Cognitive flexibility in 12-month-old preterm and term infants is associated with neurobehavioural development in 18-month-olds

AbstractThere is growing evidence that preterm children are at an increased risk of poor executive functioning, which underlies behavioural and attention problems. Previous studies have suggested that early cognitive flexibility is a possible predictor of later executive function; however, how it develops in infancy and relates to the later neurobehavioural outcomes is still unclear in the preterm population. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study to investigate oculomotor response shifting in 27 preterm and 25 term infants at 12 months and its relationship with general cognitive development and effortful control, which is a temperamental aspect closely associated with executive function, at 18 months. We found that moderate to late preterm and term infants significantly inhibited previously rewarded look responses, while very preterm infants did not show significant inhibition of perseverative looking at 12 months. Moreover, lower inhibition of perseverative looking was significantly associated with lower general cognitive development and attentional shifting at 18 months. These findings suggest that the early atypical patterns of oculomotor response shifting may be a behavioural marker for predicting a higher risk of negative neurobehavioural outcomes, including attention-related problems in preterm children.

Download Full-text

Executive Function and IQ Predict Mathematical and Attention Problems in Very Preterm Children

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0055994 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. e55994 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

Cornelieke Sandrine Hanan Aarnoudse-Moens ◽

Nynke Weisglas-Kuperus ◽

Hugo Joseph Duivenvoorden ◽

Johannes Bernard van Goudoever ◽

Jaap Oosterlaan

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Attention Problems ◽

Preterm Children ◽

Very Preterm

Download Full-text

130 Executive Function and it's Impact on Mathematical Underachievement and Attention Problems in Very Preterm Children

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2012-302724.0130 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 97 (Suppl 2) ◽

pp. A36-A36

Author(s):

C. Aarnoudse-Moens ◽

N. Weisglas-Kuperus ◽

H. Duivenvoorden ◽

J. v. Goudoever ◽

J. Oosterlaan

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Attention Problems ◽

Preterm Children ◽

Very Preterm

Download Full-text

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, ADOLESCENCE AND DRUG ABUSE

International Journal of Bioscience and Medicine ◽

10.28933/ijbm-2020-03-1605 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 12

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Drug Abuse ◽

Cognitive Development

Download Full-text

Dissociating the Impact of Auditory Access and Language Access in Deaf Children’s Cognitive Development

The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies in Learning and Cognition ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190054045.013.19 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 98-122

Author(s):

Matthew L. Hall

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Implicit Learning ◽

Educational Practice ◽

Verbal Working Memory ◽

Psychological Theory ◽

Future Research ◽

Language Access ◽

The Impact

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children have been claimed to lag behind their hearing peers in various domains of cognitive development, especially in implicit learning, executive function, and working memory. Two major accounts of these deficits have been proposed: one based on a lack of auditory access, and one based on a lack of language access. This chapter reviews these theories in relation to the available evidence and concludes that there is little evidence of direct effects of diminished auditory access on cognitive development that could not also be explained by diminished language access. Specifically, reports of deficits in implicit learning are not broadly replicable. Some differences in executive function do stem from deafness itself but are not necessarily deficits. Where clinically relevant deficits in executive function are observed, they are inconsistent with the predictions of accounts based on auditory access, but consistent with accounts based on language access. Deaf–hearing differences on verbal working memory tasks may indicate problems with perception and/or language, rather than with working memory. Deaf–hearing differences on nonverbal tasks are more consistent with accounts based on language access, but much more study is needed in this area. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of these findings for psychological theory and for clinical/educational practice and by identifying high-priority targets for future research.

Download Full-text

Effects of Sport-Based Interventions on Children’s Executive Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11060755 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 755

Author(s):

Falonn Contreras-Osorio ◽

Christian Campos-Jara ◽

Cristian Martínez-Salazar ◽

Luis Chirosa-Ríos ◽

Darío Martínez-García

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Working Memory ◽

Executive Function ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Cognitive Flexibility ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The Impact

One of the most studied aspects of children’s cognitive development is that of the development of the executive function, and research has shown that physical activity has been demonstrated as a key factor in its enhancement. This meta-analysis aims to assess the impact of specific sports interventions on the executive function of children and teenagers. A systematic review was carried out on 1 November 2020 to search for published scientific evidence that analysed different sports programs that possibly affected executive function in students. Longitudinal studies, which assessed the effects of sports interventions on subjects between 6 and 18 years old, were identified through a systematic search of the four principal electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO. A total of eight studies, with 424 subjects overall, met the inclusion criteria and were classified based on one or more of the following categories: working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. The random-effects model for meta-analyses was performed with RevMan version 5.3 to facilitate the analysis of the studies. Large effect sizes were found in all categories: working memory (ES −1.25; 95% CI −1.70; −0.79; p < 0.0001); inhibitory control (ES −1.30; 95% CI −1.98; −0.63; p < 0.00001); and cognitive flexibility (ES −1.52; 95% CI −2.20; −0.83; p < 0.00001). Our analysis concluded that healthy children and teenagers should be encouraged to practice sports in order to improve their executive function at every stage of their development.

