Beyond the heart: Cognitive and verbal outcomes in Arab children with congenital heart diseases.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates how congenital heart diseases (CHD) characteristics and interventions affect cognitive and verbal skills in Arab children, while also uncovering previously unexplored connections between these skills and the quality of life (QoL) scores as perceived by both children and parents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan, involving 62 children with CHD aged 6-16. Data were collected through standardized intelligence tests (namely The Raven's Progressive Matrices Test and The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) and QoL assessments. RESULTS: Sex, disease severity, cyanosis, CHD defect status, conducted operations, and types of interventions did not significantly influence cognitive scores. However, a significant difference was observed in Wechsler's scores between cyanotic and non-cyanotic children (p < .01) and between severe and moderate cases (p = .01). Further, a significant positive correlation was identified between Wechsler's Scores and QoL reported by parents (r = 0.33, p < .01). This correlation was particularly pronounced in the social and school functioning dimensions of QoL. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for personalized care approaches for children with CHDs based on their individual characteristics. While cognitive abilities did not directly correlate with children's QoL reports, a significant positive correlation between verbal skills and QoL reported by parents underscores the importance of effective communication in assessing a child's overall well-being. Future research should further examine the cognitive development in this population, employing neurocognitive investigations and longitudinal studies to gain a deeper understanding of their cognitive profiles and trajectories.

Personal Income Performance Correlates with Brain Structural Network Modularity but Not Intelligence Quotient.

Introduction: This study aims to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in conjunction with brain graph techniques to define brain structural connectivity and investigate its association with personal income (PI) in individuals of various ages and intelligence quotients (IQ). Methods: MRI examinations were performed on 55 male subjects (mean age: 40.1 ± 9.4 years). Graph data and metrics were generated, and DTI images were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). All subjects underwent the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale for a reliable estimation of the full-scale IQ (FSIQ), which includes verbal comprehension index, perceptual reasoning index, working memory index, and processing speed index. The performance score was defined as the monthly PI normalized by the age of the subject. Results: The analysis of global graph metrics showed that modularity correlated positively with performance score (p = 0.003) and negatively with FSIQ (p = 0.04) and processing speed index (p = 0.005). No significant correlations were found between IQ indices and performance scores. Regional analysis of graph metrics showed modularity differences between right and left networks in sub-cortical (p = 0.001) and frontal (p = 0.044) networks. TBSS analysis showed greater axial and mean diffusivities in the high-performance group in correlation with their modular brain organization. Conclusion: This study showed that PI performance is strongly correlated with a modular organization of brain structural connectivity, which implies short and rapid networks, providing automatic and unconscious brain processing. Additionally, the lack of correlation between performance and IQ suggests a reduced role of academic reasoning skills in performance to the advantage of high uncertainty decision-making networks.

Neurocognitive effects and electrophysiological findings in ADHD and self-limiting centrotemporal spike wave epilepsy (SeLECTS) - A prospective tertiary care study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients with self-limiting epilepsy with centrotemporal spike wave (SeLECTS), as well as the electroclinical features associated with this comorbid condition and the neurocognitive effects using psychometric tests. Additionally, we analysed the electrophysiological findings and neurocognitive status of patients with ADHD to estimate the prevalence of epilepsy and neurocognitive effects in the ADHD population and evaluate their clinical features. METHOD: The study included patients diagnosed with SeLECTS and ADHD who were matched for age and gender. Electrophysiological tests, psychometric tests, demographic and clinical characteristics of SeLECTS patients aged 7-13 years and ADHD patients of similar age were analysed. The study examined electrophysiological and psychometric tests, as well as demographic and clinical characteristics. Both groups underwent testing using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R), Stroop Colour and Word Test (SCWT), and EEG (Electroencephalogram). The SeLECTS group also underwent the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test. RESULTS: No significant relationship was found between the SeLECTS and ADHD groups in terms of age and gender. The rate of epileptiform discharge in EEG findings without a diagnosis of epilepsy was 5.6 % (n = 2) in the ADHD group. The rate of ADHD in the SeLECTS group was 28 % (n = 11). Although all subsections of the WISCR test were higher in the ADHD patient group than in the SeLECTS patient group, only verbal IQ and total IQ showed a significant difference. No significant differences were found between the completion times, error rates, and correction averages of the SCWT sections in both groups. There was no significant correlation found between the performance IQ, verbal IQ, and total intelligence scores in either the isolated SeLECTS patient group or the SeLECTS + ADHD patient group (p > 0.05). However, it is worth noting that verbal IQ was below normal in both groups and slightly lower in the SeLECT + ADHD group. Additionally, the mean SCWT completion time was significantly longer in the SeLECT + ADHD group than in the isolated SeLECTS group. However, no significant difference was found in the Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Perception Test. In the psychometric analyses comparing the isolated SeLECTS, SeLECT + ADHD, and ADHD patient groups, the SCWT completion times were significantly longer in the SeLECT + ADHD group than in the other two groups. The verbal IQ score was significantly higher in the ADHD group than in the other two groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, although SeLECTS is commonly considered a benign form of epilepsy, our study found a high rate of comorbidity with ADHD. This condition has a negative impact on verbal intelligence and sustained attention, highlighting the importance of a complete neuropsychological evaluation at the stage of epilepsy diagnosis. It is crucial not to overlook the possibility of an ADHD diagnosis.

