RESUMEN
Social wariness and preference for solitude, two dimensions of social withdrawal, show unique associations with various socioemotional difficulties in childhood, including internalizing and peer problems. However, their early childhood predictors remain vastly undocumented. The present study aimed to examine whether early indicators of reactivity in situations of unfamiliarity such as behavioral inhibition, affect, and cortisol independently, or in interaction with emotion regulation as indexed by vagal tone, predict later social wariness and preference for solitude. Participants were 1209 children from the Quebec Newborn Twin Study. Vagal tone was assessed at 5 months, and behavioral inhibition, affect, and cortisol were assessed at 19 months in situations of unfamiliarity. Mothers, teachers, and peers evaluated social wariness and preference for solitude repeatedly from 4 to 10 years old. Findings show that three temperamental dimensions, social inhibition, nonsocial inhibition, and affect accounted for the variability in reactions to unfamiliarity. Behavioral inhibition to social unfamiliarity at 19 months predicted social wariness during the preschool years. Poor vagal regulation at 5 months exacerbated the risk associated with negative affect at 19 months to predict preference for solitude during the preschool years. Overall, results show that social wariness and preference for solitude may follow different developmental pathways.
Asunto(s)
Síntomas Afectivos , Hidrocortisona , Niño , Recién Nacido , Humanos , Preescolar , Grupo Paritario , Nervio Vago , Aislamiento SocialRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Children who consistently withdraw from social situations face increased risk for later socioemotional difficulties. Twin studies indicate that genetic factors substantially account for the persistence of social withdrawal over time. However, the molecular genetic etiology of chronic courses of social wariness and preference for solitude, two dimensions of social withdrawal, remains undocumented. The objectives of the present study were (a) to identify high-risk trajectories for social wariness and preference for solitude in childhood and (b) to examine whether falling on these high-risk trajectories can be predicted by specific polygenic scores for mental health traits and disorders and by a general polygenic predisposition to these traits. METHODS: Teachers evaluated 971 genotyped children at five occasions (age 6 to 12 years) from two prospective longitudinal studies, the Quebec Newborn Twin Study and the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Developmental trajectories for social wariness and preference for solitude were identified. We tested whether polygenic scores for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, depression, loneliness, and subjective well-being, as well as a general mental health genetic risk score derived across these traits, were associated with the developmental trajectories. RESULTS: Polygenic scores differentially predicted social wariness and preference for solitude. Only the loneliness polygenic score significantly predicted the high trajectory for social wariness. By contrast, the general mental health genetic risk score factor was associated with the trajectory depicting high-chronic preference for solitude. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct associations were uncovered between the polygenic scores, social wariness, and preference for solitude.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad , Trastorno del Espectro Autista , Niño , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Soledad , Estudios Longitudinales , Herencia Multifactorial/genética , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
There is considerable rhetoric internationally around the need for national curricula to reflect the changes that are taking place in the world outside school. This raises questions about what a quality curriculum in a technological era should look like, and equally challenging issues about how to achieve the necessary changes in schooling in order for such a curriculum to be realised. This paper summarises the views of 11 experts from seven countries. It introduces a sociocultural framework that highlights the complexity of achieving alignment between policies and practice spanning the national to local school to classroom levels. Three key issues that underpin alignment are then explored, each of which link with the issue of trust:stakeholders engagement;teacher professionalism;summative assessment. By exploring and exemplifying these three issues the paper indicates potential ways of addressing them and provides 'tools to think with' to enhance future curriculum development initiatives.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Given that their traditional lifestyle and diet still relies on fish and other marine species for sustenance, the Inuit are highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and PCBs are increasingly linked to obesity. However, evidence is not consistent regarding which periods of exposure are most relevant. In this study, we examine whether in utero, childhood, and adolescent exposure to PCBs are related to physical growth at adolescence. METHOD: Inuit adolescents from Canada (N=212) enrolled in a prospective longitudinal cohort study since birth were assessed for height, weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI) and fat free mass index (FFMI) at 18 years of age. PCB 153 concentrations were quantified in blood samples obtained at birth (umbilical cord), 11, and 18 years of age. Maternal anthropometrics were measured and those for the newborns collected from medical records. Data on biological mothers and participants' sociodemographic characteristics and food security were collected using interviews. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to test associations between PCB 153 concentrations and adolescent anthropometric measures. RESULTS: Cord PCB 153 was not related to height or FFMI at adolescence. By contrast, analyses showed that cord PCB 153 was related to higher BMI, FMI and marginally to weight in girls but not boys. Child PCB 153 was not related to height, weight or FFMI in adolescence. Child PCB 153 was related to lower BMI and FMI at adolescence in both sexes, particularly among those considered overweight or obese during childhood. Adolescent PCB 153 was not associated with any outcome. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that prenatal exposure to PCBs may have a long-term effect on growth in early adulthood among girls and identifies the peri-pubertal period as another window of sensitivity for the action of PCBs. Our findings also suggest that exposure to PCBs and body size be documented in multiple time periods from infancy to adulthood.
