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Bovo M, Moyano S, Calignano G, Valenza E, Ballesteros-Duperon MÁ, Rueda MR. The modulating effect of gestational age on attentional disengagement in toddlers. Infant Behav Dev 2025; 78:102007. [PMID: 39608325 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.102007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 11/19/2024] [Accepted: 11/19/2024] [Indexed: 11/30/2024]
Abstract
Gestational Age (GA) at birth plays a crucial role in identifying potential vulnerabilities to long-term difficulties in cognitive and behavioral development. The present study aims to explore the influence of gestational age on the efficiency of early visual attention orienting, as a potential marker for the development of specific high-level socio-cognitive skills. We administered the Gap-Overlap task to measure the attentional orienting and disengagement performance of 16-month-olds born between the 34th and 41st weeks of gestation. Our findings indicate that GA might be a significant predictor of attentional disengagement performance, with lower GAs associated with slower orienting of visual attention in the gap condition. Additionally, we discuss a possible influence of endogenous attention control on disengagement accuracy at this age, particularly among full-term infants. Overall, the findings highlight the role of GA as a key factor in evaluating early visual attention development, acting as a marker for detecting early vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Bovo
- Dept. of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Italy.
| | - Sebastián Moyano
- Dept. of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Spain; Mind Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain.
| | - Giulia Calignano
- Dept. of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Italy.
| | - Eloisa Valenza
- Dept. of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Italy.
| | - María Ángeles Ballesteros-Duperon
- Mind Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain; Dept. of Psychobiology, University of Granada, Spain.
| | - María Rosario Rueda
- Dept. of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Spain; Mind Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain.
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Nakagawa A, Sukigara M, Nomura K, Nagai Y, Miyachi T. Orienting and Alerting Attention in Very Low and Normal Birth Weight Children at 42 Months: A Follow-up Study. J Atten Disord 2025; 29:244-255. [PMID: 39727241 PMCID: PMC11697503 DOI: 10.1177/10870547241306557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In preterm and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, attention-related problems have been found to be more pronounced and emerge later as academic difficulties that may persist into school age. In response, based on three attention networks: alerting, orienting, and executive attention, we examined the development of attention functions at 42 months (not corrected for prematurity) as a follow-up study of VLBW (n = 23) and normal birth weight (NBW: n = 48) infants. METHOD The alerting and orienting attention networks were examined through an overlap task with or without warning signal. The orienting network was also examined through the distribution of gaze points when exposed to videos of human faces talking and silently looking straight ahead. Executive attention was examined using a parental report measure for temperamental self-regulation, effortful control. RESULTS In the overlap task, the difference between VLBWs and NBWs was not the latency of attentional disengagement but the fact that VLBWs were less focused on the fixation stimulus (F(1,60) = 10.80, p < .01, ηp2 = .071) and seemed to profit more from auditory warning signals than NBWs (F(1,60) = 7.13, p = .01, ηp2 = .106). Moreover, there was no intergroup difference regarding lateral (right or left) or feature (eye or mouth) attention bias toward the face videos. Further, longer latencies in overlap condition were significantly positively associated with high effortful control scores only in the NBW group (r = .36, p = .018). CONCLUSION Results indicate that poor underlying alertness and orienting relating to atypical lateralization may affect cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in VLBWs.
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Tang T, Pledts K, Moerkerke M, Van der Donck S, Bollen B, Steyaert J, Alaerts K, Ortibus E, Naulaers G, Boets B. Face Processing in Prematurely Born Individuals-A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2024; 14:1168. [PMID: 39766368 PMCID: PMC11675004 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14121168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2024] [Revised: 11/06/2024] [Accepted: 11/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Prematurely born individuals are at risk for developing socio-emotional difficulties and psychopathologies such as autism spectrum disorder. Particular difficulties processing social information conveyed by the face may underlie these vulnerabilities. METHODS This comprehensive review provides an overview of 27 studies published between 2000 and mid-2022 concerning face processing in individuals born preterm and/or born with low birth weight across different age ranges, paradigms, and outcome measures. The results were interpreted across different developmental stages. RESULTS Behavioural studies indicated that prematurity is associated with poorer facial identity and expression processing compared to term-born controls, especially for negative emotions. Structural alterations and delayed maturation in key neural face processing structures could explain these findings. Neuroimaging also revealed functional atypicalities, which may either be rooted in the structural alterations or may partly compensate for the delayed maturation. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that altered face processing may be associated with an increased risk of developing psychopathologies in individuals born prematurely. Future studies should investigate the preterm behavioural phenotype and the potential need for face processing rehabilitation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
| | - Kasper Pledts
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
| | - Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
| | - Bieke Bollen
- Department of Development and Regeneration, UZ Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (B.B.); (E.O.); (G.N.)
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
- Child Psychiatry, UZ Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101 Room 02.57, 3001 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Els Ortibus
- Department of Development and Regeneration, UZ Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (B.B.); (E.O.); (G.N.)
| | - Gunnar Naulaers
- Department of Development and Regeneration, UZ Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (B.B.); (E.O.); (G.N.)
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 ON5B bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (M.M.); (S.V.d.D.); (J.S.); (B.B.)
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Caravale B, Gasparini C, Rea M, Coletti MF, Boiani A, Ferri R. Neurodevelopmental outcome in one-year-old children born preterm: differences between low birth weight and very low birth weight. Minerva Pediatr (Torino) 2024; 76:582-589. [PMID: 36149092 DOI: 10.23736/s2724-5276.21.06290-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In preterm infants, low birth weight represents one of the major risk factors for health and developmental issues. In Italy, most of the studies are focused on extremely preterm or very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW, ELBW) children, whereas little data are available on the neurodevelopmental outcome of low birth weight (LBW) children. We aimed to study the developmental profile of a group of preterm children comparing cognitive, language and motor performances between LBW and VLBW. METHODS We assessed 108 children born preterm (53 LBW and 55 VLBW) at 12 months of corrected age (M=12.9 months; SD=0.95) with Bayley III. We compared the mean scores between and within groups and the rates of mild and severe delay using the Italian norms. RESULTS LBW children performed better than VLBW peers, particularly in the cognitive and gross motor areas. No differences between groups were found in relation to language subscales. The rate of mild and severe delay is elevated in both groups, resulting significantly higher in the VLBW group only in the motor area. CONCLUSIONS These results strongly suggest the need of a multidisciplinary follow-up to monitor the development of premature newborns, including those with birth weights above 1500 g. The early identification of cognitive, language and motor problems is essential to promote children's well-being and intervention prior to school entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Caravale
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy -
| | - Corinna Gasparini
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Rea
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria F Coletti
- Unit of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Boiani
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Ferri
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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Maalouf Y, Provost S, Gaudet I, Dodin P, Paquette N, Gallagher A. Executive and attentional functioning interventions in preterm children: a systematic review. J Pediatr Psychol 2024; 49:731-756. [PMID: 39186682 PMCID: PMC11493142 DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This systematic review, performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, seeks to summarize the interventions that have been developed in order to improve executive functioning and attention in children born prematurely. METHODS The PICOS framework helped guide the structure and relevant terms selected for the study. Electronic systematic searches of the databases PubMed (NLM), Ovid Medline, Ovid All EBM Reviews, Ovid Embase, and Ovid PsycINFO were completed in March 2022. This review focuses on interventions that target attention and executive functioning in prematurely born children between birth and 12 years old, with outcome measures assessed between 3 and 12 years old, even if the age range in the study can exceed our own parameters. Data extraction included sample characteristics, country of recruitment, type of intervention, description of the intervention group and control group, outcome measures, and overall results. An assessment of the quality of methodology of studies was performed through an adaptation of the Downs and Black checklist for both randomized and nonrandomized studies in healthcare interventions. An assessment of the risk of bias was also presented using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials 2.0. RESULTS A total of 517 premature children received an intervention at some point between birth and early adolescence. Eleven different interventions were assessed in 17 studies, with rating of the quality of methodology and outcomes ranging from lower quality studies (44% quality rating) to robust studies (96% quality rating) in terms of reporting standards, external and internal validity, and power. Five of those studies focused on interventions administered in the neonatal intensive care unit or shortly postdischarge (e.g., the Mother-Infant Transaction Program and the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program, documented in two articles each [11%] or the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program assessed in one study [about 5%]), while 12 articles reported on interventions administered between the ages of 1.5-12 years old [mostly computerized cognitive training programs such as Cogmed (23%) and BrainGame Brian (17%)]. Of the 17 articles examined, 12 (70%) showed positive short-term outcomes postintervention and 3 (17%) demonstrated positive long-term results with small to large effect sizes (0.23-2.3). Among included studies, 50% showed an overall high risk of bias, 21.4% showed some concerns, and 28.6% were low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS Due to the heterogeneity of the programs reviewed, the presented findings should be interpreted as descriptive results. A careful and individualized selection from the various available interventions should be made based on the target population (i.e., age at intervention administration and outcome testing) before implementing these program protocols in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara Maalouf
- Neurodevelopmental Optical Imaging Laboratory (LIONlab), Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sarah Provost
- Neurodevelopmental Optical Imaging Laboratory (LIONlab), Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Gaudet
- Neurodevelopmental Optical Imaging Laboratory (LIONlab), Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Health Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Dodin
- Library, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Natacha Paquette
- Neurodevelopmental Optical Imaging Laboratory (LIONlab), Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne Gallagher
- Neurodevelopmental Optical Imaging Laboratory (LIONlab), Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Gillioz E, Gentaz E, Lejeune F. The Effect of Screen Habits and Alternative Activities on Tactile Exploration Skills in 6- to 36-Month-Old Toddlers. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:1027. [PMID: 39201961 PMCID: PMC11352288 DOI: 10.3390/children11081027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES With the rising ubiquity of digital media and screens in everyday life, toddlers are increasingly exposed to different screens from an early age (i.e., television, computer, tablet, phone). However, few studies have examined the effect of these screens on toddlers' perceptual development. Since tactile exploration skills are necessary for environmental discovery and overall development, the current research investigates the links between screen-use habits and the tactile exploration skills (with visual control) of 6- to 36-month-old toddlers. METHODS The study involved observing the interactions of 135 toddlers with various objects and assessing the complexity of their visuo-tactile exploration strategies through two original experimental tasks. Data concerning screen habits and other relevant factors, such as socio-economic level, were collected using a parental questionnaire. RESULTS Toddlers with greater screen exposure time demonstrated weaker tactile exploration skills and employed less age-appropriate exploration strategies. Socio-economic factors and parental engagement in alternative activities significantly influenced these developmental outcomes. CONCLUSIONS These findings emphasize the importance of reducing screen time and promoting interactive co-viewing and alternative activities to mitigate the negative effects of screen exposure. Further longitudinal research is needed to determine the long-term impacts of early screen exposure on tactile exploration and overall psychological development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Gillioz
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva,1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (E.G.); (F.L.)
| | - Edouard Gentaz
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva,1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (E.G.); (F.L.)