Prenatal exposure to pyrethroids and chlorpyrifos and IQ in 7-year-old children from the Odense Child Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Organophosphates and pyrethroids are two major groups of insecticides used for crop protection worldwide. They are neurotoxicants and exposure during vulnerable windows of brain development may have long-term impact on human neurodevelopment. Only few longitudinal studies have investigated associations between prenatal exposure to these substances and intelligence quotient (IQ) at school age in populations with low, mainly dietary, exposure. OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between maternal urinary concentrations of insecticide metabolites at gestational week 28 and IQ in offspring at 7-years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was derived from the Odense Child Cohort (OCC). Metabolites of chlorpyrifos (TCPy) and pyrethroids (3-PBA, cis- and trans-DCCA, 4-F-3PBA, cis-DBCA) were measured in maternal urine collected at gestational week (GW) 28. An abbreviated version of the Danish Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children fifth edition (WISC-V) consisting of four subtests to estimate full scale IQ (FSIQ) was administered by trained psychologists. Data were analyzed by use of multiple linear regression and adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: 812 mother/child-pairs were included. Median concentrations were 0.21 µg/L for 3-PBA, 1.67 µg/L for TCPy and the mean IQ for children were 99.4. Null association between maternal 3-PBA and child IQ at 7 years was seen, but with trends suggesting an inverse association. There was a significant association for maternal TCPy and child IQ at mid-level exposure. Trans-DCCA above the level of detection (LOD) was also associated with slightly lower child IQ, but the association was also not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant associations between maternal 3-PBA metabolites and child IQ at 7 years, but with trends suggesting an inverse association. A non-significant trend between maternal TCPy exposure and child IQ in 7-year-children was seen even in this low exposed population. Given the widespread exposure and increasing use of insecticides, this should be elaborated in future studies.

Brain reserve affects the expression of cognitive reserve networks.

Cognitive reserve (CR) explains differential susceptibility of cognitive performance to neuropathology. However, as brain pathologies progress, cognitive decline occurs even in individuals with initially high CR. The interplay between the structural brain health (= level of brain reserve) and CR-related brain networks therefore requires further research. Our sample included 142 individuals aged 60-70 years. National Adult Reading Test intelligence quotient (NART-IQ) was our CR proxy. On an in-scanner Letter Sternberg task, we used ordinal trend (OrT) analysis to extract a task-related brain activation pattern (OrT slope) for each participant that captures increased expression with task load (one, three, and six letters). We assessed whether OrT slope represents a neural mechanism underlying CR by associating it with task performance and NART-IQ. Additionally, we investigated how the following brain reserve measures affect the association between NART-IQ and OrT slope: mean cortical thickness, total gray matter volume, and brain volumes proximal to the areas contained in the OrT patterns. We found that higher OrT slope was associated with better task performance and higher NART-IQ. Further, the brain reserve measures were not directly associated with OrT slope, but they affected the relationship between NART-IQ and OrT slope: NART-IQ was associated with OrT slope only in individuals with high brain reserve. The degree of brain reserve has an impact on how (and perhaps whether) CR can be implemented in brain networks in older individuals.

