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Yrjölä P, Myers MM, Welch MG, Stevenson NJ, Tokariev A, Vanhatalo S. Facilitating early parent-infant emotional connection improves cortical networks in preterm infants. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabq4786. [PMID: 36170448 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq4786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental adversities during early brain development, such as preterm birth, can affect early brain organization. Here, we studied whether development of cortical activity networks in preterm infants may be improved by a multimodal environmental enrichment via bedside facilitation of mother-infant emotional connection. We examined functional cortico-cortical connectivity at term age using high-density electroencephalography recordings in infants participating in a randomized controlled trial of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI). Our results identify several large-scale, frequency-specific network effects of FNI, most extensively in the alpha frequency in fronto-central cortical regions. The connectivity strength in this network was correlated to later neurocognitive performance, and it was comparable to healthy term-born infants rather than the infants receiving standard care. These findings suggest that preterm neurodevelopmental care can be improved by a biologically driven environmental enrichment, such as early facilitation of direct human connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina Yrjölä
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital and HUS Imaging, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michael M Myers
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Martha G Welch
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nathan J Stevenson
- Brain Modelling Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Anton Tokariev
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital and HUS Imaging, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital and HUS Imaging, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Tabachnick AR, Eiden RD, Labella MH, Dozier M. Effects of an attachment-based intervention on autonomic regulation among opioid-exposed infants. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22286. [PMID: 35748625 PMCID: PMC9400098 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22286] [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: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about whether postnatal intervention enhances autonomic regulation among infants at risk for dysregulation due to prenatal opioid exposure. The present study evaluated the effects of modified Attachment Behavioral Catch-up (mABC) on autonomic regulation for opioid-exposed infants in a pilot randomized clinical trial. We hypothesized that, compared to a control intervention (modified Developmental Education for Families [mDEF]), mABC would be associated with higher resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP) as well as greater reactivity to and recovery from a social stressor (Still-Face Paradigm). Pregnant or peripartum women receiving opioid agonist therapy (61 mothers of 64 infants; final N = 36 infants) were randomly assigned to mABC or mDEF, 12-session home visiting programs beginning in the third trimester; mABC targets sensitive parenting, and mDEF targets cognitive and motor development. mABC was associated with significantly greater RSA reactivity and marginally greater PEP reactivity. In models accommodating missing data, mABC was additionally associated with significantly greater RSA recovery. In sensitivity analyses removing siblings, mABC predicted significantly enhanced PEP reactivity. Overall, in these preliminary analyses, mABC was associated with healthier autonomic regulation during a social stressor than mDEF. Thus, mABC may be a promising strategy to promote autonomic regulation among opioid-exposed infants through parenting intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra R. Tabachnick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Rina Das Eiden
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Madelyn H. Labella
- Department of Psychological Sciences, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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Grant AD, Erickson EN. Birth, love, and fear: Physiological networks from pregnancy to parenthood. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 11:100138. [PMID: 35757173 PMCID: PMC9227990 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most dramatic physiological and emotional transformations of a lifetime. Despite their central importance to human survival, many gaps remain in our understanding of the temporal progression of and mechanisms underlying the transition to new parenthood. The goal of this paper is to outline the physiological and emotional development of the maternal-infant dyad from late pregnancy to the postpartum period, and to provide a framework to investigate this development using non-invasive timeseries. We focus on the interaction among neuroendocrine, emotional, and autonomic outputs in the context of late pregnancy, parturition, and post-partum. We then propose that coupled dynamics in these outputs can be leveraged to map both physiologic and pathologic pregnancy, parturition, and parenthood. This approach could address gaps in our knowledge and enable early detection or prediction of problems, with both personalized depth and broad population scale. Giving birth and caring for offspring are dynamic processes that can instill both love and fear. Maternal physiology continuously integrates fetal, social, and environmental cues. The result is coupled change in hormonal, autonomic nervous, and emotional output. Coupling may allow internal state to be assessed from peripheral autonomic markers. Such markers may identify healthy or pathologic pregnancy, parturition, and parenting, and enable creation of real-world tools.