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 75116 Paris, France
| | - Fleur Lejeune
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva,1205 Geneva, Switzerland; (E.G.); (F.L.)
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Kaltsa M, Babacheva E, Fotiadou G, Goutsiou E, Kantziou K, Nicolaidis K, Soubasi V. Early cognitive assessment in premature infants: the discriminatory value of eye-tracking vs. Bayley Scales. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1384486. [PMID: 38957884 PMCID: PMC11217545 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1384486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The testing of visuocognitive development in preterm infants shows strong interactions between perinatal characteristics and cognition, learning and overall neurodevelopment evolution. The assessment of anticipatory gaze data of object-location bindings via eye-tracking can predict the neurodevelopment of preterm infants at the age of 3 years; little is known, however, about the early cognitive function and its assessment methods during the first year of life. Methods The current study presents data from a novel assessment tool, a Delayed Match Retrieval (DMR) paradigm via eye-tracking was used to measure visual working memory (VWM) and attention skills. The eye-tracking task that was designed to measure infants' ability to actively localize objects and to make online predictions of object-location bindings. 63 infants participated in the study, 39 preterm infants and 24 healthy full term infants - at a corrected age of 8-9 months for premature infants and similar chronological age for full term infants. Infants were also administered the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Results The analysis of the Bayley scores showed no significant difference between the two groups while the eye-tracking data showed a significant group effect on all measurements. Moreover, preterm infants' VWM performance was significantly lower than full term's. Birth weight affected the gaze time on all Areas Of Interest (AOIs), overall VWM performance and the scores at the Cognitive Bayley subscale. Furthermore, preterm infants with fetal growth restriction (FGR) showed significant performance effects in the eye-tracking measurements but not on their Bayley scores verifying the high discriminatory value of the eye gaze data. Conclusion Visual working memory and attention as measured via eye-tracking is a non-intrusive, painless, short duration procedure (approx. 4-min) was found to be a significant tool for identifying prematurity and FGR effects on the development of cognition during the first year of life. Bayley Scales alone may not pick up these deficits. Identifying tools for early neurodevelopmental assessments and cognitive function is important in order to enable earlier support and intervention in the vulnerable group of premature infants, given the associations between foundational executive functional skills and later cognitive and academic ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kaltsa
- Language Development Lab, School of English, Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evgenia Babacheva
- 2 Department of Neonatology and NICU, School of Medicine, General Hospital of Papageorgiou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Fotiadou
- LingLab, School of Philology, Department of Linguistics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evanthia Goutsiou
- 2 Department of Neonatology and NICU, School of Medicine, General Hospital of Papageorgiou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Katerina Kantziou
- 1 Neonatal Department and NICU, Hippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Katerina Nicolaidis
- Phonetics Laboratory, School of English, Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Soubasi
- 2 Department of Neonatology and NICU, School of Medicine, General Hospital of Papageorgiou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Perra O, Winstanley A, Sperotto R, Gattis M. Attention control in preterm and term 5-month-old infants: Cross-task stability increases with gestational age. INFANCY 2024; 29:437-458. [PMID: 38244203 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Cross-task stability refers to performance consistency across different settings and measures of the same construct. Cross-task stability can help us understand developmental processes, including how risks such as preterm birth affect outcomes. We investigated cross-task stability of attention control in 32 preterm and 39 term infants. All infants had the same chronological age at time of testing (5 months) but varied in gestational age (GA) at birth (30-42 weeks). Infants completed an experimental attention following task with a researcher and a naturalistic play observation with their mothers. Both preterm and term infants demonstrated attention following in the experimental task. GA and flexibility of attention were related: the likelihood of no turn trials decreased with increasing GA. To evaluate cross-task stability, we compared attention performance in the experimental and naturalistic settings. Flexible attention shifts on the experimental task were positively related to attention to objects in the naturalistic observation. Furthermore, the association between flexible attention shifts on the experimental task and attention to objects in the naturalistic observation was moderated by GA. Our study provides initial evidence that the consolidation of attention control increases with GA. These findings highlight the value of comparing experimental and observational measures of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Perra
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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Ataman-Devrim M, Quigley J, Nixon E. Preterm toddlers' joint attention characteristics during dyadic interactions with their mothers and fathers compared to full-term toddlers at age 2 years. Infant Behav Dev 2024; 74:101915. [PMID: 38159501 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The current study investigates Joint Attention (JA) characteristics (duration, frequency, source of initiation, type of JA, agent of termination, missed and unsuccessful episodes) in preterm and full-term toddlers' interactions with their mothers and fathers, separately. Thirty-one singleton full-term (Mage = 24.07 months, SD = 1.45; 13 boys) and 17 singleton preterm toddlers (Madjustedage = 24.72 months, SD = 3.39; 12 boys) participated in the study with both parents. JA episodes were examined during dyadic five-minute free play sessions, were coded second-by-second, and were analysed using two-way mixed ANOVAs. Although the total amount of time spent in JA was not significantly different between the preterm and the full-term groups, JA episodes were more frequent, specifically supported JA episodes, and were more often terminated by the child during parent-preterm toddler interactions. Moreover, preterm toddlers missed their fathers' attempts for JA more often than their mothers' and more often than full-term toddlers missed their fathers' and mothers' bids for JA. Further, regardless of the birth status, toddlers initiated more JA with mothers than fathers, and fathers redirected their child's attention to initiate JA more than mothers. Findings indicate that preterm toddlers may struggle to respond to JA bids, especially with their fathers, and to sustain their attention on a specific object or event during interactions. Preterm toddlers may need more support to engage in JA relative to their full-term peers, and redirecting attention strategy may not be optimal for them. Also, toddlers' JA interactions may be different with their mothers and fathers. Findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating preterm toddlers' JA characteristics with both parents compared to full-term toddlers at age two.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean Quigley
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
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Wei C, Yang DP, Yang Y, Yang WH, Lu YM, Yu XP, Chang S. Visual and auditory attention defects in children with intermittent exotropia. Ital J Pediatr 2024; 50:17. [PMID: 38273409 PMCID: PMC10809432 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-024-01591-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that children with intermittent exotropia (IXT) have a higher rate of psychiatric abnormalities as they grow up, such as attention deficit. This study explored visual and hearing attention among children with IXT, and evaluated its association with clinical characteristics and cognitive development. METHODS Forty-nine children with a diagnosis of IXT and 29 children with traditional development were recruited. The Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT) was used to measure the subjects' full-scale response control quotient (FSRCQ), full-scale attention quotient (FSAQ), auditory response control quotient (ARCQ), auditory attention quotient (AAQ), visual response control quotient (VRCQ), and visual attention quotient (VAQ). The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was used to assess their cognitive function. The differences between the scores of children with IXT and normal controls were analyzed. RESULTS The results showed that the FSRCQ, FSAQ, ARCQ, AAQ, VRCQ, and VAQ of children with IXT were all lower than those of normal controls with the same age (P < 0.05). The level of attention was significantly correlated with the age of strabismus onset (P < 0.05), but not with the degree of strabismus, stereopsis, or fusion control score. In addition, audiovisual attention was correlated significantly with their cognitive development level. The random forest classifier prediction model showed that age of strabismus onset was an important predictor of attention. CONCLUSION Children with IXT have lower visual and auditory attention and control than their peers, and the age of onset of strabismus may be a major factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Wei
- Zhong Shan Ophthalmological Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Qingyuan People's Hospital, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong, China
| | - Ding-Ping Yang
- Zhong Shan Ophthalmological Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Zhong Shan Ophthalmological Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen-Han Yang
- School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ya-Mei Lu
- Qingyuan People's Hospital, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin-Ping Yu
- Zhong Shan Ophthalmological Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Shuai Chang
- Zhong Shan Ophthalmological Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Gillenson CJ, Bagner DM, Darcy Mahoney A, Baralt M. A Preliminary Study of Executive Functioning in Preterm-Born Children: A Bilingual Advantage. Adv Neonatal Care 2023; 23:E121-E128. [PMID: 37788334 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm-born children are at increased risk for deficits in executive function (EF). EF is a set of cognitive processes including inhibition, attention, memory, and decision-making, among others. Bilingualism, operationalized as productive capacity in 2 languages (ie, English and Spanish), may enhance EF in children born preterm and in term-born children. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of bilingualism on executive functioning in bilingual and monolingual preterm and term-born children using a robust measure of bilingualism. METHODS This study examined the impact of bilingualism on EF in 17 monolingual or bilingual preterm-born children, aged 6 to 7. The preterm-born sample was also compared with a normed, term-born sample of 38 monolingual, typically developing 6- to 7-year-olds. RESULTS On the Creature Counting task of EF, bilingual preterm-born children performed with more accuracy and total switches than monolingual preterm-born children. There was no difference in accuracy between the term-born and entire preterm-born samples. The bilingual, preterm-born children performed more accurately than the term-born sample. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH This preliminarily suggests bilingualism confers an advantage to preterm-born children's EF. Further research is needed on bilingual advantage of preterm-born children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline J Gillenson
- Department of Psychology and Center for Children and Families (Ms Gillenson and Dr Bagner) and Department of Modern Languages and Center for Children and Families (Dr Baralt), Florida International University, Miami; and School of Nursing, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia (Dr Darcy Mahoney)
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12
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Morris EE, Miller NC, Haapala JL, Georgieff MK, Ramel SE. Preterm infant body composition, working memory, and temperament. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 70:101808. [PMID: 36610269 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Altered body composition in preterm infants is associated with risks to cognitive development, but the effect specific to prefrontal cortex (PFC) development is unknown. We were interested in the impact of fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) gains out to 4 months corrected gestational age (CGA) on PFC development, as indexed by working memory and temperament. This is a prospective observational pilot study recruiting 100 preterm (<33 weeks gestation), appropriate for gestational age, and very low birth weight infants, of which 49 infants met inclusion criteria. Body composition was measured using air displacement plethysmography at hospital discharge and 4 months CGA. Questionnaire based temperament assessments were completed at 12 and 24 months CGA and a working memory assessment was completed at 24 months CGA. Associations between developmental tests and body composition obtained at term and 4 months were analyzed. Increased FM at discharge was associated with increased fear and decreased soothability at 12 months. Increased FM at 4 months was associated with increased activity level, increased distress from limitations at 12 months and decreased attentional shifting, decreased frustration, and decreased inhibitory control at 24 months. Increased FFM at 4 months was associated with increased activity level at 12 months and increased impulsivity and decreased low intensity pleasure at 24 months. In this exploratory pilot study, increased FM out to 4 months and increased FFM after discharge are associated with negative markers of infant temperament. Infant temperament may be sensitive to body composition status at least to 4 months CGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Morris
