Brain Development In Children Research Articles

Socioeconomic factors, sleep timing and duration, and amygdala resting-state functional connectivity in children.

Reduced sleep health has been consistently linked with increased negative emotion in children. While sleep characteristics have been associated with neural function in adults and adolescents, much less is known about these associations in children while considering socioeconomic context. In this study, we examined the associations among socioeconomic factors, sleep duration and timing, and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala in children. Participants were typically-developing 5- to 9-year-olds from socioeconomically diverse families (61% female; N = 94). Parents reported on children's weekday and weekend bedtimes and wake-up times, which were used to compute sleep duration and midpoint. Analyses focused on amygdala-anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) connectivity followed by amygdala-whole brain connectivity. Lower family income-to-needs ratio and parental education were significantly associated with later weekday and weekend sleep timing and shorter weekday sleep duration. Shorter weekday sleep duration was associated with decreased amygdala-ACC and amygdala-insula connectivity. Later weekend sleep midpoint was associated with decreased amygdala-paracingulate cortex and amygdala-postcentral gyrus connectivity. Socioeconomic factors were indirectly associated with connectivity in these circuits via sleep duration and timing. These results suggest that socioeconomic disadvantage may interfere with both sleep duration and timing, in turn possibly altering amygdala connectivity in emotion processing and regulation circuits in children. Effective strategies supporting family economic conditions may have benefits for sleep health and brain development in children.

Associations between the social environment and early childhood developmental outcomes of Puerto Rican children with prenatal Zika virus exposure: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPrenatal exposure to the Zika virus can lead to microcephaly and adverse developmental outcomes, even in children without evident birth defects. The social environment plays a crucial role in infant health and developmental trajectories, especially during periods of heightened brain plasticity. The study aimed to assess socioenvironmental factors as predictors of developmental outcomes of 36-month-old children exposed to Zika virus prenatally.Study designThis cross-sectional study included 53 mothers and 55 children enrolled in the Pediatric Outcomes of Prenatal Zika Exposure cohort study in Puerto Rico. The study performs follow-up developmental assessments of children born to mothers with confirmed and probable Zika virus infection during pregnancy. Mothers completed socioenvironmental questionnaires (e.g., Perceived Neighborhood Scale and US Household Food Insecurity Survey). Children’s developmental outcomes were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development: Third Edition, the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Third Edition, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Socioemotional: Second Edition, and the Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale.ResultsLinear regression models, adjusting for a child’s sex and age and maternal education, revealed that early life exposure to food insecurity and maternal pregnancy stressors were significantly associated with poorer developmental outcomes in Zika virus-exposed children at 36 months of age. Maternal resilience representation of adaptive ability was associated with the preservation of adequate developmental outcomes in children.ConclusionsPregnancy and early childhood are critical life periods for ensuring optimal brain development in children. While the mechanisms in the interaction of children with their environment are complex, the risk and protective factors identified in the study are modifiable through public policy and preventive initiatives. Implementation of comprehensive strategies that improve access to social support programs, educational and nutritional interventions, and mental health services during pregnancy and early childhood can enhance the developmental potential of vulnerable children.

Examining longitudinal associations between prenatal exposure to infections and child brain morphology

BackgroundMaternal infection during pregnancy has been identified as a prenatal risk factor for the later development of psychopathology in exposed offspring. Neuroimaging data collected during childhood has suggested a link between prenatal exposure to maternal infection and child brain structure and function, potentially offering a neurobiological explanation for the emergence of psychopathology. Additionally, preclinical studies utilizing repeated measures of neuroimaging data suggest that effects of prenatal maternal infection on the offspring’s brain may normalize over time (i.e., catch-up growth). However, it remains unclear whether exposure to prenatal maternal infection in humans is related to long-term differential neurodevelopmental trajectories. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association between prenatal exposure to infections on child brain development over time using repeated measures MRI data. MethodsWe leveraged data from a population-based cohort, Generation R, in which we examined prospectively assessed self-reported infections at each trimester of pregnancy (N = 2,155). We further used three neuroimaging assessments (at mean ages 8, 10 and 14) to obtain cortical and subcortical measures of the offspring’s brain morphology with MRI. Hereafter, we applied linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for several confounding factors, to estimate the association of prenatal maternal infection with child brain development over time. ResultsWe found that prenatal exposure to infection in the third trimester was associated with a slower decrease in volumes of the pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and a faster increase in the middle temporal gyrus. In the temporal pole we observed a divergent pattern, specifically showing an increase in volume in offspring exposed to more infections compared to a decrease in volume in offspring exposed to fewer infections. We further observed associations in other frontal and temporal lobe structures after exposure to infections in any trimester, though these did not survive multiple testing correction. ConclusionsOur results suggest that prenatal exposure to infections in the third trimester may be associated with slower age-related growth in the regions: pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and faster age-related growth in the middle temporal gyrus across childhood, suggesting a potential sensitive period. Our results might be interpreted as an extension of longitudinal findings from preclinical studies, indicating that children exposed to prenatal infections could exhibit catch-up growth. However, given the lack of differences in brain volume between various infection groups at baseline, there may instead be either a longitudinal deviation or a subtle temporal deviation. Subsequent well-powered studies that extend into the period of full brain development (∼25 years) are needed to confirm whether the observed phenomenon is indeed catch-up growth, a longitudinal deviation, or a subtle temporal deviation.

