Me, Myself, and I: Neural Activity for Self versus Other across Development

Although adults and children differ in self-vs.-other perception, a developmental perspective on this discriminative ability at the brain level is missing. This study examined neural activation for self-vs.-other in a sample of 39 participants spanning four different age groups, from 4-year-olds to adults. Self-related stimuli elicited higher neural activity within two brain regions related to self-referential thinking, empathy, and social cognition processes. Second, stimuli related to 'others' (i.e., unknown peer) elicited activation within nine additional brain regions. These regions are associated with multisensory processing, somatosensory skills, language, complex visual stimuli, self-awareness, empathy, theory of mind, and social recognition. Overall, activation maps were gradually increasing with age. However, patterns of activity were non-linear within the medial cingulate cortex for 'self' stimuli and within the left middle temporal gyrus for 'other' stimuli in 7-10-year-old participants. In both cases, there were no self-vs.-other differences. It suggests a critical period where the perception of self and others are similarly processed. Furthermore, 11-19-year-old participants showed no differences between others and self within the left inferior orbital gyrus, suggesting less distinction between self and others in social learning. Understanding the neural bases of self-vs.-other discrimination during development can offer valuable insights into how social contexts can influence learning processes during development, such as when to introduce peer-to-peer teaching or group learning.

Developmental Profiles in Children and Young Adults with Alexander Disease

PURPOSE

The study aims to describe the developmental profile of children and young adults with Alexander disease [AxD] infantile form, analyzing their clinical features, adaptive behavior and neuropsychological skills.

METHODS

Participants were eight children or young adults (Mean age = 11 years; SD = 6.86; range = 5-23) and their parents. A multi-method approach was adopted to assess participant competencies: (1) an online parent survey, (2) a semi-structured interview with parents, and (3) a direct assessment of the participant's neuropsychological skills.

RESULTS

Only four parents and their children completed all measures, and a common developmental profile could not be identified. The participants experienced substantial impairment in gross-motor skills, memory and narrative macrostructure. Most parents reported a regressive trend in at least one area.

CONCLUSIONS

The high individual variability and the regressive trend highlight the need for an accurate and periodic assessment of each individual's developmental profile.

Speech Sound Development in 18-Month-Old Children With Sex Chromosome Trisomies

PURPOSE

This study aimed to describe speech sound development in a group of 18-month-old children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs), compared with a group of typically developing (TD) peers. Concurrent and longitudinal relationships between speech sound abilities and lexical development were examined.

METHOD

A group of 76 children aged 18 months, 38 children prenatally diagnosed with SCTs (12 with XXY, 12 with XYY, and 14 with XXX) and 38 TD children, participated in the study. From video recordings of semistructured naturalistic parent-child play sessions, quantitative and qualitative measures of speech sound development were collected (e.g., the number of consonants, type and place of articulation, and syllable structures used), and group differences were observed. The relationships between the number of consonants produced and vocabulary size at 18 and 24 months were assessed.

RESULTS

At 18 months, children with SCTs used a significantly lower number of consonants than TD children. Qualitatively, children with SCTs used significantly fewer articulatory complex consonants (fricative/affricates) and a more restricted inventory of syllable structures. The number of consonants used was significantly correlated with lexical development at 18 months. Moreover, in the SCTs group (but not in the TD group), the children with lower speech sound development at 18 months showed a significantly smaller vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months than those with higher speech-sound development.

CONCLUSIONS

Toddlers with SCTs showed a significantly delayed speech sound development pattern rather than an atypical one. Children with SCTs with low speech sound development also showed lower vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months of age. These results can be clinically relevant for follow-up and treatment planning for children with SCTs.

Short report. Narrative competence in Italian preschool children with sex chromosome trisomies

BACKGROUND

The neuropsychological profile of children with sex chromosome trisomies [SCTs] is frequently characterised by delays and impairments in language development. However, no studies so far have specifically investigated their narrative competence.

