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Schulz D, Lillo-Navarro C, Slors M, Hrabéczy A, Reuter M. Understanding societal challenges: a Neurotech EU perspective. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1330470. [PMID: 39130375 PMCID: PMC11313264 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1330470] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Futuristic universities like The NeurotechEU and the technological innovations they provide will shape and serve society, but will also require support from society. Positive attitudes about neuro-technologies will increase their reach within society and may also impact policy-making, including funding decisions. However, the acceptability rates, especially of invasive neuro-technologies, are quite low and the majority of people are more worried than enthusiastic about them. The question therefore arises as to what neuro-technological advances should entail. In a rare effort to reach out to the public, we propose to conduct a trans-national survey with the goal to better understand the challenges of our NeurotechEU nations. We aim to compare and contrast our nations specifically with respect to their perspectives on neuro-technological advances, i.e., their needs for, interests in, access to, knowledge of and trust in neuro-technologies, and whether these should be regulated. To this end, we have developed the first version of a new tool-the Understanding Societal Challenges Questionnaire (USCQ)-which assesses all six of these dimensions (needs, interest, access, knowledge, trust, and policy-making) and is designed for administration across EU/AC countries. In addition to trans-national comparisons, we will also examine the links of our nations' perspectives on neuro-technological advances to demographic and personality variables, for example, education and socio-economic status, size of the residential area, the Big Five personality traits, religiosity, political standings, and more. We expect that this research will provide a deeper understanding of the challenges that our nations are facing as well as the similarities and differences between them, and will also help uncover the variables that predict positive and negative attitudes toward neuro-technological advances. By integrating this knowledge into the scientific process, The NeurotechEU may be able to develop neuro-technologies that people really care about, are ethical and regulated, and actually understood by the user.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Schulz
- Behavioral Biology Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Carmen Lillo-Navarro
- Department of Pathology and Surgery, Center for Translational Research in Physiotherapy, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain
| | - Marc Slors
- Philosophy of Mind and Cognition, Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Anett Hrabéczy
- Department of Educational Studies, Institute of Educational Studies and Cultural Management, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Martin Reuter
- Personality Psychology and Biological Psychology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Kazi AA, Osuch EA, Wammes M, John-Baptiste A. Health-related quality of life among adolescents and young adults with mood and anxiety concerns. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 29:550-563. [PMID: 37978940 PMCID: PMC10945981 DOI: 10.1177/13591045231214286] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To characterize health related quality of life (HRQOL) for Canadians aged 16 to 25 (adolescents and young adults, AYAs) seeking care for mood and anxiety concerns at the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program, in London, Ontario and to identify factors associated with HRQOL in this population. METHODS AYAs completed demographic, psychometric, and HRQOL questionnaires. We calculated 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores standardized to Canadian and US population norms. We computed Short Form 6 Dimension (SF-6D) utilities conducting multivariable linear regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, ethnoracial minority status, parental marital/cohabitation status, parental education, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-R), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale Self-Report (MADRS-S), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and a modified Inventory of College Students' Recent Life Experiences (ICSRLE-M). RESULTS Amongst 182 AYAs who completed questionnaires, mean physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS) and SF-6D utility scores were low, 43.8 (SD = 16.6), 19.0 (SD = 11.9) and .576 (SD = .074), respectively. Maternal post-secondary education, depression (MADRS-S) and functional impairment (SDS) were significantly associated with SF-6D utility. CONCLUSION This cohort of mental healthcare-seeking AYAs had significantly impaired psychometric and utility-based measures of quality of life, underscoring the importance of timely access to healthcare services for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman A Kazi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Michael DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A Osuch
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Wammes
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ava John-Baptiste
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Centre for Medical Evidence, Decision Integrity and Clinical Impact, London, ON, Canada
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3
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Zhang L, Rakesh D, Cropley V, Whittle S. Neurobiological correlates of resilience during childhood and adolescence - A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 105:102333. [PMID: 37690325 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102333] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Research examining the neurobiological mechanisms of resilience has grown rapidly over the past decade. However, there is vast heterogeneity in research study design, methods, and in how resilience is operationalized, making it difficult to gauge what we currently know about resilience biomarkers. This preregistered systematic review aimed to review and synthesize the extant literature to identify neurobiological correlates of resilience to adversity during childhood and adolescence. Literature searches on MEDLINE and PsycINFO yielded 3834 studies and a total of 49 studies were included in the final review. Findings were synthesized based on how resilience was conceptualized (e.g., absence of psychopathology, trait resilience), and where relevant, the type of outcome examined (e.g., internalizing symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder). Our synthesis showed that findings were generally mixed. Nevertheless, some consistent findings suggest that resilience neural mechanisms may involve prefrontal and subcortical regions structure/activity, as well as connectivity between these regions. Given substantial heterogeneity in the definition and operationalization of resilience, more methodological consistency across studies is required for advancing knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Divyangana Rakesh
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychology, Harvard University, MA, USA
| | - Vanessa Cropley
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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4
