scholarly journals Neuroinflammation and Brain Development: Possible Risk Factors in COVID-19-Infected Children

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Luana da Silva Chagas ◽  
Poliana Capucho Sandre ◽  
Patricia Coelho de Velasco ◽  
Henrique Marcondes ◽  
Natalia Cristina Aparecida Ribeiro e Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Autoimmune Hypothyroidism ◽  
Inflammatory Syndrome ◽  
Nutritional Imbalance ◽  
Synaptic Pruning

COVID-19, a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) betacoronavirus, affects children in a different way than it does in adults, with milder symptoms. However, several cases of neurological symptoms with neuroinflammatory syndromes, such as the multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), following mild cases, have been reported. As with other viral infections, such as rubella, influenza, and cytomegalovirus, SARS-CoV-2 induces a surge of proinflammatory cytokines that affect microglial function, which can be harmful to brain development. Along with the viral induction of neuroinflammation, other noninfectious conditions may interact to produce additional inflammation, such as the nutritional imbalance of fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Additionally, transient thyrotoxicosis induced by SARS-CoV-2 with secondary autoimmune hypothyroidism has been reported, which could go undetected during pregnancy. Together, those factors may pose additional risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection impacting mechanisms of neural development such as synaptic pruning and neural circuitry formation. The present review discusses those conditions in the perspective of the understanding of risk factors that should be considered and the possible emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders in COVID-19-infected children.

scholarly journals Fetal and Neonatal Levels of Omega-3: Effects on Neurodevelopment, Nutrition, and Growth

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Rombaldi Bernardi ◽  
Renata de Souza Escobar ◽  
Charles Francisco Ferreira ◽  
Patrícia Pelufo Silveira
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Dietary Nutrients

Nutrition in pregnancy, during lactation, childhood, and later stages has a fundamental influence on overall development. There is a growing research interest on the role of key dietary nutrients in fetal health. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) play an important role in brain development and function. Evidence from animal models of dietary n-3 LCPUFAs deficiency suggests that these fatty acids promote early brain development and regulate behavioral and neurochemical aspects related to mood disorders (stress responses, depression, and aggression and growth, memory, and cognitive functions). Preclinical and clinical studies suggest the role of n-3 LCPUFAs on neurodevelopment and growth. n-3 LCPUFAs may be an effective adjunctive factor for neural development, growth, and cognitive development, but further large-scale, well-controlled trials and preclinical studies are needed to examine its clinical mechanisms and possible benefits. The present paper discusses the use of n-3 LCPUFAs during different developmental stages and the investigation of different sources of consumption. The paper summarizes the role of n-3 LCPUFAs levels during critical periods and their effects on the children’s neurodevelopment, nutrition, and growth.

Postnatal Brain Development

2013 ◽  
pp. 128-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie C. Markant ◽  
Kathleen M. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Postnatal Brain ◽  
Significant Development ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Synaptic Pruning ◽  
New Discovery

While key aspects of neural development occur prenatally in humans, the brain continues to show significant development postnatally. In this chapter, we review several aspects of brain development that continue well into childhood and adolescence. First, we discuss the continued sculpting of synaptic connections, including the extension of axons and dendrites, neurotransmitter function, synaptic pruning, and myelination. Second, we examine noninvasive indices of structural brain development, including regional volume and connectivity in the brain that may be more easily linked to changes in child behavior across development. Third, we briefly discuss broad developmental changes in functional activity of the brain and connectivity across regions. Finally, we discuss the evidence for postnatal neurogenesis, a relatively new discovery in postnatal brain development. We conclude that although prenatal events of brain development are critical, postnatal sculpting of the brain continues to play a central role in individual differences in behavior and developmental change.

scholarly journals Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results From an Italian Multicenter Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Garazzino ◽  
Andrea Lo Vecchio ◽  
Luca Pierantoni ◽  
Francesca Ippolita Calò Carducci ◽  
Federico Marchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Prognostic Factors ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Italian Study ◽  
Family Doctors ◽  
Icu Admission ◽  
Pediatric Hospitals ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Inflammatory Syndrome