- Division of Neonatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Neely C Miller
- Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Michael K Georgieff
- Division of Neonatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sara E Ramel
- Division of Neonatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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13
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Brown RN, Pascoe L, Treyvaud K, McMahon G, Nguyen TNN, Ellis R, Stedall P, Haebich K, Collins SE, Cheong J, Doyle LW, Thompson DK, Burnett A, Anderson PJ. Early parenting behaviour is associated with complex attention outcomes in middle to late childhood in children born very preterm. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:165-182. [PMID: 35549808 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2075334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Attention deficits are common in children born very preterm (VP), especially for children with higher social risk. The aim of this study was to examine the association between parenting behavior and attention in children born VP, and whether this association is influenced by familial social risk. Two hundred and twenty-four children born <30 weeks' gestation and/or with a birth weight <1250 g were recruited at birth. At 2 years, social risk was calculated and parenting behaviors were observed during a parent-child interaction task, with children's attention skills assessed at 7 and 13 years using standardized assessments. Higher levels of sensitive parenting at 2 years were positively associated with divided attention at age 7 years, and higher levels of intrusive parenting were negatively associated with divided attention at 13 years. Children born VP with higher social risk were more positively influenced by sensitive parenting behavior for sustained attention at 7 years, selective attention at 13 years, and divided attention at 7 and 13 years than children born VP with lower social risk. Additionally, children born VP with higher social risk were more negatively influenced by intrusive parenting for sustained attention outcomes at 7 years than those with lower social risk. In summary, the evidence for a contribution of early parenting to attention outcomes in children born VP was stronger for more complex attention (divided attention) compared with basic attention domains. Our findings also suggest that early parenting behavior has a particular influence on children born VP from socially disadvantaged environments for attention outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Brown
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leona Pascoe
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karli Treyvaud
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Neonatal Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grace McMahon
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thi-Nhu-Ngoc Nguyen
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachel Ellis
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paulina Stedall
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kristina Haebich
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simonne E Collins
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeanie Cheong
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Neonatal Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lex W Doyle
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Neonatal Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Deanne K Thompson
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alice Burnett
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter J Anderson
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
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14
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Anquetil M, Roche-Labarbe N, Rossi S. Tactile sensory processing as a precursor of executive attention: Toward early detection of attention impairments and neurodevelopmental disorders. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022:e1640. [PMID: 36574728 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies in developmental neuroscience tend to show the existence of neural attention networks from birth. Their construction is based on the first sensory experiences that allow us to learn the patterns of the world surrounding us and preserve our limited attentional resources. Touch is the first sensory modality to develop, although it is still little studied in developmental psychology in contrast to distal modalities such as audition or vision. Atypical tactile sensory processing at an early age could predict later attention dysfunction, both of them being part of the symptomatology of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). We review the state of knowledge on tactile sensory processing and its links with attention, executive attention (EA) in particular, and propose that abnormal tactile sensory processing at an early age could provide markers of EA dysfunctions, contributing to the early detection of NDD. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Attention.
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15
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Ross-Sheehy S, Eschman B, Reynolds EE. Seeing and looking: Evidence for developmental and stimulus-dependent changes in infant scanning efficiency. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274113. [PMID: 36112722 PMCID: PMC9481018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Though previous work has examined infant attention across a variety of tasks, less is known about the individual saccades and fixations that make up each bout of attention, and how individual differences in saccade and fixation patterns (i.e., scanning efficiency) change with development, scene content and perceptual load. To address this, infants between the ages of 5 and 11 months were assessed longitudinally (Experiment 1) and cross-sectionally (Experiment 2). Scanning efficiency (fixation duration, saccade rate, saccade amplitude, and saccade velocity) was assessed while infants viewed six quasi-naturalistic scenes that varied in content (social or non-social) and scene complexity (3, 6 or 9 people/objects). Results from Experiment 1 revealed moderate to strong stability of individual differences in saccade rate, mean fixation duration, and saccade amplitude, and both experiments revealed 5-month-old infants to make larger, faster, and more frequent saccades than older infants. Scanning efficiency was assessed as the relation between fixation duration and saccade amplitude, and results revealed 11-month-olds to have high scanning efficiency across all scenes. However, scanning efficiency also varied with scene content, such that all infants showing higher scanning efficiency when viewing social scenes, and more complex scenes. These results suggest both developmental and stimulus-dependent changes in scanning efficiency, and further highlight the use of saccade and fixation metrics as a sensitive indicator of cognitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Ross-Sheehy
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Bret Eschman
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States of America
| | - Esther E. Reynolds
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
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16
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Atkinson J, Braddick O, Montague-Johnson C, Baker B, Parr JR, Sullivan P, Andrew MJ. Visual attention and dietary supplementation in children with perinatal brain injury. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022; 64:340-346. [PMID: 34449080 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM To investigate whether children with perinatal brain injury have impairments in specific components of visual attention, and whether early dietary supplementation can reduce any deficits. METHOD Children participating in the Dolphin neonatal trial of dietary supplementation were tested at age 6 months with the Infant Fixation Shift Attention Test, and at 4 to 5 years with four subtests of the Early Childhood Attention Battery (ECAB) assessing different components of attention (selective, sustained, and executive function), and the Fluid Crystallized Intelligence Index of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (KABC-II). From 59 children originally assigned to trial groups, 33 were available for testing at 4 to 5 years (18 treatment group of whom seven, six, and five showed mild, moderate, or severe neonatal brain injury; 15 controls with one, seven, and seven in the neonatal brain injury categories respectively). Given the imbalance in numbers with mild brain injury, analysis of trial group differences is restricted to moderate and severe brain injury severities (n=25). RESULTS Children with perinatal brain injury showed poorer attention across all components relative to age norms (mean standard scores 75-87; p<0.001 for three of the four subtests), with the greatest impairment in sustained attention. These impairments remained when compared with cognitive age assessed using the Fluid Crystallized Intelligence Index. Impairment was reduced in the treatment compared to the control group (p=0.04 for flanker test, p=0.002 for counterpointing, and p=0.027 for the overall ECAB score). INTERPRETATION Perinatal brain injury is associated with later impaired attention, beyond that predicted from any general cognitive disability. Impairment varies across attention components, being most severe for sustained attention. The effects on flanker and counterpointing suggest that dietary supplementation from 0 to 2 years of age may reduce attention problems. Measuring the different components of attention is important when considering assessment and interventions for children with perinatal brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Atkinson
- Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver Braddick
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Bonny Baker
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jeremy R Parr
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Peter Sullivan
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Morag J Andrew
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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17
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Wilson SP, Prescott TJ. Scaffolding layered control architectures through constraint closure: insights into brain evolution and development. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200519. [PMID: 34957842 PMCID: PMC8710877 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional organization of the mammalian brain can be considered to form a layered control architecture, but how this complex system has emerged through evolution and is constructed during development remains a puzzle. Here we consider brain organization through the framework of constraint closure, viewed as a general characteristic of living systems, that they are composed of multiple sub-systems that constrain each other at different timescales. We do so by developing a new formalism for constraint closure, inspired by a previous model showing how within-lifetime dynamics can constrain between-lifetime dynamics, and we demonstrate how this interaction can be generalized to multi-layered systems. Through this model, we consider brain organization in the context of two major examples of constraint closure-physiological regulation and visual orienting. Our analysis draws attention to the capacity of layered brain architectures to scaffold themselves across multiple timescales, including the ability of cortical processes to constrain the evolution of sub-cortical processes, and of the latter to constrain the space in which cortical systems self-organize and refine themselves. This article is part of the theme issue 'Systems neuroscience through the lens of evolutionary theory'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart P. Wilson
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tony J. Prescott
- Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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18
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Deguire F, López-Arango G, Knoth IS, Côté V, Agbogba K, Lippé S. Developmental course of the repetition effect and change detection responses from infancy through childhood: a longitudinal study. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5467-5477. [PMID: 35149872 PMCID: PMC9712715 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal repetition effect (repetition suppression and repetition enhancement) and change detection responses are fundamental brain responses that have implications in learning and cognitive development in infants and children. Studies have shown altered neuronal repetition and change detection responses in various clinical populations. However, the developmental course of these neuronal responses from infancy through childhood is still unknown. Using an electroencephalography oddball task, we investigate the developmental peculiarities of repetition effect and change detection responses in 43 children that we followed longitudinally from 3 months to 4 years of age. Analyses were conducted on theta (3-5 Hz), alpha (5-10 Hz), and beta (10-30 Hz) time-frequency windows. Results indicated that in the theta time-frequency window, in frontocentral and frontal regions of the brain, repetition and change detection responses followed a U-shaped pattern from 3 months to 4 years of age. Moreover, the change detection response was stronger in young infants compared to older children in frontocentral regions, regardless of the time-frequency window. Our findings add to the evidence of top-down modulation of perceptual systems in infants and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Deguire
- Corresponding author: Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D'Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada.
