A longitudinal study of the interactive effects of perinatal complications and early family adversity on cognitive ability

The effects of high, medium and low levels of perinatal complications and family adversity on intelligence quotient (IQ) scores were examined in a large sample of Dunedin children tested every second year in the age group 3-13 years. The aim was to test the hypothesis that favourable environmental circumstances attenuate the effects of perinatal complications on later cognitive ability. The results did not support this hypothesis but rather suggested that perinatal complications and family adversity have independent adverse effects on the development of children's cognitive ability.     

The influence of perinatal complications and environmental adversity on boys' antisocial behavior

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to test components of Raine's (2002) biosocial model, specifically the interactive effects of perinatal complications, rejecting parenting, and family adversity on the development of early-onset antisocial behavior (ASB). Boys' internalizing problems were also tested to investigate the specificity of the model. METHODS: Birth records in addition to longitudinal data were collected on 310 low-income boys followed from birth until 10 years of age. RESULTS: Findings demonstrated support for a biosocial framework in predicting ASB but not internalizing problems. Family adversity, and to some extent rejecting parenting, consistently predicted youth outcome. Perinatal complications emerged as a predictor of ASB but only in the context of other family risk factors. According to maternal report, boys experiencing high levels of perinatal complications, rejecting parenting, and family adversity showed significantly higher levels of ASB than boys with lower levels of these risk factors. This finding was partially corroborated by youth self-report, such that boys experiencing high levels of perinatal complications and family adversity reported more antisocial activity than boys experiencing no risk or risk in only one domain. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the specific prediction of ASB in middle childhood from a biosocial model. Findings also highlight the salience of a negative psychosocial environment on childhood maladjustment. Intervention efforts including parenting skills and coping strategies for mothers of children from multiple risk environments are advocated.     

A seven year follow-up study of the cognitive development of children who experienced common perinatal problems

The prevalence of perinatal problems in a sample of 1037 children was described. There was no significant association between perinatal problems and socio-economic status. The association between perinatal problems and cognitive development was examined by stepwise regression analyses of the more common perinatal problems on cognitive factor scores, using measures of language and, intelligence taken when the children were aged 3, 5, and 7 years. Of 14 perinatal problems analysed in this manner, only two, being a twin or being small for gestational age, were found to be consistently associated with a significantly lower cognitive factor score.     

A longitudinal study of adolescent adjustment following family transitions

BACKGROUND: This study examined the impact of family transitions, that is, parental separation, divorce, remarriage and death, upon the lives of Australian children and adolescents in a longitudinal study of temperament and development. METHODS: Using longitudinal and concurrent questionnaire data, outcomes for young people experiencing transitions were compared with those of a random comparison group whose biological parents remained together. RESULTS: No significant group differences were found with regard to behavioural and emotional adjustment concurrently or across time, nor on academic outcomes and social competence. Significant differences between the groups were revealed in measures of parent-teen conflict and parent-child attachment. A number of gender differences were found, with female participants displaying both greater adaptive and maladaptive behaviours. Particular dimensions of temperament, as well as the parent's overall rating of their child as easy or difficult, were found to be important predictors of adjustment status for both transitions and comparison groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some methodological limitations, this study illustrated the resilience of children experiencing family disruption across childhood and adolescence.     

下颌骨发育不良伴A型脂肪代谢障碍一家系报告

目的研究下颌骨发育不良伴A型脂肪代谢障碍(MADA)家系的基因突变情况和临床特征。方法以2例临床拟诊为早老症的兄妹及其家庭成员共5名为研究对象,并详细收集临床资料。提取家系成员外周血DNA进行聚合酶链反应(PCR)扩增,并直接测序。Blast在线软件比对分析以明确突变位点,并使用SIFT和Poly Phen-2分析突变位点的有害性。结果 2例患儿的临床特征符合MADA。该家系中存在LMNA基因第9号外显子c.1579CT(p.Arg527Cys)和c.1583CT(p.Thr528Met)的2个突变位点,父亲c.1583CT(p.Thr528Met)、母亲c.1579CT(p.Arg527Cys)及正常女儿c.1583CT(p.Thr528Met)均为杂合突变携带者,而2例患儿为上述2个位点的双重杂合突变,为常染色体隐性遗传。SIFT和Poly Phen-2分析结果表明2个位点均对蛋白质功能有害。结论该家系2例MADA患儿为LMNA基因双重杂合突变致病。     

A longitudinal study of enuresis from five to nine years

The prevalence of primary and secondary enuresis was examined longitudinally in a large sample of New Zealand children at ages 5, 7, and 9 years. While the prevalence of primary enuresis fell over time, secondary enuresis increased in prevalence between 5 and 7 years. There were no sex differences. An examination of some of the developmental and background characteristics of the sample indicated that enuresis was not associated with neurodevelopmental delay or 'psychosocial' factors. However, there were strong, long term associations between secondary enuresis and behavioural deviance. The behavioural results suggested that behaviour problems did not arise as a consequence of enuresis, but rather preceded it.     

