Skip to main content
Log in

Differences in semantic event-related potentials in learning-disabled, normal, and gifted children

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Biofeedback and Self-regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cortical event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded over FZ, CZ, and PZ scalp sites in 15 learning-disabled (LD), 14 gifted (G), and 13 normal control (N) children of ages 8–12. The common stimulus consisted of nouns presented 80 percent of the time; the target stimulus of animal names presented 20 per cent of the time. ERPs were averaged over subjects from 180 msec pre-stimulus to 900 msec post-stimulus. Principal components analysis was used to determine if there were amplitude differences at different post-stimulus latencies as a function of condition. Differences in ERP's between groups (LD, gifted, and controls), scalp locations, and common versus target stimuli were analyzed by ANOVAs. P 3 , Late, P 2 , and N 1 components represented by four factors were identified. Significant differences between G and LD and the N and LD groups were found target stimulus at all central locations for the P 3 component. Differences were found centrally between G and LD, G and N, and N and LD groups for the P 2 component centrally. Other differences were found for the N 1 and late components. These differences could be interpreted as a deficit in either attentional mechanisms or information processing for the LD group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association (1981).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (rev. 3rd. ed.), Washington, DC: Author.

  • Ayres, J. A. (1972).Sensory Integration and Learning Disorders. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callaway, E. & Halliday, R. A. (1973). Evoked potential variability: Effects of age, amplitude and methods of measurement.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 34 125–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dainer, K. B., Klorman, R., Salzman, L. F., Hess, D. W., Davidson, P. W., & Michael, R. L. (1981). Learning-disordered children's evoked potentials during sustained attention.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 9 79–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daruna, J. H., & Karrer, R. (1984). Event-related potential correlates of intelligence and personality.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 425 565–569.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duffy, F. H., Denckla, M. B., Bartels, Ph.D., Sandini, G., & Kiessling, L. D. (1980). Dyslexia: Automated diagnosis by computerized classification of brain electrical activity.Annals of Neurology, 7 421–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finley, W. W., Faux, S. F., Hutcheson, J., & Amstutz, L. (1985). Long-latency event-related potentials in the evaluation of cognitive function in children.Neurology, 35 323–327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, J. M., & Deering, W. M. (1989). Subtypes of dyslexia: Investigation of border's system using quantitative neurophysiology.Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 31 215–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodin, D. S., Squires, K. C., Henderson, B. H., & Starr, A. (1978). Age related variations in evoked potentials to auditory stimuli in normal human subjects.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 44 447–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, J. C. & Hillyard, S. A. (1980). Endogenous brain potentials associated with selective auditory attention.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 49 277–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holcomb, P. J., Ackerman, P. T., and Dykman, R. A. (1985). Cognitive event-related brain potentials in children with attention and reading deficits.Psychophysiology, 22(6), 656–666.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jasper, H. J. (1958). The ten twenty electrode system of the international federation.Electrophysiology and Clinical Neurology, 10 371–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • John, E. R. (1977).Functional Neuroscience, Vol. II. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. J., & Myklebust, H. R. (1976).Learning Disabilities: Educational Principles and Practices. New York: Grune & Stratton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutas, M., McCarthy, G., & Donchin, E. (1977). Augmenting Mental Chronometry: The P300 as a measure of stimulus evaluation time.Science, 197 792–795.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutas, M., & Hillyard, S. A. (1980). Reading Senseless Sentences. Brain potentials reflect semantic incongruity.Science, 207 203–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lelord, D., Laffont, F., & Jusseaume, P. (1976). Conditioning of evoked potentials in children of differing intelligence.Psychophysiology, 135(1), 81–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loiselle D. L., Stamm, J. S., Maitincky, S., & Whipple, S. C. (1980). Evoked potential and behavioral signs of attentive dysfunction in hyperactive boys.Psychophysiology, 17 193–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubar, J. F., Bianchini, K. J., Calhoun, W. I., Lambert, E. Q., Brody, Z. H., & Shabsin, M. S. (1985). Learning disabled and non-disabled children: Spectral analysis of EEG differences.Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18 403–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubar, J. F. (1989). Electroencephalographic Biofeedback and Neurological Applications. In J. V. Basmajian (Ed.)Biofeedback: Principles and Practice, 3rd ed. (pp. 67–90), Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, C. A., Lubar, J. F., Zimmerman, A. W., Miller, C. A., & Muenchen, R. A. (1992). Quantitative analysis of EEG in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A controlled study with clinical implications. In press.

