Neuropsychological Development Research Articles

A study of the effects of screen exposure on the neuropsychological development in children with autism spectrum disorders based on ScreenQ

PurposeTo investigate the relationship between multi-dimensional aspects of screen exposure and autistic symptoms, as well as neuropsychological development in children with ASD.MethodsWe compared the ScreenQ and Griffiths Development Scales-Chinese Language Edition (GDS-C) of 636 ASD children (40.79 ± 11.45 months) and 43 typically developing (TD) children (42.44 ± 9.61 months). Then, we analyzed the correlations between ScreenQ and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and GDS-C. We further used linear regression model to analyze the risk factors associated with high CARS total scores and low development quotients (DQs) in children with ASD.ResultsThe CARS of children with ASD was positively correlated with the ScreenQ total scores and “access, frequency, co-viewing” items of ScreenQ. The personal social skills DQ was negatively correlated with the “access, frequency, content, co-viewing and total scores” of ScreenQ. The hearing-speech DQ was negatively correlated with the “frequency, content, co-viewing and total scores” of ScreenQ. The eye-hand coordination DQ was negatively correlated with the “frequency and total scores” of ScreenQ. The performance DQ was negatively correlated with the “frequency” item of ScreenQ.ConclusionScreenQ can be used in the study of screen exposure in children with ASD. The higher the ScreenQ scores, the more severe the autistic symptoms tend to be, and the more delayed the development of children with ASD in the domains of personal-social, hearing-speech and eye-hand coordination. In addition, “frequency” has the greatest impact on the domains of personal social skills, hearing-speech, eye-hand coordination and performance of children with ASD.

Iron deficiency in pregnant women: effect on offspring neuropsychic development

Increasing evidence indicates that adversities in utero and early childhood can have long-lasting effects on physiological and mental health not only in childhood but also in adulthood. Micronutrient deficiency, and in particular iron deficiency, is one of the most significant factors. Based on literature data, to determine the effect of iron deficiency in pregnant women on the neuropsychological development of infants, as well as to determine a cohort of pregnant women who need iron supplements. The search was conducted in MEDLINE (from PubMed), EMBASE (from OVID), Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov from 2010 to December 2023 without language restrictions. Data were extracted. Primary outcomes included iron deficiency, serum ferritin less than 15 μg/L in pregnant women, perinatal outcomes, and development of children in infancy. The data of serum ferritin in umbilical cord blood in newborns were compared with the serum ferritin of mothers. Data on iron supplementation and its effect on perinatal outcomes were assessed. Daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy in women without IDA or ID reduces the incidence of iron deficiency anemia at the woman’s due date, reduces the incidence of iron deficiency in fullterm neonates, and reduces the incidence of morbidity in low-birth-weight infants. Iron supplementation during pregnancy and the postpartum period is a strategy for timely replenishment of ID and prevention of IDA to reduce cerebral iron deficiency in the fetus and newborn. The absence of side effects and high bioavailability, enhanced by ascorbic acid, allow us to recommend SunActive®Fe Bonoferlat as a daily supplement for pregnant and lactating women, according to WHO recommendations.

Typical spelling errors of Grade 1 spellers of Polish: An exploratory study adapting the POMAS classification to the Polish orthography

AbstractThis paper presents the adaptation of the POMAS classification of spelling errors (Silliman et al., Developmental Neuropsychology 29:93–123, 2006, Bahr et al., Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research 55:1587–1599, 2012; International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 18:73–91, 2015) to Polish orthography. We identified the most common phonological, orthographic, and/or morphological errors committed by Polish Grade 1 spellers based on a writing-to-dictation task. Some of the error types were included in the original POMAS; some we added, following the classification rationale, to adapt the classification to the specific features of the Polish orthography. Moreover, we found that the participants made, on average, an equal number of phonological and orthographic errors, and of phonological and morphological errors. However, orthographic errors were more frequent than morphological ones. A roughly equal proportion of orthographic and phonological errors occurred in the spelling of the most difficult words. The most frequent orthographic error type was grapheme substitution, followed by final consonant devoicing, and consonant devoicing within a word errors. The most frequent phonological error type were misspellings in diacritic signs, followed by consonant deletion, vowel deletion, and epenthesis. The developed POMAS-PL version may be used by other researchers of Slavic languages, to allow for intercultural comparisons. Moreover, our analyses can be used by teachers of Polish as a first and a second language to anticipate their students’ errors and to understand what knowledge the learners need to learn to spell correctly.