Background: Many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remain unclear and optimal treatment is debated. The objective of our study was to investigate epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on risk factors for complicated and critical disease.Methods: The present multicenter Italian study was promoted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, involving both pediatric hospitals and general pediatricians/family doctors. All subjects under 18 years of age with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection and referred to the coordinating center were enrolled from March 2020.Results: As of 15 September 2020, 759 children were enrolled (median age 7.2 years, IQR 1.4; 12.4). Among the 688 symptomatic children, fever was the most common symptom (81.9%). Barely 47% of children were hospitalized for COVID-19. Age was inversely related to hospital admission (p < 0.01) and linearly to length of stay (p = 0.014). One hundred forty-nine children (19.6%) developed complications. Comorbidities were risk factors for complications (p < 0.001). Viral coinfections, underlying clinical conditions, age 5–9 years and lymphopenia were statistically related to ICU admission (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Complications of COVID-19 in children are related to comorbidities and increase with age. Viral co-infections are additional risk factors for disease progression and multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporarily related to COVID-19 (MIS-C) for ICU admission.

Stress, Cortisol and Suicide Risk

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl Brian O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Global Health Issue ◽  
History Of ◽  
Hpa Axis Activity ◽  
The Impact

Suicide is a global health issue accounting for at least 800,000 deaths per annum. Numerous models have been proposed that differ in their emphasis on the role of psychological, social, psychiatric and neurobiological factors in explaining suicide risk. Central to many models is a stress-diathesis component which states that suicidal behavior is the result of an interaction between acutely stressful events and a susceptibility to suicidal behavior (a diathesis). This article presents an overview of studies that demonstrate that stress and dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, as measured by cortisol levels, are important additional risk factors for suicide. Evidence for other putative stress-related suicide risk factors including childhood trauma, impaired executive function, impulsivity and disrupted sleep are considered together with the impact of family history of suicide, perinatal and epigenetic influences on suicide risk.

Prevalence and prognostic impact of left ventricular systolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
T.J Jernberg ◽  
E.O Omerovic ◽  
E.H Hamilton ◽  
K.L Lindmark ◽  
L.D Desta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Reperfusion Therapy ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Funding Source ◽  
Additional Risk Factor ◽  
Additional Risk

Abstract Background Left ventricular dysfunction after an acute myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with poor outcome. The PARADISE-MI trial is examining whether an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor reduces the risk of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure (HF) in this population. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and prognosis of different subsets of post-MI patients in a real-world setting. Additionally, the prognostic importance of some common risk factors used as risk enrichment criteria in the PARADISE-MI trial were specifically examined. Methods In a nationwide myocardial infarction registry (SWEDEHEART), including 87 177 patients with type 1 MI between 2011–2018, 3 subsets of patients were identified in the overall MI cohort (where patients with previous HF were excluded); population 1 (n=27 568 (32%)) with signs of acute HF or an ejection fraction (EF) <50%, population 2 (n=13 038 (15%)) with signs of acute HF or an EF <40%, and population 3 (PARADISE-MI like) (n=11 175 (13%)) with signs of acute HF or an EF <40% and at least one risk factor (Age ≥70, eGFR <60, diabetes mellitus, prior MI, atrial fibrillation, EF <30%, Killip III-IV and STEMI without reperfusion therapy). Results When all MIs, population 1 (HF or EF <50%), 2 (HF or EF <40%) and 3 (HF or EF <40% + additional risk factor (PARADISE-MI like)) were compared, the median (IQR) age increased from 70 (61–79) to 77 (70–84). Also, the proportion of diabetes (22% to 33%), STEMI (38% to 50%), atrial fibrillation (10% to 24%) and Killip-class >2 (1% to 7%) increased. After 3 years of follow-up, the cumulative probability of death or readmission because of heart failure in the overall MI population and in population 1 to 3 was 17.4%, 26.9%, 37.6% and 41.8%, respectively. In population 2, all risk factors were independently associated with death or readmission because of HF (Age ≥70 (HR (95% CI): 1.80 (1.66–1.95)), eGFR <60 (1.62 (1.52–1.74)), diabetes mellitus (1.35 (1.26–1.44)), prior MI (1.16 (1.07–1.25)), atrial fibrillation (1.35 (1.26–1.45)), EF <30% (1.69 (1.58–1.81)), Killip III-IV (1.34 (1.19–1.51)) and STEMI without reperfusion therapy (1.34 (1.21–1.48))) in a multivariable Cox regression analysis. The risk increased with increasing number of risk factors (Figure 1). Conclusion Depending on definition, post MI HF is present in 13–32% of all MI patients and is associated with a high risk of subsequent death or readmission because of HF. The risk increases significantly with every additional risk factor. There is a need to optimize management and improve outcomes for this high risk population. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): Novartis