| | - Gabriela López-Arango
- Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D’Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada,Pôle en neuropsychologie et neuroscience cognitive et computationnelle (CerebrUM), University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D’Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada,Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Inga Sophia Knoth
- Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Valérie Côté
- Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D’Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada,Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Kristian Agbogba
- Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada,École de technologie supérieure, University of Quebec, 1100 Notre-Dame W, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
| | - Sarah Lippé
- Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D’Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada,Pôle en neuropsychologie et neuroscience cognitive et computationnelle (CerebrUM), University of Montreal, Marie Victorin Building, 90 Vincent-D’Indy Avenue, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada,Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
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19
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Shinya Y, Kawai M, Niwa F, Kanakogi Y, Imafuku M, Myowa M. Cognitive flexibility in 12-month-old preterm and term infants is associated with neurobehavioural development in 18-month-olds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3. [PMID: 35013426 PMCID: PMC8748813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that preterm children are at an increased risk of poor executive functioning, which underlies behavioural and attention problems. Previous studies have suggested that early cognitive flexibility is a possible predictor of later executive function; however, how it develops in infancy and relates to the later neurobehavioural outcomes is still unclear in the preterm population. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study to investigate oculomotor response shifting in 27 preterm and 25 term infants at 12 months and its relationship with general cognitive development and effortful control, which is a temperamental aspect closely associated with executive function, at 18 months. We found that moderate to late preterm and term infants significantly inhibited previously rewarded look responses, while very preterm infants did not show significant inhibition of perseverative looking at 12 months. Moreover, lower inhibition of perseverative looking was significantly associated with lower general cognitive development and attentional shifting at 18 months. These findings suggest that the early atypical patterns of oculomotor response shifting may be a behavioural marker for predicting a higher risk of negative neurobehavioural outcomes, including attention-related problems in preterm children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Shinya
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Kawai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fusako Niwa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | | | - Masako Myowa
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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20
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Harmony T, Gutiérrez-Hernández CC, Carlier M, Hinojosa-Rodríguez M, Carrillo C. Early detection and treatment of attention deficits in preterm and at term infants with risk factors for brain damage. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 172:17-23. [PMID: 34921894 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive deficits in infants born preterm and infants at term with risk factors for brain damage are a common outcome. Attention deficits in preterm infants are related to the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and therefore, there is a need for earlier evaluations and treatment procedures that are implemented before the presence of signs of ADHD. METHODS We studied preterm (74%) and term infants with the Infant Scale of Selective Attention (ISSA, Escala de Evaluación de la Atención Selectiva (EEAS), in Spanish). This scale evaluates both visual- and auditory-orienting attention. Two groups participated, one with attention deficits (n = 26) and another with regular performance (n = 36). An early attention-stimulation program (EASP) was implemented in the infant group with attention deficits from three to eight months of age. All infants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and visual and auditory evoked responses were assessed. RESULTS All infants had prenatal and perinatal risk factors for brain damage and abnormal MRI findings, and the majority had abnormalities compatible with white matter injury. However, there were four infants with porencephalic cysts; 3 of them were in the treated group. At the beginning of the treatment, ISSA values showed differences between groups. These differences persisted for five months in the visual test and up to the sixth month in the auditory evaluation. Afterward, there were no significant differences, indicating that infants with attention deficits had satisfactorily responded to the treatment. CONCLUSIONS The ISSA is helpful for the early evaluation of visual and auditory attention. Infants with attention deficits react well enough after six months of EASP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalía Harmony
- Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva del Instituto de Neurobiología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Mexico.
| | - Claudia Calipso Gutiérrez-Hernández
- Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva del Instituto de Neurobiología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Mónica Carlier
- Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva del Instituto de Neurobiología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Manuel Hinojosa-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva del Instituto de Neurobiología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Cristina Carrillo
- Unidad de Investigación en Neurodesarrollo, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva del Instituto de Neurobiología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Mexico
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21
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Gire C, Beltran Anzola A, Kaminski M, Baumstarck K, Ancel PY, Berbis J. A randomized EPIREMED protocol study on the long-term visuo spatial effects of very preterm children with a working memory deficit. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:402. [PMID: 34517869 PMCID: PMC8436542 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02867-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Very preterm children generally perform poorly in executive functions and particularly in working memory. Adaptive training tasks encouraging these children to work continuously on their personal working memory capacity can be very useful. Above all in preschool-age children, several cognitive training programs focused on improving working memory capacity. Cogmed is a computerized visuospatial cognitive training program that improves working memory in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The main objective is to assess the long-term effects (18 months) of cognitive training (Cogmed) on visuospatial processing in preschool-age very preterm children with working memory impairment. METHODS The EPIREMED study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicentric trial nested in a population based epidemiological survey. An intervention group (Cogmed cognitive training) and a control group (standard care management) will compare children aged 5½ to 6 years, born between 24- and 34-weeks' gestational age, with a global intelligence quotient > 70 and a working memory index < 85. The study will include 166 children from national study EPIPAGE-2 (Epidemiological Study on Small Gestational Ages). The intervention consists of 25 sessions administered over a 5- to 8-week period. The primary endpoint will be the visuospatial processing, assessed by the score of the visuospatial index: score of the WPPSI-IV (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence). The secondary endpoints will allow to assess the executive functions, language and abilities, infant behavior, quality of life assessment, school performance and parental anxiety. DISCUSSION This project's primary goal is to demonstrate the necessity of early visuospatial memory assessment within the vulnerable population of very preterm children, and to prove the feasibility and efficacy of computerized cognitive training using online software programs. A better global neuropsychological development improvement (visuospatial processing and other far transfer) can be expected with an improvement in learning and decreased behavioral problems. In the long term, these improvements might also reduce those global costs linked to the consequences of extreme prematurity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02757794 (registered on 2nd May 2016 at ClinicalTrial.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Gire
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, APHM University Hospital, Marseille, France.,CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, cedex 05, France
| | - Any Beltran Anzola
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, APHM University Hospital, Marseille, France. .,CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, cedex 05, France.
| | - Monique Kaminski
- University of Paris, CRESS, Obstetrical Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team, EPOPé, INSERM, INRAE, F-75004, Paris, France
| | - Karine Baumstarck
- CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, cedex 05, France
| | - Pierre-Yves Ancel
- Obstetrical, Perinatal, and Pediatric Epidemiology Team, Center of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (U1153), Paris University, INSERM, Paris, France.,Clinical Research Unit, Center for Clinical Investigation P1419, CHU Cochin Broca Hôtel-Dieu, Paris, France
| | - Julie Berbis
- CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, cedex 05, France
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22
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Turner AD, Sullivan T, Drury K, Hall TA, Williams CN, Guilliams KP, Murphy S, Iqbal O’Meara AM. Cognitive Dysfunction After Analgesia and Sedation: Out of the Operating Room and Into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:713668. [PMID: 34483858 PMCID: PMC8415404 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.713668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the midst of concerns for potential neurodevelopmental effects after surgical anesthesia, there is a growing awareness that children who require sedation during critical illness are susceptible to neurologic dysfunctions collectively termed pediatric post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS-p. In contrast to healthy children undergoing elective surgery, critically ill children are subject to inordinate neurologic stress or injury and need to be considered separately. Despite recognition of PICS-p, inconsistency in techniques and timing of post-discharge assessments continues to be a significant barrier to understanding the specific role of sedation in later cognitive dysfunction. Nonetheless, available pediatric studies that account for analgesia and sedation consistently identify sedative and opioid analgesic exposures as risk factors for both in-hospital delirium and post-discharge neurologic sequelae. Clinical observations are supported by animal models showing neuroinflammation, increased neuronal death, dysmyelination, and altered synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission. Additionally, intensive care sedation also contributes to sleep disruption, an important and overlooked variable during acute illness and post-discharge recovery. Because analgesia and sedation are potentially modifiable, understanding the underlying mechanisms could transform sedation strategies to improve outcomes. To move the needle on this, prospective clinical studies would benefit from cohesion with regard to datasets and core outcome assessments, including sleep quality. Analyses should also account for the wide range of diagnoses, heterogeneity of this population, and the dynamic nature of neurodevelopment in age cohorts. Much of the related preclinical evidence has been studied in comparatively brief anesthetic exposures in healthy animals during infancy and is not generalizable to critically ill children. Thus, complementary animal models that more accurately "reverse translate" critical illness paradigms and the effect of analgesia and sedation on neuropathology and functional outcomes are needed. This review explores the interactive role of sedatives and the neurologic vulnerability of critically ill children as it pertains to survivorship and functional outcomes, which is the next frontier in pediatric intensive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley D. Turner
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Travis Sullivan
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Kurt Drury
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Trevor A. Hall
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Psychology, Pediatric Critical Care and Neurotrauma Recovery Program, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Cydni N. Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kristin P. Guilliams
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Division of Neuroradiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Sarah Murphy
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - A. M. Iqbal O’Meara
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Health Research Institute, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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23
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Walczak-Kozłowska T, Chrzan-Dętkoś M, Harciarek M. Heterogeneity of the attentional system's efficiency among very prematurely born pre-schoolers. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:120-142. [PMID: 34348594 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1961702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm birth increases the risk of ADHD as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders. Deficits within the attentional system were previously signaled in preterm children; however, studies lacked in consideration of an intragroup differentiation. Thus, this study aimed to verify whether deficits in the attentional mechanisms are inter-individually differentiated among very prematurely born children and if so, which biomedical and non-biomedical factors are associated with the profile of deficits within the attentional system. We tested the efficiency of attentional processes among 5-year-old children with the Attention Network Task - Child Version. The results have indicated that 26% of very preterm children presented with the suboptimal functioning of the attentional system (more than 1 SD below mean score of full-term children in attentional alerting and orienting), whereas 74% were characterized by the normal efficiency of attention. The profile of attentional deficits observed among very preterm preschoolers was associated with significantly lower birth weight and decreased family living standard. Very prematurely born children are thus a relatively heterogeneous group in terms of the efficiency of attentional system and deficits apply to only some of those children. Early developmental support aimed at enhancing attentional functioning should be addressed to children with lower birth weight in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Walczak-Kozłowska
- Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Department of the Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Chrzan-Dętkoś
- Division of Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, Department of the Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Harciarek
- Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Department of the Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
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24
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Ginnell L, Boardman JP, Reynolds RM, Fletcher‐Watson S. Attention profiles following preterm birth: A review of methods and findings from infancy to adulthood. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Ginnell
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - James P. Boardman
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Rebecca M. Reynolds
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen's Medical Research Institute The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
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25
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Anobile G, Morrone MC, Ricci D, Gallini F, Merusi I, Tinelli F. Typical Crossmodal Numerosity Perception in Preterm Newborns. Multisens Res 2021; 34:1-22. [PMID: 33984832 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-bja10051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Premature birth is associated with a high risk of damage in the parietal cortex, a key area for numerical and non-numerical magnitude perception and mathematical reasoning. Children born preterm have higher rates of learning difficulties for school mathematics. In this study, we investigated how preterm newborns (born at 28-34 weeks of gestation age) and full-term newborns respond to visual numerosity after habituation to auditory stimuli of different numerosities. The results show that the two groups have a similar preferential looking response to visual numerosity, both preferring the incongruent set after crossmodal habituation. These results suggest that the numerosity system is resistant to prematurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Anobile
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Maria C Morrone
- Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56123 Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniela Ricci
- National Centre of Services and Research for Prevention of Blindness and Rehabilitation of Visually Impaired, Rome, Italy
- Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gallini
- Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Tinelli
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
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26
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Gould JF, Roberts RM, Anderson PJ, Makrides M, Sullivan TR, Gibson RA, McPhee AJ, Doyle LW, Opie G, Travadi J, Cheong JLY, Davis PG, Sharp M, Simmer K, Tan K, Morris S, Lui K, Bolisetty S, Liley H, Stack J, Best KP, Collins CT. Protocol for assessing if behavioural functioning of infants born <29 weeks' gestation is improved by omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e044740. [PMID: 33952546 PMCID: PMC8103387 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During the last trimester of pregnancy, the fetal brain undergoes a rapid growth spurt and accumulates essential nutrients including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This takes place ex-utero for infants born <29 weeks' gestation, without the in-utero provisions of DHA. Infants born <29 weeks' are more likely to experience behavioural and emotional difficulties than their term-born counterparts. It has been hypothesised that supplementing preterm infants with dietary DHA may alleviate insufficiency and subsequently prevent or minimise behavioural problems. This protocol describes a follow-up of infants born <29 weeks gestation who were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of DHA supplementation. We aim to determine whether DHA supplementation improves the behaviour, and general health of these infants. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Infants born <29 weeks' gestation were enrolled in a multicentre blinded RCT of enteral DHA supplementation. Infants were randomised to receive an enteral emulsion that provided 60 mg/kg/day of DHA or a control emulsion commenced within the first 3 days of enteral feeding, until 36 weeks' postmenstrual age or discharge home, whichever occurred first. Families of surviving children (excluding those who withdrew from the study) from the Australian sites (up to 955) will be invited to complete a survey. The survey will include questions regarding child behavioural and emotional functioning, executive functioning, respiratory health and general health. We hypothesise that the DHA intervention will have a benefit on the primary outcome, parent-rated behaviour and emotional status as measured using the Total Difficulties score of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Detecting a 2-point difference between groups (small effect size of 0.25 SD) with 90% power will require follow-up of 676 participants. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The Women's and Children Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee reviewed and approved the study (HREC/16/WCHN/184). Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12612000503820.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F Gould
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Psychology and Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rachel M Roberts
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Peter J Anderson
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maria Makrides
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Thomas R Sullivan
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert A Gibson
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Andrew J McPhee
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Neonatal Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital Adelaide, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lex William Doyle
- Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gillian Opie
- Neonatal Services, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Javeed Travadi
- Newborn Services, John Hunter Children's Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jeanie L Y Cheong
- Neonatal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter G Davis
- Neonatal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mary Sharp
- Neonatal Follow up, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women Perth, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Karen Simmer
- Neonatal Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kenneth Tan
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Children's Hospital, Clayton, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Scott Morris
- Paediatric Neonatal Clinic, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Kei Lui
- Newborn Care Centre, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Srinivas Bolisetty
- Newborn Care Centre, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Helen Liley
- Mater Research - The Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Stack
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karen P Best
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Carmel T Collins
- Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Dean B, Ginnell L, Boardman JP, Fletcher-Watson S. Social cognition following preterm birth: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:151-167. [PMID: 33524414 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Social cognitive abilities are affected by preterm birth, but pathways to, and risk factors for this outcome are not well mapped. We examined direct assessment tasks including objective coding of parent-child play to chart social development in infancy and pre-school years. A systematic search and data-extraction procedure yielded seventy-nine studies (4930 preterm and 2109 term children, aged birth - five years), for inclusion. We detected a pattern of reduced social attention in the first 12 months of life with evidence of reduced performance in social cognitive tasks later in the preschool years. However, we did not identify a consistent, distinctive preterm social phenotype in early life. Instead, the interactive behaviour of preterm infants reflects factors from outside the social cognitive domain, such as attention, language, and socioeconomic status. By combining data across samples and measures we revealed the role of domain-general skills, which may in future prove fruitful intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethan Dean
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorna Ginnell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, UK
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28
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Imafuku M, Kawai M, Niwa F, Shinya Y, Myowa M. Longitudinal assessment of social attention in preterm and term infants: Its relation to social communication and language outcome. INFANCY 2021; 26:617-634. [PMID: 33856110 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of social communication and language problems. Recently, we found that preterm infants showed atypical patterns of social attention compared with term infants. However, it is still unknown how social attention develops and whether the individual differences are associated with developmental outcomes for social communication and language in preterm infants. The social attention of preterm and term infants at 6, 12, and 18 months was investigated using two types of social attention tasks (human-geometric preference task and gaze-following task). The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory adapted for Japanese were measured at 18 months. We found that compared with term infants, preterm infants spent less time looking toward dynamic human images and followed another's gaze directions less frequently through 6, 12, and 18 months. Moreover, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that less preference for dynamic human images and gaze-following abilities was associated with high M-CHAT and low language scores in preterm and term infants, respectively. These findings suggest that birth status affects development of social attention through 18 months and individual differences in social attention reflect differences in social communication and language outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Imafuku
- Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, Faculty of Education, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiko Kawai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fusako Niwa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuta Shinya
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masako Myowa
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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29
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Cainelli E, Vedovelli L, Wigley ILCM, Bisiacchi PS, Suppiej A. Neonatal spectral EEG is prognostic of cognitive abilities at school age in premature infants without overt brain damage. Eur J Pediatr 2021; 180:909-918. [PMID: 32989487 PMCID: PMC7886838 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-020-03818-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Prematurity is a prototype of biological risk that could affect the late neurocognitive outcome; however, the condition itself remains a non-specific marker. This longitudinal 6-year study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of neonatal spectral EEG in premature infants without neurological complications. The study cohort was 26 children born 23-34 gestational ages; all neonates underwent multichannel EEG recordings at 35 weeks post-conception. EEG data were transformed into the frequency domain and divided into delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (5-7 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (14-20 Hz) frequency bands. At 6 years, a neuropsychological and behavioral evaluation was performed. Correlations between spectral bands and neuropsychological assessments were performed with a conservative and robust Bayesian correlation model using weakly informative priors. The correlation of neuropsychological tasks to spectral frequency bands highlighted a significant association with visual and auditory attention tests. The performance on the same tests appears to be mainly impaired.Conclusions: We found that spectral EEG frequencies are independent predictors of performance in attention tasks. We hypothesized that spectral EEG might reflect early circuitries' imbalance in the reticular ascending system and cumulative effect on ongoing development, pointing to the importance of early prognostic instruments. What is Known: • Prematurity is a non-specific marker of late neurocognitive risk. • Precise prognostic instruments are lacking, mostly in patients with low-grade conditions. What is New: • Longitudinal long-term studies are scarce but crucial for the inferential attributive process. • Spectral EEG frequencies are independent predictors of performance in attention tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cainelli
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Child Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Padua University Hospital, via Giustiniani 3, 35133 Padova, Italy
| | - Luca Vedovelli
- Lab LeSexp, Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences, and Public Health, University of Padova, via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Patrizia Silvia Bisiacchi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Centre, PNC, Padova, Italy
| | - Agnese Suppiej
- Child Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Padua University Hospital, via Giustiniani 3, 35133 Padova, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pediatric Section, University of Ferrara, via Aldo Moro 8, 44124 Cona, Fe Italy
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30
