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Biomedical subjects

R L Fantz

Publications and source records attributed to R L Fantz.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Neonatal pattern vision: a predictor of future mental performance?

The visual fixation responses of 33 high-risk neonates to patterned stimuli were rated as normal, suspect, or abnormal in an attempt to predict future intellectual performance. For comparison purposes, a neurologic examination was aslo administered. Follow-up studies based on autopsies and neurologic and psychological testing agreed with the neonatal visual preference ratings in 27 cases, but with the neurologic examination ratings in only 22 cases. This preliminary study suggests that neonatal visual testing is a promising technique for evaluating brain integrity in the newborn period.

Child, Preschool

Newborn infant attention to form of contour.

Human neonates selectively fixated patterns with curved rather than straight contours when the outermost contours differed in this form variable and when quantitative variables were controlled. The presence from birth of a discrimination ability basic to later form perception was evidenced.

Attention

Visual attention to size and number of pattern details by term and preterm infants during the first six months.

2 dimensions inversely varied in previous complexity studies using checker-boards were varied independently. Patterns with more elements, angles, and information as well as patterns with larger elements received longer fixation at all ages, but initially prepotent size preferences decreased with age while number preferences became stronger. Further analysis showed the inadequency of contour length as the stimulus determinant for, or of increasing "optimal complexity" with age as the interpretation of, these previous findings. Term-preterm comparisons at 5-week intervals proved changes were a function of prenatal plus postnatal development rather than age from birth alone.

Age Factors