NIDA starts new study, at infancy, complementary to ABCD

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a new study underway, designed to look at how environmental exposures, especially to opioids and other drugs, affect infant and child brain development. The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study recruits pregnant women to study their infants from birth. NIDA is conducting this study as part of the multi‐agency Helping to End Addiction Long‐term (HEAL) Initiative of the National Institutes of Health (see ADAW https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.32345).

Prenatal Vitamin B12 and Children's Brain Development and Cognitive, Language and Motor Outcomes: A Scoping Review.

Adequate maternal nutrient intake of vitamin B12 is critical to fetal brain development and subsequent neurodevelopmental outcomes. We conducted a scoping review to map the current state of knowledge from human epidemiological studies on the associations between maternal vitamin B12 during pregnancy and children's brain, cognitive, language, and motor development to identify gaps in the literature and suggest directions for future research. PubMed and OVID MEDLINE were searched. Search terms were vitamin B12, prenatal or maternal, neurodevelopment or cognitive development or brain. Animal studies were excluded. In total, 148 publications were identified, of which 19 met our inclusion criteria: (1) maternal vitamin B12 assessed via a measure of status, dietary intake, supplementation, or deficiency; and (2) an outcome related to brain development or cognitive, language, or motor development in children less than 18 years of age was assessed. This scoping review suggests that evidence supporting a relationship between maternal vitamin B12 during pregnancy and children's neurodevelopmental outcomes is inconclusive. Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify the effects of maternal vitamin B12 supplementation, status, and intake on children's brain development and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Probabilistic risk assessment of dietary exposure to lead in residents of Guangzhou, China

Lead and its compounds can have cumulative harmful effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, and other systems, and especially affect the brain development of children. We collected 4918 samples from 15 food categories in 11 districts of Guangzhou, China, from 2017 to 2022, to investigate the extent of lead contamination in commercial foods and assess the health risk from dietary lead intake of the residents. Lead was measured in the samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Dietary exposure to lead was calculated based on the food consumption survey of Guangzhou residents in 2011, and the health risk of the population was evaluated using the margin of exposure (MOE) method. Lead was detected in 76.5% of the overall samples, with an average lead content of 29.4 µg kg−1. The highest lead level was found in bivalves. The mean daily dietary lead intakes were as follows: 0.44, 0.34, 0.25, and 0.28 µg kg−1 body weight (bw) day−1 for groups aged 3–6, 7–17, 18–59, and ≥ 60 years, respectively. Rice and rice products, leafy vegetables, and wheat flour and wheat products were identified as the primary sources of dietary lead exposure, accounting for 73.1%. The MOE values demonstrated the following tendency: younger age groups had lower MOEs, and 95% confidence ranges for the groups aged 3–6 and 7–17 began at 0.6 and 0.7, respectively, indicating the potential health risk of children, while those for other age groups were all above 1.0. Continued efforts are needed to reduce dietary lead exposure in Guangzhou.

Maternal immunoglobulin G affects brain development of mouse offspring

Maternal immunoglobulin (Ig)G is present in breast milk and has been shown to contribute to the development of the immune system in infants. In contrast, maternal IgG has no known effect on early childhood brain development. We found maternal IgG immunoreactivity in microglia, which are resident macrophages of the central nervous system of the pup brain, peaking at postnatal one week. Strong IgG immunoreactivity was observed in microglia in the corpus callosum and cerebellar white matter. IgG stimulation of primary cultured microglia activated the type I interferon feedback loop by Syk. Analysis of neonatal Fc receptor knockout (FcRn KO) mice that could not take up IgG from their mothers revealed abnormalities in the proliferation and/or survival of microglia, oligodendrocytes, and some types of interneurons. Moreover, FcRn KO mice also exhibited abnormalities in social behavior and lower locomotor activity in their home cages. Thus, changes in the mother-derived IgG levels affect brain development in offsprings.