Patterns of WISC-V Performance in Children with Congenital Heart Disease.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital birth defects. As surgical and interventional techniques have improved, the mortality has been greatly reduced and the focus has shifted to quality of life and long-term outcomes. The impact of CHD on development and cognition is becoming increasingly recognized. However, more research is needed to understand how children with CHD perform across various cognitive and intellectual domains. This study explored the performance of children with CHD on the newest version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children compared to normative controls. Children with CHD performed more poorly than normal controls across all indices and most subtests with large effect sizes. Additionally, we explored the patterns of impairment across indices and subtests, as well as the relationships between heard disease variables and WISC-V performance. Block design, Digit Span, and Similarities were the most commonly impaired scores in children with CHD, while Symbol Search, Picture Span, Figure Weights, and Vocabulary were least likely to be impaired.

Intellectual function and memory in children with moyamoya disease: relationship between Wechsler Intelligence Scale and Benton Visual Retention Test scores and regional cerebral blood flow.

OBJECTIVE: Intellectual function declines in about 30% of children with moyamoya disease (MMD). Memory function underpins higher order brain function, but the relationship between intellectual function and memory in pediatric MMD patients has not been well studied. This study aimed to investigate correlations between scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), a visual memory test that can be administered to children, in children with MMD. Relationships between intellectual function or memory and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) have also not been well clarified in pediatric MMD patients. The authors also investigated associations between WISC or BVRT scores and rCBF in various brain regions. METHODS: WISC and BVRT scores and rCBF were assessed in 17 children with ischemic-onset MMD before revascularization. Single-photon emission CT with 123I-iodoamphetamine was used to measure rCBF. Relationships between WISC and BVRT scores were evaluated using Spearman's correlation coefficient and multivariate linear regression analysis. Cutoff values were identified for BVRT scores. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to predict full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) > 85 or ≤ 85. Associations between rCBF and WISC or BVRT scores were evaluated using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: BVRT scores were significantly correlated with FSIQ and scores on the Working Memory Index (WMI), Processing Speed Index, and Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)/Verbal Intelligence Quotient (VIQ) of WISC. Multivariate linear regression revealed that number correct score and number of errors score of BVRT were associated with FSIQ. As cutoff values, a number correct score of 5 and a number of errors score of 8 offered the most reliable predictors of FSIQ > 85 and ≤ 85, respectively. FSIQ correlated positively with rCBF in the right and left hemispheres, right and left ganglia, right and left thalamus, right and left cerebellum, right middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory, pons, and vermis. WMI score was positively associated with rCBF in the right hemisphere, right anterior cerebral artery territory, right MCA territory, right basal ganglia, right and left thalamus, right and left cerebellum, pons, and vermis. CONCLUSIONS: BVRT score correlated well with WISC index scores, suggesting that BVRT may be helpful in screening for intellectual impairments in children with MMD. In the MCA territory, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, pons, and vermis, rCBF associated well with WISC index scores, suggesting that reduced rCBF in relevant brain regions may influence intellectual function.

Adaptive functioning and neurodevelopment in patients with Dravet syndrome: 12-month interim analysis of the BUTTERFLY observational study.

OBJECTIVE: The BUTTERFLY observational study aims to elucidate the natural trajectory of Dravet syndrome (DS) and associated comorbidities in order to establish a baseline for clinical therapies. We present the 12-month interim analysis of the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of DS were enrolled in the study. Adaptive functioning and neurodevelopmental status were measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Third Edition (Vineland-III), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition (BSID-III), and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV). Executive function, ambulatory function and locomotor activities, and overall clinical status were measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) scale, Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire (Gillette FAQ), and Clinician or Caregiver Global Impression of Change scales (CGI-C or CaGI-C) respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 36 patients were enrolled across three age groups, with 35 patients completing at least part or all of one post-baseline visit through Month 12. Significant improvements in receptive communication, as assessed by Vineland-III and BSID-III raw scores, and in verbal comprehension subtests, as assessed by WPPSI-IV raw scores, were observed in BUTTERFLY patients for the all-patient group. Many patients performed on the impaired end of the BRIEF-P Global Executive Composite scale at baseline suggesting difficulties in executive function, and no significant change was observed in BRIEF-P scores for the all-patient group. Most patients performed in the dynamic range of the Gillette FAQ at baseline, and no significant change was observed in Gillette FAQ scores for the all-patient group. Lastly, there was significant improvement observed in the CaGI-C scores for the all-patient group. SIGNIFICANCE: This BUTTERFLY interim analysis shows small improvements in communication skills along with stability in other developmental abilities across patients with DS enrolled in the study from baseline to Month 12.

