Child Neuropsychology最新文献

This study investigates sex differences in demographic and injury-related characteristics, along with recovery patterns, in children with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) who failed at least one Performance Validity Test (PVT). A retrospective analysis of 186 patients (8-18 years old; 65.1% females) from a specialty concussion clinic with non-credible effort on PVTs was conducted. Data on demographics, injury-related characteristics, symptoms, as well as recovery patterns, were analyzed. There were significant sex differences in age at injury, pre-injury academic status, ADHD prevalence, physical activity levels, and post-injury emotional symptoms. Girls exhibited longer recovery times, had more clinical visits, and received different provider recommendations. This study revealed significant sex differences between boys and girls with mTBI and non-credible effort on PVTs. These findings underscore the need for sex-informed approaches in pediatric mTBI management and highlight areas for future research.

The ability to follow nonverbal social cues is impaired in several disorders. Our aim was to collect normative data for the first psychometric test (TooN) that assesses this skill in children. The normative sample consisted of 339 typically developing children aged 6 to 10. TooN is a computerized tool that includes 120 trials in which children must press a button as soon as possible when an object appears on the right or left side of the screen. Each object is preceded by a video of a model gazing and/or pointing to the side where the object appears (i.e. congruent condition) or the opposite side (i.e. incongruent condition). Linear regression analyses were conducted for reaction times (RTs) and for gaze and pointing cuing effects (i.e. the difference between RTs in incongruent and congruent conditions). Regression analyses showed that age, sex and parental education significantly predicted RTs. Age and sex, but not parental education, were significant predictors of gaze cuing effects. However, age was the only significant predictor of pointing cuing effects. Based on these analyses, we provided the equations to calculate the z-scores for RTs and cuing effects. Accuracy scores, stratified by age and/or sex, are reported as percentiles. Based on the performances of typically developing children, we present the normative data of a new psychometric tool designed to assess nonverbal social cue-following. This tool can be valuable for evaluating children with neurodevelopmental disorders. To support this claim, its validity should be tested across various clinical populations.

Neurocognitive sequelae are common late complications in childhood cancer survivors (CCS), impacting quality of life, yet no validated Korean tool exists to screen neurocognitive function effectively. Korean CCS (N = 638) and their siblings (N = 218) were included from a cohort study of Korean CCS at three major hospitals in South Korea. To determine the underlying structure of K-NCQ, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. Pearson's correlations were used to evaluate concurrent and convergent validity. We also explored known-group validity of K-NCQ by comparing the score of K-NCQ across the four risk stratified groups. The mean age of the study participants was 17.5 ± 4.7 years at the time of the survey and 8.8 ± 5.2 years at the time of cancer diagnosis. Exploratory factor analysis supported the five-factor structure within the original four-domains (factor 2 and factor 5 can be incorporated under emotional regulation domain), and confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor structure, excluding one item with cross-loadings (item 8) within the original four domains, demonstrating a sufficient level of goodness-of-fit indices (comparative fit index = 0.926, root mean square error of approximation = 0.045). The K-NCQ demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.91 for the total scale and α = 0.74-0.89 for each subdomain). Moderate correlations were found between K-NCQ domains and subscales of other questionnaires and tests for cognitive function. Our study demonstrated the validity of K-NCQ, thus supporting that K-NCQ is a useful tool to assess the neurocognitive function in Korean CCS in clinical settings.

We examine the role that medical history and social determinants of health play in predicting school-age intellectual (IQ) and executive functioning (EF) in children with critical congenital heart disease (cCHD). This is a retrospective observational study of 197 patients with cCHD (age 5-18 years) who attended a neuropsychological evaluation through the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program. Medical history and social determinants of health (SDOH), measured by the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI 3.0), were obtained via chart review. COI was a significant predictor of school-age IQ and EF. Seizure history and genetic condition were predictors of IQ; inclusion of COI improved the model, predicting an additional 14% of the variance. The Education subdomain of COI, reflecting neighborhood-level educational resources, drove this effect. Aortic obstruction and seizure history were significant predictors of parent-reported EF; inclusion of COI provided modest improvement. Only COI was identified as a predictor of performance-based EF. Social determinants of health are important predictors of school-age functioning in children with cCHD, and efforts to promote positive neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population must consider SDOH. IQ at school-age is related to neighborhood educational resources. This suggests that enhancing educational opportunities in patients with cCHD in lower-resourced communities may promote positive neurodevelopment and reduce disparities.

This study investigates the relationship between Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) and circadian preferences in children and adolescents. We also aimed to assess the relationship between digital game addiction and SCT, as existing literature is insufficient, particularly given the similarities between SCT and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in relation to internalizing symptoms and comorbidity. This study involved 72 children and adolescents with SCT and 77 healthy controls, aged 11-16 years, who were referred to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinic. We used Sociodemographic Data Form, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version- Turkish Version (K-SADS-PL), Turgay's DSM-IV Based Screening and Assessment Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents (T-DSM-IV-S), Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory-SCT (CABI-SCT), Children's Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ), Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS). In the group with SCT, we found that eveningness preference and digital game addiction were statistically significant. Correlation analyses revealed a moderate positive relationship between chronotype scores (eveningness preferences higher scores) and digital game addiction. Additionally, a strong positive correlation was found between chronotype and SCT scale scores, as well as between digital game addiction and SCT scale scores. These findings highlight the potential role of digital game addiction and circadian preferences in shaping profile of SCT, providing valuable insights into the understanding of SCT symptoms.