Prenatal organophosphate esters exposure and neurodevelopment trajectory in infancy: Evidence from the Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort

BackgroundConcerns remain about the neurotoxic properties of the ubiquitous organophosphate esters (OPEs), the replacement of the toxicant polybrominated diphenyl ethers. ObjectivesWe examined the associations of prenatal exposure to OPEs and their mixtures with early-life neurodevelopment trajectories. MethodsTotally 1276 mother-child pairs were recruited from the Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort. A high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to measure the levels of 7 OPEs in cord serum. Ages and Stages Questionnaires was used to examine children's neuropsychological development at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months of age. Group-based trajectory models were applied to derive the neurodevelopmental trajectories. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression model were performed to assess the relationships between OPEs exposure and neurodevelopment and trajectories. Mixtures for widely detected OPEs (n = 4) were investigated using quantile-based g-computation. ResultsTributyl phosphate (TBP), tris (2-butoxy ethyl) phosphate (TBEP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP), and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), had detection rates >50 %. TDCPP had the highest median concentration (1.02 μg/L) in cord serum. EHDPP concentrations were negatively associated with scores in most domains at 12 months of age, with effect values (β) ranging from −1.89 to −0.57. EHDPP could negatively affect the total ASQ (OR = 1.07, 95 % CI: 1, 1.15) and gross-motor (OR = 1.09, 95 % CI: 1.02, 1.17) trajectory in infancy. Joint exposure to OPEs was associated with decreased scores in the total ASQ, gross-motor, fine-motor and problem-solving domain of 12-month-old infants, with β ranging from −5.93 to −1.25. In addition, the qgcomp models indicated significant positive associations between the concentrations of OPEs mixtures and risks of the persistently low group of the total ASQ, gross-motor and fine-motor development in early childhood. The impact of OPEs was more pronounced in boys. DiscussionOur findings suggested OPEs, especially EHDPP, had a persistently negative effect on neurodevelopment during the first 2 years.

Altered Trajectories: Considering the Long-Term Impact of Educational Disruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Neurodevelopment and a Call to Action for Neuropsychology.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in educational disruption of historic breadth and duration. The impact of school closures and remote learning have been evaluated in recent studies and reflect critical data for neuropsychologists who routinely assess brain development as it relates to diagnosis, recommendations, and informing public policy. Pre-pandemic and contemporaneous literature was summarized, including data on educational disruption and child and adolescent mental health challenges reported during the pandemic, and research on the impact of stress, social isolation, educational achievement, and other factors on brain development during critical developmental windows. Studies indicate that prolonged educational disruption has resulted in attenuated learning gains, most remarkably for those already at risk for educational disparities. Studies have shown increased mental health challenges for youth during the pandemic, with higher rates of mood and eating disorders, and suicidal ideation. Given that some skills develop optimally within specific time periods, pandemic-related disruption has likely contributed to altered developmental trajectories. Trajectory of neuropsychological development of children and adolescents, especially marginalized students, may be affected by effects on learning and mental health due to prolonged educational disruption and psychological stressors. Evaluation and treatment may be delayed due to backlog and increased demand. Clinical neuropsychological practice recommendations are presented with a call to action for the field in moving forward flexibly to increase access to evaluation services.

Study of thyroid disorders in pregnancy and their effects on feto-maternal outcomes

The second most common endocrine disease that occurs during pregnancy is thyroid disease. Overt and subclinical thyroid dysfunction can lead to adverse effects on both the fetus and the mother. Thyroid diseases during pregnancy affect maternal outcomes and neuropsychological development of the fetus. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of thyroid disorders on maternal health and its maternal and perinatal outcomes and to formulate a plan for the management of thyroid disorders in pregnancy. This prospective observational study involved 165 pregnant women. They will be assessed using thyroid function tests, and patients with deranged thyroid function will be treated and followed up. Pregnancy and outcomes were recorded. The findings of this research will offer important new information regarding possible side effects linked to thyroid issues in mothers as well as the clear advantages of therapy. Maternal thyroid diseases have several risk factors in addition to clear advantages of treatment.

