scholarly journals A prospective study of associations between early fearfulness and perceptual sensitivity and later restricted and repetitive behaviours in infants with typical and elevated likelihood of autism

Autism ◽  
2022 ◽  
pp. 136236132110689
Author(s):  
Nisha Narvekar ◽  
Virginia Carter Leno ◽  
Greg Pasco ◽  
Mark H Johnson ◽  
Emily JH Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family History ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Perceptual Sensitivity ◽  
Repetitive Behaviours ◽  
Restricted Interests ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Communication Difficulties ◽  
History Of ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Restricted And Repetitive Behaviours

Autism is diagnosed based on social and communication difficulties, restricted and repetitive behaviours and sensory anomalies. Existing evidence indicates that anxiety and atypical sensory features are associated with restricted and repetitive behaviours, but cannot clarify the order of emergence of these traits. This study uses data from a prospective longitudinal study of infants with and without a family history of autism ( N = 247; Elevated Likelihood N = 170 and Typical Likelihood N = 77). Longitudinal cross-lag models tested bidirectional pathways between parent-rated infant fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity at 8, 14 and 24 months, and associations between these domains and parent-rated restricted and repetitive behaviours and social communication scores at 36 months. In addition to within-domain continuity, higher levels of fear/shyness at 14 months were associated with higher levels of perceptual sensitivity at 24 months. Higher levels of both fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity at 24 months were associated with greater restricted and repetitive behaviours and social communication scores at 36 months. Results demonstrate the directionality of developmental pathways between fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity in infancy and toddlerhood, but question theories that argue that these domains specifically underlie restricted and repetitive behaviours rather than autism. Identifying how early emerging anxiety and sensory behaviours relate to later autism is important for understanding pathways and developing targeted support for autistic children. Lay abstract Restricted interests and repetitive behaviours are central to the diagnosis of autism and can have profound effects on daily activities and quality of life. These challenges are also linked to other co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and sensory sensitivities. Here, we looked at whether early emerging signs of anxiety and sensory problems appear before symptoms of autism by studying infants with a family history of autism, as these infants are more likely to develop autism themselves. Studying infant siblings provides an opportunity for researchers to focus on early developmental markers of autism as these infants can be followed from birth. This study found that early infant signs of anxiety (e.g. fear/shyness) predicted later perceptual sensitivity, and those infants who scored higher on fear/shyness and sensitivity were more likely to experience more persistent repetitive behaviours, but also social and communication difficulties in toddlerhood. Early signs of anxiety and perceptual sensitivity may thus relate to both later social difficulties and repetitive behaviours. These findings support the importance of further research exploring the causal links between these domains in relation to autism, resulting in increased understanding of children who go onto develop autism in the future and guiding early interventions and supports.

The Israel Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (IRAP) Study: Design and Baseline Characteristics

2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 777-788
Author(s):  
Ramit Ravona-Springer ◽  
Inbal Sharvit-Ginon ◽  
Ithamar Ganmore ◽  
Lior Greenbaum ◽  
Barbara B. Bendlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family History ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Medical Diagnoses ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Health Related ◽  
History Of ◽  
Baseline Characteristics ◽  
E4 Allele ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

Background: Family history of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with increased dementia-risk. Objective: The Israel Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (IRAP) is a prospective longitudinal study of asymptomatic middle-aged offspring of AD patients (family history positive; FH+) and controls (whose parents have aged without dementia; FH–) aimed to unravel the contribution of midlife factors to future cognitive decline and dementia. Here we present the study design, methods, and baseline characteristics. Methods: Participants are members of the Maccabi Health Services, 40–65 years of age, with exquisitely detailed laboratory, medical diagnoses and medication data available in the Maccabi electronic medical records since 1998. Data collected through IRAP include genetic, sociodemographic, cognitive, brain imaging, lifestyle, and health-related characteristics at baseline and every three years thereafter. Results: Currently IRAP has 483 participants [mean age 54.95 (SD = 6.68) and 64.8% (n = 313) women], 379 (78.5%) FH+, and 104 (21.5%) FH–. Compared to FH–, FH+ participants were younger (p = 0.011), more often males (p = 0.003) and with a higher prevalence of the APOE E4 allele carriers (32.9% FH+, 22% FH–; p = 0.040). Adjusting for age, sex, and education, FH+ performed worse than FH–in global cognition (p = 0.027) and episodic memory (p = 0.022). Conclusion: Lower cognitive scores and higher rates of the APOE E4 allele carriers among the FH+ group suggest that FH ascertainment is good. The combination of long-term historical health-related data available through Maccabi with the multifactorial information collected through IRAP will potentially enable development of dementia-prevention strategies already in midlife, a critical period in terms of risk factor exposure and initiation of AD-neuropathology.

scholarly journals Associations between patterns in comorbid diagnostic trajectories of individuals with schizophrenia and etiological factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Dybdahl Krebs ◽  
Gonçalo Espregueira Themudo ◽  
Michael Eriksen Benros ◽  
Ole Mors ◽  
Anders D. Børglum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latent Factors ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Etiological Factors ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Danish Health ◽  
Stable Clusters ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Ordered Pairs