Analysis of The Implementation of Countermeasure Policies Against Stunting

Introduction: Stunting is a major nutrition problem worldwide, especially in poor and developing countries. This problem leads to children's suboptimal brain, mental, and cognitive development. The stunting rate globally was 32.6% in 2000, and by 2017, around 150.8 million people were suffering from malnutrition and stunting. This research aims to determine the implementation of stunting prevention policies in the Puskesmas (Public Health Centre) Blang Cut working area.Methods: The research used a qualitative method with a descriptive approach to analyze the implementation of countermeasure policies to reduce stunting. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical framework. The methodological orientation of this research was discourse analysis. The study used an interview guide and a voice recorder to collect information from 9 informants.Results: Puskesmas Blang Cut has implemented several countermeasure policies to reduce stunting. These include increasing awareness about the importance of proper nutrition and hygiene, training healthcare workers on stunting prevention, and monitoring children's growth regularly. Implementing these policies has led to a significant reduction in the prevalence of stunting. However, some challenges still need to be addressed, such as increasing access to healthcare services and improving the quality of healthcare facilities.Conclusion: Communication factors related to implementing Countermeasure Policies in Stunting Reduction have been running well. The puskesmas has carried out all stunting reduction program activities, but the more dominant one is the Supplementary Feeding Program for those affected by stunting.

Treatment Effects of Introducing the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics in a Norwegian Residential Treatment Facility for Children Aged 7-13.

This study investigates the impact of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) in child and adolescent psychiatric care, addressing a gap in current clinical methodologies that tend to focus on single problems rather than the interconnected nature of many real-life mental health issues. The study was conducted in a residential setting over an extended period, including children aged 7-13, to observe the effects of implementing NMT. The children presented with complex symptoms and multiple diagnoses. The methods incorporated the NMT approach, emphasizing individualized treatment plans based on each child's unique brain development, and aimed at addressing multiple, interconnected problems simultaneously. Results from multilevel model analyses of behavioral difficulties, measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), revealed substantial improvements in treatment effectiveness post-NMT implementation. Despite the limitations, such as a non-randomized participant selection and limited sample size, the findings strongly suggest that NMT enhances care effectiveness in real-world clinical settings, particularly for children with complex mental health issues. The study concludes that relationally oriented milieu therapy, and specifically the NMT approach, holds great promise for advancing pediatric psychiatric care, advocating for its broader application and further research to refine and substantiate its efficacy.

The Necessity of Taking Culture and Context into Account When Studying the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Brain Development.

Decades of research has revealed a relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and brain development at the structural and functional levels. Of particular note is the distinction between income and maternal education, two highly correlated factors which seem to influence brain development through distinct pathways. Specifically, while a families' income-to-needs ratio is linked with physiological stress and household chaos, caregiver education influences the day-to-day language environment a child is exposed to. Variability in either one of these environmental experiences is related to subsequent brain development. While this work has the potential to inform public policies in a way that benefits children, it can also oversimplify complex factors, unjustly blame low-SES parents, and perpetuate a harmful deficit perspective. To counteract these shortcomings, researchers must consider sociodemographic differences in the broader cultural context that underlie SES-based differences in brain development. This review aims to address these issues by (a) identifying how sociodemographic mechanisms associated with SES influence the day-to-day experiences of children, in turn, impacting brain development, while (b) considering the broader cultural contexts that may differentially impact this relationship.

Imaging gastrointestinal damage due to acute mercury poisoning using a mitochondria-targeted dual near-infrared fluorescent probe

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most widespread pollutants that pose serious threats to public health and the environment. People are inevitably exposed to Hg via different routes, such as respiration, dermal contact, drinking or diet. Hg poisoning could cause gingivitis, inflammation, vomiting and diarrhea, respiratory distress or even death. Especially during the developmental stage, there is considerable harm to the brain development of young children, causing serious symptoms such as intellectual disability and motor impairments, and delayed neural development. Therefore, it’s of great significance to develop a specific, quick, practical and labor-saving assay for monitoring Hg2+. Herein, a mitochondria-targeted dual (excitation 700 nm and emission 728 nm) near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe JZ-1 was synthesized to detect Hg2+, which is a turn-on fluorescent probe designed based on the rhodamine fluorophore thiolactone, with advantages of swift response, great selectivity, and robust anti-interference capability. Cell fluorescence imaging results showed that JZ-1 could selectively target mitochondria in HeLa cells and monitor exogenous Hg2+. More importantly, JZ-1 has been successfully used to monitor gastrointestinal damage of acute mercury poisoning in a drug-induced mouse model, which provided a great method for sensing Hg species in living subjects, as well as for prenatal diagnosis.