Down syndrome: Knowledge, perception and attitude of the nursing staffs working at the primary health care centers of Al Ahsa district of Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS), an autosomal abnormality, is considered the most common and best known chromosomal disorder affecting all countries, all races, and both sexes. DS is a leading cause of specific birth defect and the most commonly identified genetic form of mental retardation. An early structured multidisciplinary family-based care in the neuropsychological development for children with disabilities associated with DS is the need of the hour. In this multidisciplinary effort the role of para medical staffs such as nurses cannot be neglected. They play pivotal role in screening, counseling and helping the parents to cope with the children suffering from DS. Therefore a sound knowledge about DS and a positive attitude towards the children suffering from DS is necessary for them. Material and methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted at the Primary health Care centers of Al ahsa region of Saudi Arabia All the nurses working at the MOH primary health centers of Al Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia were the study population. The study sample was calculated by applying the formula as suggested by Fisher‟s and cited by Mugenda & Mugenda (1999).The calculated sample was 225 nursing staffs working at different MOH operated Primary Health care Centers. Random sampling was done from the list of nurses working at the different primary health care centers of Al Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia till the required sample size was achieved. The data were collected on the data collection sheet using a self-administered bilingual questionnaire Arabic /English (A modified validated questionnaire). The data sheet included on demographics characteristics, questions regarding assessment of knowledge ( magnitude of DS, screening process for DS, signs and symptoms and consequences of DS) and questions related to attitude towards the children suffering from DS. The data were entered and analyzed by using SPSS Version 24. Frequency distribution of basic information and knowledge and attitude scores were constructed and expressed as numbers and percentages. Bivariate analysis was conducted by using a Chi-squared test to examine the association between variables and to assess the relationship between basic information and knowledge and attitude scores. A P value of < 0.05 was be considered as statistically significant. Results and discussion: A total of 131 participants completed this survey. The mean age of the participants was 36.85 years.. The majority of the participants (58.0%) were female. Most of the participants were married (93.1%). The majority of the participants were diploma holders while 24.4% were graduated and 6.1% post graduate. Staff nurse constituted 85.5% of the participants while 5.3% were midwife and 9.2% head nurse. More than fifteen percent (15.3%) of the participants had their family member affected by DS. The mean knowledge regarding the Down syndrome was 4.85. Majority of the participants (59.6%) had good knowledge about the Down syndrome. The mean attitude score of the participants was 3.65. Almost sixty two percent of the participants had positive attitude towards the Down syndrome. The good knowledge about Down syndrome was significantly more among the female participants than male (59.21% vs.41.07%, P=0.045). Degree of good knowledge was not significantly associated with the marital status, educational level The better percentage of good knowledge was significantly more prevalent among the head nurse as compared to the staff nurse and the midwife (66.66% vs.61.60% vs.57.14%., P=0.034). The female participants had significantly higher positive attitude than their male counterpart (67.10% vs, 54.54, P=0.043. There was no significant association of the attitude of the participants towards Down syndrome with marital status, educational qualification The positive attitude towards the Down syndrome was more among the midwife than those of staff nurse and the head nurse(71.42% vs.62.5% vs.50%,P=0.032). The participants without the family history of Down syndrome had better positive attitude towards down syndrome than those with the family history of down syndrome (62.16% vs.60.0$,P= 0.521). Conclusion: The present study has shown that the participants lacked knowledge on the screening methods of detecting Down syndrome. The attitude of the participants towards children suffering from Down syndrome had been satisfactory. There is a need of formulating an education programme on Down syndrome to teach the nurses about the screening methods of Down syndrome among the pregnant women before the birth of the baby and among the children after the birth.

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.

Психометрическая батарея «Многофакторное исследование нейропсихологических особенностей развития» (МИНОР)

Background. Russian neuropsychology lacks a standardised set of methods for quantifying the development of higher mental functions (HMF) from pre-school to high school age. Its application could improve the objectivity of neuropsychological diagnosis. Objectives. The study seeks 1) to create a psychometric battery of methods for multifactorial investigation of neuropsychological development (MIND) in children and adolescents aged 4–17; 2) to describe the trajectories of age-related development of HMF. Study Participants. 860 participants aged 4–17 (M = 10; SD = 3.7), including 558 boys and 302 girls took part in the study. Methods. Neuropsychological assessment was performed using 40 techniques and measuring 171 variables. These variables were standardised and age-adjusted. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to find latent variables. The resulting model was applied to age-unadjusted variables to identify developmental trajectories. Results. A model was built with 106 indicators and 21 factors. Four variables were used to construct an additional verbal-logical thinking scale. The general level of development can be reliably measured using 50 variables. These scales are described as age dependent. Conclusions. The MIND psychometric battery for neuropsychological assessment of children and adolescents aged 4–17 has been created. The quantitative evaluation is based on a mathematical description of the age-related development of HMF components.