AbstractSchizophrenia is a heterogeneous disorder, exhibiting variability in presentation and outcomes that complicate treatment and recovery. To explore this heterogeneity, we leverage the comprehensive Danish health registries to conduct a prospective, longitudinal study from birth of 5432 individuals who would ultimately be diagnosed with schizophrenia, building individual trajectories that represent sequences of comorbid diagnoses, and describing patterns in the individual-level variability. We show that psychiatric comorbidity is prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia (82%) and multi-morbidity occur more frequently in specific, time-ordered pairs. Three latent factors capture 79% of variation in longitudinal comorbidity and broadly relate to the number of co-occurring diagnoses, the presence of child versus adult comorbidities and substance abuse. Clustering of the factor scores revealed five stable clusters of individuals, associated with specific risk factors and outcomes. The presentation and course of schizophrenia may be associated with heterogeneity in etiological factors including family history of mental disorders.

scholarly journals Autism as a Global Challenge: Examining the Increased Childhood Prevalence of Autism

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Hinbest ◽  
Linda Chmiliar
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Repetitive Behaviours ◽  
Language Deficits ◽  
Restricted Interests ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Communication Impairments

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a spectrum of conditions that are generally characterized by language deficits, restricted interests, social communication impairments, motor deficits, and repetitive behaviours. This paper examined the increased childhood prevalence of autism globally by analyzing studies conducted in specific countries through three underlying research aims. The aims are to determine the prevalence and diagnostic criteria of ASD within countries, to find out the international explanations for the increased prevalence of ASD, and to establish the extent of epidemiological consistencies between countries. Although the findings generally paint a picture of an increased ASD prevalence, researchers fail to agree on the reasons for this. Several countries that do not report this increase attribute the inconsistency to a lack of reliable studies. Further research is necessary to establish the link between cultural behaviours and beliefs to the prevalence rates, and also to provide a substantiated and definitive etiology of ASD.

scholarly journals Determinants of Antidepressant Treatment and Outpatient Rehabilitation Within the First Year After Stroke

2020 ◽  
pp. 089198872097374
Author(s):  
Simon Ladwig ◽  
Katja Werheid
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Antidepressant Treatment ◽  
Antidepressant Medication ◽  
Inpatient Rehabilitation ◽  
Outpatient Rehabilitation ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Individual Determinants ◽  
History Of ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

This study aims to identify individual determinants of antidepressant treatment and outpatient rehabilitation after stroke. People with ischemic stroke ( N = 303) recruited at 2 inpatient rehabilitation clinics were included into a prospective longitudinal study with follow-up telephone interviews 6 and 12 months later. Participants reported on their use of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy as well as physical, occupational, speech, and neuropsychological therapy. The use of antidepressants at discharge ( n = 65, 23.8%) was predicted by the severity of depressive symptoms, severity of stroke, history of depression, and use of antidepressants at admission (all p < .05, R 2= .55). The number of outpatient rehabilitation services used at follow-ups was predicted by higher functional and cognitive impairment, higher education, younger age, severity of depressive symptoms, and lower self-efficacy (all p < .05; R 2 6M = .24, R 2 12M = .49). The relevance of identified determinants for the improvement of treatment rates after stroke is discussed.

Intergenerational Continuity in Child Maltreatment: Explicating Underlying Mechanisms

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052091454
Author(s):  
Tiffany L. Martoccio ◽  
Lisa J. Berlin ◽  
Elizabeth M. Aparicio ◽  
Karen Appleyard Carmody ◽  
Kenneth A. Dodge
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Child Protective Services ◽  
Protective Services ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Physically Abused ◽  
Child Victimization ◽  
History Of ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physical and sexual abuse on her child’s officially reported victimization. This prospective, longitudinal study followed a community-based sample of 499 mothers and their children. Mothers (35% White/non-Latina, 34% Black/non-Latina, 23% Latina, and 7% other) were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy, and child protective services records were reviewed for the presence of the participants’ target child between birth and age 3.5. Whereas both types of maternal maltreatment history doubled the child’s risk of child protective services investigation, mothers’ sexual abuse history conferred significantly greater risk. Pathways to child victimization varied by type of maternal maltreatment history. Mothers who had been physically abused later demonstrated interpersonal aggressive response biases, which mediated the path to child victimization. In contrast, the association between maternal history of sexual abuse and child victimization was mediated by mothers’ substance use problems. Study implications center on targeting child maltreatment prevention efforts according to the mother’s history and current problems.