AIMS

The aim of the study was to analyse the oral narrative competence of preschool children with SCTs due to the importance of this skill for language development and learning abilities.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Participants were 34 Italian children with SCTs one-to-one matched by age and sex to typically developing [TD] children. A storytelling task, the Narrative Competence Task, was used to assess the macrostructural and microstructural features of the children's narratives.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Children with SCTs showed significantly lower scores than TD peers in all the narrative indices considered, except for mental state lexicon and story length in words.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The problems found in narrative competence confirmed the existence of difficulties in the language development of children with SCTs. Narrative difficulties could affect these children's future learning skills and academic achievements.

Associations between social isolation and parenting stress during the first wave of COVID-19 in Italian children with special educational needs

The parents of 413 children with typical development (TD) or special educational needs (SEN) filled in an online survey to investigate the associations between the restrictions introduced to face COVID-19 and parenting stress and parental disciplinary practices. The parents of children with SEN showed a significantly higher stress level than TD children's parents. However, they showed a lower inclination to overreact. In both groups, the parents who feel less supported, feel their needs threatened, and report having a child with more difficulties were more likely to exhibit parenting stress. Data on the associations between COVID-19 restrictions and the stress perceived by parents could help to focus the attention of the public health system on their parents' needs, leading to practices aimed to prevent parenting stress and burnout.

Language Development in the Second Year of Life: The Case of Children with Sex Chromosome Trisomies Diagnosed before Birth

Many individual factors, such as early communicative skills, could play a role in explaining later linguistic outcomes. The detection of predictive variables is fundamental to identifying early the children who need intervention. The present study focuses on children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs), genetic conditions with an increased risk of developing language delays or impairments. The aims are to analyse their communicative skills at 18 months of age, and identify significant predictors of their later vocabulary size. Participants were 76 18-month-old children (38 with SCTs, and 38 typically-developing (TD) children). Their communicative skills were assessed during a parent–child play session, and parents filled in a report on their vocabulary development at 18 and 24 months. Children with SCTs showed significantly poorer linguistic skills at 18 months in both preverbal (babbling and gestures) and verbal abilities. A high percentage (nearly 70%) of toddlers with SCTs were late-talking children at 24 months, and those toddlers showed a lower frequency of babbling utterances at 18 months. Early lexical skills, children’s developmental quotient, and being part of the group of toddlers with SCTs were significant predictors of children’s vocabulary size six months later. These variables should be considered when assessing the linguistic competence of a child with SCTs to detect possible early risk factors of future language impairment.

Narrative and prosodic skills in children and adolescents with Down syndrome and typically developing children

PURPOSE

Children with Down Syndrome (DS) show difficulties in language development, in both basic and complex abilities, as narratives. Less is known about the prosodic competence in DS, but the few available studies highlighted the presence of some deficits. Considering the importance of narratives and prosody in communication, the main aim of this study is to investigate these two competencies in participants with DS.

METHOD

13 children with DS participated (Mean age: 13;04, years; months). Their narrative and prosodic abilities, collected through a storytelling task, were compared with those of two control groups of typically developing (TD) children, one matched for nonverbal mental age (MA, Mean age: 5;03) and the other matched for the mean length of utterance (MLU, Mean age: 5;05). For the narrative competence, we considered both the macrostructural (i.e. quantity of information and story structure) and the microstructural level (i.e. verbal productivity, lexical diversity, syntactic complexity). For the prosodic competence, we took into account acoustic measures linked to intonation (i.e. mean fundamental frequency (f0), pitch range, final speech profile, and speed of speech).

RESULT

The results of the Mann-Whitney test showed that participants with DS produced stories comparable to those of TD children in nearly all the variables considered, except for the syntactic complexity when compared with children of the same MA. Differences between participants with DS and TD children were found in the f0 and the final pitch profile used.

