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Buzi G, Eustache F, Droit-Volet S, Desaunay P, Hinault T. Towards a neurodevelopmental cognitive perspective of temporal processing. Commun Biol 2024; 7:987. [PMID: 39143328 PMCID: PMC11324894 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06641-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to organize and memorize the unfolding of events over time is a fundamental feature of cognition, which develops concurrently with the maturation of the brain. Nonetheless, how temporal processing evolves across the lifetime as well as the links with the underlying neural substrates remains unclear. Here, we intend to retrace the main developmental stages of brain structure, function, and cognition linked to the emergence of timing abilities. This neurodevelopmental perspective aims to untangle the puzzling trajectory of temporal processing aspects across the lifetime, paving the way to novel neuropsychological assessments and cognitive rehabilitation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Buzi
- Inserm, U1077, EPHE, UNICAEN, Normandie Université, PSL Université Paris, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH), Caen, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Inserm, U1077, EPHE, UNICAEN, Normandie Université, PSL Université Paris, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH), Caen, France
| | - Sylvie Droit-Volet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, LAPSCO, CNRS, UMR 6024, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Pierre Desaunay
- Inserm, U1077, EPHE, UNICAEN, Normandie Université, PSL Université Paris, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH), Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Thomas Hinault
- Inserm, U1077, EPHE, UNICAEN, Normandie Université, PSL Université Paris, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine (NIMH), Caen, France.
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Tang X, Turesky TK, Escalante ES, Loh MY, Xia M, Yu X, Gaab N. Longitudinal associations between language network characteristics in the infant brain and school-age reading abilities are mediated by early-developing phonological skills. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 68:101405. [PMID: 38875769 PMCID: PMC11225703 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101405] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Reading acquisition is a prolonged learning process relying on language development starting in utero. Behavioral longitudinal studies reveal prospective associations between infant language abilities and preschool/kindergarten phonological development that relates to subsequent reading performance. While recent pediatric neuroimaging work has begun to characterize the neural network underlying language development in infants, how this neural network scaffolds long-term language and reading acquisition remains unknown. We addressed this question in a 7-year longitudinal study from infancy to school-age. Seventy-six infants completed resting-state fMRI scanning, and underwent standardized language assessments in kindergarten. Of this larger cohort, forty-one were further assessed on their emergent word reading abilities after receiving formal reading instructions. Hierarchical clustering analyses identified a modular infant language network in which functional connectivity (FC) of the inferior frontal module prospectively correlated with kindergarten-age phonological skills and emergent word reading abilities. These correlations were obtained when controlling for infant age at scan, nonverbal IQ and parental education. Furthermore, kindergarten-age phonological skills mediated the relationship between infant FC and school-age reading abilities, implying a critical mid-way milestone for long-term reading development from infancy. Overall, our findings illuminate the neurobiological mechanisms by which infant language capacities could scaffold long-term reading acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ted K Turesky
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Escalante
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Megan Yf Loh
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mingrui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Falivene A, Cantiani C, Dondena C, Riboldi EM, Riva V, Piazza C. EEG Functional Connectivity Analysis for the Study of the Brain Maturation in the First Year of Life. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:4979. [PMID: 39124026 PMCID: PMC11314780 DOI: 10.3390/s24154979] [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: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Brain networks are hypothesized to undergo significant changes over development, particularly during infancy. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate brain maturation in the first year of life in terms of electrophysiological (EEG) functional connectivity (FC). Whole-brain FC metrics (i.e., magnitude-squared coherence, phase lag index, and parameters derived from graph theory) were extracted, for multiple frequency bands, from baseline EEG data recorded from 146 typically developing infants at 6 (T6) and 12 (T12) months of age. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for significant differences in the computed metrics considering time point and sex as fixed effects. Correlational analyses were performed to ascertain the potential relationship between FC and subjects' cognitive and language level, assessed with the Bayley-III scale at 24 (T24) months of age. The results obtained highlighted an increased FC, for all the analyzed frequency bands, at T12 with respect to T6. Correlational analyses yielded evidence of the relationship between FC metrics at T12 and cognition. Despite some limitations, our study represents one of the first attempts to evaluate brain network evolution during the first year of life while accounting for correspondence between functional maturation and cognitive improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy; (A.F.); (C.D.); (E.M.R.); (V.R.); (C.P.)
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4
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Tang X, Turesky TK, Escalante ES, Loh MY, Xia M, Yu X, Gaab N. Longitudinal associations between language network characteristics in the infant brain and school-age reading abilities are mediated by early-developing phonological skills. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.22.546194. [PMID: 38895379 PMCID: PMC11185523 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.22.546194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Reading acquisition is a prolonged learning process relying on language development starting in utero. Behavioral longitudinal studies reveal prospective associations between infant language abilities and preschool/kindergarten phonological development that relates to subsequent reading performance. While recent pediatric neuroimaging work has begun to characterize the neural network underlying language development in infants, how this neural network scaffolds long-term language and reading acquisition remains unknown. We addressed this question in a 7-year longitudinal study from infancy to school-age. Seventy-six infants completed resting-state fMRI scanning, and underwent standardized language assessments in kindergarten. Of this larger cohort, forty-one were further assessed on their emergent word reading abilities after receiving formal reading instructions. Hierarchical clustering analyses identified a modular infant language network in which functional connectivity (FC) of the inferior frontal module prospectively correlated with kindergarten-age phonological skills and emergent word reading abilities. These correlations were obtained when controlling for infant age at scan, nonverbal IQ and parental education. Furthermore, kindergarten-age phonological skills mediated the relationship between infant FC and school-age reading abilities, implying a critical mid-way milestone for long-term reading development from infancy. Overall, our findings illuminate the neurobiological mechanisms by which infant language capacities could scaffold long-term reading acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, 100875
| | - Ted K. Turesky
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, 02138
| | - Elizabeth S. Escalante
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, 02138
| | - Megan Yf Loh
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, 02138
| | - Mingrui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, 100875
| | - Xi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, 100875
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, 02138
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5
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Holfelder B, Schott N. Associations Between Object Control Skills and Cognitive Functions in Boys, Younger and Older Men: Across-Sectional Study. RESEARCH QUARTERLY FOR EXERCISE AND SPORT 2024; 95:489-498. [PMID: 37871343 DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2023.2265446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association of cognitive function and process- as well product-oriented outcomes of object control skills (OCS) in boys, younger and older men. Methods: A total of 77 male participants took part in this study, including 35 primary school children (9.04 ± 0.53 years), 22 younger adults (23.5 ± 2.34 years), and 20 older adults (69.5 ± 4.43 years). We assessed the process-oriented performance of throwing, kicking, and catching performance using the component approach. For the product-oriented performance, throwing and kicking velocity was recorded with a STALKER SOLO 2.0 radar gun. For catching, the number of caught balls was assessed. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Trail-Making-Test (TMT) one day later. Results: Younger adults performed better in both domains than the other two groups. The results of the children and older adults were comparable in the motor and cognitive domains. However, the older adults yielded significantly better results for the process-oriented catching and product-oriented throwing performances. Moderate to strong correlations exist between OCS- and TMT performance, with significant correlations predominantly between product-oriented OCS results and TMT in children. Conclusion: The results of both domains support a hypothetical lifespan developmental trajectory with a progression from childhood to younger adult age and a degression in older adults. Furthermore, our results suggest that the suspected relationship between motor and cognitive function depends on age, the analyzed cognitive and motor skills, and the applied methodological approach (process-oriented vs. product-oriented).