Exposure to Parental Alcoholism During Childhood and Outcome in Adulthood: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

1986 ◽  
Vol 149 (5) ◽  
pp. 584-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Beardslee ◽  
L. Son ◽  
G. E. Vaillant
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Parental Alcoholism ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
The Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Children’S Exposure

The effects of children's exposure to parental alcoholism was assessed using records from an existing prospective 40-year longitudinal study of working-class families: 176 men who had grown up with an alcoholic parent or parents were compared with 230 men without such exposure. Degree of exposure to alcoholism in the childhood family environment was highly correlated in later life with alcohol use, alcoholism, time in jail, sociopathy, and death, but not with increased rates of unemployment, poor physical health, or measures of adult ego functioning. Most of the impairments observed occurred in those subjects who actually developed alcoholism. Exposure to alcoholism in the family environment and family history of alcoholism independently contributed to the later development of alcoholism.

scholarly journals Diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of depressive disorders in a general hospital

2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Aurélio Cigognini ◽  
Letícia Maria Furlanetto
Keyword(s):  
Beck Depression Inventory ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Medical Inpatients ◽  
History Of ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

OBJECTIVE: To determine the point prevalence of depressive disorders in medical inpatients, to identify related sociodemographic and medical factors and to evaluate the psychotropic treatment given. METHOD: A cross-sectional study identifying the prevalence of depressive disorders and related factors combined with a prospective longitudinal study evaluating the psychopharmacological treatment were conducted. Medical inpatients, aged 18 years or older, presenting suitability to be interviewed and giving written informed consent were selected. The sample was composed of 125 subjects. The following instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire; the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview; and the Beck Depression Inventory. Data related to medical, personal and family histories of psychiatric disorders and psychotropic use were collected by interview and from patient charts. The study took place at the Hospital Santa Isabel, in Blumenau, located in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, from January to July of 2002. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorders was 26%. The factors that correlated with depressive disorders were being female, having an income lower than 3 times the minimum wage, having a personal history of depressive disorders, using psychotropic drugs, scoring higher than 13 on the Beck Depression Inventory and having been referred for a psychiatric consultation (p < 0.05). Only 43.8% of the individuals with depressive disorders received antidepressants. Most of the depressed patients were being treated with benzodiazepines (62.5%). The most frequently prescribed drugs were diazepam and fluoxetine. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-quarter of the medical inpatients had depressive disorders. However, antidepressants were prescribed for less than half of them. Women with a history of depression, using benzodiazepines and having a low income presented significantly higher rates of depressive disorders. Physicians should suspect depression in patients presenting such characteristics.

Comparison of foveal thickness in preschool children with a history of retinopathy of prematurity and laser photocoagulation or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment: a prospective, longitudinal study

2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2020-317284
Author(s):  
Yung-Sung Lee ◽  
Wee-Min Teh ◽  
Hsiao-Jung Tseng ◽  
Yih-Shiou Hwang ◽  
Chi-Chun Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽  
Intravitreal Bevacizumab ◽  
Type I ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Foveal Thickness ◽  
Aged Patients ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
History Of ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

AimsTo determine longitudinal differences in foveal thickness in preschool-aged patients with or without a history of type I retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).MethodsA study of 201 eyes, including 32 laser±intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB)-treated eyes, 37 IVB-treated eyes, 14 spontaneously regressed ROP eyes, and 118 age-matched controls were enrolled in this study. The retinal thicknesses (full, inner and outer) were measured in the foveal area at 6-month intervals four consecutive times by optical coherence tomography.ResultsThe foveal thicknesses among the four groups were similar at all four visits (all p>0.05) after gestational age (GA) adjustment and remained similar with no differences after the full retinal thickness was divided into inner and outer thicknesses (all p>0.05). The full and outer foveal thicknesses of premature children increased over time (0.17 μm/month and 0.17 μm/month; p=0.0001 and 0.0003, respectively), but the inner foveal thickness remained unchanged with time (0.002 μm/month; p=0.09). Moreover, the positive correlation with best-corrected visual acuity was stronger for outer foveal thickness than for inner foveal thickness (γ=0.281, p<0.0001 and γ=0.181, p<0.0001, respectively).ConclusionThe thickness of fovea in laser±IVB-treated, IVB-treated, regressed ROP and preterm eyes showed no difference after GA adjustment. The whole and outer foveal thicknesses increased with time in preschool-aged children over a 1.5-year follow-up period, but the inner foveal thickness remained unchanged with time.

Natural history of behavioural changes and psychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease

1999 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Hope ◽  
Janet Keene ◽  
Christopher G. Fairburn ◽  
Robin Jacoby ◽  
Rupert McShane
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Behavioural Changes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Behaviour Changes ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
State Examination

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease and other types of dementia are characterised by numerous psychiatric and behavioural changes. Little is known of their natural history.AimsTo investigate the sequence and pattern of these changes throughout the course of dementia.MethodOne hundred people, initially living at home with carers, entered a prospective, longitudinal study. At four-monthly intervals, behavioural and psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Present Behavioural Examination and Mini-Mental State Examination. Follow-up continued for up to nine years (mean 3.3 years; s.d. 2.4). Patterns of onset and disappearance of these symptoms, their sequence and association with time of death and cognitive decline were analysed. Autopsy confirmed a diagnosis of pure Alzheimer's disease in 48 subjects. Data for this subgroup are presented.ResultsSome changes tend to occur earlier than others but changes can occur at almost any time in the course of dementia.ConclusionsThe natural history of behaviour changes in Alzheimer's disease shows great individual variation although some changes tend to follow a recognisable sequence.

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