Asunto(s)
Bifenilos Policlorados , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , Adolescente , Adulto , Canadá , Niño , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Bifenilos Policlorados/toxicidad , Embarazo , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The present study aims at measuring the association between household food insecurity and psychological distress in adolescents in Inuit communities, concurrently and overtime from childhood to adolescence. DESIGN: The study used measures of internalising behaviours (anxiety, withdrawn attitude, somatic complaints and depression) as indicators of psychological distress during adolescence, a concurrent measure of household food insecurity in adolescence and an assessment of longitudinal patterns of household food insecurity from childhood to adolescence. We collected descriptive information at birth, childhood and adolescence on potential confounders. SETTING: Inuit communities of Nunavik in northern Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: The study consisted of 212 participants from the Nunavik Child Development Study, who have been assessed at birth, childhood (mean age = 11 years, range = 9-13 years) and adolescence (mean age = 18 years, range = 16-21 years). RESULTS: Concurrent severe household food insecurity in adolescence was associated with higher measures of psychological distress: depression (ßstd = 0·26, P < 0·01) and withdrawn attitude (ßstd = 0·20, P = 0·04). Persistent household food insecurity (both at childhood and adolescence) was associated with higher levels of adolescent depression (ßstd = 0·18, P = 0·02) and anxiety (ßstd = 0·17, P = 0·03). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents from Nunavik living with higher food insecurity and those having experienced food insecurity in both childhood and adolescence were more likely to report symptoms of psychological distress. Considering the high level of distress experienced by young Inuit, existing initiatives to reduce food insecurity in Nunavik communities should be targeted to include children and adolescents.
Asunto(s)
Inseguridad Alimentaria , Inuk/psicología , Distrés Psicológico , Adolescente , Niño , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Quebec , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The etiology of autism spectrum disorder is poorly understood. Few studies have investigated the link between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and autistic traits. We examined the relationship between gestational phthalates and autistic traits in 3- to 4-y-old Canadian children. We also investigated potential effect modification by sex and folic acid supplementation. METHODS: We enrolled 2,001 women>18 years of age during the first trimester of pregnancy between 2008 and 2011 from 10 cities in Canada. At 3-4 years of age, 610 children underwent neuropsychological assessments including the Social Responsiveness Scale-II (SRS-2) as a measure of autistic traits and social impairment. We measured 11 phthalate metabolites in maternal first trimester urine samples and assessed folic acid supplementation from reported intakes. We estimated covariate-adjusted differences in SRS-2 T-scores with a doubling in phthalate concentrations in 510 children with complete data. RESULTS: Mean total SRS T-score was 45.3 (SD=6.1). Children with higher gestational exposure to mono-n-butyl (MBP) and mono-3-carboxypropyl (MCPP) concentrations exhibited significantly higher total SRS T-scores, indicating greater overall social impairment, as well as higher scores on subdomains, indicating deficits in social cognition, social communication, social motivation, and restricted interests/repetitive behaviors. A doubling in MBP or MCPP concentrations was associated with 0.6 (95% CI: 0.1, 1.0) and 0.5 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.8) higher total SRS T-scores. Associations were consistently and significantly stronger in boys (ßMBP=1.0; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.6; n=252) compared with girls (ßMBP=0.1; 95% CI: -0.6, 0.7; n=258) and among children who had lower prenatal folic acid supplementation (<400µg/d) (ßMBP=1.3; 95% CI: 0.4, 2.3; n=59) compared with those who had adequate folic acid supplementation (≥400µg/d) (ßMBP=0.4; 95% CI: -0.1, 0.8; n=451). CONCLUSIONS: Higher gestational concentrations of some phthalate metabolites were associated with higher scores of autistic traits as measured by the SRS-2 in boys, but not girls; these small size effects were mitigated by first trimester-of-pregnancy folic acid supplementation. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5621.