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Turk-Browne NB, Aslin RN. Infant neuroscience: how to measure brain activity in the youngest minds. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:338-354. [PMID: 38570212 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.003] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The functional properties of the infant brain are poorly understood. Recent advances in cognitive neuroscience are opening new avenues for measuring brain activity in human infants. These include novel uses of existing technologies such as electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), the availability of newer technologies including functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and optically pumped magnetometry (OPM), and innovative applications of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in awake infants during cognitive tasks. In this review article we catalog these available non-invasive methods, discuss the challenges and opportunities encountered when applying them to human infants, and highlight the potential they may ultimately hold for advancing our understanding of the youngest minds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Turk-Browne
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Richard N Aslin
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Sun H, Mehta S, Khaitova M, Cheng B, Hao X, Spann M, Scheinost D. Brain age prediction and deviations from normative trajectories in the neonatal connectome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.590811. [PMID: 38712238 PMCID: PMC11071351 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.590811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Structural and functional connectomes undergo rapid changes during the third trimester and the first month of postnatal life. Despite progress, our understanding of the developmental trajectories of the connectome in the perinatal period remains incomplete. Brain age prediction uses machine learning to estimate the brain's maturity relative to normative data. The difference between the individual's predicted and chronological age-or brain age gap (BAG)-represents the deviation from these normative trajectories. Here, we assess brain age prediction and BAGs using structural and functional connectomes for infants in the first month of life. We used resting-state fMRI and DTI data from 611 infants (174 preterm; 437 term) from the Developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) and connectome-based predictive modeling to predict postmenstrual age (PMA). Structural and functional connectomes accurately predicted PMA for term and preterm infants. Predicted ages from each modality were correlated. At the network level, nearly all canonical brain networks-even putatively later developing ones-generated accurate PMA prediction. Additionally, BAGs were associated with perinatal exposures and toddler behavioral outcomes. Overall, our results underscore the importance of normative modeling and deviations from these models during the perinatal period.
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McLean MA, Weinberg J, Synnes AR, Miller SP, Grunau RE. Relationships between cortisol levels across early childhood and processing speed at age 4.5 years in children born very preterm. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38406870 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2314958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Children born very low gestational age (VLGA, 29-32 weeks gestational age [GA]) display slower processing speed and altered hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function, with greater effects in those born extremely low gestational age (ELGA; 24-28 weeks GA). We investigated trajectories of HPA axis activity as indexed by cortisol output and patterns across cognitive assessment at ages 1.5, 3 and 4.5 years, comparing children born ELGA and VLGA and associations with 4.5-year processing speed. In a prospective longitudinal cohort study, infants born very preterm (<33 weeks gestation) returned for developmental assessment at ages 1.5, 3, and 4.5 years. At each age, children completed standardized cognitive testing and saliva samples collected before (Pretest), during (During) and after (End) challenging cognitive tasks were assayed for cortisol. For the total group (n = 188), cortisol area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) decreased, while cortisol reactivity to challenge (Pre-test to During) increased from 1.5 to 3 years, remaining stable to 4.5 years. This longitudinal pattern was related to higher Processing Speed (WPPSI-IV) scores at 4.5 years. Children born ELGA displayed higher AUCg than VLGA, particularly at age 3, driven by higher Pre-test cortisol levels. Overall, relative to those born VLGA, children born ELGA displayed greater cortisol responsivity to cognitive challenge. A higher setpoint of cortisol levels at age 3-years in children born ELGA may reflect altered HPA axis regulation more broadly and may contribute to difficulties with information processing in this population, critical for academic and social success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia A McLean
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Anne R Synnes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Steven P Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ruth E Grunau
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
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Thapaliya G, Kundu P, Jansen E, Naymik MA, Lee R, Bruchhage MMK, D’Sa V, Huentelman MJ, Lewis CR, Müller HG, Deoni SCL, Carnell S. FTO variation and early frontostriatal brain development in children. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2024; 32:156-165. [PMID: 37817330 PMCID: PMC10840826 DOI: 10.1002/oby.23926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Common obesity-associated genetic variants at the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) locus have been associated with appetitive behaviors and altered structure and function of frontostriatal brain regions. The authors aimed to investigate the influence of FTO variation on frontostriatal appetite circuits in early life. METHODS Data were drawn from RESONANCE, a longitudinal study of early brain development. Growth trajectories of nucleus accumbens and frontal lobe volumes, as well as total gray matter and white matter volume, by risk allele (AA) carrier status on FTO single-nucleotide polymorphism rs9939609 were examined in 228 children (102 female, 126 male) using magnetic resonance imaging assessments obtained from infancy through middle childhood. The authors fit functional concurrent regression models with brain volume outcomes over age as functional responses, and FTO genotype, sex, BMI z score, and maternal education were included as predictors. RESULTS Bootstrap pointwise 95% CI for regression coefficient functions in the functional concurrent regression models showed that the AA group versus the group with no risk allele (TT) had greater nucleus accumbens volume (adjusted for total brain volume) in the interval of 750 to 2250 days (2-6 years). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that common genetic risk for obesity is associated with differences in early development of brain reward circuitry and argue for investigating dynamic relationships among genotype, brain, behavior, and weight throughout development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gita Thapaliya
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Poorbita Kundu
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elena Jansen
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | | | - Richard Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Muriel Marisa Katharina Bruchhage
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychology, Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Norway
| | - Viren D’Sa
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Candace R Lewis
- Neurogenomics Division, TGen, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Hans-Georg Müller
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sean C. L. Deoni
- Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Discovery & Tools, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Susan Carnell
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
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Rajhans P, Mainardi F, Austin S, Sprenger N, Deoni S, Hauser J, Schneider N. The Role of Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Myelination, Socio-Emotional and Language Development: Observational Data from Breast-Fed Infants in the United States of America. Nutrients 2023; 15:4624. [PMID: 37960278 PMCID: PMC10649431 DOI: 10.3390/nu15214624] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Infancy is a critical period for neurodevelopment, which includes myelination, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, and the development of motor, social-emotional, and cognitive functions. Human milk provides essential nutrients to the infant's developing brain, especially during the first postnatal months. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a major component of human milk, and there is growing evidence of the association of individual HMOs with cognitive development in early life. However, to our knowledge, no study has explained these associations with a mechanism of action. Here, we investigated possible mediating associations between HMOs in human milk, brain myelination (measured via myelin water fraction), and measures of motor, language (collected via the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III)), and socioemotional development (collected via the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional Version (ASQ-SE)) in healthy term-born breast-fed infants. The results revealed an association between 6'Sialyllactose and social skills that was mediated by myelination. Furthermore, associations of fucosylated HMOs with language outcomes were observed that were not mediated by myelination. These observations indicate the roles of specific HMOs in neurodevelopment and associated functional outcomes, such as social-emotional function and language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purva Rajhans
- Brain Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.H.); (N.S.)