Neuropsychological Changes Across Life Stages and Their Impact on Spirituality

This study examines neuropsychological changes across life stages and their impact on spirituality. Focusing on infancy to old age, it explores how the brain’s evolution influences spiritual perception and experiences. Key findings include the foundational role of early brain development in shaping basic spiritual awareness and the significant transformation during adolescence and early adulthood, marked by deep questioning and exploration of spiritual identity. The research highlights that peak spiritual experiences and brain complexity may coincide around age 18, suggesting a crucial period for spiritual exploration. In contrast, older adulthood, despite potential cognitive decline, often leads to a deepening of spiritual life, characterized by reflection and wisdom. The study underscores the interconnectedness of neuropsychological development and spirituality, emphasizing the importance of considering spiritual well-being alongside physical and mental health. It concludes that spirituality is a vital, evolving aspect of the human experience, closely linked to neuropsychological changes throughout life.

Neuropsychological development of large for gestational age infants at the age of 12 months

To investigate the level of neuropsychological development in large for gestational age (LGA) infants at the age of 12 months. The infants, aged 12 to <13 months, who attended the Outpatient Service of Child Care in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from December 2021 to June 2023, were enrolled as subjects. According to the gestational age and birth weight, they were divided into preterm appropriate for gestational age (AGA) group, preterm LGA group, early term AGA group, early term LGA group, full-term AGA group, and full-term LGA group. A modified Poisson regression analysis was used to investigate the association between LGA and neuropsychological development outcome at 12 months of age. After adjustment for confounding factors, compared with the full-term AGA group at the age of 12 months, the full-term LGA group had a significant increase in the risk of language deficit (RR=1.364, 95%CI: 1.063-1.750), the early term LGA group had significant increases in the risk of abnormal gross motor, fine motor, language, and the preterm LGA group had significant increases in the risk of abnormal language, social behavior, and total developmental quotient (P<0.05); also, the early term AGA group had higher risks of developmental delay across all five attributes and in total developmental quotient at the age of 12 months (P<0.05); except for the language attribute, the preterm AGA group had higher risks of developmental delay in the other 4 attributes (P<0.05). The neuropsychological development of LGA infants with different gestational ages lags behind that of full-term AGA infants at 12 months of age, and follow-up and early intervention of such infants should be taken seriously in clinical practice.

Cyanotic heart defects and neuropsychological development of children - search for pathogenetic influences

Cyanotic heart defects and neuropsychological development of children - search for pathogenetic influences

Analysis of gene variation and long-term follow-up in children with phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency diagnosed by newborn screening.

To retrospectively analyze the variation and characteristics of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene, and to observe the long-term treatment effect and follow-up of newborns with PAH deficiency. Clinical data, treatment and follow-up results of 198 patients with PAH deficiency diagnosed by newborn screening in Jinan from 1996 to 2021 were collected. The genetic analysis of 55 patients with PAH deficiency diagnosed by newborn screening in Jinan and 213 patients referred from the surrounding areas of Jinan were summarized. Gene variations were checked by a customized Panel gene detection method. Blood phenylalanine-concentration and physical development indicators including height and weight were regularly monitored. Intellectual development was assessed using a neuropsychological development scale for patients aged 0-6 years and academic performance, and brain injury in patients was assessed using brain magnetic resonance imaging. c.728G>A, c.158G>A, c.721C>T, c.1068C>A, c.611A>G variations were common in PAH gene. The genotype of c.158G>A variation is compound heterozygous variation, with mainly a mild hyperpheny-lalaninemia. 168 patients with PAH deficiency who were followed-up regularly had normal physical development without dwarfism or malnutrition. Among the 33 preschool patients who underwent mental development assessment, 2 were mentally retarded and the initial treatment age was older than 6 months. Nine patients with an average age of (17.13±2.42) years completed brain magnetic resonance imaging, one case was normal, and 8 cases were abnormal. There were patchy or patchy hyperintense foci near the bilateral lateral ventricles on T2WI, and the intellectual development was normal. Compared with the other eight patients, the blood phenylalanine concentration of the normal child was better and stably controlled within the ideal range. c.728G>A, c.158G>A, c.721C>T, c.1068C>A, c.611A>G variations were common in PAH gene. After standardized treatment, most patients with PAH deficiency diagnosed by screening can obtain normal growth and intellectual development in adolescence, but there are different degrees of organic lesions in the cerebral white matter.

