
Nutrition Studies Get Psyched Over the
Internet By Judy
McBride November 4, 1999A person's nutritional status can
affect behavior and learning. But only a handful of psychologists are involved
in nutrition studies. So Agricultural
Research Service psychologist James Penland found a way to clone himself
via the Internet. From his computer in Grand Forks, N.D., Penland has collaborated on
nutrition studies in China, Guatemala, New Zealand, San Francisco, and
Brownsville, Texas. Penland computerized a battery of tasks for testing the cognitive and motor
functions of study volunteers. He sends the tests to study leaders, receives
the raw data, scores and analyzes it in his lab, and returns the results--all
electronically. In the mid-1990's, Penland collaborated with Harold Sandstead at the
University of Texas Medical
Branch in Galveston on a study of 1,400 school children in China. It was
the first long-distance study of its kind. Computerized testing made such a
large study feasible. And since the computer doesnt vary how it
administers the tasks, the study is highly standardized. Results showed that poor, urban Chinese children improved in perception,
memory and reasoning skills after getting extra zinc or zinc plus other
essential vitamins and minerals. Unlike the limited scope of most other computerized tests, Penland's can
assess the gamut of psychological functions. They include tests of fine and
gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, sustained attention, spatial and
verbal memory, visual perception, concept formation, abstract reasoning and
others. The test can be tailored to fit any age, ethnic group or study
protocol. Penland's laboratory is now putting the finishing touches on a Windows
version of the test battery. It will be capable of incorporating video, sound
and external devices such as an electroencephalogram (EEG) for measuring
volunteers' electrophysiological responses. Read more about this research in the November issue of Agricultural Research magazine
at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/nov99/nutr1199.htm ARS is the chief research agency in the U. S.
Department of Agriculture. Scientific contact:
James
Penland, ARS Grand Forks Human
Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, phone 701-795-8471, fax
701-798-8395, [email protected]. Story contacts James G Penland U.S. Department of Agriculture | |