| | - Fabio Mainardi
- Department of Data Sciences & Precision Nutrition, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Sean Austin
- Nestlé Institute of Food Safety and Analytical Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Norbert Sprenger
- Gastro-Intestinal Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Sean Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02912, USA;
- Department of Radiology, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Spinn Neuroscience, Seattle, WA 98275, USA
| | - Jonas Hauser
- Brain Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.H.); (N.S.)
| | - Nora Schneider
- Brain Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland; (J.H.); (N.S.)
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Schneider N, Hartweg M, O’Regan J, Beauchemin J, Redman L, Hsia DS, Steiner P, Carmichael O, D’Sa V, Deoni S. Impact of a Nutrient Formulation on Longitudinal Myelination, Cognition, and Behavior from Birth to 2 Years: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Nutrients 2023; 15:4439. [PMID: 37892514 PMCID: PMC10610069 DOI: 10.3390/nu15204439] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Observation studies suggest differences in myelination in relation to differences in early life nutrition. This two-center randomized controlled trial investigates the effect of a 12-month nutritional intervention on longitudinal changes in myelination, cognition, and behavior. Eighty-one full-term, neurotypical infants were randomized into an investigational (N = 42) or a control group (N = 39), receiving higher versus lower levels of a blend of nutrients. Non-randomized breastfed infants (N = 108) served as a reference group. Main outcomes were myelination (MRI), neurodevelopment (Bayley-III), social-emotional development (ASQ:SE-2), infant and toddler behavior (IBQ-R and TBAQ), and infant sleep (BISQ) during the first 2 years of life. The full analysis set comprised N = 67 infants from the randomized groups, with 81 myelin-sensitive MRI sequences. Significantly higher myelination was observed in the investigational compared to the control group at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of life, as well as significantly higher gray matter volume at 24 months, a reduced number of night awakenings at 6 months, increased day sleep at 12 months, and reduced social fearfulness at 24 months. The results suggest that brain development may be modifiable with brain- and age-relevant nutritional approaches in healthy infants and young children, which may be foundational for later learning outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Schneider
- Brain Health, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mickaël Hartweg
- Biostatistics and Data Management, Clinical Research Unit, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan O’Regan
- Nestlé Development Centre Nutrition, Askeaton, Co., RH6 0PA Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Beauchemin
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Leanne Redman
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA (O.C.)
| | - Daniel S. Hsia
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA (O.C.)
| | - Pascal Steiner
- Brain Health, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Owen Carmichael
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA (O.C.)
| | - Viren D’Sa
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Sean Deoni
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Spinn Neuroscience, Mukilteo, WA 98275, USA
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Jiang W, Zhou Z, Li G, Yin W, Wu Z, Wang L, Ghanbari M, Li G, Yap PT, Howell BR, Styner MA, Yacoub E, Hazlett H, Gilmore JH, Keith Smith J, Ugurbil K, Elison JT, Zhang H, Shen D, Lin W. Mapping the evolution of regional brain network efficiency and its association with cognitive abilities during the first twenty-eight months of life. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101284. [PMID: 37517139 PMCID: PMC10400876 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human brain undergoes rapid growth during the first few years of life. While previous research has employed graph theory to study early brain development, it has mostly focused on the topological attributes of the whole brain. However, examining regional graph-theory features may provide unique insights into the development of cognitive abilities. Utilizing a large and longitudinal rsfMRI dataset from the UNC/UMN Baby Connectome Project, we investigated the developmental trajectories of regional efficiency and evaluated the relationships between these changes and cognitive abilities using Mullen Scales of Early Learning during the first twenty-eight months of life. Our results revealed a complex and spatiotemporally heterogeneous development pattern of regional global and local efficiency during this age period. Furthermore, we found that the trajectories of the regional global efficiency at the left temporal occipital fusiform and bilateral occipital fusiform gyri were positively associated with cognitive abilities, including visual reception, expressive language, receptive language, and early learning composite scores (P < 0.05, FDR corrected). However, these associations were weakened with age. These findings offered new insights into the regional developmental features of brain topologies and their associations with cognition and provided evidence of ongoing optimization of brain networks at both whole-brain and regional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiong Jiang
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zhen Zhou
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Guoshi Li
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Weiyan Yin
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zhengwang Wu
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Maryam Ghanbari
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Pew-Thian Yap
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Martin A Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Essa Yacoub
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Heather Hazlett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - J Keith Smith
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Kamil Ugurbil
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Han Zhang
- Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dinggang Shen
- Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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13
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Tooley UA, Latham A, Kenley JK, Alexopoulos D, Smyser T, Warner BB, Shimony JS, Neil JJ, Luby JL, Barch DM, Rogers CE, Smyser CD. Prenatal environment is associated with the pace of cortical network development over the first three years of life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.18.552639. [PMID: 37662189 PMCID: PMC10473645 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.18.552639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental influences on brain structure and function during early development have been well-characterized. In pre-registered analyses, we test the theory that socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with differences in trajectories of intrinsic brain network development from birth to three years (n = 261). Prenatal SES is associated with developmental increases in cortical network segregation, with neonates and toddlers from lower-SES backgrounds showing a steeper increase in cortical network segregation with age, consistent with accelerated network development. Associations between SES and cortical network segregation occur at the local scale and conform to a sensorimotor-association hierarchy of cortical organization. SES-associated differences in cortical network segregation are associated with language abilities at two years, such that lower segregation is associated with improved language abilities. These results yield key insight into the timing and directionality of associations between the early environment and trajectories of cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula A. Tooley
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Aidan Latham