scholarly journals Proportion and risk factors for death by euthanasia in dogs in the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Pegram ◽  
Carol Gray ◽  
Rowena M. A. Packer ◽  
Ysabelle Richards ◽  
David B. Church ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Clinical Factors ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Regression Modelling ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Logistic Regression Modelling

AbstractThe loss of a pet can be particularly distressing for owners, whether the method of death is euthanasia or is unassisted. Using primary-care clinical data, this study aimed to report the demographic and clinical factors associated with euthanasia, relative to unassisted death, in dogs. Method of death (euthanasia or unassisted) and clinical cause of death were extracted from a random sample of 29,865 dogs within the VetCompass Programme from a sampling frame of 905,544 dogs under UK veterinary care in 2016. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to evaluate associations between risk factors and method of death. Of the confirmed deaths, 26,676 (89.3%) were euthanased and 2,487 (8.3%) died unassisted. After accounting for confounding factors, 6 grouped-level disorders had higher odds in euthanased dogs (than dogs that died unassisted), using neoplasia as the baseline. The disorders with greatest odds included: poor quality of life (OR 16.28), undesirable behaviour (OR 11.36) and spinal cord disorder (OR 6.00). Breed, larger bodyweight and increasing age were additional risk factors for euthanasia. The results highlight that a large majority of owners will face euthanasia decisions and these findings can support veterinarians and owners to better prepare for such an eventuality.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in Children: Expressions of Type I/II/III Interferons, TRIM28, SETDB1, and Endogenous Retroviruses in Mild and Severe Cases

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7481
Author(s):  
Pier-Angelo Tovo ◽  
Silvia Garazzino ◽  
Valentina Daprà ◽  
Giulia Pruccoli ◽  
Cristina Calvi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infections ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
Type I ◽  
Human Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
Moderate Disease ◽  
Amplification Assay ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Inducible Genes ◽  
Inflammatory Syndrome

Children with the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have milder symptoms and a better prognosis than adult patients. Several investigations assessed type I, II, and III interferon (IFN) signatures in SARS-CoV-2 infected adults, however no data are available for pediatric patients. RIM28 and SETDB1 regulate the transcription of multiple genes involved in the immune response as well as of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). Exogenous viral infections can trigger the activation of HERVs, which in turn can induce inflammatory and immune reactions. Despite the potential cross-talks between SARS-CoV-2 infection and TRIM28, SETDB1, and HERVs, information on their expressions in COVID-19 patients is lacking. We assessed, through a PCR real time Taqman amplification assay, the transcription levels of six IFN-I stimulated genes, IFN-II and three of its sensitive genes, three IFN-lIIs, as well as of TRIM28, SETDB1, pol genes of HERV-H, -K, and -W families, and of env genes of Syncytin (SYN)1, SYN2, and multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MRSV) in peripheral blood from COVID-19 children nd in control uninfected subjects. Higher expression levels of IFN-I and IFN-II inducible genes were observed in 36 COVID-19-infected children with mild or moderate disease as compared to uninfected controls, whereas their concentrations decreased in 17 children with severe disease and in 11 with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). Similar findings were found for the expression of TRIM-28, SETDB1, and every HERV gene. Positive correlations emerged between the transcriptional levels of type I and II IFNs, TRIM28, SETDB1, and HERVs in COVID-19 patients. IFN-III expressions were comparable in each group of subjects. This preserved induction of IFN-λs could contribute to the better control of the infection in children as compared to adults, in whom IFN-III deficiency has been reported. The upregulation of IFN-I, IFN-II, TRIM28, SETDB1, and HERVs in children with mild symptoms, their declines in severe cases or with MIS-C, and the positive correlations of their transcription in SARS-CoV-2-infected children suggest that they may play important roles in conditioning the evolution of the infection.

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