Sleep duration in preschool age and later behavioral and cognitive outcomes: an individual participant data meta-analysis in five European cohorts.

Short sleep duration has been linked to adverse behavioral and cognitive outcomes in schoolchildren, but few studies examined this relation in preschoolers. We aimed to investigate the association between parent-reported sleep duration at 3.5 years and behavioral and cognitive outcomes at 5 years in European children. We used harmonized data from five cohorts of the European Union Child Cohort Network: ALSPAC, SWS (UK); EDEN, ELFE (France); INMA (Spain). Associations were estimated through DataSHIELD using adjusted generalized linear regression models fitted separately for each cohort and pooled with random-effects meta-analysis. Behavior was measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Language and non-verbal intelligence were assessed by the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence or the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Behavioral and cognitive analyses included 11,920 and 2981 children, respectively (34.0%/13.4% of the original sample). In meta-analysis, longer mean sleep duration per day at 3.5 years was associated with lower mean internalizing and externalizing behavior percentile scores at 5 years (adjusted mean difference: - 1.27, 95% CI [- 2.22, - 0.32] / - 2.39, 95% CI [- 3.04, - 1.75]). Sleep duration and language or non-verbal intelligence showed trends of inverse associations, however, with imprecise estimates (adjusted mean difference: - 0.28, 95% CI [- 0.83, 0.27] / - 0.42, 95% CI [- 0.99, 0.15]). This individual participant data meta-analysis suggests that longer sleep duration in preschool age may be important for children's later behavior and highlight the need for larger samples for robust analyses of cognitive outcomes. Findings could be influenced by confounding or reverse causality and require replication.

Neuropsychological factors associated with performance on the rey-osterrieth complex figure test in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at considerable risk for cognitive difficulties, including visuospatial deficits and executive dysfunction. This study aimed to (1) assess the overall performance of children with NF1 on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT) compared to unaffected siblings and (2) examine neuropsychological predictors of RCFT performance in children with NF1. A retrospective clinical audit was performed on neuropsychological records from a multidisciplinary NF1 Clinic in Australia. We searched for children that had completed an assessment between 2000 and 2015 which included the RCFT and other neuropsychological outcomes in this study. These included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Judgment of Line Orientation (JLO), Tower of London test, Conners ADHD Scales, and the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The study population consisted of 191 children with NF1 aged 6-16 years, and 55 unaffected siblings recruited from a separate study. Results revealed that 62% of children with NF1 performed at or below the first percentile on the RCFT copy, which was significantly worse than their unaffected siblings. Visuospatial skills, parent-rated executive abilities, ADHD symptoms, and intellectual skills all predicted poorer performance on the RCFT copy, however the best fitting multiple regression model only contained the JLO, BRIEF Metacognition Index, and chronological age. The JLO emerged as the strongest predictor of RCFT performance. This study provides evidence that visuospatial deficits are a key driver of reduced RCFT performance in NF1 and that executive skills as well as a younger age are also independent predictors of RCFT performance.