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeanette K. Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | | | - Tara Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Barbara B. Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joshua S. Shimony
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeffrey J. Neil
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joan L. Luby
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Cynthia E. Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Chris D. Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
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14
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Hunter S, Flaten E, Petersen C, Gervain J, Werker JF, Trainor LJ, Finlay BB. Babies, bugs and brains: How the early microbiome associates with infant brain and behavior development. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288689. [PMID: 37556397 PMCID: PMC10411758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence is demonstrating the connection between the microbiota gut-brain axis and neurodevelopment. Microbiota colonization occurs before the maturation of many neural systems and is linked to brain health. Because of this it has been hypothesized that the early microbiome interactions along the gut-brain axis evolved to promote advanced cognitive functions and behaviors. Here, we performed a pilot study with a multidisciplinary approach to test if the microbiota composition of infants is associated with measures of early cognitive development, in particular neural rhythm tracking; language (forward speech) versus non-language (backwards speech) discrimination; and social joint attention. Fecal samples were collected from 56 infants between four and six months of age and sequenced by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Of these, 44 performed the behavioral Point and Gaze test to measure joint attention. Infants were tested on either language discrimination using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS; 25 infants had usable data) or neural rhythm tracking using electroencephalogram (EEG; 15 had usable data). Infants who succeeded at the Point and Gaze test tended to have increased Actinobacteria and reduced Firmicutes at the phylum level; and an increase in Bifidobacterium and Eggerthella along with a reduction in Hungatella and Streptococcus at the genus level. Measurements of neural rhythm tracking associated negatively to the abundance of Bifidobacterium and positively to the abundance of Clostridium and Enterococcus for the bacterial abundances, and associated positively to metabolic pathways that can influence neurodevelopment, including branched chain amino acid biosynthesis and pentose phosphate pathways. No associations were found for the fNIRS language discrimination measurements. Although the tests were underpowered due to the small pilot sample sizes, potential associations were identified between the microbiome and measurements of early cognitive development that are worth exploring further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Hunter
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erica Flaten
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charisse Petersen
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Judit Gervain
- University of Padua, Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Padua, Italy
- University of Padua, Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua, Italy
- Université Paris Cité & CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, Paris, France
| | - Janet F. Werker
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Laurel J. Trainor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brett B. Finlay
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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15
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Li Z, Sturge-Apple ML, Davies PT. Contextual risks, child problem-solving profiles, and socioemotional functioning: Testing the specialization hypothesis. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1421-1433. [PMID: 34895367 PMCID: PMC9189255 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Guided by the evolutionary perspective and specialization hypothesis, this multi-method (behavioral observation, questionnaire) longitudinal study adopted a person-centered approach to explore children's problem-solving skills within different contexts. Participants were 235 young children (M age = 2.97 years at the first measurement occasion) and their parents assessed in two measurement occasions spaced one year apart. Latent profile analyses revealed four unique problem-solving profiles, capturing variability in children's performance, and observed engagement in abstract vs. reward-oriented (RO) problem-solving tasks at wave one. The four profiles included: (a) a high-abstract-high-RO, (b) a high-abstract-low-RO, (c) a low-abstract-high-RO, and (d) a low-abstract-low-RO classes. Contextual risks within and outside families during wave one, including greater neighborhood crime, impoverishment, and observed lower maternal sensitivity were linked to the elevated likelihood for children from the two profiles with low-abstract problem-solving, particularly those from the low-abstract-high-RO problem-solving profile. Furthermore, child problem-solving profiles were linked to meaningful differences in their socioemotional functioning one year later. The present finding has important implications in revealing the heterogeneity in child problem-solving within different contexts that responded differently to contextual risks. In addition, this study advanced the understanding of the developmental implications of child problem-solving capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Melissa L. Sturge-Apple
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester & Mt. Hope Family Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Patrick T. Davies
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
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16
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Gossé LK, Pinti P, Wiesemann F, Elwell CE, Jones EJH. Developing customized NIRS-EEG for infant sleep research: methodological considerations. NEUROPHOTONICS 2023; 10:035010. [PMID: 37753324 PMCID: PMC10519625 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.10.3.035010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Significance Studies using simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-electroencephalography (EEG) during natural sleep in infancy are rare. Developments for combined fNIRS-EEG for sleep research that ensure optimal comfort as well as good coupling and data quality are needed. Aim We describe the steps toward developing a comfortable, wearable NIRS-EEG headgear adapted specifically for sleeping infants ages 5 to 9 months and present the experimental procedures and data quality to conduct infant sleep research using combined fNIRS-EEG. Approach N = 49 5- to 9-month-old infants participated. In phase 1, N = 26 (10 = slept) participated using the non-wearable version of the NIRS-EEG headgear with 13-channel-wearable EEG and 39-channel fiber-based NIRS. In phase 2, N = 23 infants (21 = slept) participated with the wireless version of the headgear with 20-channel-wearable EEG and 47-channel wearable NIRS. We used QT-NIRS to assess the NIRS data quality based on the good time window percentage, included channels, nap duration, and valid EEG percentage. Results The infant nap rate during phase 1 was ∼ 40 % (45% valid EEG data) and increased to 90% during phase 2 (100% valid EEG data). Infants slept significantly longer with the wearable system than the non-wearable system. However, there were more included good channels based on QT-NIRS in study phase 1 (61%) than phase 2 (50%), though this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions We demonstrated the usability of an integrated NIRS-EEG headgear during natural infant sleep with both non-wearable and wearable NIRS systems. The wearable NIRS-EEG headgear represents a good compromise between data quality, opportunities of applications (home visits and toddlers), and experiment success (infants' comfort, longer sleep duration, and opportunities for caregiver-child interaction).
