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Mareva S, Holmes J. Mapping neurodevelopmental diversity in executive function. Cortex 2024; 172:204-221. [PMID: 38354470 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Executive function, an umbrella term used to describe the goal-directed regulation of thoughts, actions, and emotions, is an important dimension implicated in neurodiversity and established malleable predictor of multiple adult outcomes. Neurodevelopmental differences have been linked to both executive function strengths and weaknesses, but evidence for associations between specific profiles of executive function and specific neurodevelopmental conditions is mixed. In this exploratory study, we adopt an unsupervised machine learning approach (self-organising maps), combined with k-means clustering to identify data-driven profiles of executive function in a transdiagnostic sample of 566 neurodivergent children aged 8-18 years old. We include measures designed to capture two distinct aspects of executive function: performance-based tasks designed to tap the state-like efficiency of cognitive skills under optimal conditions, and behaviour ratings suited to capturing the trait-like application of cognitive control in everyday contexts. Three profiles of executive function were identified: one had consistent difficulties across both types of assessments, while the other two had inconsistent profiles of predominantly rating- or predominantly task-based difficulties. Girls and children without a formal diagnosis were more likely to have an inconsistent profile of primarily task-based difficulties. Children with these different profiles had differences in academic achievement and mental health outcomes and could further be differentiated from a comparison group of children on both shared and profile-unique patterns of neural white matter organisation. Importantly, children's executive function profiles were not directly related to diagnostic categories or to dimensions of neurodiversity associated with specific diagnoses (e.g., hyperactivity, inattention, social communication). These findings support the idea that the two types of executive function assessments provide non-redundant information related to children's neurodevelopmental differences and that they should not be used interchangeably. The findings advance our understanding of executive function profiles and their relationship to behavioural outcomes and neural variation in neurodivergent populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Mareva
- MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Psychology Department, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, UK.
| | - Joni Holmes
- MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, UK
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2
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Astle DE, Bassett DS, Viding E. Understanding divergence: Placing developmental neuroscience in its dynamic context. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105539. [PMID: 38211738 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Neurodevelopment is not merely a process of brain maturation, but an adaptation to constraints unique to each individual and to the environments we co-create. However, our theoretical and methodological toolkits often ignore this reality. There is growing awareness that a shift is needed that allows us to study divergence of brain and behaviour across conventional categorical boundaries. However, we argue that in future our study of divergence must also incorporate the developmental dynamics that capture the emergence of those neurodevelopmental differences. This crucial step will require adjustments in study design and methodology. If our ultimate aim is to incorporate the developmental dynamics that capture how, and ultimately when, divergence takes place then we will need an analytic toolkit equal to these ambitions. We argue that the over reliance on group averages has been a conceptual dead-end with regard to the neurodevelopmental differences. This is in part because any individual differences and developmental dynamics are inevitably lost within the group average. Instead, analytic approaches which are themselves new, or simply newly applied within this context, may allow us to shift our theoretical and methodological frameworks from groups to individuals. Likewise, methods capable of modelling complex dynamic systems may allow us to understand the emergent dynamics only possible at the level of an interacting neural system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan E Astle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Departments of Bioengineering, Electrical & Systems Engineering, Physics & Astronomy, Neurology, and Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, United States; The Santa Fe Institute, United States
| | - Essi Viding
- Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
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3
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Misztal MC, Tio ES, Mohan A, Felsky D. Interactions between genetic risk for 21 neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and sport activity on youth mental health. Psychiatry Res 2023; 330:115550. [PMID: 37973444 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Childhood is a sensitive period where behavioral disturbances, determined by genetics and environmental factors including sport activity, may emerge and impact risk of mental illness in adulthood. We aimed to determine if participation in sports can mitigate genetic risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in youth. We analyzed 4975 unrelated European youth (ages 9-10) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Our outcomes were eight Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores, measured annually. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were calculated for 21 disorders, and sport frequency and type were summarized. PRSs and sport variables were tested for main effects and interactions against CBCL outcomes using linear models. Cross-sectionally, PRSs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and major depressive disorder were associated with increases in multiple CBCL outcomes. Participation in non-contact or team sports, as well as more frequent sport participation reduced all cross-sectional CBCL outcomes, whereas involvement in contact sports increased attention problems and rule-breaking behavior. Interactions revealed that more frequent exercise was significantly associated with less rule breaking behavior in individuals with high genetic risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. Associations with longitudinal CBCL outcomes demonstrated weaker effects. We highlight the importance of genetic context when considering sports as an intervention for early life behavioural problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa C Misztal