Intellectual Functioning of Children With Isolated PRS, PRS-Plus, and Syndromic PRS.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic within a hospital. PATIENTS: Children with PRS (n = 45) who had been in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were classified by a geneticist into 3 subgroups of isolated PRS (n = 20), PRS-plus additional medical features (n = 8), and syndromic PRS (n = 17) based on medical record review and genetic testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Children with PRS completed IQ testing at 5 or 8 years of age with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition (WPPSI-III) or Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) or Fifth Edition (WISC-V). RESULTS: IQ scores were more than 1 to 2 standard deviations below the mean for 36% of the overall sample, which was significantly greater compared to test norms (binomial test P = .001). There was a significant association between PRS subtype and IQ (Fisher's exact P = .026). While only 20% of children with isolated PRS were within 1 standard deviation below average and 35% of children with syndromic PRS were below 1 to 2 standard deviations, 75% of PRS-plus children scored lower than 1 to 2 standard deviations below the mean. CONCLUSION: PRS subgroups can help identify children at risk for cognitive delay. The majority of children with PRS-plus had low intellectual functioning, in contrast to the third of children with syndromic PRS who had low IQ and the majority of children with isolated PRS who had average or higher IQ.

Effectiveness of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test in people with Prader-Willi syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating intelligence using conventional tools is very complex in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), as it is time consuming and requires levels of care that are difficult to sustain for this population. Therefore, we explore the ability of a brief test to assess intelligence in these patients. METHODS: This study included individuals with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of PWS, with regular attendance at transdisciplinary treatment in an institution dedicated to the care of rare diseases in Argentina. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) were used. RESULTS: Correlation was obtained between the scales in paediatric and adult populations. Within the paediatric population, no significant differences were identified between the WISC-IV scale (Wechsler for paediatrics) and the K-BIT (56.4 ± 8.6, vs. 53.4 ± 10.1, P = 0.28), with a good agreement between the methods {intraclass correlation 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-0.95]}. Regarding the adult population, the discrimination of the WAIS-III scale (Wechsler for adults) and the K-BIT of adults (16 years and over) presented an acceptable concordance [0.77 (95% CI -0.09; 0.93)], although also underestimating the results (58.3 ± 7.2 vs. 51.1 ± 11.2, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We observed the feasibility and potential usefulness of a brief intelligence test (K-BIT) in patients with PWS with an acceptable agreement with conventional tools.

A comparison of WPPSI-IV performance between Finland-Swedish minority children and the Scandinavian test norms: Findings from The FinSwed Study.

OBJECTIVE: The Swedish Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) is commonly used for assessing young children belonging to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland (Finland-Swedes), but there is no information about the generalizability of this test and its norms to this minority. Cross-cultural comparisons of WPPSI-IV are also scarce. We compared the performance of Finland-Swedish children to the Scandinavian norms of the Swedish WPPSI-IV and explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors (age, sex, parental education level, bilingualism) and the performance. METHOD: The Swedish WPPSI-IV was administered to 79 typically developing 5-6-year-old Finland-Swedish children assessed for The FinSwed Study. Their performance was compared to the Scandinavian norms using MANOVA, t-test, and confidence interval comparisons. Associations with sociodemographic variables were explored using regression analyses. RESULTS: Finland-Swedish children performed, on average, 1/3 SD higher than the Scandinavian norms, a difference which was statistically significant with medium-sized effects. However, individual subtests and indexes did not differ significantly from the norms. Significant associations with sociodemographic factors were found for some but not all index scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides clinically important information for using the Swedish WPPSI-IV with the Finland-Swedish minority and demonstrates aspects that clinicians working with this minority should take into account. The results are presumably partly explained by characteristics of the present sample, and partly by cultural and linguistic differences between the Finland-Swedish population and the Scandinavian countries. The findings also illustrate that cross-cultural differences in cognitive performance may be present even between similar cultures with the same language.

Examining the validity of the use of ratio IQs in psychological assessments.