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa K. Gossé
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paola Pinti
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Wiesemann
- Research and Development, Procter & Gamble, Schwalbach am Taunus, Germany
| | - Clare E. Elwell
- University College London, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J. H. Jones
- Birkbeck, University of London, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, London, United Kingdom
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17
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Jansen E, Naymik M, Thapaliya G, Huentelman M, Beauchemin J, D'Sa V, Lewis CR, Deoni S, Carnell S. Parent-reported child appetite moderates relationships between child genetic obesity risk and parental feeding practices. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1174441. [PMID: 37324730 PMCID: PMC10266414 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1174441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Food parenting practices are associated with child weight. Such associations may reflect the effects of parents' practices on children's food intake and weight. However, longitudinal, qualitative, and behavioral genetic evidence suggests these associations could, in some cases, reflect parents' response to children's genetic risk for obesity, an instance of gene-environment correlation. We tested for gene-environment correlations across multiple domains of food parenting practices and explored the role of parent-reported child appetite in these relationships. Materials and methods Data on relevant variables were available for N = 197 parent-child dyads (7.54 ± 2.67 years; 44.4% girls) participating in RESONANCE, an ongoing pediatric cohort study. Children's body mass index (BMI) polygenic risk score (PRS) were derived based on adult GWAS data. Parents reported on their feeding practices (Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire) and their child's eating behavior (Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire). Moderation effects of child eating behaviors on associations between child BMI PRS and parental feeding practices were examined, adjusting for relevant covariates. Results Of the 12 parental feeding practices, 2 were associated with child BMI PRS, namely, restriction for weight control (β = 0.182, p = 0.011) and teaching about nutrition (β = -0.217, p = 0.003). Moderation analyses demonstrated that when children had high genetic obesity risk and showed moderate/high (vs. low) food responsiveness, parents were more likely to restrict food intake to control weight. Conclusion Our results indicate that parents may adjust their feeding practices in response to a child's genetic propensity toward higher or lower bodyweight, and the adoption of food restriction to control weight may depend on parental perceptions of the child's appetite. Research using prospective data on child weight and appetite and food parenting from infancy is needed to further investigate how gene-environment relationships evolve through development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Jansen
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marcus Naymik
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Gita Thapaliya
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Matt Huentelman
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Jennifer Beauchemin
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Viren D'Sa
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Candace R. Lewis
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, United States
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Sean Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
- Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Discovery and Tools, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Susan Carnell
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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18
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Smith E, Xiao Y, Xie H, Manwaring SS, Farmer C, Thompson L, D'Souza P, Thurm A, Redcay E. Posterior superior temporal cortex connectivity is related to social communication in toddlers. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 71:101831. [PMID: 37012188 PMCID: PMC10330088 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101831] [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: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
The second year of life is a time when social communication skills typically develop, but this growth may be slower in toddlers with language delay. In the current study, we examined how brain functional connectivity is related to social communication abilities in a sample of 12-24 month-old toddlers including those with typical development (TD) and those with language delays (LD). We used an a-priori, seed-based approach to identify regions forming a functional network with the left posterior superior temporal cortex (LpSTC), a region associated with language and social communication in older children and adults. Social communication and language abilities were assessed using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning. We found a significant association between concurrent CSBS scores and functional connectivity between the LpSTC and the right posterior superior temporal cortex (RpSTC), with greater connectivity between these regions associated with better social communication abilities. However, functional connectivity was not related to rate of change or language outcomes at 36 months of age. These data suggest an early marker of low communication abilities may be decreased connectivity between the left and right pSTC. Future longitudinal studies should test whether this neurobiological feature is predictive of later social or communication impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Smith
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, USA
| | - Yaqiong Xiao
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China; Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, USA
| | - Hua Xie
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, USA
| | - Stacy S Manwaring
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Utah, USA
| | - Cristan Farmer
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service, National Institute of Mental Health, USA
| | - Lauren Thompson
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Washington State University, USA
| | - Precilla D'Souza
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Human Genome Research Institute, USA
| | - Audrey Thurm
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service, National Institute of Mental Health, USA
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19
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Fenske SJ, Liu J, Chen H, Diniz MA, Stephens RL, Cornea E, Gilmore JH, Gao W. Sex differences in resting state functional connectivity across the first two years of life. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101235. [PMID: 36966646 PMCID: PMC10066534 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in behavior have been reported from infancy through adulthood, but little is known about sex effects on functional circuitry in early infancy. Moreover, the relationship between early sex effects on the functional architecture of the brain and later behavioral performance remains to be elucidated. In this study, we used resting-state fMRI and a novel heatmap analysis to examine sex differences in functional connectivity with cross-sectional and longitudinal mixed models in a large cohort of infants (n = 319 neonates, 1-, and 2-year-olds). An adult dataset (n = 92) was also included for comparison. We investigated the relationship between sex differences in functional circuitry and later measures of language (collected in 1- and 2-year-olds) as well as indices of anxiety, executive function, and intelligence (collected in 4-year-olds). Brain areas showing the most significant sex differences were age-specific across infancy, with two temporal regions demonstrating consistent differences. Measures of functional connectivity showing sex differences in infancy were significantly associated with subsequent behavioral scores of language, executive function, and intelligence. Our findings provide insights into the effects of sex on dynamic neurodevelopmental trajectories during infancy and lay an important foundation for understanding the mechanisms underlying sex differences in health and disease.
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20
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Jansen E, Thapaliya G, Beauchemin J, D’Sa V, Deoni S, Carnell S. The Development of Appetite: Tracking and Age-Related Differences in Appetitive Traits in Childhood. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15061377. [PMID: 36986108 PMCID: PMC10056659 DOI: 10.3390/nu15061377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Appetitive traits are associated with body weight. Increased understanding of how appetitive traits evolve from early life could advance research on obesity risk and inform intervention development. We report on tracking and age-related differences in appetitive traits in childhood within the RESONANCE cohort. Parents of RESONANCE children aged 6.02 ± 2.99 years completed the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Pearson correlations of appetitive traits and age were tested for all participants contributing at least one observation, using each participant’s first observation (N = 335). Children’s first and second observations of the CEBQ (n = 127) were used to test tracking (paired correlations) and age-related differences (paired t-tests) within individuals. CEBQ correlations with age suggested that satiety responsiveness, slowness in eating, emotional undereating, and desire to drink decreased with age (r = −0.111 to r = −0.269, all p < 0.05), while emotional overeating increased with age (r = 0.207, p < 0.001). Food fussiness demonstrated a quadratic relationship with age. Paired t-tests further supported an increase in emotional overeating with age (M: 1.55 vs. 1.69, p = 0.005). All CEBQ subscales demonstrated moderate to high tracking (r = 0.533 to r = 0.760, p < 0.001). Our initial findings within the RESONANCE cohort suggest that food avoidant traits are negatively related with age, while emotional overeating increases with age, and that appetitive traits track through childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Jansen
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Gita Thapaliya
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jennifer Beauchemin
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Brown University & Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Viren D’Sa
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Brown University & Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Sean Deoni
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 500 5th Ave North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Susan Carnell
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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21
