Gender and its contribution to the prediction of cognitive abilities at 5 years

Influence of social environment on loneliness in older adults: Moderation by polymorphism in the CRHR1

OBJECTIVE

Both adverse social environments and genetic factors contribute to loneliness in old age. Mixed findings between older adults' social relations with their children and their levels of loneliness suggested that a gene × social environment interaction may be operating. We examine whether the effects of infrequent contact with children and low levels of perceived social support from children on loneliness in older adults are moderated by two candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (i.e., rs1876831 and rs242938) in the corticotrophin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) gene.

DESIGN

This was a longitudinal observational study.

SETTING

and

PARTICIPANTS

A population-based sub-sample of 1,374 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older was examined from both the 2003-2004 and 2006-2007 English Longitudinal Study of Aging assessments.

MEASUREMENTS

Our main outcome measure is loneliness, which was assessed by four items extracted from the ULCA loneliness scale.

RESULTS

Compared with older adults carrying the CT/TT genotypes, individuals homozygous for the C allele of rs1876831 reported higher levels of loneliness in the context of infrequent social contact with children and lower levels of perceived social support from children. No gene × social environment interactions were found for loneliness between rs242938 and an adverse social environment related to children.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides the first evidence in humans that the CRHR1 gene interacts with exposure to a negative social environment to predict loneliness in older adults.

Association between child cortisol levels in saliva and neuropsychological development during the second year of life

Exposure to highly elevated levels of cortisol has been linked with impairments in cognitive capacities in both children and adults. By contrast, moderate levels of cortisol may engender beneficial effects. The main aim of this study was to assess the association between child cortisol levels and neuropsychological development during the second year of life. A population-based birth cohort was established in the city of Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain) as part of the INMA (Environment and Childhood) Project. We assessed the cognitive and psychomotor development at the age of 14 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). We included 302 children assessed during their second year of life for whom we had information on neuropsychological assessment and measurements of cortisol in saliva. Higher levels of cortisol were associated with better scores in BSID's mental scale. There was no association between cortisol levels and psychomotor test scores. We found a small positive association between duration of breastfeeding and child cortisol levels. This association was only found in boys. The results of this study suggest that moderate levels of cortisol in children could have small beneficial effects on their early neuropsychological development.

Foetal umbilical artery Doppler in small preterms: (IQ) neurocognitive outcome at 5 years of age

AIM

To investigate whether absent or reversed end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery (AREDF) is associated with neonatal mortality, morbidity or long-term neurocognitive outcome in extremely preterm infants exposed to preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction.

METHODS

Prenatal Doppler data were retrospectively collected for liveborn infants with gestational age (GA) <28 weeks or birth weight (BW) <1000 g, born small for gestational age (SGA- BW <5th percentile for GA) or of mothers with preeclampsia at the four largest university hospitals in Norway during 1999-2000. Neonatal mortality and morbidities, cerebral palsy (CP) and IQ at 5 years of age were compared for infants with or without AREDF.

RESULTS

Of 260 infants, 84 were eligible and 71 of them had sufficient Doppler data. Of these, 38 (54%) had AREDF. Of 33 infants born <28 weeks, 7 of 19 (37%) with AREDF and none of 14 without AREDF had severe cerebral haemorrhage (SCH) (p = 0.01). AREDF was not significantly associated with mortality, other NICU morbidities, CP or reduced IQ. For the 38 infants with GA ≥28 weeks, AREDF (19 of 38) was not associated with adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Absent or reversed end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery (AREDF) was associated with increased risk of SCH in extremely preterm infants (GA <28 weeks).

Interaction of COMT val158met and externalizing behavior: relation to prefrontal brain activity and behavioral performance

A promising approach in neuroimaging studies aimed at understanding effects of single genetic variants on behavior is the study of gene-trait interactions. Variation in the catechol-O-methyl-transferase gene (COMT) is associated with the regulation of dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex and with cognitive functioning. Given the involvement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in externalizing behavior, a trait characterized by impulsivity and aggression, especially in men, externalizing (as a trait) may index a set of genetic, environmental, and neural characteristics pertinent to understanding phenotypic effects of genetic variation in the COMT gene. In the current study, we used a gene-trait approach to investigate effects of the COMT val(158)met polymorphism and externalizing on brain activity during moments involving low or high demands on cognitive control. In 104 male participants, interference-related activation depended conjointly on externalizing and val(158)met: stronger activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate and lateral prefrontal cortex was found for val/val individuals with high trait externalizing while stronger activation in cingulate motor areas and sensorimotor precuneus was found for met/met individuals with low externalizing. Our results suggest that the val/val genotype, coupled with high levels of trait externalizing, lowers the efficiency of stimulus conflict resolution, whereas the met/met genotype, coupled with low levels of externalizing, lowers the efficiency of response selection.

Factor structure and sex differences on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence in China, Japan and United States

This study presents data on the factor structure of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and sex and cultural differences in WPPSI test scores among 5- and 6-year-olds from China, Japan, and the United States. Results show the presence of a verbal and nonverbal factor structure across all three countries. Sex differences on the 10 subtests were generally consistent, with a male advantage on a subtest of spatial abilities (Mazes). Males in the Chinese sample obtained significantly higher Full Scale IQ scores than females and had lower variability in their test scores. These observations were not present in the Japan and United States samples. Mean Full Scale IQ score in the Chinese sample was 104.1, representing a 4-point increase from 1988 to 2004.

Secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy and infantile neurodevelopment

During prenatal development, the nervous system may be more susceptible to environmental toxicants, such as secondhand smoke. The authors assessed the effects of prenatal and postnatal secondhand smoke exposure on the neurodevelopment of 6-month infants. The subjects were 414 mother and infant pairs with no medical problems, taken from the Mothers' and Children's Environmental Health study. Prenatal and postnatal exposures to secondhand smoke were determined using maternal self-reports. Examiners, unaware of exposure history, assessed the infants at 6 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Bayley scores were compared for secondhand smoke exposed and unexposed groups after adjusting for potential confounders. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to estimate the risk of developmental delay posed by SHS exposure. The multivariate model included residential area, maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, education, income, infant sex, parity, birth weight, and type of feeding. After adjusting for covariates, secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy was found to be related to a decrease in mental developmental index score, but not to a decrease in psychomotor developmental index score. In addition, secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy was found to increase the risk of developmental delay (mental developmental index score ≤85) at 6 months. This study suggests that the infants of non-smoking women exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay.

Predictive validity of Bayley scale in language development of children at 6-36 months

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prediction of development among 6-, 18-, and 36-month-old infants on the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID).

METHODS

One hundred infants were assessed using the BSID at 6 months; of these, 70 completed the 18 and 36 month assessment at follow up.

RESULTS

Multivariate regression and structural equation modeling were used to determine predictive validity in the mental and psychomotor developmental scales. Structural equation analysis also confirmed the conceptual scheme of the stability of development from 6 to 36 months for boys. Boys had a steadier overall developmental trajectory compared to girls.

CONCLUSIONS

The validity of BSID was consistent with previous studies. The language spurt in girls, however, from 6 to 18 months affected the stability of the BSID. Thus, the gender difference in language development should be considered in clinical assessment.

Antioxidant vitamin status during pregnancy in relation to cognitive development in the first two years of life

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation of the antioxidant vitamins status (vitamins A, E and C) during pregnancy and the intellectual development of early childhood.

METHOD

A total of 150 paired maternal-neonatal subjects were recruited into the present study. The serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, E and C) in maternal blood and cord blood after delivery were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and the intellectual development was evaluated by Gesell Development Schedules (GDS) at two-years-old.

RESULT

Children with higher cord serum vitamin E level showed higher scores of motor, adaptive domain and average compared to children with lower cord serum vitamin E level (p<0.01 or 0.05), respectively. Cord serum vitamin A level had significant positive correlation with effect on motor DQs (beta=4.227, p<0.05), and vitamin E level in cord blood showed a positive relation with motor DQ and average DQ (beta=0.329 and 0.1875, respectively, p<0.05) in multiple linear regression model. The language and social DQs were influenced by placental vitamin E transport rate (beta=3.1968 and 3.0194, respectively, p<0.05). The placental transport rate of vitamin E also was a protective factor for the prevalence of motor behavior developmental delay [OR: 0.118, 95% confident interval (95% CI), 0.018-0.765, p=0.0251], personal and social behavior developmental delay (OR: 0.052, 95% CI: 0.004-0.610, p=0.0185) and average developmental delay (OR: 0.041, 95% CI: 0.003-0.642, p=0.0229) in logistic multiple regression model.

CONCLUSION

Data suggested that vitamin A, E status and vitamin E transfer rate at delivery had beneficial influence on children's cognitive and behavior development quotients.

The Early Numeracy Test in Finnish: children's norms

This article concerns psychometric aspects of the Finnish Early Numeracy Test, which has been translated from the original Dutch Early Numeracy Test. The advantage of the test is that young children's numerical skills can be assessed systematically, which was not possible previously in Finland. A norm study was conducted in which the test was administered to a representative sample of 1,029 Finnish children. The reliability and validity results justify the use of the test as an early-childhood screening test and in research on number sense. The indicative effects of gender, parental professional education, domicile and number of siblings are discussed.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids at birth and cognitive function at 7 y of age

OBJECTIVE

During the central nervous system (CNS) growth spurt, rapid accretion of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) takes place. This particularly concerns docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), which are thought to play important roles in CNS development and function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive performance at 7 y of age and LCPUFA levels in umbilical venous plasma phospholipids, representing the prenatal fatty acid availability, and in plasma phospholipids sampled at 7 y.

DESIGN

As part of a follow-up study, the cognitive performance of 306 children, born at term, was assessed at 7 y of age with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Backward stepwise regression analysis was used to study the relationship between the outcomes and LCPUFA status. Social class, maternal intelligence and parenting skills were included as covariables, among others.

RESULTS

Results show no significant association with either DHA or AA at birth and the cognitive performance at 7 y of age. The LCPUFA levels at 7 y were not associated with these outcomes either. Consistent with the literature, significant relationships were found between cognitive outcome measures and maternal education, maternal intelligence and the child's birthweight.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our results do not provide evidence for a positive association between cognitive performance at 7 y and LCPUFA status at birth or at 7 y of age.