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno del Espectro Autista/epidemiología , Contaminantes Ambientales/toxicidad , Ácido Fólico/metabolismo , Ácidos Ftálicos/toxicidad , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/epidemiología , Adulto , Canadá/epidemiología , Niño , Preescolar , Contaminantes Ambientales/metabolismo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Exposición Materna/estadística & datos numéricos , Ácidos Ftálicos/metabolismo , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Chlordecone was used intensively as an insecticide in the French West Indies. Because of its high persistence, the resulting contamination of food and water has led to chronic exposure of the general population as evidenced by its presence in the blood of people of Guadeloupe, in particular in pregnant women and newborns, and in maternal breast milk. Chlordecone is recognized as a reproductive and developmental toxicant, is neurotoxic and carcinogenic in rodents, and is considered as an endocrine-disrupting compound with well-established estrogenic and progestogenic properties both in vitro and in vivo. The question arises of its potential consequences on child neurodevelopment following prenatal and childhood exposure, in particular on behavioral sexual dimorphism in childhood. We followed 116 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort study in Guadeloupe, who were examined at age 7. These children were invited to participate in a 7-min structured play session in which they could choose between different toys considered as feminine, masculine, or neutral. The play session was video recorded, and the percentage of the time spent playing with feminine or masculine toys was calculated. We estimated associations between playtime and prenatal exposure to chlordecone (assessed by concentration in cord blood) or childhood exposure (determined from concentrations in child blood obtained at the 7-year follow-up), taking into account confounders and co-exposures to other environmental chemicals. We used a two-group regression model to take into account sex differences in play behavior. Our results do not indicate any modification in sex-typed toy preference among 7-year-old children in relation with either prenatal or childhood exposure to chlordecone.
Asunto(s)
Clordecona , Insecticidas , Niño , Clordecona/análisis , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Guadalupe , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Leche Humana/química , Embarazo , Indias OccidentalesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Lead (Pb) exposure is associated with adverse neurological development. Most notably, it has been observed through externalizing behavior symptoms, as observed among Inuit children from northern Québec. Evidence for a persistent neurological impact of early Pb exposure later in life is however scarce. Pb exposure may initiate a developmental cascade that increases the risk of long-term behavior problems. OBJECTIVES: Testing for direct associations between childhood Pb concentrations and adolescent externalizing symptoms and substance use, as well as indirect associations through childhood behavior assessments. METHODS: The study sample is a longitudinal cohort of Inuit children (nâ¯=â¯212) followed since birth. Blood Pb concentrations were measured during childhood (median ageâ¯=â¯11.4 years) and adolescence (median ageâ¯=â¯18.5 years). Externalizing/inattentive behavior were teacher-assessed through the Teacher Report Form and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale for children. At the adolescence follow-up, behavior problems were self-reported by filling Achenbach's Youth Self-Report, the Barkley Adult ADHD-IV Rating Scale, and the Diagnostics Interview Schedule for Children. Adolescent substance use was also self-assessed through the DEP-ADO. Direct and indirect associations of child Pb concentrations with adolescent outcomes were tested through mediation models. RESULTS: Child blood Pb concentrations were not directly associated with any adolescent outcomes. On the contrary, childhood Pb exposure was indirectly associated, through childhood externalizing behavior assessments, with adolescent externalizing behaviors, binge drinking, and cannabis use. These indirect associations held after controlling for adolescents' concurrent Pb blood concentrations. DISCUSSION: Our results highlight the indirect but lasting effects of child Pb exposure on adolescent behavior problems, and the importance of childhood externalizing behavior in this relationship. Adverse early-life environment put children on a riskier developmental trajectory, increasing their likelihood of lifelong psychological, social and health problems.