PSYCHIC VULNERABILITY AS A SEQUEL TO PERINATAL MORBIDITY: A longitudinal twin study with special reference to psychiatric morbidity and inter-twin dependency

Abstract. In this follow-up study 497 twins from 335 twin deliveries were examined between the ages of 12-20 years to ascertain late effects of perinatal complications and mild neurological abnormalities on mental health, by means of questionnaires filled in by the parents and by the twins themselves. One third of the twins had not suffered from any perinatal complications, while one third had been small for gestational age, one third had been born prematurely and one third had suffered from respiratory disorders. Neonatal hypoglycemia had been found in 22% and hyperbilirubinaemia in 7% of the twins.
Perinatal complications had occurred in almost all those twins who later underwent inpatient psychiatric treatment.
Most perinatal problems were reflected in the twin's dependency on his co-twin, showing in particular a cumulative effect when occurring simultaneously. Those twins who are currently more dependent learned to walk and speak later than the non-dependent ones, and their EEG background activity of ten years ago, at the age of 2–10 years, was more abnormal than that of the non-dependent ones, indicating brain organic, i.e. probably perceptual, factors enhancing the development of inter-twin dependency. The dependent twins were more submissive and had the most frequent feelings of inferiority.
The neurological, psychological and family international factors that cause a twin to distrust himself and depend on his co-twin are also discussed in this study.     

围产期生殖道支原体感染与新生儿肺炎关系的前瞻性研究

为了探讨围产期生殖道支原体感染与新生儿肺炎的关系,本研究随机入选７３９名孕妇,采用支原 培养法检测围产期阴道解脲支原体和人型支原体,根据检测结果分为支原体一组和支原体阴性组,随访观察两组新生儿肺炎发生率。研究显示支原体阳性组２４７便,支原体阴性组４９２例,两组新生儿肺炎发生率无显著性差异,进一步分组研究发现Ｍｈ（＋）Ｕｕ（－）亚组新生儿肺炎发生率显著高于支原体阴性组（１１．５％对２．２％,ＲＲ５．     

Indices of perinatal complications, family background, child rearing, and health as predictors of early cognitive and motor development

An index of adversity is a measure of risk that can be considered independently of individual risk factors. This study examined four areas of adversity in early childhood, namely perinatal complications, family background, child-rearing practices, and the child's physical health, and their relationship to developmental outcomes. Four indices of adversity in these areas were examined as predictors of cognitive ability and motor ability for 476 girls and 510 boys at age 5 years. Results of the study indicated that indices of family background and child-rearing practices were highly related to these developmental outcomes. An index of health problems was found to be significantly related to motor ability. The perinatal complications index was significantly related only to specific cognitive ability scores for boys. Previously, developmental outcomes have been assessed in terms of the magnitude of individual risk factors, but more effective screening procedures may need to take account of the additive effect of the number of relevant adverse risk factors.     

A longitudinal twin study of the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour

Background:  Antisocial behaviour may partly develop as a consequence of psychopathic personality. However, neither the direction of effects nor the aetiology of the association has previously been clarified. The aim in this study was to investigate the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour, and to investigate the genetic and environmental contribution to this association.
Method:  Twins ( n  =   2,255) in the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were prospectively followed from adolescence to adulthood. We used a longitudinal cross-lagged twin model to study the associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour.
Results:  Psychopathic personality in mid-adolescence predicted antisocial behaviour in adulthood ( p  < .001), but not the other way around. However, bidirectional effects were found when a measure of persistent antisocial behaviour (from age 8–9 to age 16–17) was used. Psychopathic personality predicted both rule-breaking behaviour ( p  < .001) and aggressive behaviour ( p  < .01). Genetic factors were of importance in mediating the longitudinal associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour.
Conclusions:  This study provides evidence that genetically influenced psychopathic personality is a robust predictor of adult antisocial behaviour, but also that persistent antisocial behaviour has an impact on adult psychopathic personality via genetic effects.     

