Urban environment and cognitive and motor function in children from four European birth cohorts

Abstract Background Early exposure to unhealthy lifestyles and environmental risk factors is known to affect health throughout the life-course. There is also evidence that the exposure patterns are influenced by the socioeconomic position (SEP). Methods We use the data of the Turin participants of the Italian NINFEA birth cohort (n∼2500) to study how family SEP drives the early life exposome. SEP at birth is measured through the EHII (Equivalized Household Income Indicator), while the exposome includes urban environment, diet and lifestyle exposures measured during infancy. We use standard regression models to evaluate the effect of EHII on each exposome variable accounting for multiple comparison and potential confounders (Drivers-Exposome Wide Association Study – DExWAS) and the hierarchical clustering on the principal components approach to identify groups with similar exposure pattern. Results The DExWAS show that low EHII is associated with lower consumption of fruit and vegetables, lower levels of NO2, building and facilities densities, traffic, walkability and connectivity index, higher land-use diversity index, and higher exposure to pets. The hierarchical cluster analysis identifies three groups, with subjects belonging to the cluster characterized by higher level of urban environment risk factors and a healthier diet having a higher mean EHII. Conclusions These SEP-early life exposome analyses will be replicated in several European birth cohorts participating in the H2020 ATHLETE and LifeCycle projects. Key messages In the Italian city of Turin children from low SEP family are exposed to higher levels of environmental risk factors and unhealthy lifestyles during infancy.

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Meta-analyses of cognitive and motor function in youth aged 16 years and younger who subsequently develop schizophrenia

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291711001693 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 743-755 ◽

Cited By ~ 110

Author(s):

H. Dickson ◽

K. R. Laurens ◽

A. E. Cullen ◽

S. Hodgins

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Mathematics Achievement ◽

Motor Function ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Motor Deficits ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

And Mathematics ◽

Meta Analyses

BackgroundPrevious reviews have reported cognitive and motor deficits in childhood and adolescence among individuals who later develop schizophrenia. However, these reviews focused exclusively on studies of individuals with affected relatives or on population/birth cohorts, incorporated studies with estimated measures of pre-morbid intelligence, or included investigations that examined symptomatic at-risk participants or participants 18 years or older. Thus, it remains unclear whether cognitive and motor deficits constitute robust antecedents of schizophrenia. Meta-analyses were conducted on published studies that examined cognitive or motor function in youth aged 16 years or younger who later developed schizophrenia or a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) and those who did not.MethodTwenty-three studies fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: (1) written in English; (2) prospective investigations of birth or genetic high-risk cohorts, or follow-back investigations of population samples; (3) objective measures of cognitive or motor performance at age 16 or younger; (4) results provided for individuals who did and who did not develop schizophrenia/SSD later in life; and (5) sufficient data to calculate effect sizes. Four domains of function were examined: IQ; Motor Function; General Academic Achievement; and Mathematics Achievement.ResultsMeta-analyses showed that, by age 16, individuals who subsequently developed schizophrenia/SSD displayed significant deficits in IQ (d=0.51) and motor function (d=0.56), but not in general academic achievement (d=0.25) or mathematics achievement (d=0.21). Subsidiary analysis indicated that the IQ deficit was present by age 13.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that deficits in IQ and motor performance precede the prodrome and the onset of illness.

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Urban Environment and Growth and Obesity in Preschool Children from Six European Birth Cohorts

ISEE Conference Abstracts ◽

10.1289/isee.2021.o-to-033 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Serena Fossati ◽

Sandra Marquez ◽

Charline Warembourg ◽

Xavier Basagaña ◽

Montserrat de Castro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Birth Cohorts

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Prevalence of Speech Problems and the Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Registry-Based Study in Norway

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication ◽

10.1044/aac19.1.12 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 12-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Guro Andersen ◽

Tone R. Mjøen ◽

Torstein Vik

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Motor Function ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Gross Motor Function ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Communicative Abilities ◽

Normal Speech

Abstract This study describes the prevalence of speech problems and the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Norway. Information on the communicative abilities of 564 children with CP born 1996–2003, recorded in the Norwegian CP Registry, was collected. A total of 270 children (48%) had normal speech, 90 (16%) had slightly indistinct speech, 52 (9%) had indistinct speech, 35 (6%) had very indistinct speech, 110 children (19%) had no speech, and 7 (1%) were unknown. Speech problems were most common in children with dyskinetic CP (92 %), in children with the most severe gross motor function impairments and among children being totally dependent on assistance in feeding or tube-fed children. A higher proportion of children born at term had speech problems when compared with children born before 32 weeks of gestational age 32 (p > 0.001). Among the 197 children with speech problems only, 106 (54%) used AAC in some form. Approximately 20% of children had no verbal speech, whereas ~15% had significant speech problems. Among children with either significant speech problems or no speech, only 54% used AAC in any form.

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