Hyperkinetic disorder in children: principles of diagnosis and therapy

This pathology includes disorders of neuropsychological development, the leading clinical sign of which is constant persistent patterns (models) of behavior with impaired attention and/or increased motor activity and impulsivity, leading to maladjustment in several areas of the child’s social functioning. Attention disorders manifest themselves in the form of the following behavioral patterns: distractibility with disorganization of behavior and problems with stable focus on a task, which are not associated with a decrease in intelligence and lack of understanding of the proposed tasks. Hyperactivity is understood as excessive motor activity, fussiness, restlessness, or verbosity that is not adequate to accepted norms. Impulsive behavior involves quick, hasty, thoughtless, hurried actions that carry a high risk of serious harm and injury. Due to the great heterogeneity in the severity of clinical manifestations, this pathology tends to be diagnosed late, often with the start of schooling.

The copenhagen cross-linguistic naming test (C-CLNT): Development and validation in a multicultural memory clinic population.

Despite recent advances in cross-cultural neuropsychological test development, suitable tests for cross-linguistic assessment of language functions are not widely available. The aims of this study were to develop and validate a brief naming test, the Copenhagen Cross-Linguistic Naming Test (C-CLNT), for the assessment of culturally, linguistically, and educationally diverse older adult populations in Europe. The C-CLNT was based on a set of standardized color drawings. Items for the C-CLNT were selected by considering name agreement and frequency across five European and two non-European languages. Ambiguities in some of the selected items and scoring criteria were resolved after pilot testing in 10 memory clinic patients. The final 30-item C-CLNT was validated by verifying its psychometric properties in 24 controls and 162 diverse memory clinic patients with affective disorder, mild cognitive impairment, and with dementia. The C-CLNT had acceptable scale reliability (coefficient alpha = .67) and good construct validity, with moderate to strong correlations with traditional language tests (r = .42- .75). Diagnostic accuracy for dementia was good and significantly better than that of the Boston Naming Test (areas under the curve of .80 vs .64, p < .001), but was poor for mild cognitive impairment. Only 3% of the variance in C-CLNT test scores was explained by immigrant background, while 6% was explained by age and years of education. In comparison, these proportions were 34 and 22% for the BNT. The C-CLNT has promising clinical utility for cross-linguistic assessment of naming impairment in culturally, linguistically, and educationally diverse older adults.

WILLIAMS SYNDROME IN PEDIATRIC PRACTICE

This clinical case presents our observations of a 5-month-old boy diagnosed with Williams’s syndrome, highlighting the complexities of recognizing this condition, especially in the early stages of life, where paediatricians and neonatologists play a crucial role in the diagnostic process. Williams’s syndrome is a rare genetic disorder, affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 newborns across different ethnic groups and genders. The condition is primarily caused by a mutation in a group of genes located on the long arm of the 7th chromosome (7q11.23), leading to microdeletion and the loss of specific genes, including elastin, LIM-kinase-1, and replication factor C2 (RFC), while some "lost" genes remain unidentified. In rarer cases, deletions are found on the 11th and 12th chromosomes (11q13-q14 and 22q). This syndrome often presents sporadically, complicating early diagnosis due to its multisystem nature, affecting various organs and systems, such as the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, urinary, and facial structures. The absence of timely diagnosis and treatment can adversely impact physical and neuropsychological development in affected children. In our case, the final diagnosis was confirmed through molecular genetic examination. Our conclusion highlights the challenges of diagnosing Williams’s syndrome due to its multisystem clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis is essential for parents to gain insights into the disease, its prognosis, and to make informed decisions about raising the child within the family. We recommend a comprehensive approach to the care and rehabilitation of patients with Williams’s syndrome. This necessitates the coordinated efforts of various specialists including paediatricians, geneticists, cardiologists, surgeons, orthopaedists, orthodontists, endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, neurologists, and psychologists throughout the patient's follow-up care.