Cognitive enrichment through art: a randomized controlled trial on the effect of music or visual arts group practice on cognitive and brain development of young children

BackgroundThe optimal stimulation for brain development in the early academic years remains unclear. Current research suggests that musical training has a more profound impact on children's executive functions (EF) compared to other art forms. What is crucially lacking is a large-scale, long-term genuine randomized controlled trial (RCT) in cognitive neuroscience, comparing musical instrumental training (MIP) to another art form, and a control group (CG). This study aims to fill this gap by using machine learning to develop a multivariate model that tracks the interconnected brain and EF development during the academic years, with or without music or other art training.MethodsThe study plans to enroll 150 children aged 6-8 years and randomly assign them to three groups: Orchestra in Class (OC), Visual Arts (VA), and a control group (CG). Anticipating a 30% attrition rate, each group aims to retain at least 35 participants. The research consists of three analytical stages: 1) baseline analysis correlating EF, brain data, age, gender, and socioeconomic status, 2) comparison between groups and over time of EF brain and behavioral development and their interactions, including hypothesis testing, and 3) exploratory analysis combining behavioral and brain data. The intervention includes intensive art classes once a week, and incremental home training over two years, with the CG receiving six annual cultural outings.DiscussionThis study examines the potential benefits of intensive group arts education, especially contrasting music with visual arts, on EF development in children. It will investigate how artistic enrichment potentially influences the presumed typical transition from a more unified to a more multifaceted EF structure around age eight, comparing these findings against a minimally enriched active control group. This research could significantly influence the incorporation of intensive art interventions in standard curricula.Trial registrationThe project was accepted after peer-review by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF no. 100014_214977) on March 29, 2023. The study protocol received approval from the Cantonal Commission for Ethics in Human Research of Geneva (CCER, BASEC-ID 2023-01016), which is part of Swiss ethics, on October 25, 2023. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05912270).

Evaluation of serotonin levels in full-term newborns of diabetic mothers

BACKGROUND: The growth of neurological and mental diseases in the offspring of patients with pre- and gestational diabetes mellitus determines the need to study the regulatory function of the serotoninergic system of the brain in newborns. This plays a key role in its morphofunctional development in early ontogenesis, which is necessary for timely diagnosis of disorders and prevention of long-term consequences.
 AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate serotonin levels in full-term newborns with diabetic fetopathy from mothers with pre- and gestational diabetes mellitus.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main group consisted of 45 newborns with diabetic fetopathy, of whom 30 individuals were from mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 15 ones from mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus. The control group comprised 20 healthy full-term newborns from healthy mothers without pregnancy complications. Serotonin concentrations were determined in platelet-rich plasma of blood from the umbilical cord vein, and in a platelet suspension prepared from venous blood taken on the first day of life, using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.
 RESULTS: Platelet-rich plasma serotonin level in umbilical cord blood taken from newborns of the main group was more than two times lower compared to children of healthy mothers. This parameter in venous blood taken from mothers with type 1 diabetes (0.744 ± 0.117 µmol/l) corresponded to that in healthy patients, while in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus, it was significantly lower and amounted to 0.331 ± 0.071 µmol/l (p 0.05). Moreover, platelet-rich plasma serotonin level in all newborns correlated with that in their mothers (R = 0.505; p 0.05). Serotonin levels in venous blood platelets of newborns of the main group was almost 2.5 times lower than in healthy ones.
 CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained indicate the need to use platelet serotonin values as a biochemical marker of disorders of functional brain development in children with diabetic fetopathy.