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Zhou Y, Müller HG, Zhu C, Chen Y, Wang JL, O'Muircheartaigh J, Bruchhage M, Deoni S, Bruchhage M, Carnell S, Deoni S, D’Sa V, Huentelman M, Klepac-Ceraj V, LeBourgeois M, Müller HG, O’Muircheartaigh J, Wang JL. Network evolution of regional brain volumes in young children reflects neurocognitive scores and mother's education. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2984. [PMID: 36804963 PMCID: PMC9941570 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29797-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The maturation of regional brain volumes from birth to preadolescence is a critical developmental process that underlies emerging brain structural connectivity and function. Regulated by genes and environment, the coordinated growth of different brain regions plays an important role in cognitive development. Current knowledge about structural network evolution is limited, partly due to the sparse and irregular nature of most longitudinal neuroimaging data. In particular, it is unknown how factors such as mother's education or sex of the child impact the structural network evolution. To address this issue, we propose a method to construct evolving structural networks and study how the evolving connections among brain regions as reflected at the network level are related to maternal education and biological sex of the child and also how they are associated with cognitive development. Our methodology is based on applying local Fréchet regression to longitudinal neuroimaging data acquired from the RESONANCE cohort, a cohort of healthy children (245 females and 309 males) ranging in age from 9 weeks to 10 years. Our findings reveal that sustained highly coordinated volume growth across brain regions is associated with lower maternal education and lower cognitive development. This suggests that higher neurocognitive performance levels in children are associated with increased variability of regional growth patterns as children age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Zhou
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Hans-Georg Müller
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Changbo Zhu
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Yaqing Chen
- Department of Statistics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Jane-Ling Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jonathan O'Muircheartaigh
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Muriel Bruchhage
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, USA.,Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, USA.,Institute of Social Sciences, Stavanger University, Stavanger, 4021, Norway
| | - Sean Deoni
- Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Discovery and Tools, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA
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22
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Markovic A, Schoch SF, Huber R, Kohler M, Kurth S. The sleeping brain's connectivity and family environment: characterizing sleep EEG coherence in an infant cohort. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2055. [PMID: 36739318 PMCID: PMC9899221 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29129-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain connectivity closely reflects brain function and behavior. Sleep EEG coherence, a measure of brain's connectivity during sleep, undergoes pronounced changes across development under the influence of environmental factors. Yet, the determinants of the developing brain's sleep EEG coherence from the child's family environment remain unknown. After characterizing high-density sleep EEG coherence in 31 healthy 6-month-old infants by detecting strongly synchronized clusters through a data-driven approach, we examined the association of sleep EEG coherence from these clusters with factors from the infant's family environment. Clusters with greatest coherence were observed over the frontal lobe. Higher delta coherence over the left frontal cortex was found in infants sleeping in their parents' room, while infants sleeping in a room shared with their sibling(s) showed greater delta coherence over the central parts of the frontal cortex, suggesting a link between local brain connectivity and co-sleeping. Finally, lower occipital delta coherence was associated with maternal anxiety regarding their infant's sleep. These interesting links between sleep EEG coherence and family factors have the potential to serve in early health interventions as a new set of targets from the child's immediate environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andjela Markovic
- Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland. .,Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Sarah F Schoch
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Center of Competence Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Reto Huber
- Center of Competence Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Malcolm Kohler
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Center of Competence Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salome Kurth
- Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Center of Competence Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Donovan SM, Abrams SA, Azad MB, Belfort MB, Bode L, Carlson SE, Dallas DC, Hettinga K, Järvinen K, Kim JH, Lebrilla CB, McGuire MK, Sela DA, Neu J. Summary of the joint National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration workshop titled "exploring the science surrounding the safe use of bioactive ingredients in infant formula: Considerations for an assessment framework". J Pediatr 2022; 255:30-41.e1. [PMID: 36463938 PMCID: PMC10121942 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Donovan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
| | - Steven A Abrams
- Department of Pediatrics Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
| | - Meghan B Azad
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre (MILC), Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Mandy B Belfort
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Lars Bode
- Department of Pediatrics and Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Susan E Carlson
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Kansas University Medical Center and The University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS
| | - David C Dallas
- Department of Nutrition, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Kasper Hettinga
- Department of Food Sciences and Agrotechnology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Kirsi Järvinen
- Department of Pediatrics, Golisano Children's Hospital and University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
| | - Jae H Kim
- Perinatal Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | | | | | - David A Sela
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA
| | - Josef Neu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
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24
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Tooley UA, Park AT, Leonard JA, Boroshok AL, McDermott CL, Tisdall MD, Bassett DS, Mackey AP. The Age of Reason: Functional Brain Network Development during Childhood. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8237-8251. [PMID: 36192151 PMCID: PMC9653278 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0511-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human childhood is characterized by dramatic changes in the mind and brain. However, little is known about the large-scale intrinsic cortical network changes that occur during childhood because of methodological challenges in scanning young children. Here, we overcome this barrier by using sophisticated acquisition and analysis tools to investigate functional network development in children between the ages of 4 and 10 years ([Formula: see text]; 50 female, 42 male). At multiple spatial scales, age is positively associated with brain network segregation. At the system level, age was associated with segregation of systems involved in attention from those involved in abstract cognition, and with integration among attentional and perceptual systems. Associations between age and functional connectivity are most pronounced in visual and medial prefrontal cortex, the two ends of a gradient from perceptual, externally oriented cortex to abstract, internally oriented cortex. These findings suggest that both ends of the sensory-association gradient may develop early, in contrast to the classical theories that cortical maturation proceeds from back to front, with sensory areas developing first and association areas developing last. More mature patterns of brain network architecture, controlling for age, were associated with better visuospatial reasoning abilities. Our results suggest that as cortical architecture becomes more specialized, children become more able to reason about the world and their place in it.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Anthropologists have called the transition from early to middle childhood the "age of reason", when children across cultures become more independent. We employ cutting-edge neuroimaging acquisition and analysis approaches to investigate associations between age and functional brain architecture in childhood. Age was positively associated with segregation between cortical systems that process the external world and those that process abstract phenomena like the past, future, and minds of others. Surprisingly, we observed pronounced development at both ends of the sensory-association gradient, challenging the theory that sensory areas develop first and association areas develop last. Our results open new directions for research into how brains reorganize to support rapid gains in cognitive and socioemotional skills as children reach the age of reason.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula A Tooley
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Anne T Park
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Julia A Leonard
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Austin L Boroshok
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Cassidy L McDermott
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Matthew D Tisdall
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
| | - Allyson P Mackey
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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25
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Guo J, Chen Y, Liu W, Huang L, Hu D, Lv Y, Kang H, Li N, Peng Y. Abnormal developmental trends of functional connectivity in young children with infantile esotropia. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:972882. [PMID: 36061605 PMCID: PMC9433796 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.972882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that functional networks are present at birth and change dynamically throughout infancy and early childhood. However, the status of functional connectivity is still poorly understood in patients with infantile esotropia (IE). The aim of this study is to investigate the developmental trends of functional connectivity in patients with IE during a critical period of growth and development. A total of 17 patients with IE (9 males and 8 females; mean age: 3.36 ± 2.03 years, age range: 0.67–6.36 years) and 20 healthy subjects matched for age and gender were recruited and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The whole-brain functional network connectivity was analyzed for the IE group and healthy control group. A general linear model was applied to assess the group-age interaction in terms of the functional connectivity. The discrepancy between the two groups in functional connectivity trajectories was also quantified across age and exhibited by the quadratic parabolic model. There were significant group-age interactions between the visual network and the default mode network, the visual network and the sensorimotor network, the limbic network and the default mode network, and within the limbic network in the functional connectivity. A U-shaped tendency across age, with an “inflection point” ranging from 3.1 to 4.0 years of age was exhibited in the difference between functional connectivity trajectories of the IE patients and normal controls. Abnormality in functional network connectivity could present in IE patients at birth, exhibiting aberrant developmental patterns over time. An abnormal functional network could reduce the ability of the cortex in visual information processing, further reactivating the subcortical visual information processing system, which is probably the pathogenesis of IE. Three to four years after birth is the critical time window for children with IE to establish normal network connections in the brain. Early surgery during this period may be helpful for affected children to have an opportunity to approach the normal development trajectory as early as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlin Guo