Intelligence tests are amongst the most used psychological assessments, both in research and clinical settings. To avoid missing data points, for participants who cannot complete Intelligence tests normed for their age, ratio IQ scores (RIQ) are routinely computed and used as a proxy of IQ. Here, we use the case of autism to examine the validity of this widely used, yet never scientifically validated, practice. We examine the differences between standard full-scale IQ (FSIQ) and RIQ. Data was extracted from four databases in which age, FSIQ scores and subtests raw scores (from which RIQ scores could be calculated) were available for 16,751 autistic participants between 2 and 18 years old. The Intelligence tests included were the MSEL (N = 12,033), DAS-II early years (N = 1270), DAS-II school age (N = 2848), WISC-IV (N = 471) and WISC-V (N = 129). RIQs were computed for each participant as well as the discrepancy (DSC) between RIQ and FSIQ. We performed a multiple linear regression model to assess the effects of age and FSIQ on DSC for each IQ test. Participants at the extremes of the FSIQ distribution tended to have a greater DSC than participants with average FSIQ. Furthermore, age significantly predicted the DSC, with RIQ superior to FSIQ for younger participants while the opposite was found for older participants. Similar results were found in secondary analyses including typically developing children. These results question the validity of the RIQ as an alternative scoring method, especially for individuals at the extremes of the normal distribution, for whom RIQs are most often employed.

Visual orientation discrimination skills are tightly linked with specific aspects of human intelligence.

We investigate the notion that basic visual information is acting as a building block for more complex cognitive processes in humans. Specifically, we measured individual visual orientation discrimination thresholds to report significant correlations against the total standardised intelligence quotient (IQ), verbal-IQ and non-verbal IQ scores evaluated using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Second Edition (WASI-II) test battery comprising Verbal Reasoning, Block Design, Similarities and Matrix Reasoning subtests (N = 92). A multiple linear regression analysis showed that participants' performance in our visual discrimination task, could be explained only by individual scores in Verbal Reasoning which quantifies the ability to comprehend and describe words and Matrix Reasoning, which evaluates general visual processing skills including abstract and spatial perception. Our results demonstrate that low-level visual abilities and high-level cognitive processes are more tightly interwoven together than previously thought and this result could pave the way for further research on how cognition can be defined by basic sensory processes.

Structural brain correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in 5-year-old children: Findings from the FinnBrain birth cohort study.

Non-verbal cognitive ability predicts multiple important life outcomes, for example, school and job performance. It has been associated with parieto-frontal cortical anatomy in prior studies in adult and adolescent populations, while young children have received relatively little attention. We explored the associations between cortical anatomy and non-verbal cognitive ability in 165 5-year-old participants (mean scan age 5.40 years, SD 0.13; 90 males) from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study. T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance images were processed using FreeSurfer. Non-verbal cognitive ability was measured using the Performance Intelligence Quotient (PIQ) estimated from the Block Design and Matrix Reasoning subtests from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III). In vertex-wise general linear models, PIQ scores associated positively with volumes in the left caudal middle frontal and right pericalcarine regions, as well as surface area in left the caudal middle frontal, left inferior temporal, and right lingual regions. There were no associations between PIQ and cortical thickness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine structural correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in a large sample of typically developing 5-year-olds. The findings are generally in line with prior findings from older age groups, with the important addition of the positive association between volume / surface area in the right medial occipital region and non-verbal cognitive ability. This finding adds to the literature by discovering a new brain region that should be considered in future studies exploring the role of cortical structure for cognitive development in young children.

Onset of Inattention and Hyperactivity in Children and Adolescents With Epilepsy 6 months After the Diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: Complete or major symptoms of ADHD are often present in epilepsy. This study evaluated inattention and hyperactivity symptoms over the first 6 months in newly diagnosed pediatric epilepsy without comorbid ADHD. METHOD: Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed epilepsy were followed for 6 months after starting antiseizure medications. The Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF), Adverse Event Profile (AEP), and the Revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children were used. RESULTS: There was a marked increase in attention difficulties while a moderate increase in hyperactivity levels. AEP scores, changes in non-verbal aspects of intelligence, levels of hyperactivity at the follow-up, and attention at baseline were significant predictors for inattention. In contrast, only levels of hyperactivity at the baseline and inattention at the follow-up were significant predictors for hyperactivity. CONCLUSION: Significant inattention and hyperactivity levels originated 6 months after the diagnosis of epilepsy and starting antiseizure medication.

