[Passive tactile stimulation and its clinical and neurophysiological repercussions (P300) in blind children with symptoms of attention deficit disorder].

INTRODUCTION

Tactile stimulation is key for the posterior brain re-organization activity and attention processes, however the impact of tactile stimulation on attention deficit disorder (ADD) in blind children remains unexplored.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We carried out a study with children having or not ADD (four per group). The subjects have been exposed during six months to tactile stimulation protocol consisting in two daily sessions (morning and afternoon sessions) of 30 minutes each. We have measured the ability to detect an infrequent tactile stimulus, reaction time, latency of P300, sources of brain activity, and ADD clinical symptoms, before and after tactile training.

RESULTS

Passive tactile stimulation significantly improves ADD clinical symptoms, particularly attention, behavior and self-control of involuntary movements and tics. In addition, tactile stimulation changes the pattern of brain activity in ADD blind children inducing activity in frontal and occipital areas, which could be associated to a compensation of the attention deficit.

CONCLUSION

Passive tactile stimulation training may improve ADD clinical symptoms and can reorganize the pattern of brain activity in blind ADD children.