Asunto(s)
Conducta del Adolescente , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/estadística & datos numéricos , Plomo/metabolismo , Adolescente , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/epidemiología , Niño , Conducta Infantil , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Quebec/epidemiología , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The objective of this study was to examine the genetic and environmental contributions to shyness throughout the school-age period. Participants were 553 twin pairs from the ongoing prospective longitudinal Quebec Newborn Twin Study. Teacher-rated measures of shyness were collected at five time-points from age 6-12 years. On average, shyness was moderately stable over time (r = 0.23-0.33) and this stability was almost entirely accounted for by genetic factors. Genetic factors at age 6 accounted for 44% of individual differences and these early genetic factors also explained individual differences at all subsequent ages (6-22%). Non-shared environmental factors explained most of individual differences at single time-points (51-63%), and did not account for stability in shyness. Contributions of shared environment were not significant. Our results suggest that the stability in shyness is mostly accounted for by early and persistent genetic contributions.
Asunto(s)
Timidez , Gemelos/genética , Factores de Edad , Niño , Femenino , Interacción Gen-Ambiente , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Quebec , MaestrosRESUMEN
About half of Nunavik Inuit live in overcrowded households compared to very few Canadians from the general population. Living in overcrowded households is associated with greater risks of suffering from mental health problems for Canadian adolescents. The present work aims at studying prospectively the hypothesised relationship between household overcrowding at childhood and psychological distress during adolescence among Nunavik Inuit, as well as the hypothesised relationship between these phenomena when they are both measure at adolescence. Recruited as part of the Nunavik Child Development Study, 220 participants were met at 11 years old in average and then when they were 18 years old in average. Household overcrowding was assessed using the people per room ratio. Psychological distress symptoms were operationalised at adolescence using depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. The results did not show that childhood household crowding had a long-term effect on psychological distress. An absence of moderation by sex of the association was also found in the present study. Despite those results, household crowding could be a risk factor only when in interaction with other elements related with poverty or housing or could be experienced as a difficulty for adolescents on other aspects than depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts.
Asunto(s)
Aglomeración/psicología , Vivienda , Inuk/psicología , Estrés Psicológico/etnología , Adolescente , Factores de Edad , Regiones Árticas/epidemiología , Canadá/epidemiología , Niño , Depresión/etnología , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Pobreza/psicología , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores Sexuales , Factores Socioeconómicos , Estrés Psicológico/psicología , Ideación SuicidaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Lead exposure predicts altered neurodevelopment and lower intelligence quotient (IQ) in children, but few studies have examined this association in children who have relatively low blood lead concentrations. OBJECTIVES: To test the associations between blood lead concentrations and cognitive function in Canadian preschoolers, with a possible moderation by sex. METHODS: The data were gathered from 609 mother-child pairs from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study. Lead was measured in umbilical and maternal blood, and in children's venous blood at age 3-4â¯years. Cognitive function was measured with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) at 3-4â¯years. We tested the relationship between WPPSI-III scores and blood lead concentrations with multiple linear regression, adding child sex as a moderator. RESULTS: Median blood lead concentrations for the mother at 1st trimester and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and for cord and child blood were 0.60⯵g/dL, 0.58⯵g/dL, 0.79⯵g/dL and 0.67⯵g/dL, respectively. We found no association between cord blood lead concentrations and WPPSI-III scores in multivariable analyses. However, cord blood lead concentrations showed a negative association with Performance IQ in boys but not in girls (Bâ¯=â¯3.44; SEâ¯=â¯1.62; 95% CI: 0.82, 5.98). No associations were found between WPPSI-III scores and prenatal maternal blood or concurrent child blood lead concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal blood lead concentrations below 5⯵g/dL were still associated with a decline in cognitive function in this Canadian cohort, but only for boys.
