Modulation Flashcards
All of the following except which are examples of increased arousal? A. Breathing pattern B. Increased tone C. Decreased pupil size D. Increased heart rate E. Sweat F. Screaming (vocalize)
C. You would see increased pupil size (dilation), not decrease
(Con have increased tone in extremities, trunk, face, eyes)
What is sensory modulation?
The ability of the CNS to grade responses to sensory input in relation to the intensity, complexity, and novelty of incoming sensations as well as the context of the situation.
- Ongoing physiological changes in alertness, arousal, attention, and emotion in response to events and expectations
- These physiological changes influence observable behaviors
T/F: Ongoing physiological changes in alertness, arousal, attention, and emotion in response to events and expectations are internal in an individual and cannot be observed
False. These physiological changes influence observable behaviors
T/F: in order to modulate, one must start differentiating
False. In order to differentiate, one must begin modulating (already differentiating one thing over another)
Where does modulation occur within the brain? How about perception?
- Modulation occurs at the cortical-subcortical levels: “where am I in terms of level of arousal?”
- Perception: occurs at cortical level
T/F: With perception, we ask ourselves, “how much does this activate me?” whereas with modulation we ask, “What is this?”
False. With modulation we ask, “how much does this activate me?” whereas with perception we ask, “what is this?”
How does novelty affect hose with modulation problems?
Novelty of sensations and expectations of the situation influence modulation. People with modulation problems must know exactly what will happen before they enter a situation. If not and there are novel situations, they will have problems. e.g., they will be very activated by novel situations
T/F: If you have modulation problems, you will have problems with perception
False. Modulation problems may be accompanied by intact perception…difficult to assess.
If child’s level of alertness is high, his attention is poor, he will perform poorly e.g., discrimination will be off. BUT if bring him down to optimal arousal level, he may have no problem with perception and discrimination. So, must examine at optimal arousal.
With problems in this area, one will have a hard time differentiating between incoming signals
Sensory discrimination and perception problems
With problems in this area, one will have trouble integrating sensory data to interpret the sensory info
Sensory Discrimination and perception problems
T/F: problems with modulation will most likely affect the tactile or auditory system while problems with discrimination or perception will usually affect the prop or visual systems
False. Problems in either discrimination and perception or modulation may be expressed in one or more sensory systems: tactile, auditory, prop, visual
T/F: with modulation problems, compensatory strategies e.g., buttoning without looking, will take a great deal of effort and attention
With with discrimination and perception problems this will occur
Problems in this area will cause difficulty with regulating attention and emotion in response to sensory info
Modulation problems
Problems in this area are accompanied by under or over responding to incoming info, given the context
Modulation problems
Why is it important to assess performance when one is at optimal level of arousal?
If child’s level of alertness is high, his attention is poor, he will perform poorly e.g., discrimination will be off. BUT if bring him down to optimal arousal level, he may have no problem with perception and discrimination–problem is at a lower level. So, must examine at optimal arousal.
T/F: While perception deals with sensory input, discrimination requires in tact sensation and cognition
False. Discrimination involves integrating sensory data to interpret sensory info while perception requires cognition e.g., with pen in hand, must know that pens are long and skinny
T/F: There are many standardized assessments on modulation problems
False. There are not many.
The process by which the CNS notices sensory input
Sensory registration
T/F: Registration is discussed at the level of the receptors while detection is discussed at the level of the CNS
False. Registration is talked about at the level of the CNS while detection is talked about at level of receptors
How does the CNS play a role in registration? How about in modulation?
-Information is detected by receptors which relay it into the CNS
-CNS registers the presence of the sensory info
Then the CNS uses the sensory info in processes such as perception, modulation, praxis, and organization of behavior
T/F: sensory modulation problems is related to extreme under-responsiveness
False. Sensory registration problems is related to extreme under-responsiveness
T/F: When discussing SI problems, we talk about sensory info that is not detected by the receptors
False, we talk about info that is detected by receptors, but not registered at the level of the CNS
T/F: When discussing registration problems, a child is under/over-responsive or hypo/hypersensitive
False. In modulation, child is under/over-responsive or hypo/hypersensitive
If a child responds to input intermittently, he is considered _________
hypo/under-responsive
If a child is under/hyp-responsive, how can we increase his level of alertness?
