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Hagenaar DA, Bindels-de Heus KGCB, van Gils MM, van den Berg L, Ten Hoopen LW, Affourtit P, Pel JJM, Joosten KFM, Hillegers MHJ, Moll HA, de Wit MCY, Dieleman GC, Mous SE. Outcome measures in Angelman syndrome. J Neurodev Disord 2024; 16:6. [PMID: 38429713 PMCID: PMC10905876 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-024-09516-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability, little to no expressive speech, visual and motor problems, emotional/behavioral challenges, and a tendency towards hyperphagia and weight gain. The characteristics of AS make it difficult to measure these children's functioning with standard clinical tests. Feasible outcome measures are needed to measure current functioning and change over time, in clinical practice and clinical trials. AIM Our first aim is to assess the feasibility of several functional tests. We target domains of neurocognitive functioning and physical growth using the following measurement methods: eye-tracking, functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), indirect calorimetry, bio-impedance analysis (BIA), and BOD POD (air-displacement plethysmography). Our second aim is to explore the results of the above measures, in order to better understand the AS phenotype. METHODS The study sample consisted of 28 children with AS aged 2-18 years. We defined an outcome measure as feasible when (1) at least 70% of participants successfully finished the measurement and (2) at least 60% of those participants had acceptable data quality. Adaptations to the test procedure and reasons for early termination were noted. Parents rated acceptability and importance and were invited to make recommendations to increase feasibility. The results of the measures were explored. RESULTS Outcome measures obtained with eye-tracking and BOD POD met the definition of feasibility, while fNIRS, indirect calorimetry, and BIA did not. The most important reasons for early termination of measurements were showing signs of protest, inability to sit still and poor/no calibration (eye-tracking specific). Post-calibration was often applied to obtain valid eye-tracking results. Parents rated the BOD POD als most acceptable and fNIRS as least acceptable for their child. All outcome measures were rated to be important. Exploratory results indicated longer reaction times to high salient visual stimuli (eye-tracking) as well as high body fat percentage (BOD POD). CONCLUSIONS Eye-tracking and BOD POD are feasible measurement methods for children with AS. Eye-tracking was successfully used to assess visual orienting functions in the current study and (with some practical adaptations) can potentially be used to assess other outcomes as well. BOD POD was successfully used to examine body composition. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered d.d. 23-04-2020 under number 'NL8550' in the Dutch Trial Register: https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/en/trial/23075.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doesjka A Hagenaar
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Karen G C B Bindels-de Heus
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maud M van Gils
- Vestibular and Oculomotor Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Louise van den Berg
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leontine W Ten Hoopen
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philine Affourtit
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Dietetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan J M Pel
- Vestibular and Oculomotor Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koen F M Joosten
- Division of Pediatric ICU, Department of Neonatal and Pediatric ICU, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manon H J Hillegers
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte A Moll
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marie-Claire Y de Wit
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology and Paediatric Neurology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gwen C Dieleman
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine E Mous
- ENCORE Expertise Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Espinosa-Mojica AA, Varo Varo C. Determining the Linguistic Profile of Children With Rare Genetic Disorders. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:170-186. [PMID: 38085694 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Language studies on populations with rare genetic disorders are limited. Hence, there is little data on commonly found or expected developmental linguistic traits and cognitive mechanisms that may be impaired. Based on the hypothesis that there is a close connection between language and cognition and the relevance of specific genetic changes in the development of each, our goal was to provide linguistic data on relationships with other executive functioning mechanisms. METHOD This study assessed language skills, communicative behaviors, and executive functions in four children, aged 7-9 years, with rare genetic disorders, using standardized protocols and tests. RESULTS The findings revealed different levels of language impairment and executive functioning problems in each case. The overall executive function index performance for each of the four cases studied was clinically significantly high, indicating executive dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS The cases analyzed illustrate different types of atypical development that affect both language and other cognitive mechanisms and underscore the importance of executive skills and the various ways in which they are involved in diverse levels of language that might be affected to a greater or lesser degree in rare genetic disorders. In conclusion, we found that language dysfunction is a salient feature of the rare genetic disorders included in our study, although this is not necessarily true for all genetic disorders. Along with these conclusive results, we performed a qualitative analysis of the linguistic and cognitive components that enable functional communication in order to allow optimal interpretation of the data we have collected, laying the foundations for a more effective therapeutic approach.
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