Asunto(s)
Cognición , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Plomo/sangre , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/inducido químicamente , Adulto , Canadá , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Pruebas de Inteligencia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Embarazo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heritable childhood-onset psychiatric disorder that may represent the extreme of obsessive-compulsive (OC) traits that are widespread in the general population. We report the heritability of the Toronto Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (TOCS), a new measure designed to assess the complete range of OC traits in youth. We also examined the dimensional nature of the TOCS and the degree to which genetic effects are unique or shared between dimensions. OC traits were measured using the TOCS in 16,718 youth (6-18 years) at a science museum. We conducted a factor analysis to identify OC trait dimensions. We used univariate and multivariate twin models to estimate the heritability of OC trait dimensions in a subset of twins (220 pairs). Six OC dimensions were identified: Cleaning/Contamination, Symmetry/Ordering, Rumination, Superstition, Counting/Checking, and Hoarding. The TOCS total score (74%) and each OC dimension was heritable (30-77%). Hoarding was not highly correlated with other OC dimensions, but did share genetic effects. Shared genetics accounted for most of the shared variance among dimensions, whereas unique environment accounted for the majority of dimension-specific variance. One exception was Hoarding, which had considerable unique genetic factors. A latent trait did not account for the shared variance between dimensions. In conclusion, OC traits and individual OC dimensions were heritable, although the degree of shared and dimension-specific etiological factors varied by dimension. The TOCS may be informative for genetic research of OC traits in youth. Genetic research of OC traits should consider both OC dimension and total trait scores.
Asunto(s)
Conducta Compulsiva/epidemiología , Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo/epidemiología , Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo/genética , Adolescente , Niño , Análisis Factorial , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Ontario/epidemiología , Población , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Gemelos/genética , Gemelos/psicologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with cognitive deficits and behavioral problems in children. To date, no study has examined this exposure in association with neurobehavioral development in infants younger than 12â¯months assessed with observational tasks. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relation between prenatal PBDE concentrations and predisposition to frustration, assessed by the arm restraint task (ART), in Canadian infants. METHODS: In a prospective longitudinal study conducted in Canada, exposure to nine PBDE congeners was measured in maternal plasma during the first trimester of pregnancy. The ART was used to measure predisposition to frustration in infancy (Nâ¯=â¯333; mean ageâ¯=â¯6.9â¯months), as assessed by negative vocalizations (crying and screaming) and physical reactivity (discomfort movements). RESULTS: Maternal plasma PBDE-47 concentrations collected during pregnancy were associated with negative vocalizations using the ART (adjusted Relative Risk [aRR]â¯=â¯1.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.09). Prenatal PBDE-99 concentrations during pregnancy were also related to a shift to the left in the tail of the distribution of onset of negative vocalizations as measured by a decrease of 38â¯s (95% CI: -78.1, 1.3) in the 75th quantile of the distribution for infants whose mothers had detectable levels of PBDE-99 compared to infants of mothers with undetectable levels. Similarly, infants whose mothers had detectable levels of PBDE-100 showed an increase of 24.1â¯s (95% CI: 4.1, 44.1) in the 75th quantile of the distribution of proportion of time in negative vocalizations compared with infants of mothers with undetectable levels. Finally, the association between PBDE-47 and PBDE-153, and physical reactivity was significantly modified by sex (pâ¯<â¯0.1), with opposite patterns in girls and boys. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exposure to PBDEs was associated with increased incidence of crying and screaming with delayed onset of discomfort movement, which may indicate a predisposition to frustration and lack of habituation in infants younger than 12â¯months from the general population.
Asunto(s)
Frustación , Éteres Difenilos Halogenados , Conducta del Lactante , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/epidemiología , Canadá/epidemiología , Femenino , Éteres Difenilos Halogenados/sangre , Éteres Difenilos Halogenados/toxicidad , Humanos , Lactante , Estudios Longitudinales , Madres , Embarazo , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
Little is known about why people differ in their levels of academic motivation. This study explored the etiology of individual differences in enjoyment and self-perceived ability for several school subjects in nearly 13,000 twins aged 9-16 from 6 countries. The results showed a striking consistency across ages, school subjects, and cultures. Contrary to common belief, enjoyment of learning and children's perceptions of their competence were no less heritable than cognitive ability. Genetic factors explained approximately 40% of the variance and all of the observed twins' similarity in academic motivation. Shared environmental factors, such as home or classroom, did not contribute to the twin's similarity in academic motivation. Environmental influences stemmed entirely from individual specific experiences.