Herein, we report a 12-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who showed a cognitive decline at age 7 and tested positive for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor (GluR) antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). His cognitive function developed between ages 3 and 5, reaching a total domain developmental quotient (DQ) of 61 on the revised Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development 2001. Despite multiple treatments, his total domain DQ declined to 21 at 10 years and 3 months of age and further to 16 at 12 years and 0 month. The child regressed in cognitive function, losing previously acquired knowledge and skills, resulting in an unbalanced profile. Previously recorded strengths, weaknesses, and preferences were no longer evident. The anti-NMDA-type GluR antibodies might hinder the regaining of cognitive functions once lost and the reconstruction of developmental characteristics in patients with ASD/ADHD. Patients with ASD and ADHD who test positive for NMDA-type GluR antibodies (ELISA) may not follow a typical clinical course.

Preterm birth affects both white matter microstructure and mathematical skills, but little is known about the association between these outcomes. Using a hypothesis-driven ROI approach, we studied five white matter tracts previously associated with mathematical cognition: the corpus callosum, corticospinal tract (CST), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Forty-eight children born before 33 weeks of gestation and twenty-seven children born full-term received a diffusion weighted MRI scan and completed a standardized mathematics test at age 5 and again at age 7. Term status significantly moderated the effect of fractional anisotropy (FA) of the right and left CST, left ILF, and left IFOF when predicting mathematical skills at 5 and 7 years of age. Post-hoc analyses of these effects revealed a positive association of FA in these tracts with mathematical skills in the full-term group, while this association was absent or negative in the preterm group. These differences may reflect adaptive processes following preterm birth and the recruitment of alternative pathways during mathematical problem-solving.

Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disorder (MOGAD) is a recently identified demyelinating condition affecting children and adults. Its impact on children's cognitive outcomes remains poorly understood but is a growing area of interest due to potential long-term implications. A systematic PubMed search was conducted to identify English-language studies that assessed cognition in individuals under 18 with MOGAD using neuropsychological tests, screening tools, or questionnaires. Children with MOGAD, particularly those with phenotypes such as AcuteDisseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and Neuromyelitis Optica SpectrumDisorder (NMOSD), often exhibit impairments in intellectual functioning, memory, processing speed, and working memory. However, some children maintain cognitive performance within the normal range. Cognitive difficulties are linked to disease relapses and may develop over time, although brain lesions do not consistently correlate with cognitive outcomes. Current studies, limited by small sample sizes, indicate that children with MOGAD are at risk for cognitive impairments. Regular neuropsychological monitoring is essential for pediatric MOGADpatients to identify and address cognitive challenges early, mitigating risks of academic and occupational underachievement. Multicentre multinational studies are needed to understand the cognitive profile of MOGAD better and assess the influence of disease-related variables on cognitive outcomes.

Dyscalculia, a specific learning disability in mathematics, is linked to deficits in executive functions, yet integrative studies in Arabic-speaking contexts remain scarce. This study examined working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility collectively in children with dyscalculia. Using 64 children (32 per group), advanced techniques including Ridge regression, PCA, and ROC analysis assessed these functions. Both groups demonstrated average intelligence (Raven's Progressive Matrices), with the dyscalculia group showing profound mathematical deficits across nine arithmetic domains. Significant group differences emerged in all three executive functions (p < .001), with large effect sizes (d = -2.15 to -1.80; r = 0.80), extremely high predictive accuracy (ROC-AUC = 0.999, requiring replication), and significant correlations with mathematical performance (r = .32 to .62, all p < .01). Unexpectedly, no significant mediation was observed (ACME: p > .05), with dyscalculia exerting direct effects, and a significant interaction limited to cognitive flexibility (β = 0.62, p = .043). These findings contribute to understanding executive function architecture in dyscalculia and mark the first integrative analysis in an Arabic-speaking context. Results may support early diagnostic tools and targeted interventions addressing specific executive function deficits, offering potential advancements for educational practices in Arabic-speaking regions, though cross-cultural validation remains essential.

Children with ADHD, autism, and/or IDD often demonstrate EF challenges. Many children with these conditions likely demonstrate overlapping and differing EF presentations and profiles of strengths and difficulties. The extant literature investigating the impact of co-occurring ADHD and IDD on the EF of autistic children is limited and contradictory, potentially due to varying levels of symptom severity, undiagnosed co-occurring ADHD and ID, and overlapping areas of EF. Consequently, we examine how autism symptomology, ADHD symptomology, and cognitive functioning predict the EF of autistic children. Participants were 65 autistic children between the ages of 6 and 17 years and their caregivers. Multilevel modeling was used to determine the impact of ADHD symptom severity, autism symptom severity, and cognitive functioning on the EF of children with autism. Aspects of ADHD symptomology - specifically hyperactivity - and autism symptomology - namely social communication difficulties - had a significant and positive relation with EF functioning. After controlling for hyperactivity and social communication skills, there were significant differences in EF domains with emotion regulation being the most negatively impacted. The severity of ADHD and autism symptoms is positively related to EF difficulties in autistic children. Specifically, greater levels of hyperactivity and social communication difficulties predict more EF challenges. Emotion regulation appears to be the EF skill most impacted. A significant association between cognitive functioning and EF was not found in this sample.