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Reading fluency is one of key facets of reading performance. At the neurophysiological level, as reading skills improve, latencies of P100 and N170 shorten, and the functional role of these ERPs components is expanding. While in primary schoolchildren, only orthographic N170 effects are observed, lexical and grammatical N170 effects are traceable in adulthood. However, previous studies neglect the adolescent sample. The goal of this study was to determine whether adolescents exhibit lexical and grammatical N170 effects and explore the link between reading fluency and P100 and N170 components. We assessed 32 adolescents in the context of a grammaticality judgment ERP experiment and estimated reading fluency. We registered lexical N170 effects indicative of the presence of an adult-like lexical representation system. Moreover, we observed negative correlations between reading fluency and P100 and N170 latencies, which suggest that reading fluency is affected by the speed of visual processing captured by these latencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The development of techniques for assessing cognitive functions using eye tracking is particularly important for children with developmental disabilities. In this paper, we present pilot results from the validation of two methods for assessing voluntary attention based on eye tracking. Methods: The study involved 80 children aged 3 to 8 years with neurodevelopmental disorders. Children performed two eye-tracking tests in which they had to 'catch' a stimulus by looking at it. They also completed the Attention Sustained subtest of the Leiter-3 International Performance Scale. In the first test, the stimuli were presented at different locations on the screen in subtests with stimuli onset asynchrony of 2 s and 1 s. A translucent blue marker marked the position of the gaze on the screen. The number of trials in which the gaze marker approached the stimulus was determined. In the second test, the location of the stimuli on the screen was changed based on gaze fixation in the ROI area. The time taken to complete the task was evaluated. Results: The results of both eye-tracking tests showed significant correlations with scores on the Attention Sustained Leiter-3 subtest and significant test–retest reliability. Conclusions: The results indicate that the present eye-tracking tests can be used for assessing voluntary attention in children with some neurodevelopmental disorders, and further research is warranted to assess the feasibility of these tests for a broader range of developmental disorders. Our findings could have practical implications for the early intervention and ongoing monitoring of attention-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fuller understanding of the effects of auditory tetanization in humans would inform better language and sensory learning paradigms; however, there are still unanswered questions. Here, we probe sustained changes in the event‐related potentials (ERPs) to 1020‐ and 980‐Hz tones following a rapid presentation of 1020‐Hz tone (every 75 ms, 13.3 Hz, tetanization). Consistent with some previous studies, we revealed the increase in the P2 ERP component after tetanization. Contrary to some other studies, we did not observe the expected N1 increase after tetanization even in the identical experimental sequence. We detected a significant N1 decrease after tetanization. Expanding previous research, we showed that P2 increase and N1 decrease are not specific to the stimulus type (tetanized 1020 Hz and non‐tetanized 980 Hz), suggesting the generalizability of tetanization effect to the not‐stimulated auditory tones, at least to those of the neighbouring frequency. The ERPs' tetanization effects were observed for at least 30 min—the most prolonged interval examined, consistent with the duration of long‐term potentiation, LTP. In addition, the tetanization effects were detectable in the blocks where the participants watched muted videos, an experimental setting that can be easily used in children and other challenging groups. Thus, auditory 13‐Hz stimulation affects brain processing of tones including those of neighbouring frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]