CONCLUSION

Considering the small size of the samples, these preliminary results should be taken with caution. Nonetheless, this study confirms the presence of difficulties in the prosody of speech and in the syntactic competence of children with DS. These difficulties could have consequences on the possibility to communicate efficiently and should be taken into account in rehabilitation programmes.

Narrative competence in Italian children with cochlear implants: a comparison with children matched by chronological or hearing age

The present study aimed to analyse the narrative competence of a group of Italian children with a bilateral cochlear implant (CI) implanted before 30 months of age. Participants were ten children with CI (aged from 42 to 83 months) and two control groups of typically hearing children one-to-one paired by sex, non-verbal reasoning, and chronological or hearing age. A story generation task, specifically developed to assess narrative skills in children (i.e., the Narrative Competence Task) was used to evaluate both macrostructural and microstructural features of the children's narratives. Results showed that children with CI presented only one significant difference in the macrostructural aspects of narratives compared to typically hearing children matched by hearing age, specifically in the higher number of events told. In addition, concerning microstructural features, the only statistically significant difference was a lower lexical variety in the narratives produced by children with CI than in those produced by typically hearing children matched by chronological age. Both macrostructural and microstructural indices appeared to be related to the hearing age of children with CI. Early CI appeared to play a crucial role in the acquisition of a complex area of language development, as narrative competence.

The Narrative Competence Task

Abstract. The oral narratives of 240 Italian children aged 3–8 years were analyzed using a new instrument, the Narrative Competence Task (NCT). The data showed a gradual increase in the children’s narrative competence in both the macrostructure and the microstructure. Statistically significant differences between preschool-age and school-age children were found on all the variables considered. In addition to increased chronological age, a significant role of cognitive abilities (general non-verbal intelligence and sequential reasoning) and linguistic skills (mean length of utterance and lexical diversity) emerged in explaining the variance in children’s narrative macrostructure. Children with superior cognitive and linguistic abilities produced richer narratives characterized by a greater quantity of information, a better structure, and a wider use of mental state lexicon.

Maternal input to children with sex chromosome trisomies

BACKGROUND

Although language difficulties are one of the most distinctive characteristics of the neuropsychological profile of children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCT), the analysis of the maternal input addressed to them is a neglected topic.

AIMS

The present study aims to analyse the lexical, morphosyntactic, and functional features of the input addressed to children with SCT comparing them with those of the input directed to typically developing children (TD).

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Participants were 38 mothers and their 8-month-old children, 19 with SCT and 19 TD children. Maternal utterances, collected during video-recorded play sessions, have been transcribed and coded.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

No significant differences between groups have been found in the lexical and syntactic characteristics of maternal input. However, considering the input functional features, the proportion of directives and questions was significantly higher in the maternal input addressed to children with SCT than in the input addressed to TD children whereas the opposite pattern was found in the proportion of affect-salient speech.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

The awareness of a possible delay in their children's language development could influence the way the mothers speak to them. In particular, the functional features of maternal input could be affected. Support groups for parents of children with SCT at the preverbal stage could be useful to reassure the mothers about their role in their children's language development. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject Studies in the literature identified a high percentage of language delays or impairments in children with SCT. To date, according to our knowledge, there are no studies that analyse the linguistic input addressed to these children. What this study adds The lexical and syntactic features of maternal input addressed to 8-month-old children with SCT are adequate to the children's communicative skills. However, the mothers of children with SCT seem to provide additional scaffolding in their verbal input, using a lower proportion of affect-salient speech and a higher proportion of questions. In addition, a higher proportion of directives suggests the use of a more demanding style. Clinical implications of this study The awareness of possible language delays could influence the functional features of input leading mothers to use a more supportive and demanding input. Support groups for parents of children with SCT at the preverbal stage could be useful to reassure the mothers about their role in their children's language development.

Vocal and gestural productions of 24-month-old children with sex chromosome trisomies

BACKGROUND

Children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCT) frequently show problems in language development. However, a clear description of the communicative patterns of these children is still lacking.

