Season of birth and sugary beverages are predictors of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices Scores in adolescents

Gray and white matter abnormalities in children with type 2 and 3 SMA: A morphological assessment

This study investigated the changes in brain gray and white matter structure in SMA patients and their correlation with the severity of the disease. A total of 43 SMA patients (including 22 type II and 21 type III SMA patients) and 37 healthy controls were evaluated by MRI. The gray matter volume, gray matter thickness, gray matter surface area, and white matter volume of designated brain regions automatically segmented by FreeSurfer, were compared. We evaluate clinical characteristics of SMA and study the correlation between clinical characteristics and structural changes. SMA showed significant bilateral cortical superficial area loss in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes and global white matter volume decreases. Moreover, these patients were also found with an increased mean thickness of entire brain and right gray matter. An increased right postcentral gyrus superficial area, right central sulcus volume, and white matter volume of the right postcentral were associated with higher HFMSE scores.

CONCLUSION

Type 2 and 3 children SMA had extensive, multifocal, symmetrical gray and white matter alterations. Postcentral gyrus degeneration of SMA was associated with the severity of muscular atrophy. The lack of SMN protein possibly interacted with cerebellar structural changes in somatosensory areas.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• MRI has found brain changes in SMA patients, however, there is no unified conclusion and lack of correlation with clinical degree in children SMA with type 2-3.

WHAT IS NEW

• Type II and II children SMA had extensive, multifocal, symmetrical gray and white matter alterations. Postcentral gyrus degeneration of SMA was associated with the severity of muscular atrophy. Cerebellar structural changes in somatosensory areas may attribute to the lack of SMN protein.

The Impact of Free and Added Sugars on Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

A relationship between excessive sugar consumption and cognitive function has been described in animal models, but the specific effects of sugars in humans remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the current knowledge, research characteristics, and quality of evidence of studies investigating the impacts of free and added sugars on human cognition in healthy participants. The review identified 77 studies (65 experimental trials, n = 3831; 9 cross-sectional studies, n = 11,456; and 3 cohort studies, n = 2059). All cohort studies and eight of the nine cross-sectional studies found significant positive correlations between added sugar consumption and risk of cognitive impairment. Four studies identified reduced risk of cognitive impairment associated with natural fructose-containing foods. The majority of randomised control trials assessed short-term glucose facilitation effects on cognitive outcomes. The results from these studies suggest the need for a tightly regulated blood glucose level, dependent on individualised physiological factors, for optimal cognitive function. A meta-analysis of a subset of studies that assessed the impact of glucose on recall found improvements in immediate free recall compared to controls (p = 0.002). The findings highlight the potentially detrimental effect of excessive, long-term, or prenatal added sugar consumption on cognitive function. Further research is needed to examine the specific effects of free and added sugars on cognitive function.

Association between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Executive Function in Children

The association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and executive function among children has been less investigated. We aimed to explore this topic. We randomly recruited 6387 children aged 6-12 years from five elementary schools in Guangzhou, China in 2019. Information on frequency and servings of children's SSB consumption was assessed using a questionnaire. Children's executive function was evaluated using parents' ratings of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), which comprises eight subscales-including inhibit, shift, emotional control, initiate, working memory, plan/organize, organization of materials and monitor, as well as three composite indexes including behavioral regulation index (BRI), metacognition index (MI), and global executive index (GEC). SSB consumption was positively associated with all subscales and composite scores of BRIEF as well as higher risks of elevated executive difficulties, indicating poorer executive function. For example, children who drank SSB ≥2 times/week were related to higher scores of GEC (estimates, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.44, 1.79 to 3.09) compared with those who never drank SSB. The odds ratio of elevated GEC associated with SSB consumption ≥2 times/week was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.34, 1.96) than non-consumers. The results of this study indicated that SSB consumption was associated with poorer executive function in children.