By sensory input in the environment
T/F: If a child is underresponsive to vestibular or tactile input, his arousal levels will always be affected
False. If underresponsive to vestib input, his arousal levels will be affected. But if underresponsive to touch, his arousal levels may not be affected.
T/F: Modulation problems are always linked to one’s level of arousal, but are not always linked to sensory processing.
True. May be other reason’s one is low-arousal e.g., if poor nights sleep, food you eat, health, environmental factors. We all have level of arousal.
What types of sensory processing affect one’s level of arousal?
- Hypersensitive to touch/auditory/visual/vestibular
- Hyposensitive to vestibular
In order to assess a child’s level of arousal who comes to see you, what do you need to do?
- What’s his current level of arousal?
2. What’s happening? Is it related to sensory processing? Related to other factors e.g., anxiety?
T/F: if a child doesn’t register, he enters fight/flight
False. If he doesn’t modulate, he enters fight/flight
Why must we be careful when giving a child a discrimination test?
A child who doesn’t discriminate may not do so because he did not register the input in the first place, not because of a discrimination problem. Registration problem, not discrimination problem.
T/F: Often times, a child that does not register and is underresponsive is lumped together with a modulation or discrimination problem
True
Arousal is:
A. The sate of responsiveness to sensory stimulation
B. The act or state of waking from or as if from sleep
C. The act of stimulating to readiness or to action
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
D. All of the above
State of vigilance of relatively permanent character
Tonic arousal
Short endurance, dependent on stimulus novelty
Phasic arousal
When you’re doing an eval on modulation/arousal, what is the first thing you want to look at?
First want to look at the level of arousal when child comes in. Then see how he responds to different sensory inputs in the environment. Does his arousal level go up if he is underresponsive?
Hebb (1949,1955) proposed the idea of ___________
Optimal level of arousal.
- Impact of sensory stimulation on reticulocortical system
- Originally focused on stimulus intensity in arousal modulation
Berlyne (1960, 1971) identified a range of qualities affecting ________.
Arousal. E.g., intensity, size, color, modality, affect, novelty, complexity, congruence, degree and timing of change from prior stimulus
Berlyne (1960, 1971) linked optimal arousal to: A. Affect B. Somatic nervous system C. Autonomic nervous system D. All of the above E. A and C
E. Affect and Autonomic nervous system
T/F: Berlyne (1960, 1971) Proposed that tonic arousal levels and phasic arousal thresholds are consistent across all children
False. Proposed individual variations in tonic arousal level and phasic arousal level thresholds. Must always bring each child to optimal level of arousal
The management of emotions and behavior in socially acceptable ways across many settings
Self-regulation
What are the Four A’s of Self-Regulation?
- Maintain optimal arousal levels
- Maintain focused attention to task
- Demonstrate appropriate affect
- Engage in purposeful action
T/F: Kids with low arousal levels often will shut down while those with high arousal levels will not respond
False. Children at high levels of arousal will often have temper tantrums and will shutdown because they are receiving too much sensory input. Those with low-arousal will not respond because they are not receiving enough.
How can we determine why a child is not at optimal level of arousal (too much/too little input)?
By knowing what happened before
What will the arousal level of a child who is underresponsive to vestib. input look like in class?
- Will be sitting and falling asleep
- OR monkeying around/moving around in order to increase level of arousal
If a child screams and has increased breathing when she is picked up or put on hammock, what does this mean?
- Her level of arousal is increasing
- Responding to vestib. more than anything else
T/F: if a child has self-regulation problems, this means he has sensory processing difficulties
False. May have self-regulation problems due to frontal lobe issues, not related to sensory processing
High level cognitive processes that facilitate new ways of behaving and optimize one’s approach to unfamiliar circumstances
Executive Functions
T/F: several research studies have been done which look at sensory modulation and executive functions; show that sensory symptoms (measured with SP) are not associated with executive functions
False. Studies have shown association between sensory symptoms and executive functions. However, many studies use sensory profile, which is a parent report. Need observation.
How is sensory modulation linked with participation?
- Person is sufficiently alert and relaxed to experience enjoyment and satisfaction in everyday activities and relationships
- Allows person to approach new situations with openness while avoiding potentially dangerous situations
- Attention is dynamically allocated to relevant stimuli, tuning out unimportant sensory cues
How can modulation affect one’s behavior?