AIMS

To describe the first stages of language development in children with SCT in comparison with those in typically developing (TD) children. The purpose was to verify the existence of possible differences in communicative skills (in both vocal and gestural modality) and identify the presence of possible early predictors (i.e., low vocabulary size and low gesture production) of later language impairment in children with SCT.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Fifteen 24-month-old children with SCT (eight males with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) and seven females with triple X syndrome (TX)) and fifteen 24-month-old TD children (eight males and seven females) participated in the study. Their spontaneous communicative productions were assessed during a semi-structured play session in interaction with a parent. In addition, their vocabulary size was assessed using a parental report (the Italian version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories).

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

With regards to their vocabulary size, 60% of children with SCT (75% of children with KS and 43% of children with TX) were at risk for language impairments (i.e., they had a vocabulary size smaller than 50 words). In addition, TD children showed better lexical and syntactic skills than children with SCT in their spontaneous communicative productions. However, the production of communicative gestures was higher in children with SCT than in TD children. Boys with KS appeared to differ from TD males in more aspects of communication than girls with TX differed from TD females.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

The study showed the importance of early detection of language risk factors in children with SCT, while also considering the use of compensatory strategies (e.g., the use of communicative gestures).

Developmental trends of communicative skills in children with chromosome 14 aberrations

Children with chromosome 14 aberrations usually show developmental delays, intellectual disability, neurological disorders and behaviour problems. The aim of the present study is to describe the developmental trajectories of the communicative skills of children with chromosome 14 aberrations, considering the possible relationships between the patterns of language development and the children's clinical characteristics (e.g., intellectual disability or autistic traits). Longitudinal data on five children (four with linear deletions and one with ring 14 syndrome) followed for 3 years are presented. Four out of five children showed profound intellectual disability, and three out of five showed autistic traits. A high individual variability was found in both vocal and gestural productions. However, only a modest increase in the children's communicative and symbolic skills was detected over time (e.g., in the quality of preverbal productions).

CONCLUSION

The increase of communicative skills in children with chromosome 14 aberration is very slow. We need to consider the children's characteristics, in terms of type of chromosome aberration, level of intellectual disability and presence/absence of autistic traits, to predict their possible linguistic outcomes and to give a more realistic expectation to their parents. What is known: • The communicative skills of children with chromosome 14 aberrations are usually impaired. • The presence of autistic traits is frequent in these children. What is new: • The increase of communicative skills in children with chromosome 14 aberrations is very slow. • The level of intellectual disability and the presence/absence of autistic traits appeared to have a role in predicting the possible linguistic outcomes in children with chromosome 14 aberrations.

Prosodic skills in children with Down syndrome and in typically developing children

BACKGROUND

Many studies have analysed language development in children with Down syndrome to understand better the nature of their linguistic delays and the reason why these delays, particularly those in the morphosyntactic area, seem greater than their cognitive impairment. However, the prosodic characteristics of language development in children with Down syndrome have been scarcely investigated.

AIMS

To analyse the prosodic skills of children with Down syndrome in the production of multi-word utterances. Data on the prosodic skills of these children were compared with data on typically developing children matched on developmental age and vocabulary size. Between-group differences and the relationships between prosodic and syntactic skills were investigated.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

The participants were nine children with Down syndrome (who ranged in chronological age from 45 to 63 months and had a mean developmental age of 30 months) and 12 30-month-old typically developing children. The children in both groups had a vocabulary size of approximately 450 words. The children's spontaneous productions were recorded during observations of mother-child play sessions.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Data analyses showed that despite their morphosyntactic difficulties, children with Down syndrome were able to master some aspects of prosody in multi-word utterances. They were able to produce single intonation multi-word utterances on the same level as typically developing children. In addition, the intonation contour of their utterances was not negatively influenced by syntactic complexity, contrary to what occurred in typically developing children, although it has to be considered that the utterances produced by children with Down syndrome were less complex than those produced by children in the control group. However, children with Down syndrome appeared to be less able than typically developing children to use intonation to express the pragmatic interrogative function.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

The findings are discussed considering the effects of social experience on the utterance prosodic realization.