RESUMEN
A large proportion of Inuit children in Arctic Quebec are adopted in accordance with traditional Inuit customs. In contrast to adoptions in Southern Canada and the United States, the child is adopted at birth and by a close family member; he or she knows who his or her biological parents are, and will typically have contact with them. Studies of other populations have reported an increased incidence of behavior problems in adopted compared with nonadopted children. This study examined the actual extent of the increase in the number of behavior problems seen in Inuit children adopted in accordance with traditional customs. In a prospective longitudinal study conducted in the Canadian Arctic (n = 46 adopted and 231 nonadopted children), prenatal and familial variables were documented at birth and at school age (M = 11.3 years). Behavior problems were assessed on the Teacher Report Form of the Child Behavior Checklist. Adopted children lived in more economically disadvantaged families, but their caregivers were less prone to depression, domestic violence, or alcohol abuse compared with those of the nonadopted children. The adoption status was not related to the teacher's report of attention problems, externalizing or internalizing behaviors, after controlling for confounders. Despite less favorable socioeconomic circumstances, a higher extent of behavioral problems was not seen at school age in Inuit children adopted at birth by a family member. Psychosocial stressors associated with adoption are more likely to be responsible for an association with higher levels of childhood behavior problems rather than adoption per se.
Asunto(s)
Adopción/etnología , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/etnología , Inuk/psicología , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/psicología , Problema de Conducta/psicología , Adolescente , Cuidadores , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Embarazo , Estudios Prospectivos , QuebecRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The phenotypic and genetic associations between decoding skills and ADHD dimensions have been documented but less is known about the association with reading comprehension. The aim of the study is to document the phenotypic and genetic associations between reading comprehension and ADHD dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in early schooling and compare them to those with decoding skills. METHODS: Data were collected in two population-based samples of twins (Quebec Newborn Twin Study - QNTS) and singletons (Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development - QLSCD) totaling ≈ 2300 children. Reading was assessed with normed measures in second or third grade. Teachers assessed ADHD dimensions in kindergarten and first grade. RESULTS: Both decoding and reading comprehension were correlated with ADHD dimensions in a similar way: associations with inattention remained after controlling for the other ADHD dimension, behavior disorder symptoms and nonverbal abilities, whereas associations with hyperactivity/impulsivity did not. Genetic modeling showed that decoding and comprehension largely shared the same genetic etiology at this age and that their associations with inattention were mostly explained by shared genetic influences. CONCLUSION: Both reading comprehension and decoding are uniquely associated with inattention through a shared genetic etiology.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/genética , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/fisiopatología , Comprensión/fisiología , Fenotipo , Lectura , Percepción del Habla/fisiología , Niño , Preescolar , Enfermedades en Gemelos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Quebec , Percepción del Habla/genéticaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Because of their geographical location and traditional lifestyle, Canadian Inuit children are highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead (Pb), environmental contaminants that are thought to affect fetal and child growth. We examined the associations of these exposures with the fetal and postnatal growth of Inuit children. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study among Inuit from Nunavik (Arctic Québec). Mothers were recruited at their first prenatal visit; children (n=290) were evaluated at birth and at 8-14 years of age. Concentrations of PCB 153 and Pb were determined in umbilical cord and child blood. Weight, height and head circumference were measured at birth and during childhood. RESULTS: Cord blood PCB 153 concentrations were not associated with anthropometric measurements at birth or school age, but child blood PCB 153 concentrations were associated with reduced weight, height and head circumference during childhood. There was no association between cord Pb levels and anthropometric outcomes at birth, but cord blood Pb was related to smaller height and shows a tendency of a smaller head circumference during childhood. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that chronic exposure to PCBs during childhood is negatively associated with skeletal growth and weight, while prenatal Pb exposure is related to reduced growth during childhood. This study is the first to link prenatal Pb exposure to poorer growth in school-age children.
Asunto(s)
Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Crecimiento/efectos de los fármacos , Inuk , Plomo/toxicidad , Bifenilos Policlorados/toxicidad , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Embarazo , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
This study used a genetically informed design to assess the effects of friends' and nonfriends' reticent and dominant behaviors on children's observed social reticence in a competitive situation. Potential gene-environment correlations (rGE) and gene-environment interactions (GxE) in the link between (a) friends' and nonfriends' behaviors and (b) children's social reticence were examined. The sample comprised 466 twin children (i.e., the target children), each of whom was assessed in kindergarten together with a same-sex friend and two nonfriend classmates of either sex. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that children with a genetic disposition for social reticence showed more reticent behavior in the competitive situation and were more likely to affiliate with reticent friends (i.e., rGE). Moreover, a higher level of children's reticent behavior was predicted by their friends' higher social reticence (particularly for girls) and their friends' higher social dominance, independently of children's genetic disposition. Children's social reticence was also predicted by their nonfriends' behaviors. Specifically, children were less reticent when male nonfriends showed high levels of social reticence in the competitive situation, and this was particularly true for children with a genetic disposition for social reticence (i.e., GxE). Moreover, children genetically vulnerable for social reticence seemed to foster dominant behavior in their female nonfriend peers (i.e., rGE). In turn, male nonfriends seemed to be more dominant as soon as the target children were reticent, even if the target children did not have a stable genetic disposition for this behavior.
