Photo: Esa Videman
In her doctoral dissertation, M.D. Karoliina Videman examined adolescent cognitive ability in rural Malawi using Raven’s coloured progressive matrices (CPM) and eye tracking measures of gaze speed and control, and assessed how early growth, maternal antenatal interventions to control infections, and childhood morbidity relate to later cognition in adolescence. The results showed that maternal infection control during pregnancy resulted in lower cumulative incidence of stunting until adolescence, early linear growth and height for age at ages 2, 5, and 13 years predicted cognitive performance measured with CPM, while eye tracking measures were only weakly associated with CPM and early morbidity had no predictive value. These findings are significant because they reinforce the importance of the first 1000 days for brain development and provide information of the utility of novel, easily deployable cognitive assessment tools as cognitive ability assessment in low resource settings. The results can inform researchers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals by guiding early childhood interventions.
The doctoral dissertation of M.D. Karoliina Videman in the field of Global Health titled Assessment of Adolescent Cognitive Ability with Eye-tracking Measures of Pro- and Antisaccades and Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices in Rural Malawi will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University on 12 June 2026.
The Opponent will be Professor Johanna Uusimaa from University of Oulu. The Custos will be Docent Ulla Ashorn from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University.