MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre

Individuals with dyslexia struggle at explaining what it is like to have dyslexia and how they perceive letters and words differently. This led the designer Daniel Britton to create a font that aims to simulate the perceptual experience of how effortful reading can be for individuals with dyslexia (http://danielbritton.info/dyslexia). This font removes forty percent of each character stroke with the aim of increasing reading effort, and in turn empathy and understanding for individuals with dyslexia. However, its efficacy has not yet been empirically tested. In the present study, we compared participants without dyslexia reading texts in the dyslexia simulation font to a group of individuals with dyslexia reading the same texts in Times New Roman font. Results suggest that the simulation font amplifies the struggle of reading, surpassing that experienced by adults with dyslexia-as reflected in increased reading time and overall number of eye movements in the majority of typical readers reading in the simulation font. Future research could compare the performance of the Daniel Britton simulation font against a sample of beginning readers with dyslexia as well as seek to design and empirically test an adapted simulation font with an increased preserved percentage of letter strokes [Correction added on 10 December 2021, after initial online publication. Abstract has been added].

Background: The environment that individuals are surrounded by have been linked to have an effect on affect, like anxiety, and well-being. On a whole, rural and natural environment scenes have been showed through previous research to increase positive affect and well-being. Until now, the methods of assessing affect in relation to environmental scene perception have been studied in a healthy sample, and mostly via self-report questionnaires and heart rate. Here, we present a novel quantitative research study that uses frontal electroencephalography (EEG) asymmetry to investigate the impact of viewing images of environmental scenes on affect in a sample of self-reported sub-clinically anxious adults. Frontal EEG asymmetry has previously been used in research related to motivation and assessing emotional affect, with most researchers showing greater left-frontal hemisphere activity compared to the right being associated with positive affect and approach behaviours. Consequently, frontal asymmetry EEG can be used to explore the impact of scene perception on affect. Methods: Forty-six participants (18–52 years) took part in the study. To determine the psychophysiological predictors of affect, specifically anxiety, we monitored brain activity using EEG, while participants viewed a series of natural and man-made images on a computer screen. Natural images consisted of beaches, forests, meadows, mountains, waterfalls. Man-made images consisted of cityscapes, construction sites, highways, skyscrapers and street views. EEG was Fourier transformed, and the alpha-band frequencies (8–12 Hz) isolated and averaged across each image type. Results: Preliminary analysis of frontal-asymmetry shows that individuals with sub-clinical levels of anxiety experience significantly more negative affect (i.e., increased right asymmetry in alpha bands, (M=−3.15, SD =0.63) when viewing man-made images compared to control participants (M=−1.02, SD =0.67). These preliminary results contrast to when viewing natural images, whereby both controls and the anxious individuals experience high levels of positive affect (i.e., increased left asymmetry in alpha bands: (Manxiety =3.31, SDanxiety =2.26; Mcontrol =3.33, SDcontrol =1.12). Lastly, frontal-asymmetry indices were significantly different (t=17.48, P<0.001, d=2.58, BF10 =3.81e +18) when viewing natural and man-made images. This result was consistent across both groups. Conclusions: This research presents a novel approach to investigating the neuro-cognitive correlates of affect and scene perception. Additionally, these initial observations would indicate that man-made scenes induce negative affect, and that this effect is amplified in individuals with sub-clinical levels of anxiety. Future work should expand this research to investigate environmental scene perception in individuals with clinical levels of anxiety, and use other physiological measures, such as heart-rate variability and eye-tracking to objectively assess affect.