Asunto(s)
Conducta Competitiva , Amigos/psicología , Interacción Gen-Ambiente , Relaciones Interpersonales , Conducta Social , Gemelos/genética , Análisis de Varianza , Preescolar , Dominación-Subordinación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Factores Sexuales , Gemelos/psicologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Smoking during pregnancy is common among Inuit women from the Canadian Arctic. Yet prenatal cigarette smoke exposure (PCSE) is seen as a major risk factor for childhood behavior problems. Recent data also suggest that co-exposure to neurotoxic environmental contaminants can exacerbate the effects of PCSE on behavior. This study examined the association between PCSE and behavior at school age in a sample of Inuit children from Nunavik, Québec, where co-exposure to environmental contaminants is also an important issue. Interactions with lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), two contaminants associated with behavioral problems, were also explored. METHODS: Participants were 271 children (mean age=11.3years) involved in a prospective birth-cohort study. PCSE was assessed through maternal recall. Assessment of child behavior was obtained from the child's classroom teacher on the Teacher Report Form (TRF) and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale (DBD). Exposure to contaminants was assessed from umbilical cord and child blood samples. Other confounders were documented by maternal interview. RESULTS: After control for contaminants and confounders, PCSE was associated with increased externalizing behaviors and attention problems on the TRF and higher prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessed on the DBD. No interactions were found with contaminants. INTERPRETATION: This study extends the existing empirical evidence linking PCSE to behavioral problems in school-aged children by reporting these effects in a population where tobacco use is normative rather than marginal. Co-exposure to Pb and Hg do not appear to exacerbate tobacco effects, suggesting that these substances act independently.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/psicología , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/psicología , Atención/efectos de los fármacos , Contaminantes Ambientales/toxicidad , Inuk/psicología , Intoxicación del Sistema Nervioso por Plomo en la Infancia/psicología , Intoxicación del Sistema Nervioso por Mercurio/psicología , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/inducido químicamente , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal/psicología , Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco/efectos adversos , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/inducido químicamente , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/epidemiología , Déficit de la Atención y Trastornos de Conducta Disruptiva/inducido químicamente , Niño , Interacciones Farmacológicas , Contaminantes Ambientales/análisis , Femenino , Sangre Fetal/química , Humanos , Intoxicación del Sistema Nervioso por Plomo en la Infancia/sangre , Masculino , Intoxicación del Sistema Nervioso por Mercurio/sangre , Embarazo , Prevalencia , Quebec/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors on daytime and nighttime continuous sleep duration at 6, 18, 30, and 48 months of age, and to identify different subgroups of children who followed different daytime and nighttime sleep duration trajectories and to investigate their etiology. METHODS: The current study included 995 twins (405 monozygotic and 586 dizygotic) of the Quebec Newborn Twin Study recruited from the birth records of the Quebec Statistics Institute. Daytime and nighttime sleep was assessed through maternal reports at 6, 18, 30, and 48 months of age. A semiparametric modeling strategy was used to estimate daytime and nighttime sleep duration trajectories. Quantitative genetic models were used to examine to what extent genetic and environmental factors influenced daytime and nighttime continuous sleep duration. RESULTS: Genetic modeling analyses revealed environmental influences for all daytime sleep duration trajectories. In contrast, strong genetic influences were found for consolidated nighttime sleep duration (except at 18 months and for the short-increasing sleep duration trajectory). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first indication that early childhood daytime sleep duration may be driven by environmental settings, whereas the variance in consolidated nighttime sleep duration is largely influenced by genetic factors with a critical environmental time-window influence at â¼18 months.