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Burstein O, Zevin Z, Geva R. Preterm Birth and the Development of Visual Attention During the First 2 Years of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e213687. [PMID: 33783515 PMCID: PMC8010593 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.3687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Preterm birth is associated with an increased risk for long-lasting attention deficits. Early-life markers of attention abnormalities have not been established to date but could provide insights into the pathogenesis of attention abnormalities and could help identify susceptible individuals. Objective To examine whether preterm birth is associated with visual attention impairments in early life, and if so, in which attention functions and at which developmental period during the first 2 years of life. Data Sources PubMed and PsycINFO were searched on November 17, 2019, to identify studies involving visual attention outcomes in infants born preterm vs full term. Study Selection Peer-reviewed studies from the past 50 years met the eligibility criteria if they directly assessed visual attention outcomes until the age of 2 years in generally healthy infants born preterm or full term. The selection process was conducted by 2 independent reviewers. Data Extraction and Synthesis The Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) reporting guideline was followed. Random-effects models were used to determine standardized mean differences. The risk of bias was assessed both within and between studies. Main Outcomes and Measures Five nascent indices of visual attention were analyzed, including very basic functions-namely, the abilities to follow and fixate on visual targets-and more complex functions, such as visual processing (ie, habituation), recognition memory (ie, novelty preference), and the ability to effortfully focus attention for learning. Results A total of 53 studies were included, with 69 effect sizes and assessing a total of 3998 infants (2047 born preterm and 1951 born full term; of the 3376 for whom sex was reported, 1693 [50.1%] were girls). Preterm birth was associated with impairments in various attention indices, including visual-following in infancy (Cohen d, -0.77; 95% CI, -1.23 to -0.31), latency to fixate (Cohen d, -0.18; 95% CI, -0.33 to -0.02), novelty preference (Cohen d, -0.20; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.08), and focused attention (Cohen d, -0.28; 95% CI, -0.45 to -0.11). In the neonatal period, preterm birth was associated with superior visual-following (Cohen d, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.40), possibly owing to the additional extrauterine exposure to sensory stimulation. However, this early association waned rapidly in infancy (Cohen d, -0.77; 95% CI, -1.23 to -0.31). Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that preterm birth is associated with impingements to visual attention development in early life, as manifested in basic and then complex forms of attention. Advancements in neonatal care may underlie improvements found in the current era and accentuate several early protective factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Burstein
- Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Zipi Zevin
- Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ronny Geva
- Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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31
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Zivan M, Morag I, Yarmolovsky J, Geva R. Hyper-Reactivity to Salience Limits Social Interaction Among Infants Born Pre-term and Infant Siblings of Children With ASD. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:646838. [PMID: 34054606 PMCID: PMC8160104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.646838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to engage attention with selected stimuli is essential for infants to explore the world and process information relating to their surroundings. There are two main populations with a higher risk to develop attentional and social deficits whose deficits may arise from difficulties in regulating attention to salient cues: (1) siblings of children diagnosed with Autism; and (2) infants who were born pre-term. This study investigated infants' (N = 97) attention-engagement and pupil-dilation (PD) at 9 months of age, using a gaze-contingent paradigm and a structured social interaction. Specifically, we explored attention to stimuli with simple salient features (e.g., clear defined shapes, colors, and motions) vs. more complex non-social cues (amorphous shapes, colors, and motions) and social interaction in typically developing infants (TD, N = 25) and among two groups of infants at-risk to develop social difficulties (pre-terms, N = 56; siblings of children with Autism, N = 16). Findings show that the two risk groups preferred stimuli with simple features (F = 11.306, p < 0.001), accompanied by increased PD (F = 6.6, p < 0.001). Specifically, pre-term infants showed increased PD toward simple vs. complex stimuli (p < 0.001), while siblings showed a pervasive hyper-arousal to both simple and complex stimuli. Infants in the TD group preferred complex stimuli with no change in PD. Finally, the preference for the simple stimulus mediated the relationship between increased risk for social difficulties and decreased engagement duration in face-to-face interaction with the experimenter. Results suggest that activation of the attention-salience network shapes social abilities at infancy. Further, hyper-reactivity to salient stimuli limits social interaction among infants born pre-term and siblings of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zivan
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Iris Morag
- Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jessica Yarmolovsky
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ronny Geva
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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32
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Gattis M, Winstanley A, Sperotto R, Putnick DL, Bornstein MH. Foundations of attention sharing: Orienting and responding to attention in term and preterm 5-month-old infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 61:101466. [PMID: 32927260 PMCID: PMC7768091 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Attention is the gateway to perceptual, cognitive, and socioemotional development in humans. We observed 104 5-month-old term and preterm infants and their mothers in social interactions to address three questions about the role of maturation in orienting and responding to attention. We used a fine-grained coding system to allow parallel comparisons across infant and maternal orienting, and sequential analysis to evaluate infant and maternal responding to attention. Orienting and responding to attention differed for attention to people versus objects, as did the relations between maturity and attention. We conclude that maturity contributes to orienting and responding to attention and that orienting and responding to attention are specific rather than homogenous. We discuss the implications of these conclusions for future studies of how attention influences cognitive and communicative development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diane L Putnick
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marc H Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Institute for Fiscal Studies, London, UK; UNICEF, New York, NY, USA
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Kasuya-Ueba Y, Zhao S, Toichi M. The Effect of Music Intervention on Attention in Children: Experimental Evidence. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:757. [PMID: 32792900 PMCID: PMC7393235 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although music has been utilized as a therapeutic tool for children with cognitive impairments, how it improves children’s cognitive function remains poorly understood. As a first step toward understanding music’s effectiveness and as a means of assessing cognitive function improvement, we focused on attention, which plays an important role in cognitive development, and examined the effect of a music intervention on children’s attention. Thirty-five children, aged 6 to 9 years, participated in this study, with data from 29 of the children being included in the analysis. A single 30-minute interactive music intervention was compared with a single 30-minute interactive video game intervention accompanied by computer-generated background music using a within-subjects repeated-measures design. Each intervention was implemented individually. Participants completed a standardized attention assessment, the Test of Everyday Attention for Children, before and after both interventions to assess changes in their attentional skills. The results indicated significant improvement in attention control/switching following the music intervention after controlling for the children’s intellectual abilities, while no such changes were observed following the video game intervention. This study provides the first evidence that music interventions may be more effective than video game interventions to improve attention control in children, and furthers our understanding of the importance of music interventions for children with attention control problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Kasuya-Ueba
- Department of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuo Zhao
- Institute of Psychology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Motomi Toichi
- Department of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,The Organization for Promoting Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, Kyoto, Japan
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Mateus V, Vieira EDAP, Martins C, Pachi PR, Osório A. Joint attention abilities in Brazilian preterm and full-term infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101451. [PMID: 32512275 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Joint attention abilities of preterm and full-term Brazilian infants were assessed at 12- and 18-months, age corrected for prematurity. Results showed that preterm infants displayed significantly lower levels of correct responses to others' bids for joint attention at both time-points, compared to full-term infants. Both groups improved their responding to joint attention from 12 to 18 months of age. Contrastingly, prematurity did not impact infants' initiating joint attention behaviors, which remained stable over time for both groups. Findings were discussed in terms of the specific mental processes involved in distinct behavioural dimensions of joint attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Mateus
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Developmental Disorders Graduate Program, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Brazil
| | - Elisangela Dos Anjos Paula Vieira
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Developmental Disorders Graduate Program, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Brazil; Anhanguera University Centre of São Paulo - Pirituba Unit, Brazil
| | - Carla Martins
- School of Psychology, CIPsi, University of Minho, Portugal
| | - Paulo Roberto Pachi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Osório
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Developmental Disorders Graduate Program, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Brazil.
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Nobre FDA, Gaspardo CM, Linhares MBM. Effortful control and attention as predictors of cognition in children born preterm. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 25:372-385. [PMID: 31464529 DOI: 10.1177/1359104519871652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm childbirth increases the risk of developmental problems. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of temperament and attention on the cognition of school-age children who were born preterm, controlling for socioeconomic variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS The sample was composed of 50 six-year-old children who were born preterm with very low birth weight. The children were evaluated using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) and the Cancellation Attention Test. The mothers were interviewed using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ). Statistical multiple linear regression analyses were performed. RESULTS 70% of the children presented average or above-average full intellectual quotient (IQ). In the attention total score, 74% of the children were also within the average range or above. High verbal IQ associated with high maternal schooling explained 73% variability of the full IQ. High attention and maternal schooling, associated with children's temperament with more effortful control, explained 35% variability of the verbal IQ. High attention, associated with high maternal schooling and socioeconomic level, explained 37% variability of the performance IQ. The neonatal clinical variables (gestational age, birth weight, 5th-minute Apgar, and length of stay in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and hospital) were not predictors of cognitive outcomes. CONCLUSION The majority of the children who were born preterm presented average or above-average cognitive and attentional performances at school age, demonstrating potential resources for learning. Taken together, attention and temperament, associated with maternal schooling and socioeconomic status, were predictors of cognitive outcomes of children born preterm at school age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabíola DA Nobre
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudia M Gaspardo
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
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Perra O, Wass S, McNulty A, Sweet D, Papageorgiou K, Johnston M, Patterson A, Bilello D, Alderdice F. Training attention control of very preterm infants: protocol for a feasibility study of the Attention Control Training (ACT). Pilot Feasibility Stud 2020; 6:17. [PMID: 32055404 PMCID: PMC7008548 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-020-0556-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children born preterm may display cognitive, learning, and behaviour difficulties as they grow up. In particular, very premature birth (gestation age between 28 and less than 32 weeks) may put infants at increased risk of intellectual deficits and attention deficit disorder. Evidence suggests that the basis of these problems may lie in difficulties in the development of executive functions. One of the earliest executive functions to emerge around 1 year of age is the ability to control attention. An eye-tracking-based cognitive training programme to support this emerging ability, the Attention Control Training (ACT), has been developed and tested with typically developing infants. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using the ACT with healthy very preterm (VP) infants when they are 12 months of age (corrected age). The ACT has the potential to address the need for supporting emerging cognitive abilities of VP infants with an early intervention, which may capitalise on infants' neural plasticity. METHODS/DESIGN The feasibility study is designed to investigate whether it is possible to recruit and retain VP infants and their families in a randomised trial that compares attention and social attention of trained infants against those that are exposed to a control procedure. Feasibility issues include the referral/recruitment pathway, attendance, and engagement with testing and training sessions, completion of tasks, retention in the study, acceptability of outcome measures, quality of data collected (particularly, eye-tracking data). The results of the study will inform the development of a larger randomised trial. DISCUSSION Several lines of evidence emphasise the need to support emerging cognitive and learning abilities of preterm infants using early interventions. However, early interventions with preterm infants, and particularly very preterm ones, face difficulties in recruiting and retaining participants. These problems are also augmented by the health vulnerability of this population. This feasibility study will provide the basis for informing the implementation of an early cognitive intervention for very preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered Registration ID: NCT03896490. Retrospectively registered at Clinical Trials Protocol Registration and Results System (clinicaltrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Perra
