Greater Adolescent Cognitive Ability Linked to Lower Risk of Earlier Mortality

There have been few investigations of the role that adolescent cognitive ability might play in predicting physical resilience across the life course, including decreased risk of early mortality. Our limited knowledge of how multiple cognitive ability domains shape trajectories of longevity is due, in part, to a lack of aging cohorts with early life cognitive assessments, and family data that allow for examination of shared family and genetic characteristics that may play a role in cognitive ability-health links. We capitalized on data from the 1960 Project Talent high school cohort (n>360,000, born 1942-1946) and mortality data (n=22,584; 5,497 deceased) collected as part of two recent follow-ups, the Project Talent Twin & Sibling Study and the Project Talent Aging Study, to examine these potential associations. In 1960, ability was assessed in multiple cognitive domains (e.g., general aptitude, quantitative, reasoning). Mortality status was ascertained through 2016. Binary logistic generalized estimating equations with race, age, sex, and adolescent family SES covariates, indicated that each 1 standard deviation higher ability in multiple cognitive domains in adolescence predicted lower odds of earlier mortality (ORs of 0.79 - 0.87). Co-sibling control models indicated a similar pattern, suggesting that benefits associated with higher cognitive performance do not simply reflect shared environmental and genetic background, but may represent a direct protective effect. These findings indicate that better performance in multiple cognitive domains in adolescence, above and beyond the influence of genetic and family environmental factors, may be or point to modifiable protective factors against risk of early mortality.

Preterm birth and risk for language delays before school entry: A sibling-control study

We investigated whether children born preterm are at risk for language delay using a sibling-control design in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Participants included 26,769 siblings born between gestational weeks 23 and 42. Language delay was assessed when the children were 1.5, 3, and 5 years old. To adjust for familial risk factors, comparisons were conducted between preterm and full-term siblings. Pregnancy-specific risk factors were controlled for by means of observed variables. Findings showed that preterm children born before week 37 had increased risk for language delays at 1.5 years. At 3 and 5 years, only children born before week 34 had increased risk for language delay. Children born weeks 29–33 and before week 29 had increased risk for language delay at 1.5 years (RR = 4.51, 95% CI [3.45, 5.88]; RR = 10.32, 95% CI [6.7, 15.80]), 3 years (RR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.02, 2.21]; RR = 2.78, 95% CI [1.09, 7.07]), and 5 years (RR = 1.63, 95% CI [1.06, 2.51]; RR = 2.98, 95% CI [0.87, 10.26]), respectively. In conclusion, children born preterm are at risk for language delays, with familial confounders only explaining a moderate share of the association. This suggests a cause-effect relationship between early preterm birth and risk for language delay in preschool children.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with large temporal arachnoid cysts

OBJECTIVEManagement of children with large temporal arachnoid cysts (TACs) remains controversial, with limited data available on their neurodevelopmental outcome. The aim of this study was to examine neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with large TACs.METHODSIn this medical center–based cohort study, 25 patients (19 males) who were diagnosed in childhood with large TACs (9 patients [36%] with a Galassi type II and 16 patients [64%] with a Galassi type III TAC) were examined. The mean ± SD age at assessment was 11.1 ± 5.6 years (range 2.7–22 years). Twelve patients (48%) had right-sided, 12 (48%) had left-sided, and 1 (4%) had bilateral cysts. Nine patients (36%) underwent surgery for the cyst. The siblings of 21 patients (84%) served as control participants. Neurodevelopmental function was assessed using the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS), Vanderbilt Behavioral Rating Scale (VBRS), and Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), and quality of life was measured using the treatment-oriented screening questionnaire (TOSQ). The results of all instruments except for TOSQ were compared with those of the sibling control participants.RESULTSThe mean ± SD ABAS score of the patients was 93.3 ± 20.09 compared with 98.3 ± 18.04 of the sibling control participants (p = 0.251). Regarding the incidence of poor outcome (ABAS score < 80), there was a trend for more patients with TAC to have poor outcome than the sibling controls (p = 0.058). Patients who underwent surgery scored significantly worse with regard to the VBRS total score compared with those who did not (p = 0.020), but not on ABAS, DCD, or TOSQ. The mean score of the cognitive and psychological items on TOSQ was lower than that for the physical items (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSChildren with a large TAC performed similarly to their sibling control participants in neurodevelopmental function. However, a subgroup of those with cysts did have an increased risk for poor outcomes in general function. Neurodevelopmental assessment should be part of the management of all patients with TAC.