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Earvin S Tio
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Akshay Mohan
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Felsky
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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4
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Pezzoli P, Parsons S, Kievit RA, Astle DE, Huys QJM, Steinbeis N, Viding E. Challenges and Solutions to the Measurement of Neurocognitive Mechanisms in Developmental Settings. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:815-821. [PMID: 37003410 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Identifying early neurocognitive mechanisms that confer risk for mental health problems is one important avenue as we seek to develop successful early interventions. Currently, however, we have limited understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms involved in shaping mental health trajectories from childhood through young adulthood, and this constrains our ability to develop effective clinical interventions. In particular, there is an urgent need to develop more sensitive, reliable, and scalable measures of individual differences for use in developmental settings. In this review, we outline methodological shortcomings that explain why widely used task-based measures of neurocognition currently tell us little about mental health risk. We discuss specific challenges that arise when studying neurocognitive mechanisms in developmental settings, and we share suggestions for overcoming them. We also propose a novel experimental approach-which we refer to as "cognitive microscopy"-that involves adaptive design optimization, temporally sensitive task administration, and multilevel modeling. This approach addresses some of the methodological shortcomings outlined above and provides measures of stability, variability, and developmental change in neurocognitive mechanisms within a multivariate framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Pezzoli
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Sam Parsons
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rogier A Kievit
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Duncan E Astle
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Quentin J M Huys
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Laboratory, Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry and Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nikolaus Steinbeis
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Ganesan K, Steinbeis N. Development and plasticity of executive functions: A value-based account. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 44:215-219. [PMID: 34717277 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Executive functions are core to multiple aspects of daily cognitive, social and affective functioning. An extensive body of work has charted developmental trajectories and neural substrates of executive functions through the lifespan. Robust associations between executive functions early in life, and later, wellbeing and success has led to considerable efforts to improve executive functions through bespoke interventions. Here, we discuss recent findings on the role of cost-benefit computations in how executive functions are deployed in development. We propose leveraging these insights to design more effective interventions for improving executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keertana Ganesan
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Nikolaus Steinbeis
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Astle DE, Holmes J, Kievit R, Gathercole SE. Annual Research Review: The transdiagnostic revolution in neurodevelopmental disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:397-417. [PMID: 34296774 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Practitioners frequently use diagnostic criteria to identify children with neurodevelopmental disorders and to guide intervention decisions. These criteria also provide the organising framework for much of the research focussing on these disorders. Study design, recruitment, analysis and theory are largely built on the assumption that diagnostic criteria reflect an underlying reality. However, there is growing concern that this assumption may not be a valid and that an alternative transdiagnostic approach may better serve our understanding of this large heterogeneous population of young people. This review draws on important developments over the past decade that have set the stage for much-needed breakthroughs in understanding neurodevelopmental disorders. We evaluate contemporary approaches to study design and recruitment, review the use of data-driven methods to characterise cognition, behaviour and neurobiology, and consider what alternative transdiagnostic models could mean for children and families. This review concludes that an overreliance on ill-fitting diagnostic criteria is impeding progress towards identifying the barriers that children encounter, understanding underpinning mechanisms and finding the best route to supporting them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan E Astle
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joni Holmes
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rogier Kievit
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Susan E Gathercole