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Neural Engineering, Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Di Hu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yanqiu Lv
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Huiying Kang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Ningdong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ningdong Li,
| | - Yun Peng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Yun Peng,
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26
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Scheinost D, Chang J, Lacadie C, Brennan-Wydra E, Constable RT, Chawarska K, Ment LR. Functional connectivity for the language network in the developing brain: 30 weeks of gestation to 30 months of age. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:3289-3301. [PMID: 34875024 PMCID: PMC9340393 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the neural scaffolding for language is putatively present before birth, the maturation of functional connections among the key nodes of the language network, Broca's and Wernicke's areas, is less known. We leveraged longitudinal and cross-sectional data from three sites collected through six studies to track the development of functional circuits between Broca's and Wernicke's areas from 30 weeks of gestation through 30 months of age in 127 unique participants. Using resting-state fMRI data, functional connectivity was calculated as the correlation between fMRI time courses from pairs of regions, defined as Broca's and Wernicke's in both hemispheres. The primary analysis evaluated 23 individuals longitudinally imaged from 30 weeks postmenstrual age (fetal) through the first postnatal month (neonatal). A secondary analysis in 127 individuals extended these curves into older infants and toddlers. These data demonstrated significant growth of interhemispheric connections including left Broca's and its homolog and left Wernicke's and its homolog from 30 weeks of gestation through the first postnatal month. In contrast, intrahemispheric connections did not show significant increases across this period. These data represent an important baseline for language systems in the developing brain against which to compare those neurobehavioral disorders with the potential fetal onset of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Joseph Chang
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cheryl Lacadie
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - R Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Laura R Ment
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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27
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Schneider N, Bruchhage MMK, O'Neill BV, Hartweg M, Tanguy J, Steiner P, Mutungi G, O'Regan J, Mcsweeney S, D'Sa V, Deoni SCL. A Nutrient Formulation Affects Developmental Myelination in Term Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Nutr 2022; 9:823893. [PMID: 35242798 PMCID: PMC8886575 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.823893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Observational studies suggest differences between breast-fed and formula-fed infants in developmental myelination, a key brain process for learning. The study aims to investigate the efficacy of a blend of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA), iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and sphingomyelin (SM) from a uniquely processed whey protein concentrate enriched in alpha-lactalbumin and phospholipids compared with a control formulation on myelination, cognitive, and behavioral development in the first 6 months of life. Methods These are 6-month results from an ongoing two-center, randomized controlled trial with a 12-month intervention period (completed for all participants). In this study, full term, neurotypical infants of both sexes (N = 81) were randomized into investigational (N = 42) or control groups (N = 39). In addition, non-randomized breast-fed children (N = 108) serve as a natural reference group. Main outcomes are myelination (MRI), cognitive (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition [Bayley-III]), social-emotional development (Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, 2nd edition [ASQ:SE-2]), sleep (Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire [BISQ]), and safety (growth and adverse events [AEs]). Results The full analyses set comprises N = 66 infants. Significant differences in myelin structure, volume, and rate of myelination were observed in favor of the investigational myelin blend at 3 and 6 months of life. Effects were demonstrated for whole brain myelin and for cerebellar, parietal, occipital, and temporal regions, known to be functionally involved in sensory, motor, and language skills. No statistically significant differences were found for early behavior and cognition scores. Conclusions This is the first study demonstrating the efficacy of a myelin nutrient blend in well-nourished, term infants on developmental myelination, which may be foundational for later cognitive and learning outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03111927.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Schneider
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Nora Schneider
| | - Muriel M. K. Bruchhage
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
- Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
- Department of Psychology, Stavanger University, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Barry V. O'Neill
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mickaël Hartweg
- Clinical Research Unit, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jérôme Tanguy
- Clinical Research Unit, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Steiner
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gisella Mutungi
- Nestlé Nutrition, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Vevey, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Viren D'Sa
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
- Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Sean C. L. Deoni
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
- Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
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28
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Longitudinal maturation of resting state networks: Relevance to sustained attention and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1432-1446. [PMID: 35676491 PMCID: PMC9622522 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The transition from childhood to adolescence involves important neural function, cognition, and behavior changes. However, the links between maturing brain function and sustained attention over this period could be better understood. This study examined typical changes in network functional connectivity over childhood to adolescence, developmental differences in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and how functional connectivity might underpin variability in sustained attention development in a longitudinal sample. A total of 398 resting state scans were collected from 173 children and adolescents (88 ADHD, 85 control) at up to three timepoints across ages 9-14 years. The effects of age, sex, and diagnostic group on changes in network functional connectivity were assessed, followed by relationships between functional connectivity and sustained attention development using linear mixed effects modelling. The ADHD group displayed greater decreases in functional connectivity between salience and visual networks compared with controls. Lower childhood functional connectivity between the frontoparietal and several brain networks was associated with more rapid sustained attention development, whereas frontoparietal to dorsal attention network connectivity related to attention trajectories in children with ADHD alone. Brain network segregation may increase into adolescence as predicted by key developmental theories; however, participants with ADHD demonstrated altered developmental trajectories between salience and visual networks. The segregation of the frontoparietal network from other brain networks may be a mechanism supporting sustained attention development. Frontoparietal to dorsal attention connectivity can be a focus for further work in ADHD.
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29
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Chen B, Linke A, Olson L, Ibarra C, Kinnear M, Fishman I. Resting state functional networks in 1-to-3-year-old typically developing children. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 51:100991. [PMID: 34298412 PMCID: PMC8322300 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain functional networks undergo substantial development and refinement during the first years of life. Yet, the maturational pathways of functional network development remain poorly understood. Using resting-state fMRI data acquired during natural sleep from 24 typically developing toddlers, ages 1.5-3.5 years, we aimed to examine the large-scale resting-state functional networks and their relationship with age and developmental skills. Specifically, two network organization indices reflecting network connectivity and spatial variability were derived. Our results revealed that reduced spatial variability or increased network homogeneity in one of the default mode network components was associated with age, with older children displaying less spatially variable posterior DMN subcomponent, consistent with the notion of increased spatial and functional specialization. Further, greater network homogeneity in higher-order functional networks, including the posterior default mode, salience, and language networks, was associated with more advanced developmental skills measured with a standardized assessment of early learning, regardless of age. These results not only improve our understanding of brain functional network development during toddler years, but also inform the relationship between brain network organization and emerging cognitive and behavioral skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bosi Chen
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States; SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States.
| | - Annika Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Lindsay Olson
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States; SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States
| | - Cynthia Ibarra
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Mikaela Kinnear
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, United States; SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; SDSU Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders, San Diego State University, United States.
