Child Neuropsychology最新文献

The current study investigated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, within-network resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC), and alcohol use during adolescence using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence study (NCANDA; N = 687). Significant rs-FC differences emerged that linked participant ACEs, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol use problems. Participants with ACEs compared to those without had diminished rs-FC within the default mode, salience, and medial frontoparietal networks (p ≤ 0.005). Further reduction in rs-FC within the default mode and medial frontoparietal networks (p ≤ 0.005) was found when PTSD symptoms were present in addition to ACEs. Findings suggest that PTSD symptoms are associated with lower within network rs-FC beyond exposure to ACEs, and some of these rs-FC changes were associated with worsened alcohol use problems (i.e. withdrawal symptoms). These findings highlight the importance of addressing PTSD symptoms in adolescents with a history of ACEs as it may mitigate problematic changes in brain connectivity and reduce the risk of developing alcohol use problems.

Fetal inflammation, typically measured indirectly through prenatal maternal cytokine markers, has been shown to impact early childhood executive functions (EFs), which are central to later cognitive and life outcomes. Here, we assessed the impact of prenatal inflammation on EF developmental trajectories using direct placenta histopathology measures in 131 mothers who predominantly self-identified as Black (90.8% Black; 0.8% Asian American, 1.5% biracial, 0.8% Latinx, 3.1% White, 3.1% Missing). We found that placental measures of inflammation were associated with limited gain in EF development from 3 to 5 years old. In follow up analyses, we addressed whether screening questionnaires in infancy might aid in classification of infants as higher risk for subsequent EF problems. We found that parent responses to the Ages & Stages Questionnaire and the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile at 12 months predict the development of EF abilities in children exposed to chronic inflammation. These findings open promising opportunities for early screening of children at risk for poor executive functioning in children exposed to prenatal inflammation.

Youth with spina bifida (SB) are at increased risk for inattention and executive dysfunction challenges. This study aimed to characterize the development of inattention and executive dysfunction in SB and examine the relationship between condition severity (i.e. lesion level, shunt status, and shunt revisions) and inattention and executive dysfunction at age 11.5 and longitudinally. Participants included 140 youth with SB. Condition severity was collected via parent reports and chart review. Parents and teachers reported on youth's inattention and executive dysfunction using informant-based measures across five time points. Parents and teachers both reported linear decreases in inhibition and working memory problems. Development of inattention and shifting problems varied by reporter. At 11.5 years, shunt status predicted worse parent- and teacher-reported inattention and executive dysfunction, while shunt revisions predicted worse parent-reported working memory alone. Higher lesion level predicted fewer parent-reported inhibition problems at 11.5 years. Over time, more shunt revisions and higher lesion level predicted worse parent-reported inattention and inhibition, respectively. Findings suggest that inattention and executive dysfunction may significantly change over time in youth with SB, related to condition severity and reporter. Early deficit identification and intervention implementation, particularly for youth with greater SB severity, may result in better longitudinal outcomes.

This study aimed to assess the extent of cognitive impairment in children and adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). While cognitive deficits are recognized in other systemic rheumatic diseases, exploration within the pediatric JIA population remains limited. The investigation utilized a comprehensive approach to examine neuropsychological test performance. A cohort of 160 participants (79 JIA, 81 healthy controls aged 8-17) underwent evaluations using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and the computerized neurocognitive test battery Central Nervous System Vital Signs (CNSVS). Children with JIA exhibited statistically significant cognitive deficits across various parameters (p < .05). This was associated with an increased prevalence of lifelong psychiatric illnesses and diminished overall quality of life compared to healthy counterparts (p < .05). Analysis highlighted that specific JIA subtypes, excluding Oligoarthritis, significantly elevated the risk of neurocognitive impairments, emphasizing the impact on various cognitive outcomes (OR range: 3.1-5.1, 95% CI: 1.163-19.980). Additionally, the active disease stage was identified as a specific risk factor, amplifying the likelihood of low executive functions by 4.3 times (OR: 4.363, 95% CI: 1.095-17.378). This study underscores the critical importance of recognizing and addressing neurocognitive impairments in children with JIA. Specific attention to disease subtypes and activity levels is crucial, with the potential for targeted interventions to enhance overall cognitive well-being and quality of life in this vulnerable population.

This study investigated differences in prospective memory between children with nonverbal learning disabilities and typically developing children using a color matching task and a multinomial processing tree model. Additionally, it examines how trait anxiety and state anxiety influence the internal components of prospective memory in children with nonverbal learning disabilities. The results of this study were as follows. (1) Compared with typically developing children, children with nonverbal learning disabilities exhibited deficits in prospective memory; specifically, the multinomial processing tree model revealed that children with nonverbal learning disabilities presented significant impairments in the prospective component. (2) Children with nonverbal learning disabilities presented significantly higher levels of trait anxiety than typically developing children did, but there was no significant correlation between trait anxiety and prospective memory performance. (3) Under state anxiety, children with nonverbal learning disabilities performed significantly worse in prospective memory tasks than typically developing children did. (4) Children with nonverbal learning disabilities exhibit significantly worse prospective memory performance under state anxiety than under neutral and positive emotional states. These findings suggest that deficits in prospective memory among children with nonverbal learning disabilities are due to impairments in the prospective component. Coexisting trait anxiety and state anxiety significantly impaired attentional resources (i.e., prospective components), thereby leading to worse prospective memory performance. However, trait anxiety alone did not significantly affect prospective memory performance. This study found that children with nonverbal learning disabilities had significant impairments in prospective memory, especially in the prospective component, compared to typically developing children.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in children. According to developmental literature findings, there is a link between executive function (EF) and ADHD. Although EF deficits vary across ADHD presentations in children, working memory capacity is commonly associated with attention impairments. Notably, deficits in working memory capacity are also observed in frequent mind wandering reports for typically developing children. Mind wandering is shifting attention away from a current task to an unrelated thought. To explore the relationship between EF and mind wandering in children with ADHD (n = 47) and further compare our current sample to a typically developing (control) group from a previous study (n = 47), all participants completed three EF-related tasks. They concurrently reported if they were on task or mind wandering. Our results indicate better short-term memory capacity predicted lower mind wandering frequency in children who reported high levels of ADHD symptoms. Similar trends were observed for working memory capacity and ADHD symptomatology. Children with ADHD also reported more overall and unintentional mind wandering on questionnaires compared to children without ADHD. However, the relationship between EF and mind wandering did not differ between these groups. The current study suggests memory-related cognitive abilities may inform our understanding and management of mind wandering in children, driving the development of interventions targeting attention regulation.