  • Millichap, J. G. (1976). The hyperactive child.Practitioner, 217 61–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naatanen, R., & Michie, P. T. (1979). Early selective attention effects on the evoked potential: A critical review and reinterpretation.Biological Psychology, 8 81–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nodar, R. H., & Graham, J. T. (1968). An investigation of auditory evoked responses of mentally retarded adults during sleep.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 25 73–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ollo, C., & Squires, N. (1986). Event related potentials in learning disabilities. InEvoked Potentials, R. Cracco (Ed.) (pp. 497–512), New York: Alan R. Liss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Picton, T. W., & Cohen, J. (1984). Event-related potentials: Whence? Where? Whither?Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, 425 753–765.

    Google Scholar 

  • Picton, T. W., & Hillyard, S. A. (1974). Human auditory evoked potentials: Effects of attention.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 36 191–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritchard, W. S. (1981). Psychophysiology of the P300.Psychological Bulletin, 89(3), 506–540.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes, L. E., Dustman, R. E., & Beck, E. C. (1967). The visual evoked response: A comparison of bright and dull children.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 27 364–372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritter, W., Simson, R., & Vaughn, H. G. Jr. (1972). Association cortex potentials and reaction time in auditory discrimination.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 33 547–555.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritter, W., Simson, R., Vaughn, H. G., & Friedman, D. (1979). A brain event related to the making of a sensory discrimination.Science, 203 1358–1361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritter, W., Simpson, R., & Vaughn, H. G. Jr., (1983). Event-related potential correlates of two stages of information processing in physical and semantic discrimination tasks.Psychophysiology, 20 168–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockstroh, B., Elbert, T., Lutzenberger, W., & Birbaumer, N. (1990). Biofeedback: Evaluation and therapy in children with attentional dysfunctions. In A. Rothenberger (Ed.),Brain and behavior in child psychiatry. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Satterfield, J. H., Cantwell, D. P., & Satterfield, B. T. (1974). Pathophysiology of the hyperactive child syndrome.Archives of General Psychiatry, 31 839–844.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shabsin, H.S. (1982). Feedback controlled increases in P300 visual evoked potential amplitudes and neurological functioning and academic performance in learning disabled children. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Tennessee.

  • Smith, D. B., Donchin, E., Cohen, L., & Starr, A. (1970). Auditory averaged evoked potentials in man during selective binaural listening.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 38 146–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Squires, N. K., Squires, K. C., & Hillyard, S. A. (1975). Two varieties of long-latency positive waves evoked by unpredictable auditory stimuli in man.Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 38 387–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stamm, J., Birbaumer, N., Lutzenberger, W., Elbert, T., Rockstroh, B., & Schlottke, P. (1982). Event related potentials during a continuous performance test vary with attentive capacities.Event-related potentials in children, A. Rothenberger (Ed.), pp. 273–294.

  • Warren, C., & Karrer, R. (1984). Movement-related potentials in children: A relication of waveforms, and their relationships to age, performance and cognitive development.Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, 425 489–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wender, P. H. (1974). Some speculations concerning a possible biochemical basis of minimal brain dysfunction.Life Science, 14(9), 1605–1621.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. H. (1977). The hyperactive child syndrome.American Family Physician, 15(4), 100–104.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lubar, J.F., Mann, C.A., Gross, D.M. et al. Differences in semantic event-related potentials in learning-disabled, normal, and gifted children. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 17, 41–57 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000090

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000090

Descriptor Key Words

Navigation