Symposium 09: Neuropsychological Test Translation, Adaptation, and Development Part 2: Lessons learned from Vietnam, India, Australia, and the INS Cultural SIG

Summary Abstract:The history of psychological test translation includes problems of inaccuracy and unintentional or intentional racial, ethnic, and linguistic discrimination. Methods for accurate and fair psychological test translation, adaptation, and development have advanced, but neuropsychology has been slow to implement these methods. Inadequate translations and adaptations of neuropsychological tests may substantially impact their psychometric properties for target populations, increasing risk of clinical errors and other harms.The International Test Commission's (ITC) 2017 Guidelines for Tests Translation and Adaptation summarize current technologies for tests whose constructs depend upon the semantic content of the items. This is helpful, but insufficient because many neuropsychological tests focus on cognitive, linguistic, and emotional constructs that are measured by processes other than semantic content. Neuropsychological tests may depend on word length, familiarity, written form, visual stimuli, culture-dependent behavioral expectations, or other features apart from meaning. Furthermore, the ITC Guidelines were developed primarily from experiences of translation and adaptation among European languages, with populations with a restricted range of education and cultures, hindering their generalization to more diverse populations. To make the guidelines practical for neuropsychological users, the Assessment Workgroup of the INS Cultural Neuropsychology Special Interest Group has developed neuropsychological commentary on the ITC Guidelines. The Workgroup has also sponsored a discussion group among members involved in neuropsychological test translation, adaptation, and development projects around the world. Our objectives in this symposium are to present an overview of our neuropsychological commentary on the ITC Guidelines and illustrate the relevance of these guidelines and commentaries through presentations of projects from around the world. At the 2022 INS New Orleans meeting our group presented lessons learned from Africa, Australia, Europe, South America, and South Asia. In the current Part 2 presentation we will present projects from Australia, India, and Vietnam and lessons derived from comparisons among many projects. Our panel will discuss lessons learned from these projects and outline potential future diversity strategies, including the following: The concept of universal or culture-fair tests is unrealistic, naive, and potentially harmful.The concept of culture-broad tests and test paradigms is viable but requires empirical verification in all applications.Even with viable culture-broad tests, multicultural neuropsychology requires specific cultural and linguistic knowledge, skill, and sensitivity.Drawing is a learned skill that is viable for neuropsychological testing only when baseline abilities are well-understood.Verbal fluency is a cognitive task that varies in its nature depending upon characteristics of specific languages and their writing systems as well as the nature of education.One pragmatic possible strategy for better serving speakers of relatively rare languages is to develop ways of doing neuropsychology designed for those who speak popular languages moderately well as their second language.