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL Northern Ireland, UK
- Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Sam Wass
- School of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK
| | - Alison McNulty
- TinyLife, The Premature Baby Charity for Northern Ireland, Belfast, UK
| | - David Sweet
- Health and Social Care Belfast Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Kostas Papageorgiou
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Matthew Johnston
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL Northern Ireland, UK
- Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Aaron Patterson
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Delfina Bilello
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Building, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL Northern Ireland, UK
- Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Fiona Alderdice
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Mateus V, Osório A, Martins C. Effects of prematurity on infants' joint attention abilities: A meta‐analytic study. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vera Mateus
- School of Psychology, CIPsiUniversity of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Ana Osório
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Developmental Disorders ProgramMackenzie Presbyterian University São Paulo Brazil
| | - Carla Martins
- School of Psychology, CIPsiUniversity of Minho Braga Portugal
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Twilhaar ES, De Kieviet JF, Van Elburg RM, Oosterlaan J. Neurocognitive processes underlying academic difficulties in very preterm born adolescents. Child Neuropsychol 2019; 26:274-287. [PMID: 31304863 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2019.1639652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm birth is associated with academic difficulties, but the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms of these difficulties remain largely unclear. The present study aimed to assess the role of working memory (WM), attentional processes, and processing speed in academic difficulties of very preterm born adolescents at 13 years. Participants included 55 very preterm and 61 full-term adolescents. Academic performance, visuospatial WM, alerting, orienting, executive attention, sustained attention, and processing speed (simple and choice reaction time [RT]) were compared between groups. Mediation analyses with multiple, parallel mediators were performed to examine whether these functions mediate the relation between very preterm birth and academic performance. Very preterm born adolescents showed poorer reading comprehension, arithmetic, visuospatial WM, alerting, sustained attention, and choice RT than full-term controls. The relationship between very preterm birth and arithmetic was mediated by visuospatial WM, sustained attention, and choice RT. The relationship between very preterm birth and reading comprehension was mediated by visuospatial WM and choice RT. The findings indicate that very preterm birth affects arithmetic and reading comprehension through its negative effect on visuospatial WM, sustained attention, and processing speed. These neurocognitive processes may identify very preterm born children at risk for academic difficulties and could serve as targets for interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Sabrina Twilhaar
- Clinical Neuropsychology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jorrit F De Kieviet
- Clinical Neuropsychology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruurd M Van Elburg
- Early Life Nutrition, Danone Nutricia Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Oosterlaan
- Clinical Neuropsychology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Emma Neuroscience Group, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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39
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Reduction of the event-related potential P3 in preterm born 5-year-old healthy children. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:675-682. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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40
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Imafuku M, Kawai M, Niwa F, Shinya Y, Myowa M. Audiovisual speech perception and language acquisition in preterm infants: A longitudinal study. Early Hum Dev 2019; 128:93-100. [PMID: 30541680 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm infants have a higher risk of language delay throughout childhood. The ability to integrate audiovisual speech information is associated with language acquisition in term infants; however, the relation is still unclear in preterm infant. AIM AND METHODS This study longitudinally investigated visual preference for audiovisual congruent and incongruent speech during a preferential looking task using eye-tracking in preterm and term infants at 6, 12, and 18 months of corrected age. The infants' receptive and expressive vocabulary at 12 and 18 months were obtained by parent report, using the Japanese MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory. RESULTS We found that preterm infants did not clearly show visual preference for the congruent audiovisual display at any age, whereas term infants looked at the congruent audiovisual display longer than the incongruent audiovisual display at 6 and 18 months. Preterm infants' receptive and expressive vocabulary scores were lower than those of term infants at 12 and 18 months. Furthermore, the proportion of looking time toward the congruent audiovisual display at 6 months was positively correlated with receptive vocabulary scores at 12 and 18 months for both groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that better audiovisual speech perception abilities are one factor that results in better language acquisition in preterm as well as term infants. Early identification of behaviors associated with later language in preterm infants may contribute to planning intervention for developmental problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Imafuku
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Faculty of Education, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Kawai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fusako Niwa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuta Shinya
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masako Myowa
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Gould JF, Hunt E, Roberts RM, Louise J, Collins CT, Makrides M. Can the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 18 months predict child behaviour at 7 years? J Paediatr Child Health 2019; 55:74-81. [PMID: 30101998 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.14163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM Infants born preterm (<37 weeks' gestation) are at risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes; hence, many neonatal centres routinely follow up infants using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), although the predictive validity of the BSID for children born preterm is questionable. Our objective is to evaluate the predictive capacity of the BSID for behavioural functioning at school age of children born preterm. METHODS Children (n = 657 children born <33 weeks' gestation) were enrolled at birth from five neonatal centres around Australia. A psychologist assessed child development at 18 months using the BSID-II. When children were 7 years (corrected age) of age, parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and the Conners 3rd Edition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Index. We explored associations between BSID-II at 18 months and behaviour scores at 7 years and examined the interaction effect of the use of an allied health service between the BSID-II and behaviour assessments. RESULTS For every one-point increase on the BSID-II Mental Development Index, behaviour scores decreased by 0.07 points for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Total Difficulties (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.10, -0.03), 0.12 points for the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Global Executive Composite (95% CI -0.21, -0.04) and 0.16 points for the Conners 3rd Edition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Index (95% CI -0.26, -0.05). CONCLUSION The BSID-II at 18 months was weakly associated with parent-reported behaviour at 7 years in children born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F Gould
- Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emily Hunt
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rachel M Roberts
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jennie Louise
- Data Management and Analysis Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Carmel T Collins
- Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Makrides
- Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Sripada K, Bjuland KJ, Sølsnes AE, Håberg AK, Grunewaldt KH, Løhaugen GC, Rimol LM, Skranes J. Trajectories of brain development in school-age children born preterm with very low birth weight. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15553. [PMID: 30349084 PMCID: PMC6197262 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33530-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (gestational age < 37 weeks) with very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight ≤ 1500 g) is associated with lifelong cognitive deficits, including in executive function, and persistent alterations in cortical and subcortical structures. However, it remains unclear whether “catch-up” growth is possible in the preterm/VLBW brain. Longitudinal structural MRI was conducted with children born preterm with VLBW (n = 41) and term-born peers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (n = 128) at two timepoints in early school age (mean ages 8.0 and 9.3 years). Images were analyzed with the FreeSurfer 5.3.0 longitudinal stream to assess differences in development of cortical thickness, surface area, and brain structure volumes, as well as associations with executive function development (NEPSY Statue and WMS-III Spatial Span scores) and perinatal health markers. No longitudinal group × time effects in cortical thickness, surface area, or subcortical volumes were seen, indicating similar brain growth trajectories in the groups over an approximately 16-month period in middle childhood. Higher IQ scores within the VLBW group were associated with greater surface area in left parieto-occipital and inferior temporal regions. Among VLBW preterm-born children, cortical surface area was smaller across the cortical mantle, and cortical thickness was thicker occipitally and frontally and thinner in lateral parietal and posterior temporal areas. Smaller volumes of corpus callosum, right globus pallidus, and right thalamus persisted in the VLBW group from timepoint 1 to 2. VLBW children had on average IQ 1 SD below term-born MoBa peers and significantly worse scores on WMS-III Spatial Span. Executive function scores did not show differential associations with morphometry between groups cross-sectionally or longitudinally. This study investigated divergent or “catch-up” growth in terms of cortical thickness, surface area, and volumes of subcortical gray matter structures and corpus callosum in children born preterm/VLBW and did not find group × time interactions. Greater surface area at mean age 9.3 in left parieto-occipital and inferior temporal cortex was associated with higher IQ in the VLBW group. These results suggest that preterm VLBW children may have altered cognitive networks, yet have structural growth trajectories that appear generally similar to their term-born peers in this early school age window.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sripada
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - K J Bjuland
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - A E Sølsnes
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A K Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine & Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - K H Grunewaldt
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pediatrics, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - G C Løhaugen
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - L M Rimol
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Circulation & Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Skranes
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
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Fouché LC, Kritzinger A, Le Roux T. Gestational age and birth weight variations in young children with language impairment at an early communication intervention clinic. SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 65:e1-e9. [PMID: 30326710 PMCID: PMC6191671 DOI: 10.4102/sajcd.v65i1.584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND South Africa presents with high preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) rates (14.17%). Numerous conditions characterised by language impairment are associated with LBW and/or PTB. Speech-language therapists may fail to identify older children whose language impairment may have originated from LBW and/or PTB. OBJECTIVE To describe the frequency of LBW and/or PTB, in comparison with full-term birth, and associated conditions in children at an early communication intervention (ECI) clinic. METHODS Retrospective data of 530 children aged 3-74 months were analysed, with 91.9% presenting with language impairment. RESULTS Almost 40% had LBW and/or PTB, and late PTB was the largest category. Factors associated with LBW and/or PTB were prenatal risks, including small-for-gestational age, perinatal risks, including caesarean section, and primary developmental conditions. Secondary language impairment was prevalent, associated with genetic conditions and global developmental delay. CONCLUSION The frequency of LBW and/or PTB was unexpectedly high, drawing attention to the origins of language impairment in almost 40% of the caseload at the ECI clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C Fouché
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria.