SIGNIFICANCESystematic lighting assessments should be part of low vision evaluations. The LuxIQ has gained popularity as an assessment tool, but its reliability has not been examined independently and is necessary for evidence-based vision rehabilitation.PURPOSEBesides magnification, improved lighting levels are a common intervention in reading rehabilitation for individuals with low vision. Determining the appropriate lighting can be a complex and time-consuming task. The LuxIQ is a portable lighting assessment tool that can be used to systematically measure lighting preferences; however, there is little independent evidence to support its reliability in low vision rehabilitation.METHODSOne hundred nine control subjects (age, 18 to 85 years) and 64 individuals with low vision (age, 27 to 99 years) adjusted both the luminance and color temperature parameters on the LuxIQ while viewing a sentence on the MNREAD at their preferred print size for continuous reading. After 30 minutes, they were asked to repeat the same measurements.RESULTSUsing Bland-Altman plots, test-retest variability was calculated using the limits of agreement (LOAs). For illuminance, the LOA width was 2806 lux for control subjects and 2657 lux for visually impaired participants. For color temperature, the LOA width was 2807 K for control subjects and 2364 K for those with a visual impairment. Difference scores were centered near zero, indicating overall accuracy.CONCLUSIONSThe measurement of lighting preference lacks the precision necessary for clinical utility, given that the LOA for luminance ranged more than 2600 lux, with normally sighted and low vision participants. Such variability translates into a range of approximately ±40 or 50 W in an incandescent light bulb, depending on the luminance level, making it clinically difficult to narrow down the options for evidence-based lighting recommendations. Next steps are to examine whether the reading behavior of low vision clients is positively affected by interventions that are based on LuxIQ recommendations.

Aims: The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the effectiveness of interventions using iPad applications compared to traditional occupational therapy on visual-motor integration (VMI) in school-aged children with poor VMI skills.Methods: Twenty children aged 4y0m to 7y11m with poor VMI skills were randomly assigned to the experimental group (interventions using iPad apps targeting VMI skills) or control group (traditional occupational therapy intervention sessions targeting VMI skills). The intervention phase consisted of two 40-min sessions per week, over a period of 10 weeks. Participants were required to attend a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12 sessions. The subjects were tested using the Beery-VMI and the visual-motor subscale of the M-FUN, at baseline and follow-up.Results: Results from a 2-way mixed design ANOVA yielded significant results for the main effect of time for the M-FUN total raw score, as well as in the subscales Amazing Mazes, Hidden Forks, Go Fishing and VM Behavior. However, gains did not differ between intervention types over time. No significant results were found for the Beery-VMI.Conclusions: This study supports the need for further research into the use of iPads for the development of VMI skills in the pediatric population.Implications for RehabilitationThis is the first study to look at the use of iPads with school-aged children with poor visual-motor skills.There is limited literature related to the use of iPads in pediatric occupational therapy, while they are increasingly being used in practice.When compared to the traditional occupational therapy interventions, participants in the iPad intervention appeared to be more interested, engaged and motivated to participate in the therapy sessions.Using iPad apps as an adjunct to therapy in intervention could be effective in improving VMI skills over time.

Introduction Sleep is important for optimal physical health and vitality. Recent studies have shown that individuals with visual impairments may be at risk for sleep problems. This research examines the prevalence of sleep problems among those with retinal disorders and the possibility of a genetic link. Methods Subjects with retinitis pigmentosa ( n = 33), Stargardt's disease ( n = 31) and age-related macular degeneration ( n = 43) were recruited from the ophthalmology department of Montreal Children's Hospital. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Genetic testing was conducted by the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Retinal genes were identified as having retina only or pineal and retinal expression. Results The expression patterns of genes causing retinal disorders did not predict sleep quality. The PSQI indicated poor sleep quality in 56% of participants with retinitis pigmentosa, 48% of those with Stargardt's disease, and 53% of those with age-related macular degeneration. The ESS showed that daytime sleepiness was experienced by 20% of individuals with retinitis pigmentosa or Stargardt's disease, and by only one individual with age-related macular degeneration. Discussion Approximately 50% of people with retinal disease have sleep problems. This number compares with up to one-third of the general population. Gene expression did not correlate with sleep quality, and the explanation for such a large percentage of sleep disorders needs further investigation. Implications for practitioners Eye care and rehabilitation specialists need to be aware of the high prevalence of poor sleep quality in individuals with retinal disorders, since this situation may have an important impact on memory and learning, both of which are vital in successful rehabilitation.

Given the importance noted in the literature of interaction skills in face-to-face augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and the new ways of interacting that telecommunications offers to individuals using AAC systems (both graphic and orthographic), this study compared a face-to-face and telecommunications conversation between a speaking partner and an adult who uses Blissymbolics as his main method of communication. There were differences and similarities in patterns of utterance functions that suggest that the telecommunications mode of communication may provide a context in which the AAC user can exert greater control over the interaction and may encourage more symmetrical use of utterance functions. The findings of this study have implications for assessment, intervention, and development of communication skills in AAC users.