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Shahid S, Weisz J, Florez ID. Impact of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov) Pandemic and Lockdown on Parents and Caregivers in Ontario, Canada. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2023; 62:1237-1244. [PMID: 36856080 PMCID: PMC9982414 DOI: 10.1177/00099228231155004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted parents' and children's well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its preventive measures on children's well-being and their parents' anxiety level. Parents/caregivers were invited to respond to a self-administered survey. The primary outcome was to assess the rate and severity of parental anxiety during the pandemic/lockdown. Four hundred and thirty parents completed the survey. Ninety-two (21%) and 10 (2%) parents reported that their children gained or lost weight during the pandemic, respectively. Eighty-one (19%) parents reported a regression in their children's developmental milestones, particularly in toileting, speech, and social interaction. The GAD-7 mean scores increased by 2.9 points (95% CI [2.5, 3.25]; P < .001) in comparison with prepandemic scores. Adjusted multivariable analysis showed that having children with psychological conditions and a maternal education level less than a university degree were significantly associated with higher parental anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaneela Shahid
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Janet Weisz
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Ivan D. Florez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
- School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Amici F, Röder S, Kiess W, Borte M, Zenclussen AC, Widdig A, Herberth G. Maternal stress, child behavior and the promotive role of older siblings. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:863. [PMID: 35488325 PMCID: PMC9055772 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13261-2] [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: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the first years of their lives, children develop the cognitive, social and emotional skills that will provide the foundations for their lifelong health and achievements. To increase their life prospects and reduce the long-term effects of early aversive conditions, it is therefore crucial to understand the risk factors that negatively affect child development and the factors that are instead beneficial. In this study, we tested (i) the effects of different social and environmental stressors on maternal stress levels, (ii) the dynamic relationship between maternal stress and child behavior problems during development, and (iii) the potential promotive (i.e. main) or protective (i.e. buffering) effect of siblings on child behavior problems during development. METHODS We used longitudinal data from 373 mother-child pairs (188 daughters, 185 sons) from pregnancy until 10 years of age. We assessed maternal stress and child behavior problems (internalizing and externalizing) with validated questionnaires, and then used linear mixed models, generalized linear mixed models and longitudinal cross-lagged models to analyze the data. RESULTS Our results showed that higher maternal stress levels were predicted by socio-environmental stressors (i.e. the lack of sufficient social areas in the neighborhood). Moreover, prenatal maternal stress reliably predicted the occurrence of behavior problems during childhood. Finally, the presence of older siblings had a promotive function, by reducing the likelihood that children developed externalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results confirm the negative effects that maternal stress during pregnancy may have on the offspring, and suggest an important main effect of older siblings in promoting a positive child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Amici
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Stefan Röder
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wieland Kiess
- Department of Women and Child Health, Center of Paediatric Research (CPL), Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Borte
- Children's Hospital, Municipal Hospital "St. Georg", Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Leipzig, 04129, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ana C Zenclussen
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Behaviour, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gunda Herberth
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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Simaes AC, Gago Galvagno LG, Passarini LA, Trenado RM, Elgier ÁM. Associations between maternal behavior, infant joint attention, and social vulnerability. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Li T, Zhang X, Chen M, Wang R, He L, Xue B, Zhao D. Psychological distress and its associated risk factors among university students. REVISTA DA ASSOCIACAO MEDICA BRASILEIRA (1992) 2020; 66:414-418. [PMID: 32578772 DOI: 10.1590/1806-9282.66.4.414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychological distress is an important mental health problem among university students. The goal of this study was to determine psychological distress and its associated risk factors among students in the Anhui province. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 1304 students. In this study, a self-administered questionnaire consisting of the general demography and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was completed. Psychological distress was assessed using the GHQ-12-item questionnaire. A dichotomous category split was imposed on the GHQ-12 for the purpose of analysis. A GHQ-12 score of 4 or higher indicated psychological distress. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 system. RESULTS A total of 1304 samples were analyzed in this study. The results indicated that the education level of the father and mother was associated with the students' psychological distress (P<0.001). A significant association was found between high-intensity exercise and low-intensity exercise and psychological distress. However, no significant difference was identified between gender and psychological distress (P=0.173). CONCLUSION The education level of parents, high-intensity exercise, and low-intensity exercise were associated with psychological distress. Our results suggest that it is indispensable to raise awareness of psychological disorders and its associated risk factors among university students. Further studies are required to develop appropriate interventions for high-risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Li
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Mingming Chen
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Rui Wang
- . Training canter for comprehensive quality and ability of college students, Anhui institute of information technology, Wuhu, Anhui 241003, China
| | - Lianping He
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Baohong Xue
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
| | - Dexun Zhao
- . Department, College of experience industry, Anhui polytechnic university, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China