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Rivard M, Mestari Z, Morin D, Coulombe P, Mello C, Morin M. Cluster Analysis of Clinical Features of Children Suspected to Have Neurodevelopmental Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2409-2420. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05533-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Fernandes MDSV, da Silva TMV, Noll PRES, de Almeida AA, Noll M. Depressive Symptoms and Their Associated Factors in Vocational-Technical School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:3735. [PMID: 35329421 PMCID: PMC8955985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms, behavioral habits, and QoL in students from two vocational-technical schools, and to determine the association of depressive symptoms with behavioral habits and quality of life (QoL) in these students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with students attending the institution of the Brazilian Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education. The students answered a questionnaire on sociodemographic variables, situations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, behavioral habits, QoL, and depressive symptoms. The outcome variable was the presence of depressive symptoms, assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was performed. A total of 343 students participated in this study (women, 55.7%; mean age of 16.1 ± 0.93 years). The prevalence of depressive symptoms among students was 43.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.0-49.0), and these symptoms were significantly associated with being female (prevalence ratio [PR] 1.72; 95% CI: 1.31-2.27); being in the 10th grade (PR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.18-2.76) and 9th grade (PR 2.08; 95% CI: 1.37-3.18); social isolation (PR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.00-4.14); hunger due to a lack of food at home (PR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.33-2.39); low physical activity levels (PR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.09-2.59); and moderate (PR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.68-4.89) and low QoL (PR: 5.66; 95% CI: 3.48-9.19). The results emphasize the importance of interventions aimed mainly at female students and those in the initial years of high school, in addition to the importance of physical activity, food safety, and QoL to improve the mental health of students.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thays Martins Vital da Silva
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiano, Goiás 76300-000, Brazil; (T.M.V.d.S.); (P.R.e.S.N.)
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais 38706-328, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Rayanne e Silva Noll
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiano, Goiás 76300-000, Brazil; (T.M.V.d.S.); (P.R.e.S.N.)
- University of São Paulo (Universidade de São Paulo—USP), São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
| | | | - Matias Noll
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiano, Goiás 76300-000, Brazil; (T.M.V.d.S.); (P.R.e.S.N.)
- Federal University of Goiás, Goiás 74001-970, Brazil
- Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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9
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Kostev K, Weber K, Riedel-Heller S, von Vultée C, Bohlken J. Increase in depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents followed in pediatric practices in Germany. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 32:873-879. [PMID: 34825964 PMCID: PMC8619647 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01924-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions impacted the daily lives of children and youth, partly due to the closure of schools and the absence of outdoor activities. The aim of this study was to investigate, quantify, and critically discuss the effect of the pandemic and related restrictions on consultations pertaining to depression and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. This retrospective cross-sectional study was based on medical record data from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) and included all children and adolescents aged 2-17 years with at least one visit to one of 168 German pediatric practices between April 2019 and December 2019 (n = 454,741) or between April 2020 and December 2020 (n = 417,979). The number of children and adolescents with depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses per practice and the prevalence of these diagnoses were compared for April 2020-December 2020 versus April 2019-December 2019. The number of children and adolescents with depression and anxiety diagnoses per practice increased in April 2020-December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 (anxiety: + 9%, depression: + 12%). The increase was much greater in girls than in boys (anxiety: + 13% vs. + 5%; depression + 19% vs. + 1%). The prevalence of anxiety disorder increased from 0.31 to 0.59% (p < 0.001), and that of depression from 0.23 to 0.47% (p < 0.001). The biggest increases were observed for girls (anxiety from 0.35 to 0.72% (+ 106%, p < 0.001), depression from 0.28 to 0.72% (+ 132%, p < 0.001). This study shows an increase in the number of pediatric diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders in the pandemic year 2020 compared to the previous year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karel Kostev
- Epidemiology, IQVIA, Unterschweinstiege 2-14, 60549, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Weber
- Retired Pediatrician, Currently Senior Physician at COVID-19 Vaccination Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Steffi Riedel-Heller
- Institute for Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Public Health (ISAP) of the Medical Faculty at the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Jens Bohlken
- Institute for Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Public Health (ISAP) of the Medical Faculty at the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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