Difficulties with modulation affect alertness, attention, and emotion, and consequently can interfere with the ability to organize behavior in the most effective or appropriate manner
Offers metaphors that help us to visualize how brain activity affects behavior–and thus help us to plan and direct intervention
Neurophysiological theory
T/F: It is likely that sensory modulation occurs at multiple levels of the brain function
True. It is likely that sensory modulation involves complex interplays among threshold levels, orienting responses, habituation, sensitization, affective responses, memory of past experiences, and expectations and perception of present situation
T/F: Behavioral level is what we observe, but sensory modulation is ocurring at cellular and neural levels
True
Level at which temporal summation, habituation, and sensitization alter neuronal excitability by changing the state of the nueron so it is more likely, or less likely, to spread messages to other neurons
Cellular level
Level at which there is rhythmic interaction of reticular, autonomic, limbic, and cortical systems
Neural Systems level
Level relating to person’s ability to regulate arousal and emotion; may reflect underlying neural regulation or dysregulation (e.g., irritability in response to sensations interferes with behavioral organization)
Behavioral level. What we observe
Regulation of neural activity at the cellular or synaptic level, leading to enhanced or dampened responses to input
Neural modulation
Reduction or cessation of a behavioral response during repeated exposure to the eliciting stimulus
habituation (get used to stimuli)
Enhancement of an elicited behavior after a strong or noxious stimulus; with repeated stimulation the enhanced response becomes even stronger
Sensitization (gets heightened)
- In a neuron, this is the point at which the neuron begins to fire, i.e., initiates an action potential as a result of the cumulative effect of stimulation from synapses with other neurons
- At a behavioral level, the lower amount of stimulation required to required to evoke a particular responses (e.g., the lowest degree of stimulus intensity that can be detected)
Threshold
-At a behavioral level, the lowest amount of stimulation required to required to evoke a particular responses (e.g., the lowest degree of stimulus intensity that can be detected)
Threshold
With repeated stimulation of a neuron, each stimulus event depolarizes the neuron (i.e., brings the neuron closer to threshold) until it eventually reaches the threshold for an action potential
Temporal summation
Behavioral response in which a person or animal turns toward a stimulus and momentarily stops previous activity, enabling attention and decision-making
Orienting response
Child received eight sensory input of the same kind in a row followed by a rest period (Eight auditory; rest period; eight tactile ; rest; eight visual; rest…)
Sensory challenge protocl
T/F: If a child is provided with repeated stimuli in a short time, sensitization should occur
False. Sensitization is a problem e.g., tactile defensiveness. Habituation should be ocurring (we all habituate)
T/F: A child with an active SNS and less active PNS in response to repeatedly stimuli in a short time period is more sensitive
True
Why do we not discuss underresponsiveness to tactile input with modulation?
Underresponsiveness to touch may not affect the level of arousal. Overresponsiveness definitely will–tactile defnesiveness
T/F: Sensory symptoms (measured with SP) in pre-term preschoolers are usually not associated with executive functions measures
False. Sensory symptoms (measured with SP) in pre-term preschoolers are associated with executive function
T/F: Difficulties with modulation and behavior only affect those with sensory processing difficulties
False. All of us experience these problems at time, particularly when fatigued, stressed, or sick . However, some seem to have difficulties with modulation much more often, and to a greater extent, than is typical
T/F: Links between neural activity and behavior are very complex and have not been fully mapped out by research
True
T/F: Sensory modulation involves regulatory processes at multiple levels of the brain
True. Regulatory processes occur at the cellular and neural levels. Behavioral level is what we observe.
Networks throughout the nervous system that accelerate or slow down or stop the spread of sensory messages
Synaptic networks
Part of brain that activates the entire brain for wakefulness, orientation, and attention
Reticular formation (of brainstem)
System that involves both sympathetic and parasympathetic aspects
Autonomic Nervous System
System with physiological reactions associated with orienting, stress, fear, and anger
Sympathetic nervous system (part of autonomic nervous system)
System with physiological reactions associated with restoration, relaxation, digestion; may regulate sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system (part of autonomic nervous system)
The synaptic networks are a brain structure important for what process?
The synaptic networks are neural structures involved in modulation. They accelerate or slow down or stop the spread of sensory messages throughout the nervous system
The reticular formation is a neural structure involved in what process?
The reticular formation of the brainstem is involved in modulation. It activates the entire brain for wakefulness, orientation, and attention