Exclusive breastfeeding in preventing stunting in toddlers

Introduction: Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a baby's life has been shown to have many health benefits, and one of them is that it can help prevent stunting in toddlers. Stunting is when a child's physical growth and brain development are hampered due to chronic malnutrition, especially protein, energy, and other essential nutrients.
 Objective: Know the role of exclusive breastfeeding in preventing stunting in toddlers.
 Methods: Type of quantitative analytical research with a case-control design using a retrospective approach. The population in this study was mothers who had toddlers aged 12–60 months, while the determination of subjects was based on simple random sampling techniques. The inclusion criteria were mothers with stunting toddlers aged 12–60 months and mothers willing to be respondents. The exclusion criteria are toddlers who suffer from chronic diseases and have a history of premature birth. The subjects in this study were 70 toddlers, consisting of 35 stunting toddlers as an intervention group and 35 non-stunting toddlers as controls.
 Results showed that toddlers who were exclusively breastfed and stunted were 15 (42.9%), while toddlers who were not exclusively breastfed and stunted were 20 (57.1%). Bivariate analysis showed an association between exclusive breastfeeding and the incidence of stunting (p-value 0.030).
 Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent stunting in toddlers. Exclusive breastfeeding can make a significant contribution to stunting prevention; other factors such as public health, sanitation, and access to nutrition also play an important role. Therefore, a holistic approach must be applied to support children's growth and development

Pengaruh Permainan Edukatif Dalam Meningkatkan Stimulasi Otak Pada Fase Golden Age Di TK PGRI At-Taqwa

Introduction: Stimulation is any activity that involves a child's fine motor and cognitive abilities. In optimizing children's brain development according to their age stages, especially in the golden age phase. One educational tool that can be used is puzzle games. Objective: Knowing the effectiveness of puzzle games as a counseling medium to increase brain stimulation in children at Pgri At-Taqwa Kindergarten. Method: The model used in this research in the form of community service is health education with the concept of play. In this counseling, participants are expected to be able to carry out it comprehensively, especially in creating new behavior regarding stimulating children's brain development with puzzle media. Result: Based on initial test results, it is known that around 70% of children can complete the puzzle, while 30% of children are still unable to complete the puzzle so they still need help from other people. These results indicate that students' cognitive abilities have not yet been partially achieved. Conclusion: The conclusion from the implementation of this community service is that counseling in stimulating brain development using puzzle media has a positive effect. The children seemed enthusiastic and active participants in taking part in the activity.

Cognitive ability to know colour concepts through method simple science experiments in early children

Ability to know colour is one aspect of ability. It is an essential cognitive function for brain development in children at an early age. Improving the ability to know colour must supported with adequate methods and facilities, but based on conditions in the field, fewer children still understand draft colour with good Research objectives This is to increase the ability of cognitive children to know draft colour through method simple science experiment. The research used is Classroom Action Research in nature collaborative. Amount of samples from the study: This totalled 11 people. The data collection method used is sheet observation (checklist). Data analysis techniques were carried out quantitatively. Research results show that cognitive knowledge of draft colour can increase with method simple science experiments. This matter is proven by Mark's ability cognitive child with an average value of 38 with the predicate is very lacking. As for the implementation process activity method experiment For increasing cognitive child seen from teacher activities and activities, children in cycle I and Cycle II experienced enhancement that is average percentage of implementation Teacher activity in cycle I reached 67.85% with predicate sufficient, and the average percentage of implementation activity children in cycle II reached 79.85% with predicate Good. after applied activity simple science experiments, abilities know color in group B experienced enhancement from cycle I was 42.20 to cycle II amounted to 71.39 pages This prove that activity simple science experiment can improve ability cognitive child.

Two Eggs A Day Can Increase Choline Intake and Size of Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) in Pregnant Women in Indonesia

Background: Good nutritional intake is very important for pregnant women to prevent stunting in children. However, the problem of CED in pregnant women in Indonesia remains high. Higher choline intake in pregnant women is associated with better memory in a child by the time the child turns 7 years old. Choline functions in the process of methylation and cholinergic transmission during the process of brain development in children. Modification of the high choline diet in daily menu is needed by pregnant women to increase choline intake and size of MUAC. Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of high choline diet modification on changes in choline intake and size of MUAC in pregnant women. Methods: A total of 14 pregnant women in the treatment group received 2 eggs every day, while 13 pregnant women in the control group received education on balanced nutrition during the study period. Changes in choline intake and size of MUAC were stastiscally compared between the two groups. Results: There was a significant change in the average intake of choline before and after the intervention in pregnant women between the treatment and control group (p < 0.05). The results stated that there was a significant difference in the size of MUAC in pregnant women between the treatment and control groups (p < 0.05). Energy intake was not a confounder of the intervention outcome. Conclusion: Modification of low choline level diet by giving 2 eggs a day for 1 month as an additional food in the diet of pregnant women can increase choline intake and size of MUAC.