A neurobiological model for the effects of early brainstem functioning on the development of behavior and emotion regulation in infants: implications for prenatal and perinatal risk

Neurobiological models propose an evolutionary, vertical-integrative perspective on emotion and behavior regulation, which postulates that regulatory functions are processed along three core brain systems: the brainstem, limbic, and cortical systems. To date, few developmental studies applied these models to research on prenatal and perinatal risk. We propose a conceptual model that incorporates three integrated levels of observations for the study of early risk: (a) brainstem-related physiological regulation of cyclic processes and sensory integration, e.g., vagal regulation, circadian rhythms; (b) emotion and attention regulation capacities that draw on the integration of brainstem and limbic systems; and (c) higher-level outcomes that draw on the intactness of brainstem and limbic networks, including socio-emotional self-regulation, inhibitory control, and cognitive processing. We discuss implications of the model for the development of regulatory capacities during the prenatal and early postnatal stages in infants born with specific perinatal risk. We underscore the importance of assessing sub-cortical and brainstem systems and the longitudinal effects of transitory brainstem dysfunction on physiological homeostasis, motivation, arousal-modulated attention, stress reactivity, and mother-infant co-regulation. The assessment of brainstem dysfunction can be conducted during hospitalization and may help detect infants at risk for the development of self-regulatory deficits at the first weeks of life.     

围生期生殖道支原体感染与胎儿窘迫关系的前瞻性研究

目的 探讨围生期生殖道支原体感染与胎儿窘迫的关系。方法 随机入选７３９名孕妇,采用支原体培养法检测围产期阴道解脲支原体和人型支原体,根据检测结果分为支原体阳性组和支原体阴性组,随访观察两组胎儿窘迫发生率。结果 支原体阳性组２４７例,支原体了性组４９２例,前者胎儿窘迫发生率５．３％（１３／２４７）,后者２．０％（１０／４９２）,前者显著高于后者（Ｐ〈０．０５）;队列研究显示孕期支原体感染显著增加胎儿     

Linear growth and height outcomes in children with early onset type 1 diabetes mellitus--a 10-yr longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the linear growth and height outcomes and the influence of metabolic control on the near-final height in children with early onset type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal evaluation of 99 children with prepubertal onset of type 1 DM before 8 yr of age, who were regularly assessed, clinically and metabolically, from 8 yr of age to 17.99 yr of age. RESULTS: The mean prepubertal height Z scores at 8 yr of age were -0.17 (standard deviation, SD = 0.99) for boys and -0.29 (1.19) for girls, respectively. There was normal linear growth in girls with their mean near-final height Z score being -0.13 (1.07). This was not statistically different from the mean at 8 yr (p = 0.13). The mean near-final height Z score in boys was -0.39 (0.98), which was 0.22 SD lower than their mean prepubertal height Z score (p = 0.03). There was no significant correlation between metabolic control and linear growth in either males or females. CONCLUSIONS: Linear growth and near-final height in children with type 1 DM compares favorably with the general population. Although there was some evidence of suboptimal peripubertal growth in boys, the actual extent of this height reduction was minimal and was not correlated with their metabolic control.     

The timing of maternal depressive symptoms and child cognitive development: a longitudinal study

Background: Maternal depression is known to be associated with impairments in child cognitive development, although the effect of timing of exposure to maternal depression is unclear. Methods: Data collected for the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a longitudinal study beginning in pregnancy, included self‐report measures of maternal depression the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, completed on 6 occasions up to 3 years of age, and IQ of the index child (WISC) measured at aged 8 years. We used these data to assign women to 8 groups according to whether depression occurred in the antenatal, postnatal, preschool period, any combination of these times, or not at all. We compared a model comprising all patterns of depression (saturated model) with models nested within this to test whether there is a relationship between depression and child cognitive development and, if so, whether there is a sensitive period. We then investigated the relationship with child IQ for each model, following adjustment for confounders. Results: Six thousand seven hundred and thirty‐five of 13,615 children from singleton births (49.5%, of eligible core sample) attended a research clinic at 8 years and completed a WISC with a score ≥ 70. A total of 5,029 mothers of these children had completed mood assessments over the 3 time periods. In unadjusted analyses, all three sensitive period models were as good as the saturated model, as was an accumulation model. Of the sensitive period models, only that for antenatal exposure was a consistently better fit than the accumulation model. After multiple imputation for missing data (to n = 6,735), there was no effect of postnatal depression on child IQ independent of depression at other times [?0.19 IQ points, 95% confidence interval (CI) ?1.5 to 1.1 points]. There was an effect of antenatal depression (?3.19 IQ points, 95% CI: ?4.33 to ?2.06) which attenuated following adjustment (?0.64 IQ points, 95% CI: ?1.68 to 0.40). Conclusions: The postnatal period is not a sensitive one for the effect of maternal depression on child cognitive development.