Download Full-text

Prevalence of small for gestational age infants in 21 cities in China, 2014–2019

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87127-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hui He ◽

Huazhang Miao ◽

Zhijiang Liang ◽

Ye Zhang ◽

Wei Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Health Information System ◽

Guangdong Province ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Term Infants ◽

Per Capita Gdp ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Per Capita ◽

Epidemiological Characteristics

AbstractInfants who are small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk of neonatal and infant death, non-communicable diseases and growth retardation. However, the epidemiological characteristics of SGA remain unclear. We aim to explore the prevalence of SGA and to examine its socioeconomic associations by using data from 21 cities. 10,515,494 single live birth records between 2014 and 2019 from the Guangdong Women and Children Health Information System were included in the study. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the prevalence trend of SGA and its distribution. We also analyze the associations between the prevalence of SGA and per-capita GDP. The prevalence of SGA in Guangdong Province from the years 2014–2019 was 13.17%, 12.96%, 11.96%, 12.72%, 11.45%, 11.30% respectively, and the overall prevalence was 12.28%. The prevalence of term SGA infants in Guangdong Province was 12.50%, which was much higher than that of preterm SGA (7.71%). There was a significant negative correlation between the SGA prevalence and per-capita GDP in 21 cities of Guangdong Province. The level of economic development may affect the prevalence of SGA. The prevalence of SGA in full term infants is significantly higher than in premature infants, suggesting that most SGA infants may be born at a later gestational age.

Download Full-text

Is executive dysfunction a risk marker or consequence of psychopathology? A test of executive function as a prospective predictor and outcome of general psychopathology in the adolescent brain cognitive development study®

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100994 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 100994

Author(s):

Adrienne L. Romer ◽

Diego A. Pizzagalli

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Risk Marker ◽

Development Study ◽

General Psychopathology

Download Full-text

Vaccinations in Infants Born Preterm: An Update

Current Pediatric Reviews ◽

10.2174/157339631666620011609445 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 148-155

Author(s):

Areti Aphrodite Sioriki ◽

Despoina Gkentzi ◽

Evangelia Papadimitriou ◽

Gabriel Dimitriou ◽

Ageliki Karatza

Keyword(s):

Preterm Infants ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Full Term ◽

Morbidity And Mortality ◽

Term Infants ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Protective Antibodies

Infants born prematurely (before completion of 37 weeks of gestation) are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to vaccine preventable diseases, mostly because of their immunological immaturity and failure of transfer of maternal protective antibodies. Despite their great need of being vaccinated, concerns on vaccine safety and efficacy, constitute the main reasons for which vaccinations are often delayed in this group. In this review we summarize the latest evidence on vaccine safety, efficacy and immunogenicity in preterm infants which is similar to full-term infants. Therefore there is no reason for delaying vaccination in this population.

Download Full-text

Abstract 36: Association of Parental Stroke with Cognitive and Brain MRI Measures in Offspring - The Framingham Heart Study

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.43.suppl_1.a36 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

GALIT WEINSTEIN ◽

Alexa Beiser ◽

Rhoda Au ◽

Charles DeCarli ◽

Philip A Wolf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Brain Mri ◽

Abstract Reasoning ◽

Parental History ◽

Brain Volumes ◽

Regional Brain ◽

Increased Risk ◽

History Of

Objectives- Parental stroke is related to an increased risk of stroke among the offspring. Vascular related brain changes, however, often occur before clinical stroke and the association of parental history of stroke and structural brain measures and cognition has not been fully explored. We hypothesized that prospectively verified parental stroke will be associated with increased vascular brain injury and poorer cognitive performance. Methods- A total of 1,297 Framingham offspring (mean age: 61 ± 9 years, 54% women) were studied. Of these, 9.9% had prospectively identified stroke in one or both parents before age 65. Volumetric brain MRI measures of total cerebral brain volume (TCBV), regional brain volumes, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), and covert brain infarcts (CBI) and performance on tests of verbal memory, abstract reasoning, verbal learning and visuospatial memory (VRd) were compared for offspring with and without parental history of stroke. All measures were assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally (mean duration of follow-up was 6.1±1.2 years). We used models adjusted only for age, sex, education and also additionally adjusted for vascular risk factors and for WMHV as an index of subclinical vascular brain injury. GEE models were used to adjust for sibling relationships among offspring. Results- Higher WMHV (β±SE=0.17±0.08;p=0.027) and lower VRd scores (β±SE=-0.80±0.34; p=0.017) at baseline were found in offspring with parental history of stroke. In addition, participants with parental stroke by age 65 years were more likely to be in the highest quintile of increase in WMHV (OR=1.87;p=0.04) as well as worsening executive function (Trails B-A) (OR:1.81;p=0.03). Parental stroke was not associated with total and regional brain volumes or with memory, abstract reasoning and verbal learning. Conclusions- In our community-based sample of middle-aged asymptomatic subjects, the occurrence of parental stroke by age 65 years is associated with higher baseline WMHV and with a more rapid increase in WMHV. Further, parental stroke is also associated with poorer performance on VRd and a decline in executive function. The effects on baseline WMH and VRd were substantial equivalent to 2.8 and 7 years of brain aging, respectively.

Download Full-text