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Ahmed AA, Ramey SJ, Dean MK, Takita C, Schwartz D, Wilson LD, Vapiwala N, Thomas CR, Shanafelt TD, Deville C, Jagsi R, Holliday E. Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Burnout Among Oncology Trainees. JCO Oncol Pract 2020; 16:e415-e424. [DOI: 10.1200/jop.19.00703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE: Burnout in the medical workforce leads to early retirement, absenteeism, career changes, financial losses for medical institutions, and adverse outcomes for patients. Recent literature has explored burnout in different specialties of medicine. This article examines burnout among medical oncology trainees and identifies factors associated with burnout and professional dissatisfaction, including socioeconomic factors. METHODS: US medical oncology programs were sent a survey that included the Maslach Burnout Index–Human Services Survey as well as demographic, socioeconomic, and program-specific questions tailored to medical oncology fellowship. Primary binary end points included burnout, satisfaction with being a physician, and satisfaction with being a medical oncologist. Binomial logistic models determined associations between various characteristics and end points. RESULTS: Overall, 261 US fellows completed the survey. Seventy percent of international medical graduates reported no educational debt, whereas only 36% of US graduates reported no educational debt. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents reported their mother had at least a bachelor’s degree, and 87% of respondents reported their father had at least a bachelor’s degree. At least 27% of respondents had symptoms of burnout. Factors inversely associated with burnout on multivariable analysis included having a mother who graduated college (odds ratio [OR], 0.27), reporting an adequate perceived balance between work and personal life (OR, 0.22), feeling that faculty care about educational success (OR, 0.16), and being in the final year of training (OR, 0.45). Having debt ≥ $150,000 (OR, 2.14) was directly associated with burnout. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of burnout are common among medical oncology fellows and are associated with educational debt and socioeconomic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awad A. Ahmed
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL
- MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center, Waterloo, IA
| | - Stephen J. Ramey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
| | - Mary K. Dean
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL
- Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute, Carterville, IL
| | - Cristiane Takita
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL
| | - David Schwartz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
| | - Lynn D. Wilson
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Neha Vapiwala
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Charles R. Thomas
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Tait D. Shanafelt
- Department of Medicine, WellMD Center, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Curtiland Deville
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Reshma Jagsi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Emma Holliday
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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9
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Cutuli D, Berretta E, Laricchiuta D, Caporali P, Gelfo F, Petrosini L. Pre-reproductive Parental Enriching Experiences Influence Progeny's Developmental Trajectories. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:254. [PMID: 30483072 PMCID: PMC6240645 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
While the positive effects of environmental enrichment (EE) applied after weaning, in adulthood, during aging, or even in the presence of brain damage have been widely described, the transgenerational effects of pre-reproductive EE have been less examined. And yet, this issue is remarkable given that parental environmental experience may imprint offspring’s phenotype over generations through many epigenetic processes. Interactions between individual and environment take place lifelong even before conception. In fact, the environment pre-reproductively experienced by the mother and/or the father exerts a substantial impact on neural development and motor and cognitive performances of the offspring, even if not directly exposed to social, cognitive, physical and/or motor enrichment. Furthermore, pre-reproductive parental enrichment exerts a transgenerational impact on coping response to stress as well as on the social behavior of the offspring. Among the effects of pre-reproductive parental EE, a potentiation of the maternal care and a decrease in global methylation levels in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of the progeny have been described. Finally, pre-reproductive EE modifies different pathways of neuromodulation in the brain of the offspring (involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor, oxytocin and glucocorticoid receptors). The present review highlights the importance of pre-reproductive parental enrichment in altering the performances not only of animals directly experiencing it, but also of their progeny, thus opening the way to new hypotheses on the inheritance mechanisms of behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Cutuli
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Erica Berretta
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Laricchiuta
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Caporali
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gelfo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Sciences, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Ozernov-Palchik O, Norton ES, Wang Y, Beach SD, Zuk J, Wolf M, Gabrieli JDE, Gaab N. The relationship between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in pre-reading children: A longitudinal investigation. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:741-754. [PMID: 30276914 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reading is a learned skill crucial for educational attainment. Children from families of lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have poorer reading performance and this gap widens across years of schooling. Reading relies on the orchestration of multiple neural systems integrated via specific white-matter pathways, but there is limited understanding about whether these pathways relate differentially to reading performance depending on SES background. Kindergarten white-matter FA and second-grade reading outcomes were investigated in an SES-diverse sample of 125 children. The three left-hemisphere white-matter tracts most associated with reading, and their right-hemisphere homologs, were examined: arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). There was a significant and positive association between SES and fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral ILF in kindergarten. SES moderated the association between kindergarten ILF and second grade reading performance, such that it was positive in lower-SES children, but not significant in higher-SES children. These results have implications for understanding the role of the environment in the development of the neural pathways that support reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Ozernov-Palchik
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.,Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Elizabeth S Norton
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Department of Medical Social Sciences, and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Yingying Wang
- College of Education and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
| | - Sara D Beach
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jennifer Zuk
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Maryanne Wolf
- Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, UCLA
| | - John D E Gabrieli
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
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