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Firestein MR, Myers MM, Feder KJ, Ludwig RJ, Welch MG. Effects of Family Nurture Intervention in the NICU on Theory of Mind Abilities in Children Born Very Preterm: A Randomized Controlled Trial. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9020284. [PMID: 35205004 PMCID: PMC8870221 DOI: 10.3390/children9020284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Preterm infants are at risk for socioemotional deficits, neurodevelopmental disorders, and potentially theory of mind (ToM) deficits. Preterm infants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) received Standard Care (SC) or Family Nurture Intervention (FNI). Children (N = 72; median age 61.8 ± 2.6 months; FNI: 35 (55%), SC:2 9 (45%)) completed a ToM task, of whom 64 (54% male; born to White (43.8%), Black (18.7%), and Hispanic (25.0%) mothers) contributed to this analysis. FNI and SC infants born extremely preterm to very preterm differed significantly: 78% (14 of 18) of FNI children passed vs. 30% (3 of 10) SC children (p = 0.01, effect size = 1.06). This large effect size suggests that FNI in the NICU may ameliorate deficits in social-cognitive skills of extreme to very preterm infants by school age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan R Firestein
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Michael M Myers
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Robert J Ludwig
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Martha G Welch
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Gire C, Garbi A, Zahed M, Beltran Anzola A, Tosello B, Datin-Dorrière V. Neurobehavioral Phenotype and Dysexecutive Syndrome of Preterm Children: Comorbidity or Trigger? An Update. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:239. [PMID: 35204960 PMCID: PMC8870742 DOI: 10.3390/children9020239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Premature birth is a worldwide public health priority. One in ten children is born before 37 weeks of gestational age and, in developed countries, survival rates without major neonatal morbidity are increasing. Although severe sequelae associated with these births have decreased, their neurobehavioral difficulties, often associated in multiple fields, remain stable but still widespread. These neurobehavioral difficulties hamper the normal development of academic achievements and societal integration and intensify the children's needs for rehabilitation during their preschool and academic years. Severe sequelae increase when gestational age decreases. This is even truer if the socio-cultural background is impeded by low income, education and language skills as compared with defined averages. However, moderate and/or minor neurocognitive and/or behavioral difficulties are almost identical for a moderate or a late preterm birth. Obtaining a better clinical description of neurobehavioral characteristics of those pretermly born, once they reach preschool age, is essential to detect behavioral issues as well as early specific cognitive difficulties (working memory, planning, inhibition, language expression and reception, attention and fine motor skills, etc.). Such information would provide a better understanding of the executive functions' role in brain connectivity, neurodevelopment and neuroanatomical correlation with premature encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Gire
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Marseille, Chemin des Bourrelys, CEDEX 20, 13915 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (A.G.); (M.Z.); (A.B.A.)
- CEReSS—Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Aurélie Garbi
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Marseille, Chemin des Bourrelys, CEDEX 20, 13915 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (A.G.); (M.Z.); (A.B.A.)
| | - Meriem Zahed
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Marseille, Chemin des Bourrelys, CEDEX 20, 13915 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (A.G.); (M.Z.); (A.B.A.)
| | - Any Beltran Anzola
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Marseille, Chemin des Bourrelys, CEDEX 20, 13915 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (A.G.); (M.Z.); (A.B.A.)
- CEReSS—Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Barthélémy Tosello
- Department of Neonatology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Marseille, Chemin des Bourrelys, CEDEX 20, 13915 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (A.G.); (M.Z.); (A.B.A.)
- CNRS, EFS, ADES, Aix Marseille Universite, 13915 Marseille, France
| | - Valérie Datin-Dorrière
- Department of Neonatal Medicine, Caen University Hospital, Avenue Cote De Nacre, 14000 Caen, France;
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Paths of social-emotional development before 3 years old and child development after 5 years old: Evidence from rural China. Early Hum Dev 2022; 165:105539. [PMID: 35038625 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social-emotional development during the first three years of life is associated with later social-emotional development and cognitive development. In rural China, research has found large shares of children under age three are developmentally delayed, yet little is known about the paths of social-emotional development before age 3 or how developmental paths predict later social-emotional skills and cognitive skills. AIMS To investigate the paths of child social-emotional development during ages 0-3 and examine how different paths predict social-emotional development and cognitive development at preschool age. METHODS Three waves of longitudinal panel data from 1245 children in rural Western China was collected. Child social-emotional development was measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional. Child cognitive development was measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and by the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition. Four paths of child social-emotional development were classified: "never" social-emotionally delayed; "persistently" social-emotionally delayed; "improving," or "deteriorating." RESULTS 331 (27%) were never social-emotionally delayed; 373 children (30%) were persistently social-emotionally delayed; 149 children (12%) experienced improving social-emotional development; and 392 children (31%) experienced deteriorating social-emotional development. Children who were never social-emotionally delayed or who were on an "improving" path had higher social-emotional development at preschool age (p < .01). Children who were persistently social-emotionally delayed (p < .5) and on a deteriorating path (p < .01) had lower social-emotional development at preschool age. Children on the persistently delay path also were shown to have lower levels of cognitive development at preschool age (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS Different paths of child social-emotional development before age 3 are associated with different social-emotional and cognitive development at preschool age.
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