51 Cognitive Functioning in Neurofibromatosis Type 1: The Role of Community Socioeconomic Status

Objective:Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a neurogenetic disorder associated with increased risk of neuropsychological challenges. While research has evidenced associations between environmental factors and neurocognitive development, few studies have examined the role that socioeconomic status (SES) plays on neuropsychological development in NF1. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between community SES and cognitive/psychosocial outcomes in a neuropsychology clinic sample of pediatric NF1 patients.Participants and Methods:The sample consisted of 47 youth with NF1 (M age=11.91, SD=3.69). The sample was 51.1% female, 72.3% White, 19.1% Black/African American, and 4.3% Hispanic. All participants had completed neuropsychological assessments for clinical purposes at an outpatient clinic in an urban, midwestern medical center. Data from neuropsychological measures and demographic information were pulled from records and entered into a de-identified dataset. The Wechsler Intelligence Scales, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Woodcock Johnson Test of Achievement, and parent- and teacher-report versions of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were used to examine broad neuropsychological functioning. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) measures SES at the community level, as opposed to the individual level. It is composed of 17 factors related to education, poverty, employment, and housing. This information is used to assign index scores by zip code, with scores on a scale of 110 and 10 indicating the highest level of socioeconomic disadvantage. Mean ADI for this sample was 4.02 (SD=1.93).Results:Mean neurocognitive scores were consistently in the low average to average range. Parent and teacher scores on the BASC were in the average range. Mean scores on the BRIEF indicated Global Executive Composite scores in the mildly and moderately elevated range for parents and teachers, respectively. Correlational analyses revealed significant associations between ADI scores and immediate recall performance on the CVLT (Trials 1-5; r=.37; p=.03) and the BRIEF Planning and Organization subscale (r=.35; p=.02). Both remained significant after controlling for FSIQ (CVLT: rFSIQ=.49, p=.003; BRIEF: rFSIQ=.38; p=.02).Conclusions:Mean cognitive scores for the sample are consistent with existing literature demonstrating that individuals with NF1 are at risk of reduced functioning in several domains. Sample mean ADI of 4 indicates a relatively low level of disadvantage in this sample., ADI was significantly associated with two variables, and greater deprivation was associated with better list learning performance. This suggests that the role of community SES is likely nuanced in how it impacts neurocognitive development. Results provide mild evidence of an association between ADI and learning and planning/organization. However, limitations to the current study, including a small sample size, and the retrospective nature, likely limits a more detailed understanding of the true relationship between community resources and cognitive and psychosocial outcomes among children with NF1. Future research comparing larger low and high ADI samples is necessary to fully examine the relationship between these factors. With better understanding of how community SES may limit or support neurocognitive and psychological growth in this population, more effective interventions can be designed for this group whose members are at notable risk for cognitive and psychological challenges.

Childhood maltreatment and midlife cognitive functioning: A longitudinal study of the roles of social support and social isolation.

Negative consequences of childhood maltreatment have been well-documented, including poorer executive functioning and nonverbal reasoning in midlife. However, not all adults with a history of childhood maltreatment manifest these outcomes, suggesting the presence of risk and protective factors. Based on growing empirical support for the importance of social variables in understanding neuropsychological development and functioning, we examined whether social support and social isolation mediate or moderate the effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive functioning in midlife. In the context of a prospective cohort design study, individuals with documented histories of childhood maltreatment (ages 0-11 years) and demographically matched controls were followed up and interviewed in adulthood. Social support and isolation were assessed in young adulthood (Mage = 29), and cognitive functioning was assessed in midlife (Mage = 41). Structural equation modeling was used for mediation and linear regressions for moderation. Childhood maltreatment predicted higher levels of social isolation and lower levels of social support and cognitive functioning. Only social isolation mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and midlife cognitive functioning, whereas childhood maltreatment interacted with social support to predict Matrix Reasoning in midlife. Social support was protective for the control group but not for those maltreated. Social isolation and social support play different roles in understanding how childhood maltreatment impacts midlife cognitive functioning. Greater social isolation predicts greater deficits in cognitive functioning overall, whereas the protective effects of social support are limited to those without a documented history of childhood maltreatment. Clinical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Actual nutrition of young children: how to make what you want real

Introduction. The nutrition of young children determines the vector of the physical and neuro-psychological development of the child, forms the characteristics of eating behavior.Aim. To study the features of the nutritional practice of young children living in Belgorod, and to evaluate the success of the implementation of the Program for optimizing the nutrition of children aged 1 to 3 years in the Russian Federation in pediatric practice.Materials and methods. We interviewed 307 women with young children born at 38–41 weeks of gestation with an Apgar score of at least 8 points. In addition, we developed a questionnaire that allows retrospectively assessing the regime and diet of young children.Results. We identified the following problems of young children nutrition: non-compliance with the diet – only 18.1% of the respondents strictly adhered to the regime, the use of confectionery and sweets as snack products in almost a third of children (27%) which were introduced into the diet in 44% of children aged 1–2 years, and in 43% of children after 2 years. According to the survey data, 38.2% of respondents used industrial food products for young children in the form of milk-based drinks, but the duration of their use was limited to the second year of life. 14% of children used other industrial food products for young children.Discussion. The presented dietary habits of children lead to the formation of incorrect eating habits, aggravating the imbalance of the diet, increasing the risk of health problems.Conclusion. The results of the study show the need for further work on the active implementation of the existing recommendations for optimizing the nutrition of young children. The FrutoNyanya brand includes a wide selection of industrially produced baby food products, allowing you to achieve a wide variety, but also healthy food products.