Neurodevelopmental profile of infants and toddlers awaiting a kidney transplant.

Infants and toddlers with kidney failure are susceptible to neurodevelopmental delays due to medical comorbidities and rapid brain development in early childhood. However, research on the neuropsychological development of this patient population has been limited over the past 10years. We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the neurodevelopmental functioning of infants/toddlers with kidney failure who completed the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd and 4th Edition) as part of a pretransplant evaluation between 2010 and 2022 (n = 23; Mage = 18months, SD = 8.53; 16 males) using t-tests, linear model, and Pearson correlations. Mean Bayley scores of participants were below normative means for cognition (M = 86.74, 95% CI = 80.53-92.94, p < 0.001), language (M = 79.20, 95% CI = 73.32-85.08, p < 0.001), and motor (M = 78.00, 95% CI = 70.15-85.85, p < 0.001) domains. After adjusting for prematurity and epilepsy, patients on dialysis had significantly lower cognitive (78.7 vs. 93.8; p = 0.001) and motor scores (67.1 vs. 85.5; p = 0.01) compared to no dialysis. Pretransplant cognitive scores were positively correlated with posttransplant Full-Scale IQ (r(8) = 0.65 p = 0.04), verbal comprehension (r(8) = 0.75 p = 0.02), and fluid reasoning (r(7) = 0.68 p = 0.045). Similarly, pretransplant language scores were positively correlated with posttransplant Full-Scale IQ (r(7) = 0.74 p = 0.03) and verbal comprehension (r(7) = 0.73 p = 0.03). Of the 16 participants who reached age > 5years during the study period, seven were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, including three with autism spectrum disorder. Infants and toddlers with kidney failure are at risk of developmental delays and later neurodevelopmental disorders. Dialysis is associated with cognitive and motor delays independent of prematurity and epilepsy.

Associations between low-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and brain development in childhood

BackgroundThe effects of low-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on brain development have been infrequently studied. AimTo compare cortical and white matter structure between children aged 6 to 8 years with low-moderate PAE in trimester 1 only, low-moderate PAE throughout gestation, or no PAE. MethodsWomen reported quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging was undertaken for 143 children aged 6 to 8 years with PAE during trimester 1 only (n = 44), PAE throughout gestation (n = 58), and no PAE (n = 41). T1-weighted images were processed using FreeSurfer, obtaining brain volume, area, and thickness of 34 cortical regions per hemisphere. Fibre density (FD), fibre cross-section (FC) and fibre density and cross-section (FDC) metrics were computed for diffusion images. Brain measures were compared between PAE groups adjusted for age and sex, then additionally for intracranial volume. ResultsAfter adjustments, the right caudal anterior cingulate cortex volume (pFDR = 0.045) and area (pFDR = 0.008), and right cingulum tract cross-sectional area (pFWE < 0.05) were smaller in children exposed to alcohol throughout gestation compared with no PAE. ConclusionThis study reports a relationship between low-moderate PAE throughout gestation and cingulate cortex and cingulum tract alterations, suggesting a teratogenic vulnerability. Further investigation is warranted.

Econeurobiology and brain development in children: key factors affecting development, behavioral outcomes, and school interventions.

The Econeurobiology of the brain describes the environment in which an individual's brain develops. This paper explores the complex neural mechanisms that support and evaluate enrichment at various stages of development, providing an overview of how they contribute to plasticity and enhancement of both achievement and health. It explores the deep benefits of enrichment and contrasts them with the negative effects of trauma and stress on brain development. In addition, the paper strongly emphasizes the integration of Gardner's intelligence types into the school curriculum environment. It emphasizes the importance of linking various intelligence traits to educational strategies to ensure a holistic approach to cognitive development. In the field of Econeurobiology, this work explains the central role of the environment in shaping the development of the brain. It examines brain connections and plasticity and reveals the impact of certain environmental factors on brain development in early and mid-childhood. In particular, the six key factors highlighted are an environment of support, nutrition, physical activity, music, sleep, and cognitive strategies, highlighting their potential to improve cognitive abilities, memory, learning, self-regulation, and social and emotional development. This paper also investigates the social determinants of health and education in the context of Econeurobiology. It emphasizes the transformative power of education in society, especially in vulnerable communities facing global challenges in accessing quality education.