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Ceyte H, Rosenbaum J, Hamon I, Wirth M, Caudron S, Hascoët JM. Mobility may impact attention abilities in healthy term or prematurely born children at 7-years of age: protocol for an intervention controlled trial. BMC Pediatr 2018; 18:264. [PMID: 30081860 PMCID: PMC6080489 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-018-1229-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seven years of age is a milestone for learning basic knowledge that is strongly related to attention abilities such as Alerting, Orienting, and Inhibition function, allowing for appropriate adaptation to primary school. These attention abilities are also influenced by gestational age at birth in a complex manner, indicating an area of weakness in prematurely born children. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that allowing children to have freedom of movement during learning may improve their attention level and school performance. The purpose of the present study is to determine the influence of mobility on the attentional components that may impact learning abilities in children aged 7-years who were born at term and prematurely. METHODS This prospective, randomized, controlled trial will focus on psychometric testing of attentional abilities assessed with the Attention Network Test for Child (Child ANT) and involves a mixed measurement design. Forty-eight children aged 7-years, half of whom were premature at birth and in their expected grade without learning difficulties will be included after parental consent. They will be equipped with a head-mounted display in which the Child ANT will be presented. The association of different flankers and pre-cues will allow the measurement of the development level of Alerting, Orienting, and Inhibition function. The task will be composed of one experimental block of trials randomly performed per posture: seated, standing, or free. DISCUSSION This study will assess the contribution of mobility in specific attentional contexts that are usually present during fundamental learning in children. New pedagogical formats of teaching could consider these findings, and new pedagogical tools enabling free spontaneous child mobility might be designed. Moreover, a small percentage of children integrating into the educational system are born prematurely. These children, often considered immature and hyperactive, could benefit from educational innovations that enhance their attention abilities, thereby improving their adaptation to primary school. TRIAL REGISTRATION This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03125447 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien Ceyte
- DevAH, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Joëlle Rosenbaum
- Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Isabelle Hamon
- DevAH, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Maëlle Wirth
- DevAH, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | | | - Jean-Michel Hascoët
- DevAH, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
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Hodel AS. Rapid Infant Prefrontal Cortex Development and Sensitivity to Early Environmental Experience. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2018; 48:113-144. [PMID: 30270962 PMCID: PMC6157748 DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Over the last fifteen years, the emerging field of developmental cognitive neuroscience has described the relatively late development of prefrontal cortex in children and the relation between gradual structural changes and children's protracted development of prefrontal-dependent skills. Widespread recognition by the broader scientific community of the extended development of prefrontal cortex has led to the overwhelming perception of prefrontal cortex as a "late developing" region of the brain. However, despite its supposedly protracted development, multiple lines of research have converged to suggest that prefrontal cortex development may be particularly susceptible to individual differences in children's early environments. Recent studies demonstrate that the impacts of early adverse environments on prefrontal cortex are present very early in development: within the first year of life. This review provides a comprehensive overview of new neuroimaging evidence demonstrating that prefrontal cortex should be characterized as a "rapidly developing" region of the brain, discusses the converging impacts of early adversity on prefrontal circuits, and presents potential mechanisms via which adverse environments shape both concurrent and long-term measures of prefrontal cortex development. Given that environmentally-induced disparities are present in prefrontal cortex development within the first year of life, translational work in intervention and/or prevention science should focus on intervening early in development to take advantages of this early period of rapid prefrontal development and heightened plasticity.
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Gould JF, Colombo J, Collins CT, Makrides M, Hewawasam E, Smithers LG. Assessing whether early attention of very preterm infants can be improved by an omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intervention: a follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020043. [PMID: 29804059 PMCID: PMC5988071 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) accumulates in the frontal lobes (responsible for higher-order cognitive skills) of the fetal brain during the last trimester of pregnancy. Infants born preterm miss some of this in utero provision of DHA, and have an increased risk of suboptimal neurodevelopment. It is thought that supplementing infants born preterm with DHA may improve developmental outcomes. The aim of this follow-up is to determine whether DHA supplementation in infants born preterm can improve areas of the brain associated with frontal lobe function, namely attention and distractibility. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We will assess a subset of children from the N-3 (omega-3) Fatty Acids for Improvement in Respiratory Outcomes (N3RO) multicentre double-blind randomised controlled trial of DHA supplementation. Infants born <29 weeks' completed gestation were randomised to receive an enteral emulsion containing 60 mg/kg/day of DHA or a control emulsion from within the first 3 days of enteral feeding until 36 weeks' postmenstrual age.Children will undergo multiple measures of attention at 18 months' corrected age. The primary outcome is the average time to be distracted when attention is focused on a toy. Secondary outcomes are other aspects of attention, and (where possible) an assessment of cognition, language and motor development with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition.A minimum of 72 children will be assessed to ensure 85% power to detect an effect on the primary outcome. Families, and research personnel are blinded to group assignment. All analyses will be conducted according to the intention-to-treat principal. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION All procedures were approved by the relevant institutional ethics committees prior to commencement of the study. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journal publications and academic presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12612000503820; Pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F Gould
- Department of Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - John Colombo
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Kansas, USA
- Dole Human Development Center, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Carmel T Collins
- Department of Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Makrides
- Department of Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Erandi Hewawasam
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Faculty of Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lisa G Smithers
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Gärtner KA, Vetter VC, Schäferling M, Reuner G, Hertel S. Training of parental scaffolding in high-socio-economic status families: How do parents of full- and preterm-born toddlers benefit? BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 88:300-322. [PMID: 29603723 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm children have an increased risk regarding self-regulation development. Given the strong link between parenting behaviour (i.e., scaffolding and sensitivity) and children's self-regulation, parental training presents a promising way to counteract the negative consequences of preterm birth. AIMS We explored the effectiveness of parental training by comparing a basic scaffolding training and a combined scaffolding/sensitivity training to an active treatment-control group (stress management). Basic and combined treatments should increase parents' domain-specific self-efficacy (DSSE) and beliefs on parental co-regulation and the promotion of learning (BCL) more than the control treatment should. No such differences were expected for parents' domain-general self-efficacy (DGSE). We examined whether parents of preterm and full-term children benefitted equally from training conditions. SAMPLE(S) A total of 87 parents of full-term and 35 parents of preterm toddlers (24-36 months of age, corrected for prematurity) participated. METHODS Based on a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test follow-up design, parents were randomly assigned to treatments. A multimethod approach was applied, including self-report, parent-child interactions, and standardized behavioural tasks. The presented study is limited to questionnaire data on parents' DGSE, DSSE, and BCL. RESULTS An overall increase resulted from pre- to post-test and/or follow-up. Parents' BCL changed significantly stronger in the combined training than in the control group. Parents of preterm and full-term children benefitted equally from basic and combined training. CONCLUSIONS The combined training enhanced BCL among parents of full-term and preterm children the most. If such training also yields improvement on the behavioural level, this finding will advance preterm aftercare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Verena Clara Vetter
- Clinic I, Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, Centre for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Schäferling
- Clinic I, Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, Centre for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gitta Reuner
- Clinic I, Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, Centre for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Silke Hertel
- Institute for Education Studies, Heidelberg University, Germany
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Dumont V, Bulla J, Bessot N, Gonidec J, Zabalia M, Guillois B, Roche-Labarbe N. The manual orienting response habituation to repeated tactile stimuli in preterm neonates: Discrimination of stimulus locations and interstimulus intervals. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 59:590-602. [PMID: 28605017 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Preterm infants frequently develop atypical sensory profiles, the tactile modality being particularly affected. However, there is a lack of recent investigation of neonatal tactile perception in a passive context, especially in preterms who are particularly exposed to this tactile stimuli. Our aims were to provide evidence of orienting responses (behavioral modifications directing subject's attention towards stimuli) and habituation to passive tactile stimuli in preterm neonates, to explore their ability to perceive spatial and temporal aspects of the stimulus, and to evaluate the effect of clinical factors on these abilities. We included 61 preterm neonates, born between 32 and 34 weeks of gestational age. At 35 weeks of corrected gestational age, we measured orienting responses (forearm, hand, and fingers movements) during vibrotactile stimulation of their hand and forearm; during a habituation and dishabituation paradigm, the dishabituation being either a location change or a pause in the stimulation sequence. Preterm newborns displayed a manual orienting response to vibrotactile stimuli which significantly decreased when the stimulus was repeated, regardless of the stimulated location on the limb. Habituation was delayed in subjects born at a younger gestational age, smaller birth weight, and having experienced more painful care procedures. Preterm neonates perceived changes in stimulus location and interstimulus time interval. Our findings provide insights on several aspects of the perception of repeated tactile stimuli by preterm neonates, and the first evidence of the early development of temporal processing abilities in the tactile modality. Future work will investigate the links between this ability and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Bulla
- Department of Mathematics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nicolas Bessot
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, INSERM, COMETE, Caen, France
| | | | - Marc Zabalia
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, EA7452, Caen, France
| | - Bernard Guillois
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, EA7452, Caen, France.,Service de Néonatologie, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Nadège Roche-Labarbe
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, EA7452, Caen, France.,Normandie University, UNICAEN, INSERM, COMETE, Caen, France
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Visual attention control differences in 12-month-old preterm infants. Infant Behav Dev 2018; 50:180-188. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Boone KM, Gracious B, Klebanoff MA, Rogers LK, Rausch J, Coury DL, Keim SA. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acid supplementation and sensory processing in toddlers with ASD symptomology born preterm: A randomized controlled trial. Early Hum Dev 2017; 115:64-70. [PMID: 28941976 PMCID: PMC9530960 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2017.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite advances in the health and long-term survival of infants born preterm, they continue to face developmental challenges including higher risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and atypical sensory processing patterns. AIMS This secondary analysis aimed to describe sensory profiles and explore effects of combined dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) supplementation on parent-reported sensory processing in toddlers born preterm who were exhibiting ASD symptoms. STUDY DESIGN 90-day randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled trial. SUBJECTS 31 children aged 18-38months who were born at ≤29weeks' gestation. OUTCOME MEASURE Mixed effects regression analyses followed intent to treat and explored effects on parent-reported sensory processing measured by the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile (ITSP). RESULTS Baseline ITSP scores reflected atypical sensory processing, with the majority of atypical scores falling below the mean. Sensory processing sections: auditory (above=0%, below=65%), vestibular (above=13%, below=48%), tactile (above=3%, below=35%), oral sensory (above=10%; below=26%), visual (above=10%, below=16%); sensory processing quadrants: low registration (above=3%; below=71%), sensation avoiding (above=3%; below=39%), sensory sensitivity (above=3%; below=35%), and sensation seeking (above=10%; below=19%). Twenty-eight of 31 children randomized had complete outcome data. Although not statistically significant (p=0.13), the magnitude of the effect for reduction in behaviors associated with sensory sensitivity was medium to large (effect size=0.57). No other scales reflected a similar magnitude of effect size (range: 0.10 to 0.32). CONCLUSIONS The findings provide support for larger randomized trials of omega fatty acid supplementation for children at risk of sensory processing difficulties, especially those born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Boone
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Corresponding author at: 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. (K.M. Boone)
| | - Barbara Gracious
- Center for Innovation in Pediatric Practice, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA
| | - Mark A. Klebanoff
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA,Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lynette K. Rogers
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA
| | - Joseph Rausch
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA
| | - Daniel L. Coury
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA
| | - Sarah A. Keim
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, USA,Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, USA
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