Prenatal and concurrent blood mercury concentrations and associations with IQ in canadian preschool children.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal and childhood mercury (Hg) exposures have been associated with negative impacts on child neurodevelopment. It is unclear if associations persist at the low Hg exposures typical in Western countries. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between prenatal/childhood blood Hg concentrations and child IQ in Canadian male and female children while considering the potential modifying role of prenatal fish consumption. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals study. Hg was measured in first trimester (n = 527), cord (n = 430), and child (at 3-4 years of age, n = 355) blood and examined sex-stratified associations between blood Hg and children's Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ), and General Language Composite (GLC) scores (assessed with WPPSI-III). Prenatal Hg analyses were further stratified by prenatal fish consumption (low: 0-2, moderate: 3-7, or high: ≥8 times/month). RESULTS: Higher cord blood Hg concentrations were associated with lower PIQ (ß = -3.27; 95%CI: 6.44, -0.09) in male children with the lowest prenatal fish consumption. Progressively stronger positive associations were observed with PIQ in male children for moderate (ß = 1.08; 95%CI: 0.10, 2.26) and high (ß = 3.07; 95%CI: 1.95, 4.19) prenatal fish consumption. Cord blood Hg concentrations were positively associated with female children's FSIQ (ß = 1.29; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.81) and PIQ (ß = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.83); however, when stratified only in the highest fish consumption subgroup. Among female children, higher child blood Hg concentrations were associated with an approximately 1-point increase in FSIQ, VIQ, and GLC. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exposure to low levels of Hg was associated with lower PIQ scores in male children with low prenatal fish intake. Positive associations between cord and child blood Hg concentrations and IQ were primarily observed in female children and may be due to beneficial effects of prenatal fish intake.

WISC-IV intellectual profiles in Italian children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the intellectual profile based on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition (WISC-IV) in children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS), with an attempt to define possible predictive epilepsy-related variables of cognitive performance. METHODS: The WISC-IV was assessed in 161 children with SeLECTS and their cognitive profiles were compared to a matched sample of healthy control children. RESULTS: Children with SeLECTS performed within normal range across all indices, demonstrating particular strength based on the Perceptual Reasoning Index. Compared to healthy control children, we observed a significant difference in performance based on the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient, Verbal Comprehension Index and Processing Speed Index. Regarding epilepsy-related variables, earlier onset of epilepsy, use of anti-seizure medications, the presence of neurodevelopmental disorders, a higher frequency of seizures, and a longer treatment duration were associated with an overall lower level of performance. SIGNIFICANCE: Children with SeLECTS performed within the average range for cognitive assessment based on the WISC-IV, demonstrating that children had normal levels of global intelligence. However, compared to healthy control children, children with SeLECTS showed a slightly lower level of performance. Reasoning skills represented the relative strengths in children with SeLECTS. Predictors of intellectual performance in patients with SeLECTS include epilepsy-related variables and neurodevelopmental comorbidities.

Common Factor Structure of the Ten Subtest Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition in a Clinical Sample and 15 Subtest Version in the Standardization Sample.

OBJECTIVE: The 10 core subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) suffice to produce the 4 index scores for clinical assessments. Factor analytic studies with the full complement of 15 subtests reveal a 5-factor structure that aligns with Cattell-Horn-Carroll taxonomy of cognitive abilities. The current study investigates the validity of 5-factor structure in a clinical setting with reduced number of 10 subtests. METHOD: Confirmatory factor analytic models were fitted to a clinical neurosciences archival data set (n_Male = 166, n_Female = 155) and to 9 age-group samples of the WAIS-IV standardization data (n = 200 for each group). The clinical and the standardization samples differed as (a) the former comprised scores from patients, aged 16 to 91, with disparate neurological diagnosis whereas the latter was demographically stratified, (b) only the 10 core subtests in the former but all 15 subtests in the latter were administered, and (c) the former had missing data, but the latter was complete. RESULT: Despite empirical constraints to eliciting 5 factors with only 10 indicators, the well-fitting, 5-factor (acquired knowledge, fluid intelligence, short-term memory, visual processing, and processing speed) measurement model evinced metric invariance between the clinical and standardization samples. CONCLUSION: The same cognitive constructs are measured on the same metrics in every sample examined and provide no reason to reject the assumption that the 5 underlying latent abilities of the 15 subtest version in the standardization samples can also be inferred from the 10 subtest version in clinical populations.