Highlights in this issue

Abstract

Mikael Norman reviews five aspects of vascular function and structure that can be involved: endothelial function, intima-media thickness, microvascular density and architecture, arterial dimensions and arterial elasticity. He concludes that there is clear evidence for changes in the vascular function and structure in human infants born small for gestational age and/or prematurely. However, we will wait for the underlying molecular mechanisms such as epigenetic modification and accelerated telomere ablation. (pp. 1165–1172) Samantha Butler and Heidelise Als argue for an urgent early intervention, already at a newborn stage. The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) is an intervention, which has been shown to improve the outcome not only medically but also behaviourally, as well as in brain function and structure. Neonatologists cannot any longer ignore the principles of NIDCAP care. (pp. 1173–1175) Immediate recognition of faces is very important for the social life of the child at kindergarten or school, as well as for the adult at the office or at the cocktail-party. Face blindness or prosopagnosia is a severe social handicap, which seems to be more common among ex-preterms. Recognition of faces is mediated by so-called grandmother neurons in the fusiform area of the temporal lobe. Jakob Carlsson et al. report how normal 6–8 months infants recognize their mothers (pp. 1221–1225). See also commentary by Tobias Grossmann Shedding light on infant brain function: the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the study of face perception. (pp. 1156–1158) Drugs have not been adequately tested in children. This has been recognized by the pharmaceutical authorities both in the United States and now recently also in the European Union. Chiara Pandolfini and Maurizio Bonati have reviewed the paediatric drug therapy trials from 2004 to 2007 in Europe and compared that with the priority lists set up by the European Medicine's Agency (EMEA). They report that in half of the countries of the European Union, only one or no trial was reported. There was a lack of trials on drugs against malignant diseases and asthma. (pp. 1232–1237).