Developing with ring 14 syndrome: a survey in different countries

This study aimed to assess the communicative skills of children and young adults with ring 14 syndrome and linear 14q deletions, investigating the relationships among their language development and their genetic, clinical, psychomotor and behavioural characteristics. Participants were 36 individuals with chromosome 14 aberrations whose parents completed a questionnaire, specifically developed in five languages, to assess their son's/daughter's development. Data analysis showed that chronological age does not account for the high individual variability found in the participants' skills. The comparison between participants with ring 14 syndrome and participants with 14q linear deletions showed that the former were characterised by a higher occurrence of epilepsy, abnormalities of the retina and autism. The participants with smaller amounts of deleted genetic material were those who had a higher level of language development. Because ring 14 syndrome is a rare genetic disease, the collection of data from a large group of individuals could be helpful to create expectations about the possible developmental outcomes of these children.

Linguistic and psychomotor development in children with chromosome 14 deletions

The present study focussed on a specific type of rare genetic condition: chromosome 14 deletions. Children with this genetic condition often show developmental delays and brain and neurological problems, although the type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the size and location of the deleted genetic material. The specific aim of the present study was to describe the developmental trajectories of language skills in a group of children with linear 14q deletions. Four children with an interstitial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 14 were followed for 1 year. Data collected from psychomotor and linguistic assessments highlight a large individual variability. Considering the children's genetic and clinical conditions, findings revealed that the size of the deleted area is not related to outcome. However, the developmental trajectories of language development are deeply influenced by the presence of clinical conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders.

Characteristics of violent behaviour in acute psychiatric in-patients: a 5-year Italian study

OBJECTIVE

In order to examine prospectively the characteristics of violence among psychiatric patients, a 5-year study was carried out in an acute psychiatric unit.

METHOD

All assaultive behaviour occurred in the ward during the study period were assessed routinely using the Staff Observation Aggression scale (SOAS).

RESULTS

Of 1534 patients admitted to the unit during the study period, 116 were responsible for 329 aggressive episodes (prevalence of violence=7.5%, 2.8 incidents/patient). Most violent patients had an ICD-9 diagnosis of schizophrenia and/or delusional syndromes (55.1%), a history of violence (80.7%) and previous psychiatric admissions (92%). Approximately half of the incidents had no specific cause, occurred during daytime and the first week of admission and, in most cases, were directed towards individuals (77.8%).

CONCLUSION

Although confirming the low rate of violence among Italian psychiatric in-patients, the study indicates the need for more attention to the problem of aggression in general hospital psychiatric units.

[99mTc-MIBI scintrigraphy for detecting viable myocardium in patients with previous infarction and ventricular dysfunction]

BACKGROUND

The detection of hibernating myocardium involved different imaging procedures, trying to predict the functional recovery of this tissue, which survives at a low metabolic rate in regions exposed to chronic ischemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A small group of patients with prior myocardial infarction and severe left ventricular dysfunction has been evaluated by echo-dobutamine and 99mTc-MIBI myocardial SPET. This radiopharmaceutical drug has been considered of low usefulness for the detection of viability.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

By comparing scintigraphic and echographic results there seem to be a reduced probability of the presence of viable myocardium in regions with severe perfusional scintigraphic defect.