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30
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Copeland A, Silver E, Korja R, Lehtola SJ, Merisaari H, Saukko E, Sinisalo S, Saunavaara J, Lähdesmäki T, Parkkola R, Nolvi S, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Infant and Child MRI: A Review of Scanning Procedures. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:666020. [PMID: 34321992 PMCID: PMC8311184 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.666020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe method to examine human brain. However, a typical MR scan is very sensitive to motion, and it requires the subject to lie still during the acquisition, which is a major challenge for pediatric scans. Consequently, in a clinical setting, sedation or general anesthesia is often used. In the research setting including healthy subjects anesthetics are not recommended for ethical reasons and potential longer-term harm. Here we review the methods used to prepare a child for an MRI scan, but also on the techniques and tools used during the scanning to enable a successful scan. Additionally, we critically evaluate how studies have reported the scanning procedure and success of scanning. We searched articles based on special subject headings from PubMed and identified 86 studies using brain MRI in healthy subjects between 0 and 6 years of age. Scan preparations expectedly depended on subject's age; infants and young children were scanned asleep after feeding and swaddling and older children were scanned awake. Comparing the efficiency of different procedures was difficult because of the heterogeneous reporting of the used methods and the success rates. Based on this review, we recommend more detailed reporting of scanning procedure to help find out which are the factors affecting the success of scanning. In the long term, this could help the research field to get high quality data, but also the clinical field to reduce the use of anesthetics. Finally, we introduce the protocol used in scanning 2 to 5-week-old infants in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, and tips for calming neonates during the scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Copeland
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Eero Silver
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J. Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Harri Merisaari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ekaterina Saukko
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Susanne Sinisalo
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Saara Nolvi
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J. Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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31
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Chen Y, Dubey P, Müller HG, Bruchhage M, Wang JL, Deoni S. Modeling sparse longitudinal data in early neurodevelopment. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118079. [PMID: 34000395 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early childhood is a period marked by rapid brain growth accompanied by cognitive and motor development. However, it remains unclear how early developmental skills relate to neuroanatomical growth across time with no growth quantile trajectories of typical brain development currently available to place and compare individual neuroanatomical development. Even though longitudinal neuroimaging data have become more common, they are often sparse, making dynamic analyses at subject level a challenging task. Using the Principal Analysis through Conditional Expectation (PACE) approach geared towards sparse longitudinal data, we investigate the evolution of gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid volumes in a cohort of 446 children between the ages of 1 and 120 months. For each child, we calculate their dynamic age-varying association between the growing brain and scores that assess cognitive functioning, applying the functional varying coefficient model. Using local Fréchet regression, we construct age-varying growth percentiles to reveal the evolution of brain development across the population. To further demonstrate its utility, we apply PACE to predict individual trajectories of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqing Chen
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Paromita Dubey
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Hans-Georg Müller
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Muriel Bruchhage
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Jane-Ling Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Sean Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA; Department of Radiology, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA; Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Discovery & Tools, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Svrakic DM, Zorumski CF. Neuroscience of Object Relations in Health and Disorder: A Proposal for an Integrative Model. Front Psychol 2021; 12:583743. [PMID: 33790822 PMCID: PMC8005655 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.583743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in the neuroscience of episodic memory provide a framework to integrate object relations theory, a psychoanalytic model of mind development, with potential neural mechanisms. Object relations are primordial cognitive-affective units of the mind derived from survival- and safety-level experiences with caretakers during phase-sensitive periods of infancy and toddlerhood. Because these are learning experiences, their neural substrate likely involves memory, here affect-enhanced episodic memory. Inaugural object relations are encoded by the hippocampus-amygdala synaptic plasticity, and systems-consolidated by medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Self- and object-mental representations, extracted from these early experiences, are at first dichotomized by contradictory affects evoked by frustrating and rewarding interactions ("partial object relations"). Such affective dichotomization appears to be genetically hardwired the amygdala. Intrinsic propensity of mPFC to form schematic frameworks for episodic memories may pilot non-conscious integration of dichotomized mental representations in neonates and infants. With the emergence of working memory in toddlers, an activated self- and object-representation of a particular valence can be juxtaposed with its memorized opposites creating a balanced cognitive-affective frame (conscious "integration of object relations"). Specific events of object relations are forgotten but nevertheless profoundly influence the mental future of the individual, acting (i) as implicit schema-affect templates that regulate attentional priorities, relevance, and preferential assimilation of new information based on past experience, and (ii) as basic units of experience that are, under normal circumstances, integrated as attractors or "focal points" for interactive self-organization of functional brain networks that underlie the mind. A failure to achieve integrated object relations is predictive of poor adult emotional and social outcomes, including personality disorder. Cognitive, cellular-, and systems-neuroscience of episodic memory appear to support key postulates of object relations theory and help elucidate neural mechanisms of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Derived through the dual prism of psychoanalysis and neuroscience, the gained insights may offer new directions to enhance mental health and improve treatment of multiple forms of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragan M. Svrakic
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Charles F. Zorumski
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Steiner P. Brain Fuel Utilization in the Developing Brain. ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM 2020; 75 Suppl 1:8-18. [PMID: 32564020 DOI: 10.1159/000508054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy and infancy, the human brain is growing extremely fast; the brain volume increases significantly, reaching 36, 72, and 83% of the volume of adults at 2-4 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years of age, respectively, which is essential to establish the neuronal networks and capacity for the development of cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills that will be continually refined throughout childhood and adulthood. Such dramatic changes in brain structure and function are associated with very large energetic demands exceeding by far those of other organs of the body. It has been estimated that during childhood the brain may account for up to 60% of the body basal energetic requirements. While the main source of energy for the adult brain is glucose, it appears that it is not sufficient to sustain the dramatic metabolic demands of the brain during its development. Recently, it has been proposed that this energetic challenge is solved by the ability of the brain to use ketone bodies (KBs), produced from fatty acid oxidation, as a complement source of energy. Here, we first describe the main cellular and physiological processes that drive brain development along time and how different brain metabolic pathways are engaged to support them. It has been assumed that the majority of energetic substrates are used to support neuronal activity and signal transmission. We discuss how glucose and KBs are metabolized to provide the carbon backbones used to synthesize lipids, nucleic acid, and cholesterol, which are indispensable building blocks of neuronal cell proliferation and are also used to establish and refine brain connectivity through synapse formation/elimination and myelination. We conclude that glucose and KBs are not only important to support the energy needs of the brain under development, but they are also essential substrates for the biosynthesis of macromolecules underlying structural brain growth and reorganization. We emphasize that glucose and fatty acids supporting the production of KBs are provided in complex food matrices, such as breast milk, and understanding how their availability impacts the brain will be key to promote adequate nutrition to support brain metabolism and, therefore, optimal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Steiner
- Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Nestlé Research, Brain Health Department, Lausanne, Switzerland,
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