptive, this means that neural networks must be developed to allow someone to be more or less sensitive to visual stimuli or auditory. At this sense, seems logical that a fisher has a better vision even when sun reflexes on the sea, at the same time than waves move his ship and must  respond to his position in the vastness of the ocean, considering the weather and time of day, trying to avoid a feeling seasick thanks the movement of your boat and find the richest shoal that can give him a good day of work.

Now let's think about children who are sitting on a sofa all day, only paying attention to a television,  viewing just front them  and maybe the only one source of distraction is hunger, which is satisfied with just stretch their hands.

Hence, it seems, the high increase of cases of attention deficit disorder is caused by lack of stimulation of the modern life. Looking ahead, this means that specialized networks in peripheral vision can be atrophied, because, even with larger screens,    oculomotor movement concentrates on just a little space, and on the other hand, auditory sense, always knows that sounds "exist only at the TV", so it is not necessary to prepare any response... and we must add less gaming spaces, except those required by the consoles ... yes!, we pay less attention to details, no doubt.

At this sense, sometimes restrictions affect only to neurocognitive process, such can be the case of the oculomotor restriction, which causes deficits only for sight, but in this case, attention is used in all sensory processing, from vision, hearing, taste, smell, haptic sense and thereof the combination (Estévez González, García Sánchez and Junque, 1997), including emotional perception ...so this means that if there is not enough stimulation, it can be eliminated many important networks to face the concrete jungle, for example.

This is because in everyday life, people must take decisions that are almost life or death, observing movement of cars, to know when a food is not eatable or look closely faces details to see if the other person is smiling or ready for a fight, and what about while we cross the street?, it’s very important taking decisions: cross or stop, and watching at the same time, if driver is planning to remove the foot off the accelerator...

At school, children must recognize silly details from adult perspective, but those details are every day goal in classrooms, for example to distinguish between a, a, a and the difference between A, A & A?, subtle, Huh?. Children shall have the same difficulty that you had to recognize the differences at the first three or four scenes of the video ... so, is it enough just to ask and repeat them to pay attention?.

But sustained attention is actually a very complex world of decisions made by the brain every second. Researchers have tried to understand it using simple tasks, like those works conducted by Sackur and Dehaene (2009), which consists of two simple stimuli and a brain taking a decision between left or right or red and green.

But in real life, when children are in a classroom, trying to pretend that they are paying attention to the teacher, feeling that left shoe pinches, the edge of the trousers or skirt  slash their leg; the sun hits on their  arms;  pen is too small or too large to hold it, at the same time, nearer kid speaks tirelessly; there is a tree strangely moving  outside of the classroom; their stomachs are asking for water or the crushed sandwich inside the lunchbox, jealously guarded to recess... and sometimes we find restless children because a  baby brother woke up asking  for food  5 times during the night...yes, things in  real life  are always more difficult ... by the way, do you remember the child's name of this example? ...

After so much reading about the brain and complexity of the attention process, I stopped asking to my students to pay me attention, if the source of stimulation is rich and motivating, attention comes alone.

Alma Dzib Goodin 

If you would like to know more about my writing you can visit my web site:
http://www.almadzib.com

References

Van Zomeren, AH. y Brouwer, WH. (1994) Clinical neuropsychology of attention. Oxford University Press. New York.

Estévez González, A., García Sánchez, C. y Junque, C. (1997) La atención: una compleja función cerebral. Rev Neurol. 25 (148) 1989-1997.

Sackur, J. y Dehaene, S. (2009) The cognitive architecture of chaining of two mental operation. Cognition. 111. 187-211.