[Skeletal musculature modifications and mechanisms of fatigue in chronic heart failure]

The majority of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) have a decreased exercise tolerance. It has not been well established if muscle fatigue is related to a peripheral myopathy with specific metabolic, histologic and biochemical abnormalities. CHF patients demonstrate depressed oxidative capacity and activation of anaerobic glycolysis, leading to a reduction in the energy substrates. In addition, the skeletal muscles of the lower limbs demonstrate a shift toward type IIb fibers. Many factors, such as prolonged immobilization, reduced blood flow and neuroendocrine activation, can be cited in order to explain the origin of this myopathy. Recent studies show that immobilization is not the only reason for modifications in skeletal muscle composition, since patients with disuse atrophy show an increased percentage in myosin heavy chain I, while IIb is decreased. The opposite pattern is observed in CHF. It would appear that several factors such as deconditioning, prolonged immobilization and reduced blood flow, may produce muscular atrophy. The reasons behind specific changes in fibre composition may be found in metabolic factors such as insulin resistance, TNF levels and dysfunction of the ergo-metabolo muscle receptors.

Laparoscopic anterior extended seromyotomy with posterior truncal vagotomy: an experimental study

We describe a new laparoscopic modification of parietal cell vagotomy. The laparoscopic anterior extended seromyotomy with posterior truncal vagotomy was performed in five pigs weighing 21 to 25 kg each. Congo-red and pH tests were undertaken 2 weeks later by open gastrotomy. The photographs of the stained gastric mucosa made at the 5-min interval after Congo-red administration were analyzed with a computer-driven area calculation program. Preoperative and postoperative weights were taken for all animals. The experimental parietal cell vagotomy group was compared with the sham group and showed a minimal amount of nondenervated parietal cell mass (0.9 +/- 0.4% versus 28.2 +/- 3.9%, p < 0.05). The pH values showed an inhibition of gastric acid secretion (7.8 +/- 0.7 versus 2.2 +/- 0.4, p < 0.05). During postoperative follow-up, no significant difference in the weight increase of the experimental and the sham control group was noticed (1.6 +/- 0.6 kg versus 2.0 +/- 0.1 kg, p < 0.27). The laparoscopic anterior extended seromyotomy with posterior truncal vagotomy efficiently suppresses gastric acid secretion, preserving the motility of the antrum and pylorus and diminishing the risk of residual areas of innervation. This procedure avoids dissection of the esophagus and can provide an easier but equally effective operative treatment of ulcer disease compared with other types of parietal cell vagotomy.

[Heart failure in the population: prevalence data]

We report on the prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) in a random sample of a population (aged 20-64 years) from the Veneto region in northern Italy. The relationship between CHF and hypertension and obesity was also investigated. These data were collected during an international research project coordinated by the World Health Organization. The overall prevalence of CHF was 2.0% both in the male and female population. The prevalence of CHF increased significantly with age and was positively correlated with body mass index in both sexes. Patients with borderline hypertension showed a 3.5-fold increased prevalence of CHF. The prevalence of CHF was 4.9-fold higher in hypertensive than in the normotensive subjects. Patients treated with hypotensive drugs had a significantly higher prevalence of CHF than untreated patients.

Diabetes and coronary risk factors, relative risk for single factors and aggregation of more factors in a general population sample from northern Italy

In the course of a general population survey in Mirano (Venice), Northern Italy, a random sample of 1,903 subjects (50.1% men) aged 20-59 was examined. Fifty-five were diabetic (fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 140 mg/dl or diagnosed by a physician) and 1,670 non-diabetic subjects (fasting plasma glucose below 110 mg/dl). In this paper an assessment was made on the more frequent occurrence of coronary risk factors (serum cholesterol and triglycerides, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, cigarette smoking) and, in particular, of their aggregation in diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetic controls. The occurrence of any one of the coronary risk factors studied was more frequent in diabetic subjects and significantly so for triglyceridemia in both sexes and for systolic blood pressure and BMI in men. The aggregation of two or more risk factors was also more frequent in diabetic subjects than controls. Finally, the combined score of coronary risk as calculated by multiple logistic function showed higher values for diabetic subjects. These results confirm the need for a systematic search for coronary risk factors in diabetic subjects in order to prevent cardiovascular complications.