The aim of this study was to examine the concordance between parental and self-rated and performance-based tests of executive function in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A secondary aim was to explore how this concordance is related to parents' self-rated life satisfaction and status as a carrier mother versus non-carrier mother. In a cross-sectional study design, 70 boys with DMD, aged 5-14, and their parents were included. Results indicated no significant correlation between performance-based measures and parental or self-rated assessments of executive function (EF). However, parents with low life satisfaction and/or carrier status rated their child's EF skills significantly lower. But self-rated life satisfaction did not correlate with status as a carrier mother or the performance-based measures of the boys' and the boys' performance-based EF skills did not correlate with either their parents' life satisfaction or status as a carrier mother. These findings indicate that the two sources of information may not measure the same construct. One possible explanation for this is that our data supports the framework of hot and cold executive function (EF) skills and that these EF skills must be identified using different methods. Another possible explanation could be that parental ratings of child EF skills may also include measurement of carrier burden, parents EF skills, and the families' abilities for psychosocial adjustments in everyday life.

This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised (HTKS-R) as a measure of self-regulation in Brazilian children aged 3-5. The early childhood period is crucial for laying the foundations for personal, social and cognitive functioning, influencing development throughout life. Self-regulation, a malleable construct, plays a vital role in academic performance and behaviors throughout life. The HTKS-R, a widely used measure, assesses behavioral self-regulation, including cognitive flexibility, working memory and inhibitory control. The study included 379 children between the ages of 3 and 5 from a variety of backgrounds. Data were collected using the HTKS-R, a standardized self-report measure that integrates executive functions into a game to assess self-regulation. Exploratory Graphical Analysis (EGA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed to analyze the data. The results of the EGA and BootEGA indicated a unidimensional structure for the HTKS-R, confirming its internal consistency and stability. The CFA supported the fit of the unidimensional model, demonstrating the test's construct validity. The HTKS-R showed factorial invariance between genders. The results suggest that the HTKS-R is a reliable and valid measure of self-regulation in Brazilian children aged 3-5. The applicability of the test in different age groups and environments provides valuable information about children's self-regulation skills. The study contributes to the literature by validating the HTKS-R in the Brazilian context and highlights its potential for assessing self-regulation in diverse populations.

While several rating scales reliably and cost-effectively assess behavioral executive functioning (EF) in youths with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), questions remain about the impact of comorbidities and dual NDDs on EF as measured by these scales in clinical samples. This study compared behavioral EF profiles among youths with NDDs, both with and without psychiatric comorbidities, non-NDDs (e.g. anxiety), and controls, as well as youths with single versus dual NDDs. The comparisons were made using the Swedish version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-2) parent form. Participants included 79 youths (mean [SD] age 12.1 [3.0]; 50.6% girls) diagnosed with various psychiatric conditions, and 151 matched controls (mean [SD] age 12.4 [2.8]; 51.7% girls). Results showed significant differences with very large effect sizes in all behavioral EF domains among youths with NDDs, regardless of whether they had non-NDD psychiatric comorbidities, compared to youths with non-NDDs or controls. The latter two groups differed in six of eight behavioral EF domains, with the Shift domain showing the largest effect size (Cohen's d = 0.94). Surprisingly, no significant differences were found between the NDD-only group and the NDD group with non-NDD psychiatric comorbidities. Youths with dual NDDs had more deficits in four of the nine behavioral EF domains compared to those with a single NDD, with the Shift domain again showing the largest effect size (Cohen's d = 0.91). This study highlights the essential role of NDD in distinguishing clinically significant parent-rated behavioral EF deficits in youths, regardless of other psychiatric diagnoses.

Children born very preterm (<32 gestational weeks and/or birth weight ≤1500 g) are at elevated risk for reading difficulties. This study aimed to investigate reading fluency and reading comprehension at 11 and to analyze the associations between literacy skills at 7 and reading skills at 11 in 134 Finnish-speaking very preterm children. At 11, reading fluency and reading comprehension were evaluated. At 7, pre-reading skills, decoding, and writing were assessed. Results showed that there were more preterm children with weak skills in reading fluency compared to a normative test population. Reading comprehension was age appropriate. Additionally, 62% to 68% of the children with weak literacy skills at 7 had weak reading fluency at 11, compared to those with more advanced skills (43% to 33%, p < 0.001 to 0.026). Respectively, 30% to 50% of the children with weak literacy at 7 had weak reading comprehension at 11 compared to those with more advanced skills (13% to 17%, p < 0.001 to 0.005). Findings highlight the importance of screening reading fluency until 11 years and providing support for the continuum between literacy skills in the beginning of schooling and reading outcome at later school age.